New Blog

Hey one or two readers! :) I'm starting a new blog that will talk about and show the projects I'm working on at home. I'm hoping to get followers for this new blog so please share with everyone you know. I'll be doing a giveaway soon so that might be a time to really get the word out. I don't have much on there right now, but my plan is to do one post a week for now. Being a working mom of two I don't have much time to do that many projects but the ones I do complete I would like to have in one spot so others might get inspired and try things too. So go on over and check it out! Let me know what you think.

http://embellishmentsandthings.blogspot.com

Photo Booth

I've started thinking about ideas for my sweet Elaina's third Ooops did I say third I mean fourth birthday coming up in April and I am having such a difficult time. I've seen lots of cute ideas, but I just can't make my mind up. Elaina says she wants a princess party which she had, basically, last year. But when I ask her which friends she wants to come she names like 8 boys and 3 girls. LOL I've tried telling her that boys will not want to come to a princess party, but that's what she tells everyone when they ask her what kind of party she's having. One thing I know I'm going to do is the photo booth idea that I've seen everywhere lately. I had never heard about it until by sister-in-law told me the photographer at her sister's wedding did it and it was so much fun. I thought it was a crazy cute idea and within weeks I noticed that idea all over the web. It's basically where you set up a place with a simple backdrop (sheet of polka dot or striped fabric works great) and have the guests stand in front of it and smile or act silly. It looks like they are in a photo booth. So far, that's the only idea I got. Any ideas? She's girly . . . but in a tomboy kind of way if that makes any sense at all. She likes to dress up, but them a second later she is running through the house trying to catch "bad-guys" and telling me she needs a Monster Truck like Jack. . . . That's my girl!

Sweater Pillow

I don't know if you remember the leg-warmers that I made earlier out of the sleeves of an old sweater, but one of my sweet friends from "happily home" told me I should make a pillow out of the rest. What a great idea! So I did and I am so pleased with how it turned out. I did it the short way and did not sew in a lining, so it only took me about 20 minutes. Slip stitching took me over half the time. I'm going to go browse my closet for some more old clothes to do something with. Yippee I'm excited.

Pants too short?

Elaina had these pants that fit her in waist but not length. They were about two inches too short. Well, she doesn't have many spring and summer clothes, and we have cut our spending budget a lot. I have gone through her closet many times trying to find pieces that I can refurbish. Pieces that I wouldn't get much for at the consignment sale. All I had to do was measure her from the waist to her knee, cut straight across, turn under twice, press it, then sew all the way around. This was about a 10 minute project.

I don't like to waste anything, so I took the left over pieces and made cute flowers to pin on one of her shirts. I'm not sewing them on the shirt for two reasons. . . the flowers won't hold up in the wash and it's an easy way to have two shirts in one ;) All I did was cut out 3 imperfect circles, folded them in half and half again, stuck a needle through the pointed ends and tightened them by going through the pieces several more times. It was really easy! I'm not claiming any of these ideas as my own because I'm sure they came from somewhere just not sure where.

Twinkle in My Eye

After coming home from grocery shopping today my husband told me something so sweet that our precious Elaina said while I was gone. Seriously she must just watch too much t.v. or something cause I don't know where she gets this stuff y'all. Here is what she said,

"Daddy. . . you know how I'm your little monkey? . . . Baby Jack is my little monkey." Then a little later she said, "you see this twinkle in my eye? . . . it's b/c you let me play." I got teary eyed and about lost it. These moments really keep me smiling.

Junk Room Reveal

This room is one of the "extra" spaces in our downstairs. I've always called it my craft/junk room. It has needed a cleanin for a very long time, but for some reason I never cleaned it up. I decided today to take it on while my sweeties were napping. I couldn't get it all done of course, but it looks so much better. Don't you think?

BEFORE

AFTER

My Day Off

Yeah for snow days! I love being a teacher. I love being a mom even more which makes snow days that much sweeter. Not only do I get to stay home from "work" I get to spend time with my kiddos.

During my youngest child's morning nap I got inspired and worked on a very short project. I was visiting some of my favorite "make-stuff" blogs. You can find them on the right side of the screen under "my blog list." I had this old sweater that has been in the "good will" box forever and I just didn't know if I really wanted to get rid of it or not. It didn't fit me right so I knew I would never wear it. Well, I had an idea after looking at the other blogs. Here it is.

I cut the sleeves off first. I turned up the wrist end and sewed it. I turned in the upper end and sewed elastic around it. I haven't sewn with elastic for a while so I don't think I did it the best way but it'll work. And there it was . . . leggings. Sometimes Elaina doesn't want to wear the stuff I make for her :( but she liked these.

Then I got another idea! The leggings kept slipping down and I thought. . . leg warmers! So I pinned an adorable crocheted flower a friend made me (handmade baby gifts link under blog list) just below the knee. CUTE! I don't know why I think these are so cute but I just love them. Total time invested? 18 minutes! Can you believe it? It took me longer to post this than make the leggings if you can believe that.