Inspiration for Crafting

I know this doesn't exactly fit the scope of this blog, but I wanted to share my latest project. Laptime Songs for Mommies is an eBook containing wonderful information about bonding with your little one through music, books and snuggling. It also includes 4 craft ideas to use with toddlers and preschoolers.

If you're interested, please check it out!

Posted by Amber P. at 11:51 PM 1 comments    

Labels: infant, kids' crafts, newborn, preschooler, toddler

It has taken me so long to get these pictures on the computer! These are the spring dresses I made the girls for Easter. The top is inspired by a dress of Sammi's and her skirt is inspired by one I found on a blog somewhere. I've spent several hours looking for that skirt again! Elli's skirt was my own idea and I really like the way it turned out.

Here they are in their dresses on Easter Sunday. Such sweet angels!

I'm working on the patterns for these dresses. I'm trying to get all the sizes 3-6 months up to 4T. If you're interested in helping me test the pattern, please leave a comment with your email and I'll contact you when I have it ready! Thanks.

Posted by Amber P. at 11:35 AM 37 comments    

Labels: baby, clothing, sewing, toddler

There have been so many requests for the 3T version of the Itty bitty Dress. Thank you all for your encouraging words! The link is finally fixed and the dress pattern can be downloaded here.

If you're quick, you can even get it done in time for Easter, this Sunday April 11! Enjoy!

Posted by Amber P. at 9:08 AM 18 comments    

Labels: free pattern, sewing, toddler

Here's the finished cradle from Saturday's post. It turned out way cuter than I envisioned it. I'm pretty happy about it! But when Sammi saw me cutting out the oatmeal container for the bed, we had an interesting conversation.
"Mommy, what's that?"
"It's a cradle for your baby."
"I want a crib."
"It is a crib. It's a bed for your baby."
"No, it's not. I want a crib!"

Hummm. So my mom and I brainstormed and came up with an idea for a crib. A box! Pretty obvious, I guess. Here's the masterpiece! Mom painted the inside and then we mod podged decorative paper on the sides and bottom.
But, I'm wondering what I can do to make it more crib-like. Any suggestions?
Phase 1 is complete and now on to Phase 2: Making bedding. This should be an interesting adventure. I'm calling on the sewing expertise of my mother-in-law to accomplish this phase!

Posted by Amber P. at 11:27 PM 1 comments    

Labels: gift ideas, paper crafts, toddler

Sammi is currently in LOVE with babies (although not always her baby sister!) and has to carry them with us everywhere. People will ask her if they can hold her baby (meaning her sister) and Sammi will squeeze her baby doll tightly and say NO! emphatically. Since she has accumulated a few, I have been thinking of Christmas presents for her in the form of accessories for her babies.

First, baby doll needs a bed! I ran across this idea for a doll cradle from the blog Chasing Cheerios. This doll cradle is cut from an oatmeal container. I was sold right there! We have saved oatmeal containers since Sammi was born. They are usually used as drums, but figured we have enough to spare one for a doll cradle! Then the container is cut to look like a cradle. Finally, the bed is decorated with paper. I have lots of cute girly paper that I'm excited to use for the cradle.

Posted by Amber P. at 3:03 PM 1 comments    

Labels: accessories, gift ideas, paper crafts, toddler

I finished the costume for Sammi to be Minnie Mouse! I am quite pleased with how it looks. And she is, of course, adorable. I learned a bit about fabric during this experience. When you put bias tape on one layer of fabric, the fabric shreds through it very quickly. The only time this didn't happen was on the second practice dress which was recycled from a sheet. As a result, I have resewn almost every inch of the bias tape you see! A very time consuming job with very little satisfaction since I had already done it once!

My favorite part of the dress, though, is the bow. It was a last minute addition as I was planning on buying a bow. Instead I just cut out an extra long rectangle, folded it in half, sewed it together and flipped it right-side out. Then I pulled the two layers apart and scrunched up the middle to make it look like a bow. Then I wrapped a length of black bias tape around it and tied it off. I was going to hide that side, but I thought it looked great to have the knot and the extra bit as an accent on the bow.

I don't normally dress up much for Halloween and last year Sammi barely wore her costume. But this year, she has worn it three times already this week! I'm excited for her to wear it trick-or-treating tomorrow night.

Posted by Amber P. at 4:56 PM 1 comments    

Labels: clothing, sewing, toddler

I finished the second practice dress. I also made the top to match. It looks rather plain from the front, but it's quite cute in the back. It has two ties and curved corners. I've cut the fabric for the real Minnie Mouse dress! Now I just need to get to sewing it.
It's cut from Heidi Grace's Midnight Kisses line of fabric now at JoAnn's. She'll be a modern Minnie!

Posted by Amber P. at 8:10 PM 0 comments    

Labels: clothing, fabric, sewing, toddler

It's Halloween season! I've decided to make Sammi's costume this year. I've had this Minnie Mouse doll for longer than I care to admit. I've always loved her little skirt. So I thought this year I'd make a Minnie Mouse costume for Sammi. She likes to play with her, but usually calls her Mickey (we have two Mickey Mouse dolls.)

I've made two practice dresses. One is tiny for her baby dolls. But, it also fit Elli so I took a picture of her modeling it. It has a tie in the back to adjust for different waists. I used bias tape around the band and then continued it for the ties. Hemming it was a beast because the back has rounded corners and it was so small. But, despite the imperfections, iy looks pretty good from afar!

Here's the practice version: Sammi-sized. It turned out quite big on her. I'm glad it was practice material. I'm going to tweak the pattern and make one more practice one before I cut the actual fabric. I also have an idea for the top of the dress. I'm going to actually have it be two pieces so the skirt can still be worn for dress up after she's outgrown the top.

Posted by Amber P. at 11:13 AM 0 comments    

Labels: baby, clothing, holidays, sewing, toddler

The giveaway is one post down.

Isn't this hat adorable! My mom made it for Sammi. She made me the same hat in my size a couple years ago. It is currently packed in a box somewhere but I am excited to find it and have a matching hat with Sammi.

My mom has had that yarn for forever so I don't know where she got it and I don't know anything about the pattern either. Maybe she'll comment and fill us in! (hint, hint)

Posted by Amber P. at 7:37 AM 4 comments    

Labels: accessories, toddler, yarn

Here are my sweet girls. Elizabeth is one month old today. I can't believe how quickly the month went by. I'm glad I put her in the dress today because it was almost too small! I didn't realize how much she had grown in such a short amount of time.

As for Sammi's dress, it was a bit roomy for her when I finished it several months ago and I figured she'd grow into it by now. However, toddlerhood is full of energy and movement. Instead of getting bigger around, she's actually slimmed down and gotten taller. So it looks bigger on her now than it did before. Though I have to say I am quite pleased with the length. Most things seem too short on her so I'm glad I made it a little longer.

And here's a picture of Elizabeth with the baby booties on. They are way too big, but oh so cute!

Posted by Amber P. at 7:15 PM 3 comments    

Labels: baby, clothing, sewing, toddler

My mom recently sent me an email with this free kimono pattern from Habitual. In the email she summed up my feelings about crafting perfectly: "So many projects, so little time."

This is definitely on the list of to-do's once we are settled into our new place and I've recovered from the arrival of the baby (only four more weeks!)

Posted by Amber P. at 4:44 PM 3 comments    

Labels: baby, clothing, free pattern, project ideas, sewing, toddler

So, my daughter turned 2 today! Those two years went by so fast. I can hardly believe how much she has grown and how much she can do now. I've decided that the little toys I take places (church, doctor's office, etc.) to entertain her are just not cutting it anymore. So it's time for a quiet book. I brainstormed ideas for several books following different themes, but eventually decided to start with a summer book (which I hope to finish while it's still summer!)

I'm inviting any who'd like to make the book along with me and share your adjustments or creative additions. I finished the first page today and Sammi was already eager to play with it. That's motivation at it's peak! The book is constructed one page at a time and the pages can be put in any order. Pages will be sewn back to back to hide the stitching and other mechanics of the design. Instructions on that will come at the end once all the pages have been posted.

Quiet Book Page 1
Velcro
Pond with Five Fish

• Download the pattern and instructions for the quiet book page 1.
• Materials: Felt in a variety of colors for the fish, felt for the page of the book, blue ripstop for the pond, Velcro.
• Cut out pattern for the pond and for the fish.
• Cut out two fish for each color of felt. Sew one side of the velcro to one fish of each color. Place the other fish of the same color on top and zigzag stitch them together. Fish are done!
• Trace pattern for pond onto ripstop. Ripstop material frays easily so I sewed the opening first and them cut out the whole pond from the material. Sew five pieces of Velcro randomly over the surface of the pond. It should be the opposite side of the Velcro from what what sewn on the fish.
  
• Make opening on pond: place a blue piece of felt across 3 1/2 inches of the top of the pond. Appliqué or zigzag stitch the ripstop and felt together. Cut out pond, including trimming the excess of pond and felt along the opening.
• Align pond on center of 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch piece of felt that will be the page of the book. Appliqué or zigzag stitch the ripstop from one side of the opening along the perimeter to the other side of the opening. Pond is complete!
• Put fish on Velcro pieces or in the pocket. Page 1 is complete!
  

Posted by Amber P. at 9:29 PM 4 comments    

Labels: free pattern, quiet books, sewing, toddler, tutorials