Featured!

Eeek!  The ladies at Ziggy Crafts featured my On The Go Snack Cup.  Thanks, girls!

Unfinished Project Syndrome

Right now, I am suffering from Unfinished Project Syndrome.  Perhaps you recognize it in yourself?

Some of the symptoms include, but are not limited to:

-having several (or more than several…) pieces of fabric that are cut out, ready to be sewn, but the sewing has yet to begin
-starting one project, and then switching when you come across a “better” project
-printing out a pattern, but leaving the fabric sitting on your sewing table, untouched
-continuing to add to your “to make” list, faster than you’re actually making

Some causes of Unfinished Project Syndrome include, but are not limited to:

-teething baby
-enormous pile of laundry
-a three-year-old who melts down during rest time because his cars keep falling off the bed (please, someone tell me this is a problem at your house too…)
-a sink full of dishes (and maybe a counter full as well)
-getting sucked into reading craft blogs, discovering new projects that get added to that aforementioned “to make” list
-facebook (need I say more??)

Anyone out there want to form a support group?

On The Go Snack Cup Tutorial

The double stroller we have is great (and necessary with two boys).  The biggest problem I have with it, though, is that the kids’ seats don’t have snack trays, like we have on our single stroller.  For my three-year-old, it’s no big deal.  But my youngest is too young (and not coordinated enough!) to hang onto a snack bag while he’s eating.  Plus, he likes to throw things.  That means, when we’re on the go, he can’t have a snack.  I’m sure there’s something I could buy to solve this problem, but I figured I could make something instead.

1. Cut out your pieces of fabric — I used two coordinating fabrics, but you could use the same fabric for all pieces if you’d like.

A- 8in. x 2.5in.
B- 11 1/4 in. x 3in.
C- 4in. diameter (from one side of circle to the other)

Elastic – 8 1/2in.

Velcro – 2in.

2. Cut out one piece of interfacing for each pair of fabric (A, B, and C)

3. Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of one piece of each pair.

4. Put the right sides of the long (B) fabrics together.  Sew a zig-zag stitch down one of the long sides.

5.  Fold so that the wrong sides are together (right sides out), and iron the seam flat.

*Note for the next step: you can make this snack cup without the elastic, and it works just fine.  However, it’s pretty easy for your child to knock the snack out of the cup as he/she is grabbing it.  The elastic works against that.  Some of my pictures have the elastic, and some don’t, because I actually ripped apart after using it, and added the elastic in.  If you don’t want to add elastic, just skip these steps.*

6. Make a casing for your elastic along the sewn side.  Measure, pin, then sew a straight stitch to allow for the elastic to be pulled through.  Using a safety pin, pull the elastic through.

7. Sew the ends of the elastics into the casing.

8. Put the wrong sides of both circles (C) together, right sides out.  Pin the open side of the long strips (B) around the circles (C).  This will create the bottom of the snack cup.

9. Sew around the bottom circle, then up the short side of the cup (B).

9. Turn the cup right side out.

10.  Put the right sides together of the short strap (A).  Sew around three of the sides, leaving one of the short sides open.  Turn the strap right side out – poke out the corners and iron the seams.  Fold the open end under and iron.

11.  Sew the strap onto the outside of the snack cup (B).  Sew a square and an X in the middle of the square – this should help the strap to stay secure.

12.  Attach velcro onto the inside of the snack cup (B).  I put mine onto where you can see the stitches from the X on the inside of the cup.  I used self-adhesive velcro, but just to be sure the velcro stayed put, I also attached it with a no-sew fabric adhesive called Unique Stitch.

13.  Enjoy your new On The Go Snack Cup!

Use on a stroller — works great for umbrella strollers, too.

Use in the car (if you feel comfortable with your child snacking in the car).

I’m excited to try it on a grocery store cart as well!

Happy snacking!

Linking up to:

Beanbags

For my little man’s third birthday, I made a set of beanbags.

The letter cut outs spell out his name.

The beanbags are made from old T-Shirts, partly because I love to upcycle, and partly because I figured they could withstand a beating.  The fabric inside is a fun cotton that I used on my bulletin boards when I was a teacher.

They did end up a little larger than I had intended.  But he likes that they spell his name.  And my ten-month-old thinks they are pillows.

Just for fun, a picture of my birthday boy.

the prince

every birthday prince needs a birthday crown

how else will everyone know how old you are?

super simple – felt, hot glue gun, and self-adhesive velcro

it’s good to be three.

By the way….

See anything you recognize here or here?

How fun to see my creations featured on another blog!  I probably clicked over to these blogs a dozen times, just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.  Thanks for the shout out, ladies!

Three

On Sunday, my baby boy turns three.  *Insert weepy sound here*  I know it is cliche, but it goes so fast!  I can’t believe he is going to be three.  Sigh.

Well, wipe the tears away, because obviously a birthday means sewing!  And a three-year-old deserves a couple of birthday shirts.

 

I took an Old Navy clearance T-Shirt and made a car out of old T-Shirt scraps.  I do love to upcycle.

 

More T-Shirt scrap upcycling.  I didn’t worry too much about sewing straight lines on the arms, because I like the messy feel on this shirt.

Linking up to:

 

Grippy Slippers

Our house is full of wood floors.  Pair that with a nearly walking ten-month-old and a Wisconsin winter, and you have a serious need for grippy slippers.

I saw these slippers over at The Creative Maven.  I knew they were the answer to the cold feet problem.  She has a great tutorial that I followed for the most part (though I ended up putting elastic all around the opening, because my little man kept wiggling his feet out of the slippers).

I also added this anti-skid fabric (like you see on the bottom of footie pajamas).

The slippers are fleece with a little felt lightning – appropriate for my super fast little dude.

Just when you think baby feet can’t get any cuter.

Linking up to:

 

A Little Something For Me!

The past couple of days have been rough mommy days.  My almost three-year-old has been… sigh…. trying my patience.  So, to keep my sanity, I decided to sew something for myself.   And eat chocolate.

I have a few three-quarter length shirts from Target that I really love, so I made one of my own out of a jersey knit in this fabulous blue.

I love the wide band on the sleeves.

A little close-up to see the ruffle at the neckline.

(and p.s. how do so many bloggers manage to look cute and not awkward when taking photos of their clothing?  note to self: learn how to not look awkward…)

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