Ruffly Onesie Dress

We've had a lot of cute babies being born the last couple months, so I've had the chance to make a lot of fun presents for them :) Here is another little gift, that isn't expensive and is very easy to make. So maybe I'm such procrastinator that half the time I remember the shower the morning of. And maybe I make presents up until the minute before I leave...I'm not the only one right?? Anyways here is a little outfit that will look adorable on any baby, including my own (Why do I always make other kids cute stuff while my own children look a little like orphans?? Sad. My next tutorial will be a little something I made for my own child. Mark my words. Or don't.)

1. Start out by buying a plain onesie, and some cute fabric. I chose jersey knit because it's super comfy for those newborns. This tutorial is for 18 month onesies, so measure accordingly.Cut your jersey strips 5-5.5 inches by 4 times the width of your onesie. You want to make sure that once you ruffle the fabric, it will be long enough to wrap all the way around.

2.Ruffle your strips of jersey by setting your machine on the highest length of stitch possible. Mine is a 6. I also adjusted the tension and my jersey ruffled up nicely by itself.

3. Once your strips are ruffled, check to make sure they are the right length. Then, sew it, right sides together. Now you should have a ruffled tube of fabric.

4. Pin your ruffles down onto the onesie where you want them placed. *Tip: I like the ruffles to dip a little lower in the back to accomadate for the diapers...And cute little buns :)

5.Sew your ruffles on with a zig-zag stitch, and pair it with a matching bow and Taggie Blanket and you have the perfect little shower gift!

Taggie Blanket Tutorial

Hey all! I've been making these little blankets for all my friends having babies lately and have had a lot of people ask how to make them. So, here we go! (Let's just keep pretending that these aren't the easiest things in the world to make mmmkay??)

1. Cut out 4 squares of coordinating fabric, Sew 2 and 2 together.


2.Sew the two strips together, right sides together.


3. Cut out a backing fabric the same size as your new square.


4. Gather some scraps of ribbon that look cute with you're fabric you've chosen


5.Pin your ribbon tags onto your blanket


6. Put your backing fabric, face down, then sew right sides together. Leave about a two inch opening, but make sure that all ribbons are sewn in :)


7. Turn you're blanket inside out and topstitch all the way around. And you're done! Perfect little tag blanket to keep those chubby little fingers interested :)

Fabric Buggy Shower Invites

I saw these invitations and decided I'd make them when I got the chance...Well, I helped throw my friend's shower and thought it was the perfect time :) What's fun about these is I used up all of my fun girly scraps that I saved because I didn't want them to go to waste, but really thought I'd never find a use for... The other good thing about these is they are really easy & cheap! All you do is cut a circle, then cut a quarter out to make the buggie. Zig-zag stitch on, and make the "legs". Add buttons or pearls and viola! You're done :)

**Edited to Add** I've had a couple people email/ask what the saying is on the side of the invites so I figured I'd put it on just in case anyone else is interested?

"Tiny fingers, tiny toes,

litle itty-bitty clothes,

Dresses, dolls, hair & curls,

guess what...it's a girl!!"

Happy 4th of July!

My cute friend Laura brought be the cutest 4th of July treat the other day and I decided to copy her and send it to some friends.I know I'm the worst procrastinator ever, but here are my little 4th of July treats. I made these for my visiting teachees (except for two are out of town and I didn't drop them by in time...) But these could be cute cupcake toppers or Thank you treats. I first started out with a 8 1/2 by 11 piece of paper and cut it in half.

Then, fan fold it, just like we did in my Spring Banner Here. I did about 1/2 inch folds. But play around with it until you get something you like. Then fold your fan in half. Hot glue each end together to make your Pinwheel? (what are these even called??)

Next, Cut a straw, skewer, dowel or whatever you want to size like so:

Put a big glob of hot glue on the back side to hold the fans together as well as to hold your straw on. (I don't want to talk about the fact that I'm using straws, because that's all I had and I didn't want to go to the store...)


Now hot glue the "Happy 4th of July" Printable to the "pinwheel"


Fill small jars with red and blue candies, I chose peanut m&ms because they are delicious. AND I might have cheated and used other colors on the bottom because I covered them with scrapbook paper and fabric scraps. (Remember, I didn't want to go to the store?)


Attach a little note and deliver to a friend!


Now you have a fun little gift for 4th of July. You have about 2 days to actually use this, but there have got to be other procrastinators out there like me, right?? Please tell me your one of them! :) I included my Fourth of July Printable if anyone would like to use it! Please let me know if I did this wrong because this would be my first time trying this...I'm pretty sure you can right click and save it to your computer...Easy Peasy. I hope everyone has a great long weekend!!

Ruffly Apron Tutorial

I know graduation had come and gone but I figured I'd post this how-to anyways. I decided for my SIL & sister (sorry Katelyn yours will be ready for you when you come back!) I'd make aprons for their graduation gifts this year. I figured college was when I had to learn how to cook so they might as well do it in style while their learning, yes? Although graduation is over, I feel like aprons are a good present for every occasion. Who wouldn't want a fun apron? You can't ever have too many... I completely made this up, so it's for sure not perfect. AND I'm sure there is a much better way to make this. But here is my thought process through making this in the off chance someone else wants to make one too :). I hope it makes sense!

Step 1

-Cut a square of fabric (I folded mine over so it would be thicker) So, fold your fabric and cut a 14 x 14 square with the fold at the top.

Step 2

-Cut a second piece that is at least 22 in. Fold in half and measure where 14 in hits and then cut a diagonal line straight up. (Like I said I made this up as I went so my lines & measurements are a little ridiculous. But, as I make my other one I'm not sure if I'd change anything.)

Step 3

-Next, I worked on the ruffles. I decided I wanted 3 ruffles for this apron, so I laid out my fabrics and decided about how much of the bottom half I wanted used up and in what order I wanted them to go. My pre-ruffle strips were about 4.5in x 36 in.

-Take your strips and make a basic ruffle. (run a basting stitch on the highest length your machine will go, mine is a 6. Then pull on the strings and ruffle as much as you want to fit on the apron appropriately)

Step 4

-Find a purple crayon and some scrap paper and free hand a pocket ha! just kidding but that's seriously what I did...(I'm sure if you'd like a more exact pocket you could probably google a template)

Step 5

-Lay out your apron body, ruffles, and pocket and play around until you get something you like.

-Decide what order you want the ruffles, and the layout for your pocket. (After this pic I decided I wanted the pocket on the bottom half.)

Step 6

-For the waistband (for lack of a better term) Cut 2 pieces that are 14 in x 2.5 in (obviously you can change any of these measurements as long as you keep the basic square consistant)

-Sew the ends of the two pieces, right sides together making a tube.

-Now you're ready to assemble the body. Sew the top piece to the waistband, right sides together and then connect the bottom piece. You should now have one big apron body.

Step 7

-This is where I stopped taking my measurements...so sorry. But I know the ties and straps were 2.5 in x something? Ha. I just used up the longest portion of my fabric, but you can make them as long as your heart desires!

-Sew the ties & straps right sides together and end it with a diagonal strip to make it pointed. Turn it inside out and iron! (this was a good point to take everything I had been working on and give it a good ironing, which I usually skip because I'm lazy.)

-Sew the straps and Ties on the the top and sides of your apron.

Step 8

-Cut out your pocket, following your pattern and some trim if you'd like (I used white ric-racbut the possibilities are endless)

-Sew the ruffles and pocket where you want them (I actually pinned on this project and it helped a ton. Normally I don't pin because, once again, I'm lazy but I would recommend it here.)

*AND DONE!* I know this seems like a lot of steps but it was verrry easy. I sewed the straps in the middle of the top and I would definitely sew them at the ends next time but I love how it turned out!

*Pair this with a super cute cookbook and you have the perfect gift!

(I didn't get this cookbook but I wish I did, it's adorable and has a fabulous name :) )

I hope this tutorial made sense, but if you have any questions please feel free to ask me! And if anyone attempts to make one let me know, I'd love to see!

Summer Lovin'

Hey everyone! Sorry for my month long hiatus...May brought on a lot of unexpected things...but now that we're all feeling better around here I figured I'd spend a little time on my very much neglected blog :) I've been trying all morning to upload some pictures of the projects I've been working on around here, but our lovely Mac does not like our outlets here and shuts down constantly! Anyone else have the same issue?? Anyways I'm so ready for summer and can't wait for Lake Powell next week so here are some things to get us excited for the heat!



I want this swimsuit from Anthro...so cute.


I want this swimsuit for my girls...adorable.


These look delicious and I'm pretty sure the girls would devour them (Apparently you just freeze capri suns and sliced fruit yummm)


This print is lovely...and now I want a fun striped umbrella for going to tthe beach

I am officially ready for summer to start! I'm hoping to get some tutorials up this week. Keep your fingers crossed for me & my lame computer :)

DIY Blue Mason Jars

I love love love the look of all of the blue jars out there...especially antique mason jars. adorable. I had seen a lot of people that had painted the jars or swirled paint on the inside to get colored jars and I loved them but I wanted the look of the antique clear blue. So I googled and googled and found someone who had used Modge Podge and food coloring. Here is the one I liked the best! She has a very easy tutorial to follow...Anywho here are the ones I made for my daughter's first birthday and I have been using them for everything I can think of ever since!

Here's how to get the same look:

1. Gather as many glass jars you can find :) (ie: salsa, pasta sauce, syrup..you get the point!)

2. Get some modge podge & food coloring

3. Pour some modge podge, water & some drops of food coloring into your first jar (you might need to play around with the ratios a bit. I think I ended up liking 2 blue to 1 green the best. But, play around and see what suits you!)

4. Sloooowly turn the modge podge around the jar until it has covered the entire inside. Don't be afraid of what it looks like now because once it dries it will look fabulous...Just try not to get huge drip marks (I would know...)

5. Once your first jar is done, pour any excess colored modge podge into your next jar and cover the inside of that one. And so on and so forth. If you run out just add more modge podge and more food coloring and keep on going!

6. Once you're done with a jar tip it over on newspaper to dry while you work on the others. If you are impatient like me, you can pop your jars into the oven while on wark to dry them super quick!

These are great for centerpieces, shelves, and any type of decor! Just don't put water in, I'm not sure how that would take. I always use fake flowers in them, or branches look great too!

DIY Apothecary Jars

These bad boys are probably not new to anybody out there, but just in case they are I thought I'd put a link to the tutorial. I love these jars. They are super versatile and make decorating for holidays a breeze! I love the look of pinecones in them for fall, different colored ribbons around them for different holidays, and eggs for easter obviously :) To find out how you can make a set of your own, click here! I followed the tutorial almost exactly, but I obviously changed the color from black to Heirloom white. I finished it off by glazing and sanding the edges. I liked the black but the cream fits in more with my home decor...Hope everyone enjoyed their Easter Sunday!

Book Page Spring Banner

I decided I needed a spring banner (ha I told you I love them!) I also decided it needed to be out of an old book. So, here is my first shot at doing a tutorial...I actually came up with something by myself...who would have thought?! So here it goes...

-Cut 2 inch strips of an old book (or scrapbook paper would work fine as well)

-I glued four 2-inch strips together, and then fan fold them accordian style (dig deep into those kindergarten projects you did back in the day)

-They should now look like this:

-Cut 2-inch circles out of a cereal box (if you're cheapo like me) or 2-inch circles out of chipboard

-I cut 6 for the letters SPRING (try to keep little chubbo fingers from stealing them :)):

-Cut 2-inch circles out of scrapbook paper in your color choice.

-Print your letters out on cardstock and cut them slightly smaller than the scrapbook letters.

-Glue the letter circle to the scrapbook circle.

-Then, hot glue your chipboard circle to the back of your fan (it's a little awkward to keep it flat but you can do, I promise)

-Hot glue your letters to the front and you will have a stack of cute letters

-Now all you have to do is punch holes, and string with twine/ribbon/whatever you want and VIOLA! You have a new banner that is too cute for words.

-Besides the fact that this thing is fabulous, it was also free because I had the paper, cereal box, and old book already (see book page wreath) woohoo! Here's the finished product:

*I feel like it finishes of my Easter "Mantle" perfectly, now we have exactly 4 more days to enjoy it!*

Cute Pin Cushions...

I have needed a pin cushion for awhile now and couldn't bring myself to go buy an ugly tomato one (no offense to all you out there sewing with a tomato pin cushion...Ha!) So I decided to search it out.. Here are some of the ones I liked and I decided to make a teacup pin cushion. It took all of about 10 minutes so I don't know why it took me so long to buck up and make one. I LOVE having it, so convenient!

Heather Bailey's fresh picked cushions are to die for cute

but I already had the goods to make this one from mmmcrafts so this was the one I chose and I'm so glad I did! This was so easy and would be a perfect gift for the sewer in your life (who wouldn't love a cutefied pin cushion?!)

How to:

Cut a circle that is at least double the size of your teacup. Hand sew a stitch around the edge and pull (just like a yo-yo) Fill the circle with batting, and hot glue to your teacup. Yup, it's that easy. Maybe I should make a whole army of them, just in case :) Kidding. Kind of. Anyways, go ahead and make yourself a place of your own to put all of those pins you have lying around (Or update that tomato!)

Spring Wreath Take 2

Am I the last one in the entire world that has tried these little silk flowers? I love them! I know I'm way behind but they have got to be the easiest cutest flowers, besides, I love burning the edges and the instant gratification of cuteness.. I made this wreath for a bunco prize and I can't decide if I love it or not? At least it's springy! I figured I'd post some pictures for some new color/flower inspiration...Hope you all are having a fabulous day! I'm hoping to get my new leggings posted up here soon...Just pray my children take a nap. Or sleep tonight. Or my husband takes my kids out for awhile...Yes, I know, I'm dreaming :)