The Crafty Cupboard

Transportation Boy Quilt

2012-02-01T14:11:00.001-07:00

I finally bought some batting. I had a 50% off coupon, and then a 20% off everything coupon appeared in my e-mail inbox, and I left right away to get the batting before anything else could happen! I also got some minkey/minkee dot backing while I was at it.

A few hard-working hours later, and we’ve got ourselves a baby boy quilt!

I machine-sewed the binding again. It is fabulous, except for the corners. I can’t quite get the corners right yet… I still like the look of hand-sewing better, but it takes a long time, and minkee is hard enough to poke those darn needles through.

I had all three girls helping me out with this photo session. I had all these fabrics set aside for when we had a boy :). Good thing it is staying in the family, this quilt is for their soon-to-arrive cousin! Total dimension is 48” square, and soft and cuddly to boot.

New Scripture Cover

2012-01-30T12:06:00.001-07:00

It was time for a new scripture cover. I just got a new set, since I misplaced my last pair at a church meeting and I got tired of borrowing some for Sunday School. So, with new scriptures comes a new scripture case, courtesy of Delia.

Since I started this late in the evening, I just started pulling from my fabric stash. How fun that I had some leftover herringbone from a skirt I made (the fabric had originally been a $1 find at Goodwill, and I used this same pattern) and a yellow print from Joel Dewberry’s Heirloom line. Also in the stash was fusible fleece for some extra padding and a magnetic snap. How convenient, right?

Delia’s tutorial doesn’t involve a strap and magnetic closure, but that is what I wanted for my cover. So, I cut a piece 5 1/2” x 2 1/2” out of both fabrics and some heavy weight interfacing. I ironed the interfacing to the yellow piece, and put the snap on, and sewed the fabrics into a tab. Before the main scripture cover pieces were sewn together, I made sure the other side of the snap would line up with the tab and put that on the outer herringbone fabric. I put a little piece of interfacing behind that too just to reinforce it. Then I continued as normal, putting the tab between the jacket flap and the outer fabric before I sewed it all up instead of the elastic that Delia uses in her tutorial.

I like the fusible fleece addition too, but it made it so my seam allowances got too bulky (although I did cut the fleece down to not be in the allowances… guess it wasn’t enough!) and I had to omit the final top-stitch step in order to actually fit the scriptures in. Dar be dar.

Delia had a strap that caused a minor frustration for her, so I wanted to show you how I did mine in a continuous circle. I’m using scraps for demonstration purposes, your straps will be longer :)

Delia’s straps were 2 1/2” wide for the bottom layer, and 1 1/4” for the top layer, and both at 46” long. To get continuous straps, cut your bottom strap 48 1/2” long and your top strap 47 1/4” long. I had to piece my straps to get them this long.

Take each strap and put the ends right sides together, like the picture above, making sure the strap isn’t twisted or anything. Stitch where I have the red line marked on the photo, corner to corner.

When you open it up, it will be a full circle. Trim the seam allowance and iron it nice and pretty, and then repeat with the next strap. Then you can continue with Delia’s instructions about ironing them and sewing them together and then onto the scripture cover.

The scriptures got their church debut yesterday, and it was really nice not pulling them out of a bag or anything. I think all I need now is a cute bookmark. For the record, I’m finishing up my Personal Progress, and all I have left is to finish the Book of Mormon- yay!

My only problem is, what do I do when I’m wearing that matching skirt to church??? :)

Getting Quilty

2012-01-26T13:59:00.001-07:00

It’s been a while since I finished the Kaleidoscope quilt, and I’ve had bundles of fabric ready to be made into something for a while. I gave in to one of them the other day and cut them into 6” squares, which then became 9-patches, and then ended up chopped again into a Disappearing 9-patch.

And now I have a quilt top.

I went to JoAnn Fabrics to get lots of batting when it was on sale, but they told me it wasn’t on sale, so I didn’t get it. Turns out they were wrong (surprised?) and I missed out on that. I don’t have good experiences with that store…

So, here it will remain until batting goes on sale again.

This quilt has organic Transportation, Michael Miller Ta Dots, Lakehouse dots, Snorkel, Half Moon, and… something else that has totally escaped my brain at the moment.

And, if you were wondering, the craft night was really fun. Just a few people showed up, but we gabbed the night away. I had them bring a project, but I also had a few cheap/simple things for people to do too if they wanted. And food was present :)

Gotta put that Pyrex to work, you know.

Spiffing Up the House

2012-01-24T13:06:00.001-07:00

There’s people coming over tonight- hopefully, lots of them. Since one of my new year resolutions was to make new friends (or, be a better friend), I decided to have a crafty night at my house. I was going to have an organized craft with all the supplies and stuff for everyone, but then I remembered I’m one woman, and my monthly craft budget is $40. Oh. So it is a Bring Your Own Craft night!

But when people are coming over, don’t you feel like you have to take your home up a notch? I do. Usually we just clean. Let’s face it- that is up quite a few notches for us! But this time, I needed to add a little more than usual. So, the Kitchen Aid got a tattoo. Or two.

Doesn’t it look like a cool tattoo? I have to say, it was a BEAST getting this little vinyl flourish cut (the automatic cut setting was a little off, so first it didn’t cut through, and then I adjusted it and it was too deep and vinyl was getting caught all over the place) and then transferred (I have no words. It was crazy, and I unleashed a whole slew of Mormon curse words) to the Kitchen Aid. But I like it! It got this design on both sides. I thought I mirrored the image, but it turns out I didn’t. Ah, oh well. I still think it is way cool, I love it in silver.

And then, I cut out some letters and glued them to some paper heart doilies, and strung them together with twine. Then I wandered around our 100 square feet of front living space (and I’m having lots of people over? What was I thinking!) looking for a place to put it, and ended up hanging it up at the entrance to our hallway.

The girls loved helping me with this sparkly heart art. I found the great houndstooth paper at Hobby Lobby, and the hearts at the Dollar tree.

I spray painted this amore sign a while back, and just stuck it on the top of my mirror. Then, since it was still bare, I put some of my vintage crochet lace as a little garland on it. I am planning on making a heart garland too, some time.

So, there is my pathetic attempt at spiffying up the place. Good thing this isn’t the Parade of Homes or something.

I’m sure there are people out there who think my house is always decorated to the nines for holiday and regular day use since I am a bit crafty, but since we have NO flat surfaces, it really is pretty barren. Mike would freak out anyway if I started putting stuff all over- I often find my meager decorations on my craft desk where he has “put them away.” He’ll even put the couch pillows away in the linen closet. Ha!

Have a great day!

Make a Snuggie!!

2012-01-20T12:18:00.001-07:00

Ok, I was giggling the whole time I made this. And then I started taking the occasional picture, because it was just too fun not to share.

I’ve been thinking how snuggies are just blankets with sleeves, and since I know how to cut a big rectangle and then a circle, I could make one. And I had just picked up some Fancy Nancy fleece. The stars had aligned.

To make the snuggie, I measured my child’s height (just ignore her super old princess dress that I made from nightgown fabric once upon a time when I didn’t know what I was doing), and then added a least another foot because she does grow fast. Then I measured her arm length and added about 5 inches to that length too. I also made it wide enough to wrap around real loose with extra room for growing.

Next, I marked where the sleeves would go on the actual snuggie by having my daughter lay down on the blanket for an idea on where her shoulders were. I needed them spaced apart by about 14”, so I marked with a single pin where the centers of the sleeves would be.

Next I hemmed the sleeve, but I only did this with one of the snuggies. Fleece isn’t going to fray, so I didn’t bother on the second.

Sew the sleeve right sides together into a long tube. Turn it right side out.

The tricky part for me was figuring out how big to cut my circle where the sleeve was going in to. I first measured the diameter of the sleeve (from fold to seam), and then subtracted 1” for the seam allowance to get my finished circle diameter. I ended up with a hole smaller than the sleeve when it was laying down,

But when the blanket and sleeve were pinned right sides together, it fit pretty nicely. I had to adjust only slightly as I was sewing.

This was seriously so fast… and I got 2 little kid snuggies out of the fabric I had on hand. Woot woot!

Now the kids can warmly play their V-Smile and bite their fingernails. Hmmm. I’m actually thinking these would be GREAT in the car so they can still play and eat snacks and whatever and still stay warm.

Make Life Square, updated.

2012-01-19T14:41:00.001-07:00

I’ve seen a lot of the Make Life Square baby quilts on Pinterest, and since I made the tutorial before we all knew about that wonderful time-sucker (!), I’m thinking people should have other photos to choose from. So I updated the post with pictures of the actual finished quilt. That quilt has been folded up and put away since I made it. We’ve never used it! Too many blankets around here…

Make Life Square quilt tutorial is found here.

Now that Pinterest is around, do you find yourself wanting to re-photograph everything like I do?? :)

Baby Peasant Dress and Pants

2012-01-18T11:54:00.001-07:00

I have been trying to increase this little Turkey’s wardrobe, slowly but surely, since she doesn’t have a lot of warm clothes. I’ve cleaned WalMart out of their white long-sleeve onesies. Babies are SO cute in those. Yeah, just white. Anyway, the three pairs of pants I have for her are dirty by day 2, so I have been cutting out little bitty pairs of pants any chance I get. As I was cutting out this pair from Joel Dewberry’s Heirloom line, I knew I couldn’t just have the pants- she needed a top to go with it.

Or, since Abby just posted her Baby Peasant Dress pattern and tutorial, my little girl needed a matching dress. Forget warmth, we’re going for cute now (though I will probably toss one of those white onesies on under if we go out in this).

I just used a Simplicity pattern for the pants, but Rae has a freebie that is exactly the same thing, for those of you who are interested. I made these pants extra long because I wanted her feet covered. I’m weird.

But she was pretty excited about the new clothes.

So much so that she spit up all over the dress, but I took a picture of it anyway. Here it is, all crusty and wrinkled. So cute, right?

The Heirloom line has been a little trouble for me, I keep pulling the prints out for quilts, but then end up putting them in clothes. I think they are much better in clothing, because you can get the full effect of the bigger prints.

Anyway, we’re happy to have new clothes, and she’s so stinkin cute in them too.

**Also, my sponsor Little Bitty Boutique is having a giveaway/drawing on her Facebook page for a Valentine item or a Boy item, so check it out! We love our bear beanie!**

The Gumball Pocket Skirt- A Tutorial

2012-01-17T09:00:00.001-07:00

What little girl doesn’t want bright pockets, pom-pom-trim, and a skirt all rolled into one? My girls were begging me to use some of that trim on a skirt, so I got right to work and came out of my sewing room with these matching cuties before too long. I had to call them “Gumball Skirts” because of the ball trim and the polka-dot fabric in the pockets, like a pocket full of gumballs.

They have been approaching everyone and saying, “Do you like my skirt???” while proudly showing off the trim and pockets to all who will listen. And, today is the third day in a row they’ve worn them. It is time for a load of laundry, that is for sure.

Want one? Or two?

Materials:

1/2 yard main fabric (you’ll have leftovers)

1/2 yard contrast fabric (again, some left over)

1 yard pom-pom trim (I had barely enough for a 4/5T size skirt with 1 yard)

1 package of coordinating bias tape

sewing supplies, including 1” elastic

{I got my fabrics from a local shop, ETC- Scrapbooks, Fabric, and More! I love their HUGE sale section and get in trouble there all the time :)}

Seam allowances are 1/2”

First, measure your child from their waist to your desired length- for my girls, this was slightly past their knee. Now, I wanted the contrasting bands to be about 4” each, so I subtracted 5 (always include seam allowance and your hem) and then added the 1 1/2” for the top elastic casing. This is the cut length of the main fabric. For my 4-year-old (almost 5!!), I used the whole width (minus selvedges), and sub-cut to 2, 21 inch pieces. For my 2 1/2 year old, I used a 38” width and sub-cut to 2, 24” pieces.

Fold one of your main fabric pieces in half width-wise,

And draw on a pocket with a light pencil or erasable pen on the raw edge side of your now folded fabric. I used a small bucket to get my curve nice. I wanted to be able to see the proportions of the pocket directly on the skirt, so I didn’t draw my pattern first- I’m totally backwards, I know :) This way helped me a bit though, since I am a visual person.

Cut through both layers along your newly drawn pocket. Keep in mind that the pockets will be included in the elastic casing at the top, so you might want them to be 1” longer than you think is right.

Now I drew up my pocket pattern. Using the cut pieces, I traced an inner curve on my piece of paper, and used that as a guide for drawing how deep the outer curve- the inside of your pocket- was going to be.

Using your pattern, cut 2 of the outer curve pieces, making sure the two pieces face opposite directions.

Next, cut two inner curve pieces, again making sure they are in opposite directions.

Line your inner curve up with the main skirt fabric wrong sides together and with the inner curves matching. Sew these together along that inner curve.

Now, take your big pocket piece and place it right side down on top of your contrasting inner pocket piece, making sure to line up that outer curve. Sew only the contrasting fabrics together along this curve, where I have all those pins.

Cut a piece of bias tape to fit around that inner curve of your pocket. Pin it on, and sew carefully around the edge.

I went ahead and sewed the pocket to the top of the skirt while I was at it so it wouldn’t flop around.

This is what your skirt front looks like now.

Take your remaining main fabric and pin it along one side, and sew them together.

Take your pom-pom fringe and baste it along the bottom of the main fabric.

Sew your contrast fabric together along one of the short sides, and then line the edges up right sides together along your main skirt fabric. Sew these layers together, carefully making sure your pom-poms are out of the way as you sew.

Iron your new seam towards the main fabric, and top-stitch along the edge to hold that seam allowance in place.

Sew the remaining two sides together and iron your seam allowance flat.

Make a double hem along the bottom

Either iron a 1/4” hem or finish the top of the skirt, and then iron a 1 1/4” hem. Stitch close to the finished edge, leaving a 2” opening to make your elastic casing.

Insert your elastic all the way through the skirt and sew the elastic ends together, overlapping them by about 1/2”. Sew the elastic opening closed.

Repeat for the sister, friend, or whoever.

They will love their pockets, fun trim, and running around in their new skirts!

They’ll have plenty of fun in their Gumball Pocket skirts!

Ruffled Onesie Dress

2012-01-12T17:07:00.001-07:00

Babies and onesies… they just go together. But these plain white onesies are just boooooring! Time to liven thing sup a bit, right?

Grab your onesie, and 1/2 yard of fabric (more if you’re working with a larger onesie than this 0-3 month size). Cut your fabric into 3” wide strips, and then cut the strips into pieces that are at least twice the size of your onesie width.

I cut a total of 12 pieces. Grab the pieces in groups of two, right sides together, and sew the short ends together to make a big circle. I used my serger, but a regular machine works fabulously :)

After your pieces are all sewn together (you’ll have 6 circle pieces now), you’ll want to adjust your stitch length on your machine to its longest setting. On my machine, it is 5.

Sew along the top of each tube at 1/4”- you aren’t sewing the layers together, you are just making a gathering stitch so you can ruffle your piece.

Since I’m working with a small piece of fabric with a loose weave, I only sewed one gathering stitch, but I usually recommend two that are 1/4” apart. Anyway, hold on tight to your bottom thread, and slide the fabric along so it ruffles up.

This is what it looks like when you are done. Repeat with each strip of fabric. This takes a little time, so be patient! Make sure it is about 1” wider than your onesie so you have stretch room while sewing.

Then, starting at the bottom of your onesie, pin the ruffle so the ruffle seams match up with the onesie seams. I usually pin in the center front and center back next, and then fill in the pins from there so it the ruffles are all evenly distributed. Starting at a seam, sew it down using a small zig-zag or knit stitch (looks like a lightning bolt), slightly stretching the onesie as you go. My machine doesn’t have the knit stitch, so I just use a smallish zig-zag. This allows room for the fabric to stretch even after being sewn down.

Add your ruffles one at a time to the onesie, moving from the bottom up. Don’t worry about the double row of stitching that you see once it is sewn in- you can always pull the gathering stitch carefully out later.

I always pull the gathering stitch out of the top ruffle layer so it looks nicer. Now that you are all done, it is time to try it on the baby, right?

And she’s adorable in it. Without it too, but you know.

No onesie is safe now!! This alternative is much more feminine and adorable.

I’m just glad I finally cut into that Hobby Lobby clearance knit… :) I love making stuff for my girls with things I already have, and the hubs likes it too hee hee.

Now, go forth and sew!

The 10-Minute Apron

2012-01-10T13:37:00.001-07:00

I’m going to start posting some easy, beginner sewing projects on my blog, and teach a thing or two while I’m at it. Have fun, and start sewing!

Do you have 10 minutes, a fat quarter of fabric, and some ribbon? Well, then you have yourself an apron!

This is a very good Beginner project, but if you go crazy with embellishments and ruffles and pockets and such, it can be a good project for those who want a little more of a challenge.

Begin with a fat quarter. A fat quarter is a 18” x 21” piece of fabric, and is most often used by quilters. For this project, I had a 1/2 yard of fabric that I cut in half along the fold line.

Starting with your 18” sides, iron a 1/2” hem.

Then, fold it over 1/2” again. This is a double hem, and it encloses the raw edge of the fabric and gives it a nice, finished look.

Sew the hem in place, and then repeat the double hem on your 21” sides of your fabric.

Now, take your ribbon (I cut mine at 86”) and line the edge and middle of the ribbon up with the edge and middle of one of your 21” sides. Stitch the ribbon down to the fabric, keeping your stitches close to the edges of your ribbon.

Trim the ends of your ribbon to a point so they won’t unravel, and you’re done!

Now wasn’t that the fastest apron you’ve ever made from scratch? It might take you a few extra minutes the first time around, but after that it whips up really fast! We’ll add to this project a little later and come up with something really fun!

Vintage Lace Onesie Refashion

2012-01-06T10:40:00.001-07:00

I have a bucket with vintage lace, buttons (very few of these, unfortunately), and yo-yo’s. I pull it out every so often wondering how I can incorporate it into my girls’ clothing, or even mine! Well, there was a piece that looks like it was unpicked from something once upon a time, and it has a seam in it too, so I can’t really use it for a whole lot other than to embellish a bodice or something. That’s why I was excited to find a plain, pink onesie in the clothing bin…

Of course it had to go on it!! The lace is slightly discolored in places, but that is what makes vintage look vintage :) And of course I sewed it on slightly crooked, which I noticed after sewing down both sides in teeny tiny stitches. Whatev.

I love it with her little pearl bracelet.

And that baby pot-belly!!

Anyway, how’s that for a really fast refashion?

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Doll Bed Facelift

2012-01-05T13:26:00.001-07:00

If you recall, I picked up this doll bed at a thrift store way back in October. This is how long projects sit before being finished.

A light sanding, a coat of primer, and a coat of Rust-oleum Berry Pink, and we’ve got ourselves a doll-worthy bed! I covered a piece of foam with fabric (like, just wrapped and taped it together because my sewing table is a mess right now) and tossed on a doll pillow, and it was ready for service.

And let’s not let the baby doll be cold! We have a few doll blankets to choose from in this house.

We have a winner, the quilt I made last year for the munchkin! And the girls are already fighting over the chance to put their dolls to sleep. They didn’t fight over the bed when it was brown. Funny girls, but I don’t blame them!

Yay for fun doll accessories! :)

New Year, New Goals

2012-01-03T15:16:00.001-07:00

I’m sure you, like everyone else, has something you want to do better this year. For me, I want to be a better mom. There is much to improve upon there! I also want to make more friends- one can never have too many friends.

This here blog also got some goals. I love blogging and crafting and sewing and then sharing it all! So this year is going to be fun. Simple, but fun.

Are you busy organizing everything? My craft room got messier yesterday when I had to empty a bin to use for the new baby’s clothes. We don’t have a dresser drawer for her, so I had to re-think things a bit… right now the floor in the craft room is barely visible. Why do things get messier before they get cleaner?? I did get the chance today to arrange my Pyrex a little better, though. I was very happy.

I am highly considering opening up the Crafty Cupboard etsy shop once again, since looking over our 2011 crafty spending made me wince! I might even toss a baby quilt or two in there. I am looking for inspiration everywhere now.

We are adjusting to this new baby perfectly fine; she unfortunately has a cranky time after the other girls go to bed (her only cranky time!), so my usual sewing time is being used holding a little baby. Not like I mind, she’s awesome. She’s going through her baby acne stage right now so… no pictures ;) They are my children, that is for sure!

All right, I have a date with pink spray paint. See ya!

Top 11 of 2011

2011-12-30T12:01:00.001-07:00

For those of you who have recently joined me here on Crafty Cupboard, let’s have a little recap of 2011, shall we? I’ll just use Google Analytics to share the top 11 posts (posts with the most page views) from this past year:

11. Lace Shirt Refashion

10. Ruffle Bum Pants

9. Screen-printed Shower Curtain

8. Nordstrom Dress Knock-Off

7. Hospital Gown

6. Make Professional Drapes

5. Pacifier Clips

4. Monster Baby Toy

3. Circle Coasters

2. Alphabet Bean Bags

1. Business Card Holders

I had a fun time sharing my projects with you in 2011! It was mostly a maternity year for me, I spent a lot of time sleeping :) Thanks for being such great friends and supporters of this little hobby of mine! I’m excited for a spectacular 2012!

Art Competition Fundraiser

2011-12-29T12:53:00.001-07:00

A reader e-mailed me to tell me about a great fundraising competition. One of her friends is raising money to adopt two Russian girls who have Down Syndrome. That is awesome!

If you are interested, the contest is accepting submissions for original art, poetry, and quilting that incorporate the theme “Where Love Resides.”

For more information about this great cause, go to the Where Love Resides blog. I know there are lots of talented people out there! The submission fees go towards raising funds to adopt these girls.

Thanks everyone!

Christmas Dresses

2011-12-27T16:55:00.001-07:00

One of the things keeping me busy before Christmas was making these dresses. Three matching red lacy dresses for Christmas day, and the small amount of time they got to wear them in church.

I added black sashes and then a ruffled flower. All three dresses cost around $40, which is great for three Christmas dresses. That’s about $14 a dress!

The dresses were made a little big so they can wear them (hopefully) next year too. All but the baby, of course, since hers actually fit really well- she’s huge for only 4 weeks old!

And of course, they were just so excited to wear them. You can tell, right? No, they really were happy about them and told everyone I made them who commented. They were so cute all together.

I’m just bummed we didn’t get a good, happy, smiley photo to prove it :)

Bike Quilt

2011-12-26T15:06:00.001-07:00

As you know, my mom is a cyclist and loves to talk “bike” with anyone who has an ear. Lucky for her, my dad is just as excited about it as she is, he just doesn’t actually ride as much as she does. He mostly likes picking out bikes and bike gear :)

Anyway, because of this… enthusiasm, I started collecting some bike prints- Michael Miller, Erin McMorris, etc. Then, I got an acrylic template to help make the circles, and got to work. It took a long time, I’m not going to lie. I was also pregnant, anemic, and a mother. Good excuses.

I believe I have 20 different prints on this quilt- 21 if you include the binding. For a while there it was looking pretty masculine, so I started adding florals to make it a little more feminine for my mom’s sake.

Then I quilted 1/4 lines along the horizontal and vertical seam lines, and then in a diagonal grid through the circles so it slightly resembles spokes from the front. You can’t see the stitching really well from the front, but here’s that back view where you can really see it well.

My husband was soooo excited to help me take photos of it. Thanks Mike! :)

And here are the new owners of the bike quilt! They liked it! Hopefully it can keep them a bit warm while watching shows together on the couch. That’s all its size can accommodate! I am always glad when hard work goes to deserving people, and my parents really deserve it. They are great (and yes, my dad is wearing a belt on top of his shirt. He’s a funny person… if you knew him you’d understand!) and I will miss them tons if we ever move far away from them.

I hope everyone who celebrated Christmas had a great day! I’m so glad it is over… life was so stressful last week. Time to calm down, finally!

Winner and Winter

2011-12-19T14:38:00.001-07:00

First, thanks to everyone who entered the Toss Up Pattern giveaway! I had quite a few good laughs over the strange gifts you all had received/given. Seriously, if you have a few moments sometime, go read through the comments.

The winner was #62, Alisa, who said

“The weirdest thing was an orange colored glass chicken shaped dish someone gave us for our wedding. It has a top and a bottom part and looked like it was straight out of the 70s.”

I’m just wondering what you would put in a glass chicken dish.

Alisa, Kirsten will send you your pattern! Have fun with it!

In other news, I finally got some progress made on Christmas. I’ve been working on a quilt for my parents for… months now, and I finally have it basted together. The irony is that I need a walking foot to quilt it, and my walking foot is wrapped beneath the Christmas tree. Do I open that present early, use it, and re-wrap it? I might do that…

I also have three little dresses to make by Christmas. I’m nearly done with the first, but I need to go get black fabric for a sash around the middle. I had the older girls’ dresses cut out before I had the baby last month, and now I find myself needing to cut into the red fabric again :) It is a good thing I way over-estimated and have extra fabric. I probably have enough to make something matching for me too! Since I have soooo much time these days. (ha ha!)

Next, I want to mention that my Monster Baby Toy has made it to the finals in the Handmade with Love competition over at Pink Chalk Studio. You can vote for your favorite tutorials here. I’d love it if you voted for me!

And finally… I found a pure white hair on my head this weekend. I was nearly blinded by it, so I pulled it out and am keeping it in my jewelry box. How come some people keep that first haircut snipping, but don’t keep their first gray/white hair? I finally feel like an adult!

Silhouette Dust Cover

2011-12-15T13:23:00.001-07:00

I was procrastinating doing laundry yesterday and decided that I needed a fast project to do to make me feel better :) Pinterest is a good place to go for that… and I came upon Char’s Silhouette Dust Cover tutorial. When she posted it, I pretty much ignored it because I didn’t have a Silhouette at the time—sorry Char! This time I actually used it!

The only thing I did differently was add a side pocket to one of the side pieces. I am always putting my knife pieces in random places, so I wanted to keep it all together. I just used Char’s pattern piece and cut it in half to make the pocket pattern piece. I used a scrap piece of coordinating fabric to make a cute little bound edge, and keep it closed with a small piece of velcro.

I’m rather liking my more organized situation. No more lost pieces. I hope.

It went really fast, and I am happy with the outcome. It matches my Sewing Machine Placemat.

My laundry still isn’t done though.

You can see my other crafty to-do projects on my Pinterest boards, here.

Oh- I’m keeping the Toss-Up Giveaway open for one more day. Go ahead, there is still time to enter!

12 Days of Christmas

2011-12-13T14:36:00.001-07:00

I know everyone does advent calendars, but when I saw this 12-cubby thingy at Goodwill, I snatched it up with the intention of doing something for my girls for Christmas. 25 days to wait is a long time!

The issue I ran into right away was what type of box or container would fit in the little cubbies. My silhouette machine wouldn’t cut a box big enough for what I was envisioning. Luckily, these take-out boxes from Hobby Lobby fit perfectly!

Unfortunately for my kiddos, they aren’t getting an entire take-out box full of candy. Just a few pieces.

I used a paper punch to cut out the circles, and then my Silhouette to cut the numbers. I should have just used stickers- I got glue all over myself putting the numbers on :)

After dinner we’ll open the first box and read a few scripture verses about Christ. The candy in the box doesn’t reflect any scriptures, but hopefully they’ll listen long enough to get a little better understanding of this special Holiday season.

Sponsor Giveaway: Toss Up Quilt Pattern

2011-12-12T14:08:00.001-07:00

Do you have a quilter on your Christmas list? It is all right to include yourselves on that list, you know ;). Our sponsor Material Girl Kirsten is giving away her Toss Up quilt pattern today for a lucky reader just in time to get it under the Christmas Tree!
Here’s what Kirsten says about the PDF pattern:
“This pattern includes detailed diagrams for both fabric cutting and block construction. It is very beginner-friendly, and the quilt top itself has minimal corners to match and is very forgiving in both piecing and fabric placement.”
I’ve made a quilt using this pattern and it remains one of my favorites! I was glad to hear she wanted to share the pattern love with you too.
To Enter This Giveaway:
Tell me the strangest gift you ever received/gave. Leave a comment! I love finding out a little more about you :)
For Additional Entries:
1. Follow the Crafty Cupboard and leave a comment letting me know. If you already follow this here blog, tell me!
2. Visit Material Girl Kirsten and come back here to tell me your favorite quilt she has in her shop.
This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere, and will end 12/15/11 at midnight. The winner will receive the PDF Toss Up pattern via e-mail.
If a winner is picked and there is no contact information connected to the comment, I’ll just pick another person. Leave your e-mail in your comment if you are unsure if you have available contact info!

All Through the Night Winner and a Kindle giveaway!

2011-12-12T13:58:00.001-07:00

The winner of last week’s All Through the Night CD was Laura, and the CD is on its way! Thanks to everyone who entered.

Opus2Music is having another giveaway on their Facebook page right now- and they are giving away a Kindle!! Click on over HERE and enter.

Sherbet-y Christmas Quilt

2011-12-07T15:50:00.001-07:00

Yesterday the munchkin expressed a desire to make a quilt for the little turkey with her grandma. My mother-in-law is in town taking care of me and the kiddos for a little bit, and we’ll use grandma in every way possible while she’s here!

So, we let my 4-year-old browse my fabric (although there were several options I had to say no to!) and she settled on a print from Sheri Berry Holiday, from ages ago, that I had in my stash. I pulled out the rest of the collection that I had, and cut them into squares. Then, she and grandma sat on the floor and arranged those squares nicely, and I sewed them together. This morning, the munchkin and I sat at my machine and she helped me free-motion some flowers into the quilt before she got too bored, and we just finished it up.

She is excited to wrap it and put it under the tree for the new baby. Considering it will be the only gift for her under the tree… I mean, what do you get a one-month-old for Christmas??

Now, since we did this quilt in record time, it isn’t perfect. Luckily a few throws in the wash will help disguise all its blemishes :). I was amazed how fast quilting can be done, however, when you make a small quilt with a very simple design! I need more like that…

All Through the Night: Lullaby CD Giveaway!

2011-12-05T09:11:00.002-07:00

If you’ve been here for a while, you know how much I love music. In fact, this weekend I had another choir performance where I took my post-partum self, the munchkin, and the little turkey to the Mesa Arts Center and we all performed together- the little turkey made a very convincing baby Jesus in the live Nativity. Music is powerful and inspiring when done the right way, and I love being a part of it.
One of the most important factors in music appreciation is starting young. Some moms play music for their babies while still in utero. I have a CD playing for my girls while they fall asleep, and so was more than happy to receive the All Through the Night lullaby CD to review.

As the parent of a brand-spankin’ new baby, I have loved having such peaceful music playing for her while she is awake and asleep. In fact, when the CD is playing, our whole household is calmer, not just baby! With familiar songs like Edelweiss, Over the Rainbow, and Brahms’ Lullaby, we are all softly singing along and enjoying the beautiful arrangements.
All Through the Night features beloved, time-honored songs woven into peaceful, whispering lullabies on flute and harp. In our busy lifestyle filled with technologic distractions, schedule demands and increasing noise, All Through the Night was created to lessen these distractions and to lift your spirit, all the while lulling your little one into a peaceful slumber.
The Opus 2 Harp and Flute Duo is comprised of Julie Gaisford Keyes of Bountiful, Utah and Steven Lucera Alder of Mesa, Arizona. All of the original arrangements are by Emmy-award-winning composer Kurt Bestor, and the CD cover photography and digital artwork is by Mark Mabry. All Through the Night is now available at Deseret Book, Seagull Book, iTunes, and Amazon.com.
Do you want a CD too? We’re giving one away!!!
HOW TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:
Mandatory entry:
“Like” Opus2music on Facebook. Click on "Select a Song" to be taken to their webpage and listen to
their sound clips. If you like what you hear, click "like" on the web page, too. Leave a comment here telling me you did so. That's it!!
Optional Entries:
1. SHARE the Opus2music page on Facebook to let your friends know your kids have good taste in classical repertoire ;) Leave a SEPARATE comment letting me know you did!
2.Tell me what musical influence you had/have in your home right now! Play any instruments? Sing? Get groovy with drumming your fingers on the table? Leave a SEPARATE comment letting me know!
Good luck!

Simple Gifts Christmas Runner Tutorial

2011-12-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

I love Kate Spain’s Christmas line, Flurry. So, when I got my hands on only one charm pack, I knew I wanted to make it stretch into as much as possible, and this small table runner was born! Out of one charm pack and a few solids, I got 5 runners made for me and gifts for others. Here I’ll show you what you need to do to make one runner.

You need:

One Charm Pack (or 8 5” squares)

3 Coordinating Solids (I changed from Green to White for this tutorial, sorry…)

Cutting and Sewing supplies

Begin by choosing 8 different 5” squares from your charm pack or fabric stash

Cut your squares into two pieces- For a uniform gift look, you can cut up to four layers at a time; I wanted a more random “wrapping” look so I cut two at a time. I cut 2 at 2 1/2"”, 2 at 2”, and 2 at 1 1/2”. Keep matching patterns together in little sets for the next steps.

With one of your solids, cut your first ribbon pieces. Cut 1 1/2” strips, and then sub-cut to get 8 5” pieces.

Sew the ribbon piece in between your charm sets. Iron towards your solid, unlike I did here. Your block is now 5” x 5 1/2”.

Turn your block so your 5” side is parallel to the bottom of your cutting mat. You are going to cut this block in to two pieces again. Again, I varied my cut sizes.

With your solid, sub-cut 8 pieces that are 5 1/2” long. Sew these pieces between your freshly cut block to create a “gift” look. Iron toward your solid- it makes it look like the ribbon pieces are really overlapping and wrapping around your charm piece.

Your block is now 5 1/2” x 5 1/2”

When all your charm blocks are done, it is time to break out your second solid. Cut 2 1/2” strips, and sub-cut the strips to be 5 1/2” long.

Sew your solid between sets of two gift blocks.

Cut your 2 1/2” strips into 12 1/2” pieces, and sew these between your gift rows. I took a break while making this and ended up sewing a group of blocks on sideways :) It is for me, so, who cares!

Add 2 1/2” strips to the top, bottom, and sides of your runner. I stopped measuring here, and just sewed the strips on and cut them down square after each was sewn on.

Make a quilt sandwich and baste well.

Quilt as desired, and bind. I quilted little holly berries onto my runner… but the ones I gave as gifts I just did a simple stipple pattern, and it went really fast!

When you are done, you have a cute little runner. Mine fits great on my coffee table and safely out of reach on our dinner table. I think if you doubled the rows of gifts and made this a square, it would be a really adorable wall hanging too!

And since I made this runner before Halloween even hit… my only photo decoration is a red thingy with smarties in it. Cuz I’m too lazy to clear off my table and take new pictures… or maybe I just had a baby and I’m just prioritizing differently :)

I did decide the runner needed a little pop, and I hand-stitched on a little velvet ribbon to a few of the gift blocks. I love how it looks. My husband said a little jingle bell would be cute too, but I wanted things to be able to lay flat on it, so I opted out. Try it and see how it works for you!

I love the Folk song “Simple Gifts,” and I thought it was an appropriate name for this runner. Sometimes it is the simple gifts and things in life that bring us the most joy, and they are the things we always remember. I hope your Christmas season is simply wonderful in every way!

Little Turkey

2011-11-29T15:41:00.001-07:00

How was your Thanksgiving weekend? Mine was one we’ll never forget!

Introducing: our Little Turkey

Born Thanksgiving Evening at 10:14pm
8lbs 5oz, 20 1/2” long
Delivered via a successful VBAC

It’s a girl :)

We were at the dinner table, and I made the mistake of asking for seconds on mashed potatoes and gravy, because as soon as I swallowed- POP! My sister told me to stand up just to make sure it wasn’t a bladder issue, and gee, my pants have never been wet that fast. Then, of course, every family member present at dinner had to come running into the room to see me and my wet pants. Awesome.

At 6pm we pulled up to the hospital, and 4 hours later we had her in our arms!

She wormed her way into our hearts in seconds.

And she even hung out with me on the couch with the rest of our little growing family decorated for Christmas. We’re pals.

Today my sister came over and took some newborn shots. I think this is the only one I snapped where she is sleeping- she is quite alert and awake during the day. But then again, what kind of habits can I count on 5 days into it? Ya know?

So while I am resting up (I have a concert this weekend I’m trying to conserve energy for… I know I am crazy) and enjoying my time with this little Turkey, I’ll be sporadically in and out. See you soon!

Christmas Wreath and Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T10:46:00.001-07:00

Inside, my place still has Fall/Thanksgiving stuff around. Outside, I’ve got a Christmas wreath. With a wonky ribbon that I didn’t notice until I posted this picture. Hmm.

I’m weird. I know.

I helped coordinate a food drive for my church, and one thing we had in excess was Jell-O. The boxes we got for it ended up being used by us, and I saved one to wrap and put on the wreath. I love multi-purpose solutions.

I got the wreath and ribbon (two different ribbons) at Michaels, and the little pine cones and berries at both Michaels and Hobby Lobby. It is totally not a craft-world original, but it was what I wanted this year. Considering I’ve never had a wreath up on my door in my whole history of being in my own place!

But, if I don’t see ya before Thanksgiving… Happy Thanksgiving. We’ve got so much to be thankful for!

Waiting it out with randomness

2011-11-18T11:43:00.001-07:00

I had a check-up this week, and it turns out I’m not as far along as I had hoped. As in, I’m not showing any progression at all. So, I guess it is time to hunker down and get some Christmas stuff done or something around here. I’ll have you know, though, that my craft room has been clean for a week straight. And I’ve been using it! Here’s a sneak peek at a tutorial coming soon:

Aside from sewing and trying to get up some creative juices to do something besides sew, I’ve been trying to have fun amidst crazy pinched leg nerve pain and general tiredness. You can see by the look on my face here how excited I was to shoot a gun:

My arms look good, though. I’m not a gun person, at all, but I can’t turn down a good time with friends. Especially when there is a campfire involved!

Tonight I have a date with Mr. Hunky here. My dad just volunteered to babysit, probably because my mom is out of town to go ride 100 miles on her bike (crazy lady!). Regardless, we are excited to get one real date in before this yet-to-be-named child comes.

I’ve also been busy arranging a Thanksgiving drive at my church. People are coming by my house to drop off donations, which means am trying to keep it somewhat clean so people don’t think I let my children live in squalor! Hee hee. So, if that is any explanation on the quiet blogging ‘round these parts, there you go.

Happy thoughts going to Jill today, who is going to meet her little girl. I’m hoping she sends good labor thoughts my way so I can have a new family member to show off for Thanksgiving.

Christmas Gift Tags: Ribbon Style

2011-11-15T12:43:00.001-07:00

This is obviously an idea you can use year-round, but I’ve got an easy tutorial on Curbly today on how I made these personalized ribbons for Christmas gift tags. Check it out, I’d appreciate it!

A Blanket Statement

2011-11-14T14:09:00.001-07:00

You know those soft, cuddly, self-bound blankets that everyone ‘round here seems to know how to make? I wanted to make one. I’ve had it on my to-do list for a long time… like, 2 1/2 years, since I wanted to make it for my last baby.

Well, I did it. Kind of.

While the end result is, in fact, a blanket, it is tooootally not something I’m really proud of. Except for the fact that it is silky and soft. That, I like.

I made a self-bound blanket before for my husband, before we were even engaged. He was sleeping with just a sleeping bag on a bare mattress in college, and I took pity on the poor man and my mom showed me how to do one of these things. It was a huge blanket, with a nice, medium loft batting, and flannel for one side and sweatshirt material for the other. He was warm! Yay. He knew I was a keeper then. :)

But working with minky (minkee?) and flannel-backed satin (it was on clearance at Jo Ann’s YEARS ago) was, to say the least, a nightmare. And people do it all the time!!! I’m amazed. I even pinned the heck out of it. I am inept without a walking foot. It is on the Christmas list. Again.

My other girls really like it, so I’m glad they’re not picky or judgmental. Don’t kids just make everything better?

Here’s a tutorial I quickly Googled for you interested folks. Looks exactly like how I learned, and she shows how to add scallops to it too.

Peasant Top, Winterized

2011-11-10T11:24:00.001-07:00

Winterizing. First, let me begin by reminding you I live in Arizona, where it is 65 degrees on Christmas morning. Life is rough, I know. But since my girls were born in opposite seasons, when we get to the “extreme temperatures,” the baby has nothing to wear. Hmm… I just realized I’ve got to call her something other than the baby here on this blog… anyway, we have a shortage of long sleeves right now.

So last night while waiting for my husband to return from playing church basketball (hopefully uninjured…), I was staring at my fabric stash wondering what I could do to pass the time. I thought about starting a quilt but that thought was immediately dashed by taking one look at my Works In Progress pile. Then I pulled out some of my Heirloom fabric by Joel Dewberry (from my sponsor Modern Fabric Studio) and my patterns. An already-cut Simplicity 5695 (dress D, without the bottom ruffle) and some lengthened sleeve pieces resulted in this shirt about 45 minutes later. I love quick projects.

I only got 1/2 yard of the Joel Dewberry prints with the intention of making a quilt, so I mixed it up and used two fabrics. I love how it looks! I also wondered if I should put in some elastic in the sleeve hems, and I just might still. It might make it a lot easier to put on a sweater or jacket.

And if you are wondering about the purple pants/skirt combo… I picked those up at Wal-Mart and she won’t wear anything else right now, dirty knees and all. So, there you have it. 2-year-olds.

Hospital Gown Tutorial

2011-11-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

Can I tell you how excited I am to go into labor? And be huffing and puffing and yelling for more ice? All right, I’m not excited for the pain but let me tell ya, I’m going to be riding that pain in style.

I saw this Etsy gorgeousness ($69- not bad!!!) on Pinterest:

and wanted it… right then and there. But with a few changes. One of the bothersome things about hospital gowns for me is the fact that when you unsnap your shoulder snaps to nurse that new baby, the shoulders fall all over and before you know it you are nekked from the neck to your waist. Unfortunately, while this gown is worlds apart from the standard hospital issue, it still had snaps on the shoulders.

So I went and made exactly what I wanted.

Two of them.

Want to know how?

You need:

Hospital Gown Pattern Pieces (pattern is for a smallish person although it can fit bigger with very few alterations)

3 yards pre-washed fabric

1 yard snap tape

Coordinating ribbon

Sewing stuff

zipper foot

This tutorial uses 1/2” seam allowances

To save paper (I went through a lot with the muslin and re-drawing over and over…), I made the pattern pieces for the front and back just for the neck/sleeve part. For the rest, use a measuring tape along the side of your fabric to mark where to cut.

For my 5’4” frame, 36” was the magic length from the neck to the bottom.

As I cut the front piece, I tapered it pretty good so it made an A-line shape. You want room for that belly!

Then I cut my sleeves. My blue gown has longer sleeves than my pink gown, and I think they look a little better longer. Just add a few inches to your pattern if you want to go longer.

Next, I cut the yoke pieces from fabric and lightweight interfacing. The blue gown wasn’t interfaced, and I realized how valuable it is! I highly suggest it, even though it isn’t on the pattern.

Next, place your sleeve pieces on your back pieces, right sides together, matching the curves. Sew these together at the curve.

Finish your edges. This whole finishing thing is a big deal for this project- so either serge, zig-zag, overlock, roll hems, or use pinking shears.

Once both back pieces have a sleeve attached, it is time to move on to the yoke.

Sew your yoke pieces together into a long back-front-back strip. You will end up with two long pieces. Then, sew those two long pieces together, right sides together, along the short ends and inner curve.

Trim the seam allowance to get rid of bulk, or clip the curve; whichever you prefer. This was just faster :)

You’ll end up with a shape akin to a toilet seat… lovely!

Turn it inside out and iron that seam flat and beautiful. I used a dull pencil to get my corners to a nice point before I ironed.

While you are at the ironing board, iron the outer curve under about 1/2”. I think mine ended up more like 5/8”.

Next, top-stitch that inner curve. I didn’t do this on the blue gown and it just looks nice with it.

Now put some snaps on! Pin the female snaps to the underside (you choose which is the underside) of your yoke. The snaps should span just the center yoke pieces. Use a zipper foot to get a nice stitching line, making sure you sew through both layers of the yoke as you go. I just sewed down the long sides. The front should look like this:

I’m going for practical here, not absolutely beautiful ;)

Now take your front gown piece and finish the sleeve edges. Then, gather the top neckline. You want the gathers to end up the same width as your front center yoke piece. When you get it to the right size, finish your top edge.

Add the male snaps to this piece, matching the snap placement with your yoke piece.

We’ve reached goal #1- a detachable front!

Awesome.

Ok, now for the sleeves and back part.

Place your sleeves right sides together on your front piece, matching curved edges. Sew only 1/2” along the curved edge. You want it left open the rest of the way. Attach both sleeves to the front piece this way.

Finish the long sides on the back pattern pieces and sleeve curves. Next, gather your back neckline and sleeve top edge. When it is gathered to the same length as the remaining yoke pieces, go ahead and tuck that gathered edge in between your yoke layers.

Pin it really well! Make sure your bottom yoke layer is attached too- you don’t want that to slip out of the way.

When you get to the edges near the front yoke, fold the sleeve under 1/2” and pin it in the yoke like that before you sew it down. Ignore the ratty nest my thread made up there…

Put your male snaps on the front yoke along your finished sleeve edge.

Fold your sleeve edge over 1/2”, and sew your female snap tape to the underside of the sleeve along the hem.

Snap all those snaps together and this is what you’ve got! Goal #2 reached- sleeves remain on shoulders!

Lay your back pieces right sides together with the front and sew along the edges, including the armpit edge. Match your sleeve seams the best you can. Finish the edges.

On one back edge, make about 5/8” hem. I wanted to keep it in place, so I sewed about 1/8” down the edge.

Cut 8 snaps off your snap tape and place them evenly down the back of your gown (I did this only because snap tape is a zillion dollars a yard a JoAnn’s and I was trying to conserve :) But it works really well.). Sew them on, one at a time, along your ironed edge.

Attach the other half of your snaps to the other back side, this time on the front of the fabric. It is super important that you make sure the snaps line up before you sew them on. No one wants to see a wonky-snap-bum. Right? Yay- Goal #3 done: epidural access :) No, really, you need the back open for lots during labor and delivery.

All that is left is hemming the bottom of the gown, and hemming the sleeves. I used a 1/2” hem for both.

Trim your threads (there will be tons), and put it on! Use a ribbon to wrap around just above your bump (or mountain, whichever) and tie a fun bow.

The back is nice and closed (but has easy doc/nurse/anesthesiologist access),

And the front is ever-so-cute, unlike my face in this picture.

Want to see it in action? Er, not on me… Alta will take this one for me. And in terrible light, no less.

See? When you need to nurse, you just unsnap the side you’re on and you remain almost completely covered the whole time. Sorry to Alta for exposing so much ;)

Now, I know the snaps in the front make it less beautiful than that Etsy inspiration, but it gets the job done! I’m absolutely thrilled with these gowns. Kind of makes me not want to wear them because they are so darn cute and things are bound to get messy.

Pink for the potential girl:

Blue for the potential boy:

(because I am still bringing both colors of newborn outfits to the hospital ;))

I am excited for those new baby shots where I don’t have half my chest and a shoulder popping out! Yay!

Winner, Winner!

2011-11-07T12:55:00.001-07:00

I am sure you are all waiting anxiously for the winner of the Birdiful Stitches giveaway. And I would have told you sooner, but this morning the munchkin decided to unload the contents of her stomach on the kitchen chair/table/floor so we’ve been busy.

The winner is LITTLE ELLA LOU!!!

You’ve been sent an e-mail!

And since I think the most fun part of this giveaway was seeing everyone’s opinion on egg nog, here are the totals:

YEA: 20

NAY: 24

WITH MILK: 5

SILK NOG: 2

KID NOG: 1 (I’m curious as to what this one is!)

If you are wondering my vote… I’m with the WITH MILK people. And like, once a season. I think it is delish for that one time though :)

If you didn’t win, but still want a fun DIY gift idea, head over to Birdiful Stitches!

HAZ-MAT

2011-11-04T09:57:00.001-07:00

I feel it is my duty to help you all feel better about yourselves today. So… here’s my sewing room:

The official dumping ground.

I’ve got lots of my own stuff going on (like my Curbly project, a muslin for something awesome I can’t wait to share-when it is done, some quilty stuff), but otherwise… it is just stuff all over. And too many chairs. Yes, the closet door is off. I wanted to see what I could fit in there without a door on… it turns out not much fits unless I remove all the doors!

But the rest of my house is nice and tidy!

I’m sure you know what I’ll be doing this weekend. Week. Eternally.

Anyway, don’t forget that today is the last day to enter the Birdiful Stitches giveaway! The egg nog comments are most intriguing ;) Go now!

Have a super weekend!

Blogger’s Quilt Festival, Fall Edition

2011-11-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

I look forward to this time of year. Looking at all the fun quilts people have been working on is a great way for me to find ideas on what I should do next. And since I’ve been slow on quilt production lately, I don’t have much to show.

But I do love this quilt:

“Melanie, didn’t we just see this one?” Yes. But in light of some recent changes, this one is a little more fun! It looks like the new baby girl will be getting a quilt without a hint of pink.

For Festival purposes, I wanted to share why this one is so special to me right now. First, it is the only finish I’ve had in a while. I’ve been busy growing a child which has slowed me down quite a bit. Second, it is a pattern that I LOVE. Allison makes great quilt patterns. Third… quilting this one was a challenge, but I overcame! I kept running out of thread! It was rather annoying, and I almost threw in the towel because I knew my energy burst would run out soon- but I persevered and I love how it looks. And Fourth, anything I make for a child of mine is more special than anything else.

Quilting= Patience and Perseverance.

So, if you want more fun ideas for a quilt, head over to Amy’s and browse the gigantic linky party for Fall Festival.

Let’s Shake Things Up

2011-11-02T13:18:00.001-07:00

Life gets boring sometimes. Everything gets predictable, monotonous, etc. And one member of our family decided it was time to bring some excitement to this party.

I had a 36-week ultrasound yesterday to determine a size for this kid (for VBAC purposes), and he up and changed to a she on us. Not that it actually physically happened, but it turns out our first ultrasound was… wrong.

It’s A ~~Boy~~ GIRL!

So, after a lovely baby shower this past Saturday in which I was gifted the most adorable baby boy stuff, I get the wonderful opportunity to exchange everything.

But I’m not touching a thing until after this baby is out. It might just end up being a boy again, even though this time the ultrasound tech (and the other ultrasound tech they brought in just to make sure) is absolutely certain it is a girl. I’d post the gender photos, but that’s a little weird because it is pretty darn clear. It is like someone said on Facebook… this kid has a sense of humor.

It is a good thing I have one too, that’s for sure. If you are wondering, I just laughed for a really, really long time on that u/s table. And I’m still laughing.

There’s definitely some Spice with all that Sugar.

Softie Bowling and a Giveaway!

2011-11-01T10:34:00.002-07:00

Now that November has begun, it is time to think about Christmas, if you haven’t already. Wait… Christmas?? Well, yes, if you don’t want to be stressed out for those few weeks in December before the big holiday!
My kids have enough Barbie's and princess dolls and whatnot to last a lifetime, so this year I wanted to get creative on what they got. I will personally not buy any trinkety toy for them… that is the job for grandmas if they so wish. I’m just tired if cleaning up every day :) That is why I was excited to see this softie Bowling Set from my sponsor, Birdiful Stitches.

Now that is is all sewn up and ready to play with, I’ve had a little bit of fun :). The pattern is really straightforward and easy, and requires only a few fat quarters of fabric. You know me- I can’t stick to a few fat quarters… I need to bust into my stash and do a whole colorful array of fabrics.

Birdiful Stitches has lots of great PDF patterns, clothing included. I want them all. If I had a Kindle or Nook or Ipad, you better believe I would have made a few of these already! What a great gift, for someone who actually has one of those cool toys.
So… want to make Christmas a tad easier? How about winning 3 Patterns from Birdiful Stitches? Awesome, right? I know!!! One of you is going to be a lucky duck.
To enter:
1. Visit Birdiful Stitches and tell me your favorite pattern. 1 entry
2. Leave a separate comment with an Egg Nog Vote: Yea or Nay? 1 entry
3. Join Crafty Cupboard, either using Google Friend (over on my sidebar) or your reader. We have fun here, I promise ;) Leave a separate comment that you did so! 1 entry
***Reminder… if you are a no-reply blogger or don’t have a visible e-mail for me, you can’t win! Make sure I can contact you! ***
So there you have it, 3 chances to win 3 patterns from my super sponsor! Isn’t Christmastime fun??
GO! You have until Friday night at Midnight (Arizona time) to enter! And since the prize is PDF… International Entries are very welcome!

A few thrifty goods

2011-10-28T14:29:00.001-07:00

My sisters are throwing a baby shower for me this weekend, and since I have a problem sitting idly by, I’ve been hitting up thrift stores recently (on my good days) to try and find ways to make the food table a little more fun and decorative.

Wouldn’t you know it, I found almost nothing for food tables. But I did find a few other things I had to bring home…

I found this little doll bed for $3 at Goodwill, and you all know it isn’t going to remain like this for very long! I actually have a few items to paint as soon as energy and/or non-pregnancy allows. I have a few doll quilts to choose from already for the bed, but I’m thinking bedding is in order- mattress, sheets, and pillow.

The fabric is a yard and some of knit that made me think of baseball, so I grabbed it. $1!! This was a DI (Deseret Industries) find, and DI is about 30 minutes from my place. I happened to be in the area, and couldn’t resist a stop. We need more DI’s in Arizona…

And this ceramic teapot. Isn’t it cute? One of the colors for the baby shower is orange, so I really couldn’t pass this up. I’ll find a spot for it at the shower! This one didn’t have a price tag, so when I took it to the register and the manager was taking a while to get over to price it, the cashier asked, “How’s a dollar sound?” And I couldn’t say yes faster. Can I just again request more DI’s around here??? WAY cheaper than Goodwill. And it doesn’t stink.

Ok, what would you do with an orange teapot a few days before Halloween?

Me too :)

Like Molasses

2011-10-26T14:09:00.001-07:00

I thought I’d check in, so you all know I’m not in labor or something. I’ve just been feeling really weak lately and pretty much don’t get anything done! That isn’t completely true, however… I have been doing a lot to get ready for Young Women in Excellence at my church, I have sewn half a dress for my sister’s Halloween costume, and helped my younger sister sew a vest and skirt for her and her husband’s Halloween. I can’t wait for them to share pictures so we can all enjoy!

And I did some laundry! Unfortunately, I forgot to turn on the dryer once I put everything in there, and now my laundry room smells…

Oh, and my girls decided they want to be Rapunzel this year. Hooray! Dresses are already made. Now I need to make blonde wigs, and Pinterest is making it much easier for me.

And because every post needs a picture (who came up with that, anyway?):

The munchkin took this 5 weeks ago. I was trying to find a dress that still fit… and this one didn’t make the cut :)

Pacifier Clip Tutorial

2011-10-21T10:14:00.001-07:00

We’re a pacifier family. I’ll admit it- I plug my kids. The munchkin weaned herself off at 9 months old, and our 2-year old needed lots of coaxing and deprivation to get off hers, but she did it. The one complaint I had for both kids was losing the pacifier at the most crucial moments! I had seen a pacifier clip before, but never bothered making one. This time around… I’m prepared! Unless, of course, the brother refuses a pacifier. But we’ll not think about that.

To make a pacifier clip (I have an aversion to the word Binky… by the way), you need:

Assorted Fabric, cut 10 1/2” x 4”

Coordinating thread

1” Suspender Clips (you can find them in the notions section at your fabric store, or online)

Various ribbon, 3/8” – 1/2” wide

Here are a few fabrics I pulled out from my stash. The pink will be for a gift, eventually!

To begin, iron a 1/4” hem on the 4” sides of your fabric rectangles.

Next, iron your fabric in half, hot-dog style!

Using that center fold as a guide, open your rectangle and fold those sides in again so they meet at that center fold, and iron.

When you fold it all up again, it is a nice, 1” wide strip. Iron it again for good measure.

Sew down each side using a 1/8” seam allowance. I used the inside of my presser foot as a guide.

See? It closes the folded edges and makes it look all nice and uniform. Just clip those thread tails!

Bust out your suspender clips! They came in a pack of two for me.

Place a clip upside down on your work space and insert your fabric strip like so:

Then, fold the end of your fabric over the suspender bar about 1/2” or a tad more. Nothing too specific! You may find that when you put this part under your machine, your presser foot bumps the suspender bar… just adjust your fabric so it won’t get in the way. Sew along the edge of the folded fabric- where my fingers are on the photo:

And you’ve got a nice, sturdy clip on the end of your fabric. I sewed twice through my edge, just in case.

On the other end, take a 5 1/2” piece of ribbon and fold it into a loop. Just insert it into the opening, and sew it on! Either do a few rows of stitching, or shorten your stitch length to make it nice and strong.

Since making one clip will take only… 5 minutes, go ahead and make a few more!

You’ll be all set for whatever the outfit :) I do need to make one in black or something for when brother comes to church and we all want some peace and quiet!

Go ahead- make one! I know there are lots of tutorials in blogland, I even tried a few out before doing this one, but didn’t love them so I came up with my own little way of doing things, and thought I’d share.

A Quick Dress to Help Me Procrastinate

2011-10-19T17:05:00.001-07:00

You can tell by her face how excited she was to go take a picture by the ugly bushes and rocks.

And this face is an indicator of how happy she was that she didn’t get a dress like her sister, and that she is instead wearing a 97 cent Valentine shirt from Old Navy.

I’m almost certain this shot was just to spite me. Gotta love the panty-pick.

I’m still unsure about what I am going to be for Halloween. Usually I bust out the regular costumes, but this year… well, they don’t fit :). And I’m kind of avoiding cliché pregnant costumes because I rather enjoy dressing up. So, to keep my mind off the fact that I can’t keep my mind on the fact, I just made a dress for the munchkin using some clearance fabric from Hobby Lobby and my favorite little-girl pattern, Simplicity 3513.

And then, since I had sat on the ground to take pictures and couldn’t get back up for a while, we had a mini photo shoot of these girls while they tried to get the nearby ants to eat leaves. I love ‘em.

Happy Haunting Pillow

2011-10-17T12:14:00.001-07:00

This weekend I *almost* threw out the scraps from the spider web pillow. But then I didn’t. I made another pillow instead!

The scraps were just a few inches bigger than a pillow form I had already, isn’t that nice? So, I just used a freezer paper stencil to add a candelabra (from the Silhouette Online Store) and some words (regular old default font), and then bejeweled the candelabra with some beaded trim from Hobby Lobby.

I like that candelabra. Although, the munchkin informed me that the flames should be yellow or orange, not white. Hee hee.

Confession: The rest of my Halloween décor is trapped in my garage, which recently decided it won’t open with any buttons. And I’m in no condition to open it manually myself… so I’m waiting patiently for the husband to have a few extra minutes when it isn’t too hot out and we can waddle our way to the garage (it isn’t attached to our condo) and haul back everything.

But we’re still friends, right? :)

Kaleidoscope Quit for the Baby Brother

2011-10-13T14:44:00.001-07:00

I finished the little brother’s quilt today. About 20 minutes ago, in fact. I was too excited to wait and share.

I went for the Kaleidoscope pattern by Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew. I actually had recently purchased it because I knew someday it would come in handy, and after sifting through all your quilt suggestions, I decided to first see what fabrics I really would use together in a quilt. That left me with a few smaller piles instead of the huge one that started it all… and this pile kept calling to me. Subtle. Calm. Unlike little boys, I’m sure :) One of you suggested a simple strip quilt, but I only had a few fabrics that weren’t fat quarters… which was totally a bummer. I loved that idea.

Kaleidoscope it is! It nearly did me in, cutting out the template pieces. Only because I am pregnant and anemic and standing (or sitting) for too long puts me out of commission. Healthy, non-child-carrying people could probably crank this out much faster than I did. I did use my AccuQuilt Baby Go! for the circles, since the template was almost the same size as my 3” circle die. I love that little machine.

I mostly went with fabric I had, but I knew I’d need a solid. Nothing I had worked, nor did I have enough of it anyway. I ended up hunting for a soft blue, and found the perfect Bella Solid at Fat Quarter Shop. Aside from that purchase (1 yard), I used everything else from stash. I freaked out when it came to the back, because I didn’t have a piece nearly big enough. So, I used those fabrics that were WOF and still ended up with a strip quilt (kinda!)! My husband likes the back more than the front. :)

Leftover yellow from the Wild Thing quilt ended up as the most perfect binding.

I LOVE this quilt. I am going to wash it a few times before the baby comes, because it will get softer with each wash. Especially since I stippled a little closer this time around.

And, I do plan on making a different quilt with the cars, planes, and bright primary colors. I’m just not sure if I’m ready for that kind of excitement yet. ;)

Fall Fever!

2011-10-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I can’t make this post left justified. Which drives me nuts. Oh well!

Here’s the Fall Fever post I had over at Every Creative Endeavor a few weeks back. I thought it would be fun to share over here now, especially since we are still using it for every dinner! Enjoy.

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Now, fall isn’t that big of a deal where I live, because in Arizona, very few leaves actually change color and that isn’t until the very end of October! So, I thought I’d bring some fall inside, since it isn’t happening outside!

Cooler weather and felt sort of go hand in hand, don’t they? So does feeding the masses! Here’s a quick idea for the kid table! (or, any table!)

Start with a round salt and pepper shaker. I got mine at Wal-Mart for a dollar and some change. You will also need fall-ish colored sheets of craft felt and your hot glue accessories.

Cut out leaf shapes from your felt, leaving one color aside to be your background. I used a template I found through Google, but you might have some leaves native to your state that you want to feature!

On two of your leaves, I embroidered S & P letters to help identify what you are about to shake over your ear of corn. If you don’t want to embroider, use paint or a permanent marker!

I chose my yellow leaves so the letters would show up really easily with my black embroidery thread.

Now, with your unused felt sheet, cut two pieces the height and circumference of your Salt and Pepper shakers. I just rolled them in the felt to determine the circumference, and added a bit for overlap.

Bust out your glue gun! This is going to go fast!

Glue your background felt to your shakers! I glued one end to the shaker, and then added a line of glue to the other end and quickly wrapped it around to cover it. Easy peasy.

Now, just add your leaves! I randomly placed my leaves on each shaker. Use as many leaves as you like- I only had 4 for each because my 4-year-old was getting impatient that her shakers were taking a long time ;)

And you are done! Super simple, but we’ve really enjoyed using them at our table for the past few weeks. They are still nice and clean, amazingly enough!

It’s all about the Spider Web.

2011-10-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

I made another Spider web project. Surprise, surprise. The runner from last year was so fun and looks so awesome that I repeated it on a pillow. The tutorial is over at Curbly today sometime, where I am a website contributor. Have a peek, and see how I make pillows with a more professional look. Not that I’m a professional. Or that Spider webs are professional. Just go look, ok?

But, while I am at it, I have been seeing the Spider web runner pop up in other peoples’ homes lately (and all over Pinterest, which is fun!), and I thought I’d show you. Because even though it takes a while… dang, it looks awesome!

Wendy from Show, Tell, Share made hers and backed it with orange burlap which she fringed with her kiddos. Awesome texture!

Kirsten of Maniacal Material Girls (and MaterialGirlKirsten on Etsy) made hers and backed it with sparkly orange costume satin. How Halloween appropriate!

I think I highlighted her last year, but Serena of Naptime Crafts made hers in white to contrast her beautiful black table. And hers is looong. Bless her poor hands.

Crafts by Courtney made hers with a few more webs, and it looks amazing. Love it.

Are you going to try it? Have you made it? Add it to the Flickr Group! I’d love to see. If you aren’t up for a runner challenge, how about some placemats with one web in the corner or something? I think that is up next for me…

Finally! Something on my wall!

2011-10-07T11:30:00.001-07:00

And to our family, it isn’t a small something! Forever and a half ago, we were counseled in General Conference for our church to have pictures of the Temple- a sacred place of worship- in our homes. I’ve been looking since then. Most people I know around here have a Mesa Temple picture on their walls, but I haven’t found one I really love yet. Then I stumbled upon this free image through Pinterest, and thought about it constantly until I finally printed it, framed it, and hung it.

While the Salt Lake Temple isn’t the closest in proximity to me, it is pretty iconic for our family’s religion. I figure it is a great substitute for Mesa, and people who don’t share our beliefs will still be able to recognize it when they are over at our house and they won’t wonder too much about a random building on our wall :)

What got me really hunting down a Temple picture for our family room was my friend Julie who posted on Facebook that she was making some prints of the Salt Lake Temple. I had been looking for about a year for something for my girls’ room, since their favorite song is “I Love to See the Temple.” Pretty much everything on Etsy was a little off from my style, but Julie’s design was the ticket!!! Um, everything Julie does is the ticket, really. She’s awesome.

I love the windows. I love the font. I love the stairs!!! The vibrant, deep pink (I picked it out of several color options)! I love everything about it. It needed a girly frame- thank you Hobby Lobby for finally having something white and fancy. I can’t spray paint right now.

So, we now have two Temples in our home. BTW, I decorate for my future house, which will have paint on the walls. Everything in the girls’ room is white!

It is strange, because the only other things currently on our walls are the stuff on my craft wall, and this picture above the crib in the girls’ room:

Those of you who do recognize it know that it is a print of the mural in the main Library on BYU’s campus. It is next to the Children’s section, and has characters from lots of children’s stories. There is some seriously deep symbolism in this painting, and I just eat up things like that. AAAH! I love it. I may have even blogged about it before, I can’t remember.

This piece has a story that is too long to tell here on the blog, but let’s just say this print is very special to me! And it is autographed by the artist :) The kids get it in their room, but I look at it every time I put the baby down for a nap or in her bed at night. I love it. Didn’t I say that already?

So, I know this is a post with a whole lot of LDS stuff in it, but I really appreciate talented people who can help make my home what I someday want it to be! I’ve been so afraid to puncture these rented walls, but it was time to make this place a little more homey. And meaningful. All we need now is for me to pop out this child so we can get a family picture taken and framed too… But I can wait.

One more time, in case you are dying for one of these:

Salt Lake Temple Photograph: Cari Anthony Photography

Pink I love to see the temple Print: Mason Jar Holdings on Etsy (Update: Today is her birthday, too! Happy Birthday Julie!!!)

Mural: Come Now, And Let Us Reason Together, Saith The Lord (Isaiah 1:18) by Michael Lehnardt- prints available at the HBLL (BYU Library). My sister called them and had them send it to her!

How To: Fabric Pumpkins

2011-10-05T10:13:00.001-07:00

I summoned up the energy to add to our Fall/Halloween décor with some fabric pumpkins. They are really easy, you just need the template (you can get mine here, just ignore the other pieces) and some fabric, and a little bit (ok, a lot) of stuffing.

First, cut 6 pieces of your pumpkin fabric, making sure you follow that grain line direction- the line should be parallel with the edge of the fabric, and the whole shape on the diagonal. You can go scrappy and have all sides be different fabrics, that would be so fun! My stem pieces are just two 2” x 1 1/2” rectangles.

Then, place two pieces Right Sides Together (RST) and start sewing 1/4” from the end with a 1/4” seam allowance. End stitching 1/4” from the end too.

Add another pumpkin piece so you have three sewn together. The seams should match up pretty nicely if you left perfect 1/4” on the ends. But nothing has to be perfect… it is a pumpkin for crying out loud.

Now, make another set of three! You will end up with two pieces like the one pictured above.

For the stem, just sew along three sides, leaving a short side open.

Clip the corners and turn it inside out- I use a pencil.

Then, stuff that little stem full of stuffing. I use Poly-fil, because it is cheap.

Now, take your two Pumpkin pieces and pin them right sides together with seams matching. On one seam end, stick your stem in between the pieces with the raw edges lined up.

Start sewing along one side and continue nearly the entire way around, leaving a 3” space for turning.

Turn your pumpkin inside out and start stuffing! I thought mine looked better a little more plump.

When it is nice and full, hand-sew your opening closed.

At this point, you’ll have a nice… ball with a stem. If you love it, keep it like it is. I continued to the next step, which is a slight tufting!

To tuft your pumpkin, use a long hand-sewing needle or tufting needle. Start at the bottom of your pumpkin, and poke that needle all the way in to the base of the stem. I had to squish the daylights out of my pumpkin to get it through, but it made it. Then, turn that needle around and come back down through the bottom.

When you pull on your thread, the pumpkin will tuft up. I didn’t want a huge tuft job, so I pulled a little and then tied off my thread.

And then, you end up with a nice looking fabric pumpkin!

I did a variation using 8 pumpkin pattern pieces instead of 6, and got a flatter/bigger pumpkin out of it. I really liked its size and shape, and didn’t bother tufting it at all. Also, if you shrink or enlarge the pattern on a copy machine, it will produce different sized round pumpkins.

Anyway, there you have it. Fabric pumpkins. Add any extra embellishments you so desire (I do simple.) like extra leaves or wrap them in twine or whatnot.

This is the extent of my fall-ish orange in my fabric stash. And it has been used up. So we have three pumpkins! hee hee.

Since these are hard to break, we’re enjoying these on the coffee table and throwing them at each other when we get the chance. It is a great way to celebrate sub-100 temperatures. :)

Slow and excited

2011-10-04T12:32:00.001-07:00

I’ve been moving at a snail’s pace lately. Partially because I got hit with some bug last week and can’t seem to shake it, and partially because I feel like the Goodyear Blimp.

I did manage to get some fabric cut for a quilt for little brother, although not all of it. I’m telling you… snail’s pace. Any thoughts on where to get a really light blue solid? Everything I’ve found is too dark.

I do have something else for him though:

Isn’t that the cutest beanie ever? Girls have all sorts of fun with flowers and such, but a bear is perfect for this winter newcomer. Thanks to my niece for modeling it for me :) The hat is from my sponsor, Little Bitty Boutique. Kristy, the owner, was my roommate for a summer in college, although I left for the second half of the summer to escape from they guy I was dating and was too chicken to dump. Hee hee. Anyway, Kristy is the sweetest person I’ve ever met (and probably will ever meet) in my life and she had a very large impact on me even though we didn’t live together for very long. I was so excited when I saw she had recently opened an Etsy shop!

Needless to say, I’m excited for a newborn photo shoot with little brother sporting this get-up. I’m already melting and he’s not even born yet!

Have I mentioned I’m trying for a VBAC this time around? The last c-section was pretty traumatic for me, probably because of the circumstances, but I’d rather not do it again. The whole day was kind of scary, so when I think about doing it again, all that anxiety comes back! Babies. The things you do for them.

Tohoku Tote… kind of.

2011-09-30T14:25:00.001-07:00

Every month over at UCreate, Kari has a Create With Me projects. For September, the project was the Tohoku tote, a pattern and tutorial by Cheri of I Am Momma Hear Me Roar. So I thought I’d play along, since it had been awhile since one of the monthly projects has caught my eye. And her bag was adorable.

But, it doesn’t look like the Tohoku Tote.

Cheri’s pattern was supposed to be for a piece of fabric which already had a pleat in the center, which is opposite how I am used to doing things. I even asked her to clarify, which she graciously did, and then I totally spaced it when I cut the pattern piece. I’ve been a space case lately anyway, (and I openly blame being pregnant) so it was almost no surprise. And then I ran out of yellow fabric and didn’t have anything solid in stash that I liked with it, so I nixed the bow too, which is what MAKES the tote.

Anyway, this isn’t really a craft fail because it is a really fun bag, and works great as a “diaper bag” (I don’t have one…) for tossing things we might need while out and about. I mean, I like it. It just isn’t the product the pattern designer had in mind, you know? I didn’t bother sending my project to Kari :)

The bag stripe is from a clearance tea towel from Target. I LOVE THAT STRIPE. One towel (with hems unpicked) yielded an un-pleated front and back of the bag. Not bad!

Do you participate in the Create with Me projects? Or are you like me, and you only do them if they are something you are excited about?

Halloween Village

2011-09-27T13:52:00.001-07:00

Did everyone see this village from the Crafty Sisters last year? Did you die over it like I did? Here’s a photo of their awesome Halloween Town:

Well, this mom is not a master with cute crafty paper and wires and such like they are, but I can have a little fun.

First, we ran down to Jo Ann’s Fabric and Crafts. I always see the little $1 birdhouses out front, so we snagged seven of them and left in a hurry to get started. And we have been working on it non-stop since.

This is what we came up with, although I’m looking to put some pumpkins in front of the houses and fences.

We’ve got bats, ghosts, spider webs, giant cats, and little trick-or-treaters.

We have sparkly rooftops and paper shingles, wooden fences, and jeweled door knobs.

I found the little trick-or-treat people at a scrapbook store in town, and I knew instantly my girls would love these little additions. I cut tons of them out, but the girls took a lot to play with, rip in half, and eat on occasion.

The sequined roof on this little house was the munchkin’s idea. She’s so clever.

I mounted the houses on two separate wood boards so I could have one raised behind the other to save flat surface space- something I have very little of. Since this is the only Halloween décor up right now, it is being displayed side-by-side atop my china cabinet. Where no light reaches, so I brought in a lamp from my bedroom just to get these sad photos :)

I had SO. MUCH. FUN. working on this, even if it isn’t as adorable as the original. The munchkin and baby painted everything black, and then the munchkin helped me with painting the houses and telling me where to put things. I did do a lot after they went to bed just so it would go faster, but it was so fun to show them every morning the progress that had taken place the night before.

To all the scrapbookers out there… I have a renewed amazement for all you can accomplish. It was really hard coming up with new ideas for each house. I can’t imagine making page after page after page of cuteness like you do! I am in awe.

I love our little spooky town! Or, as the munchkin says, “Smooky!”

(FYI, just like the original Crafty Sisters project, my dowels can be removed for storing. The houses are glued to the board, so they are what they are!)

Cookie Baking= New Oven Mitts

2011-09-26T15:35:00.001-07:00

The munchkin LOVES “Colorful Cookies,” aka Play Dough Cookies. We saw them on the Idea Room ages ago, and now it is her favorite thing to do, although she likes to make all sorts of shapes and things with them. They take soooo long (they are essentially a sugar cookie) that we don’t make them often, and usually I use it as a reward to get her to do something for me :) She’s been extra helpful lately, so we got to make some colorful cookies today.

But, I have one clean oven mitt. And what’s faster than laundry? Making a new set.

I used my Oven Mitt pattern pieces, and a clearance tea towel set I bought from Target. Each towel can yield one mitt, so the pack of two was perfect. I was barely short on pre-made bias tape, so one mitt got a ribbon loop.

They were so easy to make this time. The last time I made them I had to draw a pattern, adjust the pattern, adjust some more, then cut everything out and sew. I didn’t use any Thermo-whatever stuff, just two layers of batting this time. And heavier fabric.

So, while the cookie dough was chilling in the freezer, I whipped these up so I’d feel cute pulling the cookies out of the oven :). Oh, and so I didn’t get burned. That too! I got a set of adorable striped towels that I am dying to use for mitts… probably as a Christmas gift.

You’ll find the Oven Mitt pattern along with lots of other patterns and templates, here.

And, those cookies still aren’t done, so… no pictures. Hee hee!

Sneak Peeks

2011-09-22T10:18:00.001-07:00

Today I have my tentacles all over the blogosphere. Amanda at Every Creative Endeavor is having a Fall Fever, and I’m adding to the mayhem with some easy Salt and Pepper Shakers. Go take a look!

Also… if you are looking for a decent dose of darling, head over to Tip Junkie where I am sharing a new set of toys for the baby boy.

And, now I’m off to the fabric store with the kiddos. We’ve got a few copy-cat projects in the works that the munchkin is super excited about!

May I Present You..

2011-09-21T12:24:00.001-07:00

…with the only things I have so far that are baby boy related:

A soft ball toy, and two little items of clothing. $1 for each little outfit, though, not bad!

Pathetic. I’m measuring 32 weeks now, and just don’t have the motivation to do anything to prepare! Well, I do, but the motivation to haul around my two kids, one of which is in the throes of her terrible twos, to fabric stores and clothing stores and baby stores is completely non-existent.

I am thinking of doing a new crib skirt and some art to add some boy flavor to the girls’ room. You heard me- we’re tossing all three together into the same room. That should be fun!

I haven’t even started a quilt for the little man. I can’t decide on a pattern, and I’m no good at coming up with cool stuff on my own like Kirsten. Here is what I’ve pulled from my stash for something for little man. There are airplanes, helicopters, cars, fish, dinosaurs, turtles… quite the mix! I will eliminate or add as I find a pattern, and I can always throw in solids:

Here’s where you step in: GIVE ME LINKS TO BOYISH QUILTS! AND FUN BOY FABRIC! I will be doing the crib skirt with decor weight fabric, just so you know.

Oh, I guess I lied. I made some other toys for brother but the girls have taken over. I’ll share tomorrow :)

Come Ye To Bethlehem

2011-09-20T14:00:00.001-07:00

As most of you know, while my husband is trying to figure out single parenting/bedtime routine for two and a half hours on Thursday nights, I’m singing to my heart’s content with the East Valley Mormon Choral Organization. This year, we have 240 singers (not all of us are Mormons, in case you wondered) in the adult choir alone, and my little munchkin has joined up with the Young Singers chorus (ages 4-6).

And we’re all loving it. It is another way my creative side can get to work! How often do you sing with a full symphony? My point exactly. Our director asks a lot of us, which makes me work hard to improve. I love that!

The most exciting part of the semester is when we get to perform for all you lovely people. This is THE HOLIDAY EVENT of the season. And I’m not just saying that. Music is such a large part of the Holiday season, and we’re working hard to ensure the best experience possible for all of you.

Mark your calendars! Bring your neighbors! Invite your grandmas!!! This choir has been THE greatest non-family-related experience of my adult life, and I’ve only performed with them for a year. And this year, I’m hoping to push out a baby in time to a)fit in my concert dress and b)recover before the concert! :)

Come Ye To Bethlehem

Friday, December 2 and Saturday December 3, 2011 at 7:30 pm in the Mesa Arts Center

I’d love it if you came. Tickets are available now online or at the box office, and yes, we like to have a sell-out crowd :)

More info about my wonderful choir at www.evmco.org

Fall… ish.

2011-09-19T13:55:00.001-07:00

Today, the high will be 101 degrees.

Which means the fall decorations are out of place, still.

But I like it anyway.

Happy Monday!

What a Wallet!

2011-09-16T07:01:00.001-07:00

I’ve been into PDF’s lately. I like ‘em. I do like paper versions best, so I print out all my PDF’s and keep them in a file- it works great :) My latest is a fabric wallet from M.o.M (Mother of Marine). It is pretty dang awesome.

This project is super colorful, thanks to a swim I took in my scrap bin! The pattern only calls for three fat quarters and different interfacings, but I decided to take it a step or 7 more and use up some of my scraps. It feels good to use them, you know?

My baby was in my lap while I sewed the final steps, so of course the tab is not beautifully centered. It is kind of endearing, since the little arm-grabbing culprit is pretty cute :) I added a (vintage) button because I goofed and cut a hole in the tab- I had to cover it somehow! My secret is out- I’m not perfect ;)

Look, I got to use a fun colored zipper. I have a huge stash of zippers, but usually chicken out and go with white for my projects. This time, there was no excuse!

Isn’t this fun??? The PDF comes with an optional card insert, but I was scavenging the house just to find these… so I didn’t make it. Some of my favorite features are the self-binding (that polka-dot you see on the edge of the card slots), and the zipper pocket on the back for spare change. There are pockets everywhere! I’d love it if someone stuffed it full of cash for me :)
The PDF is super detailed, has great illustrations, and excellent suggestions on how to get a nice, tailored look. And the zipper part couldn’t be easier.
My only problem is that it is almost the size of my purse. Have you seen my purse? It is tiny. Like, it carries my keys and my phone and maybe a Jo Ann’s coupon and that’s it tiny. I’m not a big bag girl (which means I am totally behind the times and SOOOO not fashionable) but if I were, I’d be very grateful I had a wallet that didn’t get lost in my bag :) This has been great for a few errands lately where I was by myself, and just took this with me. Love.
I’m thinking I’ll make another. And another. And then maybe some more! Do you want to make one too? Well, lucky you, Debbie is giving a pattern AND three fat quarters away to a lucky reader. Head over to her blog, Stitches and Seams, and enter for a chance to win. You’ll love it!

Scripture Tote- Messenger style

2011-09-15T12:39:00.001-07:00

I heard about a fun Etsy shop called Yards and Yards where Anna, the owner, creates PDF patterns to sell. This is just one of them, and it turned out really cute!

It fits the standard LDS Quad perfectly, or in my case, the Bible (did you know this year is the 400th anniversary of the first KJV publication of the Bible? Cool, yo!) and Book of Mormon paperback set- I lost my quad recently. Boo! There is a pocket on the outside, which will hold my mini hymnal or Personal Progress book… when I find those…

The pockets extend to the side, which is good for pens and such. The bag is stabilized with denim (I used canvas) so it is still soft while being durable. One of the problems I have had with heavy interfacing is it is just sooo stiff in the end. So, soft and sturdy it is!

Both of my fabrics are from Hobby Lobby, in case you wondered! But at any rate, this messenger-style scripture tote is good because my hands are always full at church- kids, folders, study material, sippy cups… you name it, I’m carrying it. For those who don’t regularly carry around a Book of Mormon to church, there is plenty of room for study materials, small notebooks, etc. in that extra space.

I’m excited for Sunday when I can tote this to my church meetings! I have a feeling my 4-year-old will take it over once we get there, but hey, it is cute and she can’t pass up cute :)

Vintage Spools.

2011-09-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

Last week sometime, we went to Mike's grandmother's house to visit, and while we were there, grandma offered me some of her mom's sewing supplies.

WHAT??? YES PLEASE!!

So, I only grabbed a handful of stuff, since another friend wanted to feel the vintage love too. These spools were just a part of what I got, though! I have a jar full of vintage and antique thread... and this is perfect.

I also got a few buttons, some fabric (including some yo-yo's you see in the top photo!), and some mini embroidery hoops. Hopefully I can show you projects with those soon.

In other news, we finally got a call today that they are in the final fix-it stages on our computer. Funny story (and funny only in hindsight...), the computer company sent me the wrong recovery discs, then the fix-it place lost the new ones, and we've all been sufficiently frustrated. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back to my own computer. It is so hard to blog from other people's computers!!! May your computer never crash. Amen.

Wild Thing Quilt Finish!

2011-09-12T12:00:00.001-07:00

It is done! I hurried to finish it for a church activity that was happening last Thursday where women got to share some of their hobbies. I thought a quilt (or two...) and a dress would be a good representation of where I spend most of my free time :) I wasn't able to actually attend, but I'm hoping the ladies at my church got to know a little more about me through my projects that were on display.

I had Mike play quilt-holder this time. He's such a good sport. Even if it means showing off his mismatched socks. Hey, at least they are both black! Anyway, he had the nerve to tell me he wasn't too sure about this quilt as I was making it... but he does like it now. Doesn't he know you can't go wrong with Kate Spain??

See the back? I used that border! I like its simplicity. I did a large stipple on the whole quilt, and bound it in a solid purple Kona. Don't bother asking me which purple... I just grabbed what matched.

And, it is already being put to good use. Those dark clouds in one of the above pictures ensured we'd have some time to spend under a blanket, even if it was still hot outside :)

Pattern: Wild Thing by Thimble Blossoms

Fabric: Central Park by Kate Spain, Kona Solids

Baby Showers

2011-09-07T15:31:00.000-07:00

I attended a baby shower for my cousin this weekend, and since she's a really creative and talented person, I knew she'd probably appreciate something from me that I made. Well, I hoped she would :) I had some great fabric I've been saving for the perfect project, and while hunting through my pile of fabric, it jumped out at me as the perfect choice for baby girl. It is from Jo-Ann fabrics, one of their Premier Quilter cottons and feels really soft and thick, unlike their other calico fabrics that make me want to turn and run most of the time :)

I used the same Simplicity pattern that I used for my own baby a year and a half ago or whatever it was. I still love this pattern. It is really easy, and it is quite grown-up for such small people, I think.

It just so happens that the expectant mother's sister is the same photo-gal I've mentioned on here before, Kendyl Hawkins. She had a snazzy new camera and was grabbing everyone at the shower so she could take their picture. I had showered 10 minutes before hopping in the car to go, so my hair was thrown in a ponytail, and I was lucky to have any make-up on. But, after everyone left, Kendyl did my hair all modern and fancy, and then took some pictures.

I kind of really really like them. :) The above shot is our favorite, because you can see my belly a bit, and my non-plucked eyebrows not so much. Ha! No, really it is the composition that won me over. It was hard for me to not smile, though. Kendyl is a great photographer! And a super cousin.

As for the rest of my busy life these days... I'm so busy!!! CRAZY busy. I had to take some time for myself yesterday, and it helped rejuvenate me a little. Of course, that time by myself was just working on a huge to-do list, but things go a little faster without kids running underfoot and needing you every second. You know? So, I'll have some fun projects to share with you that I am finally finishing!

Gotta run. Lots to do.

I Know Famous People

2011-09-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. I hope you all had a good holiday, or good Monday, depending on where you live. I pretty much sewed all day long while my kids destroyed the house around me. It was awesome.

Today's post is nothing but a big brag session, so hold on to your hats!

See that? No, not my hastily basted quilt back, the magazine on top of it. The cover of the magazine.

And flip open the magazine, and you see this lovely lady! I know her! She gave birth to me. Hi mom!

And she is the owner of the professional drapery workroom that produced this arched wonder. Can you imagine working with an upholstered cornice that is not only arched, but 250 inches wide, and 30 inches tall that won't fit into an installation truck/van? Well, crazy, yes, but get this: it is hinged in the middle. Awsome-opolis. You would never know.

But she's not the only famous person I know in regards to this Prize-winning magazine feature; my mom's employee who knelt on the floor for a few days to actually bring the sketches and creative thinking and planning to life is none other than Kirsten of MaterialGirlKirsten. I watched her make some of this thing... it didn't look easy. It was a beast.

So, if you're wondering where to find talented people... I know them. :) And this is also why I am a curtain snob. Now you know.

Wondering why this post is a little familiar? It is because they've been in a magazine before. I know, right???

I'm so proud of them!!

Hard Drives and Sponsors

2011-09-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

Well, sorry I've been so sporadic. We decided to fix our computer instead of invest in a whole new one, which meant we had to replace our hard drive completely. It was totally fried. Luckily I didn't have much on it to be sad about losing- my kids grace this blog enough that most of their growing has been well documented :) But borrowing computers has been tough! My husband has a work computer that probably came from the Jurrasic time period, and it can't do much. Using it this past week or so has made me feel pity for his every day work experience. Oh well, he's a tough kid.

ANYWAY, I thought now would be a good time to introduce you to one of my newest sponsors!

Stitchesn N' Giggles is the place to go for fabric -including pre-cuts- patterns, notions, etc. Let me give you some examples:

I've been really wanting to make a Christmas quilt, and they've got this:

That I can use with this:

and applique little bows to each block so they look like presents. FUN!

Lori, the heart and soul behind Stitches N' Giggles, prides herself with great customer service. She'd love to help you out in any way she can! She's even awesome enough to promote a Deal of the Day every day on her website, where something is crazy discounted for that day only!

So, while you're waiting for our regular blog programming to resume, go check out Stitches N Giggles!

Munchkin-Made Cupcake Quilt

2011-08-30T15:37:00.000-07:00

Repairing a computer takes a lot more of my time than I anticipated, but we still managed to finish this project. I got the cupcake panel in the Red Tag section at Jo Ann's, and asked the munchkin if she'd like to make a blanket out of it. It was a go! We got only a yard, which was about $4, for a small quilt. I waited until polyester batting was on sale (cheaper, perfect for a little girl's first quilt) and then we got working.

We used some of my Jennifer Paganelli fabric for the back, and some Kona solid I had on hand for the binding. The munchkin helped me pick them out, after I gave her some workable options :). She also handed me pins to baste, and she tied the quilt with a little help from me. And she only stabbed me with the needle once.

When it came time to bind, she sat on my lap and held the fabric with me while we sewed. It made for some interesting stitching! I opted not to hand-stitch the back at the last second (after it was already sewn to the top), so the back of the machine-sewn binding is a little iffy. I have been having some dizzy spells and I was trying to get it done fast before I had to go lay down... She probably won't notice until she's 16 though, so we're good.

This was so fun to do with her. It went pretty fast, which was really important for a 4-year-old. She slept with it last night on her bed, and said it she was "snug as a bug!" Even her photo-bombing little sister thinks it is a really cute quilt and loves to point out all the different colored cupcakes.

Yay for cheap and satisfying projects!

( here's a cupcake quilt I really love too from my sponsor MaterialGirlKirsten!...)

Baprons. 'Nuf Said.

2011-08-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already heard of the Bapron, you will certainly be converted today. Because I will never go to another baby shower without being armed with at least one of these. Minimal fabric, with Maximum Cuteness Factor. You Must Make It!

With less (er, no) time on the computer, I've been busy with a lot of projects. This being one of them. And you have now witnessed the first and only thing I have made thus far for the baby boy arriving in... 3 months. I've got plenty of time!

I went to my mom's today to upload these photos for you. Lucky for all of us, my adorable niece was able to model and use this one, even if it is a little more masculine. This thing is genius, and I'm so glad the talented Jess was willing to make the pattern, give instructions, and then make it all available to us. Mine aren't even as cute as hers because I used regular pre-made bias tape. But still! Isn't the blog world AWESOME???

I have a lot to share, I've been cranking out stuff on my to-do list like crazy. And it feels GREAT! So, stay tuned!

Crash and Burn

2011-08-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

My computer crashed. BOOM! I've been trying to re-do a lot of stuff that had deadlines and I haven't seen my craft area all day. So much for being on top of things, right? This teaches me that I can't just run a backup every few months and call it good!

Cross your fingers for me, I'm only going slightly crazy!

We will be back to normal... sometime!

Tumblers and a Go! Baby Winner!!

2011-08-22T11:21:00.001-07:00

Were you all crossing your fingers about the giveaway? Well, my friends, the time has come to announce who Random.org has chosen to be the recipient of their OWN Go! Baby and THREE dies!

After deleting all the deleted comments (they still count, apparently), we had 349 entries. Wowie! I’m glad so many of you had interest in this awesome machine. But, #222 was the lucky number! Who is #222?

Sara!!

Whose winning entry said “Just joined your blog as a FOLLOWER!”

Yay Sara!! She mentioned in another entry how her hands were already sighing with relief over those rag dies. Let’s all hope she has happier hands from now on! Sara, I’ve e-mailed you :)

I do have one more project to share with you. Super easy, again, and it’s been helping me keep my workspace a little more tidy!

It started with this little machine, the tumbler die, and some scrap fabric,

And I got some great cuts out of my scraps!

I even cut my fusible interfacing (heavy weight) with the cutter. It made it nice and easy.

After cutting all the tumbler shapes, I cut some 2” squares of outer fabric, lining fabric, and interfacing. When all my outer fabric had the interfacing ironed on, I got stitching.

I started and stopped sewing 1/4” from each end. This is a must, trust me!

And I kept going on all 4 sides until I had this:

Then, I pinned two adjacent sides together, and sewed with 1/4” seam allowance. Repeat until all sides are sewn!

See how the 2” square is pulled out of the way? That is so it doesn’t get sewn into the seam somehow. Ignore my seam allowance there, it shifted when I took my hands away to take the picture ;)

When all 4 sides were done, I had a cute little cup. So I repeated the process with the lining, leaving a little hole in one side for turning.

Then, I put the lining into the outer fabric with right sides together.

See how nicely it fits? To make it fit even better once it was turned, I trimmed the seam allowance down a little big on the sides.

The next step was to sew around the top of the tumbler cup.

Then I turned it right side out and sewed the opening shut! Easy peasy.

I use this one to hold my binder clips by my computer.

And this one sits at my sewing table to hold all my presser feet and extra needles.

The interfacing keeps it nice and sturdy, and it is really handy to have next to my machine. I switch presser feet a lot, so opening my machine and/or getting up to go to my cupboard was a nuisance. I’m glad they are so accessible now!

Go! Baby Giveaway!

2011-08-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

All right, you’ve seen some coasters and an argyle quilt made with my Go! Baby. And I’ve got more up my sleeve. I’m sure you have lots of projects you’d love to try with your very own Go! Baby Cutter from AccuQuilt! WOW!!

Not only will you get the GO! Baby fabric cutter, but also 3 DIES of your choice!!! That’s a screaming deal, people. Since we’re starting to head into the cooler months (bah ha ha…what a joke!) perhaps it is time to think about Christmas?

Or maybe you just need a basic die for all your everyday quilting needs? Half Square Triangles are the way to go!

Or are you a rag quilter? Guess what: they have dies that have the shape and the… ragging (is that what you call it?) done already. Helloooooo happy hands!

So, whatever you want, you have the chance to win it. Ready? GO!, Baby!
To Enter This Awesome Giveaway:
Leave a comment with your favorite Go! Baby die. If your e-mail isn’t in your profile, leave your e-mail address! (If you aren’t sure… leave your e-mail!!)
Other ways to increase your odds:
***Become a “Member” of this blog! Click on the “Join This Site” or whatever that button says over on my sidebar. Leave a Comment telling me you did!
***”Like” Crafty Cupboard on Facebook. You didn’t know I had a Facebook page, did ya? Well, the secret is out. Head on over, “Like” the page, and come back and tell me you did so!
So, there you have it. Three opportunities to win!
And, everybody wins when they sign up for the AccuQuilt Newsletter and get 22 FREE patterns. Fun ideas for you, there! Just click on the button below:

All right, good luck everyone!

This giveaway closes on Sunday, 8/21, at 11:59pm Arizona time (which is the best time ever because it never changes!).

Alphabet Bean Bags

2011-08-19T13:01:00.001-07:00

My munchkin isn’t in pre-school, so I thought I’d personally take on the challenge of teaching her to read. She knows all her letters, but mixes up some of their sounds (especially M and N) so I wanted to help her out with that first.

Which meant… crafty time with the kiddo!

I cut out the letters on freezer paper (used my silhouette. Love.) and ironed them on to 5” squares, and handed the big stack to the munchkin with some white fabric paint. (and yes, most of our days are spent in dress-up clothes.) We only had to re-do two letters :)

After she was done painting (and the wait was over for them to dry) I paired the letters with their matching 5” square counterpart and stitched them right sides together, leaving a small hole for turning. Then, to make the bean bags look even more tailored, I ironed and top-stitched the squares (except where the opening was) before we filled the bags. I should have left a bigger hole, because it was a nightmare putting beans in…

Then I stitched the opening closed, and we had bean bags. 26 of them. I sewed for a long time. And beans were everywhere.

But now we have a giant pile of letters! We’ve been playing with them a lot, tossing them back and forth saying the letter and the letter sound(s) or saying words that begin with that letter.

I also bought a piece of plywood (from the cull bin- 51 cents!) that we are going to paint for more phonetic fun and games.

But mostly, we just like to stack and toss and make colorful piles :)

Now I remember why bean bags are so fun. You can do a lot with them. Hooray for bean bags!

(Don’t forget to enter the Go! Baby Giveaway! International entries welcome!)

If the Dress Fits…

2011-08-16T12:42:00.001-07:00

I was with my sister at Target the other day and we were rummaging through the clearance racks like our lives depended on it. Good thing, too, because I found a pretty purple number (not maternity!) just calling my name for $6.98. It was sleeveless, but not a problem since I layer all the time. The detail at the neckline was simple and stunning!

My sister found the same dress in her size, in a pretty brown. We rushed to the dressing room, and quickly realized these dresses were a few inches too short! Our clothing requirements are a bit specific, which makes finding the perfect dress hard a lot of the time. This one was easily remedied, though, with some 4” eyelet lace from Jo Ann’s.

Since I layer with a white shirt, typically, I went with a white lace. It came slightly ruffled, but I didn’t want any ruffle happening. I just cut of the ruffle part and serged the top of the lace.

I top-stitched it straight to the dress lining. Even when I sit, you can’t see where it is sewn on, and it is the perfect length!

I wore this on Saturday night to a special church conference, and I felt absolutely adorable. I even curled my hair!! Big deal for me, people. It was perfect with my yellow shoes :)

So before you pass something by at the store because it doesn’t meet all your clothing requirements, see if you can’t fix it somehow! This dress was perfect in every way but the length- and that was an easy, $3 fix. Bonus: The empire waist made it so my preg belly wasn’t bothered at all! So I’ll have this one for a long time to come. Yay!

Guesting at see kate sew

2011-08-15T13:08:00.001-07:00

Kate over at see kate sew is hosting Pleat Weeks this month, and today I’m sharing a project I made using… you guessed it, pleats. The munchkin pretty much told me what she wanted, and I did it. She’s getting quite opinionated! Anyway, head on over and see what we made and leave some comment love!

Circle Fabric Coasters with the GO! Baby

2011-08-12T16:54:00.001-07:00

With my Go! Baby and Diamond die, I also got the Circle die with 2”, 3”, and 5” circles. For this project, I stuck to the 5”, which was really convenient for all my leftover 5” squares from my zig-zag quilt…

After sending the fabric through the cutter to get these lovely circles, I also sent some batting through the cutter. I only did one layer at a time, but by golly, do I have perfect batting circles!
Layer 2 fabric circles RST, and plop one of the batting circles on top.

Then, sew the layers together, leaving a 1/12” opening. Small opening! But doable!

Pink your edges, or trim them so they are about 1/8”, everywhere except your opening. Trim your batting to about 1/8” so it eliminates bulk in the opening.

Ok, flip that sucker right side out, and give it a good ironing! Make sure it is as nice and round as you can get it.

Carefully fold your opening edges in towards the center, making it curve like the rest of the coaster. Iron to set your folds and keep them in place.

Stitch around the entire circle at 1/8”, catching that opening as you go. You can leave it as is…

Or add some fun quilting to make it more exciting. I noticed that as I quilted, it didn’t lay as flat. I should probably iron it a bit more :)

Anyway, repeat as many times as necessary to get your self a set (or sets!) of fabric coasters.

I think I’ll have to make a little bag next to put them in, don’t you think?

Or maybe let my kids play with them a bit first…

This is a really, really easy project- especially with my Go! Baby! I cut lots of circles, for these fabric coasters and for another project I’ll share another time… but it took me 5 minutes to pick fabric and cut 28 circles. Yeah. Mm hmm.
You won’t be left out… for starters, get your 22 Free patterns when you sign up for Accuquilt’s newsletter. Fer reels. Just click on the button:

And then stay tuned… I know you’ll love what’s coming!!