Baby Atticus

Design Mom Gabrielle Blair spotlighted this adorable set of onesies on her Babble Style blog several months ago, and I've had it in my "to imitate" file ever since.

Photo credit:  Culpepper General via Babble

This version is from an etsy shop called Culpepper General, but there are hundreds of styles available on etsy.   (Check out this shop and die of cuteness when you see these giraffes and these robots.) 

All of the preceding designs are silk-screened or iron-transferred, and I really like that look.    But when it came time to move this project from mind to matter for my friend Rachel, I decided to go with fabric applique instead.  My new Silhouette makes the cutting easy, and I've kind of got a history of giving tie onesies.

This is a bigger project that I usually tackle for a baby gift, but I was so excited for Rachel and Ryan and the baby boy on his way in August, I just couldn't help myself.  (You may recall Ryan and Rachel from the "Hoping to Adopt" button on my side bar a while back.  Their story is heart-wrenching, inspiring, touching,  and thrilling.  I'm not the only one who was over-the-moon-excited to celebrate their good news.)

So, I ordered a bunch of onesies, bought some fun boyish printed fabric, and fired up the Silhouette.  

This was the result:

I was lucky to find a box in the basement that fit the whole set perfectly.  (This is why I can't throw anything away, folks.)  Look at them all lined up!  Aren't they cute?  (Excuse the fact that all the pictures are blurry.  There was a giant thumb print on the camera lens, apparently.)

Rachel and Ryan are moving away this summer (and even if they weren't, I am), so I won't be around to see Baby Atticus* grow.  But I made Rachel promise to post pictures monthly (at least) so I can watch him fill out his onesies.

* The baby may or may not be named Atticus, but because Rachel's an English teacher, and To Kill a Mockingbird is her favorite book, and Atticus Finch is her favorite character, and we discussed him extensively at our book club meeting, that's how I'll think of him either way. 

A necklace stashtastical!

This little necklace is for a friend of a friend.

 I don't know her style at all, so I wanted to make something pretty and simple.  And if I could manage it, something with universal appeal.  

I'm not sure if I hit my target, but  I like it.

I've seen necklaces like this all over the place, so even if it is a little overly sweet and sentimental, at least it's trendy.

I earned major stash reduction points because the teardrop used to be an earring.  It's been in my broken jewelry bin for over a decade, so I was glad to finally put it to good use.

I wrapped it up in a little box that used to hold hotel soap.  It too has been in my stash for many years.

Isn't it cute? 

And that's why I have a stash that could rival the Hobby Lobby stock room.

Next, a necklace for my friend Britta, inspired by this and this and this and this.

 

The lovely model was stiched and painted by my Aunt Betty. It's one of a set of 10 or 12 quilt blocks, with each belle wearing a differnt vintage floral-print gown.   

When Aunt Betty passed away a few years ago, her extensive stash was divided up among interested relatives. I didn't have first pick or anything, but I love these little ladies so much I feel kinda bad for everyone else for not having them.

Maybe someday I will get brave enough to make them into a quilt. But until then, I like them framed on my buffet, as a backdrop to photoshoots. And life.

If I were selecting materials from the store, I'd have chosen a more delicate chain.  The rolo links are a little heavy in comparison to the rest of necklace.  But I shopped my only stash, and somehow I feel like that balances everything out.

The end. 

Hair Bows

My friend Lizzy asked me to make a batch of hairbows for her trio of beautiful girls.

 

 She even paid me to do it.

I'm quite certain I got the better end of the deal.  I spent a pleasant afternoon watching movies and crafting, and I used  up a bunch of things that had been in my stash forever.

 Grace would not consent to be photographed, so I got a couple of Grace's friends to help model.

Aren't they cute?

But the star of the shoot was baby Roselind.

You gotta have presence to wear a flower bigger than your head.  

But honestly, look at this baby, and tell me you even noticed  that flower. 

With a face like that, she could strap a cactus to her head and still be snuggle-able.   

 

Maybe I'd better check my stash for a cactus.

Dear Sarah Jane

Send me your address, and I will send you a surprise.

You'll never guess what it is!

I hope that these stripes are not too girly for the men in your household.  I don't think so though.  If anyone's got the good looks and boyish charm to pull off pastel stripes, it's your guys.

And I hope your little lady is not too old for twirly skirts.  Cause this one's twirly.  And if it were my size, I'd keep it.

Enjoy!

Last Easter

I've been scrolling through photos today, in preparation for a Top Secret Craft Project,* and I found these from last Easter. 

Actually, these were taken several weeks after Easter.  Because as you can see the grass is green and the flowers are in bloom.  And here in Buffalo, it might still be snowing on Easter Sunday.



Definitely not onesie weather.

Anyway, I've been thinking about what to do for this Easter.  And I'm trying to decide:  are polka dots too girly for my boys' neckties?

And, is this 8-inch bow too big for my girl's head?

Let me know ASAP, cause I've got Easter outfits to make.

 _______

 * Want to hear about my Top Secret Craft Project? Ask me, and I just might tell you.

Baby Shoes

The only thing cuter than baby shoes is baby feet.  That's what I always say.

But it'd be pretty creepy to give baby feet to a new mom, so I usually settle for shoes.  Like these.

I used the Taylor Shoe pattern from Homespun Threads.  She's got some really cute designs, and they're all free, which you know I love.  There were a few confusing steps, but overall these were pretty easy to whip up.

I used fabric from from a pair of old cords (outside) and a stained t-shirt (inside), which happened to perfectly match a set of onesies I bought on a clearance rack months and months ago.  Awesome.  Semi-homemade gifting at its finest.

Except, can I make just one little confession?  I actually made these in preparation for a baby shower for my friend Erin.  But if you know my friend Erin, you know that she had a girl.  And if I paid a little more attention to the invitation before I made a gift, I'd have known that too.  No worries though!  I have lots of friends, and they have lots of babies.  So it didn't take long to find some baby (boy) feet to go inside the baby (boy) shoes; Betzy's little sweetheart Jakob.  And now, to come up with something for a girl!  (Sorry Erin!  Not only am I dumb, I'm also slow.)

Happy birthday, Cupcake

There's a sad story behind this onesie.  Well, not sad so much as pathetic.

So, my friend Kandis asked me to embellish this little onesie for her little cutie's first birthday.   She's got serious photo skills, so in exchange, I made her take photos at Grace's birthday party.   And also watch my dog.  Cause I'm user like that.  But that's not the sad part.  The sad part is that I made the onesie a couple weeks ahead of when Kandis needed it.  I photographed it, wrapped it up, and then I lost it.  Completely.  Gone.  I spent a week searching the house, the van, and everywhere I'd been.

So, with one day to spare, I went to Old Navy and bought the LAST long sleeved onesie on the rack, and whipped up another one.

In the end, I actually liked the second one better, mostly because I thought of making the frosting poof removable.  It's much easier to wash now, and as a bonus, Kandis can take it off and pin it to something else, if she's so inclined.

You'll have to take my word for it that it was better the second time around.  Because guess what?  I lost the photos.  Gone.  Completely.

And that's the sad part of the story.


***********

Edited to add:  Well, lookie here!  Scrolling through photos today, I found the pics from the second version (the one I actually gave to Kandis) in a folder from 2010.  Weird.   I wonder where I'll find the onesie I lost.  Anyone have a time machine?

Anyway, here's version 2.

And a shot of the removable poof.

The end.

Hooked

I'm not much of a yarner.   My talented mom has taught me to both crochet and knit multiple times, but I've never produced much more than long chains of incomplete projects.  But this week I wanted a portable project I could work on while waiting for Grace at preschool.  So I pulled out some beads, some festive yarns, and my crochet hooks and took my crafting on the road.  

Here's what I ended up with.

One of the more satisfying (and productive) hours I've spent waiting in the car in a long time.

 I kind of love it.

So later, I whipped up another one while watching Modern Family.


 
Easy.  Fast.  Fun.  Fuzzy.

 

The Very Colorful Caterpillar

After two rough and tumble boys, my friend Melissa just had herself a baby girl!   Ordinarily, I'd take this opportunity to make some kind of over-the-top frilly girl accessory, because after having a couple boys, nothing's more fun than challenging the accepted head-size-to-hair-embellishment ratio.

But Melissa's shower was a "time-of-day" shower, where each attendee is assigned to bring a gift suited for a specific time of day.  My assignment was "play time," and while I suppose girls can still wear giant flowers on their heads while they play, such shrubbery is generally not designed to be played with.

Photo credit:  Green Valley Crafts

So I dug through my bookmarks for handcrafted toys, and found this  little post from  Green Valley Crafts, a site you should not visit unless you have plenty of time to browse.    It's too lovely to leave.    Clever Clare created this sweet set of fabric & velcro balls for baby to toss, chew, connect, and dismember.  Cause that's what babies do.

Those cheery little blobs all lined up reminded me of a caterpillar, so I added eyes, antennae, and a crooked grin, and had myself a lepidoptera* larvae that, with any luck, will have a life cycle of more than three days.

I told Melissa that because of small parts (i.e. button eyes and felt antennae) this toy was not suitable for children under 3.  But unofficially, Miles (who is just one) really likes it.  I know because he kept stealing the little puff balls from my sewing table.

I chose rainbow colored fabrics from the stash in both solids and patterns, and included some with interesting textures.  So it's educational and all that.  Cause a baby might as well be getting smart while she's choking on a button.  Right?

Also, because I'm getting ready to move I'm kind of preoccupied with containing toys.  So I stitched up a pouch to keep the whole lot safe and warm when it's not "playtime."

Should I tell you where the fabric came from?  The old lady stash, of course.  But there's also a thrifted sheet, scraps from Halloween costumes, and random remnants.  Best of all, the exterior of the bag came from a little nightie I bought of the clearance rack at K-Mart.  It was cute, but not what you'd call "boudoir ready," and when Sweetie asked if I'd made it myself, I knew it was safe to cut up and add to the stash.  It looks like a Liberty of London print, doesn't it?

I was able to use most of the existing seams, and the straps became the tie that cinches the whole thing shut.  I love those kinds of time-saving shortcuts.

Speaking of shortcuts, I used this little butterfly clip to fancy up my lame index-card card.  I didn't make it.  It came from a friend who was de-cluttering her own craft stash.   But if you like it I bet you could make one for yourself, cause you're crafty like that.  Here, let me give you a closer look.

This whole project was easy enough that my 4-year-old, Grace, could help me with it.  I started by tracing a circle (I used a CD) on to each of my chosen fabrics, then cut out two of each color.  Then sew (or glue) velcro in place. (Mark the center circle of the CD on your fabric when you trace it to help with placing the velcro.)  Sew the around the edge of the discs, right sides together, leaving a 2-3 inch gap for turning.  Then turn the whole thing right side out, stuff with fiberfill  (this was Grace's favorite part), and hand stitch the opening closed.   

This project was quick, but not quick enough for the busy week of Melissa's baby shower.  As soon as Melissa opened the (unfinished) gift I took it back so I could stitch up the last few segments.  I sat there at the shower with a needle and thread, hand stitching as I chatted.  Cause that's how I roll.  

Seconds after snipping the last threads, I coerced my friend Kandis to take photos right there at the shower.  (Thanks Kandis!)  

And then, finally, I let Melissa load up her caterpillar and take it home.

___

*Butterflies and moths are members of the insect order Lepidoptera.  This is the only fact I still recall from the AP Biology class I took 18 years ago.  Why this fact, and not something more interesting and/or useful?  I don't know.  But it's a testament to the power of mnemonics, because my brain somehow made a permanent association between butterflies, moths, and leprosy.   This mental association also forces me to say "Lepidoptera" in an appalled and disgusted voice, as if the mere thought of colorful winged creatures is enough to make contract the disease.  All things considered, it's remarkable that I still like butterflies as much as I do.

Keeping track

You're probably wondering what's up with this blog.  And if you're not you should be. I mean, don't you think it's narcissistic the way I take pictures of every little thing I make, and then post pictures and go on an on about how I made it, what went wrong, where I go the fabric, and how much my floor needs mopping?  (Actually, I try not to mention that last one.  Maybe if I don't point it out, you won't notice.  Right?)

 

And you're right.   Blogging is a pretty self-indulgent hobby, and I admit I crave comments like a junkie, refreshing every few minutes until I get my fix  (which usually comes from Peanut).  (Thanks Peanut!)  Compliment fishing aside, though, this really is about me keeping track.  I keep track of what I've done, what I've learned, and how I did it, so I can do it again if I want to.  I can't tell you how many times I've made something and given it away without taking a picture, only to regret it later.  (Actually, I probably can tell you how many times I've done that.  THAT'S  how much I regret it!)  

I also keep track because maybe someday I might want to do something bigger with all this -- start a shop or get a job or something -- and a portfolio could really come in handy.  And I keep track because making and giving gifts is part of how I connect with people.  Thinking of the thing I made for you makes me think of you.  And I like you.  So there.

  

In between all the keeping track, if you find something that's helpful or inspiring or funny, well, I don't mind that one bit.  Feel free to tell me all about it, right down there in the comments.  Really.   Feel.  Free.

In the meantime, I got myself a little behind in the keeping-track department.    So here's are a project from way back in September.  It was quick and easy, and you should totally make one.  (For someone I don't know, of course.  Cause we don't want to show up with the same gift.  Awkward!)

It's a pampering kit for my friend, Kalie, who has 3 kids under 4, and really really deserves all the pampering she can get.

I covered a composition notebook with pretty fabric, and made a matching eye mask (based on this tutorial) and hot/cold pack (like this one, sort of).

 

Then I wrapped it up in a pretty box with a package of ear plugs and a scented candle, and took it to Kalie's "Pampering Shower"  (where you bring diapers or something to spoil the mom).

It would also make a nice get well gift, or swap things around a little and give one to your mom.  Or my mom.  Or anyone else who deserves to be pampered.

I think the notebook is my favorite part.  Since I happened to get a whole stack of composition notebooks for 10 cents each during back to school season, I whipped up another one for another friend's birthday a few days later.

I haven't started mass production yet, but it's really only a matter of time. 

Now, when's your birthday again?  Maybe I need to make myself a pretty notebook to keep track.

Two for Two

Remember the little strawberry blond cuties who turned one last year?  Well, time has a way of turning one-year-olds into two-year-olds.  

And two-year-olds have a way of carrying around purses.  

And I figure, as long as they're carrying around purses, they might as well be cute.  (The purses, I mean.  The girls are already cute, no question.)

And they (the purses) might as well match the dolls I gave them last year.  And they should be reversible (the purses, not the girls), because sometimes you're in the mood for flowers, and sometimes you like polka dots.

 

The recipients seemed to like them. (Caity especially.  Or was it Mady?  I used to be able to tell the difference.)  I was afraid they'd be outraged by the twill tape handles, a semi-homemade shortcut that helped me get them done quick.  But they hid their rage, and immediately started filling their new purses with random objects.  As two-year-olds have a way of doing.

Happy Birthday Mady and Caity! 

And because you asked so nicely, here's some completely gratuitous vintage fabric porn.  (Imagine the google hits I'll get from that one!)   The fabric, the ric rack and the buttons all came from the old lady stash.  Man, I love that old lady and her fabric hoarding ways.