The Little Ballerina Bag

Tutorial for this bag is HERE.

This week, my heart was so full of warm fuzzies it could have exploded.  It was my Boo Bear's very first dance class.  Seeing her in her itty bitty leotard that was still too big for her petite body, the tiny leather ballet slippers, and of course her tutu,  eeeeeeks.  I must have squealed a million times that day [my poor hubby].  

From the time I knew I was having a baby girl I dreamed of seeing her in dance class prancing around.  I can't believe how fast the time has gone and I was there standing in class with her and we were dancing.  I was overjoyed with how much she loved it [and I did too].  It was a moment and a memory that I will never forget.  Which leads me for the inspiration of the new tote I made... The Little Ballerina Bag. 

There are tons of dance bags out there and lots of really cute ones, but I am a cheap-o and not ready to buy a really nice bag yet [after all she is only one], so I just made one.  I actually really love the way it turned out and not too shabby considering I used a bunch of scraps I had laying around [like the leftover canvas from the first time she finger painted].  

I am a pocket fanatic in bags.  The more pockets the merrier.  Helps keep everything organized so this was no different.  There is a pocket for her ballet shoes, tap shoes, and sippy cup.  Not to mention plenty of room for everything else. 

It's a little big for her, but I wanted to make sure it would hold everything she needed.  Now we are all ready and I can't wait to dance with this little ballerina next week.   And stay tuned for the tutorial for this bag also coming next week.  

Tutorial: Toddler Leg Warmers from Socks

This past weekend I was getting into the holiday spirit and I decided to put Boo Bears Halloween bow on, which led to a matching orange onsie.  It is getting a bit chilly here so she needed pants but I didn't really have any to match her festive outfit so I thought leg warmers!  How stinkin darling are these on her?!?

 

After the leg warmers thought, I went straight to the hubby's sock drawer and ten minutes later, toddler leg warmers!  It is seriously that easy!  You take a pair of socks....

Cut the top portion, and a piece if the heel like so.

Fold the piece of the heel wrong sides together so the right side is facing out.

Pin it to the top of the long sock strip you just cut.  Line up those raw edges and pin.

Sew all the way around and then zig zag the edge.

And in minutes you have toddler leg warmers!  So easy I can't wait to make more!  Now I am on the hunt for some knee high socks to convert.

If you love leg warmers and want some fun crocheted ones, be sure to visit my sister in law's facebook page, Nature Mamma Handmade.  She sells them at a great price and can custom make them. 

Adam and Eve Felt Story [Free Pattern]

It has been a wildly busy month for us.  Me oh my!  And as I browse my calendar it just seems to get busier.  Guess that is how it goes when the holidays approach.

Anywhoo, I have been excited to finally share this!  My first of many to come felt story and felt patterns.  We just finished A week and this was our A felt story.   Adam and Eve.  It is very important to us that Cindy is familiar with Bible stories so you will be seeing more of sets like this.  Isn't it adorable?? Some of you may be thinking that looks like way too much cutting but if you know the secret to cutting felt it goes by super fast!

 You can download the pattern HERE and HERE, but I ask that you please not directly load the pattern onto your blog but only use the link to this post.  If you have trouble downloading it, shoot me an email and I will send it to you in 2 different PDF documents.

I made the people blank with "accessories" .  I figure this would save me time.  Instead of making new people for every story I could just make accessories.  I added googly eyes for the eyes and just drew on the mouth with a marker.  Would probably be better if I stitched it on.  Next time I guess.

Now to transform these blank felt dolls to Adam and Eve, they will need hair, shorts, and a dress.

Out of the whole story, I love the way the snake came out.  I know he is suppose to be evil but he is just cute.   Boo Bear seemed to be attracted to him too.  The pattern doesn't include the stripes I made for his back but you can free hand it.

I also love that the tree has removable apples.  One for Adam and one for Eve.   I glued the rest of them down.  When I told her the story,  I let her put the apple in Eves hand and mouth.  She enjoyed that. 

Felt is such a fun and different way to tell a story.  And if you don't have a felt board, just turn your easel into one like in THIS tutorial.  She is still a little young to fully enjoy it but if I catch her at the right time, I can get through the whole story.  I can't wait until she is old enough to use the felt to tell me the story.  Now print the pattern and make your own!!

Shooting and Editing in RAW

I first want to say that I am not a professional photographer or do I claim to know it all when it comes to taking pictures and editing them.  I pretty much just know the basics and thought I would share the little tid but that I do know for any of you out there with an DSLR camera and have never tried shooting in RAW

When I first got my camera [Canon T3] I was super excited.  I was taking pictures like crazy.  Then I ran into this blog Mamarazzi [who sadly doesn't blog anymore] and she wrote this great post about shooting in RAW and I had to try it.  Haven't gone back since.  Shooting in RAW allows for the picture to carry more data and it gives you more leeway in the editing process.

Just take this picture of my Boo in her Dirndl for example.  The first one is a nice picture, but after brightening it and adding some warmth, the colors just pop so much more!  The picture really comes to life and you don't have to be a pro do it.

Mollykid Studios Toddler Onsie Dirndl

Oktoberfest is right around the corner for us and my very talented friend Molly from Mollykid Studios was asked to make some Dirndls.  She asked Cindy and I to photograph them and we happily obliged!  Thanks Molly,  I love this little dress on her! 

She is so clever because she used a onsie for the top part and added a skirt and apron.  The finished product is this darling Drirndle!  It's so cute I could die!

Be sure to show Molly some love by checking out her facebook page HERE and liking it.  If you are interested in getting one of these cute outfits you can also contact her this way. 

Baby Doll Bed

Cindy has recently gotten into "pretend" play and I love it!  Pretending to eat food, feed her babies, and yup putting her dolls to sleep.  Sometimes, I will find her putting her doll in her trash can and saying sleep.  Poor doll, I guess she has to sleep in the trash can.   I finally decided to just try and make her a doll bassinet and here it is!!

It is a little wonky since it is the first pancake flop but it get's the job done.  I haven't given it to her yet because I still want to make a matching doll quilt and pillow.  I got this idea from Dana at Made.  She is amazing.  She doesn't have a tutorial for it but mentioned that she used this plastic canvas for the sides.  Image borrowed from Made.

So, I got some and just gave it a whirl and tried to figure it out.  It isn't  as nice as Dana's but she is a pro so I don't feel bad.  The doll bed is good enough for me.  It has handles so she can hold and carry the baby around and pockets for the baby bottle and a hair brush.

I also added a little squishy pillow mattress  not that the doll will care but I just thought it looked cute.  It fits her favorite doll perfectly!  I am still debating about whether to make a pattern and tutorial.  What do you think?

Pin Tuck Halter Dress

I am seriously loving the Fab Folds challenge hosted by Rikka over at Richochet and Away right now.  It has inspired me to sew so much.  I can't remember the last time my machine has gotten this much lovin'.  Anywho,  I have been stuck on pin tucks.  They are so simple but just add that special extra little detail.  My newest project is this adorable vintage Pin Tuck Halter dress.

It is a pillow case dress in the truest sense.  I picked up this vintage pillow case eons ago and as soon as I saw those ruffles I knew I wanted to make a dress out of it.  I first cut a basic and simple front piece for the dress.  I kind of free handed this one sorry for the lack of a real tutorial.

Made marks for the pin tucks.  Even pinned them down [ha!].  I ended up adding two more pin tucks as you will see in the finished product.  Then, concealed the raw edges with some bias tape. 

Sew the sides of the dress together and zig zag the raw edge.  Added bias tape to the arm hole section making the strips long enough to be tied like a halter. 

I failed in doing a tutorial for the back.  Nap time is short peeps, maybe next time. Here is a picture of the back so you can sort of get an idea of it.  I just created a casing for the elastic in the back.

But I love the way it turned out!  It looks so sweet on her and the pin tuck detail just adds the special touch.  Not to mention this was probably the easiest dress I have ever made since I didn't have to sew that ruffle on the bottom.  Score!

 

Tutorial: Secret to Cutting Felt

For those of you who don't know, there is a better way to cut felt than pinning patterns or attempting to trace patterns using a marker.  Seriously, if you don't know this secret it will change your felt cutting life forever!  And hey, you can even use this technique for fabric.  I cut the entire alphabet both upper case and lover case letters in the time it takes to watch an episode of So You Think You Can Dance.  That included tracing too peeps.  [And if you want to know how to make the felt easel, check out that tutorial HERE].

So, what's the secret?  Freezer Paper!  I am in love with this stuff.  I keep a roll downstairs to use for Cindy's crafts and painting projects and a roll in my craft room.  Love it.

All you have to do is trace your pattern, picture, whatever you want to cut onto the paper.  You can even free hand your own pattern right on there.

Iron it onto the felt until it stays.  Iron the shiny end onto the felt, the papery feeling side should be on top.

Cut around your pattern and then peel off the freezer paper using plain scissors.

Yup seriously that easy!  Before you know it, you will be on a roll cutting like a maniac.

And now that you know the secret to cutting felt just doesn't seem all that bad anymore does it?  Put away the pins and the markers and go get some freezer paper.  Be sure to stay tuned because I have some fun felt patterns coming your way. 

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Tutorial: Perfect Little Travel Clutch

As promised, here is the tutorial for the Perfect Little Travel Clutch along with the pattern.  This newer version is not quite like the original because I made some tweaks to my original design.  I didn't really feel secure with it opening all the way up, the snap was too heavy, the zipper is too complicated to explain.... so here we are to simpler version.  Don't you love this soft sweet print?  I dug deep in my vintage stash for this baby.

Very Hungry Caterpillar Party Ideas

 know what you are thinking... I am still months away from Cindy's 2nd birthday but I can't help myself!  I have to start planning now.  Early planning allows maximum do it yourself projects to save money and minimum stress.  I have created the notebook and I am currently collecting ideas and planning the details.  You can see some my inspirations on my Pinterest board HERE. 

Her party this year is going to be really small.  Just a few friends to celebrate and that's when I thought about putting together a kids table.  How cute is this?!  Our last Ikea trip really inspired me.  When we have play dates I usually let the kids eat on these ikea side tables [$5 bucks each!] and they are perfect.

Well did you know they are also super easy to wash too?!  Instead of doing a runner or something the kiddos will destroy, why not paint right on the table!  All it takes is some washable paint and imagination.  Isn't it cute?!  I consider it my trial run.  The best part is it washes right off.

 I also love these plates and bowls we got there.  You can't beat the price.  A $1.99 for the plates and $1.99 for the bowls.

And I always say a party isn't a party without pom poms.  I spend about $4 for two packs of napkins and this makes more than 15 poms.  You can find the tutorial HERE.  But how cute are these multicolored ones?!  Yup, the theme colors will be lime green and yellow.

I also picked up some Tolsby frames [$1 a piece].  On the main table last year, I spray painted frames and put her pictures on the table.  Well, Tolsby frames come in color YAY!  You can also add printables, or whatever you want in these frames.  I love them.

And kids have to have candy.  These jars are so cheap and are great for candy!  My cousin put licorice and gummy bears in them from her party last year.  This year, I am going to use them to hold lollipops.  I use these in the house in the kitchen to store dry food so no spending extra money.

You can fill the jars with candy [like the lemon heads] or even white beans.  I haven't bought the swirl pops yet so we made Jolly Rancher lollies.  They aren't that cute but you get the idea.

I spiced up the jars by adding ribbon and a printable.  You can find the printables HERE.  Just add a glue dot to the back to hold the ribbon.  So easy! 

So the party prep has begun and get ready to see more Hungry Caterpillar stuff show up on the blog.  You can check out other party ideas on my Party Ideas Tab.