2 out of 3 Ain't Bad

I didn't get all my projects finished from last week, and I'm not sure when I'll have time to get to the last one this week.

Bob is working extra long days in preparation for the State of the Union address. Davis is home with a fever and horrible sounding cough. I'm in survival mode.

I stayed up way too late last night watching the Oscars. Why? Because this is the first year in a long time I actually saw ONE of the movies nominated (with the exception of the animation category, of course).

It so happened to be the one that raked in all the wins, SlumDog Millionaire. It was definitely one of the best movies I've seen in a long time - the kind of movie that stays with you for days after you've watched it. There are parts that are extremely difficult to watch, but absolutely worth it!

2 of 3 completed

I made this bag using Amy Butler's Birdie Sling Bag pattern. It's a gift for my sister in law, who hopefully has her hands too full with brand new little Nate to read my blog right now. It's going to be hard to part with this one, but I'll definitely make one for myself very soon.

It's a very sturdy bag and looks like it will hold tons!

It is lined with some great interior pockets. I'm also going to make a few zippered pouches to help keep the little stuff a little more accessible.

If you're interested in making this bag, check her website for a pattern correction. One of the pictures is printed wrong and there's a correction on her site. Don't ask me how I know - let's just say there was a glass of wine and a seam ripper involved!

The fabrics are from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern line.

Here are a couple other resources if you're interested in making this bag.
Grace Designs
U-handblog

1 of 3 complete

This monogrammed canvas is going to one of my mother-in-law's friends' grandson. The only direction I was given was that his nursery was done in sage green.

I blanket stitched around the monogram for a little extra detail.

I made the sails for the sailboat out of wool felt and embroidered a little detail around the edges and on the stripes.

I sure hope she likes it. It's much different making things for other people. Every little bubble and seam becomes a huge issue. I just kept trying to remind myself that handmade, homemade stuff is extra special - even if it's not perfect!

Some Projects in the Works

Apparently I have a little craft ADD.

Here are pictures of projects I'm determined to finish this week. Now that I've told you about them - you'll hold me accountable, right?

A Valentine

Davis' Valentine party is today at school. I found this great little template for him to use for his cards.

With the exception of cutting them out and inserting the lollipop, he was able to do these on his own. Even Wall-E got in on the action. OK, maybe I straightened out the eyes when he wasn't looking.

He was so proud carrying these into school. I hope he's going to be alright with giving them away to his classmates!

Her Feathers Aren't Ruffled . . .

. . . but her pant legs are!



These might be the only pair of pants I ever sew. I worked from a pattern - a pattern obviously written for someone who has a little more sewing knowledge than I do. I was able to get the two legs done with little problem. When it came to actually sewing the legs together to make them look like pants, I was totally lost and was able to take them to my sewing class for some guidance.

Making and sewing the ruffle on was by far the easiest part! Now that I know how to do this - everything might get a little ruffle!. Honey, I promise to refrain from putting ruffles on the boys' pants.

House Rules

I recently saw these House Rules over at Kiddio. She has a great little series on discipline.

So I copied them. Word for word. Why reinvent the wheel, right?

I would really like to add one more. I like odd numbers, and I have that little bit of space left at the bottom.

So let's hear it . . . what are some of your standing House Rules?

Taming Kid Clutter

We are fortunate to have a dedicated space that serves as the kids' playroom. It's in the basement where I can close the door and walk away if I don't feel like picking up. It's wonderful.

We purchased these drawers years ago from Ikea. They've always worked well because they are so deep - you can store a lot in them and have room to play on the top, too.

I used some 2x4 shipping labels to print the pictures and words of the toys in each drawer. I simply opened up each drawer, took the picture and pasted it into Microsoft Word.

These Pottery Barn shelves are great for displaying books. I try to rotate them so the kids always have something new to read.

This little pouch doesn't hold a whole lot, but it's a great place to tuck away all those small little pieces that are temporarily missing a home.

My grandfather made this wooden cradle for me. Now it's a great resting place for our stuffed animals. There's also room for a "parking garage" underneath.

You can also see how I transformed a closet into a changing station and our coat closet into a mini-mudroom.

Head on over to The Shabby Nest and The Pretty Organizer to see more creative ways of tackling kid clutter.