Spring Wreath

I know to the rest of you it is summertime, but it was snowing here two weeks ago, so to me its only springtime. And in honor of spring, I wanted a new wreath for my front door. One with lots of colors.  So I made this a few weeks ago.

My fabric flowers are suppose to be little purple pansies, because I love purple pansies.  And then I threw in a daisy for good measure, because my daughter always wants to grow daisies.  Can you believe I can't find daisy seeds a the store? I do love daises too.  Just like Meg Ryan says in You've Got Mail.  Don't know what she says?  You should watch it, its an hysterical movie, I got it from my library a few months ago, and my husband also laugh through most of it.
Its a pretty cheery wreath, but in a way it feels like something is missing without bunting or an H.

Baby #4's Quilt

Did I ever show you the finished quilt I made for baby #4.  Baby #3, wanted to be my model.  I'm sure these pictures would have looked better if I would have cropped.

The front:

Three green stripes for three boys.

The back:  There are four stripes because he is the fourth kid.  And three green circles because he is the third boy.

Birthday Crown

I've made a few birthday crowns over the years, although I can't find pictures of all of them at this time.
Here are a few of them: Birthday Boy, Cupcake, Pinkalicious- that I've since picked out and written Princess Natalie, Tulle,  Buttons
 A few months ago a friend's daughter had a birthday.  I made her this for my daughter to give her.  A few years ago we gave the older sister a crown. I wanted this to look different than the last which had tulle. I picked the fabric because I thought it was so pretty.  She likes purple, but also it was a Frozen party, so I figured blue was fitting. Unfortunately I couldn't come up with a way for her name to be that visible through the pattern. :(

My daughter wouldn't pose for me, so I used my 20 month old son.  What a mean mom I am. In my defense my oldest son has a crown, just not a girl crown.

 Look how cute he is, with his brown eyes, his ears folded over and tongue sticking out.

I wanted the crown to be just as pretty as a tulle crown, so I used REAL pearls on it.  I'm not sure if I achieved what I was aiming for.

 Does it channel any Frozen? Its at least the right color scheme.

Daddy Crafts

Back in January Daddy, made a craft with the kids.  It was quite humorous for a few weeks while everyone took turns being silly.

Pinterest Fail

My little toddler has super sensitive skin, but being a toddler loves bubble in his bath. I'm not sure he's ever experienced bubble bath, because I'm worried about his skin. So I found on pinterest how to make homemade bubble bath. Its super easy, plus I can control the brands.

Homemade Bubble Bath1/2 cup shampoo3/4 cup water1/4 teaspoon saltIn a bowl, mix the shampoo and water until well combined.  Add salt and stir until it thickens slightly.  Use a funnel to pour it into a bottle.

Sadly though, I picked up conditioner in the store not shampoo. Didn't quite work, but I had to try because I had already committed myself to my 5 year old. See those chunks? Yeah that's conditioner.  The blue is from crayola bath dyes. 

Although in pinterest's defense I didn't follow the recipe.  I'm going to have to try this again with the right products.

They ended up super slippery! Even after rinsing them off, I decided to see what would happened if I skipped lotion, considering how slippery they where.

Easter Bunting

I didn't like my old easter bunting very much, I wanted something more vintage-y feeling. (It was the common peep bunting.)  So I made new stuff, how I found the time is beyond me, because I mostly keep up on laundry and cleaning my kitchen. 

 Best part it was free, I was determined not to spend money on it, so I used what I had.  Plus its miserable going to the store with two babies. I wish the eggs were all different color polka dot, but I used what I had, plus the close quilt shop went out of business. I'm always sad about that.

I feel like it matches better with my easter bunny down there. 

I love my easter bunny, at the time it was a really hard decision, but I saw the price the other day-- $32.  $30 is now like a drop in the hat! (By the way I know my chair is too far to the right its pushed as far over as possible so my toddler can watch out the window.)

(That picture in the corner is my toddler's favorite picture, I think he knows its him, because we talk about the picture all the time.  He goes up and blows it kisses.)
Overall, all I really want to do is make more pillows for my couch.  I have the fabric I just need to get the pillow forms, I'm pushing it off to save my money for longer... Because you know $32 is a drop in the hat so I have to wait on some stuff, so its not ALL gone.  I have dreams in life, that require saving money.

Valentine Flowers

I don't think my husband has bought me flowers since we got married.  He does this thing from time to time when we are at the store asking if I want flowers.  One day, I called him on it, I said, of course I don't want flowers if I know they cost $20.  He said well if I don't offer when you can see the price then you'll want me to waste our money.  At least he knows me. I could also buy myself flowers, I buy myself loads of presents, but yet I don't because who wants to waste the money? Not me.  But I do like flowers, so I end up making flowers with scrap of fabric and other craft items that cost zero dollars.  On Saturday I decided I wanted some Valentine's flowers, so of course I had to make them before my baby is born.  I decided this tulle poof, Dr. Seuss trulia flowers were what I needed. 

 Then I used an old jar I had laying around for a vase. I used this tutorial.

 But my valentine flower needs did not end there.  The fabric flowers I had next to my subway art, clashed quite awfully with my wreath and valentine subway art, so I decided to make some really easy flowers with my glue gun.

Considering it has snowed all day, its nice to have all these cheery valentine's flowers around my house.

A Wreath I Don't Need

I made this wreath.  I saw it two or three times of pinterest during the holidays, and totally fell in love with it.  I thought it was adorable, but I really have no place for another wreath.  

 Then when I re-did my january wreath, I found myself with an extra wreath form, and since I already had 3 yards of this burlap furniture tape stuff, I made the wreath, because how could I resist.

The other night I added these felt love birds I made last valentine's.  They match perfect with wreath.

Big Brother Shirts

Everyone has grown out of the big sister or big brother or baby brother shirts from a year and half ago.  So I guess it was time to make new ones, actually my 7 year old kept talking about his future big brother shirt when the new baby came.  I probably would have tried to skip this tradition, if it wasn't for his excitement.  This time around, I really hated this craft. The only reason I started or finished was my love for my oldest child.  (That is the common refrain for the crafts posted today. I didn't enjoy the craft at all, but I did it so my child would feel loved. In a way it makes sense, they watch me make lots of things for the new baby, so it helps a little for them to get new things I've made. They beg for far more than I make them, but how many mini pillows and doll/teddy bear blankets does one house need.)

As you can see I did not go over the top this time, they are as simple as I could make them barring using a sharpie instead of embroidery. I didn't want white shirts, but I had white shirts for everyone but the oldest, so it was far cheaper and easier this way.
They say, Baby Brother
Little Big Brother (I never could figure out what order the adjectives should go in)
Big Sister with a heart
Biggest Brother
Hope my children enjoy them, I hate them.

Door Hangers

My 7 and 5 year old really love things on their bedroom door, to indicate it is their room. When we moved around bedroom roommates, the toddler is now with the 5 year old, because the baby will be with the 8 year old.  (His birthday is coming, I guess both of their birthdays.)  I made new door hangers, but mostly because the old ones were wooden and made too much noise, making me crazy.  

 The embroidery isn't original designs, I saw them on pinterest, which probably came from etsy. They were on hoops not quilt squares though.  There is something about me in my third trimester that is drawn to making children's bedroom decor from unfinished quilt squares.  (Check out a year and half ago. Here and here.)

I love them, because they are silent, and each kid has their own.  But overall I ended up hating this project.  I had to will myself to finish.  I'm having the hardest time naming this baby, so his square doesn't have a name. 

Speaking of names, last night my oldest suggested Elvis Lee.  Kind of catchy actually, but I'm not using it.

New Pillows

Months ago it became very apparent I needed new pillows, the stuffing was so flat by that point.  But pillows are not something my husband cares about so it seemed like they should come out of my personal budget not the family budget. (Camping gear comes out of his personal budget not the family budget so it only seems fair.) Well it took me a while to find the money in my budget, but I finally did.  So I FINALLY made new pillows for my black chairs in my living room.  I've only been planning new pillows since about May.  So this is a huge deal for me!  These prints are not the fabric I had been saving for the pillows, but I changed my mind when I actually started the project.  Hooray, for the project.  I'm pretty sure I have a funky style, because I picked this bunny print out of my fabric storage.  I had been saving it for something special, and I feel like my living room pillow is that.  It reminds me of old bunny.  (My oldest has given up old bunny, in fact a few months ago he said we could give it away.  Like I could ever give away old bunny, its now on the top of his book shelf, leaving me forlorn that my baby grew up.)

 Next I made this one.

 Here is another shot.

 Then I stared at my couch, something was wrong its been wrong for a while. When all of sudden realize there was too much brown between the pillow and the quilt.  So I made a new pillow.  I need new forms on my couch too, but they aren't as pathetic and I didn't want to blow my whole personal budget on pillows in one week. When I get new forms, I probably won't make new covers.

Here is my oldest at about 21 months with his old bunny, and his uncle.  Logically I don't miss my oldest being little, he exasperated me for years, 3-5 are not my favorite ages, but oh my heart does miss that pudgy little boy, now he is bean pole.

Quilt for Baby 4

Over the week of Christmas, I pieced together the quilt for my fourth baby.  This ended up a very busy quilt, but I still like it.  I was going to incorporate white fabric, but then I bought way too much green and blue, so I decided not. Here is the front

 And now the back.  My back fabric was too short, so I added the blue for the length.

I'm quite pleased with how they turned out.  My baby boy comes in exactly a month.  Who knows if it will be quilted in time....
Now I need to make some burp clothes to match.

Winter Wreath

Well Christmas is over, and so now its time to get ready for the next celebration, my anniversary.  Ok, its not much of a celebration for my husband and I.  But I do switch from my christmas wreath to a winter wreath. (Next year I think my christmas wreath needs a update, after three years its looking sad.) Snowflakes was a theme of our wedding, so last year I made this wreath, to carry us in-between Christmas to valentines. But the wreath was all wrong. Its for a place covered in snow, and the snow here when it does come melts quickly, because its so sunny and dry.  I saw this wreath and this wreath on pinterest and came up with this new wreath by taking apart two wreaths.  So it was FREE!

I really like the the rosettes on the snowflakes. (Which was not my idea but came from one of the pinterest wreaths.)

 Since I had a white bouquet of roses for my wedding, and then the snowflake theme.

One Last Stocking

This is the essentially the first year we are spending Christmas at home.  So I get to start new traditions if I want.  A tradition I've always liked is the white stocking.  Not familiar look here or here. Everyone writes down on a piece of paper what gift they are going to give Jesus in the coming year.  So last Saturday I made a little white stocking.  I can't wait to do it with my kids and husband, tomorrow night.  Give us a minute or two to focus on our Savior instead of Santa and presents.

P.S.  I don't really like the pattern I used to shape the stocking, maybe one year I'll fix it.

Jingle Bells

A Christmas tradition that developed in my family (the one I grew up in) during my lifetime is to dance to The Christmas Revels' Lord of the Dance.  (No relation to Michael Flatley.) If you have never been to theatrical production of The Christmas Revels I have no way to describe this tradition in a way that would make sense. But just so you know children absolutely love it. To fully have fun we needed jingle bells.  So I made jingle bell bracelets with scrap Christmas material. 

Here is a clip of one of the theatrical productions of the Lord of the Dance. (I wish I could find a clip of the straw men/stick men whatever they are called fighting.)

Lastly here are the lyrics because I like them.

Lord Of The Dance

Sydney Carter

I danced in the morning when the world was young
I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun
I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced for the scribes and the Pharisees
They wouldn't dance, they wouldn't follow me
I danced for the fishermen James and John
They came with me so the dance went on

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame
The holy people said it was a shame
They ripped, they stripped, they hung me high
Left me there on the cross to die

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced on a Friday when the world turned black
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back
They buried my body, they thought I was gone
But I am the dance, and the dance goes on

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that will never, never die
I'll live in you if you'll live in me
I am the Lord of the dance, said he

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he