Mommy Time

Oh my!  I can't believe that it has been almost 3 months since I have been on here!  That means we have bee having way too much fun around this house!  I have barely gotten on my computer at all!  I do everything from my IPhone now while I'm nursing the little one.  I have been staying way too busy taking care of the kiddos, the hubby, the house and sewing in between these things.  My mom and I have been working on Christmas gifts and I have had quite a few orders lately (thank you to all of my repeat customers and the new ones, I love you all!) 
I have also been enjoying time with my awesome friends that live close by!  I have Mrs. H thats getting ready to leave for the winter and 2 others (Mrs. G and Mrs. S) that have 5 week old babies that are 5 days apart!  So we have been taking hard core advantage of their maternity leave, woohoo!  We started a coffee-play date last week, and then had one yesterday so we could hang with Mrs. H before she left for the winter!  She goes to Montana and sends BEAUTIFUL pictures (and I wish I could go because I LOVE the winter and snow!!)  The 3 older kids play, while the mommies drink coffee, try new recipes and take care of the 3 babies (my oldest is at school so its nice to get M#2 out to play with others).  Our first coffee date turned into coffee day (literally!) we were at Mrs. S's from 10 am until 3:30 and thats because I had to pick up M#1 up from the bus!  And yesterday we had a little sewing lesson in the middle of it too!  It is so awesome to have these friends and it makes me very thankful to have them near and dear to my heart.  Now I'm looking forward to helping Mrs. S with some sewing and getting some more of my stuff done this week.

Well now I've got to get back to tackling my kitchen while the baby is down for a nap...so later peeps!

~Gift Idea for a College Kid~

I know some people have been looking for different gift ideas for those recent graduates who are about to head off to college!  And I have definitely been one of those!  You see my baby cousin (well I guess he isn't actually my youngest cousin, but I do remember when he was born so he is still my baby!) just graduated from high school (hold on gotta find a tissue) and I have been postponing making his gift because then that would make the reality of him living for college even more REAL!

Of course I am going to make him something that is personalized, but I am also going to work on a supply box for him.  Because I mean we are talking about a MALE here, don't get me wrong my Dev is mature, responsible and super smart, but men or boys are not use to having to go to the store and buy deodrant or shampoo!

Now back to the matter at hand, I have all of these coupons for products that my hubby, dad or brothers do not use.  So I am going to use them to find CHEAP deals and fill Dev's box with "goodies".  I'm thinking body wash, deodrant, shampoo, maybe some detergent or cleaning supplies, and maybe trash bags.  These are necessities that he will use even in the dorm!  And of course most college kids are not too picky.

For example:  this week at Target Nivea Men's body wash is on sale for $3.04.  I have a buy 2 get one free coupon, a Target coupon for $1.00 off Nivea body wash and several manufacture coupons for $2.00 off Nivea Men's body wash.  In my first transaction I will get 3 bottles for $1.08 and in my second transaction one bottle for $0.04.  So that will be $1.12 for 4 bottles of body wash!!  Not too shabby if you ask me!  Who knows I may even use some of those Buy One Get One Free toothbrush coupons and whatever else I run across!

Just a few items I'm lookin to put in the supply box:
body wash                       shampoo                    razor
deodrant                          detergent                    razor refills
cleaning supplies               trash bags                  toilet paper
toothbrushes                     first aid kit                 paper towels
Febreze                            pain reliever              batteries

Happy gift giving Peeps!!

I've Been Such a Slacker...

I am so sorry its been like 2 weeks since I have posted!!  It has been super crazy around our house lately!  We have started T-Ball with the Munchkin #1, so there has been practices and our first 2 games last week.  So far it has been fun and interesting watching all of those little girls play!  My husband has also been working nonstop finishing up the new front porch and walkways!  We even planted flowers and put mulch down last weekend!  He worked really hard to have it all done for the munchkins' Birthday Bash and Easter Egg Hunt this past Saturday.  Thankfully my awesome boss let us off on Friday, so we got to get a bunch of stuff finished up and ready for the big party.  We had a really good turn out and just enjoyed getting to spend the afternoon with some awesome family and friends (that's the best thing about having a "party"!!!) 

So as you can imagine I haven't seen much of my beloved sewing machine lately and I think I am starting to have symptoms of withdrawal...I could've probably sewed some last night but I guess I am still recuperating from this past weekends activities.  I feel like we had 3 solid days of nothing but going and going!  So now its time to crack my own whip at myself and get back to working on my To-Do List...although I am excited to get a couple of new projects completed.  I, as well as a couple of others that I know, are very curious to see how they turn out!  (I will let you in on them later if they turn out okay and if they don't I still might tell you about them!)

Here is a pic of my new remodeled front yard!!

This is the front walkway--sorry its sideways!

And the new porch, front walkway, & beginnings of the side walkway!

New To-Do List

Ok thanks to the Hubby (and yes I am putting a majority of the blame on him) I barely got started on my To-Do List from last weekend.  Instead we ended up tearing out the front walkway and entire front porch--it was Monday before my ears quit ringing from 2 days of listening to a jackhammer outside my front door.  However I did make my 1st boppy pillow cover with help from Vanilla Joy and I also made a matching nursing cover for a really great friend's sister-in-law.  I used this pattern that Vanilla Joy supplies on her site and altered it some by not using a zipper and made it close like a pillow sham.  I also got the last batch of my custom orders packed up and shipped out.  It might not have been very productive in the garage/sewing room, but it was an overall productive weekend around our little house!

But now I have another To-Do List (I'm still going to work on the other one too!!)

• master a pattern for the Rachel Ray moppine towels (my mom has been waiting for like 2 months for these, I probably need to make them a priority!)
• create a pattern/design for a boot bag
• make up some more bandana/pillowcase dresses
• make more Cool 'em Totes
• AND of course keep making more Feed Sack Totes!

And these are just a few of the things I would like to work on! Now these are just a few of the projects that I work on in between orders, so I should stay plenty busy!

Until later Peeps...

*Weekend Project*

So this weekend I AM determined to work on our garage turned office/sewing/craft center!  I have slowly worked started on this project a couple of different times this winter on an occassional evening or 2.  Then I have to leave it to work on something else and 2 weeks later it looks worse than it did before I worked on it last time.  How the heck does this happen?  I know you are probably thinking "excuses, excuses."  So here is the  To-Do List:  (I figured if I wrote it down/blogged it then I might, just might, get half way through the list)

1. sort through books
2. sort through office paperwork
3. sort fabric scraps
4. organize current orders/projects
5. straighten shelves & sewing supplies
6. dust/vacuum walls
7. sweep
8. rearrange tubs/boxes
9. move unnecessary stuff to cellar
10. set up old kitchen table for sewing

Okay I think this is a decent list to get started with, considering some of the these I might have to recruit the Hubbs to assist me!!  Hehe and he doesn't even know it yet!!  Shh don't tell him, I like to catch him off guard with the honey-dos!
With all of my comings and going lately my sewing area looks like a tornado has hit it.  And I really need to get it tackled before I start any new projects!  So if I dont show back up in the next few days, please send someone to find me in our garage somewhere!!  Because this is where I will be either cleaning or finishing a couple of orders!

Crazy Crafty Weekend!!

Well this weekend ended up being a very productive weekend!!! Thank goodness because I was needing to get a lot of different stuff done! Last Thursday I picked up a pile of orders that were at a buddy's getting monogrammed. So I have that stack of orders to work through, new orders coming in, and getting stuff ready for this weekend. I am going to have a booth at a ranch rodeo and I am super excited about it. So forewarned you may not hear from me very much this week!! I am going to be working on all of my stuff and spend plenty of time with my new co-worker/employee...

Meet Mr. Janome, my new sewing maching!!! So far I am loving his work and he is soo much more quiet than my other machine!

All thanks go to my cousin who took Munchkin #1, my MIL who took #2, my hubby who stayed out of the house as much as possible and my mom for coming up to help me cut and sew on Saturday!! We got alot done! We stayed up until 12:30 Fri night and were back up and sewing by 8:30 Sat morning and we finally quit about 5 to head to the LBK. The day just flew by for us. Then since Sunday was so beautiful the munchkins played outside & I got a few more things sewn together!

All in all I'd have to say it was a productive and successful weekend!

Later Peeps!

Oh & if you don't hear from me I will just be under the pile of material that is waiting to be sewn into beautiful items at my house!

Friday Showcase -- C and R Designs

Okay Peeps...

Here is my first showcase of a fellow mom and crafter, Whitney at C and R Designs. She is a stay-at-home mom and has 2 of the cutest little boys! When her hands are not busy around the house she is busy designing chunky, punchy jewelry along with custom pieces. She has made many necklaces to match various school colors along with other designs and colors. Check out her Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/candrdesigns and here are a few pictures to get a glimpse of what C and R Designs has! Go like her page and let her know that T~n~T sent you!! You can also email her at candrdesigns@ymail.com!!

Be sure and go check this Mom's stuff!! And don't forget to let me know of more moms and/or crafters that might be interested in being showcased!!

Thanks, Love and Later Peeps...have an awesome weekend!

Great Gifts For Baby Showers-Part 1

Ok the secret to giving a great baby gift is by not just picking something off of the registry (granted the registry is there to give you an IDEA of the the new parents need or want). But honestly half of that stuff never gets used. Now if there is an item (like a Boppy Pillow) that you yourself found as a necessity then get it! I am guilty of the crazy scanning while registering but now I know better and I want to help you give the gift that is remembered and that is possibly the hit of the party (because that is a pretty good feeling to have!).

Ok here are a couple of suggestions that are some of the BEST everyday items for a new mommy to use!
1) Swaddling/Receiving Blanket
2) Nursing Cover
I believe that both of these items are now carried in Babies'R'Us, but when I first saw them they were only in boutique stores and cost a fortune, so I looked at patterns and figured out my own tweeked version to make. They are awesome products but the actual products are limited in colors and patterns (so if you need something specific you may have to make it yourself-but that's why I am here-to help you!) Today we will focus on the super simple swaddling blanket!
This blankets start at $18.99 and range up to like $35. However this is an item that will be used day in and day out, so you will want to give at least 2 or 3. (This is why you want to make them so it is much cheaper on you, plus being handmade will give your gift that WOW factor!)

Items you will need: 42-43" X 42- 43" pre-shrunk flannel (1 piece for each blanket) and a coordinating thread.

Fold over a hem of 1/2 inch, then fold again and pin...do this all the way around. You will have to play with the corners (I usually try to fold them at a diagonal line). Then sew your hem all the way around and ta-da! Super Simple, Super Awesome!

Now this project can be as simple or as fancy as you want (you can round the corners, make it double sided, quilt it or even hand sew around the edges). There are numerous ways to add your own flair to this project!