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Friday, March 29, 2013

FO Friday: Easter Outfits

In my last FO Friday post, I mentioned that I made a skirt for my niece.  Well, I did.  And a little more...

I didn't end up doing a WIP Wednesday post because I had been so busy making stuff I forgot to write about it.  I made matching Easter outfits for my niece and nephew.  I can't wait to see them in these!  I tried them on Ellie to see how they fit.  The funny part is that both outfits fit Ellie even though one is 12 month size and the other is a 3T shirt.  Ellie actually fits in 12 month clothes.  The 3T shirt was too big, but I tucked it into the skirt so you can't really tell.  She wasn't a very cooperative model, it was mostly me chasing her around the house with the camera.

First up, my niece's outfit:



I made the skirt from scratch.  It's a circle skirt, which is one of the easiest things to make, great for beginners (or people like me who just haven't sewed in a really long time).  One of these days I might make a tutorial.  But for today you just get pictures.  The waist band is just the exposed elastic.  I picked the gray suiting fabric because it's a good neutral.  She can wear it with any t-shirt all summer long.  Plus it's lightweight, so it makes the shape of the circle skirt fun and bouncy.



For the shirt, I found a plain white shirt second hand.  I really should have taken a before/after shot of this shirt.  It already had the color, but the sleeves were full length.  I shortened them to be elbow length, but retained the original hem using this method.  Then (after hours of contemplating) I added the ribbon down the middle and the bow at the neckline.  I think it gives it a 1960s mod look.  

Wearing here daddy's shoes.





When you put the whole outfit together on our rambunctious little model it looks like a prep school uniform.  I love how it turned out!

Next up, my nephew's outfit:



Both his pants and onesie were found second hand.  The onesie was the most challenging part, but I knew exactly what I wanted and I think it turned out great.  I cut the tie out of the gray fabric and ironed on some interfacing to help it stiffen.  That way it would hold its shape better when I sewed it to the onesie.  Then I pinned the ribbon to the front to look like suspenders.  I'm not sure how other people sew onto a onesie, but it is not easy!  It looks like a balled up mess while you're working, but somehow (assuming you pinned everything well), it all works out in the end.  
The plan was to sew a little strip of ribbon onto the pocket of his pants, but after several tries on the sewing machine, several more tries by hand, some serious fray of the ribbon, and two broken needles, I gave up.  The pocket ribbon was not meant to be.  *Sigh*



I think she looks pretty cute in a tie.

When Ellie tried on the outfit she was wild.  I mean, seriously wild.  Trying to get a picture was challenge because she was running from one end of the house to the other.  These are just a few that I got that weren't terribly blurry.

I had a couple other ideas to add to their outfits, but there wasn't enough time.  At some point I really want to make my nephew a little newsie cap and I had all the materials to make my niece a matching headband (with ribbon wrapped around the headband), but can you believe I don't own a glue gun!?  I don't!  I have no idea how I got this far without owning a glue gun.  I foresee a trip to the store in my near future.  She might get that headband after all, just not in time for Easter. 

The original plan was to make Ellie an outfit to match as well, but we won't be seeing them at Easter, so I slacked on Ellie's outfit.  I'll finish it at a later date and hopefully I'll update with a picture of the three cousins!

UPDATE:


Here they are in all their cuteness!


Monday, March 25, 2013

Mommy Monday: Playdough

Ellie LOVES playdough.  LOVES.  When I was little my mom used to make playdough for us.  Ellie was still pretty little when I considered giving her playdough to squish.  I figured, if she ate it*, at least it was homemade, right?

I use this recipe: Homemade Playdough Recipe.  It is so perfect.  It's super soft and cooks so fast.  I made our third batch just the other day.  We have done different colors with each batch (I just happen to have a gigantic store of food coloring from past cake projects).



*For the record, she definitely ate some.  She has tried it a couple more times.  Apparently it still tastes gross.

Friday, March 22, 2013

FO Friday: Master bedroom progress and pillow!

This week I decided I was going to work on our master bedroom.  Our house is small and our master bedroom isn't really any bigger than the other bedrooms, it just happens to have a half bath.  I have a "vision" for most of the rooms in the house, but for our room I just feel completely uninspired.



 I painted the walls a pale teal color because I love that color, but beyond that I just didn't know where to go.  I tried to find inspiration online, but it's frustrating when all other master bedrooms are the size of my entire house.  I have yet to find a specific inspiration room, and I'm still rather stuck on what to do, so I decided to start with just cleaning it.  Like, really cleaning.  I think I neglect our room a lot.  No one sees it, it's just not high on my priority list.



I bought an area rug to attempt to make it a little cozier and I rearranged (for probably the 30th time).



I eventually want to get rid of the TV/dresser and put a full length mirror.  The shelf with all our games is only in here temporarily because I'm trying to keep it out of Ellie's reach (tiny game pieces are probably not the best toy for a toddler who still loves to put things in her mouth), so that will eventually go and I'm debating whether or not to keep the recliner in our room, or find a smaller chair for that corner.  I'd like to get a bench for the foot of the bed and, oh, let's talk about the bed.  I want a real bed.  Like, a real bed, with a headboard, like a grown up would have.  But I am completely stumped on style.  I have no idea what I want and, believe me, I have looked.

So right now I'm fine with a clean room, I finally got a couple of pictures on the wall (not sure if that's their permanent home, but it works for now) and I made a pillow for the bed!





I found this orange fabric in the remnant bin at the fabric store.  I've had it for probably a year.  I knew I wanted to make pillows out of it when I bought it, but I never got around to it.  Yesterday Nick was home so I got to do a few sewing projects.  At the last minutes I decided to add the piping, which I had on hand for a different project.  I plan to make two pillows, one for each side, but I only had enough piping for one, so the second pillow will have to wait.  I love how it turned out.  It's the first time I've used piping on anything and I love how it gives it a finished, store bought quality.



Oh, I also made a skirt for my niece.  More on that later...

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Ramblings: The Grocery Store

Ok, i finally made my list and went to the store.  I don't know why this has become such a chore.  I hate making a grocery list and I always irrationally panic that I've left something off, as if I can never go back to the store again.
Lately I've been craving salty snacks, but I'm trying to eat healthy.  I bought Triscuits as my salty snack.  Oh, and pretzels, but I don't really like pretzels (I don't really like Triscuits either.  I wanted potato chips).  I managed to walk away from the pudding and cheesecake mixes in the bakery aisle that were calling my name.  Like, really loudly calling my name.  I also had chocolate chips on my list in case I felt the urge to make cookies, but I didn't buy them.  Mostly because there was a guy in the way and Ellie was getting fussy, so I just gave it up.  Whatever works, I guess...
Nick brought home some frozen par-cooked tempura chicken (he brings home random free food sometimes).  We've been slowly eating it.  I made stir fry with it one night.  Ellie has been eating for lunch.  I'm going to make mac n cheese and have tempura chicken with it.  Not super healthy, but definitely easy.  He's also going to bring home french fries and so one night we'll have more tempura chicken and some french fries.  I try to be healthy, but free food definitely makes me willing to stray from my rules because in the end I'm just really lazy.
I really want to try the chocolate cake from Pinterest where you take a cake mix and add one cup of greek yogurt.  I'm curious, but I have a rule about only going to the store once a week.  I don't go back, unless absolutely necessary.  We'll see if chocolate cake becomes absolutely necessary....

Oh and I bought beer.  There go all my calories.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

WIP Wednesday: The Etsy Shop

I have recently decided to open an Etsy shop.  I have a ridiculous stash of fabric and yarn and all these grand plans for projects.  I thought that opening an Etsy shop might force me to finally finish said projects.  So far the plan is working, although it is taking longer than I thought it would.  It's really hard to knit with a 2 year old around.  With all the meal-making, playdough-playing and story-reading, it's really hard to find time to knit.  I always have big plans to knit during nap time, but by then the house is disaster and I'm exhausted.  
I love knitting, but no one ever explained how relaxing it is.  Three rows in and I'm ready for a nap.  It's very similar to reading.  I want to stay awake, but if I sit still for more than 20 minutes I'm going to fall asleep.  That's why I never go to the movies...
I have a goal to have items for sale in the Etsy shop by the end of the month.  I'm not generally good at reaching goals, but I'm trying to do better this year.  So check back in a couple weeks and you might find a link to an Etsy shop!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Ramblings: Exercise (or lack there of)

I worked out for almost an hour today while Ellie napped.  Thirty minutes on the elliptical and then some crunches and stuff.  My stomach is finally getting smaller, but it seriously needs to be toned.  I still feel like a whale most of the time.  I can't seem to get under 180.  It's incredibly frustrating and I'm tempted to try something more extreme with my diet.  Although I'm not sure what I can do on a limited grocery budget...
I'm mostly just tired of eating.  I know that sounds really weird, but once I get dinner made and clean up after, I have no desire to actually eat it.
So, I've been doing sit ups like this.  At first I did them holding a 5 lb medicine ball because it gave me enough momentum to actually sit up.  I hadn't realized how completely non-existant my abs were until I tried to do a crunch.  Not even a sit up, just a crunch.  I'm tempted to take pictures of my stomach, like progress pictures.  Maybe write about it on here.  Depends on how much progress I actually make, especially since no one wants to see that.
Other than that I'm just doing the elliptical, some planks, stretching, a few push ups.  
Oh!  I did plies using the back of my couch the other day.  Holy crap.  My legs hurts for days.  Days.  As in plural.  I guess if it hurts it's working, right?  It didn't hurt during, at all.  It felt easy, actually.  But the next day...wow.
So maybe if all this totally random compilation of exercises works, I'll let you know.  I'm pretty sure any crazy compilation of exercise works as long as you actually do it regularly.
I do really want to start running, but I still have to figure out the "when" of that one.  I don't want to have to take Ellie with me, I want "going for a run" to be a me-time thing.  So my only real opportunities would be on days when Nick closes, which means I wouldn't be running on any kind of regular schedule, but maybe it'll work.  Sometimes I feel like I would rather run than get on the elliptical.  I wish we could have gotten a treadmill, and I guess eventually we could but then we're making space for two gigantic machines.  I wasn't looking to have a home gym.
I am borrowing my sister in law's jogging stroller, so maybe that will work for now.