The Perfect Baby Blanket...

While surfing Pinterest awhile back for baby shower ideas, I can across this pin from the blog The Crafting Chicks for what they have dubbed the perfect baby blanket. 

Perfect? 

I had to give this one a try! 

 My cousin, Jessica, is having her first little one, a girl that she's naming Harper Rose! (Seriously, isn't that just the cutest name?! I love it!) 

Since I needed to do something for a baby shower gift, I went to Jo-Ann's and after calling in a second opinion (Thanks, Tiffany!), we picked out an adorable monkey princess flannel paired with a baby pink minky fabric.  

I don't know about perfect, but for my first attempt at sewing a baby blanket, it turned out pretty darn close! I kind of wish that I had the time to make a whole stack of these to stash away for whenever anyone I know is having a baby. I know I'll definitely be making more of these adorable blankets in the future. 




I'm sharing this project at the following link parties: 


~ The Cure For The Common Monday @ Lines Across My Face ~ Make It Great Monday @ Etcetorize ~ What's In The Gunny Sack @ The Gunny Sack ~ Craft and Tell @ Cherished Bliss ~ Tutorials & Tips Link Party @ Home Stories From A to Z ~ Talent Tuesday @ Vintage Wanna Bee ~ Take-A-Look Tuesday @ Sugar Bee Crafts ~ Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef In Training ~ Tip Toe Thru Tuesday @ Crayon Freckles and Tiara's & Bowties ~ Time To Shine @ A Diamond In The Stuff ~ Too Cute Tuesday @ Funky Polkadot Giraffe ~ Show Me What Ya Got @ Not Just A Housewife ~ Tell Me Tuesday @ Me And My Boys ~ Love It And Link It Up @ The Little Giggler ~ Wow Me Wednesday @ Ginger Snap Crafts ~ Lil Luna Link Party @ Lil Luna ~ Your Whims Wednesday @ My Girlish Whims ~ Weekly Link Party @ Sew Woodsy ~ Share The Wealth Wednesday @ Laugh, Love & Craft ~ Show & Share @ Southern Lovely ~ Wicked Awesome Wednesday @ Handy Man, Crafty Woman ~ Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage ~ Party Time @ The 36th Avenue ~ Creative Juice Thursday @ Momnivore's Dilemma ~ T.G.I.F Link Party @ Craft Junkie Too ~ BFF Open House Link Party @ The Answer Is Chocolate ~ Delicately Constructed Fridays @ Delicate Construction ~ Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity Now ~ Anything Goes Link Party @ Bacon Time ~ Creative Genius Link Party @ The Creative Paige ~ Weekend Wrap-Up Party @ Tatertots & Jello ~ Whatcha Got Weekend @ Lolly Jane Boutique ~ Free For All @ Young & Crafty ~ Strut Your Stuff @ Six Sisters' Stuff ~ Show & Tell @ Be Different Act Normal ~ Saturday Seven Party @ Positively Splendid ~ Think Pink Sundays @ Flamingo Toes ~ Sunday Show Off @ Twigg Studios ~ Sundae Scoop Link Party @ I {Heart} Naptime ~

Pretty As A Princess!!!

One of my favorite memories of my youngest niece, Kirra, is when my Mom brought her to my work when she was about a year and a half old. We took her into the children's department to look at clothes, and she found a pink Hello Kitty tutu skirt that she fell in LOVE with. However, it was a 4T which at the time was WAY too big. 

Since Kirra's third birthday was coming up, I thought it was about time that she finally had a pretty tutu! 

I cut a piece of elastic cording the same size as her waist (which I had previously measured), and sewed it together. 

Than I cut almost a yard each of pink, turquoise, lavender and white tulle into strips. I kinda guessed the length I wanted so that not all the strips turned out perfectly even. I also cut several lengths of the pink, purple, turquoise and lime green ribbon. 

I looped the elastic band around the lid of a bucket to pull it tight. Than I tied the strips of tulle and ribbon around the tutu and continued until I was finished. 

And what fairy princess-type skirt isn't complete without a fairy wand? 

Yeah, a little silly I know, but so stinkin' cute! 

Kirra LOVED it! Her Mom helped her put it on right after she opened it and she wore it the rest of the evening. Made this Auntie pretty happy!

me and Kirra

That last picture... my brother tried to take 3 pictures of me with Kirra in her tutu and this is the one that turned out the best. Seriously, that kid doesn't stop moving! 




I'm sharing this project at the following link parties: 


~ The Cure For The Common Monday @ Lines Across My Face ~ Make It Great Monday @ Etcetorize ~ What's In The Gunny Sack @ The Gunny Sack ~ Craft and Tell @ Cherished Bliss ~ Tutorials & Tips Link Party @ Home Stories From A to Z ~ Talent Tuesday @ Vintage Wanna Bee ~ Take-A-Look Tuesday @ Sugar Bee Crafts ~ Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef In Training ~ Tip Toe Thru Tuesday @ Crayon Freckles and Tiara's & Bowties ~ Time To Shine @ A Diamond In The Stuff ~ Too Cute Tuesday @ Funky Polkadot Giraffe ~ Show Me What Ya Got @ Not Just A Housewife ~ Tell Me Tuesday @ Me And My Boys ~ Love It And Link It Up @ The Little Giggler ~ Wow Me Wednesday @ Ginger Snap Crafts ~ Lil Luna Link Party @ Lil Luna ~ Your Whims Wednesday @ My Girlish Whims ~ Weekly Link Party @ Sew Woodsy ~ Share The Wealth Wednesday @ Laugh, Love & Craft ~ Show & Share @ Southern Lovely ~ Wicked Awesome Wednesday @ Handy Man, Crafty Woman ~ Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage ~ Party Time @ The 36th Avenue ~ Creative Juice Thursday @ Momnivore's Dilemma ~ T.G.I.F Link Party @ Craft Junkie Too ~ BFF Open House Link Party @ The Answer Is Chocolate ~ Delicately Constructed Fridays @ Delicate Construction ~ Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity Now ~ Anything Goes Link Party @ Bacon Time ~ Creative Genius Link Party @ The Creative Paige ~ Weekend Wrap-Up Party @ Tatertots & Jello ~ Whatcha Got Weekend @ Lolly Jane Boutique ~ Free For All @ Young & Crafty ~ Strut Your Stuff @ Six Sisters' Stuff ~ Show & Tell @ Be Different Act Normal ~ Saturday Seven Party @ Positively Splendid ~ Think Pink Sundays @ Flamingo Toes ~ Sunday Show Off @ Twigg Studios ~ Sundae Scoop Link Party @ I {Heart} Naptime ~

A Little Birdie Told Me...

Awhile back I saw this picture on Tiaras and Bowties and absolutely loved it! What attracted me to the post was the zebra print roof of one of the birdhouses. How cute is that? 
 

via Tiaras and Bowties

 

I was even more excited because it gave me some inspiration for a few small birdhouses that I'd picked up from Jo-Ann's. I'd been toying around with the idea of doing some whimsical painting lately, but couldn't decide what I should practice on. These birdhouses were perfect!

  Of course, I have a tendency to lean more towards bright colors and fun prints, but that's just me. 

Amazing Boyfriend Fiance asked what I was going to do with them. Before I could answer him, he suggested fixing them somehow to garden stakes and putting them in the flowerbed outside our bedroom window. Great minds really must think a like (either that or we spend way too much time together) because I that was exactly what I had decided that I wanted to do with them. 

This is what I came home from work to! 

 

Let the painting begin! 

Yeah, they turned out kind of wild...


They needed a clear coat to protect them from the elements of the crazy Oregon weather...

When they dried it was time to get them stuck into the ground (which I left to ABF because he was the one that insisted on such heavy duty stakes)...

Thanks ABF! 

my favorite <3

Adorable!!!


I love that I know have some fun decoration outside our window. ABF has plans to make some planters out of what used to be a water fountain. I'm so thankful for the beautiful weather and that I was finally able to get these little birdhouses stuck into the yard. 


Have you added anything interesting to your yard lately?


I was featured!!!











 
 
I'm sharing this project at the following link party: 


~ Make It Great Monday @ Etcetorize ~ The Cure For The Common Monday @ Lines Across My Face ~ What's In The Gunny Sack @ The Gunny Sack ~ Craft and Tell @ Cherished Bliss ~ Tutorials & Tips Link Party @ Home Stories From A to Z ~ Talent Tuesday @ Vintage Wanna Bee ~ Take-A-Look Tuesday @ Sugar Bee Crafts ~ Time To Shine @ A Diamond In The Stuff ~ Too Cute Tuesday @ Funky Polkadot Giraffe ~ Show Me What Ya Got @ Not Just A Housewife ~ Tip Toe Thru Tuesday @ Crayon Freckles & Tiaras and Bowties ~ Tell Me Tuesday @ Me and My Boys ~ Love It and Link It Up @ The Little Giggler ~ Wow Me Wednesday @ Ginger Snap Crafts ~ Your Whims Wednesday @ My Girlish Whims ~ Lil Luna Link Party @ Lil Luna ~ Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design ~ Wicked Awesome Wednesday @ Handy Man, Crafty Woman ~ Weekly Link Party @ Sew Woodsy ~ Share the Wealth Wednesday @ Laugh, Love and Craft ~ Show & Share @ Southern Lovely ~ Creative Juice Thursdays @ Momnivore's Dilemma ~ Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage ~ BFF Open House Link Party @ The Answer Is Chocolate ~ Project Party Weekend @ Bubbly Nature Creations ~ Delicately Constructed Fridays @ Delicate Construction ~ Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity Now ~ Anything Goes Linky @ Bacon Time ~ Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots & Jello ~ Free For All @ Young & Crafty ~ Strut Your Stuff Saturday @ Six Sisters' Stuff ~ Whatcha Got Weekend @ Lolly Jane Boutique ~ Saturday Seven Party @ Positively Splendid ~ Sunday Show Off Link Party @ Twigg Studios ~ Think Pink Sunday @ Flamingo Toes ~ Sisters Sunday Link Party @ Sisters of the Wild West ~ Sundae Scoop Link Party @ I {Heart} Naptime ~ Sundays Best Link Party @ My 1929 Charmer ~

You Can Use Mason Jars For EVERYTHING!!!

I would like to take this opportunity to profess my love for mason jars. 

You can use them for everything. I've used them as vases, painted them to make luminaries, made soap dispensers out of them, used them to make redneck wine glasses and even just drank out of them a time for two. 

I have now found a new use for mason jars... or at least their shape. 

I used the shape to make save the dates for my wedding! 

 While surfing Pinterest for some ideas for wedding invitations, I found these adorable save the dates and followed the pin to an awesome Etsy shop called The Blue Envelope, which has all sorts of wedding invitations, save the dates and programs for sale. If you want the same thing, but would rather buy it, get it from them.


But since I'm cheap budgetly creative, plus I had a free mason jar shape in my collection of Silhouette shapes, I decided that I could make these myself. So I designed them with my Silhouette software, printed them out, cut them out and tied little bits of hemp twine around the top.

I'm thrilled with how they turned out. Even ABF thinks they look pretty cool!


Now all that's left is to address my envelopes and get them mailed out. One project down, so many left to go... wish me luck! 




I was featured!!!


A Diamond In The Stuff
Delicately Constructed
Twigg Studios


I'm sharing this project at the following link parties: 


~ Make It Great Monday @ Etcetorize ~ Cure For The Common Monday @ Lines Across My Face ~ What's In The Gunny Sack @ The Gunny Sack ~ Craft and Tell @ Cherished Bliss ~ Tutorials & Tips Link Party @ Home Stories From A to Z ~ Take-A-Look Tuesday @ Sugar Bee Crafts ~ Talent Tuesday @ Vintage Wanna Bee ~ Love It And Link It Up @ The Little Giggler ~ Tell Me Tuesday @ Me And My Boys ~ Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef In Training ~ Time To Shine @ A Diamond In The Stuff ~ Too Cute Tuesday @ Funky Polkadot Giraffe ~ Show Me What Ya Got @ Not Just A Housewife ~ Wow Me Wednesday @ Ginger Snap Crafts ~ Lil' Luna Link Party @ Lil' Luna ~ Your Whims Wednesday @ My Girlish Whims ~ Share The Wealth Wednesday @ Laugh, Love and Craft ~ Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design ~ Wicked Awesome Wednesday @ Handy Man, Crafty Woman ~ Weekly Link Party @ Sew Woodsy ~ Show & Share @ Southern Lovely ~ Creative Juice Thursday @ Momnivore's Dilemma ~ Party Time @ The 36th Avenue ~ Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage ~ BFF Open House Link Party @ The Answer Is Chocolate ~ Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity Now ~ Anything Goes Link Party @ Bacon Time ~ T.G.I.F. Link Party @ Craft Junkie Too ~ Delicately Constructed Fridays @ Delicate Construction ~ Weekend Wrap-up Party @ Tatertots & Jello ~ Free For All @ Young and Crafty ~ Creative Genius Link Party @ The Creative Paige ~ Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different Act Normal ~ Strut Your Stuff Saturday @ Six Sisters' Stuff ~ Think Pink Sunday @ Flamingo Toes ~ Sunday Show Off Link Party @ Twigg Studios ~ Sister Sunday Link Party @ Sisters of the Wild West ~ Sundae Scoop Link Party @ I {Heart} Naptime ~ Sunday's Best @ My 1929 Charmer ~

She Said Yes!!!

Now that Amazing Boyfriend Fiance has officially asked me to marry him, we've picked a date (September 8th) and we have a location (my Aunt Barb's backyard), it's time to move on to more important matters. 

Who's going to be my maid of honor?

 ABF decided that he only wants one groomsmen, his best man. If he had to choose more than that, it started to get too complicated, so he decided to just choose one. Which meant I had the really hard decision of narrowing down the amazing, wonderful women in my life to choose just one.

 My other bestfriend, Brandy Jeanne, who I've mentioned a few times before on my blog, and I have been the best of friends since she was 15 and I was 16. After I graduated high school, there were a few years where we lost track of each other, but when we reconnected again, it was like we've never stopped talking. She's been there for me every time I needed her and a few times where I didn't know I needed her, but was so happy that she was there for me anyway. 


Therefore, Brandy Jeanne was my obvious choice for my one and only bridesmaid.


Although being the crafty, clever bride that I am, I can't just ask her! I had to come up something clever to ask her to be my maid of honor.  

So I made her a picture frame so that after the wedding she can put a picture of us in it. 

The quote I used was a shortened version of one I found online that says, "With friendship, it doesn't matter how long you've known each other. What matters is who said, "I'll be there for you." and was, and still is." I couldn't think of a better quote to describe our friendship. 


Of course, Brandy Jeanne said yes! 

(Although I was pretty sure that she would.)

Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful

Anyone who regularly reads this blog knows that quite a few of my crafty projects are gifts that I make for my family and friends. 

So I had to show you what I made for my niece, Gabby for her 17th birthday. (Yes, I said 17, and yes, that does make me feel old!) 

I made her a jewelry hanger out of a hinged shadow box! 

I got the idea from the craft store where I bought the frame. The back piece is canvas that I painted champagne gold, than stenciled a flowery pattern onto in purple. I added clear thumbtacks that she can use to hang her necklaces, bracelets and earrings from, and she can even move the tacks around to position her jewelry better. ABF added the decorative knob on the door of the frame so that it's easy to open and close. (Sorry, I didn't get a better picture of that part.)

 

I added a vinyl quote 'Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful' that I felt was appropriate encouragement for a 17 year old girl.  

My pictures don't really do it justice. It turned out awesome! I wasn't really planning on blogging out it, but I loved how well it turned out so of course I had to share. 

P.S. Happy Birthday, Gabby!!! 

Hoppy Easter!!!

Happy Easter, everyone! I hope that you all have wonderful, sunny Easter Sundays to celebrate with your family and friends. 

As for me, Easter kind of snuck up on me this year!

Things in my life have been super busy between work, wedding planning and my Dad is once again enjoying a hospital vacation. Since my Dad is going to be in the hospital on Easter, I wanted to make something for him that might cheer him up a little bit. 

 What do you think? 

I bought a couple packs of Cadbury eggs, a planter and piece of floral foam from the dollar store, Easter grass and used bamboo skewers to make it. I just stuck the bamboo skewers through the bottom of the eggs and stuck them into the floral foam, covering the foam with the Easter grass. 

      When I was finished putting it together, Amazing Boyfriend Fiance looked at it and said, "You know I like Cadbury eggs, too." ( Little does he know that he's getting one, too!)

I also had a lady that stopped me as I was walking through the hospital to deliver it to my Dad, that asked me where I bought it. She was a little disappointed to find out that I'd made it, but thought it was such a cool idea. 

My Dad thought it was super cool too!