Matching Wallet

I am in the middle of making my bag (see previous post) and I realized that my new stylish bag isn't going to allow my huge ugly wallet in.  So I found a wallet tutorial that is cute and super easy.

http://therubberpunkin.blogspot.com/2010/01/easy-peezy-lemon-squeezy-wallet.html

Now, if only I can actually find a zipper or cording foot to match my sewing machine!  Off to A-1 Sew and Vac, again.  FYI - Anytime you are looking for a specialized foot, just take your sewing machine.  I didn't take mine yesterday because I had Josie and I didn't want to deal with it.  Didn't think it would be a big deal.  OOPS!!!
Hopefully I will finish my bag tomorrow...just in time to show it off on Sunday :D

DIAPER BAG/PURSE

I just need to tell you that I hate my diaper bag that doubles as my purse ... It was only $1.00 from D.I. and it has lasted about a year, so I really can't complain.  But it is like the ones you get from the hospital.  It is black, boring, big, bulky...and honestly...I need to add more style to my daily accessories.  I never paid much attention to the diaper bags in the stores cause the ones I actually like are worth more than I wanted to spend ... so I just settled for a cheap back from the D.I.  Especially since, until recently, Jon was the main parent toting around the ugly diaper bag.

So, now that I have a little more time, I might as well take matters into my own hands and create an awesomely amazing bag for myself!

I LOVE THIS BAG

http://www.warehousefabricsinc.com/blog/pleated-lined-handbag/

Not the biggest fan of the fabric, but the style is exactly what I want.
Monday, I am going to head to the fabric store to find the perfect fabric and get started.  I can't wait!  If the stores weren't closed right now, I would probably just go right now.

My Own Episode of Hoarders/Organizer

 Don't look to long at those photos, they might stress you out.  For some reason this room bacame my brother-in-laws dumping place.  I will claim 2 boxes and the white tupperware shelf, but the rest belongs to my inlaws.  The best part of this room is the giant green spa bath tub...totally random.  But it was actually a really great place for me to throw the empty boxes and garbage.

A couple funny treasures that I found in the mess.

A LARGE tupperware full of empty perscription bottles



My 22 month old crawled into the saucer and was stuck and screaming for help



Painted portrait of my inlaws ... from the 70s (I think)

So my purpose in cleaning is not to sort through their things, it was to put their things on the shelves in an orderly manner, and get rid of the garbage.  It was actually a lot easier than I thought, mainly because about 90% of everything in the pictures were empty boxes and a TON of organizing bins and shelves.

I can't do anything about the shelves ... but Im totally excited to see the carpet.

Believe it or not, that is just a huge pile of empty boxes and
and random organization bins and shelves

I really wish we had unlimited garbage space...But as for all the organization stuff, Im hoping DI will take the rest.  Once the pile of stuff is gone, I am going to start working on the closet of crafts, and set up a table to be able to have my craft corner.  Totally excited to be seeing some progress.

MIA

I have to appologize for being MIA ... a lot has happened.  For starters I quit my job!  With my new responsibility as a stay-at-home-mom, I have a lot of catching up to do in my home.  One of the ways that I coped with the stress of being a full time working mom, was by letting my house go.  I would clean on the weekends...but it was surface cleaning.  I never actually kept my house clean like I wish I could.  SO...as a result, I have several rooms that I need to deep clean. 
I will be taking pictures of the before and after ... and then once Im done, then I can get back to my wonderful crafty dreams!

Mother's Day

For the first time I really thought about Mother's Day.  I know how hard my mom works and I wanted to do something special for her, that she would actually use.  Well ... she got her present last week while we were visiting, and I think I succeeded, at least she fooled me into thinking I succeeded.

I made her a picture board!  It was so easy.  She gets a lot of pictures from her 10 kids and 20+ grandkids.  I know from experience how hard it is to keep your picture frames updated, or even hang them on the wall (especially for her).  I think it is genetic, I hung up an empty frame on our wall (to make sure it would look good) and it stayed hung up empty for about a year...and then we moved.

ANYWAY, back to the picture board.  I took the pictures with my phone, so they are not the best quality.

I used a thick foam board and then put a layer of batting on the top.  I found some dark blue material and just covered the front and wrapped it around to the back and then stapled...ALOT.  I got the ribbon on sale from Hobby Lobby and just measured the width, and threaded every other one, and stapled it in the back.
Side note: You will use more ribbon than you think.  I bought one spool that said 18 feet thinking it would be enough.  I am obviously lacking some math smarts.  I ended up using 4 - 18' spools.  

Some of the picture boards have tacks or brads at all of the crosses, but I thought that was a little too much.  So I did every other one.  The only thing about the foam board is that the tacks don't stay very well.  I used super glue to make sure they wouldn't fall off the fabric, but for this reason I would recommend using some hard board.

Part of the present to my mom was actually hanging it and putting the pictures on it for her.  I know they aren't spaced very well...I was just throwing them on.
Totally easy, and totally awesome!  I am going to have to make myself one now.

Headboard

I dream of the day when I will have my own home and I will be able to make my home exactly how I wish it to be.  Right now we are taking care of my in-laws home while they serve a mission for the LDS church.  I am extremely grateful for the free rent, but it can be hard some days living with their things, and not being able to fully make it my home and my space.  So in the mean time, I will just talk about another project that I am dreaming about doing someday!
On C.R.A.F.T. she does a M.M.M. (Making Monday Marvelous) post every Monday that allows everyone to share their latest crafts and accomplishments.  I found this amazing headboard project from http://gardenberger.blogspot.com/.

I think it is amazing that she was able to make this.  I have always wanted a bed frame, but since we were living the poor student life, and moving around so often, it never seemed smart to buy a huge bed frame if we were just going to move in a couple of months.  So after I have my own place, instead of buying a huge bed frame, I am going to remember this project for when I am able to create my dream bedroom.
Thanks for the idea and awesome tutorial.

Craft Day

Yesterday I had an awesome day doing crafts with some friends.  The husbands went golfing, the kids played on the floor, and us girls got to work on our crafts.  It was so fun!
I finished the last two pages of Josie's quiet book.  I forgot to take pictures...but just trust me they are cute!

I also worked on a skirt for Josie.  When I tried to put it on her today she freaked out, (I will need to figure out how I can bribe her into trying on clothes and then modeling them for pictures.)
Side Note:  I am having a love affair with brown and pink.  If you haven't noticed the last 3 things I have made have been brown and pink.  But I just can't get over how cute the combination is.  Which is sooo funny, cause when I found out Josie was a girl, I was sooo anti-pink.  But now here I am in love with it.   

I found the brown fabric at D.I. and it was originally a shower curtain.  I LOVE IT!  The best part is the skirt only took about 30 minutes (after I bought a new iron).

Here is what I did:
I measured Josie's waist (18") and I then just added more...hehe, I think I ended up timing it between 1.5 and 2.  It really doesn't matter, it just depends on how full you want the skirt to be.
Then I measured the length, and cut out the big rectangle.  All I had to do was sew the hems, sew the two fabrics together, and then put in the elastic.  VIOLA!  cute skirt.  Now I just have to see if Josie will actually wear it one of these days.