Book Bag Tutorial - Guest Post at Reasons to Skip The Housework

Hey all!  Happy SUMMER!  Things have been sparse here as I've been soaking up the sun and fun with my littles.  Are your kids crossing books off of their summer reading lists and begging to hit the library like mine are?  If so - you need a book bag!

Check out my tutorial for this one over at Reasons To Skip The Housework!

Guest Posting at Reasons To Skip The Housework

Today I'm over at Reasons to Skip The Housework with my tutorial for this Easy Breezy Summer Dress!

Head on over and check it out!

Minnie Mouse Shirt Using Cricut Iron On Transfer Material

Today I'm showing you another fun craft that I made in preparation for our upcoming Disneyland trip.  You can see the DIY Belle Dress that I made for my oldest daughter here.

To make this cute Minnie shirt, you'll need:

• a t shirt, pre-washed
• some black felt
• some iron on vinyl (I used Cricut Iron On Glitter )
• Heat and Bond Lite Thermal Adhesive
• sewing machine and matching thread
• scissors
• optional: Cricut Personal Cutting Machine (if you don't have one, don't fret, I will show you how to cut pieces old school ;-) )
• Minnie Mouse head image

First, size the image that you chose to fit your t shirt and print two copies (one for the head, one for the bow).

Next, cut your head out of the felt.  Following the instructions on the Heat and Bond package, transfer the Minnie head to your shirt.

Using a satin stitch or zig zag stitch on your sewing machine, sew all the way around Minnie's head.

Next, cut out the bow from your second template.  Holding it tightly against a piece of vinyl, cut the bow out.  Peel off the top film, then place on your Minnie.  Iron it on following the instructions that come with the vinyl.

For the name, you can either use your Cricut cutter and Disney cartridge/download OR size and print your child's name in Waltograph.  Place the letters on on top of the vinyl and cut them out using a craft knife.

Iron the letters on your shirt following the instructions on the vinyl packaging.

And there you have it!  A super cute, customized shirt for your Disney darling.  The best part - this shirt cost me about $5 total.  Disneyland cast members love to see unique Disney clothing, and even if you're not going to Disney any time soon, this is a great shirt for a Disney themed birthday party!

Don't forget to enter the AMAZING American Girl Doll and Wardrobe Giveaway by Monday!

Back by popular demand is another American Girl Doll & Wardrobe giveaway. Our first one was so successful that we've decided to make it a series. This second giveaway is Valentine's theme. This fabulous giveaway is brought to you by the following co-hosts, sponsors, & contributors~

1. Diana of Diana Rambles - Diana aka FreeStyleMama, the host of this giveaway, is a self-described creative crafty mama of 3 who blogs about food, crafts, family & fun. She also is a blog designer & seamstress.
2. Amy of SewsNBows - Amy is a fabric hoarder and sewing pattern collector who enjoys sewing children's clothing and accessories. Her beautiful creations are showcased on her blog.
3. Charlotte of Saving with Charlotte - Saving with Charlotte is family friendly and if it doesn't pass the grandma test, it doesn't get posted on my blog. Charlotte blogs about a variety of topics, including: Kids Crafts & Activities, DIY, Simple Household Solutions, Recipes, Misc. Deals & Promotions, Product Reviews, Free Samples, and Much More!
4. Linda of Crafts a la mode - Linda loves to make things.. crafts, DIY, even fun food.
5. Lisa of Crazy Adventures in Parenting - Lisa Douglas is an Army wife raising seven kids sharing humorous parental war-stories, yummy homemade family-friendly recipes, craft tutorials, hilarious family videos, and much more at CrazyAdventuresinParenting.com. Lisa's on a journey to savor every "small" moment, finding the humor in the joy in everything (even diapers and laundry).
6. Lynn of Turnips 2 Tangerines - Turnips 2 Tangerines is Lynn's Little Kitchen in the Big Woods of Northern WI is where she shares with you, her family tested and approved recipes, kitchen tips and many adventures traveling throughout Wisconsin.
7. Stephanie of The Tip Toe Fairy - Stephanie is a stay-at-home mommy to 3.  She blogs about crafting, cupcakes, book reviews, and more.
8. Stephanie of A Geek in Glasses - Stephanie loves all things Vintage and crafty and her house shows it. She just got AG Doll Molly McIntire for Christmas because she wants to have a Victory Garden and loves all things 1940's!!!
9. Gina of Gina's Craft Corner - This blog follows Gina on her journey as she learns to sew.  She mainly focuses on turning upcycled material into something beautiful.
10. Kristin of A Thrifter in Disguise - A self-described thrifter, Kristen blogs about finding creative ways to find savings without sacrificing style. A mom of 3, she loves creating crafts and activities to keep her kids busy.
11. KC of The Real Thing with the Coake Family - KC is a stay at home mom of two cuties who are 11 and 7. She blogs at The Real Thing with the Coake Family which is about living the creative life with her family, while keeping it real along the way.
12. Laura of Laura Kelly's INKlings - Laura Kelly is a licensed artist and creative project designer in addition to being the resident dyesigner for the Rit Studio and an inaugural member of The Sharpie Squad.  She blogs her journey with hopes of inspiring and stimulating creativity in others.
13. Jenny of Learning and Growing the Piwi Way - Jenny is a proud wife and mama who enjoys blogging about teaching her kids, the books she reads and food. With another job relocation always just over the horizon life most of the projects she writes about are an attempt to distract her from packing.
14. Janine of Janine's Confessions of A Mommyaholic - Janine is a wife and mom to two little girls 16 months apart. She blogs about being a mom and so much more, and also designs blogs and offers blogging advice.
15. Corinna of For My Love Of -Corinna is a bold and eclectic DIY decorator. She loves to reinvent and create pretty things and blogs about it at for my love of blog.

Emily of Naptime Creations  Harriet of Posh on a Budget
Ayelet of The Graceful Rose  Millie & Kristina of 2 Crochet Hooks
Nina of Mamabelly's Lunches with Love  Sonnet of SohoSonnet Creative Living
 Lisa of Chronically Content  Barbara of Barbara's Beat

FreeStyleMama - 2 dresses  SewsNBows - 2 outfits
CatsMeow1 - dress  The Graceful Rose - dress & headband
The Tip Toe Fairy - tutu & fairy wings   Gina's Craft Corner - doll tote
Domestic Bliss Squared - crocheted accessories   Tickie's Time - coat & boots
  xoxo Grandma - dress & necklace   2 Crochet Hooks - poncho & accessories
Eden Ava Couture - complete outfit   GiGi's Doll Creations - bedding
Meatloaf and Melodrama - outfit   Keema Kids - outfit
Pixie Dust Doll Clothes - outfit   Two It Yourself - matching chair envelopes
Doll It Up - complete outfit   Laura Kelly's INKlings - ladybug costume

Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter entry form below.
US Only. Official Rules at bottom of the entry form.
Bonus entries unlocked after required entry.
The more entries, the better chance you have of winning.

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Kid Sized Infinity Scarf Tutorial

Today I'm bringing home a tutorial that I did for the lovely Lindsay Wilkes, aka The Cottage Mama:

Hello Cottage Mama readers!  I'm Ayelet (that's I-Yell-Et, it means "gazelle" in Hebrew), and when I'm not chasing my 8 and 6 year old girls around, I'm sewing and blogging over at The Graceful Rose.  Like a lot of you, I first learned to sew in home ec. classes, but rediscovered it when I became a mom.  I remembered the basics, but looked to all of the wonderful sewing tutorials in the blogosphere for guidance and inspiration, especially Lindsay's blog...I've always been drawn to her vintage influenced style and of course, those fabulous fabric combinations.  I've made several of her patterns, and have had so much fun testing for her this year.  I'm so honored that she asked me to share this tutorial with you!

With the holidays coming soon, I thought I would share something that you could whip up for gift giving (possibly in bulk, if your extended family is like mine!).  This reversible infinity scarf is perfect for the tween set who wants to look stylish, but is also great for younger girls.    If you leave the flower off of the cuff, it would be perfect on a little boy.  I'm giving you measurements for a kid-sized scarf, but you could certainly adjust the dimensions for a grown up version.  And of course, the cuff adds some pizazz - don't all tweens need that?

Looks so cozy, right?  Let's get started!

Supplies:

• 1 15 x 60 inch strip of fabric for the outer layer (my flannel fabric was only 45 inches, so I sewed two 30 inch long pieces together, for the knit, I just cut 14 x the width of fabric)
• 1 15 x 60 inch strip of fabric for the inner layer
• 1 6 x 8 inch rectangle for the cuff
• 1 4 x 45 inch strip for the optional flower
• 1 or 2 buttons
• invisible thread OR hand sewing needle
• Sewing machine, matching thread, scissors, rotary cutter and mat (not required, but super helpful!), and if you're like me, a seam ripper :D

I use a 3/8 inch seam allowance throughout.

Lay your strips right sides together, and pin.  Sew along both long sides, leaving a 4-6 inch opening on one of the long sides.

Both short ends should be open:

You should have a long tube.  Now, put your arm into the tube and pull the other end towards the open end.

Making sure that the inner layer isn't twisted, line all of the raw edges up.  Your scarf will look like a tube within a tube with raw edges at one end.

Sew along the length of the raw edges.  Press the seam open.  Turn your scarf out through the opening you left earlier.  Your seam should look like this:

Now, either edge stitch the opening shut with invisible thread or hand sew it using a slip stitch.  Here's a great video tutorial.

For the cuff, take your 6 x 8 inch rectangle and fold it in half lengthwise, so that the right sides are together.  You should now have a 3 x 4 inch rectangle with the fold being along the 4 inch side.

Sew along one of the short edges and around to the long edge.  Clip your corners, turn right side out, and press.  Fold raw edge under 1/2 inch and press.  Top stich all the way around.

Add a button hole or two, depending on the buttons you want to use, to one of the shorter ends.

Sew your buttons on the other end, and voila!  You're done!

To make the flower, fold your 4 x 45 inch strip together to make a 2 x 45 inch strip.  Sew along the long edge and one short edge to form a tube.  Clip corners and turn tube right side out, then press. 

Begin rolling the fabric strip and hot glueing or hand sewing as you go.  I glued a flat back pin to the back and just pinned it to the cuff.

And there you have it!  One cozy, fashionable scarf! 


Thank you so much for letting me stop by, Lindsay!  I had so much fun sharing my Cuffed Infinity Scarf Tutorial with you :)  I hope you'll stop by The Graceful Rose to check out my other tutorials and sewing projects soon!

***If you don't sew but would like your own kid sized infinity scarf, I've still got a few listed in the shop!***

Doll Tutu Tutorial

Happy Friday!  Have you entered the American Girl Doll and Wardrobe Giveaway yet?!  Hop on over and do it now!  It's OK...I'll wait ;-)

OK, now that you're back, let's talk about today's tutorial.

This sweet little tutu is simple enough that your kiddos can make one too.  All you need to make 1 tutu are:

• roll of 6 inch wide tulle (really, you can make tons of tutus with one roll!)
• 12 inches of 1/2 inch wide elastic
• sewing machine OR needle and thread
• scissors OR rotary cutter/healing mat

First, you're going to cut two different lengths of tulle.  The short pieces will be 3 inches wide and 6 inches long.  I just snipped pieces off of the end of my roll every 3 inches.  The long pieces are going to be 3 inches wide and 10 inches long.  To cut these, I cut 10 inch lengths and then cut them in half lengthwise.  You can do this with scissors or a rotary cutter - whatever you have.  Don't worry too much about being exact - you're going to trim the edges of your tutu when you are finished.

Next, you're going to overlap the edges of your elastic by 1/2 an inch so that you have an 11 inch wide circle.  Sew around the edges in a square to secure. 

Now, alternating short and long pieces of tulle, tie the pieces in a double knot around the elastic.  I like to pull the knot on the long pieces to the bottom edge of the elastic, and leave the short pieces facing forward, like so:

Keep going until you can't fit any more tulle strips on the elastic - the bunchier, the better!

And voila!

This is a great craft for kids - my 8 year old daughter made this while watching a movie.  As long as they know how to tie a knot, they're set.  This would be a fun craft to make at a slumber or birthday party - just sew those elastic waistbands and cut the tulle ahead of time, and you're all set!

Be sure to enter yourself for the American Girl Doll and Wardrobe giveaway!

Onesie Dress Tutorial

Hello and happy Wednesday!  Today I'm going to show you how to make a ruffled dress out of a onesie!  This is super simple to do but is always adorable on babies and toddlers.  Want to make one of your own?  Just follow along!

What you'll need:

• a onesie
• 1/4 yard of fabric for each ruffle layer (I did 3 here)
• 1/4 yard of fabric for the sash
• rotary cutter, clear ruler, and self healing mat
• sewing stuff - sewing machine, needles, matching thread, pins, etc.

First, be sure to prewash and dry your onesie and fabric.

Next, determine how long you want the hem of the dress to be.  This onesie is an 18-24 month size, and I knew I wanted the hem to be about 6 inches from the bum.  Then determine where you want your skirt to start.  Add two inches for the sash.  For me, I measured from just below the buttons shown on the onesie below.

Now divide that number by 3.  That will give you the length of your top ruffles.  Because the bottom two ruffles will be sewn right on top of each other and just above the leg band, you want to double the length.  For example, my top two ruffles were 5 inches long, so I cut my 3rd ruffle 10 inches long.

When you've determined your length, cut strips selvage to selvage with your rotary cutter and ruler.  Next, cut 2 pieces of your sash fabric that are 5 inches long, selvage to selvage.

With right sides together, sew each layer along the short edge.  I usually use a 3/8 seam allowance for clothing.  Serge or zig-zag the edges.

Now, hem your ruffles.  You can either do this by turning the edge under 1/4 inch and then again 1/2 inch and topstitching down, or you can put a rolled edge hem with a serger.  I chose to serge, but if you don't own a serger, a traditional hem is just fine.  Once all of your ruffles are hemmed, it's time to actually ruffle them!  Again, I did this with my serger (just turn the tension on the needles up as high as it will go) or do it with your sewing machine.  Place two rows of stitches at 1/8 inch and 1/4 inch using your longest stitch length along the unhemmed edge of your ruffle.  Don't backstitch!  Pull the bobbin (bottom) threads at each end and gather until your ruffle fits neatly around your onesie.

Now let's get those ruffles sewn in place!  First, pin the bottom and middle layer right on top of each other just about the legbands of the onesie.  Sew both layers to the onesie at the same time.

Now, add your last layer.  Sew that one in place too.

For the sash, sew both pieces together at one of the short ends with right sides together.  You should have one long piece.  Fold it in half lengthwise with right sides together, and sew along the long edge and one short edge so that you have a tube with only one open end.

Turn the tube right side out (I use these awesome tube turners) and press.  Turn edges under 1/4 inch on the open end.  Top stitch all the way around.

And voila!  You can tack the sash down if you like, or leave it as is.  Add a fabric flower or other embellishment, and your little girl is ready to party!

I hope you make a onesie dress soon!  Thanks for visiting!

Guest Post - Organizing a Holiday Recipe Binder

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? For me, figuring out what to serve is always the hardest part. Today I'm sharing my method for creating a Holiday Recipe Binder at Get Your Crap Together. 

Chelsea has some great bloggers sharing their tips and tricks to stay organized for the holiday season, so be sure to check them out!

Gold Glitter Fall Bunting - Tutorial

disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links

Happy Thursday!  I've got a tutorial for a glittery shabby chic bunting for you today!

What you'll need:

• 3 yards of glitter ribbon (I got mine at a local scrapbook store, but you can buy it online here)
• 1/4 yard of burlap
• scraps of lace (I had about 1/8 of a yard)
• scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Clear ruler
• pins
• sewing machine and thread OR hot glue gun

First, cut your burlap into triangles.  Mine are 9 inches across and about 7 inches long.  Use your ruler to make sure your triangles are straight.  Repeat with your lace, making them a little smaller than the burlap triangles.  My lace triangles are about 6 inches across and 5 inches long.  Determine how long you want your bunting to be - mine is the entire 3 yards of ribbon, and I made 10 triangles.

When all of your triangles are cut, start layering the burlap and lace triangles together, and pin in the center.  This will make it easier to sew or glue!  I put my lace layer just below the top edge of my burlap layer, but you could line them up equally if you like.

Now, add the widths of your triangles together, then subtract that from the length of your ribbon.  Divide the remainder by 2, and that's how much ribbon you want to leave before you add your first triangle.  My ribbon was 108 inches and my triangles were 90 inches total.  So, 108-90=18, 18/2=9.  So I left 9 inches of ribbon on each end.  Mark the space with a pin and then place the ribbon about and inch from the top.  Start sewing!  Make sure to back stitch.  If you don't have a sewing machine, just put down some hot glue and lay the ribbon on top.

Continue placing the triangles side by side with as much or as little space between them as you like.

Voila!  A glittery bunting perfect for your Thanksgiving dinner party!  I hung mine above my entry table and love the way it adds a little sparkle.

 If you haven't made yourself a bunting yet, they really are so simple! 

Stay tuned for some more Thanksgiving ideas coming soon!