Fabulous Fall Flannel Freebie!

The air is crisp, rain is falling and so what better time to start sewing up some flannel goodies than now? Fabric Queen is newly opened, freshly stocked, and offering a fabulous giveaway. I am completely swooning over the Dick & Jane prints. How cute?

(Photo pulled from FabricQueen.com)

Check out her shop and her blog for more info on the super sweet giveaway.

Snow Day

I woke up this morning and guess what? It's our first real day of snow! It's pretty exciting for now since it is kind of a novelty, but give it a month and it won't be snow exciting anymore. I am so jealous of all those sewing projects that are getting done in preparation for fall, our fall is pretty much over. Old man winter, here we come.

I got me a new present!

Yesterday I went to the Post Office to pick up a box that my momma sent me. I knew she was putting in a webcam so she could see little Stinker grow into bigger Stinker. When I opened it she also sent me her "old" digital camera. I say "old" since it is old to her, but man, it's WAAAYYY nicer than the crappy 10year old one that I was previously using. Isn't she wonderful?

This morning while Stinker was taking a much needed mini nap, I started up on one of his christmas presents. I mean, Santa started up on it. I used scraps of amy butler, some vintage brown gingham and a zoo style kiddie print to make stuffed letters spelling his name. As soon as I figure out my new camera I will go back to posting pics.

Well I will be insanely busy over the next couple of days as I will be out of town, so no more for now. Have a great weekend everyone!

002: Freakin' Awesome Featured Shop

Today's shop:
Sweet Sydney Bean from Etsy! i HEART SweetSydneyBean! Back in the beginning of August I ordered a bottle of teething oil and my goodness...it works wonders. It smells wonderful, Stinker loves it and I still have lots left.

(Photo pulled from Sweetsydneybean.etsy.com)

I want to try out the soap bits. The sample she sent with the teething oil smelled delicious, it was lemon and smelled fresh picked. Go check them out and you'll see what I mean.

More for HannahBugs B-day

I just finished HannahBug's present. I decided to make her doll and her matching nightgowns. The print is kind of like a seersucker or something and was in my stash. The white was the part of a bedskirt that sits under the mattress. I used the rolled hem that was already on there for the cuffs. I coincidentally had green grosgain in my scrap bin to that worked out nicely. I even appliqued a little bird on both nightgowns. I have to say I am really pleased with how this gift turned out. I spent $0 and couldn't be happier with the result!

The whole shebang.

Close up of the applique. It's little birdie legs don't show up too well in the pictures, but they're there I assure you.

Well, I'm off to take a nice hot shower since Stinker is napping. AH....REST!

Peace
-Michelle

HannahBug's B-Day Gift

HannahBug's 5th birthday is just around the corner. For those of you who don't know who HannahBug is; she is my ex-husband's daughter. While we were dating and were married, I became very attached to her. I didn't have any kids of my own and I was around her from the time she was a bit over a year old. Leaving my ex-husband was hard, leaving HannahBug was worse.

On a lighter note, I don't get to see or speak to HannahBug except for maybe once a year when she is up here visiting her Daddy. She stays with him for a few months and last year her and I had a sleepover. This year, her Dad and I talked about her seeing me and we agreed that it was best to let her decide.

Since her birthday is coming up and money is VERY tight (and I am more than frugal), I wanted to make her gift. While her Dad and I were together, I made her lots of stuff, so I thought that it was fitting she got more handmade gifts from me. She was always very girly and has loved playing "Mommy" with her dolls. I made up this doll using this tute as a guideline. It came together super quick.






Beatrix, well that's what I've named her, has been made using 100% upcycled fabrics and even filling. The button eyes and bellybutton were from my stash as was the yarn hair. The body was a pair of The Yimmy's too small cargo shorts. I really like it with the cargo twill. It makes the doll really thick and should stand up to lots of rough dolly play. The stuffing came from a old throw pillow that has been sitting around waiting for a new life. The dolly quilt was salveged pieces from my constantly growing scrap bin. I used an old pilly baby blanket instead of packaged batting. Her little tiny doll mouth was embroidered on. I have to say that I'm pretty tickled with how it has turned out so far.


Obviously, giving a 5year old a naked doll is a major faux pax, so I will need to whip up some dresses or somthing. Since this has gone so quickly (both items made today inbetween dealing with a teething 4month old and making Taco Spaghetti Casserole, it sounds gross, but try it, it's really yummy and a total kid pleaser!) that I will be making like 5 more sets for the little ladies of our family.

Peace
-Michelle

001:Freakin Awesome Featured Shop

If you have little kiddos at home, or friends who may have any you have to check out this etsy shop. Gulf Coast Cottage PDF sells tons of felt patterns, both food and toys, which are all so cute. How would you ever just choose one?
This is my favorite of her food patterns:

(Photo pulled from GulfCoastCottagePDF.etsy.com)

Check out her shop and start sewing up your felt food christmas presents early! Every pattern is super affordable making it a great way to stock up your pretend pantry. I plan on making one or two of her patterns in the near future and will review them here for all of you who also want to try them out.

Freakin' Awesome Giveaway at Daddy Likey

Winona at Daddy Likey is hosting a bitchin purse giveaway. If you have never been over to Daddy Likey, and love fashion, I suggest you do it. She's hilarious and her Racoon posts just crack me up! Read it once and you'll sign up to follow her blog. She's that funny, I swear. SOOOO....if you too would like to possibly win beautiful bags such as these:

(Photos Pulled From DaddyLikey's Blog)

drop by her blog and leave a comment! Good Luck!

Great little girly girl dresses

So Leisel over at Sugar and Spice Creations is having a great giveaway and has kindly posted an easy to follow tutorial for a super cute twirly dress. Seriously, these are pretty damn adorable.

(Photo pulled from Sugar and Spice Creations website.)

These will be on my to do list for next summers sewing projects. Very cute! Drop by her website, check them out, and enter her giveaway if you have a chance. Good Luck!

BOO! It's nearly Halloween

So I found out what the girls want to be for Halloween. Stinker doesn't have much say at this age. Thing 1 will be a witch, Thing 2 a leopard and Stinker a turtle (since he was born I call him my little turtle because of this thing he does where he stretches out his neck and looks like a little turtle.

Of course I am searching my stash of fabric and recon worthy clothes for all the pieces for everyones costume. I know for a fact that I will be going to Value Village tomorrow for their 99cent sale in search of something leopard print. I think I found nearly everything I need for Thing 1's witch costume. I had a pair of old granny pants sitting in the recon pile as well as a strech purple floor lenth skirt. Both are velour and that is the only reason I kept onto them. I'm not really a velour type person, but what preteen doesn't love it?

I started construction for the witch and I am really pleased with it so far. I added a ruffle around the collar area of purple tulle remanant that I picked up at Joann's for 32cents. I added star studs from my new found GeMagic. I am also embroidering a scardy cat in purple on the cloak. The purple velour skirt will be made into a dress, and I am thinking of dying a found lace curtain black and making bell sleeves for the dress. So far so good. I'm really excited about Halloween this year. I think more so than my kiddos are!

Ah the mysterious red rash

So today was yet another trip to the doctor for the Stinker. He got his 4month vaccines and his pediatrician took a look at this rash. She narrowed it down to two things: 1. An allergic reaction to something metal or 2. Some type of an infection. She said not to worry, it's only just on the surface of his skin and seems to be somewhat reacting to the Clindamycin. He is otherwise still doing great.

Our local Value Village had their colored tag 99cent sale today. I scored a nice long sleeve mens knit shirt, a HUGE suede coat, and a brand new "GeMagic". It's like the TV order version of the Bedazzler. Way too Rhinestone Cowboy for me, but completely perfect for my two girls' jeans and such. They spotted it before I even got it out of the car and were poking around to see when we will use it. The thrift store prices originally totaled $35.00, but me, being uber frugal, scoured the racks and only paid $2.97. Oh yeah, and we have no sales tax in Fairbanks, so it was a total score.

The coat is in excellent shape, but really not something that I would wear. It's waaayyyy to big, and really, not many people can pull off a long column of tan, me included. It will however make like 500 baby bootie soles. Okay, maybe not really 500, but pretty darn close.

Well we are off to Girl Scouts. It's Thing 1 and Thing 2's first meeting and they can barely contain their excitement. We'll see how excited they are when volunteering comes up! Thanks for the kind words about Stinker and our rabbit. It feels great to know that people may actually read my blog, and care enough to throw some compassion my way. Thank you!

Whats Red and blotchy and swollen all over?

Last night after Stinker's dinner feeding daddy noticed a red spot on the back of his head. I thought it was just from laying down nursing but when I looked it was also a little puffy. It is right over his "Stork Kiss" birth mark, so that doesn't help it look any less red. I sat on it a while and by bedtime, it was twice as big. Off to the ER.

After ruling out a bug bite, a contusion, and some other various aliments, we settled on; an allergic reaction, staph/strep infections, or mersa. They gave him enough Benadryl to put down a horse but nothing. It didn't help his spot at all, but he did sleep soundly after that. They then gave him Clindamycin. and told me to come back in the morning if it didn't look great.

Fast foward to this morning......
It looks exactly the same. So we will be taking another trip to the ER. I am very worried about Stinker. He's only 4months old, so I get really nervous about him being sick. This is all news to him by the way. He feels great.

On a lighter note, I haven't gotten much sewing or refashioning done lately. With the move and being sick, I've been just too busy or tired to unpack the massive sewing area. I did get a ton done yesterday down there, so I felt a bit relieved. I did manage to dye some older stained shirts in our laundry soak sink. I went with RIT teal, although I really like how everything came out, I'd hardly call it teal. I also dyed a white granny sweater to what should have been teal, but is now sort of a baby blue. It's okay, not my favorite, but I guess I do like it much better than white. Now to take the shears to it and really make it something I would want to wear!

Off to the hospital for now.
Peace
Michelle

***I'm sad to say that our black Mini Lop rabbit, Bun Bun passed away today. The reason is unknown, but she has been losing a bit of weight lately, and just was "off". We all loved her and she will be sorely missed. You were a great little bunny Bun Bun and Fergus and Emmit won't be the same without you.