Cuddly Clutch Blankets for Babies

People are having themselves some babies!  And I love me some babies even more than I love puppies.  We'll have to see what 2013 has in store for me (and that's all the information you are getting!)

This is a bit of a passion project I started after E couldn't be separated from her little clutch blankets.  She had a little monkey and lamb and then someone found her one like what I ended up making.  Evelyn loved the minky fabric on one side and the satin on the other, and she'd twirl those little fingers around the ribbons and then death clutch them.  So as usual, I thought "I can steal this idea and make it better." So I did.

My first try at it was this color combo...

  

...which I love.  I wish I was daring enough to do hot pink,black, and white room for E now. Maybe I'll get the guts to do it after I get the other 5 rooms I'm currently working on done. 

I showed my dear friend KJ what I had made and she wanted one for Davin.  I went to Hobby Lobby and checked out fabrics and got some chocolate brown minky and blue and light green poly satin.  She picked the green and chocolate and it turned out so great!

Then some others saw what I made and the subsequent styles were born.

This is probably my favorite one.  I have a mild obsession with pirates and this one could not have turned out any cuter! The pirate fabric is flannel.  I call this style "The Buccaneer."

The contemporary floral flannel fabric was a Joann only fabric and I bought the

last yard and made a few of these out of it. 

I love the monkey fabric - it's a flannel.  I made Evelyn a nap mat out of these fabrics.

These are pretty easy to make.  It's a tad time consuming for the prep for them.  Each one probably has grosgrain ribbons from 3 or 4 different stores so I could have the perfect combo.  If only I had the capital to get my own embrodiery machine I could mass produce them for a pretty low cost. 

 

My dear friend Penelope and I collaborated on one for her friend with airplanes - it turned out so cute!!

 

 

   

I've made tons of them as gifts and now Rita is getting too (along with a green and brown one and her nursing cover).  Here's what she's getting in her package!

 

  

 

 

 

 

....and yall saw the nursing cover in the post about it a month or so ago. 

 

This begs the question, why do they make such awesomely soft and cuddly things for babies and not for adults?  I want all my clothes and bedding to be made completely out of minky, satin, and flannel too.  No wonder babies sleep so soundly, they don't have to deal with wool and polyester and 300 thread count sheets!

 

High Heels Storage Option

I missed you too.

Between E's birthday/birthday party and then hosting 14.5 people for Thanksgiving - I've been busy.  You know who isn't so busy?  Baby Joe!  He filed the 10 K on the Monday before Thanksgiving and he took the rest of the week off from work~we were super lazy and played and cuddled a lot as a family.  We all really missed him (dogs included).  Now he's back to "normal" working hours and that's great because he picks E up on school days and makes it home in time for dinner!

I've got so many posts I want to do that I don't know where to start.  Today I'm just going to do a little DIY project I did to glam up my closet.  I know, it's a closet.  But I spend a lot of time in there and I want it lookin good - and organized!

At our Dallas house we had this great shelf in the closet that wrapped around the top and I put my multiple pairs of high heels on display up there.  I mean, they are sooooo pretty that should be hidden or thrown in a drawer!  We do have shelves in the closet at the new house, but I had too many shoes and couldn't put them all out (is that really a problem?). 

Now, I use to be OBSESSED with shoes.  It was "my thing".  My one little vice that I gave into, and gave into it I did.  Now that I'm retired I don't wear heels 5 days a week to work.  In fact, I probably wear heels once a quarter (that's no lie).  So I took the plunge and got rid of a bunch of the shoes I never wear - or ones that just weren't practical or needed anymore.  After narrowing the field down, I still had a ton. 

I don't remember where I got this idea.  It was probably a magazine or pinterest or actually in the Ikea store.....but I simply purchased a rod, mounted it, and hung my heels from it to give me more use of shelf space - and it looks fancy too ;) !

I got the rod at Ikea - you can find it here.

Does anyone recognize the boxes on the top shelf on the left?  Note I'm turning my hangers around for the second time this year trying to get rid of more clothes. 

Wall Stencils

Howdy!  The master bathroom paint job was completed Sunday - yay for me!  Now on to the window treatment and the stencil for the toilet room.

I found a great site with TONS of different stencils.  I love so many of them, I don't know how I'm going to choose!  Hobby Lobby has some wall stencils, and I have some of them, but I need something larger scaled because of the height of the wall.

I also keep going back and forth about what color to do - should I do the color of the trim or the chocolate brown on the ceiling? I could also just do water based polyurethane to make it shiny, or maybe the same color with a little pearlessence to it.  I hate choices!

I want something not too girly since this is Joe's bathroom too - I'm trying to stay away from the Damasks in particular. 

As I looked and looked at the stencils I think the trick for them is to pick a color combo and shape that when it's complete - will look like wallpaper. 

Too masculine?

Courtesy of Cutting Edge Stencils

 

 

  Casablanca

Courtesy of Cutting Edge Stencils

 

Rabat - very similar to Casablanca

Courtesy of Cutting Edge Stencils

 

 

Zagora

Courtesy of Cutting Edge Stencils

 

 

Kuba

Courtesy of Cutting Edge Stencils

 

 

Diamond Damask

Courtesy of Cutting Edge Stencils

 

Herringbone

Courtesy of Etsy shop royaldesignstencils

 

 

Chevron

Courtesy of Etsy shop royaldesignstencils

 

 

French Bee Trellis

Courtesy of Etsy shop royaldesignstencils

 

 

Moorish Trellis

Courtesy of Etsy shop royaldesignstencils

 

Ugh.  Guess I should start narrowing it down.  But I wouldn't mind at all if you shared your opinion of what I should do!

Pinterest Be Damned!

Hello All!  Another wonderful week has started - not so great thus far.  Luckily I ran into my friend Whitney #2 at Wal-Mart this morning and she gave me a much needed embrace as well as helped me search for the elusive sun dried tomatoes I was searching for (we didn't find them - along with Romano cheese and Slow FE tablets).  Whitney #2 kinda turned my day around though and I've had some caffeine and now feel like gettin my business done!

I'm currently listing out my goals for the week and jamming to the new Killers album - Battle Born.  Have I ever mentioned they are my favorite band EVER?  They are.  If you don't want to invest in the entire album here is a rundown of songs to get

Prizefighter
Battle Born
The Way It Was
Runaways
Flesh and Bone
From Here On Out
Carry Me Home
Deadlines & Commitments
Heart of a Girl
A Matter of Time

I made the top 4 red because they are musts for everyone in the world.  Seriously.  Feel free to contact me if you need other song suggestions from other albums. 

So here is the real reason I'm writing.  Gotta vent a little to ya people. 

What the hell is up with people posting stuff on Pinterest and saying "This is the best cookie recipe ever."  They never are.  I've probably tried 75 recipes from Pinterest but actually only liked 10.  I'm not kidding!  Last night I made the 3 ingredient no sugar added best cookie ever OMG Amazing Nutella cookies.  So not that great.  Totally underwhelming.  Evelyn had one bite and handed it back to me.  I didn't blame her.

So people of the world, PLEASE STOP PINNING CRAP RECIPES AND SAYING THEY ARE AWESOME.  Ugh.  When I pin my own recipes from the recipe tab I don't say "These mint chocolate chip cookies make me want to run down the street nude they are so good."  I simply say "Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies".  And that brings me to another pinterest gripe......

People need to get better about their descriptions of things.  "These are awesome cookies" - not a good description because if I wake up and say "mmmmm mint chocolate chip ice cream sounds good, I wonder if pinterest has a good recipe of something comparable that isn't cold", the cookies wouldn't show up because the pinterest operating system isn't capable of "seeing" what the picture is and being able to put it in a search result.  I'm not saying I'm awesome at executing that~but I'm cognizant of it and try to do it more often now.  Yesterday I searched for "gray jeans" and got 5 results.  Then I went to women's fashion and in 5 minutes saw 20 pics with gray jeans. 

Due to my frustrations, I have lit'rally created a Pinterest board called "Recipes from Pinterest I've tried and liked".  I'm kinda thinking I should create a board called "This Pinterest Recipe sucks - don't make it" but something tells me Ben and the Pinterest team might not appreciate it.

In case you don't Pin here are links to my top 5 Pinterest recipes I've found thus far:

1.  Weight Watchers Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken  - I've tried this with a few different honey mustards and Chick Fil A's is the best.  Don't use Hellman's.

2.  Weight Watchers Bubble Up Enchiladas - You can make this as low fat or high fat as you want.  Our fam does something in between.  I also add in a 30% reduced sodium Taco Seasoning to give it a little more bite.

3.  Angel Chicken - I make this about every 2 weeks now.  I tweak my recipe with NO butter, a cup of wine and the entire container of cream cheese and chives.

4.  Oreo Layer Dessert - Again, you can make this as low fat or high fat as you like.

5.  Baked Southwestern Eggrolls - Yes, this is my recipe.  But it started from a pin on pinterest that wasn't that great.  You'll like my version better.  Promise. 

In other amazing news, at some point today this blog had it's 10,000th hit.  Thanks everybody!  The monogram clutch and ribbon turkey shirt are the posts most visited this week and last. 

Evelyn's 3rd birthday is Friday!!!! I can't stand it, but I'm also super excited!  Friday night we are doing the family birthday celebration and then Saturday morning she's having her friends over for a Fresh Beat Band themed birthday party.  I'm getting anxious about it.  I did a ton of work for it 3 weeks and didn't leave myself notes of what's left to be done.  EEK!  Trying to figure that out now.  I'm glad Joe asked what kind of cake I was getting b/c I totally forgot to order one.  HA!  Wouldn't that have been fabulous?!

Alright friends, I'm out to knock some stuff off my list.  Check ya later!

Master Bathroom Decor

This has been a long time coming:  It is time to create my oasis of relaxation. 

I have some confessions before we get started a) I'm a night showerer.  I can't get into bed dirty.  b) When I say showerer~I mean bather.  I take baths 4-5 days a week and only shower when I wash my hair.  It helps me relax right before bedtime. c) The inspiration for this design is totally stolen from one of my BFF's shower curtains. 

Now that we are past that......Remember I had a girls weekend in Houston back in July?  In Rita's guest bathroom was this shower curtain.  I instantly fell in love when I saw the design. 

I wanted a big bold floral print and Joe and I for awhile had wanted to paint the walls blue, and tried some samples but none worked.  Luckily this curtain had blue and more importantly had chocolate brown.  I give you Exhibit A - my master bathroom ceiling...

 

Never would have thought to do it - but it came that way and we really liked it.  All the wood work in the room was painted white and then a brown glaze was added over it.

 

I did chocolate brown bath mats throughout the room to reflect the ceiling color.

So we ended up with a half-started design in the bathroom.  After many many attempts at two different paint vendors I ended up finding Slow Green by Sherwin Williams.  By itself it just looks light blue - but when it's next to an actual light blue you can see the green in it and also the brown undertones. 

I spent 2 Sundays ago painting the separate toilet room and here it is finished:

Last Sunday I started working on the main part of the room and got probably 3/4ths done.  Over the bathtub and shower proves to be a problem because I can't get the ladder close to the walls.  Maybe I can figure something out by next Sunday.  What's with the Sundays you ask?  Joe is working pretty late at night and on Saturdays right now so Sunday is the only day I've got him to help with E.  Slowly but surely, right?!

And here's what you see when you enter the bathroom from the bedroom.  (Evelyn just loves touching that mirror with her grubby hands). 

 

I would love to do a stencil on the toilet room wall that you see when you enter the room.  I want to do the same on that wall in our closet where the mirror is going to hang.  Or maybe do something like this on the ceiling in there.

 

Image courtesy of Urban Source

 

But first thing is first - gotta paint the rest of the main part of the room. 

 

As for what we are doing with the shower curtains - which I got at Kohl's - originally something like this was the plan

 

 

Image courtesy of decorpad.com

 

But with the placement of the tub in the room, it just wasn't gonna work.  So instead we are thinking of doing something similar, in shape, but around the window that's above the tub. 

 

 

That's how that project is going.  I'm currently working on my first roman shade project ever.  Literally in between photos uploading I've been hot gluing.  Hoping to get it hung up tomorrow morning before Joe goes to work so I can share with you!

Monogrammed Clutches

Hello Friends.  It's been a long day and it's got the good, the bad, and the ugly.  We've been transitioning Evelyn to her big girl room at her request.  Is it ready? No.  But the boss says she wants to sleep upstairs so we do what the boss says. 

 

At 4am this morning the boss had a bad dream about falling and requested Mommy to sleep in bed with her.  I did - it was nice and cuddly, and then I woke up at 7 and my neck was stuck in one position for like, all day.  The chiro was called - going to see him Thursday.

 

We get our day going and E goes to school.  I hit the Grease Pig to get my rear brake pads changed out.  THEY wrote my appointment in for Saturday instead of Monday.  So I waited for 30 mins and was like "we gotta reschedule.  I got sh** to do." So I'm going back next Monday.  I made sure to stay and watch them write it down on Monday this time. 

 

Then there was some good - had lunch with Kerry and Sarah and baby Grayson at the Green Bean - UM, fabulous? Why is just my first time to eat there?!

 

Then visited my fav shoe store, Warrens, and went to visit my future furniture at IO Metro.  Ended up buying the end table I'd been eyeing for the new couch because it takes 10-14 weeks to get it in.  Get this, they make it in the USA and then ship it to England to be painted.  Does this make ANY sense?

 

Then I shopped the mall in Rogers - bought nothing - and then went to Fresh Market.  Bought dinner.  And after all that shopping I did.  I came home SO empty handed.  *Sad Face

 

So I just visited my Etsy wish list to dream about actually buying things, and I have a great new item that I'm for sure getting.  I'm having a hard time narrowing down the color - but check it out.....

 

 

 

 

Um, yes please.  It's an oversized clutch - AND it comes with a gold chain to work it crossbody.  Hollar!  Let me tell you, these pics aren't available on the Etsy shop.  I saw these and immediately wrote the owner for additional pics.  You saw it here first folks.

 

 

 

 

The owner was totally sweet - they are based in Austin, TX and her dad went to U of A.  So it's like it's meant to be.  These would make great Christmas gifts too if I do say so.  At first I was leaning toward the kelly green, but I'm digging the white, red and mustard yellow now. Just need to narrow it down!

Oh - and I almost forgot to mention they are $40!  I think it's a great price point.  Better than dropping $350 on one at Coach (This doesn't mean I won't let my MIL or Mom drop that on me for Xmas though). Here is a link to the Etsy shop Drake's Corner.

Um, did I forget to share pics of E from Halloween?  Silly me.  I'll leave you with those to end the day.  Master Bath and Den updates tomorrow! 

 

 

Fanatical Friday

I've been a little all over the map this week.  I keep starting posts with my projects I'm doing and then don't finish them.  I have a bad habit that if something else interests me in the middle of something I just over to that instead of finishing the current project.  Joe says I have a fear of success - um, no.  I just have a high functioning ability to multitask and change gears easily.  It's what made me really great at my last job - I could move from one building to another in a matter of seconds if a property manager called unexpectedly with questions.  What made me great at work - hinders me at home.  I think it's because I don't have deadlines like I did at work.  Hence - my first purchase:

Courtesy of SincerelyYoursPaper

Bought this 20x20 inch personalized puppy from Etsy.  It just happens to be made by a lovely lady named Amy here locally.  What a surprise!  It's dry erase and just the right size - but doesn't fit on our fridge.  Made the mistake of assuming it would fit on ours as I didn't measure before I purchased.  Naughty Beth.  I also have nowhere to put it right now on the walls because I assumed it would go on the fridge.  I'll let you know what we come up with over the weekend.  It might be going on the pantry door after I frame it and make it pretty.  These come in different colors and patterns - I just ordered the same one as the pic b/c the green matches our kitchen walls perfectly.

Today I WILL finish my last curtain panel for the kitchen/den area.  I just have to blind hem stitch the top and bottom and add the grommets and hang and voila!  Finally that project will be completed.  I promise - pics on Monday.  Actually, I might post over the weekend in an attempt to catch up.

Did I ever mention I'm painting our master bath?  I am.  Got the separate toilet room painted last Sunday and have taken a painting break since then.  There's a lot of taping off to do and it's hard to paint during Evelyn's waking hours.  Joe has been working late too so it's best if I just hold off until he's home over the weekend to tackle the rest of the bathroom.  That post coming next week too - I'll need help with my decision for window treatments over my bathtub.  You readers are always such a big help!

The fabric for Evelyn's window treatments for her big girl bedroom also came in - in up to my ears in window treatments this week.  She and I are going to discuss options today.....should be interesting.  She'll most likely be discussing elephants with me the entire time I'm trying to lead her in this serious conversation. 

I've been distracted from work on the house by blankets for Rita's baby - again, an ongoing project because I then got distracted from that by this on Etsy:

 Courtesy of byrdlegs on Etsy

 

 

Yep, Etsy can eat it - BOOM!  This lil momma made it for half the price they sell it for.  I was actually going to buy it - but I wrote and asked if she preshrunk the fabric before having it monogrammed and she never wrote me back (it's been 2 weeks).  So I found and bought the fabric, preshrunk it, had it monogrammed, and just made it myself. 

 

Perfect for Hogs games. Evelyn thinks it's for her - since we have the same initials.  I had to take it from her room and sneak into the guest bathroom just to do this pic.  Here she is with it on.  She looks pretty cute, so I might have to do another for her.

 

 

 

Well after that I became scarf obsessed, so I went to Hancock's and bought this fabric

 

 

I love the ivory lace and fuschia stripe.  So this time round I made an extra long infinity scarf so I could "tie" it different ways - here's how it turned out.

 

This is it wrapped around 3 times...

 

I call this the high and tight....

 

 and here it is just lose and casual

 

I'm ordering more fabric today - I definitely need a mustard one for my winter wardrobe!

 

 

Last but certainly not least - Rylie loved her new shirt and headband (discussed here) and here is a pic of her wearing them!  She's such a cutie! 

 

 

Next post is about my new obsession (other than scarves) - monogrammed anything!  Be sure to come back and check it out for some great Christmas gift ideas.