a true housewife.. at least today!

i really have no idea what came over me today, but i felt like making homemade bread. the last loaf i made i could have used as a door stop. so, i've been avoiding it for quite a while. i decided to give it another shot this afternoon. i used a different recipe and my brand new bosch...and the bread tuned out great. actually, better than great! i made two rounds and two loaves. both are beautifully golden!!

let me know if you want the recipe. it was super easy. and if your not a lover of your bosch yet, you will be!

as if that wasn't enough homemaking for one day...i did more. while i was making bread i realized all my aprons are old and frumpy. i decided i needed a new, trendy, desperate-housewife-like apron. so i rumaged through my material and came up with this. it turned out so cute! i feel so sassy in the kitchen now. sorry, there's no tutorial for it...i made it up as i went, and since i didn't now if it would turn out or not i didn't take pictures. but the final product was too cute to not show you all.

i'm thinking of adding a cute pocket on the front in the red dot material...what do you think??

TuTu for You You

my cute little neice turned 3 last week! i honestly can't believe it! she LOVES to dress up as princesses and ballerinas so i got a little creative for her birthday this year and made her a tutu! it was SO easy and turned out SO cute!

i started with sparkle tulle, i bought it at hobby lobby for $5.00 and a 1" elastic for $2.00! and that was all i needed!!! Start by measureing a small waist. i secretly used her's while she was over here playing. cut the elastic and pin it where you will later sew.

then, cut the fabric in stripes. this part is totally up to you. the shorter the fabric the more poofy the tutu, the longer the fabric....well, the longer the tutu! (but remember you'll be folding them in half, so whatever length you want, double it.) my length was around 20'' total, i think!

fold the piece in half, hold the folded part on the bottom edge of the elastic. loop the rest of the strip behind the elastic and through the fold!! see...NO SEWING! you're just tying knots.

i used two different colors and alternated every other one.
whe you're getting close to the end, sew the ends of the elastic together.
the easiest way to do this, sew a square with an "x" through it. it will ensure that your elastic never comes undone. (as you can see the blue thread from my burp rags was still in the sewing machine....oh well!)
trim off the loose strings and finish knotting the rest of your fabric around the elastic. if you pull the knots too tight, the elastic will fold. and you don't want that! but pull them through tight enough to stay! (if that makes any sense!) you can sew along the inside knots, threw the elastic if you're having a hard time with the elastic staying unfolded. i didn't though!

and lastly, see how it works. as you know, i only have a BoY! so he was the tester of my latest product. at first he was a little reluctant....
.....but then he really liked it! he ran all over the house pulling out some of his sweetest dance moves to date!!

all in all, it's a fun, easy craft even the kids could make! it only took about a half hour and a small amount of patience!

the tutu was a HIT at the party! and she loved her new dress up attire!!

20 minute baby gift! (no joke!)

this is the easiest baby gift you'll ever give! when baby was born someone gave me the cutest burp clothes and although my sewing is as amature as it comes, i have attempted to copy her. {her cute shop will open back up in march!}

i'll share the way I do it!

step 1: pick out some fabric that is both gender specific for the new baby and matches the style of the new mom! iron out all the wrinkles.

step 2: cut the fabric. i usually eyeball measure but this time i really measured and cute 6in x 21in. basically you want long strips about 5-6 inches wide!

step 3: iron each strip again while folding the edges in about 1/4 of an inch. (it's easier if the fabric is layed cute side down, obviously.) when the sides are folded and pressed turn over and lay on the diaper. (gerber prefold cloth diapers. 12 for around$10.00 at walmart!) pin down the thick center of the diaper.
step 4: sew a straight stitch all around the fabric! you can add ribbon, ric rac, or leave plain. just make sure everything is washable.
step 5: fold diapers, stack, and tie with coordinating ribbon!

these diapers make the best burp clothes because they are so absorbant. but now they can be cute too!! get creative. i made some for my baby with funky, fuzzy fabrics and he would fall asleep on my shoulder after burping they were so comfy! and i think new burp clothes make the perfect gift for someone who already has children. every baby should have new burp rags not hand-me-downs, don't ya think? happy sewing!!

PILLOWS, a first!

when him asked me what i wanted for christmas i said "pillows for the couch!" but when him said 'something that's for the house doesn't count' i said, "a tricycle for baby" when him said 'something for the baby doesn't count either. i said "ooo ooo i know, chapstick!"

don't get me wrong, i'm REALLY excited about my new chapstick under the tree....but i still wanted pillows. so looking at some of my fabric; i decided, what the heck i'll make some.

when i didn't want to buy the inserts (i know, and you should know by now, i'm cheap!!) i decided to cover old pillows. so i took their covers off and layed them on the fabric of choice to eye-ball the size!*

then i squared the fabric up so the good sides were facing each other and pinned all the way around. don't mind the blue carpet.**

once it was all pinned, it was time to sew. i did an easy zig-zag stitch but left a big whole at the top so i would be able to stuff in the pillow! after the pillow was in, (it's a little tight!) i did a hoop stitch (that's just what i call it, i'm sure it has a real name fancy sewers use!) to close it up with just a needle and thread!

and TA-DA! they're not the ones i wanted. but of course those were $40.00 EACH. and i know, that's not gonna happen any day soon, so untill then*** these will do!

*eye-ball the size: i have no idea what to cut it at so i guesstimate! (yep, it's a word in my vocab.)

** so i'm doing a home remodel (don't worry, many pictures to come!) and when we ripped out their carpet, i decided i'd take the old mat and carpet for my unfinished basement so my feet don't freeze while i craft down there and watch sappy romance movies like 'the notebook'!

***then=we're millionaires!

who doesn't LOVE the DI?

so i ventured out to the DI the other day. {love that store!} i found some spunky fabric. it had the original tag on it, and would have been $14.99/yd. fortunately for me i paid $3.00 for the first yard and $0.00 for the yards to follow...that's right, all three yards for $3.00! i couldn't pass it up even though i had no idea what i would do with it!

well, i got an idea to lighten up our home office. before today, the curtains were dark brown, and the black desk, book case, and shelf were weighing this room down.

so, after sewing a few straight lines......

i had new curtains and a better and brighter office!