Fabric Pumpkins

I decided to participate in U-Create's September Create with Me Challenge: Fabric Pumpkins. Here's more info on Create with Me and past challenges.

I participated this time because they seemed easy enough, and I needed some more fall decor. The tutorial for the pumpkins was from Holly Brimhall.


The first step wasn't too hard to understand. The second step I had to reread several times and try it out myself before I understood it. You lay your stem upside down on the right side of the fabric with some excess of the stem hanging off the fabric. Then place your other piece of fabric on top of that with the right side in.

Then when you sew them together, sew probably 1/2 in. in from the side to make sure you didn't miss any parts. My first pumpkin had some holes in it because I tried to sew so close to the edge. Also sew in a circular/pumpkin shape and then trim off the edges before turning inside out. I didn't do this so well with my first pumpkin (the yellow one) that its shape turned out interesting.

Oh and after I put my stuffing in, I added a plastic sandwich bag of beans to weight down. In her tutorial, I think she makes a pretty fabric square filled with rice to weight, but I'm lazy - who is going to see the beans anyway =D


Here are my finished creations. I added some flower wire and wrapped the ends around my finger. I need to look for some big fat ribbon to make it better and then find a good spot to put these guys.
I really like them even though they're not perfect. I just went through all my fabric and coordinated colors and patterns as best as I could. The polka dot and the yellow fabrics are actually napkin/towel place mats.

I have 4 other pumpkins cut out, ready to go, but I ran out of stuffing. Next time I will make my stems shorter too.

9-29-10
I found some ribbon at Wal-mart and bought some more stuffing to make a couple more. The ribbon totally makes them look a hundred times better!

 I now have 5 pumpkins instead of the 4 and put them on our mantle. I think I'll finish making the other 2-3 that I have ready to sew and place them in my kitchen.

Here's the link to see others who participated in the challenge: http://www.u-createcrafts.com/2010/09/september-pumpkin-gallery-create-with.html

Loved seeing how others did them to make them their own and what fabrics they used.

16th Mommy Mondays

Potty Training - who has tips for me or great resources to share?

We've introduced our son to potty training. He picked out a potty seat (there's not enough room to store a potty chair in our bathroom) and a bunch of underwear. He likes to sit on the potty and wear his underwear.

We put on hold a bunch of potty videos and books for him.
His favorite video so far is Potty Power (he calls it Power) and he loves the book Chugga Chugga Poo Poo: The Potty Train.

 

 Unfortunately though he will not pee in the potty. One day, his diaper was totally dry so we sat him on the potty for as long we could. Then gave him a bath. Of course he starts to pee in the tub, the second we try to put him back on the potty, he stops peeing. He has total control it seems of his urine, but he refuses to go in the potty. He doesn't mind sitting on the potty and has even sat there for about 7 minutes. We let him read a potty book or sing songs while he sits there.

I'm afraid to truly start the training process until he actually pees once in the potty. I think if he would do it once, he would get excited especially with all the praise from us, he'd do it again.

I'm waiting for Potty Wise book in the mail. I read some of it from the library once I finally got my hands on it and then decided to read the rest of it once I owned the book.

Fashionable Fridays #20

My son's fashion - Rockin' Out

2T top from a baby Thrift Store - Once upon a Child
2T Jeans from The Children's Place
Black shoes from Payless

Paci-Catchers Giveaway Winner

 The winner of the Paci-Catchers Giveaway! Sorry yesterday was a very busy day.

Out of 60 entries, the winner was #7!

Congrats to Sarah from enjoy every moment! I have forwarded your e-mail to the sponsor.

15th Mommy Mondays

Don't forget the Paci-Catchers Giveaway! They can be used as a pacifier clip, toy tether, bib clips or nursing cover clips! LOW ENTRIES STILL!
ENDS TONIGHT AT 11:59 MST!
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I've been meaning to share with you this newspaper clipping photo that I found, I believe, on someone else's blog.

Do you ever feel like this with your single friends or friends with no kids? I know when I first got married, I felt like my single friends didn't want to hang out with me anymore as much as I tried to keep in contact with them. Then I'd worry that we'd never be friends again because by the time they got married, I'd probably have kids and that would differentiate us still. For the most part I have found that to be true too. It's hard to stay friends with someone or keep in contact with them when they don't try anymore.

Now that I have my son, it's even harder for me to keep trying to do stuff/keep contact with friends without kids especially now that my personal time is so very limited and getting babysitters are difficult. Now I'm sure not all people are like this, some people/couples don't mind spending time with their friends who have kids.

I love this article too because it shares what stay at home moms/dads do - some people think we don't do anything, that it's the easy life. It's not the easy life, but it's definitely rewarding. I know that those who have to work also have it difficult too, but those parents who work shouldn't look down on those who stay at home or think that they have more time than you do. We just use our time differently.

Fashionable Fridays #19 - Tricia's Take's 5 Must Haves

Don't forget the Paci-Catchers Giveaway! They can be used as a pacifier clip, toy tether, bib clips or nursing cover clips! LOW ENTRIES STILL!
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Five must haves for every closet!!

This is Tricia from Tricia's Take guest posting again!! What five items should you spend your money on? Here is a list of items I think every closet should have!

#1 The pencil skirt

A pencil skirt is timeless and always fashionable! The one I am wearing was purchased in 2001 and I still wear it all the time. They are universally flattering and can be worn with just about everything!



#2 A great pair of jeans

Finding the right jeans is always a challenge, but finding jeans you feel great in is worth it. I am wearing Citizens of Humanity in this picture and LOVE these jeans!!



#3 A statement piece

I picked this dress up a few months ago and wear it all the time! I love the quirky print and how different it is from all my other dresses! Statement pieces say a lot about you, so find something you love and get it!!



#4 A little black dress

I know 'the little black dress' has been around forever, but that should tell you something! Black dresses are timeless and can be dressed up or down. I love this one and always feel feminine and beautiful in it!



#5 Dress pants

I know these are not the 'traditional' dress pants since they are capris, but I wear them ALL THE TIME! I love having a comfortable pair of pants (or capris as the case may be) that I can throw on and voila' I am dressed up!


Thanks Maryanne for letting me guest post again!! I will be back next month with 'fall fashion' because it's my favorite time of year and fashion is a big part of that! In the mean time you can always find me at my blog http://tricias-take.blogspot.com/! See you soon!

Tricia

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Thanks so much Tricia for these fabulous tips!
Well I at least have the pencil skirt down =D I probably have the dress pants too but haven't tried them on since I had James almost 2 years ago so not quite sure they fit. Still looking for the perfect black dress and my statement piece, but I'm pretty sure I found a pair of jeans that I love again, Diva Boot Cut jeans from Old Navy. One of these days I can go shopping.

My Mr. Potato Head

Don't forget to enter the Paci-Catchers Giveaway! Super Low Entries still!
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Finally posting this for you guys! Sorry it took so long. Next I want to participate in U-Create's Create with Me September Project and then make a car mat (where my son can drive his cars around).

August 19, 2010
I finished! Left it more like a puppet for now since I think it adds a little more fun to it. Since Make it and Love it was told to remove her tutorial on this by Hasbro, I'm not going to explain how I made mine either. Sorry! But looking at pictures really helps a lot. Hopefully my pictures won't get me into trouble =D

James thinks it's cool already. It's helping him learn where body parts should be not just the names of them.

Here are pictures of the front where I put the velcro. The top I can either put eyebrows or a hat on. The mouth area is close together so the mouth doesn't have to have the mustache on.
Then there's the pocket in the back to hold the pieces.

Next time I'd probably sew the velcro on the body and the facial features because it's a little hard to take the pieces on and off. Now I'll have to hand sew the velcro on for extra security on it.

14th Mommy Mondays - Paci-Catchers Review and Giveaway

Just wanted to let you know I REMEMBER. Would you like to win a 9-11 Remember T-shirt or purchase some for yourself or family? Next year will be its 10 year anniversary. To win one, come enter my Scrappy Gifts Saturday's Challenge about Rememberance, ends Tuesday night: http://theblogfrog.com/935825/forum/52638/september-2010-online-crop---saturday-challenge.html
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I was excited to review Paci-Catchers! These are awesome and multifunctional! They can be used as a Pacifier Clip, Toy Tether, Bib Clip, and/or Nursing Cover Strap.





Since my son is 21 mo. old and is no longer uses a pacifier, I used the Paci-Catchers to review them for a Bib Clip. I was given 2 Paci-Catchers and I chose any star ones she had available.

They came in professional packaging plus cute star designs.
Clips are metal with no sharp edges and lined with PVC grippers, therefore are gentle to clothing and child. Made with quality grosgrain ribbon and easy to use snaps.

This past week, I ran out of clean bibs, behind on my laundry so I tried out the Paci-Catchers on a towel to make a bib. Worked fabulous! I'll be keeping these babies handy in my diaper bag especially for when we decide to go out to eat at the spur of the moment and I forget to have a bib. These would be great to hook on to some napkins to keep my son's clothes clean while he eats. Trust me I've tried tucking in the napkin in his shirt, and he hates it. So Paci-Catchers are the perfect solution!

My messy eater wearing the Paci-Catchers as Bib Clips. See how short you can make them for tiny little necks.

The Paci-Catchers come in at 8.5 inches long, but can be shortened easily with the 2nd snap. I shortened my son's bib so that his food wouldn't go down him. I could shorten it further by putting the bib clips farther down the towel which would be useful for younger babies.

Or if you're nursing, combining 2 at the 8.5 inches size is perfect for an adult to use on a blanket for a nursing cover. Here they are attached to one of my son's baby blankets. Although I'm not nursing at this time, I'm excited to have these on hand in case I ever forget my nursing cover (which I have done before) when nursing my future kids. Most of the time you have a blanket for your baby or I bet a coat would even work =D

Paci-Catchers was awesome enough to let one of my friends review some Paci-Catchers as well for her newborn baby.

Review, Alicia Small:
Our baby would drop her pacifier at the most inconvenient times (Dr.'s office, stores, hiking). So we looked into ways to attach her pacifier. We even tried making our own attachment with ribbon and a safety pin. This had all kinds of worries and problems! Our friend then recommended the Paci-Catcher. The Paci-Catcher definitely simplified things. I like that the clasp is small and stays put to whatever you attach it to. Plus, you only need to use one hand to attach it! The snap made it easy to change pacifiers or to just remove the catcher for nap time. There are also so many fun designs and colors to choose from! I am thankful for the recommendation I received, and I would definitely recommend the PaciCatcher to others!

Other Fabulous Things About Her Site

1. ALWAYS FREE SHIPPING!
2. She also sells those beloved GumDrop Pacifiers that are seen at the hospital.
3. She sells Pacifier Adapters so your Paci-Catcher can work with any type of pacifier!

Would you like your own Paci-Catchers! She's giving away two to one winner! Here's how to enter!


MANDATORY ENTRY: Head on over to Chrystal Blu's Paci-Catchers to check out her Paci-Catchers. Let me know which design is your favorite.

Now You've Done That But Still Want More Entries? (LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY)

1. Follow Crafty Mommy Diva through Google Friend Connect.

2. Grab Crafty Mommy Diva's button and add it to your blog (right sidebar). 2 entries

3. Blog about this giveaway and include a links to Crafty Mommy Diva and Chrystal Blu's Paci-Catchers. Leave link. 3 entries

4. Leave a real comment (up to 3x) on any past Crafty Mommy Diva posts. Then comment back here on which one you commented on. up to 3 entries

5. Like Paci-Catchers on Facebook. 2 entries (10 people will be randomly chosen to receive free Paci-Catchers as soon as she reaches 100 fans!)

6. Leave a comment on Paci-Catchers' Facebook Page.

7. Purchase a Paci-Catcher from Chrystal Blu. Remember she's having an awesome sale right now! 5 entries

8. Grab Paci-Catchers' Button RIGHT HERE. 2 entries



<center><a href="http://www.chrystalblu.com/"><img border="0" alt="Chrystal Blu" src="http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj26/ScrappyDiva2129/Brittany%20Rae%20Boutique/CBButton1-1.jpg" /></a></center>

ENDS Monday, September 20th at 11:59 MST!

13th Mommy Mondays - Guest Post

Today I have a guest, Misty, Chief Editor of Baby Sign Language. She's here to share four steps for beginners in baby sign language. Thanks so much Misty!


Please leave a comment, if you'd like to read more guest posts from her about baby sign language!
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Four Steps for Baby Sign Language Beginners
1.Choose which words you want your baby to be able to “say” using Baby Sign Language . Most moms start with “milk,” “eat,” and “more,” but other mothers choose to include: juice, hurt, bed, help, diaper, please, and/or thank you. It doesn’t really matter so much which signs you choose, but it will be easier for you, if not for your baby, if you start with just a few! Keep in mind that signs that represent nouns, such as “milk,” “banana,” and “blanket” will be far easier to teach than signs that represent abstract ideas such as “please,” “more,” and “sorry.”

2.Once you have chosen the signs you plan to start with, it is time for you to learn them! The signs employed by baby sign language are the same that are used in American Sign Language. You can find pictures and videos of these signs on several websites. At Baby Sign Language , you can print out pictures of these signs, which are called flashcards. Then hang these flashcards in your house in spots where you can readily reference them. Don’t worry, it won’t take long before you know the signs cold and you can take the flashcards down and file them in the baby scrapbook.

3.Redundancy, redundancy, redundancy, redundancy … now that you (sort of) know the signs, it is time to introduce them to your baby. How do you do this? You guessed it! Redundancy! Every single time that you say the word to your baby, you make the sign. When you ask, “Would you like some milk?” make the sign for milk. When you hand him the milk, or when he muckles onto your breast, you say, “Here comes the milk!” and make the sign. Do this with each word you are trying to teach, every time you can use the word! And be careful you don’t take the sign out of context. If you make the sign for milk, and you don’t produce the milk, that could confuse your baby! And if you ask him to sign for milk in front of your mother-in-law, and he gets no milk, well, he just might remember that!

4.Have fun! This is not supposed to be stressful. This is not supposed to be complicated. Don’t drive yourself (or your baby) crazy with goal setting and success charts. More than anything, this is a way for you to bond with your baby, so make it feel like bonding! Play games with your signs. Babies can learn the sign for “banana” fairly quickly when you play hide and seek with a banana! Read your baby stories that feature the words you are trying to teach. If you can’t find a book that meets your needs, substitute a few of your own words into the story – baby will never know! Relax, laugh a little, and sign a lot.

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REMEMBER please leave a comment, if you'd like to read more guest posts from her about baby sign language!
Check out the site too, lots of useful tools to start teaching your baby sign language. Or follow Baby Sign Language on Facebook.