Saturday, March 27, 2010

Babywearing



I've been telling everyone that I would get some babywearing pictures and instructions up. These are really old pictures but it's all I have for now. I want to make a very detailed post with a few different types of carriers, but it's not easy to take that many pictures of yourself by yourself. So for now these few will do, and will hopefully be enough to get some people started.


Here I'm using a wrap that I made. It's 4 1/2 yards long. Most wraps are 4-6 yards, depending on your size, and 20-25" wide. 4 is good for me, but I make mine 4 1/2 to 5 so Tim and I can both use them. These pictures were taken 3 years ago with my nephew Marc Anthony, who was 5 days old at the time. Some people have told me that they are intimidated with the wrap, because of the amount of fabric and its complicated look. Once you practice just a little it is really easy! I promise. I love my wrap, and it goes everywhere I go. All my boys got very big very fast, and the wrap gives the most support, in my opinion, out of all carriers. It's spreads their weight evenly over your whole body, giving you the most comfort and enabling you to wear them for long periods of time without getting tired. I can wear my babies from 5lbs to 40lbs comfortably using a wrap. It is not possible for me to carry them for long without it. This wrap is called a front wrap cross. I use this one most of the time when wearing them in the front. If you were only going to learn one carry, I would say this one has been my most used as far as front carries.
To start, find the middle of your wrap and put it around your waist to make a pocket for the baby.


Cross in back and bring it up over your shoulders. Keep in mind that the more the fabric is spread out the more support you will get, and the more comfortable it will be.



Put baby in burp position and slide them down into the center of the pocket. By pulling on the right side of the wrap that is hanging over your shoulder, tighten the left side of the pocket. Then pull on the left side of the wrap to tighten the right side of the pocket. The fabric should start at the baby's neck and go all the way to the baby's knees. Make sure that the baby is snug, but not too tight. Next, take one side of your wrap and cross it through the baby's legs. Then do the same with the other side to make an "x" for them to sit in and make it impossible for them to fall through. In these pictures I just have it wrapped around my little nephew, not through his legs, because I had a bulkier fabric and he was sooo tiny. But I always go through their legs for safety.



Tie or just tuck the ends under if there's not enough to tie. The weight of the baby sitting in the cross and against you will hold them securely - the tying is just to keep the ends out of your way, so don't worry if there's not much left. 



Here, I've pulled the top of the wrap at my neck down toward my arms just for comfort. If it's too far down on your arms, just flip it up onto your shoulders. It can be adjusted however feels best to you.
Now you're done and ready for anything! A walk, dishes, laundry, playing with your other children, or whatever you need to do that day. I wear my babies ALL the time! That's where they seem to be the most happy, and I don't mind all that snuggling either. 



I'll try to get some more pictures and instructions on here soon, but until then check out wrapyourbaby.com for videos.

It's so hard for me to give so little information about the benefits of babywearing and types of carriers! But I'm just trying to get this out there and will go into much more detail in another post when I have more time. 

Sunday, March 21, 2010

I Ruffled My Kitchen


I have to start by saying that I am 
totally and completely 
in love! 


In love of course with my husband, but also with these new additions to my kitchen. My ideas started with a contest from Ruffles and Stuff, called Ruffle Your Stuff. As soon as I saw the prizes, I told Tim that I had to win. So I started thinking, and thinking, and it finally came to me. For Christmas I made two rugs (one for my sister and brother-in-law and one for my aunt) out of strips of bluejeans that I ruffled as I sewed. They turned out pretty cute! I'll try to get pictures of them to add later. I knew that I'd seen a lot of peoples' crafty blogs, but didn't remember ever seeing a ruffle rug before, so I thought I might have a chance with it. It was so easy, and very fast (both things that I enjoy in a project)! I started with this 2 and 3/4 yard of fabric that I've been saving for something special. It ended up being just barely enough for the three things I made.


This time, instead of ruffling as I sewed, I thought that if I made one long bias strip I could ruffle the whole thing and sew it on in one continuous piece. I had never made bias tape before, and was a little intimidated, to say the least. The thought of cutting all that material at the right angle, and getting all my pieces to line up straight... I wasn't too sure. But to my happy surprise, it was really easy!

I cut my pieces 2" wide.


Sewed.


And trimmed.


Then, setting the number of stitches to the longest on my machine, I sewed one loooong line down the middle of my strip, then holding the bottom thread tight, I just pulled on the fabric to make my ruffle. I had never ruffled this way before, but it made things much easier later!
I did all this...


while my boy's were doing this,


and this,


and this :o)


That was nap time, day one. On my second day, I put it all together. For the bottom of the rug I used a pant leg from a pair of corduroy's that I have saved forever! Anything sturdy would work. It's funny the things I use while sewing. Like a sit-n-spin for example :o) It came in real handy though! Using a crayon that I found on the floor beside me, I traced around it about 2" wider than it was. Just perfect for my rug.


Then, starting on the outside and working my way in, I sewed the ruffle around, and around, and around, until I started feeling dizzy. You can see why from this picture :o)


I had just enough fabric and ruffle left for a curtain. It's nothing really fancy, but I've learned that it's the little details that make a difference! That was nap time day two. And nap time day three I got these pictures.



I love all the vintage buttons!! I think the yellow rose is my favorite. 


I had just a smidgeon of ruffle left that I twisted into a flower, sewed a button in the middle, and glued onto a magnet for the fridge.


And voila, I'm totally in love!


I'm in love!


I'm in love!


And I hope I win :o)
I'll post some more pictures when I get the curtain hung in my kitchen. And by I, I mean when Tim gets the curtain hung in my kitchen. Maybe tomorrow.
Oh, and the best part of it all is that it was free!!! A friend gave me the fabric about a year ago when they were moving and didn't want to take so much stuff with them (Thanks Stephanie!). I love finding the right thing, at the right time, and making something beautiful!


UPDATE
Here are a few pictures of my kitchen. It only took about 3 weeks to get the curtain up :o)
As you can see, I don't have a very big kitchen. Actually,  you're pretty much looking at the whole thing right here. I really enjoy having some color in it now! Yellow wasn't my first choice, but it was free, so I'm trying to make it work for a while anyway.










I'm planning on painting a border soon (in all my free moments) and will post some more pictures then :o)

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Dragon Party Success!


ROAR!!!!!!!!!!!


That was our answer for everything. "Do you like your costume?"  ROAR!  "Do you like your cake?"  ROAR!  "Do you like your presents?"  ROAR!  :o) We sure had one happy dragon!





I did get around to making claws and feet, but just barely. I finished about 3 minutes before we started the party :o)



But it was so worth it!


And another ROARRRRRRRRRR


He waited so patiently with his eyes closed to see his cake for the first time.


And what a happy face!



He couldn't wait to dig in.


My mom did great and got chocolate dragon eggs. Every time Josiah wanted one of Samuel's new toys but couldn't have it he would just go get another egg instead :o) 



Wow, 4 years old. I can't believe that.


I think this picture says it all. He loved everything!



And a BIG surprise from Uncle Matt-Moo and Aunt Becky.


A Scooter !!! 


And he's off.


Josiah's happy with a gameboy and a piece of gum for a special treat.


Caleb's happy taking a nap, and I'm happy I'm all done with this party (or at least the getting-ready part of it).


It really was so much fun. Samuel had a blast and has enjoyed all his new toys!

This is how I found Josiah early the next morning before Samuel woke up.
He likes Samuel's new toys too! 


So the party's over, but not for long. Josiah turns 2 on April 1st in two weeks, so I guess I should get started :o)

Almost Ready




Well, it's the night before the party, and I'm almost done. I've had a really productive day, as you're about to see. I started with this shirt, that came from a friend, because it had some stains on it. You can't really see them in the picture, but there were a few right in front.


I used the rest of the sweatshirt material that I used for the spikes on the jacket, cut out 2 very cute alligator looking shapes, and pinned them over the stains.


I sewed very slowly (which is so hard for me!) around the edge.


first one.



And two.


Then I took a bat shirt that came from the same friend. Thanks again Kerri!



Added some more sweatshirt material in the shape of a guitar.



And sewed some strings on.



And finished!



Next! This dragon mask comes with a bit of a story.
For Christmas, Samuel got a activity book with this mask in it. He loved it so much and has played with it every day since. The boys' favorite thing to play is prince and dragon with daddy. They run around our not-very-big house roaring and breathing fire and using whatever they find that's sword- and shield-like and fighting to save sleeping beauty (which is my favorite thing to play! :o) ). So finally one day we had a casualty. Our dragon no longer had any fire. So late Saturday night I had another amazingly great idea. I took the plastic out of the bottom of one of those reusable shopping bags and traced the mask and cut it out.



I made slits and tabs just like the paper mask has.



And put it together. I also used some heavy duty glue (E6000) on the back of the mask over the tabs to make sure it lasts a long time.



Then one coat of paint.



And two coats with spots. With holes and elastic through the sides I have one more present finished!



Now for the dragon cake. I made 2 sheet cakes and 1 in a bowl and did my best to create something that I hoped would turn into a dragon. I used the top off of a storage box and covered it with foil so it could be a really big dragon.



Here it is with one coat of icing. Then I put it in the fridge so the icing would harden some.



Then two coats.



Looking better...



And better.



I used cookies cut in half for the spikes and gummy worms for the fire toes and little gummy eyeballs



I have to say that I really surprised myself! I had no idea that it would turn out that good, but I'm really glad it did! 
Well, I have a few more things that I would love to make before the party tomorrow, but if I don't get to it I think what I have so far will be more than enough.
I can't believe I got all this done in one day. Or maybe I should say I can't believe I waited till the day before to get all this done. Oh well, all that matters is that it's done :o)