Baby Blanket Knock-Off "How To"

Only a few more weeks until we find out what we're having. In the mean time I've been checking out all the cool new baby stuff that has come out since I had Amelia. (You'd be surprised at what they've come up with in just the last 2 years!) One of my favorite things that I've found, and seen many people use are Muslin blankets.

There are many different brands but Aden+Anais are my favorite because of the variety of color and prints. However, this is my last baby and I can't justify spending $50 on a pack of 3 blankets! So, I did what I'm best at: being a copy cat!

Here is what you'll need:

*1 yard of fabric per blanket (I found mine for $5.99/yard at my local fabric store, and used a 50% off coupon)

*Matching Thread

*Scissors

*Your favorite fabric paint and something to apply it with (Here I used the sponges off my daughter's sponge hair rollers!)

*Sewing Machine

Step #1- Lay out your fabric and paint on your pattern/design. Allow to dry according to package directions.

Step #2- Wash and Dry

Step #3- Finish the edges. I simply roll the sides over twice and sew in a straight line. That way the edge is minimal.

Done!

It's as easy as waiting for paint to dry and you have fantastic baby swaddling blankets for a fraction of the cost of name brand blankets! (Other than the fabric, I had all the supplies already...So this cost $2.50 per blanket!)

When we find out what we're having I'm going to let the kids paint blankets for the new baby. I think it'll be a great way to get them involved with planning for baby!

Patterned Tights How-To

I've recently found myself (Since Lia was born really) salivating over adorable patterned tights. I think they are so cute, but I can't bring myself to spend $12.50 on a pair of polka dot tights that Lia will grow out of in a matter of months. I was painting a onesie the other day and had a light bulb moment....

PATTERN TIGHT HOW-TO

Start with a pair of tights and 4 pieces of freezer paper cut just wider and longer than each leg of the tights.

Step #1- Cut pattern out of the freezer paper. You are basically creating a stencil to paint.

(I just used scissors to cut circles for polka dot tights but you could use a cricut or x-acto knife to do really intricate designs.)

Step #2- Iron 2 pieces of freezer paper onto one side of the tight with a warm iron.

(Seriously, a barely warm iron so you don't melt your tights.)

Step #3- Paint in your design with your favorite color and brand of fabric paint.

Step #4- Gently peel off freezer paper and let the paint dry according to package directions.

Step #5- When dry, turn tights over and repeat steps 2-4 with the other set of freezer paper stencils.

Result: Awesome patterned tights that cost almost nothing...seriously, I made these with supplies I already had...but even if you buy everything it will be less than those expensive store bought tights and you will have supplies to make many more!

Day 23: T-shirt Re-do

My photo's for today (as part of my challenge to photograph everyday) are of a project inspired by THIS and THIS.

Remember me complaining about my ruined clothes that have blue spots from the washing machine? (You can read the post here.) Well, I saw these 2 shirts (above) in the D.I. bag the other day and had an idea. It turned out great and didn't take very long at all!

1. Cut out a section of shirt.

2. Fold it in 4's and cut out squiggly shapes. I had 2 area's of blue spots that I was trying to cover on my shirt. I used 1 large (about 3 inches) piece and 2 small (1.5 inch piece) pieces on the top and 3 large and 2 small pieces along the bottom...You'll see what I'm talking about in a minute.

3. Pinch the bottom of the piece you cut out and open the top into a flower.

4. Arrange on the shirt and hand stitch onto wherever you want it.

5. Turn inside out and iron on a scrap of interfacing. This step is optional, but I did it to make sure my stitching doesn't come undone...Especially on the bottom because I'm always pulling my shirts down.6. Add a little bling! Again, this step is optional, but it makes it a little more fun, and covers any stitches that might be showing. I have a hot fix tool for rhinestones, but you could also use iron on rhinestones.

Done!

Didn't cost anything, and saved some shirts from the thrift store bag!

Day 8

It's not quite July, but I saw THIS PROJECT, loved it, and made my own with materials I had around my house. Free and easy projects are my fav! (I just printed "celebrate" on the paper I used instead of using vinyl lettering. I decided to not put "Happy 4th of July" because in Utah, we also celebrate Pioneer Day on the 24th of July.)

It only took me about an hour and that included the time it took to open the box and assemble the circular saw Brian got for Christmas a few years ago!

I love the pop of color on my bookshelf next to my favorite books!
*Photographers note*-- Arranging still life is sometimes more difficult than getting a kid to look at you and smile!

Day 3: Cousins

We spent the day with these cute kids and Granny B!

Tonight we went to see Toy Story 3! It was awesome...A little more intense than the other movies and I admit I teared up a bit at the end. We have a friend at Digicert who invited us to their event so we got to see it for Free! Coleson has been seeing all the Toy Story toys, clothing, towels, etc. in the stores and really wanted a Buzz shirt. I made him this one with a shirt he already had, and fabric paint I already had. It took some time to cut out the freezer paper stencil, but it was worth it. Coleson loves his Buzz shirt!

If you want to make a shirt check out instructions on how to use freezer paper HERE. You basically just trace your image onto freezer paper, cut out the black part leaving all the white, iron it onto a shirt, and apply paint. It's really easy. You can print and use my Buzz stencil HERE I darkened the basic outline, but left the original picture in the background so you can add as much or as little detail as you want.

AAaarggghh!

I have been doing laundry for as long as I can remember (which is probably why I hate doing it so much) and I used to feel like I knew what I was doing. I separate my lights, darks, reds and whites. I wash everything in cold water except my whites (which I do with hot water) and I only put in all white things. My whites are fine. I use Tide Detergent because I like the way it smells and it's never hurt my clothes before. However, for the past few weeks EVERY SINGLE LOAD of colors comes out like this:

...A couple of things ruined and no culprit!

It's driving me crazy and making me so mad! What am I doing wrong? Do I have to start sorting by color...a load of pink, load of yellow, load of green, load of blue? Seriously, I need some help before I break my washing machine out of anger or no longer have any spot-free clothes to wear!

****EDITORS NOTE**** 06/15/10

Brian researched this problem up the wazoo and here is what we found:

1- Run a cycle in your machine with nothing but HOT water and 2 cups white vinegar to clean out the machine.

2-When something comes out with spots try these things: A- soak in 1 quart water and 2 cups vinegar mixture then re-wash. If it comes out, it's your detergent not fully washing out. Use less soap from now on. B- (especially if spots look oily) rub with bar soap and re-wash. If it comes out, it's your fabric softener that isn't washing out completely.

3- If none of these things work, like me, you probably have a sneaky sock or something bleeding on your clothes. Separate your colors more carefully and do smaller loads of like colors!

I'm really aggravated that my problem seems to be something bleeding, especially when washed in cold water, but at least I know now and can be more careful!

Finished Headboard

Finally got our headboard put up today. I'm not going to lie, Brian did most of the work. Thanks hun! Also, thanks to my friend Ashley for giving us a set of cleat hangers to mount it on the wall with!

Put one set of hangers on the back of the headboard...

Drill the other set into the wall, being very careful to make sure they are all level...

and Ta-da!

I love, love, love, it!

HEADBOARD!

I finally did it! I made an upholstered headboard for my room. I've been wanting to do it for so long, but was really intimidated. It was pretty easy and quick, and I love the way it turned out!

The guy at Lowe's cut the board to the size I needed.

Fabric, batting, and foam get lined up under the mdf board.

Then I went at it with the staple gun!

The hardest part for me was getting to corners to look the way I wanted.

I nailed in some nail head trim. I only hit my thumb twice!

Ta-Da! I'll post a picture of the finished product when we get it hung on the wall in our room!

Fabric: about $20 using 50% off coupon at JoAnn's ( I bought it so long ago I don't remember how much exactly)

Batting: $4.80 on sale for 50% off + 10% off coupon at JoAnn's

Foam: $27 at Hobby Lobby (I waited and waited for a coupon and of course they didn't put one out until the week after I finally caved and bought it without a coupon!)

MDF: $5.60 using 10% off coupon and a few dollars left on a gift card at Lowe's

Nail head Trim: $9.60 using 40% off coupon at JoAnn's

Total: Around $70

That's pretty awesome, considering the headboards like this that inspired me to do this project retail for around $1000! Plus, I have leftover mdf, batting, and nail head trim if anyone wants to give this project a try!

*Special thanks to everyone who has made purchases from my blog which financed this project!*