Idle Hands Are What?

This was originally published to my Baileys Basics blog, which explains the New Year's reference. Mama reminded me that I hadn't posted any pictures of these on here, and should. Enjoy! I'm planning on sending sets of these down to On The Turtle's Back (Go there! Shop!), as well as my online store and will be making them from Eco-Felt. It's made from recycled plastic bottles. I was shooting for 100% wool felt, but it would cheaper for me just to buy sheep. Anyway, here's what I do while the TV's on....

Happy New Year!! Here's a little look at some things that may be coming soon to my shop.

You may know that I have an in-home daycare. In searching for good, quality toys for my little friends to play with, I discovered the absolute fun of making felt play food. I made a set for a little girl my mama knows, and am working on a set for my kiddos here at daycare. Hopefully I'll be adding these sets to my online store and to the brick and mortar shop here in town that sells Baileys Basics items. These pictures are of food made from acrylic and Eco felt. I'm currently looking at sources for 100% wool felt, so there may be some color differences in the food that eventually hits the shop. Meanwhile, here are some of my favorite things these days....

Full breakfast of two pancakes with syrup and butter, 2 rashers of bacon, and two eggs

Cheeseburger on sesame seed bun with lettuce, tomato, and pickle, with ketchup and mustard

2 sugar cookies and 2 fudge cookies, each with icing and sprinkles

2 toaster pastries, strawberry and fudge with icing and sprinkles

Ripe, red strawberries

Possible New Obsession

Last night I finished a gift for Little P, the new baby joining the herd around here. He's still getting accustomed to the world and will be here in Spring, but I wanted to send something home via Brother Mail for him. I've been coveting the adorable burp cloths that are all over Etsy and on every crafty-blog I've ever read, but refuse to buy something I can make. So I took all the things I loved about them, adjusted the dimensions that I didn't like, and made my own pattern. Granted, it's pretty much the same as everyone else's, but I'm in love with them. I love flannel and sewing with it. Makes me want to nap. So here's a look at the new burp cloths I made...

They're 100% cotton flannel, print on one side and coordinating solid on the other. They're pre-shrunk and approximately 16x8 and shaped to fit on your shoulder. I won't be adding them to the shop because of complete and total market saturation, but I'd love love love to make a set for you or any new baby you know. Give me an excuse to play with flannel!

Christmas Craftiness

Here are a few of the things that I made that we gave as gifts for Christmas 2009. I love making a good deal of our gifts. It just makes things more personal and hopefully lets people know how much they mean to us. There are a few more gifts that I haven't finished yet (we have an extended Christmas since we have family and friends spread out over a pretty big distance). I'll hopefully have a chance to post them after I'm done and after we've given gifts. These have all been sent out into the world already, so here you go....

These light bulb Christmas ornaments were for my piano students. I made these and another style that had an angel on them.

These sock animals were for my daycare kiddos. I loved making them, and hope they enjoy playing with them!

These napkins were for Little Bro and Sweet Lizzy. I love making napkins, and really, really love working with cool Amy Butler fabric!! There are more pictures of these so that The Bum can revel in their Amy Butler-ness from afar

Gasp.....Yawn....

It has been a nutty, nutty few days. You may have heard that YaYa Princess and I were going to make pajama pants this weekend. You heard wrong. What we actually made was more akin to tents....our pattern was all jacked up and we finally had to just start cutting fabric and making it up as we went along. After four fabrics, tons of elastic, and a useless pattern, we ended up with one pair of pajama pants. And a ton of laughs, so that's something.

This week I have five kids in care officially. Granted, that's technically only four spots, but with picking up extra kids here and there for fill-in and back-up care that puts me back at full time work. Thank goodness!! What that does mean is that I'm run ragged and exhausted. Hence the gasp and yawn.....

Tonight is Brian's sleep study to find out if he has apena. Something is up, we just don't know what it is. Please keep him in your prayers - we need some wisdom.

Off to eat a little lunch. Ya'll have a great day!

Got me a hobby!

Originally posted to Livejournal on March 11, 2007.

I learned to crochet today!! Or, as Candy called it, Crotch it. She taught me a chain stitch and then to go back the other way, whatever that is called. It's simple and I haven't learned a darn thing else, but I am having a ball. Of course, you may be the crazy cat lady if your first project is a blanket to keep the cats from depositing hair over the couch. And if you consequently choose yarn that matches your kitties..... Hm. And if you then have to find a storage method that doesn't allow kitties to eat said yarn. Wasn't getting married supposed to keep me from becoming the crazy cat lady? Didn't work.
Met a new cousin today. He is absolutely perfectly gorgeous and has only fueled the baby flames. I think I'm gonna have to get me one of those....It helped that he is well-behaved (3 weeks old -- what was he gonna do??) and is already a trained snuggler. He lovey-ed up on me (it's the boobs. Baby's love ta-tas) and slept for like two hours. Gotta love you 9 pounds of snuggliness. My cousin and his wife are already great parents -- you can tell because they are terminally annoyed by their niece and nephew, who are awful. We're all annoyed by them, but their parents don't seem to see the need to discipline. Love it. Meanwhile, Porter is absolutely adorable, and needs a warning sticker: CAUTION. Adorable, well-behaved, perfect baby ahead. Desire for one of your own may ensue. Proceed with caution.