The Little Things

Do you love caring for your fabric?  I do.

Last night I spent some time ironing the fabric that I'll be using on gathered clutches for the teachers at my girls' school.  I can not tell you the joy I felt as the steam hit the fabric, releasing the scent of fresh laundry as it smoothed the wrinkles away.  I then carefully folded the pieces and stacked them, admiring the beauty of the colors and prints.

These two made me particularly happy:

Now tell me those colors and prints don't make you smile inside... I think Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane is one of my favorite collections ever.  So bright and cheery and sunny.

It's the little things people...

Hi.

I'm Rhonda... hello!

I'm a full-time working mom of two gorgeous girls, and wife to the most amazing man ever.  You might have known me as the woman behind Mommy Needs a Time Out, but when I realized that my mom blog had turned into more of a crafty mama blog, I found a new home: home.  made.

I love making beautiful things with my hands; for my girls, myself (occasionally), and my home.  Most of the time, this is with my trusty Singer but don't be surprised if it's something I whip up with my (also trusty) Kitchenaid... as in baking. 

Hey, a girl's gotta have her cake and eat it too, right?

Easy (and Delish) Italian Cream Cake

I love italian cream cake... so naturally I made it for my husband's birthday last week (so I could eat some!)  Since the recipe is so incredibly easy, I thought it fit to share: enjoy!

Italian Cream Cake

Ingredients:

1/3 c buttermilk

1/2 c oil

1 c sour cream

4 eggs

1 box white cake mix

1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix

1 c sweet flake coconut

2/3 c pecans

Combine buttermilk, oil, sour cream, and eggs.  Add cake and pudding mix and beat on low speed to combine for two minutes.  Add coconut and pecans, mix for two minutes.  Spoon into prepared 9x13 pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Once cool, ice cake with cream cheese icing (store-bought or homemade), and sprinkle with more pecans.  YUM!

LBB Round Two!!

Okay - I don't have pics of Lil Sis wearing it... but here are some pics of the LBB halter dress. 

It turned out really cute... dh even thinks so!

Things I did differently this time... I serged the inner seams rather than straight-stitched (for durability).  I think I might try serging on the outer edge next time, but I'm liking this look for now.  I also added three rows of the bottom section to make the dress longer and give it a ruffle-y feel.  Can't wait to see it on her!

Bring it On, Tooth Fairy

The tooth fairy pillow is complete, and ready for whenever that little tooth decides to make its entrance, er exit.  Big Sis had her fingers in her mouth quite a bit this evening, just wiggling (and willing) it to come out... she did manage to take them out long enough to snuggle up to her new softie and give her a name:  Toothy.

Yeah.  Original.

I was hoping for something like Flossie or Queen Canine or Molarita... but no.

Toothy it is.

So, without further ado... I present Toothy!

All that's missing... is a tooth!

Lovin' Lil Blue Boo

After admiring her creations for some time, I finally purchased one of Lil Blue Boo's patterns... and I am in love!  I made the most adorable little dresses for the girls out of some of their tee-shirts and some jersey knit I picked up on sale at Hobby Lobby. 
I chose the T-shirt halter pattern, since it is summer, and was so pleased with the results!  Check out this cutie:

The tee is one she got from Nana and Popo's trip to Mount Rushmore - I love the shirt, but she'd never wear it, so I turned it into a dress.

Big Sis was the recipient of a dress as well, but she was not happy about being told what to wear this morning.  The drama was ridiculous.  She has lost her fascination with anything that mama makes her, and thus puts up a fight when I want her to wear something I've made - I admit, I was not the most patient mama this morning while listening to her wailing and whining.  I wonder sometimes if any other 5 year olds in the world act like this... I sometimes think we give her too much freedom and independence that she thinks she is the one running the show.

I digress.

Back to the dress.  The cutting and sewing was incredibly quick and easy, and I can see myself making a lot of these in the future - right down to getting a limited license from LBB so I can sell some, perhaps? (I love the idea of using soft old shirts with interesting graphics and turning them into something new and completely different.)  Rather than add the loops in back to tie the straps, I simply added some elastic to help pull in the fabric in the back for a better fit.  In the future, I'll probably either get thinner elastic and place it under the trim or I'll attempt some smocking with elastic thread.  We'll see.

This was the first time I've sewn with jersey knit, and I'm loving that as well - I even threw together a little racerback tank this afternoon (that was not picture worthy, but it'll be good for a trip to the gym - LOL) for me.  I can't wait til Ashley comes out with a pattern for adults - I'll be all over that.

Now... just wishing I hadn't taken all those old shirts to Goodwill! 

Popsicle Sleeves, anyone?!

I just finished a batch of popsicle sleeves to put in the shop, and they're yummy!  Made from Oh Cherry Oh! charm packs, they're bright and cheerful and summery!