Labels... gone but at least I've been busy

To view the rest of these creations or to order, visit my Etsy shop. They are 20% off until 11/30/12!

Whenever I start working someplace, I remember why I like creating my own designs. I've been working at a design agency for the last few months as a production designer. Which basically means just redoing and doing again oh yeah and one more time please... other people's templates basically. The last couple weeks I needed to vent creatively and make something for me. I needed to make it a little bit productive so I created some holiday mailing labels. Here is a sample of my favorite!

DIY Growth Chart- no tools

This summer I had to clean out my grandparents house. It was fun finding all these forgotten treasures. In their garage there are these rafters that they never let me explore and I've always wanted to see what was up there.

I found my dad's first set of ski's and they were wooden (sorry to date you dad)! They are crafted so well and have all these amazing handwritten labels on them (including a hand painted part that states they were made in West Germany). I didn't want to ruin the integrity of the ski but I wanted to put it on display somewhere.

**Lightbulb**- a growth chart for Monroe. I used a really simple method as to not have to nail or cut any of the ski. To make this all you need is the following:

• A ski (or any other long piece of wood)
• Jute
• Carpenter's ruler (the folding kind)
• Liquid Nails (I like this adhesive because it's clear but holds super well)
• metallic pen, for marking height

The ski is obviously worn but I like that about it. I love knowing that my dad really used them.

I glued the ruler to the ski with the Liquid Nails. Then I wrapped the jute around the two until the glue dried. When it was done drying I secured it to the wall with a screw, and it's done. Perfect growth chart without ruining the ski. Now all I need to do is keep Monroe still long enough to measure his height!

Wall DIY

A few years ago, I was able to go with some of my friends to the first framed house in Cache Valley. All being designers, we fell in love with the layers and layers of wallpaper. We were able to peel it off and take home whatever we wanted. Since then, the house has been torn down and the wallpaper has just been sitting, gathering dust, until now.

I saw this tutorial on Pinterest and lurved it! I decided that a simple capital 'B' would be the perfect partner for the framed wallpaper. Had to add in some family photos and now our wall tells a tale or two!

Last Minute Valentines

Baby fingerprints... what grandparent wouldn't want this?

Monroe still doesn't have a Valentine! He told me that if I wanted to mail out any Valentine's I would need to send them by tomorrow, haha. I scrambled around the house and made a quick trip to Hobby Lobby and was able to make 10 personalized Valentine cards for under $10. If you're needing a quick idea, I'll share what I did.

These are the supplies you'll need. I picked up the ink pad, doilies, and stationary pack at Hobby Lobby. With their 40% off online coupon it was about $8.

• First, print "You left on impression on my Heart" saying on the 4"x 5.5" card
(if you want the file, click here).
• After that, I just wrapped a doily around the outside of the card and trimmed off the edges.
• Then just grab a chubby baby finger, and place 'impressions' inside the heart. You're done!

Cops & Robbers

Colors, collage invitation, welcome sign with identities, 

gun rack (complete with cap guns and bullets), 

larger than life collage of Monroe, #1 loot party favors, 

cockroach cake (he loves toy cockroaches)

I had Kirk choose what the theme should be for Monroe's first birthday. It was a challenge at first but after picking a palette, the rest fell into place. It was a lot of fun. Monroe was mainly just happy to have all his family and friends around him!

Monroe the Matador + LV Halloween

It's been a while since I've posted. Even though Halloween is three weeks past, I needed to archive our adventures. This year Monroe was a Matador. He was the cutest matador possible, all he was missing was his mustache (I stopped trying after three disasters with liquid eyeliner). Some confused him with Michael Jackson, but for the most part his red cape under his arm let people know that he meant business as a matador. We spent Halloween in Las Vegas with our families. Here are some pictures of what went on:

Going from the top left to right, row by row, here's what we did. 1-Family Halloween Photo, 2-Monroe with his cousins (Rylee, Monroe & Ellie), 3-Andre Agassi, Monroe & Kirk dressed as Andre Agassi (yes, the black Mr. T is really Andre Agassi!), 4- Dirty Old Man as Cupid on Fremont Street, 5- Superman on Stilts (most amazing constume), 6- Fremont Experience with Family/Friends

It was so much fun! I had forgotten why Halloween was so much fun in Las Vegas, and now I remember. I think it has to be the best place to spend Halloween, if you haven't been, schedule it sometime.

DIY Non-Albino Rhino

Monroe was invited to his first birthday party last week. I had been wanting to make Monroe a pull toy for a while so I decided to make two at once. I was able to make this during one of Monroe's naps, just over an hour. So simple, but personal!

Here's what you need 

(a lot of the items you may already have like yarn, glue, etc):

• rhino template (see below)

• 10" x 10" x 1" wood slab

• wooden wheels (found mine at Hobby Lobby)

• yarn, jute, or rope for pull-string

• dowel & dowel end covers

• sandpaper

• wood glue

• jigsaw (found one at K-Mart for $20, sorry Chinese laborers)

• drill

• watercolor paints

Click to enlarge and print.

 Instructions:

1. Trace template onto wooden square and cut out with jigsaw.

2. Cut two 3-inch pieces from dowel.

3. Drill out the four holes (2 for wheel placement, eye, and string hole).

4. Smooth edges, holes and imperfections with sandpaper.

5. Watercolor wheels, rhino, dowels and dowel ends covers.

6. Place wheels through the rhino and dowels and glue dowel end covers.

7. String yarn or desired string through the rhino's nose.

I love the way the wood grain shows through with the watercolors. Let me know if there's any questions!

Craft Attempt #2

I was able to make Monroe a quilt a few months back and it turned out great. It was a lot of work but I know it's something he'll have for a long time. I went to a baby shower this past weekend and wanted to make our friends a quilt but an easier version. I found this tutorial and used it as my base. The idea that they gave of buying a $12 microfleece blanket at Ross or TJ Maxx and cutting it up to quilt with was genius (the minky material for babies is so expensive, about $16/yd). I just alternated a simple grey and white oxford stripe fabric and made it for around $40. The rag quilt pattern wasn't as simple as I thought it'd be but it was more cost efficient.

Alpargata Shoes

Yes, my son really is that pale and yes he really is my kin.

This last time we were down in Las Vegas, my sister and I decided it'd be fun to make some house slippers. She loves her Tom's. We decided to look up where the original design for Tom's came from. They are called alpargata's and mainly found in Argentina. We made her some adult sized alpargata's and thought, "How cute would these be for babies?". We made some for Monroe and I just loved them (plus they were pretty painless).

The first pair I made out of canvas and used felt for the sole (which is the picture up above). But then I found a wool felt fabric that I loved and made some more. They were a little too snug for Monroe because wool doesn't give as much so now I have a baby shower gift. We made a pattern for my sisters' pair that we scaled down for a baby.

Here's the pattern and instructions if you want to make them:
pattern•
instructions•

Let me know if something doesn't make sense.
I obviously think they do but that doesn't mean anything.

Three's Company

During the last few weeks it's been Monroe, myself and Bernina who have been staying busy here at home. The one down part to having a winter baby in a cold area is that you have to spend a lot of time indoors. Let me tell you a bit about the Bernina I inherited. It was built in 1961 and was my Grandma Williams'. She has upgraded a few times since she purchased her Bernina and no longer wanted it. When I saw it, I told her that Bernina would have a safe home with me. I took her in to get tuned and $50 later she's running as good as new.

The quilt I had mentioned earlier was my first big project that I used the Bernina on, and it was amazing. Although she's about 30 pounds (and she is as Lisie says about bigger women, 'large and practical') she worked wonders and I sewed this together in less than 6 hours.

Although the purpose of this quilt was to get Monroe to enjoy tummy time more, it didn't do the trick when I tried it out today. Even with a mirror, crunchy leaves and pom poms. Oh well, at least it's pretty! We'll keep working on it.

Ugly but True

Craft Attempt #1

Although this isn't my first craft attempt, it is my first attempt at making a quilt. Monroe doesn't particularly enjoy 'tummy time' but I want his little neck to get stronger. So, I'm making him a quilt/play blanket that has objects sewn on to it so that he has a reward for staying on his stomach. These are the fabrics I chose:

They were the manliest ones with a bright color palette that could keep his attention. I found the coolest fabric store in... PRESTON, ID (yes, that is where Napoleon Dynamite was filmed). It's called Suppose and feels like it would belong in downtown Portland, or some other hip downtown. It even has letter pressed business cards. If you pass through Preston at any time, leave time to visit Suppose and to eat tacos at El Tapatio.

I'll show more as I'm plugging along.