Win Loose or Blog

I am soooooooooo excited! I was chosen as one of the 8 participants for the 3rd season of Win Loose or Blog!





I started crying I was so excited. This is just the push I need. It's something that will keep me committed, some friendly competition, and fun along the way! This seriously has made my day. Wish me luck as I start this crazy journey starting January 10th.

T-shirt to Bib

Here are 2 variations on THIS post.  Part 1 will teach you how to make the neckline smaller. Part 2 will show you how to make it double layered. Don't do part 1 if you intend on making double layered.

PART 1
If you are looking for part 2 scroll down a bit on this post and you will find it. 
If the neck line is too big, it is a simple fix. In this photo where the arrows are you can see how big it is on my daughter. It hangs too far on the shoulders. I have it pulled back in this photo, but it also hangs too low in the front.

Cut along the black line.

Cut off a little from the front (just about 1/2 inch)

Sew the shoulders together again.

 It should be a much better fit!

PART 2 (My sewing machine is getting a tune up so I only had my surger. You can do this with just a sewing machine)
This particular t-shirt was thin and I wanted to make it double layered.  If you want to make it double layered skip the above tutorial.
You will need fabric of any kind. I used cotton and it turned out fine.
Cut along the black line.

Cut the 2 pieces out from your chosen fabric. You should now have 4 pieces. Make sure to cut right UNDER the collar as shown in the picture below.

Zig zag or surge around the neckline of both pieces you just cut out.

 Sew along the straight edges leaving the neck and shoulders open. Do this for both pieces.

Flip right side out. At this point I would have pressed the seams out and topped stitched, but with no sewing machine, I couldn't.   I HIGHLY recommend you do this step.

 With right sides together, sew the shoulders together.

Leave the neckline open so it can stretch.

Put on your little person and step back to admire your handy work!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Hubby was going through his drawer the other day and getting rid of shirts he doesn't wear anymore. I decided to get rid of a few myself. As I was looking through the shirts I realized that I could out them to good use in a project I have been wanted to make for a while.

My mom made this for me a few years ago out of a dish towel. We use it all the time, but I only have one.

Are you seeing where this is leading? Here is a simple NO SEW tutorial to turn old t-shirts into a great cloth protector. (my 5 year old still uses this when he has nice cloths on so he HATES when we call it a bib:) All you need are some old adult size t-shirts and scissors.

Lay the t-shirt out as flat as possible. The cut all the way up the sides and through the sleeve.

Open it up. I used our "bib" as a guide, but if you don't have one, you can use a hand towel instead.

Just make sure that there is 5 inches from where the collar is attached to shirt to bottom of towel.

If there is a tag make sure to cut it out.

Cut out the shape and you are DONE!!! Tomorrow I will be showing 2 simple variations you can do to these bibs.

Corduroy Dress

I helped my friend make a corduroy dress. Here is the finished project.  With a matching head band.

Want to make one yourself? You can find the rosets HERE. Dress tutorial HERE.

Anthropology Knockoff

Anthropology has some seriously AMAZING clothing at staggering prices. I plan to do a serious of Anthropology Knock offs for the New Year. Here is the line up.

 Gathering Harvest Cardigan $228

Sun Shade Dress $158

Deuxhill Cowlneck $88

If there is something you are DIEING for me to add, just let me know and I will see what I can do! For now, to wet your taste buds, here is an unintentional knock off:)

Trush Song Blouse $118
This one reminds me of THIS dress tutorial that Gross Grain did. Just shorten it to make a shirt.

Rosette Quilt $228-268
Kojo Designs did THIS knock off

Kitchen Before and After

Let me take you on a little tour of my kitchen.We have been making some improvements. This is all done on a "small budget".

 Antique brass hinges. 

 

 This is changing the hinges to silver and then realizing Home Depot doesn't sale the same type of hinge in silver. WHAT!?! So hubby had to drill new holes. Not fun, a ton of work, but totally worth it:)

 

Here are the new hinges.

Antique brass handles which I also replaced in the bathroom;)

Here are the new handles.














The first to go was this glorious vent. (we are still working on getting a black stove)

Replaced with a new black one found on black Friday for $93

Needed pull knobs on the drawers and the finish needed to be restored.

 

Hubby got to work with his drill and now we have brush nickel pull knows.

With a little bit of elbow grease and this "MAGICAL" wonder, (may color options available)

I got my cupboards looking A-Mazing.

Hubby is on call Christmas day. Which means he leaves at 5am on Dec 25th for work and comes home Dec 26th at noon. We decided to celebrate Christmas a day early in our house:) So, I will be absent for a few days as we prepare for the holidays, celebrate, and recover from it all:) Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.

12 Confessions of Christmas

#1 I have been fighting the urge to take Christmas decorations down this year. I just want things simple and easy and no clutter.

#2 It took us until one week ago to actually put the ornaments on our tree.

#3 The same day we did ornaments, we put up Christmas lights outside:)

#4 I am not known for my wrapping abilities. I rush through it and they are never perfect. I ALWAYS write the names directly on the paper with a sharpie and I NEVER use bows.

#5 I have been on a diet this Christmas and just FINALLY gave in to purchasing Peppermint Joe Joe's from Trader Joes and I got some Peppermint Joe Joe's ice cream to go with it

#6 I never send out Christmas cards because I don't want to spend the money on it. Besides, most people just throw it away anyways.

#7 I don't give out goodies because I don't want people to give them to me. (FYI: I usually throw them away after my kids pick something from it)

#8 I let me kids open a present last night because we were bored and they wouldn't leave the tree alone. It worked. They each opened a book and we spent the rest of the night reading.

#9 This will be my 1st Christmas with just my hubby and kids. No cousins, aunts, uncles, nanas and papas. Just us. Never done it before, but I am completely looking forward to it. Low key, low stress. Perfect:)

#10 (probably the worst so far) I hid a Christmas gift for hubby somewhere and have NO IDEA where I put it.

#11 Santa is coming 1 day early to our house. We even wrote Santa a letter to explain the situation. I a pretty sure when my son is older he will roll his eyes and say, "I totally fell for that."

#12 I am sick and tired of hearing the song, "Santa Baby" on the radio over and over and over and over and over and over again. It has been played waaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy to much. I don't like the song in the 1st place let alone hearing it every 15 minutes. I shut it off the moment it comes on now.

Okay, I am done telling you my Christmas confessions. Now it's your turn. Fess up!

The NaNat Hair Accessory

Here is an easy peasy hair accessory to go along with THIS and THIS interchangeable headband.
Or add it to a bag or a sweater. The possibilities are endless:)


Cut a piece of satin fabric 2 1/2 X 12 inches.


You will need a string of beads. You will also need 4 larger beads. (Mine were connected, but you can use what ever you want. I just wanted to use what I already had)