Baby Shower Gift

One of our close family friends was having a baby, and a baby girl, at that! By now, you should all know I enjoy making anything having to do with girls. I just can't get enough because I have such true, rough and tough boys.

I wanted to make her the traditional "Sarah" gift, which is usually burp cloths. However, I didn't want to make a ton, and only give her those. So, instead I made each burp cloth extra special, and even added in some adorable bibs as well.

Here are the burp cloths. I added a few "scallops" or half circles to the rows of different colored pinks. I did a raw edge finish on them, so they would fray and have even more detail, and texture.

I just love all the girl colors, and yet still has a little blue/teal.

The bibs I made with strips of the same fabric, and just simply made a large panel of the strips and then cut out the bibs.

I added terry cloth to the back, to make them extra absorbent, and help keep the wetness away from the skin.

I, of course, added fun pink snaps, with just that extra detail on them.

Heres how I finished packaging them all up:

Lastly, heres the items with the handmade card:

I hope the wonderful mother and baby girl love them all.

Burp That Baby,
Sarah

More Handmade Cards

I enjoy ever second I spend on making cards. It has been a great way to use my scrapbooking paper, stickers, and tools up. I love adding a little quilting into it as well. Not to mention the amount of money I have saved by using what I have.

The first card below, I made was for my mother's birthday back in October. I made a wall hanging for her, and wanted a card to match the theme and colors. The fabric in the wall hanging was floral and the theme was a vintage apron. She said she wanted an old vintage style apron, as a gift. Since I am not local and can not take measurements of my mother, I decided to add a little humor into my quilting and make a mini wall hanging of a vintage apron.

This is the cover of the card, its purple with a quilted floral diamond and gem style cover.

I used a bright colored floral paper for the inside. Using matching letters I added "Happy Birthday Mom!" I also have the press on/transfer quotes, and the one I added really went well.

The back, I used the diamond quilted paper pieces, and added my "handmade" touch.

Another card I enjoyed making was for a family friend having their very first baby (girl). I love anything baby! I enjoy making burp cloths, baby blankets, and baby pants/shorts. Anyways, I had a ton of really girly stickers and paper, so I cut a few onesies out, added a few stickers and ribbon, and of course a gem or two.

Yes I did cut those onesies out, no punch, they are not stickers, and I did not buy them.

The back of the card:

The inside, I added some very girly stickers, gems and a punch of color.

This last card was for another new mom, also having a girl. I had fun making her card, and tried my hand at a baby carriage. I also did a little tutorial on how I made it.

First thing I did was cut a circle the size I wanted the carriage to be. I need it to have a flat side, and also open like a card. I folded my paper in half, and placed my circle on the folded paper. I then slid my circle down slightly off the fold for the flat bottom of the carriage. Trace your circle and cut.

Once you have it cut, you need to measure out the opening of the carriage, or where the hood would end and the handle bars will be.

Trace and cut that window out.

I then placed my carriage on top of a white piece of scrap paper. I drew a pretty handle (you can do this as unique as you want).

Cut out two of those handles and glue one on the front and one on the back.

I then added wheels, detailed paper, and a few stickers. This is where you can have fun and add all the gems, colors, bows, ribbons, etc.

Once all the glue dried, I added a fun flower, and a few stickers.

Don't forget the inside, and that can be as simple as a little decorative paper.

Heres the back, with my handmade signature.

The finished baby quilt with the matching handmade carriage card.

If you are on a tight budget, and have a ton of stickers, or scrapbook paper available, this is a great way to use those items up, save you TONS of money, and say you care because you spent time MAKING their card!

I love when everyone says, "this card is so cute", "I love this card".... It makes it just that much more sweet, as you invested more time.

Give a Gift,
Sarah

Give Thanks December, Week 3

December 15:
     SOOOOO Thankful that my mom is giving me her 40 year old Kenmore sewing machine. Its not completely up and running, but it works!

December 16:
     I am so thankful that my father-in-law is willing to invest money into the kids favorite toys/items, trains! The boys had a blast for hours, while he was setting the train up, playing with it after it was set up and showing us how it worked. Best 2 hours spent.

December 17:
     Thankful that even a day full of errands and relaxing can be a completely fun and crazy day!

December 18:
     I love hanging out with my sister. Thankful that she was able to take the day off from work so we could take the boys to see santa, have photos done, have lunch out, and enjoy some holiday shopping as well.

December 19:
     Thankful that I was able to finish another baby blanket for my etsy shop tonight. Its so cute, I can hardly stand it.

December 20:
     Today was the best, thankful to have spent the morning with my favorite friends Erin, and twin Natalie as we made some delicious treats. Then spent the rest of the afternoon at a family friends house enjoying dinner, conversation and a little white elephant gifts.

December 21:
     Thankful to have my husband here in southern Cali, and near my side again. Let the best week begin!

Give Thanks,
Sarah

Tula Cover Tutorial by guest writer: Brita Denton

All our babywearing mamas wanted a quick tutorial on how to cover a tula with unique, different or stylish fabric. Brita offered to make a quick tutorial, with a few photos along the way, for all of us to enjoy. If you end up using this tutorial, be sure to show off your before and after photos, as we love to see all our other mamas DIY projects. 

Now time to get to that awesome tutorial we promised you... enjoy!

Step 1: Trace out your tula onto a piece of paper. Making sure you mark where the straps come out of.

Step 2: Lay the trace out over one piece of lining and the piece you want on the reverse (so your second choice fabric as this will be reversible). Pin together and cut out leaving enough around room around for the seam and to turn out (what I left seemed perfect)


Step 3: Now do the same for your main fabric and lining but this time you need to add extra for the tabs on the side and bottom where you will apply the Velcro to join the two pieces together. I have folded the tabs over to show the lining so you can see what I mean. I just guessed this bit. Wide enough to put a piece of Velcro and the length of the gaps between where the straps join. 

Step 4: Now sew the pieces together. The main piece with its lining, and the reverse side with its lining. Make sure the right sides are together. Then turn them inside out and stitch around the edge to keep in place.

Step 5: Join the top of your pieces together along the top. Make sure you mark where to stop sewing so it isn't joined where the shoulder straps come out. Put the two right sides facing each other to sew.
Check how the size is before adding anything else.

Step 6: Now line the two pieces together to put the Velcro on. Pin in place and check it over the tula and with a child in if you can. This picture shows where the Velcro is in the lining of the reverse fabric and the Velcro goes on the tabs on the good side of your main fabric and folds in to attach.

Here it is finished.

 
No you can't access the pocket or hood but you could add a hood to go on top. I didn't bother as my toddler never naps.
This covers all parts of the tula except a tiny bit at he buckles on the waist and I also made suck pads, twice the normal length, to cover most of the shoulder straps.

Excuse the 7 year old model. My usual model was out with daddy.

Thank you to Brita for sharing this quick tutorial. I hope all our babywearing mamas love it!

Babywear In Style (or a New Style),
Sarah (and Brita)

A Quilt for a Special Baby Girl

While stationed in New Mexico, we made some wonderful friends. Right after we PCSed to California we found out they were pregnant, and shortly after heard they were having a GIRL!!

I have been so busy with my own life, I never stopped to ask how she was doing. I randomly sent her a text, only to find out she had given birth to her wonderful adorable baby girl. I was just so in awww of her, and her precious little hands. She really looks like her mommy.

I then, instantly began working on a quilt for that adorable little one. I picked out the girliest fabric and colors I had in my stash. I loved the idea of using the purples and pinks, with a soft yellow and soft blue.


I decided on these fabrics, and little by little pulled some or replaced others.

I did a bunch of HST (half square triengles), and started my process of putting them into a pattern...

Did some random sewing.... to help with ideas...

I then fell apon this star like design, and just fell in love with it.

I laid it out, and tried a few different styles of it...

I then picked this one:

...and sewed it all together....

I placed a white boarder around it, and felt it needed more.

So using, the purple fabric, I added an even larger boarder and that was it, I knew this was a finished, adorable perfect top.

I had some wonderful pink mink, and used some left over scraps to create a unique backing. I don't do simple for the people I love.

Time to quilt...

Finishing up the light blue, beautiful binding.

All done, and I am in love with it. I just wanted that little baby girl to have something extra special, just for her.

Front with back.

The FMQ (free motion quilting) I did. Not as bad as I thought it would be.

Back detail.

Had to add the label.

I also hand made her card, and really loved how the colors matched.

All in all, I received a wonderful photo and text saying they had received the quilt, and loved it! I am glad that little princess can cuddle up in it, and hopefully she keeps it for years to come.

It Was A Blessing To Make It,
Sarah