Nesting Project #4: BabyLegs

I saw that Babysteals.com had BabyLegs up today, but of course they sold out fairly early.  At 58% off retail, you could buy 4 pairs for $20--$5 each, plus shipping, which if you have ever bought or coveted BabyLegs, you know is an awesome deal.  But, what if you could get them even cheaper?  For less than $5 and 45 minutes of my time, I made three pair:

Now, I couldn't be as choosy with the cute patterns, but that was only because I was shopping for little girls' knee socks in the off-season.  I did find some cute ones in women's sizes at Target on clearance for $1 or less a pair, and made Katie some leg warmers for dance as well.  This tutorial describes exactly how I did it, although I also clipped my seam close to make the seam less bulky. 

If you're wondering why anyone would want these (I have had two people ask me), here's a link to all the great reasons listed on the BabyLegs website. 

Nesting Project #3: Bibs

These maybe should have been posted with the last two projects because they are so small and just use the leftover fabric from those projects.  But with any extra fabric I have I intend to pop out some bibs because they are my favorite type of bib and you can never have too many of them.  I am somewhat impared with sewing around curves, though, so I don't make as many of them as I could if it were easier for me.  So silly, I know, but it's really a problem. 

I totally ripped the design of these bibs off some that my friend LeAnn made for me.  The only reason I feel the least bit okay with it is that hers are so much cuter, better-made, and I would buy them from her to avoid having to make them.  This are a couple that she made for Max: 

See what I mean?  Super cute!  And just the right size to handle the big messes, including Max's uber drool while he was teething.  And, they have button closures so Baby can't rip them off and they don't stick to everything in the laundry like with velcro. 

Katie is 5! (A very pink post . . .)

My Katie girl has turned 5!  I am amazed at how quickly she is becoming a little lady.  She is my best shopping buddy, my biggest helper (usually), and has the best sense of humor and easy going attitude of our kids.  She is very smart and verbal, and has always been inquisitive.  I hope she is always trying to figure out "why" (but I hope she learns some other ways besides asking every 5 minutes!). 

Miss Katie is our princess, and loves being girly.  She would prefer to wear a dress every day, but wearing dresses and being pretty doesn't stop her from a lively sword fight, Bakugan battle, or mad Lego session.  She has always looked up to Isaiah and I hope he continues to look out for her and set a good example for her. 

This birthday is the birthday of pink.  Pinkalicious to be exact.  If you don't know what Pinkalicious is, you need to read the book.  You won't be disappointed, it is a darling story that is great for emphasizing how great it is to be yourself. 

Check out our Pinkalicious!

And our pinkalicious decorations:

And here are our beautifully pink guests:

We had lots of fun decorating pink crowns and star wands,

then we headed in to read the book. 

After all the girls were clear on the story we could play some games!  We played "pin the green stuff on Pinkalicious,"

"hot cupcake,"

and we had a (very short) pinata. 

(Whoops!  Did you miss it?  That's about how short it was!  Katie opened it on the first pull!)  While the girls enjoyed their candy, Katie opened her presents.  Then we dished up cupcakes and strawberry ice cream and the girls sang to Katie. 

(We also enjoyed pink cookies and pink lemonade.)  It was such a fun day, and Katie is still coming down from the pinkalicous high she was on Friday! 

A special shout out goes to Shelli for being the most excellent helper of the day, and for lending me her camera when my lens decided to stop autofocusing (and who can take candids while trying to manually focus?!).  I couldn't have survived the pink overload without her! 

Nesting Project #2: Car Seat Canopy

It seems like with every baby I have there is the cool new baby product that everybody wants to have--mostly because it's such a good idea and so useful, but partly because it's trendy and a fashion statement.  The hooter hider was it with Max, and it seems like this time around it's the car seat canopy.  I see them everywhere, and there are so many cute variations.  Here's mine:

And, of course, the matching burp cloths:

I used this tutorial at Make-It-Do.com as a basis for mine, although I looked at the one at our local Ace Hardware's craft section for ideas (hence the rickrack).  Here's the tutorial for the flowers on the straps, and I just made covered buttons for the centers.  I have admit that I could have probably bought one off Etsy for cheaper, since I bought the fancy fabric at Quilted Works (at full price, gasp!), but I really love it, and it always means more when you make it yourself, right? 

Nesting Project #1: Hooter Hider

Okay, I'm 36 weeks today, meaning I'm on the final countdown.  (And baby is finally head-down, hooray!!)  I have been nesting like crazy for the last few weeks, and I've still got more to go.  When I nest I do a little of the cleaning-things-out, organizing insanity that is so common.  But for me, nesting means sewing and crafting--making things to wrap and dress and cover baby with.  I thought I'd share my maternal insanity with all of you!  I'm not posting these projects in order of importance or even in order based on when I completed them, just at my picture-taking and posting convenience.  If you're interested in how I made something and I don't describe it in enough detail, let me know and I'll try to point you in the direction of a tutorial or explain it myself.  No guarantees, though, I do a lot of just figuring stuff out as I go along. 

So, for today's nesting project, a hooter hider:

and no nursing cover is complete without matching burp cloths (actually, I was having a hard time not making matching burp cloths with every project, but when you have enough burp cloths to last a month without washing, it's time to stop):

This is my favorite hooter hider tutorial.  I have made a bunch of these for everyone but myself, so I've had a lot of practice.  I obviously embellished a little with the ruffle on this one.  It's also double-sided.  The burp cloths are just Gerber cloth dipes from Walmart, prewashed and with a strip of fabric top stitched down the center.  Easy peasy! 

Braces Day

Yesterday was what the kids have been calling "braces day."  It was time for Isaiah to get braces to make room for those crazy giant teeth he has coming in.  We've had lots of discussions with the orthodontist and assistants and at home about what would happen and what to expect, and despite his nervousness, Isaiah woke up excited and ready to go!  He got to miss school since it was a short day and the appointment took up half the morning, right in the middle of the school day.  We went to the orthodontist's office and Isaiah learned all about how to brush his teeth and care for his braces, and we both signed a lot of paperwork.  Isaiah was so attentive and asked all kinds of intelligent questions so he would know exactly how things worked and what was expected of him.  Here he is, ready to go in and have an x-ray: 

Then they got to work!  He had to wear this funny thing to keep his teeth dry while they cemented the brackets on:

He got to choose the color rubber bands he wanted: blue glow-in-the dark and gold.  He was so patient while they got everything glued on, the wire threaded, and the rubber bands in place.  Here he is, our braces boy! 

We went to McDonald's for lunch afterward to celebrate.  Everyone has asked if they hurt, but so far he's always said, "Nope, not at all!"  (He has had a very little pain, but all in all it's been relatively easy.  Way better than going to the dentist!)  I just can't believe how grown up he looks and seems with braces in his mouth.  Where has my little guy gone?!  I'm so proud of how well he's done and the great attitude he's had, especially giving up hard and chewy candies with Halloween right around the corner. 

Way to go, Handsome!

Friday Favorites - Footwear Edition

I am not a shoe person.  I don't drool over Jimmy Choos, and I generally rotate between 2-3 pairs of shoes during a season and wear them to death.  This summer I have invested in about 4 pairs of different flip flops that I like, which is really branching out for me--I don't think any of them are worn out yet!  Here are my favorite flip flops from this summer, the most comfortable, cutest, most versatile of the ones I've bought:

 Teva Olowahu Flip Flops

So, they're nothing fancy--I bought them at Ace Hardware--but I love them!