Tie and Vest Baby Onesie

Lately I've been going through my pictures and finding fun projects I've made and never shared.  So here's one I made probably 2 years ago when my first son was a baby.  This cute vest and tie onesie came out of necessity.  We had a family wedding to go to in Las Vegas and I didn't want to spend money on a little suit, and I didn't want my little guy to be hot either.  So I found some scrap fabric and iron on fusible web and waahlaa!  A cute onesie that both my boys have worn over and over.  I love it because it's comfortable for baby, washes well and of course it's pretty handsome!

Cowboy Onesie and Burpcloth

Here is a super cute, super easy handmade baby shower gift.  I made this about a year ago for my cousin's new baby.  They live in Texas so I thought it would be fun to go with the cowboy theme (plus I had lots of John Deere Fabric to use up!).  

To create the bandana, lay the fabric over the onesie and trace from one shoulder, around the neck and to the other shoulder (I just try to feel where the shoulder and neck ribbing is and do my best).  Cut your fabric on the line you traced for the neck and then cut a triangular shape for the bottom of the bandana (cut larger than you want so you can trim it down until you like the shape).

I like to lay my piece of fabric on the onesie and keep trimming until I'm satisfied with the look.  You could also use tracing paper I suppose, but where's the fun in that.

At this point you need to cut a piece from a double sided fusible web sheet to match your fabric bandana (or iron it to your fabric before cutting it in a bandana shape).

Iron it to the bandana first then flip it over and iron it to the onesie.  Now if you iron it on correctly you shouldn't need to sew it down, but it looks cute and may stand up to washings better if you sew it.  Just open up the onesie and work it around the sewing machine arm as you go.  

For the burp cloth I just traced over the middle area and sewed it up the sides and ends.  I also used fabric paint and stamps to personalize it.  

That was probably way more explanation than needed but I thought I'd do my best since I don't have pictures to create a tutorial.  Enjoy giving a fun personalized baby shower gift!

Crochet Heart

Since my crochet hair tie tutorial seems to be a favorite, I thought it would be fun to experiment with some new patterns, so here is a cute one for Valentine's Day.  

I generally don't like to follow patterns which is why I just kind of make it up as I go.  Hopefully you can follow the tutorial, and maybe you will pick up some of my freestyle crochet techniques to create your own fun patterns.  Just remember to write them down so you can reproduce it later; this is especially important if you're making a pair of something (ok so one of the slippers I made is a little bigger than the other, oops!)

Materials: scissors, crochet hook (5-6 mm), yarn, yarn needle, and hair ties or hair clip if you want to attach it.

(pictures show completed steps)

Create a slip knot on the hook

Chain 7

Turn (do not chain 1) and single crochet 6

Chain 1, turn and single crochet 6

 Turn (do not chain 1) and single crochet 5

Chain 1, turn and single crochet 3

Chain 1, turn and single crochet 3

Turn (do not chain 1) and single crochet 2

Turn (do not chain 1) and slip stitch

Now that the foundation is created, we will single crochet around the entire heart to give a more polished look.  To do this, begin at the corner where you slip stitched and work 2 single crochet into the next to holes on corner (creating a clean rounded corner).

Continue to single crochet in each stitch until you get to the tip of the heart.  Here you will single crochet twice into that hole and then continue to single crochet once in each hole until you get to the second corner of the heart.

Just like the first corner, you will single crochet 2x in the two holes
on the corner to create a nice rounded corner.

Now at the dip in the heart you will slip stitch to give a clean angle.
Then continue to single crochet until you reach the side of the first corner (you will be overlapping where you started to give a cleaner look).  

Slip stitch here and tie off by pulling your tail through the loop. 

Use the needle to hide the two tails and you're done!

If you want to turn it into a fun accessory, tie it to a hair tie or glue it to a hair clip.

Enjoy your Valentine's Day with your cute heart hair accessory!

Due Date Magnets

Me and my husband found out we were expecting another little bundle on November 7th and I couldn't wait to tell my family and friends.  The only problem was I couldn't think of a fun unique way to share the news.  So I went the crafty route and came up with these cute due date magnets.

I made them using little wooden discs and small magnets from Michaels.  I made a foam stamp for the date and stamped it on with green paint.  And then I wrote "baby keller #2" along the edge of the circle.

We had a lot of fun using these magnets to share the news.  For my family, I just passed them out at a family dinner and it was funny because it took a minute for them to catch on, especially my mom because she couldn't read the small writing, haha.  For my husbands family we actually stuck the magnets on their fridges stealthily and waited for them to notice it.  It was fun and exciting to wait for them to figure it out which actually took a day or two.  I also love the idea of the magnet being a functional reminder of my due date since even family members forget and constantly ask you for the next 9 months.

We actually ended up having our little guy on October 29th and brought him home on Halloween, so fun!  We dressed him and his older brother up in skeleton pajamas and cruised the neighborhood.  I borrowed an electric wheelchair but most people still thought I was crazy for trick-or-treating 3 days after giving birth, and actually, looking back I think I was a little crazy!

Upcycled Chevron Necklace!

This craft is a great activity for kids and was actually inspired by my niece Sailor during an impromptu crafting session.

She always wants to craft with her auntie but it's hard with all the little ones around (she has two little sisters and I have my hands full with my little guy and one on the way).  

But this necklace (as well as Sailor's simplified version) were so quick and easy, that we both had a fun accessory in less than 10 minutes.  We both loved the other's so much that we exchanged and wore them for the rest of the day.  

Here's the tutorial...

Materials:
1) Empty toilet paper tube or paper towel tube
2) Yarn or string of choice
3) Scissors

 Flatten the paper tube and fold length wise like a hot dog bun.

With folded sides squeezed together, cut from fold to the top of the tube.

You should end up with little chevrons or hearts as Sailor called them.  I cut mine to be about 1/4 inch but you could definitely experiment with different sizes.  You can also add as many or little as you want, I think I used 5 for this first purple necklace.

Cut two pieces of yarn of equal length, long enough for a necklace plus 2-3 inches.

String one piece of yarn through one chevron

String the front piece of yarn through the front of the next chevron.

String the back piece of yarn from back to front of the next chevron.

Pull both pieces of yarn until the two chevron corners meet up and the yarn looks like a knot holding the two together.  Don't pull too tight, just get rid of the slack.  Then begin the same process again on the next chevron.

Continue until you've strung all the chevrons together on one side.

Now all you have to do is finish the other side with the second piece of yarn using the same technique.

That was pretty simple right?

Once you've completed both sides, adjust the tension to your liking and tie knots at the top of each side to secure the chevrons in place.

Now take the ends of the yarn and tie it in a knot around your neck (I like to use a square knot to keep it from slipping).

(For Sailor's simplified version, just string some chevrons onto one piece of yarn and tie around your neck!)

Enjoy your upcycled necklace!

Yarn wrapped wreath ornament

With Christmas around the corner, I've been itching to make some festive crafts.  But with a newborn and a crazy 2 year old running around, it's been hard enough to get some sleep let alone make a craft and write a tutorial about it.  

Then one day I was looking at our christmas tree that my hubby so graciously decorated for me, and I saw this cute ornament I made last year.  I actually made a few and gave them to grandparents and friends.  

They are super simple and can be made with materials you probably already have at home.  Sorry there's no tutorial but the instructions are pretty simple.

Materials:

1. Thin cardboard (cereal box or shoebox)

2. Yarn in 2 or more different colors

3. Jute thread (twine)

4. Felt
5. Scissors

6. Glue gun and glue sticks

7. Cute picture 

Instructions:

1.  Use a bowl or large cup to trace a circle (outside of wreath) on the cardboard and cut it out.  Use a smaller cup to trace a small circle on the middle of the large circle you created and cut it out (inside of the wreath).  

2.  Cut a piece of yarn as long or short as you want and attach to the back of the wreath with the glue gun and start wrapping. Continue to wrap different colors around the wreath until it is completely covered, using glue gun to keep yarn ends attached to the back of the wreath.

3.  Wrap jute string around the top of the wreath and then glue gun a loop to the top to hang.

4.  I cut my picture, cardboard backing and felt in a circle but I realized a square would work better and allow you to change the picture if you leave the top open.  So cut your picture and a piece of cardboard into a square just big enough to cover the inside hole.

5.  Cut a square piece of felt a little bit larger than the picture and cardboard, and glue the bottom and sides to the back of the wreath to create a pocket.  

6.  Slide picture with cardboard into the felt pocket.

7.  Add a decorative bow with a thicker piece of yarn to the front with glue gun.

Now enjoy giving a homeade gift that will last for years and brighten up anyone's christmas tree!

Spooky Cork Spiders

Make your own spooky spiders for halloween with some simple supplies you might already have at home!

Supplies:
- recycled wine corks
- sharpie or black acrylic paint and paint brush
- small google eyes
- black pipecleaners
- white glue
- small drill
- ihook and white thread (optional for hanging)


I came up with this idea last year when I wanted to make a Halloween craft with my niece.  I automatically thought of making the typical spider made with pipe cleaners stuck into styrofoam balls, but quickly discovered the rediculous price of styrofoam balls as I wandered through Michaels.  So I came up with the idea of using recycled corks which turned out to make the cutest little upcycled spiders.

How to make Spooky Cork Spiders:

1.  Color the cork black with a sharpie (easy for kids and dries fast) or paint black with a sponge brush and wait to dry.

2.  Drill 4 holes in a line through the middle of the cork (I had to experiment with the drill bit size, but start small and increase until pipe cleaner fits through snugly).

3.  Insert pipe cleaners into holes, center them and then bend to look like legs.

4.  Use glue to stick eyes on the front of the cork.

5.  Insert eye hook into the top and use white thread to hang them around the house (thread looks like spider web!)

6.  Enjoy your new spooky little friends!