Made with Love Christmas Outfit

Looking for that cute girly Christmas skirt and shirt but I never seem to find what I want or if I do they want way to much money! So I made a skirt for Kaitlyn at Halloween with tulle, satin and ribbon and it turn out cute but not full enough for me so this time 4 yards of tulle and  4 layers....perfect! I bought a plain white turtle neck shirt and made cute fleece flowers with ribbon. I just learned how to make these flowers off the web. I glued pins on my flowers so they can be taken off the shirt so the shirt can be washed and reused after Christmas. I also used the same flower and hot glued it to a hair clip for a matching hair piece. I made a cute fleece hat to match. Which I need to go get more fleece so I can make some more hats and flowers my daughter loves this soft and warm fleece hat and the hair barrette. I found these cute green hair bands at Pat Catan's with bells and instead of using them in her hair we used them on her shoes. I loved how cute this outfit came out so many complements!! Waiting in line at Wal-Marts today I was approached by a women who just loved Kaitlyn outfit and wanted to know where I got it. After she found out I made it then she want to know if I made them to sell she wanted one so bad for her little girl!! Does make you feel good to know people like your work!!

My own personal cute and lovable elf!!

Christmas Decor 2011

If you follow my blog or know me then you know I love to decorate for the holidays! This is my 2011 Christmas Decor! I love the country, primitive look and feeling.

Our home all festive!!

My snowman tree is my favorite!

Dining room tree is done in patriotic theme to match my dining room decor!

Master bed room tree my primitive angels!

Kaitlyn's Frosty the snowman tree!

Yes, even the bathroom has a tree!

Dance Teacher Christmas Gift

I needed a gift for Kaitlyn to give to her Dance Teacher....??? but what???? I love homemade gifts. Well I'm so into making torso with tutu's that it hit me. I'll make a pair to match the studio. So that's what I did. They turned out super cute and did not break the bank. Black chenille fabric for the torso, tulle for the skirt and flower. Black ribbon and a rhinestone. Mounted to a dowel rod and then to a round pedestal board painted black.

Minnie Mouse 4th Birthday

This is what I hate...went to the party store for Minnie Mouse Birthday Decor & supplies! Well high price tags and not so cute decor. So like always I know I can make it and it will look better and cost me less. So I always buy a pinata but only truly to use it for decor purposes but this was the start to the party decor and colors. Party theme Minnie Mouse  Colors: Black, hot pink and white.

Remember Streams are so cheap and go a long way.

I made this Happy Birthday Banner last year out of material and designed it to hang in the same spot every year for Kaitlyn Birthday so cute and the few bucks to make it has paid off. It also packs away nicely.

Now I have taken this idea from party planning blogs to use a backdrop to create a better party theme. A few Balloons my cricut helped me whip up the Happy Birthday banner and add decor. Picture with Kaitlyn in her Birthday outfit. Her Birthday cake.

Now I looked everywhere for a Minnie Mouse Birthday Cake with no luck so I improvised. I went to my local Grocery store who does have great tasting cakes and order a princess cake the colors with white and hot pink was perfect but had them leave off the cake topper and I got my own topper which I found the Minnie Candle at the party store and bought the Minnie Mouse Birthday Party toy doll set and used some of the items for my cake topper.

This picture the colors are off so I included a picture below before I add all my toppers. So you can see the true colors of the cake.










Better photo of the true colors of the cake.

Now I bought large party napkins in hot pink with black silverware and add a little decor to them.

Then some cheap white bags and the cricut made my cute gift bags!

Gift table

Then I made treats and Minnie Ears for Kaitlyn to pass out at Dance class and just treats for her to pass out at preschool.

Minnie Ears

Now to make these treats it's small oreo cookies with large oreo cookies and lots of chocolate.

This is a cute and simple idea as well... a cheap plastic kids sand bucket in hot pink...I dressed up to carry the treats and Minnie ears in.

This was the invite we sent out to Family!!

 We made this flag holder 2 years ago and we sure have used it. We hang a Birthday flag and balloons on it for Kaitlyn's Birthday party and leave it up until after her Birthday!

Now I bought material by the yard for use as the backdrop and table covers and runners when they had them on sale. I just iron seams so that I can reuse the material for future projects. Which is a win, win to a crafter. That's the way to do it. My Mom let us use her black table clothe for Halloween on the dinning room table. Cost savings! The other big money saving tip was Jo-Ann Fabric's had scrapbook paper on sale 5 for 95 cents and for under $10.00 I bought all my paper for invites, envelopes, banners, silverware decor, bucket decor and gift bags! The Minnie Ears I found instructions for on the web but one thing I did to help make them easier to make and they looked nice too was I bought my plastic head bands at the dollar tree and spray painted them black so I did not have to wrap material round them(so much easier) I got 8 for a buck and $1.00 for flat black spray paint the cheap stuff works great! Then Felt for ears and ribbon.
I got the idea for the Minnie Ears here: http://www.thesuburbanmom.com/2010/06/16/how-to-make-mickey-minnie-mouse-ears-for-a-party/  
I got the idea for the Minnie Mouse treats here: http://www.theidearoom.net/2011/09/minnie-mouse-oreo-pops.html

Minnie Mouse Birthday Outfit

I'm the crazy mad crafting Mom whom loves to make everything match!! Actual in my madness everything has to match!! Ha! Ha! but so true!! What I mean is I can not give my Daughter a Minnie Mouse Birthday Party with out her having the perfect matching party outfit!! So off to ETSY for ideas and like magic...well not so much...with planning, a design and her Mom's talents (lol) the Birthday Girl got a Party outfit that was so cute! She even had her own Minnie ears!! Loved how simple this was but turned out so cute!!

 

Busy, busy ,busy time of year!!

So for those of you who do not know I work seasonal for a Portrait Studio and this is the busy season for Fall, Halloween, X-mas and everything in between. So with Halloween costumes and parties behind me and the switching of seasonal decor on the home front Fall, Thanksgiving soon into X-mas I've been busy! I got over 90% of my outdoor X-mas done so this is almost off my list of things to do. Planning on finishing it all this weekend 11-19 & 20th. Come the day after Thanksgiving I take down a few Thanksgiving decor and it's full on X-mas!
 My daughter Birthday falls in December and my Parents Anniversary so December is busy for the family! We have been planning Kaitlyn's 4th Birthday. She wants a Minnie Mouse Party so I've been planning, shopping and crafting away on her up coming party. I have some really cute ideas and crafts to share later on. Hoping to start and finish her special Birthday outfit this weekend. Aunt Nancy gave a wonderful family gift this year tickets the night before Kaitlyn's Birthday to ride the Polar Express so excited about that! A family tradition is going to see East Streets Christmas Program. My parents attend every year and this year will be Kaitlyn's first year attending so also excited about that. The Hubby and I have not been to this program in 4 years of course 4 years ago I was having my c-section after 23 1/2 hours of labor when everyone else in the family was going to watch Easy Street's Christmas program but what a great Christmas present we got that year! I have to say that was the best Christmas ever!!!
Then it's Birthday and X-mas pictures Wednesday 11-23 & Thanksgiving!! Then the start of decorating for X-mas indoors at our house.
I have been making and selling my Hair bow holders and tutu bags on top of a already hectic schedule. Then once again the sore throat, cough, sinus thing took over and Kaitlyn was sick all weekend and me this week. Blahhhhhh!!! Who wants to do anything!! Finally getting back on track.

How many creations with a torso and tulle....

This all started with a tutu hair bow holder. So recently I seen these cute tutu hair bow holders and figured out how to make them. Cut a torso out of wood cover it with fabric, add a tutu and add ribbon so simple and cute also very functional.

Then I went one step further. It began with needing a small cute gift for the Dance Instructor, assistance's and preschool teachers. Seven gifts not a big price tag and super cute. So........ I know a small wood torso, black paint, glitter, a pin, and orange sparkle tulle, black ribbon and a button. I had everything I needed laying around in my craft bins. Cute 7 small torso's out of wood, paint & glitter, 6" x 22" piece of orange tulle, fold tulle in half long ways use a gathering stitch, glue pin to back of torso add tulle around bottom, ribbon for bow and glue your button. It turned out better then I had thought. Super cute price tag $0.00 had the supplies and better then a pair of plastic vampire fangs!! He! He! He!

Then the light bulb went off again.....torso out of wood, cover in fabric with a cute cream-pink tulle skirt. Mounted to a dowel rod, mounted to a larger board 6" x 5" and a little piece of wood 1 1/2" x 1 1/2", small picture frame. This is my keepsake Dance Trophy. I mounted Kaitlyn's first pair of dance shoes to the large board use the small board to lift up the back shoe, my ballerina w/ tutu skirt and picture frame to place a small dance picture from that year and a little info. All done my keepsake 1st year dance trophy!! Now what else can I make with a wood torso and tulle.....................................? Keep you posted!

Turkey Shirt

So once again I came across the cutest thing online these shirts with a turkey and ribbon...so cute but just not willing to pay what the asking price is. So my quest to make one for Kaitlyn to wear since she must be festive for Turkey Day!!! 1. step simple buy a cheap white shirt (wal-mart $4.97) 2. Then you will need a  plush brown fabric 7"x 7"  2. Ribbon- I choose to go with 2 satin ribbons orange and burgundy in 2 different sizes. (you can get creative here)  Now on a piece of card stock drawl a 4"or 5" circle then a 2" circle on top. Should look like a snowman with the 2 circles. Use this pattern to cut the shape out of your plush material. Layout Ribbon and turkey on your shirt....when happy with ribbon placement pin down ribbon. Sew ribbon to shirt where the turkey will cover stitching when placed over ribbon. Next pin down turkey fabric and sew around turkey body using a Satin Stitched edge

(Satin stitched edge – machine stitched, satin stitch is a very tight zig-zag stitch that completely covers the edge of the appliqué) Use this same stitch in orange in a V for the beck and white for eyes. You can add feet if you like or the red turkey wattle. Still debating on embroidering Turkey on the bottom of the shirt????

Here's my FYI to you!

I used a plush fabric with little bumps in the fabric... I was going to use heat n bond to help my turkey stay in position better when I sewed it but when I went to iron it on it ironed out all the bumps...so scratch that idea. I ended up just pinning and run a stitch around the out side of the turkey close to the edge so when I satin stitched around the edges the original stitch would not show. If you make your ribbon feathers long you will need to tack them to the shirt so they do not flop forward when wearing! 3. I did not do this step but next time I will and I should of known better but use a medium weight interfacing on the inside of the shirt under your turkey to give stiffness + strength when sewing!! I should have known this before hand...next time!

Homemade Dance Trophy for Memories

So I wanted a keepsake from Kaitlyn's First Year of Dance.....but what?? So I finally thought of something cute and I will use her first pair of tap and ballet shoes as part of my keepsake. So the plan is to cut a torso out of wood, cover in fabric with a cute cream-pink tulle skirt. Mounted to a dowel rod, mounted to a larger board 6" x 5" and a little piece of wood 1 1/2" x 1 1/2", small picture frame. This is my keepsake Dance Trophy. I mounted Kaitlyn's first pair of dance shoes to the large board used the small board to lift up the back shoe, my ballerina w/ tutu skirt and picture frame to place a small dance picture and a little information. All done my keepsake 1st year dance trophy!!

This now sit proundly up on her bed room shelf. I just love the way it turned out.

Moving on.......Christmas

OK, last week it bothered me seeing things geared for Christmas. We had not even went trick or treating!! Since it's November 1st I can slowly move towards Christmas! Today I will sit down with my daughter and make a Birthday-Christmas wish list since they fall in the same month. Decide on a party theme for her Birthday so I can get shopping! The weather for NE Ohio is going to be great for the next 5 days so when it's 50-60 out and no rain I'll start to get up all my X-mas lights!!

Good bye Halloween

Well until next year my friend! Halloween is over time to move on... Thanksgiving!
A few last Halloween Pictures!

Halloween Dessert Table

OK, I had blogged about my love for party planning and how I wanted to have ones of those cute themed party tables! I go to these party web sites and blogs and they have picture of such perfect food and dessert tables all set up and themed. So my Vintage Party table just did not look as I had planned. So I got a second chance at Halloween. Here's my dessert table which looked great but I wish I would have taken a picture with all the dessert out. I got the theme decor down and with the dessert it looked great!!!

It's Offical...Kaitlyn's 4th Birthday Party Theme

We did the online party searches today and the decision Kaitlyn made is a Minnie Mouse Birthday for her 4th Birthday Party coming up! So Minnie Mouse and colors Light pink, white, black and a little hot pink. Let the fun begin for me!! I'll post all my ideas and pic's after the party!!

Decorating Outdoors for Turkey Day

Halloween is over... time for Thanksgiving. So today the sun was shining and not bad for NE Ohio on 1st of November. So we took down Halloween decorations and put up the 2 Turkey Day decorations we have and changed out the decorative flag hanging on the garage.

Two little Turkey's!!

Smile Turkey's!!!

Picture Day

So the preschool had Picture Day.  I love it!! As a scrapbooker Picture Day is great for my capturing preschool page and they also had a group picture taken with their teachers even better.

Picture Day at preschool.

Preschool for Kaitlyn

My little Pumpkin Pie (Kaitlyn) is growing like a weed. We decided if she was willing to take part in a preschool program 2 days a week for about 2 1/2 hours a day it would build her up to 3 days next year and Kindergarten after that. I feel it gives her good social skills and since she has some speech issue form having a short frenum which pulls down the tongue, restricts it from moving freely and prevents the formation of a tongue tip. My husband was born as well with a short frenum but they cut his. Today they like to correct it with therapy. Which the result for Kaitlyn is she has difficulties pronouncing certain words correctly. Her speech therapist also though this extra social interaction would help her speech. I have to say the sarcastic words come out just as clear as day!! LOL You know the words she picks up at preschool...we have duh, oh my god (which we have been correcting to oh my gosh), what do u mean and what ever so far this year. She loves it and ask everyday if she has preschool. She is making friends and learning what more could I ask for.

She wanted a back pack like her cousin when he goes to school.

First day of preschool. She didn't even care I was leaving her. I cried like a baby!

New outfit for preschool.

On her way to  preschool.

New outfit & hat Grandma Ross bought her!

Dance

Yes, Kaitlyn is taking Dance again this year at Jones Dance Academy in Mineral Ridge, Ohio. She had fun last year and made many new friends. Dance started in Sepetember but I'm running behind on sharing up-dates!!

First Dance class for 2011/2012 year!

My little poser!

Pumpkin Carving 2011

Our Annual tradition is to carve pumpkins 1 to 2 days before Halloween so they last for Trick-Or-Treat. This year Kaitlyn was loved the cleaning out the guts and of coarse she is able to do more every year. My Husband always carves the best pumpkin. I always pick something simple! Have a Happy Halloween! Here's a few pic's!

OK, that's not a knife in her hand but a large pumpkin carving spoon. Like the one on the table they make pumpkin carving easy!

This year she loved getting her hands gooey!

This pumpkin is about as big as she is!

Watching a Halloween show carving pumpkins!

Hubby alsways carves a nice creative pumpkin. This is the big bad wolf Kaitlyn is into Little Red Riding Hood!

My simple pumpkin but I like him!

Those new led lights for pumpkins are great and safe they change colors!

My pumkin is Happy Halloween is coming!! LOL