Making A Sweatshirt Smaller

I have so many sweatshirts in my closet that are too big, but I don't have the heart to throw them out.  So I experimented today with making one smaller.  I actually used one of my husbands old sweatshirts that he gave me a while back.  ;)

This will also work with long sleeve shirts as well.
 All you need is an old sweatshirt that's too big, scissors, sewing pins, and a sewing machine.

 Lay out the sweatshirt inside out and line up all the seams.  Starting at the bottom, cut a little off the sides going up to the armpit, but be sure to leave a little room to sew so it's not too tight when you put it on.  I cut mine going in a little in the waist to flatter my shape more.  If the sweatshirt is too big in the arms, cut going up through the armpits to the end of the sleeves.  Remember to keep the curve of the sweatshirt through the armpit.  The above is my sweatshirt cut from the bottom to the end of the sleeves.

Once you have the sweatshirt cut, you can pin it in place and sew it back together.  Once it is sewn together, pull it right side out and you're done! 
(In my first attempt, the arms and shoulders were still to big since it was a mens sweatshirt.  I went back and sewed the arms a little smaller and then cut off the excess.)

Now for Before and Afters!

                   Before:

                     After:

So much better!!  Happy Sewing!

Felt Play Wall

Felt was on sale this week so I stocked up on lots of colors and created Fiona a felt play wall.   

To create this all you need is one big piece of felt for the background and lots of other colors to make shapes and letters.

To attach the felt to the wall, I didn't want to nail into the wall so I bought Command strips.  I stapled the felt to the strips and then attached to the wall.  These are nice because they don't damage the paint, but are durable.  If you don't mind holes, you could attach the felt to canvas or in a frame and hang on the wall instead.

Cut out all the shapes, letters, and numbers that you wish and attach!  Felt sticks to felt easily so there's no need to velcro. Just stick them on.

I think this will be fun to decorate for different seasons also, just alternate the shapes out!  =)

Happy Felting!

 

DIY Table Centerpiece

If you have a glass vase lying around you can make your own table centerpiece.  I love this because it can be as simple or elaborate as you wish. 

I bought the vase and fake flowers for a total of $2 and used leftover garland from the tree to create ours. 

The great thing with a glass vase is you can change it up for each holiday or occasion.  =)  So many possibilities! 

Happy Creating! 

T-Shirt Recon: Tie Front

I have so many t-shirts in my closet that are baggy in the front giving my hourglass figure a boyish one.  Here's a fun and simple way to alter these shirts using just a pair of scissors.

I drew a diagram showing where to cut if you want to alter the sleeves and neck line also.
Make sure to keep all the cuts even so one sleeve isn't longer than the other (unlike my diagram)

Put the shirt on and mark where you will be cutting your holes to tie the shirt at.  They should be right under your chest evenly spaced apart.  Then make these cuts but make sure to keep them small so you don't have gaps when you pull it tight.

For the tie string you can use scrap from one of the sleeves, or a piece of fabric or decorative ribbon.  String it out through the holes so each end hangs out for you to tie.

Tie the string as tight as you wish in a bow or knot.  =)


Now for the before and after pics!

                      Before:

 

                    After:

 

Happy Cutting!

Basic Scoop Neck T-Shirt Recon

There are so many ways to transform an old t-shirt into a new must have.  The levels of altering your shirts can be as simple as cutting off a few inches, to changing the shape and design all together. I look forward to conquering each technique and blogging my success and/or failures.  ;)
 
My first attempt was creating a scoop neck and shortening the sleeves.  I found this to be a simple start.  I started with a boring basic t-shirt.
It was easier in this instance to draw a diagram of where to cut.  Just make sure to keep it even on both sides. 

Once you have made all the cuts, pull and stretch the fabric to get the shirt to roll up along the edges. Then you are finished!

Finished Product Front

Finished Product Back

Happy cutting!

Milk Bubbles

Our little one was getting a little antsy, so we decided to distract her by blowing bubbles in her milk.  I forgot how much fun this can be.  =)

Learning how to make the bubbles

Bigger!

Explode!!

Since it was on her high chair, clean up was quick and easy.

Don't forget about the small things around the house that are free entertainment.  She completely forgot she was fussy after.  =)

 

Curry Chicken Salad

I love a good chicken salad as a quick and easy dinner option.  I have been playing with different ways to prepare chicken salad to find the perfect mix of ingredients.  I finally came across a mixture that my husband and I have labeled as one of our favorite meals.  The secret is curry.  You can also make this healthy by substituting the mayonnaise for low fat, or a mixture of both.

Curry Chicken Salad:

What you will need:
4 or 5 boneless skinless chicken breast cooked and shredded (You can also buy a precooked rotisserie chicken and shred the meat)
1 cup mayonnaise (or light/low fat if you prefer)
A few squirts of mustard to taste
2 stalks of celery diced
1 small yellow onion chopped
1 red delicious apple cored and diced (if you like your apples peeled, you can peel it)
1/2 cup of seedless green grapes halved
1/2 of chopped walnuts (you can also use pecans)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon of curry powder

Directions:
The star of this dish is curry so you really want to bring out it's flavor.  One of the easiest ways to boost a spices flavor, is heating it on the stove. You can roast the spices in the oven, but I like to toast mine on the stove top so I have more control.  Spices can burn easy so it's important to stir them as they heat up. They are ready when they become slightly darker and have a strong aroma.  This usually takes a couple minutes.  Make sure to remove the spices from the pan right away to stop them from cooking any further. 

Saute the onion in a pan for just a few minutes with butter or cooking spray.

Thoroughly mix all ingredients in bowl.  I usually add a little more curry (unheated) if the flavor isn't strong enough for us.  This recipe is very flexible so it is hard to mess up.
If you have leftovers, the flavor is even better the next day!

Enjoy!

Halloween Meatloaf

I usually call this Dead Man Meatloaf and made it for the first time this past Halloween.  I have made the meatloaf before, just not in the shape of......well a dead man.

The recipe itself is very simple and absolutely delicious.  I make it all the time in a normal loaf shape.
It is a brown sugar meatloaf, but you can use your own meatloaf recipe and skip to the bottom on shaping and decorating it.  I am including the recipe I use in case you would like to try it.  Please remember since it is a meatloaf, you can add or leave any ingredients out.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf (The way I make it)


What you will need:

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/4 cup brown sugar (if you like it sweeter use 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
About 1 cup of oatmeal flakes
1/2 cup steak sauce of choice (A1 is what I use)
A drizzle of Worcestershire sauce
1 packet of dry onion soup mix (optional)
Ketchup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Decide what kind of pan you will be using.  I used a broiler pan for this one because the meatloaf wouldn't fit in a loaf pan shaped this way.  If you do make this meatloaf in a loaf pan, you can put slices of bread on the bottom of the pan under the meatloaf to catch the grease.  This way, the meatloaf isn't so greasy. 

In a mixing bowl, thoroughly mix all ingredients.  If loaf needs more oats, feel free to add them.  Shape a portion of the meat like a normal loaf to make the body of the dead man.  Then add arms and legs roughly in the same shape and attach to the body.  Last, shape a round loaf to make the head. Make sure to keep all body parts even so the meat cooks evenly. 

Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center.  Cooking times will vary based on how thick the meat is.  (Roughly 35 min - 1 hour). An instant read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Once baked, pour ketchup on the abdomen and add the eyes and mouth.  You can use olives, pickles, anything you like for decorating the face.  I used pickles and Ketchup for mine.

Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes.  You can serve with a knife impaled in the abdomen for effect.  You can make it creeper by dripping ketchup down the knife.  For younger kids, might want to leave the knife off.   ;)

Enjoy!

Black and White Whimsy Tree

Black and White Whimsy Tree:

This is one of my favorite paintings so far and will be displayed on a wall in my home.
The funny thing about this painting is I didn't have any brushes small enough and I didn't feel like leaving the house to get some at that moment.  I used my make up brushes (eye liner and eye shadow brush) to paint this picture!  So, you can always improvise! 

I found a similar painting someone did online and decided to try it for myself with a few alterations.  I wanted my background to be black and the tree white, so I had my starting point.  I painted my background black and then drew with a pencil the outline of the tree.  Once I was satisfied with how it looked, I carefully started painting it in white.  This took several coats and a whole of patience.  If you mess up, just dip your brush in water and sweep the paint off.  An easier way to fix a mistake is to wait until the paint dries, and  then cover the mistake with the background color and start over.  You can make the process of drying quicker by using a hair dryer on the wet parts.

The great thing about this tree is you can shape it how you like and add the swirly branches and leaves to be your own.  =)
I think it would also be fun to add some silver highlights throughout the tree.

Handprint Christmas Tree

                                                        Handprint Christmas Tree


Ran across an idea online the other day for painting with the kids.  It is even cute if you don't have kids and want to use our own handprints.  ;)

The Handprint Christmas Tree:

Select your canvas or paper that you wish to paint on.  (I used cheap flat canvas instead of framed because it is easier to store with all the other seasonal items.  I also preferred something more durable, unlike paper. )

I used acrylic paint because it is easier to work with being a beginner, and I love how you can layer the paints. Choose which paint type and colors you would like to use.  The color choices are unlimited, nothing wrong with a purple tree!  ;)

Paint the background in any color you choose and let dry.  A tip to make drying faster: Set your blow dryer on a warm/hot setting and hold it away from the paint until dry.

Dip your hand in the paint to make the tree branches.  I used a flat surface and spread the paint out evenly across it to dip in.  The more even the paint is spread out, the better coverage you will have on the canvas.  

The best advice for making the tree branches is to start with a number of handprints on the bottom and minus one each layer up.  For instance, I started with four on the bottom, three on the next layer, and so on until I reached one handprint on top.  This allows you to make your tree as big and fluffy or small as you desire. 

Once the handprints are dry, you can dip your fingers in a different color (like red on mine) to make berries or any decorations you like.  You can even add tinsel!  Don't forget to add a border if you wish!
        
 There are many different things you can add to make this tree unique and yours.  The choices are unlimited which is why this is so much fun. Also any ages can do this.  I made this painting with my 16 month old's handprints, and I painted the rest for her.   HAVE FUN!

 

Yard play

We played in the yard today and I got a few great shots of Fiona. I can't believe she is already 15 months! :)














She is growing up so fast!

Mall Time

We took Fiona to the mall to play on the playground. She was more active and enjoyed it more than she ever has. She was climbing on the stairs to go down the slide and running everywhere. Times like this make us realize how quickly she is growing and how precious these small moments are.

Her new hat that she gets mad if we take off :)





We built a tower together on Saturday morning. She discovered how to connect the pieces instead of just tearing the towers down.

We love the bigger milestones like sippy cups, walking, and potty training, but we adore the smaller unmentioned milestones as well. :). I love being a parent.

No more formula

Last bit of formula ever for Fiona!! Oh, and she is weened off the bottle too :) She is becoming such a big girl!

Fun on a vent

It's the little things in life and as adults we tend to get wrapped up in life and forget that. Children remind you to stop and enjoy the small things. :)

Now that Fiona is mobile, she is taking joy in discovering everything around her. The other day, she found the purpose if the air vents.
To blow up your dress!!






it was so priceless!!

Crawling and Stepping

In the past week Fiona has learned to crawl, walk when holding her hands, pull up on things, and stand in her crib. Michael and I joke that she has leveled up! :) We think she will be walking any day now.

Fiona Stands

I caught Fiona standing up by herself (with the help of toys) for the first time on camera! :)

First Kids Meal

We ordered Fiona her first kids meal on the way to see Nicole in the hospital when she had Brayden. I think I was more excited than she was about the kids meal. I can't believe how quickly she is growing.





I do miss how small and new she was the first few weeks, but I don't miss the colic. She is so much more fun and enjoyable now. I love watching her play and discover new things. I enjoy and love her so much it brings tears to my eyes.

I am excited to share more firsts and watch her grow in all aspects. I am incredibly happy to have such a wonderful husband who is amazing and involved with Fiona. I love my family and wouldn't change a thing about us.

Fiona is sitting up like a pro now! She also is grabbing our fingers and pulling up. She wants to stand on her own so badly. Michael grabbed her hands and was walking her around the living room last night and she was actually taking steps with him!
She also is pushing up on her knees and hands and trying to crawl. I think we are going to have a fee more firsts here soon! :)

Painting

I went to the craft store and bought some canvas for Fiona to paint with acrylic paint. I set up a little work station for her on the back patio, and she had so much fun!













Check out that concentration!



I was tickled how much she enjoyed it.






















I even decided to participate:



We both had so much fun! We went and bought more canvas yesterday for her to paint and give as gifts. Daddy gets to see his little artist at work this time. :)