a diaper pouch.

One of the first things I decided to make for the baby, along with a car seat cover, was a diaper pouch so that I could toss it into the diaper bag and have a changing pad, diapers and wipes all contained and not floating around the depths of the diaper bag. I had also heard from other moms that it is handy to have all the changing materials together so I can grab them easily if I don't want to take the whole diaper bag with us to change a diaper.

I had seen a few tutorials around the internet for this sort of thing and I decided to go with this one from Bugglebee Handmade. Overall I found the tutorial really helpful and descriptive. The only thing I ended up being disappointed about was how tight the changing pad, diapers and wipes fit into the pouch--I wish I would have made the pouch a little bigger so I don't have to work so hard to fit the changing pad into its pocket. I'm hoping over time that with use the pocket will stretch a slight bit. If I end up using this pouch a lot, I'll probably replace the outside pocket with one that has elastic on the top so it will accommodate the changing pad better.

 

 

I used a charcoal curtain that I found in Ikea's clearance area for the back of the changing pad and the pouch--it is a heavy, durable cotton that will hold up to being pulled out of the diaper bag countless times. The pink and orange floral fabric is a laminated cotton so I can wipe it off if we have any little accidents.

 

I made the bias tape using a new-to-me method from Prudent Baby and fabric that I found in my fabric stash--I think it is from the cheap fabric section at Walmart. I had a little trouble with making the bias tape, not because of the method or tutorial, but because I apparently have issues cutting fabric straight and lining up edges. :c)



a car seat cover.

One of the first things that I made for my new little one was a car seat cover. I had seen a few tutorials on Pinterest and the concept didn't seem too hard, so I jumped right in.

 

I used this tutorial on Sew Dang Cute Crafts to make the basic cover. I didn't make a window in mine, but after using the final product for a couple of months now, I think I might go back and add a little window--it would be nice to be able to peek in and see the baby quickly without waking her. 

 

 

I made the cover and straps before I had my car seat at home to work with, so I didn't know if my cover would fit very well! Thankfully I only had to fold up and sew the corners of the cover so that they wouldn't drag on the ground--otherwise the cover fits really well. At first I was concerned that it looks funny with the corners this way, but the look has grown on me and I've decided to leave them as such so that if we have a different car seat with any future kiddos I can adjust the cover to fit by ripping out the stitching.

 



I also waited to attach the straps to the cover until I had my car seat so I could adjust their positioning to work for me, rather than using the measurements that were recommended in the tutorial I used.

a new hamper for a new baby.

I'm a little late in posting the things I made for baby Abby while I was pregnant, but better late than never!

I found this $8 hamper at Ikea and decided that I could easily make a cover for it to match the nursery.

I debated whether I should use the existing liner in my design or not, but after lots of consideration, I decided not to. I wanted a cover that I could toss in the washing machine occasionally and I'm not sure that the plastic would wash well (at all?). Instead, I carefully removed the liner from the bars and used it to make measurements for my own cover.

 

 

I used a dark denim tablecloth that my sister gave me a few years ago and some Velcro I already had in my sewing stash leftover from another project, so this project was really cheap--only $8 for the original hamper! 

 

Full Term

I was officially full term last week! The reality that the baby could come at any time really hit me and I have been wavering between feeling chill and feeling overwhelmed. To counter some of the overwhelmed-ness, I enjoyed some simple things to refresh myself and help me stay relaxed while waiting for the baby's arrival:

:: went to see The Hobbit in the theater with my husband
:: enjoyed my Christmas present from my husband--an amazing prenatal massage with Victoria at Ten Salon in Loveland.
:: spent some time reading non-pregnancy/baby related literature (December's issue of Cooking Light!) at Panera and indulged in a cup of coffee and a scone. I've been really limiting my caffeine intake, so this was a real treat.
:: meandered around Target without an agenda and looked at pretty things. Its the simple things at this point, I guess, because this was awesome!

a covered ottoman.

I've benefited so much from a number of kind people who have taken the time to post detailed tutorials on their blogs and websites. This post shows a project I did for our house using a great tutorial I found via Pinterest.

 

 

A friend had told me about this tutorial she had found and as soon as I saw it, I decided it would be perfect to try for the ottoman in our living room that had recently torn and needed a cover. Before I put time and money into picking out fabric for the living room ottoman, I decided to make a practice one using materials I had on hand.

 

Lest you think I'm something I'm not, I think this is the first time I've ever had the foresight (or motivation) to make a practice version of any project I've made. 

 

 

 

 

I love that when people see this ottoman in person, they have no idea that it is actually a crate and old cushion. I keep my journal and the books I read daily tucked underneath--the perfect hiding spot!

 

I found the tutorial helpful and instructive, although there were a few changes that I made in order to get the cover to look like I wanted it to. If you decide to ever make your own, just take your time making the corners, clipping off and hemming the fabric carefully. Measure twice, cut once. :c)

 

 



 

Juicy

 

Carrot Celery Tangerine Lime Juice

 

 

I've started juicing this year, as a result of finally watching the documentary, Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, and rediscovering my juicer during a whirlwind of late winter closet cleaning. I love knowing that what I'm putting in my body is fresh and healthy as well as experimenting with different combinations of fruits and vegetables in my juices.

 

After a few weeks of juicing on a regular basis (I'm aiming for a few times a week), I discovered a few things that have made a big difference in whether I am motivated to juice frequently or if I succumb to making excuses and choose to snack on a handful of Cheese-Its instead.

 

Our fridge has two produce drawers--I am finding it really helpful to use one to store my juicing produce and one to store other produce. This helps me easily keep track of what I have to use for meals for the week and what is available for juicing.

 

After I have prepared my produce for juicing (washing, peeling, chopping), I pile it all into a large bowl or onto a cutting board that I keep close to the juicer as I'm processing the fruits and vegetables in order to help reduce the length of time the juicer is running without anything in it.

 

Lining the canister that collects the produce pulp with a produce bag from the grocery store helps to cut down on the clean up time.

 

While juicing, don't leave the chute uncovered very long after dropping something into juicer. I once dropped half an apple into the chute without covering it quickly enough and the apple shot out of the chute at me! It was hilarious at the time, but could be dangerous. 

 

Keeping an eye on the juice pitcher while processing produce in the juicer helps ensure that you capture all of that tasty juice. If it moves out of place, your juicer will start pouring juice out onto the counter, onto the floor and into the heater vent...

 

Clean your juicer immediately after juicing. If you don't have time to scrub it down, at least give it a good rinse and use a nylon brush to clear the filter of any pulp that has gotten lodged in it. If you don't clean the filter shortly after juicing, you will regret it later.

 

 



a few new Christmas decorations.

I made a few new Christmas decorations for our home this year!

I first saw this idea on Pinterest, but have since seen it all over the place. I used this tutorial as a guide, but didn't do my painting the same. It was pretty easy and cheap to make (using coupons at Michaels), but I had trouble with using just hot glue to attach the letters on the back, like the tutorial instructs. It currently is hanging somewhat precariously on the wall behind my front door and I'm planning to try and secure the letters together with small brackets after the holiday season.

 

 

 

I'm really loving my new clothespin wreath! I used this tutorial as a guide and was able to make it using materials I had in my home already--so it was free. I love free. I didn't have enough clothespins that were all the same size, but I really love that it breaks up the edge of the wreath. I am planning to cover the back side of the clothespins with paper for another season, but I'm not sure what yet. The author of the tutorial did Valentines Day, which would be fun, but I might like to do something that I can use longer, like a spring or summer theme.