Mamatography Week 6

February 14, 2013 By Amy 6 Comments

I literally stayed in my bed for five minutes after the kids asked to go downstairs and THIS is what happened.

That’s ok. They redeemed themselves beautifully by sharing while making daddy a new painting!

This past week was dominated by sewing for my Silly Bear Handmade Shop diaper stocking.

This Robots Hybrid Fitted is my favorite!

Like I said . . . dominated by sewing diapers! LOL

This sweet diaper was a custom order from a friend, neighbor and loyal Silly Bear Handmade customer for one of her pastors at church, whose wife just gave birth to beautiful baby girl!

If you can’t read it because of the angle, it’s James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift comes from above”

Joseph is always super happy when I let him join me at the sewing desk and press the embroidery “go” button.

He sure loves “beep beeps”

This week we welcomed daddy home from his 65 day patrol!

Joseph was eager to help him empty his seabag.

Another fluffy photo. I love fluff.

Joe being silly, sitting and playing with his Coast Guard bear on the elliptical in our bedroom.

That was OUR week. How was YOURS?!

That was OUR week. How was YOURS?

This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.

We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!

Filed Under: 2013, children, family, mamatography, photography, silly bear handmade

Mamatography Week 5

February 7, 2013 By Amy 2 Comments

Lively Garden and SS WM

I have been sewing like mad this week. These fun and vibrant fleece pocket diapers (with snap down rise to make them one-size, fitting NB to Toddler!) have been, like, my life recently. I’m either cutting, sewing, or embroidering them this week. I’m stocking my Silly Bear Handmade shop with fleece pocket diapers and Hybrid Fitteds this Friday!

Shark Diaper WM

For the first 24 hours after I stock the shop, ALL diapers are $10 (Yep! you heard me right! $10). . . so, head on over on Friday and grab a diaper for more than 50% off!!!! You won’t regret it!

Joe at Desk WM

Joseph has been very focused lately, furthering his fine motor skills.

Sewing WM

And like I said, I’ve been sewing like a madwoman this week. But I haven’t JUST been sewing diapers. . .

Snow White Sewing WM

Abbey requested a Snow White dress for her dress up collection, and her wish became a reality this week!

Multitasking WM

I snapped this pic of me multitasking in order to finish her dress before I picked her up from preschool.

Snow White Dress WM

She was super pleased!

Abbey WM

We had a fun week here, although we’re all hoping that it will warm up just a FEW degrees so we can enjoy playing at the park again soon! It’s been wavering between 22′ and 29′ this week. . . with a crazy wind chill.

Abbey and Joe Smily Faces WM

That was OUR week. How was YOURS?

This post is part of the Mamatography 2013 Project with Diary of a First Child and Momma Jorje.

We are taking (at least) a photo a day to keep a record of our year. Join us at any point during the year and start sharing your own daily photos!

Filed Under: 2013, Abbey, children, creating for the family, Joseph, Learning, mamatography, natural learning, Photography Projects, Sewing, sewing diapers, sewing projects, silly bear handmade

Wordless Wednesday: Joetography

February 6, 2013 By Amy 1 Comment

A little bit of Joetography with my iphone while he sat on my lap at the sewing desk.

Filed Under: 2013, children, creating for the family, Sewing, silly bear handmade, toddler, Wordless Wednesday

Thoughts for 2013

January 1, 2013 By Amy Leave a Comment

Happy New Year!

I looked back at my resolutions for 2012 the other day and patted myself on the back.

I said I wanted to try less to be perfect and try more to be authentic, and I feel in my heart that I have definitely accomplished that this year.

I feel more grounded and at home in my life now that my goal is to be open and authentic than I ever did when I was striving to be perfect!

So, this year, I feel good about setting some more concrete goals for 2013. I wonder how I’ll feel about these goals come next New Year!

Continue taking time out for myself to exercise at least 3X per week
Meet the goals I have set for my Silly Bear Handmade shop and my work with La Leche League
Enjoy my college courses and keep moving forward with my degree!
Continue living to be authentic, instead of striving to be perfect, and loving and helping others as much as I can!

What are YOUR goals for 2013?

Filed Under: Advocacy, Self Awareness, silly bear handmade, Uncategorized

Creating for the Family: Crafty Mama Monday

November 12, 2012 By Amy Leave a Comment

I have been a busy volunteer-Ombudsman, full-time-student mama lately. . . and crafty mama has not disappeared, but she’s been slowed down a bit.

Projects have gone on the back burner. Only the really vital projects that I’m creating for my family lately have actually gotten done. And I have a growing short-list of Silly Bear Handmade custom orders from friends. Plus baby and big sister/big brother gifts that I made for my family members that I have neglected to ship. Whoops!

I have, however, still been making progress at being crafty!

Here’s what I have been up to lately.

Knitted Wristwarmers

I have been enjoying knitting these wristwarmers (aka fingerless gloves) for about a month now, and they are finally finished! I started and ripped out the project three or four times before I chose a pattern that I loved and made the correct alterations to it to make it work for me.

I ended up using the Fetching knitting pattern to make these wrist warmers, and I added a few inches to the cabling portion to extend the length of them. I have long arms and none of my coats hit my wrist where they should. This used to not matter when I lived in Texas, but now that I am a transplanted New Englander, it matters so much! Cold wrists and blustery wind going up your coat sleeves . . . yikes! Not ok!

Next, I’m planning on knitting a coordinating hat for the winter ahead, using the same yarn that I used for the wristwarmers. Now, I am knitting a coordinating slouchy cabled hat. More on that in my next Crafty Mama Monday.

I’m also planning on knitting the Silly Bears and nieces and nephews some wool gloves using the Easily Adjustable Knitted Glove Pattern from They Are All Of Me.

But for now, $1 mittens from the Joann’s dollar section work just fine.

Night Time Diapers

This summer, I ordered some Maiden Mills Windpro fleece from a destash album on Facebook, with the intention of finally taking the advice of my fellow diaper sewers and making Joseph a FLEECE night time diaper instead of one waterproofed by PUL or using wool at night (neither of which were working for us).

The diapers I made work fabulously through the night, and I fully intend to make more and list them for sale in my Silly Bear Handmade shop. (Stocking is coming SOON and there will be a $10 diaper sale for the first 24 hours. . . so watch the SBH Facebook Page for sneak peeks and updates!)

Joseph used to wake up smelling like ammonia and having wet PJs and a red butt from contact with all the pee during the night. The fleece night time diapers I created for him eliminate these problems. It’s so wonderful!

I am in the process of writing a photo tutorial on how I made these fleece night time pocket diapers, so that those of you who would like to sew one for a Silly Bear in your life can do so with ease and enjoy the benefits.

They are wonderful! It’s one of those “why didn’t I do this sooner!?” moments. You can view a detailed description and all the photos of the diaper here –> Introducing the Silly Bear Handmade Night Time Fleece Pocket Diaper!!!!!!

I am so thrilled that I finally have a diaper that hands down works for nights. Wish I could have sewn it sooner!

Bedroom Curtains

Back in the summer, I made blackout curtains for Abbey and Joseph’s room, and wrote a photo tutorial to teach you how to make them yourself.

A dear friend asked me to help her with curtains for her 7-year-old’s room. She couldn’t find anything in the stores that thrilled her, so she gave me the free reign to come up with what I could to please her daughter’s taste and coordinate with the quilt that she had. She didn’t need black out curtains, so I sewed some simple cotton curtains for her that her daughter loves!

What have YOU been creating for YOUR family recently?

Is there anything you have been eye-ing or keeping on a Pinterest page that you’d love to create, but you’re slightly timid to try?

I’d love to connect with you about sewing, knitting, and creating for the family. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Filed Under: 2012, cloth diapers, creating for the family, knitting, Sewing, sewing diapers, sewing projects, silly bear handmade, WAHM

Sewing Tutorial: DIY Blackout Curtains

October 26, 2012 By Amy 4 Comments

Blackout curtains are great for keeping kids rooms (or any rooms) dark and cool. Our family benefits from more sleep in the mornings and good, long naps, thanks to blackout-lined curtains. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to sew your own blackout lined curtains. The fabric choices are endless, and the process is fairly simple. With a few common materials, and an hour or two of your time, you can have beautiful DIY blackout curtains to be very proud of!

Materials:

• rotary cutter and mat or fabric shears

• 1 & 2/3 yards of curtain fabric of your choice

• 1 & 1/2 yards of blackout curtain liner.

• coordinating polyester thread

• iron and flat, heat-tolerable surface for pressing

• large flat area for cutting and preparing panels

• sewing machine

• sewing needle for hand stitching

Prepare Fabric:

1. Cut curtain fabric in a 44″X 60″ rectangle with your rotary cutter or fabric shears

2. Cut your blackout lining to 42″ X 54″.

3. Prepare your fabrics by pressing fabric to flatten any wrinkles and creases.

Sew Side Seams

Lay printed fabric right side up on a large, flat surface. Place the Blackout liner fabric laminated side up on top of the printed fabric (the right side of the print and right [woven] side of the Blackout liner should be facing one another). Place the fabric so that there is an even amount (approx. 3″) of print fabric on the top and bottom under the liner fabric [See Picture].

If you are sewing curtain panels to be used directly on a rod, you will have 8-9 inches at the top.

Bring the right edge of the liner fabric to meet the right edge of the cotton fabric, smooth, and pin in place from the under-side

(the heads of the pins should be on the wrong side of the printed fabric)

1. Bring the left edge of the liner fabric to meet the left edge of the printed fabric. Because the liner fabric is shorter in width than the printed fabric, you will have an extra 3-4 inches of printed fabric. Do not attempt to smooth this out and trim the printed fabric ¹

2. Place your prepared fabric under the sewing machine foot with the print side up

(heads of the pins will be facing up, for you to pull out with your right hand as you sew)

Sew a straight stitch leaving a 1″ seam allowance. Do the same for the right and left sides. Make sure that you trim your threads and go back to your work surface.

Check to see that your seam allowances are 1″. Trim if needed.

Turn your work right side in. Lay the tube of fabric that you just sewed on your work surface with the print side down and the liner fabric centered between the overlap of the print fabric. the fabric overlap should be approx. 1 inch.

3. Make sure that your seam allowances of both the fabrics are folded outward within the “channels” created by the overlapped print fabric. This will ensure that your curtains black out light from edge to edge.

Check to see that your print fabric overlap is even throughout the length of the curtain panel, and that the seam allowances fit within the “channels” or “casing” created by the overlap, and then press this side seam in place and pin it in place to prepare to topstitch.

4. Bring your pressed and pinned fabric to the sewing machine and topstitch, sewing a straight stitch “in the ditch” between the print overlap and the liner fabric.

Make sure that you straighten the fabric to your left as you sew, and sew carefully as to not lose control of the large amount of fabric.

It’s a long seam, but you can do it! I like to use a Blind Hem Foot and minimum stitch width setting to guide the stitch into “the ditch” as I sew.

5. Bring your work back to your large flat workspace and press these topstitched seams in place and iron out any wrinkles that have been created.

You want your fabric nice and crisp to make sure that your seams are square and that you don’t end up with funky wrinkles and unintended pleats in any part of your curtain panel! ²

Sew Top and Bottom seams

Top Seam:

{NOTE: If you want to hang your curtains directly on a rod, please add 5-6 inches to your initial measurement for the print fabric, and sew a rod casing for this step}

The following directions will create a straight, closed, and mitered seam with no rod casing that can be hung on ring clips as pictured.

1. Confirm that you have done all of the steps including pressing your finished seams for the side seams. check that your selvedge edges (raw edges) are reasonably straight, and approximately 3″ in length.

2. Measure 1.5″ up the seam allowance on the top on the left and right sides, and mark. Your mark should be approximately halfway up the selvedge edged seam allowance. Now at the very top of the top selvedge edge, measure from the right edge of your piece inward 1.5″ and mark. (A) Connect the marks and snip off the corner of the selvedge. Do the same for the left side. [See Fig. 4A]

3. (B) Snip off the triangle piece of overlap, too. [See Fig. 4B]

4. Fold down seam allowance approximately 1.5″ and press down. [Fig. 4C]

5. Fold corners in so that the inside edge of the triangle formed matches up with the topstitching of the side seams. Press. Do this on both sides. [Fig. 4D]

6. Fold down seam allowance approx. 1.5″ once more, and press. [Fig. 4E] Pin in place from the underside (you’ll want to sew with the right side of the curtain panel facing you).

7. Sew this hem with a straight stitch- I like to use a double needle, but a single needle will work just fine! Sew from the topstitching on the right side seam to the topstitching on the left side seam.

Bottom Seam:

Repeat steps 2. – 6. for the bottom hem, but sew this hem with a Blind Hem Stitch and Blind Hem Foot. Alternatively, you can use a straight stitch for this hem.

Press all your seams and hems.

Confirm that your curtain panel is the right size and shape before you do the next step.

Finishing Up:

You’ll be hand sewing the mitered edges of the top and bottom seams. Pick a hand sewing needle that is appropriate for the materials you have used in your curtain panel. Hand sew the mitered edges on all four corners of the curtain panel, making sure to secure your thread at the beginning and end of your stitching, and then you’re done!

Go hang up your curtain panels and admire your handiwork. You created something for your family. Doesn’t it feel great!?

Cost and Time Commitment:

Approx. length of time to make one curtain panel, uninterrupted – 1-2 hours.

Cost of materials for one 42″ X 54″ curtain panel – $20 – $30 This is a full-price estimate for using a $6.99 per yard economy blackout fabric and an average $8.00 per yard cotton woven fabric. If you have coupons or discount codes, you can get the fabric for less, as I did. I spent approximately $100 making blackout curtains for both of my children’s rooms – with coupons and sale prices from Joann.com and Fabric.com. (I also received cash back through Ebates by shopping these stores online.)

PIN THE LEFT EDGE of the liner TO THE LEFT EDGE of the print, just as they are. The extra print fabric is a GOOD thing. You WANT overlap. ↩
Pressing has to be the most time consuming and boring part of sewing. But it is imperative. I promise. I wouldn’t make you do it if it weren’t important! ↩

Filed Under: 2012, baby, children, creating for the family, preschooler, Sewing, silly bear handmade, Sleeping, toddler, WAHM

Where Does My Help Come From?

September 13, 2012 By Amy Leave a Comment

Linking up today for Pour Your Heart Out with Shell at Things I Can’t Say.

I look around my crazy house.

I see clothes strewn on the floor.

I see a pile of trash & paper bits poured from the bottom of my diaper bag.

I look into the messy kitchen.

I see a stack of dishes.

I see a counter that needs to be wiped, and yogurt and lunch on the table.

I need to sweep. I need to mop. I need to transfer laundry.

I need to vacuum.

I need to wipe.

I need to fold

and iron

and sort.

But I want to cut out patterns

on my beautiful new fabrics.

I want to sit in the quiet

and sew

and get work done.

But I’ve got a toddler showing me needs -

baring his cute little teeth in anger when I say “naptime”

I give a choice and I rock and sing.

And when I’m kicked while comforting him,

I give the choice again.

Finally, I nurse him down to sleep. And I sneak out of the room.

And here I am, by the computer, pouring my heart out to you.

I lift my eyes up to the hills. Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD – the maker of heaven and earth.

I need to remember this. When Joe is baring teeth.

When I am kicked and scratched and pummelled

by a toddler with needs and a temper.

I need to remember this. When I look at my messy house.

When I think “when will I ever get out ahead -

- can I get ahead of the mess?”

I need to remember this. When I think of my baby girl.

She’s at preschool and still I’m having trouble

balancing everything here.

I need to remember this. When I look at my to-do list.

When I want to say “forget this mess! I am so ashamed of myself”

and weep that I’ll never get anything done.

I lift my eyes up to the hills. Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD – the maker of heaven and earth.

I will praise you in this storm. And I will lift my hands.

You are who You are, no matter where I am.

And every tear I’ve cried – You hold in Your hand.

You’ve never left my side. And though my heart is torn,

I will praise You in this storm.

Praise You In This Storm – Casting Crowns

Filed Under: 2012, adaptability, behavior, children, courage, deployment, Faith, family, God, Parenting, responsible parenting, Sewing, silly bear handmade, toddler, two children, USCG Life

Mamatography 2012- September Week 1

September 8, 2012 By Amy Leave a Comment

This week started out with a “last hurrah” of sorts. We broke out the inflatable water slide that we inherited from friends of ours for one last summertime extravaganza with friends over Labor Day Weekend. Here’s Joseph manning one of the squirt guns, and a friend of ours in the background striking a not-so-flattering pose as Hubs jokingly aimed a football at him. Ah, fun times!

Abbey and her friend Abbi warmed up in towels between playing on the water slide and at the park.

After our labor day fun, I got back to work, sewing a custom order of ReUsable Sandwich Bags for a friend.

I really enjoyed making them, and I she was impressed with my workmanship and my lovely woven labels that came in over the weekend! “So professional!” she beamed.

Well, I hardly would call myself a professional because I have a lot of work ahead of me if I’m actually going to succeed at having a Handmade Store, but if I’m going to do Silly Bear Handmade, I’m going to do it right. And labeling goods meant for children appropriately is a must!

Then on Tuesday, I got a super awful allergy attack. Headaches, drainage, red, leaky eyes – the works!

Yay for a change of season! (said no allergy sufferer ever).

Everybody in the family then caught a cold. So, it’s been a lot of sniffling, sneezing, coughing, and nose-blowing around here.

But, I still had a baby shower BBQ to plan and prepare for for our friends this week. So, I got to work cutting out a zillion (ok, maybe just under a hundred) tiny paper onesies and embellishing them with nautical themed embroideries (I made them embroidering directly onto water soluble stabilizer and then glued them onto the paper). I was not feeling well (still feeling crappy as I write this!) but when you’re a busy mama, the show must go on!

I made a couple lines of pennants in orange blue and white (Coast Guard colors) and went with a loose interpretation of my friends’ Nautical baby theme for the party prep.

I think the Pirate Baby “Ne’er Say Baby” game was a HIT and a fun touch.

But my favorite creation by far was the “Wishes for Baby” cards that I made. They turned out super cute, and I think the idea is so sweet. Everyone at the party filled one out and I hope that my friends (who are expecting their second baby, a little boy) really enjoyed reading them.

And last but certainly not least this week are the nautical jello cups that I made for the party.

The kids LOVED them, and I have to say, they came out pretty cute! This was another Pinterest Success! (I also found the idea for the “Wishes For Baby” cards on Pinterest and pinned them to my boards).

Other happenings for this past week included Abbey’s second week of full time preschool at the CDC, watching President Obama’s Nomination Acceptance speech at the DNC with the Hubs, and chatting with my parents not once but twice over the phone (I think I may miss them a little, huh?)

Next week, I celebrate my 25th birthday, am attending the Ombudsman Appreciation Dinner on base, and will have to say goodbye to Hubs as he prepares to go Underway again soon.

But more about next week – next week. This week, let’s relish in the amazing-ness that is JELLO.

Yum.

That was our week. How was YOURS?

Filed Under: 2012, Abbey, children, creating for the family, family, hubs, Joseph, mamatography, preschooler, silly bear handmade, summer fun, toddler, USCG Life, volunteering

Mamatography August Week 4

August 26, 2012 By Amy Leave a Comment

Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

“Whoooooooooooo” says Joe! He just totally loves swinging!

This week, as always, we spent lots of time at the park by our house with our neighbor friends.

Abbey and Joseph LOVE asking me to underdog swing them. “Run and then get through!!!!!” Abbey shouts.

Joseph, Abbey, and Hubs watched football this weekend. . .

Joe wouldn’t even give me a “Cheese!” he was so enthralled with the game.

Here’s a “Cheese!” picture for you. Joseph is now 16 months old and he is getting so big.

He is such a ham, and his happy, silly, and stubborn faces are exactly like Hubs’. It’s hilarious. Abbey and Joe have been enjoying coloring together. Love those two Silly Bears!!!!

Two peas in a pod!

New Hybrid Fitted Diapers. LOVE the stretch and absorbency of the HFs!

And Joe has been giving them a thorough testing!

Earlier in the week, I sewed up some new diapers. . . and then subsequently ran completely out of bamboo velour.

I’ll just have to order some more next week, and sew something different for a few days. Like this organic cotton and bamboo fleece baby blanket I made for my new niece OR nephew due soon!

I can’t wait to get back to sewing diapers, though. I’m really loving the hybrid fitteds, and I hope to be doing my first REAL stocking on the Silly Bear Handmade Etsy Shop soon!

That was OUR Week. How was YOURS!?

Filed Under: 2012, Abbey, creating for the family, family, Joseph, mamatography, outdoors, photography, Sewing, sewing diapers, sewing projects, silly bear handmade

Mamatography – August 2012 Week 3

August 18, 2012 By Amy Leave a Comment

This week I developed an amazing peach banana smoothie with chia seeds that’s totally yummy. Recipe soon!

Abbey helped me make salmon patties, and her little hands made “Abbey-sized” and “Brother-sized” ones.

I finished knitting the mug cozy I have been working on, and it ended up being way too big for a traditional 12 oz. mug, but it fits nice and cozy on a 16-18 oz. one! Knitting cables with straight needles isn’t all that hard after all!

I’ve been working on a few machine embroidery designs, including a Big Bang Theory themed BAZINGA! logo for Hubs. . . this is still in progress.

I organized the kids’ craft cabinet. . . you don’t even want to see the before picture.
Still not the way I’d prefer it to be organized, but at least it’s not falling out everywhere! You work with what you’ve got!

Joe’s such a cutie, saying “Cheese!” when I take pictures. But he rarely ever looks the correct direction. . . or ever stops moving. Here, he is wearing a new diaper. . . a Hybrid Fitted diaper – in a newly redesigned Silly Bear Handmade pattern. Better pictures to come!