Winter Hats

I love Noah in all his cute little winter hats. So many of his shirts came with little hats so he has LOTS. 

Linked to Special Exposure Wednesday at  5 Minutes for Special Needs

 and

 Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Moms

No Sew T-Shirt Apron

I made my first t-shirt apron for myself awhile back. It's the teal and red one (that matches my kitchen!) pictured to the right that Noah's (former) PCA is so beautifully modeling.


Recently a friend asked me to make her one so I thought I'd take step by step photos to share it with you all. It's really not a hard project and it's pretty inexpensive but turns out so cute. It would make a perfect gift and an inexpensive group project for craft groups. 


Ok, let's get started. You will need:

• A T-Shirt (You could recycle an old tee or watch for the craft stores to put them on half off and snatch up a few like I did.)
• Fabric Glue
• Ribbon (works best with wide ribbon at the top.)
• Embellishments (The sky is the limit here! Rosettes, appliques, flowers, rhinestones, paint stencils, etc.)

Step 1

Cut off the t-shirt just below the armpits. Discard the top portion. 

Step 2

Fold over the top and pin it. I pin it mainly because it helps me make sure it is straight. Once it is all pinned, slowly take off the pins and glue down using the fabric glue. Then, so there isn't a messy edge showing, I fold it down once more and glue it down again. 

Step 3

Now you'll need to determine how much ribbon you'll need. I just loosely wrap the ribbon around my waist as a guide and use that.  Once I cut the ribbon, I folded it in half to find the half way point and I also fold the apron in half to find the half way point in it. Then I start gluing the half way point of the ribbon down onto the halfway point of the apron. This way you'll have even pieces hanging from each end. Continue gluing it all across the apron.

Lastly, I heat seal the ends of the ribbon with a lighter to prevent fraying.

Now your done with apron part and you get to do the fun part; embellishing!

I chose to freezer paper stencil a cupcake on this apron.  I just cut the cupcake out of freezer paper using my Silhouette machine and ironed it on. Then I painted it using acrylic paint mixed with textile medium. I painted the frosting chocolate and the cupcake liner pink. When it dried, I went back and added some pink dots for sprinkles and glued on a red rhinestone for the cherry. (Check out this link for an in depth tutorial on freezer paper stenciling.)

Adorable!  

(Linking up to the crafty parties listed in my sidebar)

Quote of the Week: Gratitude

"Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." 

- William Arthur Ward

Weekend Wonders: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! As always there are lots of great projects and ideas related to Thanksgiving around the blogosphere. Below are some of my latest faves!

Give Thanks Bunting

Crystal from A Pumpkin and a Princess shares a tutorial on how to make this "Give Thanks" bunting out of coffee filters and doilies.

Kids Table Ideas

Tip Junkie shares a round up of 19 Different Kids Table Ideas. Definitely makes me wish there were enough kids for a kids table in our family!

Thanksgiving Pie Topper

Pies are yummy but they are boring to look at! I love this idea for dressing up pie with a DIY "pie topper" at Oh Happy Day.

Keep Calm and Gobble On Printable

Craftily Ever After shares a ( free printable) Thanksgiving version  of the classic "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster.

Pumpkin Place Card Holders

Michelle Paige shares a tutorial for how to make these adorable pumpkin place card holders out of a Dollar Store blanket!

Thankful Rolls

I love this fun idea from The Girl Who Ate Everything! It's like the Thanksgiving version of a fortune cookie. 

God Chose Me for Him

A friend had the below poem on her Facebook page. As I read it, I got misty eyed. It reminds me of my mantra, "I was made for this." I know in my heart that God made me for this and chose me for Noah. 


If before you were born,
I could have gone to Heaven and saw all the beautiful souls, 
I still would have chosen you... 

If God had told me, 
"This soul would one day need extra care and needs", 
I still would have chosen you. 

If God had told me,
"This soul may make your heart bleed", 
I still would have chosen you. 

If God had told me, 
"This soul would make you question the depth of your faith", 
I still would have chosen you. 

If God had told me, 
"This soul would make tears flow from your eyes that could fill a river", 
I still would have chosen you. 

If God had told me, 
"This soul may one day make you witness overbearing suffering", 
I still would have chosen you. 

If God had told me, 
"All that you know to be normal would drastically change", 
I still would have chosen you. 

Of course, even though I would have chosen you, 
I know it was God who chose me for you.

Crafty Kit for a Friend

My BFF is a crafty loving gal like me and also, like me she finds crafting is therapeutic and crafting a little bit can often ground and center after a stressful day. But she is a super busy working (outside the home) mom and wife. So for her birthday I decided to make her a "Crafty Kit." 

My idea for the Crafty Kit was that I would come up with a couple of easy craft projects that she could do in about 10 minutes or less after a long day when she wanted to craft but didn't have a lot of time. I would include a sample for each project, supplies to make 5-6 of each project (like me she likes to give her creations away to friends, family, and co-workers), and instructions for each project. 

I decided to package everything up in a cute tote bag (we have a friendship inside joke revolving around flamingos) that way everything would be in one place for her to easily grab when she was ready to craft. 

I made a matching pin that says "Keep Calm and Craft On" using an acrylic podgeable so she immediately knows what the bag is all about. 

The three crafts I decided to include were: 

Library Pocket Cards 

Post It Note Holders

Clothespin Magnets

And look - it's very portable!

Here's my BFF crafting in the car on a short road trip while her hubby drives.

With the upcoming holidays, this would make a perfect gift for any of your crafty girlfriends. 

Linking to the Parties Listed in my Sidebar

Thankful Thursdays 2012

Last year, on Thursdays during the month of November, I posted things I was thankful for. I'll be continuing that tradition again this year and this time I'll also be linking up to my friend Monica's blog, Daily Dwelling. So, if you are posting what you are thankful for on your blog, go link up! 

I'm thankful for.....

1. Seizure meds! (Noah was having seizures and I had to give him his "rescue med" and I said a quick prayer as I was doing so because I'm so thankful that we have that to give him.

2. God's unending and amazing love

3. My sweet, amazing, loving little boy

4. My hard working hubby

5. The freedom to vote

6. My BFF who I met 11 years ago this week!

7. Warm clothes, warm blankets & a warm house

Wordless Wednesday: All Bundled Up

Taken at Miracle League on the day before Hurricane Sandy hit when it was SUPER windy!

Linked to Special Exposure Wednesday at  5 Minutes for Special Needs

 and

 Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Moms

Quote of the Week: Joy

"Joy is not in things -

it is in us."

Richard Wagner

Sixteen Candles

Over the weekend, we celebrated Noah's 16th birthday with a very small gathering of family at Noah's restaurant of choice. 

Then we headed back to our house where he first opened presents. 

He was totally spoiled with lots of clothes and art supplies! 

Then we moved on to cake. Noah's awesome Clemson cake was made by our friend Deborah. 

As you can tell by the look on his face, he LOVED it!

And....... for the FIRST TIME in 16 years, HE ATE CAKE! 

It was a good birthday! 

Quote of the Week: Look with Our Heart

"No matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials -  

There is something in each day to embrace and cherish. 

Perhaps we should be looking less with our eyes and more with our hearts."

- D. Uchtdorf

Quote of the Week: Limits

"A limit on what  you can do puts 

a limit on what you will do." 

Anonymous