Winner and Valentines T-Shirt Tutorial

The Winner of the Valentine Hearts is comment #17, Jenny!!! Congratulations Jenny, I hope you'll be able to use them for at least a few days!

This isn't much of a tutorial. I pretty much just used the same technique on this shirt as I have on all the other applique shirts that I've made. So if you want better directions just click on my side bar on one of the shirt tutorials.

Here are the hearts that I used. I almost feel silly posting them, since I'm sure your all very capable of making a heart, but maybe this will save you some if you want to make a valentine shirt for one of your kiddos. Just click on the heart picture for the actual size. I used the bigger hearts for my daughter shirt which is a size 7/8. The smaller size hearts are for maybe a 5T or smaller. (Ok, so I just clicked on the hearts and they were huge, sorry, maybe you can play around with them and get them a size you would like.)

Just a couple hints, first I sewed the ric rac on with a regular straight stitch and then I zig zagged over it. Also I started and stopped the ric rac where the pink heart touches the blue, then you don't have to worry about raw edges.

In other news, my baby is growing way to fast, but oh, he is so sweet and cute. He has become a thumb sucker and I don't care what people say, I think it's wonderful. It's so cute, and he is such a happy baby.

My twin sister is moving to Canada tomorrow. Currently she lives maybe 2 minutes from me. I'm soooooo sad. I don't think twins should move away from their other half, it just isn't right. It's funny, in High School we weren't that close and then for college she went to Ricks College in Idaho and I went to Snow College in Utah, probably 12 hours away from each other, and I could have cared less. But the last 6 years we have lived always within 20 minutes of each other and I've loved it. Our kids play together and our families hang out a lot together. I will miss her so much!

Hanging Hearts Tutorial and a Giveaway

Ok, I'm feelin kinda guilty for getting you all excited by showing the pictures of those cute boxes. They are way cute arn't they. Well hopefully you'll like this little tutorial, and I promise it's very easy. You could get a a bunch done in time for Valentines Day.

I wanted to make some hearts out of this cute fabric by Moda. It's called Astor Manor by 3 Sisters. I'm lazy though and didn't want to have to use and stuffing. I used a product called Fast 2 fuse Heavyweight interfacing. It's about the thickness of felt and fusible on both sides. It's sold by the yard at fabric stores.

FIRST
Make a heart the size you like out of some cardstock and then trace it onto the interfacing and cut out.

SECOND
Choose a piece a fabric that is at least 1/2" bigger than the widest part of the heart.
Now you'll need to iron the fabric onto the heart. Since the heart is fusible on both sides use a piece of parchment paper on the bottom so it doesn't stick to your ironing board. (I just used paper, but the directions say parchment paper.)

THIRD
Cut the fabric so that it is about 1/2" larger than the interfacing heart. I also cut a slit at the very top in the middle and I cut the bottom straight across.

FOURTH
Pressing as you go fold the fabric over onto the heart.

FIFTH
Make the other side the exact same way. Sandwich two ribbons in between the two hearts and press untill they adhere to the other. And last, sew around the heart using a 1/4" or smaller seam allowance.

Now hang them somewhere cute. You could even make a cute heart garland out of these. Maybe next year I'll do that.

I had some extra hearts left over so I thought I'd have a little giveaway. The giveaway will go until next Tuesday evening since Valentines is coming quick and I want to get them in the mail. So if your interested leave me a comment. If your REALLY interested and want two entries leave a comment letting me know your a follower because that makes me really happy. And for three entries blog about this little giveaway on your blog.

Have fun, and be sure to let me know if you make some of these Hanging Hearts for yourself. I'd love to see a picture!

Valentine Tutorial coming later today!

This isn't it! It's way cute though. You can find this here on etsy! Mine's pretty good too, so come back later today!

Thank you, and I think I'm in LOVE!

First off Thank you all So So much for your sweet comments the other day. I think I might print them all off and next time I have a rough day like that I'll read through them. It was so comforting to read that a lot of you have been through similar experiences, and most importantly you (and your kids) survived. Motherhood is definitely hard work, but definitely worth it.

Well, I actually finished a project. I bought the pattern for this hat off of etsy and I think I'm in love. It actually wasn't too hard to figure out and believe me I'm not the greatest crocheter. I don't even think I hold the hook right. The only hard part was I either crochet really tight or my baby has quite a large head, or maybe the pattern was a little off because my 3 1/2 month old is wearing a hat that according to the pattern is for a 12-24 month old.

The nice thing about crocheting is you can do it anywhere. Unlike sewing where I have to haul out the sewing machine and scissors and olfa board and cutter and fabric and thread, you get the picture. Someday I really need to invest in a sewing table, I'd probably get lots more done.

I'm gonna get if big trouble for this picture, but wouldn't the hat be cute for a little girl. Well, if your interested I'm going to be putting some hats on my etsy site (as soon as I find the time). You can request colors too if you'd like.

Have a great day, and thanks again for your sweet comments!

Motherhood - It's dang hard!!!

So yesterday I was at my favorite little craft store by my house. I had my baby in his car seat hooked onto the part of the cart that is for kids to sit in. My 2 (almost 3) year old insisted on sitting in the back of the cart. I gave in and let him. There I am getting my fabric cut when my two year old grabs the cutting table and tries to pull the cart over to it. I think you all know where I'm going with this. Yes the cart tipped. I managed to pull the cart up while holding the car seat to save the baby, but my two year old came toppling out.

I felt awful. I didn't know weither to get mad at my two year old or soothe him because he was so shaken up. (Not shaken up enough I guess, because he kept trying to climb back in the cart). I felt like every eye on the store was on me and that moment, judging me as a mother. Looking back I still don't know what the right answer was, should I not have put the baby there? Maybe I shouldn't have let my toddler sit in the back. Maybe I should have soothed him before I got mad at him. I just know that when I left the store I was so upset I was shaking.

I feel like I internalize everything...........................is this normal? Do all mom's do this?

When we took my two year old in for stitches not knowing how he even cut his forehead .............I felt like a bad mom.
When I looked through my 8 year olds backpack this morning and realized she had a ton of unfinshed work..................I felt like a bad mom.
When were late to church.......................I feel like a bad mom.
When my 5 year old had 2 cavities ............................I felt like a bad mom.
When I realize I haven't changed my kids bed sheets for over a month........................I feel like a bad mom.
When I realize my kids have been playing the wii for way too long.............................I feel like a bad mom.
When I loose it and say things I shouldn't..........................I feel like a bad mom.
When the neighbor brings my 2 year old to the door because he somehow snuck out........................I feel like a bad mom.
When my baby is crying bloody murder while I'm trying to make dinner.....................I feel like a bad mom.

You get the picture! Everything and I mean everything makes me feel like a bad mom. I feel so blessed to have 4 wonderful, beautiful, healthy children. I really honestly do LOVE being a mom, but wow, I had no idea it would be this hard. It seems like the bad moments (listed above) way out number the times when you think, "Hey, I think I might be doing ok at this whole mom thing."

Well, thanks for letting me vent, I better get busy..............................I'm feeling like a bad mom for being on the computer.

My baby's big day and some projects in the works!

So my baby's big day was actually 2 weeks ago, but it takes me a while to get to things lately. Anyways 2 weeks ago we blessed my sweet baby boy. Usually I'm much more prepared and buy their blessings outfits way in advance, but this guys outfit was bought the day before. I'm not into the tuxedo's or satin outfits, this is just a simple knit outfit that was very sweet. My husband gave him a beautiful blessing and we enjoyed having our family over for lunch afterward.

Here is my dad, we also call him the baby whisperer.

This is my little sister and her sweet daughter. Don't you just love her little dress. It's actually a hand me down from my daughter that my sister n' law made. It was one of my favorites.

Ok, not loving this photo, but it's the best one of all 6 of us. Wow, 6, I can't believe my little family is getting to be not so little. So anyways, remind me never to wear my hair back in a curly ponytail for pictures, not so cute!

While the adults were chatting the kiddos were playing and being crazy like kids do!

I'll tell ya, no one can pull an innocent, who me? face like this one can.

Family. My husband actually has 8 siblings, but only one was able to make it. They were all leaving on a trip to Israel the next week and as you can imagine were a little busy preparing. We were invited but I didn't feel like leaving our 3 month old for 10 days, seeing that I am his food source and all.

The sewing bug has definitely bit me. Now I just need to find the time to do it. My friend asked me to make a scripture bag for her daughter so that is what this fabric is for.

Ya know the quilt I made for my sister n' law in my previous post? Well I loved making it so much that I decided to make me a valentines table topper using this fabric and the same pattern. I love it when the people who cut the fabric are extra generous when the cut it. This fabric is called Astor Manor by 3 sisters. I love it.

With valentines coming I've also been busying thinking up a tutorial for a valentines shirt for my daughter. I think I've come up with one, I'm excited to give it a try!

2009 - You were good to us!!!

Click on pictures to see them better!