September 2011 – A Well Crafted Party

{Mommy Monday} DIY Toddler Flat Sheets

September 26, 2011 1 Comment A Well Crafted Kid

Today’s {Mommy Monday} posts is a guest post from the lovely Becky from Pierce’d Photography.

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As the youngest sister in my family, I have received many hand-me-down items from the nieces and nephews that have gone before. We have furnished our kids’ bedrooms and filled their closets with all sorts of previously-used family merchandise. So when my daughter came along, we were simply going to reuse the crib bedding from her big brother; even though in its array of pastels, no feminine color could be found. Until, that is, my oldest sister passed along a green and pink bedding set that perfectly matched the paint in her room.My daughter is now a toddler and, even though she still sleeps in her crib, having a just-my-size pillow and sheet to cover with became her latest need. With the risk of SIDS passed, we obliged but did not want to splurge on new toddler sheets that would only last a year at most before she moves into a twin sized bed.

Luckily for us, two of those matching fitted crib sheets were actually too snug for our mattress and were sitting quietly in the drawer, awaiting a new purpose. For the cost of an afternoon and thread, we were able to re-fashion those fitted sheets into perfectly sized flat sheets for our two-year-old. This is a great project for garage sale finds as well.

Supplies needed: Seam ripper, sharp scissors, straight pins, matching thread, sewing machine.

Step one: Take out elastic and seams using a seam ripper. Please note: this is the most tedious part of the process. Also, save both the elastic and any scrap material. These may come in handy for future projects.

Step 2: Iron edges of sheet so they will be flat. May need to use starch or wrinkle releaser while ironing.

Step 3: Decide which sides you will keep and prepare to cut off remaining sides. Pictured are two sheets. The bottom one is the one I am using for this tutorial and the top sheet is one I already did. For the top sheet, I cut off the two longer sides, which resulted in a long, thin flat sheet – we thought it was too thin. So for this one, I am cutting off the two shorter sides so it will be a bit shorter and wider.

Step 4: Cut off two parallel sides so even with remaining edges. Using another flat sheet as a guide, straight pin in a hem on each side. My top panel was about 2.5 – 3 inches wide, and the other sides were about 1/4 of an inch wide. Hint: Once the top panel is pinned, match the edges by folding in half. If you hold it up to light, you will be able to tell if your panel is even all the way across.

Step 5: Sew.

Step 6: Enjoy – just in time for bed!

For a coordinating pillow, use your scrap material plus another matching fabric to make a pillowcase. Toddler sized pillows are easily found at most fabric or craft supply stores.

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Thank you Becky!
If you liked this post check out her other {Mommy Monday} post:
Go To Baby Shower Gift
and Becky’s photography blog:

Uncategorized

Plenty of Projects

September 15, 2011 5 Comments Uncategorized

I’m really sorry about not getting posts up.

In all honesty I’ve been really struggling with this being a mom thing.

Don’t get me wrong.. I love it and I love my little guy, but it is HARD.

I don’t know if my little one has colic or is just having several growth spurts.

He’ll be great some days and I’ll get the house cleaned, posts written, dinner done and start making plans for the future.

Then, other days (like the past couple) he cries all the time. And, I mean ALL the time. We are assuming they are growth spurts because he is also hungry all the time on these crazy crying days.

But, he is lovely and healthy so I am very thankful (even if he can rival me in screaming volume).

But, enough excuses… onto the projects!

Etsy Shop

I know I’ve said it before, but I think it may actually happen this time. I should have my Etsy shop up with handmade party supplies by the end of October. I’ve been gathering inspiration, making lists, and collecting supplies over the past few months. I will be starting production THIS weekend!

Is there anything in particular that you would like to see in the shop?

What type of party supplies do you look for when shopping Etsy?

Another Blog

Are you asking yourself, “Really!?! She can barely handle this blog!”

Well, you’re right… this is something in the long term project file. But, my {Mommy Monday} posts have been fairly popular and have (at times) received more comments and page views that my other posts. That is really exciting for me and I LOVE talking about being a mom. But, this is a party blog and I would like to keep its focus on parties. So, I am thinking about starting another blog that focuses on being a mom and more about my personal life.

I’m completely stumped on a blog name…. suggestions?

Would you read a blog that was more about being a mom or do you think you’d just stick with the party blog?

Halloween

If you can’t tell from previous posts… I love Halloween.

It is my holiday to throw a party EVERY year.

Three years ago I threw a Haunted Halloween Dinner.

Two years ago I threw a Bewitching Ball.

Last year we had a Mad Tea Party.

Plans are now in the works for a Spirited Cocktail Party.

I’m currently pinning away Halloween ideas and beginning my menu planning.

(Getting the newest Martha Stewart Halloween magazine sure did help get the process going!)

What are you doing for Halloween?

Do you have any suggestions for a

“Spirited” Halloween Cocktail Party?

A Portland Blogger’s Meet-Up

I read a LOT of blogs daily.

Several of the bloggers that I read happen to live in Portland (where I reside). Some of these people I’ve been following their blogs for so long I feel like I know them better than my own RL friends.

Weird, huh?

I’ve been thinking about the possibility of meeting a few of these bloggers IRL, but don’t want to come off as a stalker. Recently reading THIS POST from The Little Things We Do has inspired me to try to get a Portland Blogger Meet-Up organized.

Have you been a part of a blogger’s meet-up of some sort? If so, what did you do?

Are you a Portland Blogger who would like to be a part of this? If so, when would be a good time/place to meet? E-mail me!

As always… thank you for reading and sticking with the blog even with my recent sporadic posting. I’d love it if you would take the time to help me with my projects by answering some of the above questions.

And, if you have a project you need help on…

feel free to tell me all about it!