Soft Baby Blocks

Supplies:

6 fabric squares in the same size (any size depending on how large you want the blocks). I suggest using a few different fabric types to give it a little textural interest. I like to pick 3 different prints for each block and cut 2 squares from each print. It works well to use one solid, one pattern, and one with pictures or characters on it, but that all really depends on your personal taste. You can also do all 6 sides in the same or all different prints.

fiber-fill or other soft filling

sewing supplies (sewing machine, needle, and thread)

To make the block:

- You want to start by figuring out how you want your blocks arranged. Do this by laying them in a lower case "t", 4 lined up, the extra 2 on either side of the 2nd square.

-Sew 2 squares from the row of 4 together on just one side, making sure the front sides of the fabric are facing each other. Repeat this until you have all 4 blocks connected.

-Use the same technique to sew the other 2 squares to the sides of the 2nd square in the row of 4 blocks.

-Time to make the block 3-D. I like to begin with the cross  part of the "t". So using the picture above I would sew the blocks with lions on them to the pattern on  the left. That is my preference, you can start sewing in any order.

-When you get to the last side (the one that would complete your block), only sew it about 1/2 or 3/4 the way  depending on how large you need the opening to be to stuff the block.

- Cut the edges so the end points with be sharper.

- Turn the block inside out (TIP: Use a pencil to push out the edges to make them more pointed).

- Fill the block with your stuffing of choice

(TIP: Add a bell, tissue paper, or rattle to the inside so when baby shakes them they make noise)

- When the block is stuffed, hand sew the opening closed

I made a set of these for a birthday party back in April. It was cowboy themed, but would you believe I searched the entire fabric section of our craft store and could not find a single cowboy themed print? Luckily I happened to come across a cowboy hat iron-on application that did the job. I stuffed one of the blocks with a bell that I made sure was quiet enough not to be obnoxious to mom and dad. I wanted one to rattle, but most of my ideas involved using food, which I did not want to do. I ended up using little lightweight maze party favors that came in a pack of 6 at our dollar store. My son loved the one with the maze in it.

Menu Holder

Our fridge was being swallowed by menus and coupons so I decided we needed somewhere to put them . . .

1. Cut an empty cereal box in half at an angle so the front is shorter than the back or level so the back and front are at the same height, depending on your preference.

 2. Trace all sides onto the back of scrapbook paper or card stock.

 3. Cut along the lines of the traced pieces.

 4. Mod Podge one side of the cereal box at a time and place the matching piece of scrapbook paper or card stock on the cereal box.

 5. Mod Podge all sides once the paper has been placed onto the cereal box.

 6. Attach a magnet to the back of the menu holder.

 7. Place menus inside and hang on your fridge.

Fire Pit

In the midst of all our very slow-moving home improvement projects my husband decided one day early last month we needed a fire pit. When I say he decided this, I mean he mowed the lawn one morning, decided we needed one, and by the end of the night there was a fire pit in our backyard.

S'mores. 

Night 1 in the Crib

Our son will be 15 months in 2 weeks and has not yet slept a single night in his crib. Let me elaborate on that a little bit. His crib is in his room on the other side of the house. He does currently sleep in his playpen, which is in our room. I'd like to say we have tried very hard to get him to sleep in his own room. Truth be told, we have only tried once for less than an hour and it was horrible. So I mentally prepared myself all day for his first night in his own room, which should have been tonight.

I knew it was going to take a lot more than laying him down, him putting his thumb in his mouth, and quietly falling asleep shortly after, which is what currently happens when we lay him into his playpen. So after dinner we played for a few hours, running around the house and making sure no area was left clean. Then it was bath time. After his bath, we brushed our teeth, I put Eli into his pajamas, massaged his sweet little hands and feet, and read him a book. Then it was time to lay down.

As soon as he realized he was going into the crib he began screaming. So I did what I am sure several of you have done or will do at some point. I hopped in too. I brought a ball and a few books, but he was more interested in carrying them around than reading them. He was showing no signs of exhaustion, then as I started to wonder how long I would be waiting it out in his crib he rubbed his eyes. Yes! So I lay him down, hopped back out of the crib and lay beside it. Of course he jumped right back up and began playing again, all the while peeking over to make sure I was still around.

I managed to sneak out. When he realized I was gone he cried, but it was that weak type of cry that they have when they are fighting just to keep their eyes open. I stood near his door while he cried, just out of view and after about 3 painful minutes he fell asleep. *does dance*

That was short lived.

Just as I was about to claim victory, he woke up and screamed the most horrible scream. His smiles melt my heart and his cries break it. What can I say?

Needless to say I scooped him right out of that crib, squeezed him for a little while, laid him into the playpen, and he fell right to sleep. We'll try again tomorrow.

Receiving Blanket Cupcakes

My husband's co-worker and his wife just had their second child and first little girl. We wanted to congratulate them with a little gift. Now I'm definitely all about giving homemade gifts. I think it says something when someone is willing to put in the time to make something for you. And since I do believe time is sometimes money, in my mind homemade should almost always be less expensive. This project is no exception! I got this idea from Little Birdie Secrets.

Supplies:

4 Receiving Blankets

4 Clothing items, toys, or washcloths

4 Large Coffee Filters (8 if you want to double them)

4 Rubber Bands

4 12 inch pieces of ribbon (may be all one color or all different)

1 Windowed Cupcake Bakery Box

Directions:

1. Fold each receiving blanket so that it is about 3 inches wide.

2. If you are using a toy you may skip this step. If you are using clothing or a washcloth place it over a fist and fold the edges into the center. You may also lay it on a flat surface and fold the outsides inward. Be sure to make sure all elastic, buttons, or sleeves are folded to the inside to give the cupcakes a neater look.

3. Wrap the receiving blanket around the toy, washcloth, or piece of clothing starting at the highest point you would like the cupcake and wrapping around and down to create a peaked top.

4. Once the cupcake is wrapped tie it with a rubber band.

5. Place the cupcakes into coffee filters. I used 2 filters per cupcake because they are thin.

6. Tie a piece of ribbon around each cupcake. You may use one color for all the cupcakes or multiple colors. Since my cupcakes were fairly neutral colored, I wanted to add a little more color so I went with 4 different colored pieces of ribbon.

7. Place your finished cupcakes in the bakery box. The smallest box available at the store where I purchased my cupcake box was 12"x12". This was too large for 4 cupcakes so I used tape at the bottom of the coffee filters to secure the cupcakes to the box and keep them from shifting in transit. You could also make more than 4 cupcakes to fill up the box if you'd like.

Cost Breakdown:

Pack of 5 receiving blankets - $2 clearance

Onesie & short outfit (separated to make 2 cupcakes) - $1 clearance

Pair of shorts - $1 clearance

Windowed Cupcake Box - $2

All other supplies came from my crafting supplies.

Total: $6

Boiled Peanuts and a First Post

To say I am severely less than computer literate would be an understatement. I can type and email and that is about the extent of it, but recently I started a blog which you can find here. <-- One of the many things I have learned in my blogging adventures.

So why am I starting this blog? For a few reasons, but the main ones are

. . . to get a feel for different host sites

. . . possibly start to brand my work

I realize multiple blogs are usually done by more experienced bloggers, but my ultimate goal isn't to have 2 blogs. It's to figure out which ONE I want to maintain. Do not let my ambition fool you. I work full time, am busy raising a family, and am trying to figure out which direction God is leading my life all the while. So now that I've bored you with all that . . .

On to the boiled peanuts!

I don't know what made me decide I needed to make these, but they were as easy as can be.

Boil water - I'd fill up any size pot you choose, because you'll need to refill the water as it evaporates the longer the nuts boil.

Add about 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water

Add raw peanuts and boil for a few hours - I boiled the first batch I made for 1 1/2 hours and the second for 4 hours. The second batch was far better!

My husband and brother-in-law, who believe they are experts of southern food, ate them up in a matter of minutes.