A CORNY Weekend

Meet Lady, our wagon cow! :)

We went to our local corn maze this past weekend and had a BLAST! We stayed for a couple of hours and got really tired out. I forgot to take pics of the actual corn maze, but that may be because I was too busy trying to get out of it.

There are tons of things that the kids can do. They had this huge hill with differesent slides going down it. You slide down on an old sack. They are so much fun. For some reason, Pumpkin loved this water pump more than some of the other activities. Probably because it was really hot and she could play in the water.We also let her get her face painted this year. We weren't sure how she would do, but she was amazing the whole trip. We didn't have any problems at all. A lady even stopped us and told us that she looked cute getting her face painted with her little toddler legs standing there.

Here's her ladybug!! She was so proud when she saw it the mirror.

The corn maze gets better and better every year. The grass used to be sand and the hill with the slides is now covered in flowers. It's beautiful. Every year they alaways have these little pits where kids can play with corn seeds. It gets messy, but that's the whole purpose of going out and having fun like this.

Next year, Pudding can have just as much fun as her big sis. This year, she stayed well shaded with her hat and rode in a baby backpack the whole time. We didn't have any problems with her either. :)

No-Sew Tutus

Well, tutorials for "no-sew tutus" are all over blogland. Just about everyone has one. But...if you are one of the two people that come to my blog (ha ha) you can find one here. This is a pic of all of my "stuff". Savers sells brand new and super cute wings for $2.99. Now that I have 2 girls, I buy and make 2 of almost everything. It might not matter now, because a 6 mo. old doesn't have much say, but......she will. These are great for an easy costume for Halloween, but mine are actually a Christmas gift for my girls, because Pumpkin LOVES to dress up.
Anyway, measure how much elastic you need for your child's waist. I sewed the elastic ends together twice (in pink so you can see) because Pumpkin is pretty ruff sometimes. I would use elastic that's about 1/4" thick. If you don't have it, and you have something else....use it. I really don't think it matter, because the elastic will curl and twist while you're doing it anyway (as you will see).
As for your tulle, I cut it into strips that were about 10" x 24". If you buy your tulle by the yard rather than on a spool, just cut 10" strips down it, and on the fold of the yardage, cut (like in pic).

Here is how you attach it to the elastic. I used a piece of fabric to better illustrate. You fold your tulle in have, making a loop on one side of the elastic. Take the ends and wrap it around the elastic and pull it through the loop. Just like a tassle on a bookmark.

Do this all around your elastic. Make it as full as you want. You can add litte embellishments also. I put ribbon on mine. But wait....that's not all I'm going to do with it. (I just didn't finish it yet)

***Special THANK YOU to my good friend Melissa for getting me stuck on Good or Free Deals (click button for link, I'm lazy)...she is so awesome! Love ya, Melissa!!***

Today's Tutorial: Easy Ribbon Belts

This is probably one of the simplest and quickest things you could make (and almost every kid needs one). Since the season to wear jeans is coming up, I thought a tutorial on ribbon belts was in order. First off, grab your materials. I bought this ribbon on clearance @ Hobby Lobby. I love it, because it's kinda sturdy all by itself. Plus, I really like the pink and green combo. The little belt loops were .78 at Walmart.

Measure your child's waist...or your waist (I think I'm gonna make one of these for me). You can leave the ribbon single or you can double it like I did. It just gives it more strength and sturdiness. Back to doubling...take that measurement and double it. Pull the loops through until it's in the middle of your ribbon.

Sew it in place. Burn (or singe) the ends of the ribbon so it won't fray if you wash it. I then sewed down both sides of the belt and over the end. For the end, I folded both sides inward, facing each other. You can just fold both ends over together if you want. And then you're done.

FREE Bath and Body Works Anti-bacterial Soap

You can get your soap FREE with ANY purchase. Head on over to the cheapies and pick something out. You can print out your coupon, here. This freebie was brought to you by Good or Free Deals.

Also...head on over to her blog for your FREE redbox code!!!

FREE Box of Honey Bunches of Oats!

Walmart has a box for $2 and you can find the printable coupon for $2 off, here. This freebie is brought to you by, Good or Free Deals. Hurry! The cereal is only $2 until the end of the month.

Game Day

We dressed up our little Pudding for the big season opener on Sunday. She was even sporting some Nike hand-me-downs from her sister that their Grandma got them. The game was a little disappointing, but it was neat to see the Cowboys new field. Hubby wishes he could watch the game from inside the scoreboard. Pumpkin was watching the game with her daddy when she started getting upset with the TV saying, "stop pushing....you need to share." It was fun.

As for this pic...don't ask. She was taking an afternoon nap and I thought that I should go check on her. I have no idea how she managed to pull back her fitted sheet and maneuver herself underneath it. I wish I was in the room to see her do it. Although, because she was under her sheet I was constantly checking on her throughout the rest of her nap.

Couponing 101

Here are a couple tips:

1. Many of you know, but for those of you that don't....you can double up on coupons. You can use a store coupon (Target or Walgreens, etc.) and you can use a manufacturers coupon with it also.

2. I find it HIGHLY worth it to invest in the Sunday paper. If you don't want to subscribe, you can pick up the Sunday paper on Monday for half price. At least this is true for where I live. TIP: make sure it has the ads in it (people take them sometimes, and get there ASAP...many people pick them up on Mondays)

3. Check the ads for when they are double, triple, and quadrupling coupons. Albertsons does this about once every 6-8 weeks.

4. Head over to Walgreens and pick up their monthly coupon book by their ads at the front door. Remeber, you can combine these with manufacturer coupons.

5. Walgreens also offers "Register Rewards". In their ad, after buying certain items, a coupon will print out after you check-out. This is how much money you will have taken off of your next purchase. CON: there is an experation date (I believe you have to use it within a week or two). However, if you plan on getting their great deals every week, this is awesome.

Example: True North Nut Clusters this week are $3

You get $3 in register rewards (printed after purchase)

In the end, it's like you bought them for FREE...your next purchase, is when you can use your $3 off coupon (on anything)

6. Target actually offers quite a few coupons, and they can have really good sales. I like to get my Target coupons, here.

7. Don't forget to try and buy it on sale. Using a coupon will make it double cheap. There are many places online to print coupons. Most of them have exactly the same amount of coupons. CON: Some sites only let you print out one coupon per page and they put a huge ad on the rest of the page (uses up a LOT of ink). PRO: if there is something specific you need...just find it, and print it.

TIP: this week is a great week to buy Claritin. Paper had a $6 off coupon for this week only and Walgreens has a coupon in their ad for $4 off. Making it $10 off.

BYE!! and GOOD LUCK!!

Weekly Segment?

Hello, not very many of you know me personally, but I love coupons. A few people have asked me for some tips on "couponing", so they can begin to enjoy the benefits as well. I'm far from an expert, but I wanted to share what I know and a few of the deals I find each week.

I live in a smaller city, so most of my ventures will only be to Albertsons, Walmart, Target, and Walgreens, but if any of my advice can help others get started in other cities...that would be awesome. Anyway...I really want some feedback (even though not many people usually comment on my blog). Let me know if you think I should have a little segment on couponing. I'll look forward to hearing from you!!!

April

Sunday Attire

My darling hubby took a pic of the hair clip I made to match the ruffled shirt a made. It's not very clear, but it's there. I went outside and took a couple of pictures of Pumpkin getting the paper before church.

On a Side Note!

Well, taking a break from the longer project, I decided to do something really fast and easy! I don't usually buy socks at thrift stores. I'm a HUGE thrift store fan, but I like to buy my socks new. These however, are not for me. I got cute tall socks for women and girls to make cute leg warmers for my Pumpkin! You just chop 'em off and hem or serge the end. Done, and done!

I can't wait for her to wear them with skirts this winter. I LOVE the funky colors and stripes. You can put some tights on underneath for added warmth. For some reason, little girls in leg warmers makes me think of Salt Lake City. This is a must try. I was going to do it for Christmas, but I needed to make sure they fit her. Oh, well...next time.

A Work in Progress...

Sorry I haven't been posting. I've been working on a couple projects, but they are taking a little longer than expected. Unfortunately, it won't have a tutorial, because I don't know how to make it (it'll be a process of trial and error). Anyway, if I get it done, it will be a great idea for any little girl. Homemade or bought.

Tooth Fairy Pouch

Well, I took my little Pumpkin (my hubby calls the oldest pumpkin and the baby pudding) to the dentist yesterday. She loves the dentist and they really love her too. Anyway, I came home and decided to make a tooth fairy pouch for her. I know she's only two, but if I don't do it when I think of it...I forget. They were so quick and easy to make that I made them for my nieces and nephews that get Christmas presents from us this year (we do a gift exchange with a different family every year). They are at the age of losing teeth anyway. Not a very great gift, but I wanted to include it with the other stuff...it's the thought that counts I guess.

Daddy's Creations

A while back, we went camping. My husband probably had two whole minutes to himself, and decided to make this:

We are so proud that I labeled it and put a magnet on it. The pic is actually of it on our fridge. On the fridge amongst all of the papers colored by our toddler. :)

Time Well Spent

During the girls' nap time, I was able to make a couple more things to go into those Christmas clutches. By the way, I put the carton wallets in them. They were just too cute. I thought some hair clips would also be good...at least for the girls.

Bandanna Outfits

Finally, I got around to finishing my girls' bandanna outfits. Each bandanna cost .99 at Hobby Lobby, and there are tons of colors to choose from. I got quite a few a while back.

I had to put a pocket on it for my oldest, because she loves putting coins, rocks, and toys in her pockets.

I know....my little chunker's dress is a little wet. She likes to drool, but everything she does is cute to me :)

We're back

We are back from our weekend away, so that's why there has been a lack of blogging. I wanted to take some good pics of everything there, but I didn't have my camera with me most of the time. Well, I was able to take a picture of my Princess using a doggy door at her Great Grandma's house.

Then we came home and I've been cleaning, unpacking, and doing a TON of laundry. While I clean, I like to keep my little monkey busy with something to do.....so....I let her give her baby a bath using hotel soaps. That kept her busy for about half an hour!

I also let her make her own little ice fruit. We were going to use strawberries, but the little bit that was left in our fridge, spoiled. So we decided to use grapes. I cut them up and I let her fill the tray with them. Then we got her little tea pot from her kitchen and I let her fill them up with water. She liked eating the grapes after the ice melted in her cup. Well, I gotta get back to being productive. Hope everyone else had an awesome weekend!

Going for a Change

Well, the blog background I had was cute, but the plaid background was KILLING ME! Besides, less is more, right?

Hair Bows

I love making these bows for my girls!! (I like'em HUGE!) The crafty ladies at Enchantresses3 thought of this one. They have a tutorial, here. They can turn nothing into something amazing for your home. Check it out.

Revamping a backpack

A while back, my mom bought my 2 year-old a princess backpack that has now seen better days. Poor Aurora! It definitely needed a little pick me up. Lucky for me, Jessica at Happy Together got the idea to decorate a backpack with petals.

Now my little angel has a backpack that is church worthy. She can wear it with a cute dress, or just for fun. I love this idea!! The petals were from the Dollar Tree, so they were only a buck. The backpack that Jessica used was also a $1 at the Dollar Tree. I also bought my grosgrain ribbon that I used on it from there. Now I'm not sure if I'm going to give this to her now or save it for Christmas. Hmmm...(any thoughts?)

Cute, Simple Shirt Tutorial

First things first, turn your shirt that's too big, inside out. Now, I like to put the shirt on (still inside out) and mark how deep I want the neck and where my cap sleeves need to begin and end (to keep it modest).
Then I take it off and lay a shirt on top of it that fits me WELL. This is how I know how loose or fitted I want it to be---and also how long (I love longer shirts)!Next we are going to make our cuts. Don't forget to add room for the seam allowance on the sides and sleeves, and a hem for the bottom. I fold it in half to cut the sides and sleeves, to make sure they are exactly the same. You also don't want your arm holes too tight. I love making a shirt this way, because there is definitely room for error. However, it's always better to have excess fabric then not enough. If your shirt is too loose or too long, it's an easy fix.
Since your shirt is already inside out, stitch up the sides. Usually I'd use my serger, but the great thing about jersey knit is that it won't fray. So I'm just going to use a straight stitch.

Here is the fun part! Turn your machine to a small zig-zag stitch that's close together. If you don't know what knob does what and you're too lazy to get your manual out (like me), just try it a couple different times with a piece of scrap fabric. Now your want to sew the edge of the fabric, and while you're sewing, pull the fabric tight, like this: (keep in mind that I don't have three hands)
This creates the ruffle, and you could've messed up a million times and no one can tell because of the ruffle. You are almost done!!

Here comes the elastic thread. The elastic HAS to go in the bobbin and you HAVE to winde it by hand loosely. I've also heard that it does not work in a plastic bobbin, but I really don't know. Before you start sewing, you want to make sure the elastic will appear on the INSIDE of your shirt. Now stitch about a quarter to a half an inch away from the edge on the neck and sleeves (again--doesn't have to be perfect, you won't be able to tell). When you're done, you'll want to get out your ironing board and a spray bottle with water. As you spray the elastic thread on your shirt, you'll see it shrink up. Iron it dry. As you can see....very stretchy.

HERE IS WHERE YOUR CREATIVITY COMES IN!

I purposely left the bottom for the end, because there is more then one thing you can do. You can ruffle and use elastic thread exactly like the sleeves (that is very in-style), you can have it only ruffled (which is also very cute), or you can do a classic hem (which I chose to do, because I had a ton of ruffle going on).

If there is something on the front or not enough fabric left over, then...YOU'RE DONE! If your shirt has enough fabric and doesn't have anything on the front, you can do ruffles on it. This also needs your creativity, because I've seen 4 rows on up to 8 rows of ruffle. They can also be as wide as you want and as long as you want.

For gathering----put the tension knob on your machine to the highest setting, and set your stitch to the longest length. Leave several inches of thread leftover on both ends (this gives you the option of lengthening your gather). Stitch down the middle of your strips (Just guide it through the machine, don't pull as it sews). Ta Da! Your machine gathered it for you. Gently pull fabric together to gather any way you desire. When you've figured out where and how you want to place them, stitch'em on. AND YOU'VE DONE IT!! NOW GO DO IT AGAIN...IT ONLY GETS EASIER!!!