No-Sew Upcycle ~ Leggings to Monkey Bar Shorts

Every summer I face the same ugly reality....monkey bar shorts.  Is it just me or does every retail outlet out there have it all backwards?  No one cares if someone sees their 12 month old daughter's diaper, yet every skirt or dress comes with bloomers.  However, when we begin to worry more about modesty, as they get bigger, the coverings disappear.  I am notoriously on the hunt for those monkey bar shorts and I am not the mom who is willing to pay high dollar so they will look cute when my kid hangs upside down on the playground.  Well, this year I figured it out and I want to share it with you!

By show of hands please...  How many of you have leggings in the drawers that look like this?  I am so ashamed to think about how many pair I have thrown away.  Not.any.more.  This is going to blow your mind....not your wallet!

Here's what you do.

1.) Purchase this wonderful stuff pictured below called Stitch Witchery.  I found mine at Hobby Lobby but you can typically find it at any sewing goods store.

2.) Put the leggings on your child then measure and mark how long you want the shorts to be.  After marking the pants and removing them from the child, add about 1" for the turn under, as long as your Stitch Witchery is about 5/8" wide.

3.)  I fold the legs one on top of the other and cut straight across.

4.) Next, you will turn the cut edge toward the inside of the legging an inch all the way around.  Press with an iron as you go.  Don't skip that step!  Yes, I am aware that iron is a four letter word to some of you.  ;)

5.)  Now, simply cut a piece of stitch witchery the length to cover the front and another piece for the back or you can choose to work with one long piece.  It was easier for me to use two pieces, since this pair was somewhat small in the leg.

6.) After you get it in place, place your hot iron on top of the section.  The directions will tell you not to slide the iron.  They also tell you to place a damp cloth between the iron and the fabric you are working on.  I did not do that and mine turned out fine.  Here is what it will look like.

Now, you can just stop here and all is good in the world.  Some reviewers of this product say that re-application may be necessary after several wearings.  Others say it lasted much longer.  It will obviously depend on the wear and wash factor. 

IF you have a sewing machine, like I do, you may choose to reinforce this.  If you wish to do so, simply run a zig-zag stitch with a pretty good length on it, for stretchability, all the way around.  If you run a straight stitch they won't be comfortable around her leg and will have zero stretch.  Also, don't forget to change your needle to ball point since you are working with cotton.  Since my middle princess is very girly I decided to go the extra mile for her and put a "frill" on hers.

Sew there you have it!  A simple and (almost) FREE solution since we all have some worn out, too short, and faded leggings hiding in those drawers! 

Happy Monday! ~ The Sewing Mama

Upcycle and There's A First Time for Everything

So I posted this photo to Instagram the other day... 

and declared an #upcycle was about to happen.

 If you are not familiar with that term let me explain.  For a seamstress, an upcycle is when we take a used piece of clothing or other fabric item and turn it into something new.  I have an entire bin of these items.  Why?  Because I have three children who constantly test my stain removing skills and while I do have "skillz" in this area some nuts you just can't crack.  Can I get an Amen?  I really do enjoy this challenge and the opportunity for my mind to think outside of the pattern world it so prefers.

This upcycle began with a stained cream t-shirt that Addison wore when she was Allye's current age (2.5).  I knew that I wanted this to be a no cost upcycle, which meant I could only use what I had in my stash.  After planning it all out and photographing the materials, I changed my mind because my brain started doing somersaults when the words July 4th popped in.  Let me give you the image.

These were the outfits I made last year for July 4th.  The dresses on the older girls still fit.  However, Allye's is no where close and has actually been handed off to a friend so that I will see it again.  :)  My mind started racing and began the search for every piece of any of these fabrics I could find.  When I realized I could make this work I was beyond thrilled.  If you don't sew you might not understand just how wonderful this feels.  

Here's how it went down.  I decided on the final length the dress was going to be and made all of my cuts accordingly.  I completed the bottom of the dress entirely before ever cutting off the shirt, just in case I miscalculated somewhere.  It happens people.  I really put a lot of effort into this and was so thrilled when I got it all put together. 

  I thought from the beginning that I would monogram the final dress, but was unsure when it was done so I slept on it.  I have really cut back on the monograms for the older girls because of the need and desire to pass on the items being worn.  Ultimately I decided to go for it.  Allye was so excited her "name" was going to be on the dress.  She asked to help and I agreed.  After getting it set up and ready I allowed her to sit on my lap and press the button, her favorite job.  I was smitten from the second it came off the machine.  I hung it from the china cabinet just so I could marvel at it.  Then yesterday, on her way to the park, Olivia stops by the dress and says, "Mom, who did you make this for?"  Momentarily I wondered if she had lost her mind.  "Um, Allye," I responded.  "Why?"  "Well Mom, you put Addison's initials on it."  I died right there.  

First of all, if you monogram, this is your worst nightmare.  Second of all, it is worse than a nightmare to do it to one of your own children.  I really can't describe my feelings in that moment.  I let it sit there overnight.  This morning I put my big girl panties on and figured it out while I played at the beach with the girls.

  I saw this idea in my new sewing book, Sew Classic Clothes for Girls, and had been wanting to try it, not particularly for this reason but I knew it was the perfect opportunity.  It is a removable monogram so multiple siblings can wear the same item over the years.  You simply monogram the piece of fabric and attach using buttonholes.  When the next sibling wears it you place their monogram on it.  Genius right? 

So there it is.  A great way to turn something headed to the trash into a keepsake.  And in this case, a first time mistake that will be a forever memory.  I hope you are inspired to look at something old and trash worthy in a new way.  I would love to see it!

---- The Mama

On the Road Again

The girls and I arrived in North Carolina a week ago to visit with my family.  I decided (somewhat unilaterally) that I would make this trip alone...for the first time.  Until this visit I had either had my mom fly in and drive me back with Nate getting us back home or vice versa.  They might have thought I was crazy and they definitely asked me if I was sure more then 12.23 times.  I was determined.  In our current life situation I have to be able to do most things on my own so this was no exception in my mind.  I am happy to report that the girls did great.  And once we arrived safely I got the same question over and over.  "How did you do it?"  Interpret that the way you wish.  It was probably meant in many different ways.  So, I thought I would give you glimpse of just how I did it.  I scoured the internet and Pinterest and gathered the ideas I thought would work best for my girl's ages.  As I worked on putting it all together in the week leading up to our trip, and the night before when I organized it all by the door, Man had only one thing to say, "Oh my word.  You have gone all Martha Stewart on them."  I took that as a compliment.  ;)  I am confident that this effort really did help all of us have a pleasant trip.  I will definitely do this for future trips.

From many years of traveling and millions of miles covered in a car, here is my best piece of advice.  Don't use all of your tricks in one day!  It is hard.  Especially if they run out of things to do.  So, my plan this time was to find things that took up a lot of time.  Here we go.

This box rode in the front seat beside me.  These were items that I wanted to regulate, most of them were Allye's.  Electronics were definitely with us, but were not going to be used heavily.  Turns out, they weren't used at all.  That is when I know I did something right.  See the little bunny container?  That is what you need when it all begins to fall apart.  Skittles and such.  Works like a charm.  Especially if you are 21 months old, need a nap, and haven't had lunch.

All three girls had one of these.  7 items + 7 slots = Lots of Sorting Fun!  

I timed Olivia's turn at sorting to make it more challenging, which meant I had to get a lesson on where that fancy feature was on my phone.  Man took care of that before I left.  He might have rolled his eyes when I asked him if my "smart" phone did this.  Addison simply sorted away.  Allye decorated the car with her items.  I did not care one bit.  Happy Baby = Happy Momma.  

She got the biggest kick out of the box below.

She has pulled more wipes in her 21 months then either of the other girls did combined.  Her arms are a mile long and she can get to anything.  She got a good laugh out of this one.  Then she just started opening the entire lid and pulling it all out at once.  Must work better for a younger, not so experienced wipe puller.  ;)

I hardly ever throw away a paper towel or toilet paper roll.  Lots of projects call for these free items but this might be my favorite so far.  Olivia's rolls had addition and subtraction problems written all over them.  I wrote the answers on the colored dots and she had to match them up.  Addison had to match the upper case letter on the roll to the lower case letter sticker.  If I did this again I would make two separate rolls for her.  It was too crammed and busy for her eyes/mind to be able to focus.  Her other one was just a simple shape match up with a shout out of the shape as she matched it.  Allye's roll was blank and she was handed a sheet of tiny colorful stickers.  You should see her carseat!  Happy Baby = Happy Momma.  This was her favorite activity and kept her busiest the longest. 

Then there were The Books.  I did not use these until the second day.  I made one for each of the big girls and allowed Allye to watch some of her favorite learning shows.

Each of them were given sticker books that taught them different things.  This was Olivia's.  I found them at the Dollar Store awhile back and picked up one of each type.  After matching all of the stickers there were crossword puzzles and other games, more appropriate for Olivia.  Addison matched up all of the stickers in hers and then Olivia helped her with the games.  I loved that part...the helping part...so sisterly. 

The rest of the games I printed off were enclosed in a clear protector so they could be used again.  Above was the license plate game (their favorite).  We are still searching for a few.  Below are a few other games I found. 

This game required Olivia to write down the letter from a license plate and then create two words using those letters.  For Addison it helped her work on penmanship.

The license plate number game had Olivia write down the numbers from the plates and then add them together.  A white board marker and half of a magic eraser allowed her to quickly erase and play over and over again.  Addison simply practiced writing her numbers.

Snacks.  The thorn in my side.  There is something about traveling in a car that makes my kids think they are hungry all.the.time.  Admittedly I have programmed their bodies to need a snack as I have always taken an approach of not perpetuating over-eating at meal times.  This was the first time I have used this idea and I did it so that there were options and so I wouldn't be trying to fix snacks while driving. 

I used this little box in case there was a time I had to hand it to Olivia.  They would be contained and easy for her to find.  Beyond that this is how I did it.  I had Man create two bags for each girl, for each day of travel...12 bags for this trip.  Then I placed a sticker on each bag to represent who the bag belonged to.

For this trip, Allye's bags would have all bears, Addison's all ballerinas, and Olivia's would be marked with stylish girls.  They loved it and it did make it very simple.  They saw all of the options from the beginning and decided accordingly at each snack time.  This is the way to go.  Let me repeat.  This is the way to go.  No one is needing to see every option, hold the snack bag themselves to see what you just told them, beg for something else...etc.  This was it.  Period.  Then I wonder why a genius solution has to come almost 8 years into parenting.  Whatever.  I will take it.

Well, there you go.  This is what kept my girls busy this time and it worked very well.  I would almost stick my neck out to say it was the best trip in the car we have ever had, but then that would mean I will have the worst ever in another week.  So, we will go with this was a v.e.r.y. good trip.  So, so, so  good I pulled off and we toured the Coca Cola store twenty minutes before our hotel.  Allye enjoyed it the most.

   

Enjoying Life!

--The Traveling Mama

Who Am I?

In an effort to give Olivia a break from "real" journal time one day, I came up with this idea with a little help from Pinterest.  Actually, I came across the idea, then decided it would be a good substitute for lined paper.  She thought I was a genius.  Then she wanted "something like that" every day.  Um.  No.

It was a really simple concept and I thought seeing their answers would be fun.  And it was.  I had Olivia write hers completely but made Addison's fill-in-the-blank.  This took a lot of patience!  Whew.   

Yes!  Those are brown paper lunch bags.  I learned this great tip at a scrapbook class one time.  I loved it and have used it for several different projects.  The girls thought this was cool!

The inside cover was a self-portrait.  It is always interesting to see how kids see themselves.  Olivia's is at the top.  Note that she has high heels on.  

Each statement contained in the activity asked the girls questions about their likes and dislikes.  Each question/answer focused on one of the five senses.  I call this Hidden Learning.  

Finally, I dumped every sticker in the house on the floor and told them to find stickers that related to their answers.  What kid doesn't love stickers?  Then I had them organize them by holiday, season, etc.  I know, I gave myself a pat on the back for that idea too.  They never realized they were cleaning up...or organizing.  Sometimes I feel so smart...or at least smarter then a 7 and 4 year old, but I will take it.  ;)

A great activity that is a keeper.  I think I will have the girls do one each year and watch how they change over time.  Gather up your supplies and get ready for summer!  This could keep them busy for at least an hour!  Ha!

Here is the link for the sensory statements I used.  It was her idea first...I tried to give it some pizazz with my brown bags!

Do you have any summer activities/crafts planned already?  It's just around the corner.

---The Homeschool Mama

A Personalized Thank You

The girls and I (with a little help from Man) made these super cute thank you notes for our family and friends for the Easter gifts they bestowed upon us.  Sometimes I have my act together and can get something like this done.  Sometimes I don't.  This is one of the times I did.  

....................

When we got back from our trip to Meme and Popi's for Easter I was feeling a little crafty.  I had Man home for an extra day, a few blank cards burning a whole in my mind, and a few extra minutes on this particular day.  I really wanted to send thank you notes to everyone who sent the girls Easter goodies, visited with us, etc. so here is what I came up with. 

And yes, even Allye made some too.  Don't be afraid to craft with babies.  Just have help waiting in the wings!

We painted the palm of their hand brown and two of their fingers pink like this.

Then we helped them keep their hand spread appropriately when placing it on the card.  

Once the cards dried I set out the alphabet stamps and ink pad and let them stamp "Thank You" on each card.  Then I took a very fine brush and created the outline around the ears, the eyes, the nose, and the whiskers.

A great, quick, and memorable thank you note for family and friends...

and it wasn't even nap time.

--The Crafty Mama

Christmas in March

Since I seem to just be catching my breath from the whirlwind of a handmade Christmas, I sat down and gathered up the photos that I took to show you.  It was such a fulfilling experience to give these gifts, even if it was something I bought that was handmade.  I must confess that I still have two remaining, very time consuming, gifts in my possession.  They belong to my two sets of parents.  I have just had to beg forgiveness and offer many promises of something on  the way.  Let's just say it was a well laid plan that when terribly awry when we decided to move six months early.  Details.  

It started with my first quilt.  My mom has been so sweet to sew the bedding for my first two girls, but this time was different.  I really wanted to make everything I could for Allye.  While I completed the crib skirt and curtains in Texas, I simply could not get this done.  I was so very proud of myself for stepping out of my sewing comfort zone.  I believed I could do this when I found Amy Smart at Diary of a Quilter.  She did a step-by-step tutorial that made it as easy as pie.  Confession:  It is March and I still have not let her use it.

Then there was our very special Hanukkah gift for Nate's grandmother.  We made and used these as we learned about Hanukkah as part of our school lessons, and then we shipped them to her to enjoy for the years to come.  This was such a wonderful learning experience for our entire family.

Both girls had Secret Santa gifts to give at their dance studio.  This is what I made for Addison's little friend.  I also made matching ones for our new friends down the street.  Every girl needs an apron, right?

Here was another first.  I have made little skirts for our American Girls but never matching outfits.  I made this set for my one of my step-sister's daughters.  She is very into fashion and has the cutest personality you have ever seen.  She only wear dresses and can readily give an opinion.  I was very nervous to pass her test.

She has a little sister.  I made her a dress too.  I was getting ahead here.  Great to wear anytime, but especially at Valentine's.

The ornaments.   Oh my.  After really getting into these I momentarily wondered what I had gotten myself into.  But, with all of the loving comments we received after all of the kids got them in the mail, it was worth the effort!  We saved a few for our tree too!  What a special memory of this time and place.

I have made many of these clipboards over the last few years and they are always a hit.  This one was made for Addison's preschool teacher and Addison loves seeing it on the desk outside of their classroom each morning. 

I have many friends and family that have little boys.  Making things for them is not always easy.  Especially as they get older.  But, when I picked up the Make It Yourself magazine before the holidays and saw these in it, I knew I had to make them.  So I bought the magazine and had most of the supplies needed already in my stash.  The only problem?  We all got sick for two weeks straight before the holidays.  Thankfully this is one of my very best friends so I fessed up, "Hey, I swear I have gifts for the boys, but I am making them and they are not done and they won't be done in time and I promise you it is worth the wait."  And wait she did, until the second week of January.  I think it was worth it.  She did too!

Isn't it the cutest thing ever?  I have no boys but my Addison played for hours on the finished one while I was making the second one.  She will have one of these very soon.  Load it up and I am pretty sure they could be occupied for quite some time!

Last but not least, I made the bedding for the bunk beds we had made from an Etsy seller.  These beds are  sized for our American Girls and I couldn't resist making the bedding to coordinate with Addison's room.  I just wish I had order the mattresses or made some.  Maybe I'll just add that to the list.

So there you have it.  A handmade Christmas Mama style.  I will definitely do this again and hope you have found some inspiration to give the gift of your time to those you love.  That, my friends, is priceless. 

---The Very Tired Mama

Red, White, and Pink!

Hello, hello!  We are getting in the spirit of Valentine's around here...finally.  I can say finally since I had Man bring down the box of decorations when he put the Christmas decor in the attic...the first week of January.  Details. 

The girls and I put on Charlie Brown's Valentine episode and instead of putting all the decor out and then tearing it down in four days...we used some tree "tinsel" I made a couple of years ago and decorated the fireplace.

Made with fishing string, foam hearts, pearl beads, and LOVE!

I love decorating for holidays but I have two little hands in my house that love to tear it up faster then I can put it back together...every 5 minutes.  So, I focused my efforts in crafting, "treats," and sewing.

Here is what we have been up to...and if you still don't have your Valentine cards done yet...there is hope!  These are easy!

FOR THE TEACHERS...

because we love our teachers and I don't recognize our extracurricular teachers at big holidays, usually due to budget constraints.  So, I try to give at another time during the year.

This year we are giving them hand sanitizers that I first saw here.  I picked these up at the Dollar Store because I wanted clear sanitizer and a white cap.  This was not so easy to find when I was trying to pay more than $1.  Go figure.

The girls peeled off the front and back labels...fighting over who would do number 5.  How in the world I didn't remember to buy 6 so my world of "fair" would be peaceful I do not know.  

Nice and pretty.

I purchased two sheets of heart stickers and put the girls to work.

Next we traced their hands and I added the little "germ" saying and they signed their names.

We stuck them on the back and voila!  An inexpensive, thoughtful gift, that might keep me out of the doctor's office for two weeks straight.

This year I decided to spread out the Valentine card making so as not to lose all of my patience in one day.  Then I went one step further and decided to just print all of Addison's.  She forgave me.

Super cute and first seen at The Mother Huddle.

BUT, Addison did make the Valentine that meant the most...and there is only ONE of these.  

It is in the mail.  To her cowboy.  In Texas.  She wrote their names way too many times on the inside and put a heart sticker in there.  She didn't want me to look, but I did anyway.  Just like I will when she is 10 and 15...ok, forever.

Then there is Olivia.  Where do I begin?  I showed her my idea.  Another great send it through the printer idea, with a portion handmade.  NOPE.  She was making it from scratch.  So, this is what I originally found at vixen Made.

Here is what we did.  We took a heart shaped cookie cutter and traced it like a bazillion times.

Then I found letter stamps for $1 (score!) and she stamped out "You've Marked My Heart."  We did this for three of them.  She doesn't have a light touch with this technique yet and was frustrated so we switched and she hand wrote them all.  And, of course, we twisted and bent lots of pipe cleaners to have cutie bookmarks.

The food festivities began yesterday with strawberry filled, heart shaped pies, followed by chocolate dipped Oreos tonight!

You need your choice of Oreo flavor, Almond Bark or equivalent, and some sprinkles.

Following the directions on the Almond Bark package to melt the chocolate.  (2 squares yields about 15 dipped Oreos).  Gently dip the Oreo into the chocolate and very quickly apply the sprinkles.

Pop them in the fridge for a few to let them set slightly or eat them right away.

You won't be sorry.

I promise.

** To color Almond Bark you do not use food coloring.  It will harden the chocolate.  You must use color made for candy, often found at local arts and crafts stores.  Mine are all made by Wilton**

I am knee deep in three Valentine dresses, three pair of Valentine sleep pants, and three coordinating Valentine sleep shirts.  I might see you by Friday.  Until then I will leave you with the image I came "home" to tonight once the lights were out and I returned to my office/sewing room/crafting space/school room.  Compliments of my sweet Addison.  I turned the corner and this was sitting in the doorway.  I love her.

XOXO,

The Mama