New Design...

Well, if you've been reading here for any length of time, I'm sure you've heard me mention Lil Blue Boo. Ashley has some of the cutest upcycled clothes. I was lucky enough to be able to snag one of her designs from a resell page.

I had also bought a pack of knit scraps from the LBB site, thinking I would use it for doll clothes, embellishments, what not. Imagine my surprise when I got my scrap pack and find...

silk screened scraps that match the bubble dress I had just purchased!!!

I knew that some sort of accessory had to be made for Joy to wear with her dress.

I came up with this darling hat.

I originally used one of my hat patterns, but with the stretch of the knit I had to tinker a little and I just love the end result!

Doesn't it look adorable on her with the matching dress!?

I'm currently in the works of drafting out my pattern for sale. I'm hoping to have it

in my shop in November.



I'm linking up here:

Trick or Treat....

So, I do realize that it's still August. For a little bit longer anyway.

But I intend to make each of the kiddo's costumes for our church Harvest Party and that requires somewhat of a head start!!

Joy has been asking for about 3 months now if she could be Strawberry Shortcake.

When a friend of mine had a pair of these tights in Joy's size for sale, I snapped 'em up!

Add a cute, and easy to whip up, tee dress, newsboy hat, pink mary janes, and presto....

Insert Joy's delighted squeal here....

"That's just what I wanted Mommy, thank you thank you!! Can you make it now?"

Umm, no, sorry. :)

Isaiah's will be fairly easy as well.

For those of you with little boys, I'm sure you are familar with who this young man is!

Isaiah is insisting he wants to be Wildmut, one of the aliens that Ben 10 transforms into but I don't really want to tackle that one!

I figured since he'll be getting the Omnitrix for his birthday on Saturday this costume will work!

And I even have some olive denim for the cargo pants. Easy peasy.

There you have it:

2 happy kids.

2 cute costumes (without breaking the bank I might add).

So how about all of you? Thinking that far ahead yet?

Or is it just me? :)

And the award goes to.....

ME!!!

I am BEYOND thrilled to recieve my first blogging award, compliments of the fabulous Tawny of Daily Icing.

The rules. Always follow the rules, that's good life advice that works in every situation! :)

First- Thank and link back to the one who gave you the Versatile Blogger award.

T- what can I say... you are awesome, inspiring, talented, and a wonderful friend. I am glad to have known you for, gosh, it's been 5 years! Is that right? I lost track.... :) And your blog, Daily Icing, is so so much fun to browse.

Second- Share 7 things about yourself.

1. I am a Southern girl at heart, even though I've lived in the Pacific Northwest for most of my life.

2. I am currently living in a constuction zone. :) We are remodeling and the majority of the walls in our living room are down to bare studs right now.

3. I am not allowed to learn any new crafts. Strict orders from my husband. My craft room is packed with fabric, ribbon, yarn, tulle, scrapping supplies....

4. I love, love the fall season. The crispness in the air, the lovely colors on the trees, cozying up in a comfy sweater and taking walks. :)

5. I am a mom to 2 of the greatest children ever!

6. My favorite day is Saturday. My day to sleep in and my wonderful husband is in charge of making breakfast.

7. My 6 year old son can beat me at air hockey, and no, I don't let him win.

Third- Pass the Versatile Blogger award on to 10 other deserving bloggers.

1. Becca of Fresh Fruit

2. Darlene of Simkins Farm

3. Martha of Sutton Stories

4. Sachiko of Tea Rose Home

5. Ashley of Lil Blue Boo

6. Angel of Tada*Creations

7. Make it and Love it

8. U Create

9. A Little Bit Biased

10. allsorts

Fourth- Contact all the bloggers chosen and let them know they've been selected for the award!

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read my little blog! I'm so glad to have you. :)

Baby Love

Well, I did it. I finally finished the 12" waldorf-inspired dolly I started for Joy. The kit I ordered came with hair, but I wanted something a little fun and funky. :)

So, searching the many, many options for handspun yarn on etsy, I found this beauty....Is this not gorgeous!?!! I couldn't resist.

I was even more in love when in showed up in the mail and I got my hands on it.

This truly is the softest yarn I have ever felt. I couldn't stop touching it!!

Okay, that's not true, but it is really, really soft. :)

And just look how cute she turned out! I do intend to make her some fun cute (matching) clothes.

For now, she's wearing this creative ensemble that Joy picked out.

I'm linking to:

Patterns and Amy Butler.....

One of my fave crafty blogs, Tea Rose Home, is celebrating an anniversary! Congratulations to Sachiko on reaching 2 in blog years!! It's been a great journey and I am blessed to be able to follow along. :) Wishing you many more years of blogging success!

Anyhow, Sachiko (Bless your heart) was brave enough to contact the folks at Amy Butler. She was rewarded greatly. They generously donated 5, yes 5!!, of Amy's fabulous patterns to giveaway!

Want a chance to win one? Head on over to Sachiko's amazing blog to see how.

Little sidenote: I am not connected to Amy Butler or Sachiko! Just a fan. :)

A work of art.....

Our on-going remodel projects are just about done. So next step, for me anyway, is to think about decor.

I was wanting some and didn't want to spend too much money. So... I was inspired by another designer currently doing this with her daughter.

I got some inexpensive artist canvases and paint brushes and let the littles go at it.

So far, they are LOVING this project. It kept them occupied for a good 1/2 hour so that works for me. :)

At the end of the first session....

It is interesting to see their color choices. Although, I'm sure the paintings will look way different will all completed.

And I love the fun polka dots that Joy added to her canvas.

I plan to hang them down in the family room/playroom along with this darling wreath. I love the funkiness of the leaves and it will look great with the fabrics I've picked out for throw pillows for the couch. Can't wait to see it all put together!

I'm linking to:

Waldorf doll and giveaway contest.

So, I'm sure that you've all seen these fabulous dolls. If not, google them right now!! They are fantastic, adorable, cuddly, and sure to be a wonderful heirloom for your little one to pass down.

Well, talented Waldorf doll maker, Rainbow Dolls, is giving one away!!

Not just any doll, but specifically the cutie pictured below.

You really don't want to miss this opportunity.

To enter, all you have to do is go post a comment on this blog. Please, please, please be sure to mention that Melissa Caldeira sent you. That increases my chances of winning her for Joy!! ;)

To make it even more fun....

Come back and post a comment here letting me know that you mentioned my name and I'll put your name in a drawing to win your choice of either a dolly knit twirl skirt or a dolly knit upcycled dress!!

Fun, food, and friends....

There's nothing better then celebrating a holiday weekend with very good friends. Once again, we loaded up the Focus and made the 4 hour trek over the mountains to visit the Simkins family. Always a good time. :)

Isaiah was bouncing from the moment we told him we were going, excited to see his "good buddy, Jack" as he calls him.

Even though we only spent the weekend, we managed to pack in about a week's worth of activities.

Dave helped Jeremy "take care" of 2 roosters, we went to the pool, enjoyed a yummy BBQ (kid-free!!), and played a round of Phase 10. And that was only day 1.

Sunday morning, we double-tasked with getting ready for the drive to Twisp for church and packing for the picnic afterwards.

Although, we didn't stay for the fireworks. By that time the kids were getting antsy and tired, so we packed up and headed back to the cars.

Our departure was delayed by a surprise parade. Jack, Isaiah, and Joy didn't seem to mind too much though as there was candy being thrown.

And Joy got to see a horse. I'm sure that was the pinnacle of her weekend. :)

The picnic was a blast. Lots of good (great) food and plenty of conversation.

Isaiah enjoyed his first ride on a jet ski. I was impressed with how fast he let Dave go!

So proud of my little man.

Boys being boys, Isaiah and Jack had fun splashing in the water.

Joy and her girls. She loved having girls her own age to play with.

And I had the opportunity to practice my photograpy a little.

I love these pictures, of course, my subjects really help with the quality of the photos.

They are all so adorable!

Beaded Frame

I found this frame during Christmas clearance at my local Michaels a few months back.

It was a horribly gaudy gold color, but I couldn't pass it up for the price!!

I didn't get a before picture, but trust me, it was awful!

Okay, okay, so maybe it would have been a great find for someone else, just not exactly my style.

A quick coat of ballet pink spray paint, it is on the way to a wonderful piece for Joy's room.

There were some rediculous bells hanging from these jump rings.

Gone.

And replaced with some girly-girl sparkly beads and charms.

Finished and in place.

Joy loves it and it cost me next to nothing!

Linking up here:

And the Oscar goes to....

Okay, I completely forgot to share this.....

My little drama queen.

After climbing up and down on this thing all week, this day, she somehow forgot

how to get down.

I'm helping her build character, yeah, umm, that's it. :)

She was so upset that neither me or Darlene would carry her down.

Completely disregarding the massive stepping brick on one side or the step ladder on the other.

In her precious 4 yr old mind, she was trapped.

*********

She climbed down on her own 5 minutes later......

Go figure. :)

Farm life....

We got to spend last week with our very good friends, the Simkins family, on their "farm".

Okay, not technically a farm, but to us city-folk, all the space, chickens, goats.....

it may as well be!

Who's a happy dog?! Yeah, yeah, put the camera down and throw my ball already!
Miss Darlene to the rescue. :)

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Isaiah and Jack, protecting their turf.

Dave and Jeremy were able to mostly finish building this playset while we were there.

Perhaps we'll have to make another trip out to the homestead to see it all completed. ;)

I'm not sure which was Joy's favorite: the goats or the trampoline.

The kiddos definitely enjoyed all the space to run.

I loved that they had the freedom, but I do hope that they don't do that at home.

With us living on a busy road, not exactly the place to jet outside by themselves!!

Thanks for such a wonderful week Darlene!! I am so looking forward to our next visit. :)

Or we'll just have to pack up and purchase that plot of land down the road.

Craft Room Remodel- Part 2

So, awhile back I shared some pics of my room in progress.

It's mostly done now!! Hurray. :)

Small details like trim around the windows and doors and a little door to hide the sump are all thats left.

But the room is workable now and that is very good news!

This is where all the "magic" happens. My work desk.

I can push my machine back and too the side if I working on bows or scrapbooking or something.

Blue bins for my little punches, bigger punches and other scrappy supplies are in the cupboard directly above.

The other side houses pattern books and bins of misc. sewing supplies like bias tape, elastic, and so on.

Down below is where my envelope patterns are stored and rolls of tulle are in the bottom drawer.

The other side holds markers, colored pencils, stamp ink pads.

It is so nice to have everything close by and handy.

Notice the little kiddy table! That way the littles are occupied if I'm trying to get something done.

Oh how I miss nap time.....

This I love, LOVE!

I found the site on another blog and knew it would be just the thing to fill up the old window frame that I salvaged during our remodels. I have one more, not sure what to do with it yet. :)

I'm going to be putting corkboard in the center panel to pin up orders/notes, etc...

I'm thinking I may make some shabby fabric roses to dress up the bottom corner a bit, not sure yet. What do you think? :)

Close up of the fun shabby style bow that hangs the frame.

I'll be using this same lovely fabric for a new ironing board cover and cushion for my work chair.

Ironing station.
Scrapbooking paper tower.
General "organized chaos"!!
The closet is a jumbled hodge-podge of supplies that I haven't
found homes for yet.
Hanging up are items listed in my shop or orders that are in progress and haven't
shipped yet.
I have a small wire shelving unit in there that I put stacks of fabric for orders.

My FAVORITE part!!!
Dave had the brillant idea and designed the incredible storage for all of my ribbons.
I love that the bins are see through and I can see exactly what I need.

And, of course, the cutting table/fabric storage.
The "dream" letters will be hung on the wall below the ribbon bins, I just haven't gotten to that part yet. ;)
White paper underneath for tracing patterns or for the kids to color on.
Hey, it keeps them from coloring on my carpet, walls, or patterns!!
And, oh look, more stacks of projects in progress on my cutting table.

Well, folks, that is it. I hope you enjoyed your tour!
I'd love to see your work spaces too. Feel free to share links in the comment section.
Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed day!


I'm linking up to:

Designer Feature ending soon!

Time is almost out!!!!
What for, you ask?
Well.....
My good friend and fellow designer from last month's feature is still offering up a custom knot dress!

You have until Monday, the 31st, to get your comments in and be considered for the giveaway.
You do NOT want to miss this opportunity to get one of Brittni's creations.

Handmade Beginnings

Have a new baby on the way?
Know someone who does? (I'm thinking of you Martha!) :)

Fellow blogger, Angel, of Tada*Creations is hosting a FABULOUS giveaway on her blog right now. She had the wonderful opportunity to meet the incredibly talented Anna Maria Horner at a book signing. And she was thoughtful enough to get an extra copy.

Well, not for everyone, but she is going to be giving a signed copy away to one lucky person!!!

Go take a look at her blog and see what it takes to have a chance to win.

Another upcycle.....

I know, I know, another one. I'm sure Joy's closet will be FULL of these by the time summer rolls around.

I found this shirt awhile back and knew it would be perfect for Joy.

Although, I've been so busy with orders that I didn't get around to finishing it up until a few days ago. I swear it's been sitting on my cutting table for about a month.

But the wait was definately worth it.

Joy was over the moon when I showed her it was finished.

Lots more to come!! I have a nice little stack building up. :)

I'm linking up to the following:

Soccer mom?

Dave's mom was in town from Texas on business so we got together with her and Dave's sister Amy, her husband Charlie, and their adorable little peanut, Irelyn, last night for dinner.
Wow, what a sentence that was. Please forgive the run-on..... and on.... and on.... :)

I always have such a good time when we get together with Dave's family. Can I just say how blessed I am with my in-laws!

As we were heading out of the resturant, we were discussing fostering and talking about the pros and cons of taking in a special child and giving them a good home. Amy brought up the fact that if we did indeed take in a foster child, we'd have to upgrade vehicles. I mean, you can only fit so many car seats in the back seat of my Focus, right?? :)
I know, you're probably wondering where I'm going with this...
No, we haven't jumped into fostering quite yet, hoping to finish up all our remodel projects first so that the house doesn't look like a construction zone during home checks!!
But..... Charlie mentioned something about me, driving the big 'ol mini van, sipping my Starbucks, heading to soccer practice.
Well the other day, I found this HILARIOUS video link on another blog and the timing was so funny.
So, now that I've rambled enough...

Charlie, this one's for you!!!!
And I gotta say, how stinking CUTE is that little girl doing her thing!!??!

...And last month's winner!! The winner of the March designer giveaway, as selected by a random number generator, is theweaverhouse! Congrats Tammy. Tawnya will be in touch with you about your prize.


I am thrilled to have as the April Feature, an extremely talented clothing designer. I have worked with her on several occasions, either as collaborations or modeling. Both ways, her too-cute kiddos have modeled for my designs, and Joy has modeled for her. And it's always been so much fun. I've known her about 2 years (is that right?) and I'm very honored to call her my friend.

So, without much more introduction, I'll get right to the good stuff!
*********

Tell us a little about you, your family, and life outside the studio-
My name is Brittni. I live in Rochester, NY with my hubby of 7 years, and 2 kids- Amelya and Benjamin. Amelya is 4 and Benjamin is 3, so they keep my super busy! Sewing is my "mommy time-out" and I love it!!

What kinds of things do you make to sell?

For the most part, I make ruffly, frilly, little girls clothes. I do like to throw in a boy's design every once in a while. Usually when my son starts asking if the dress I'm making is for him!!

Where can we find your designs?

You can find me on Etsy www.pbjboutique.etsy.com or on ebay under the id pbj*boutique. You can also find me on Facebook and I do have a blog, www.pbjboutique.blogspot.com but I can't promise it's been updated!

When did the crafting bug first hit you?

I've been doing crafty things as long as I can remember! I used to make scrunchies to match my outfits when I was a kid (does anyone else remember the 80's), and moved on to Halloween costumes and the like for little cousins. I started cross-stitching, my husband calls that the "Gateway Craft" in about 5th grade and still do lots of that. I learned to knit in college, and crochet in grad school. I also took a few quilting classes after I got married. I just love to be doing something all the time. My family calls me "Martha".

Is there a design that you're particularly fond of and why?

Oh boy. So many that I love! I think one of my favorites is actually a Christmas design from this past year. I called it "Victorian Christmas". Amelya wore the sample when I took her, and a little friend and her mom, to see the Nutcracker at the Rochester City Ballet. I just love the gathered inserts, the fabric covered buttons, all the little details!

I'm gonna jump in here and say, I love this one too!!

Definately one of my favorites of yours Brittni! :)

What most inspires your designs? Where do you get your ideas?

I am most inspired by my daughter! She loves to help me pick out fabrics, and I haven't ever made something that she wouldn't wear! I like classic little-girl style and stay far away from ever writing anything on my little girl's tushie! Most of my ideas come in the strangest places, like while I'm driving, or sleeping, or vacuuming.

Any advice for other designers just getting started?

Carry your business cards with you wherever you go! You never know when someone may stop you and ask where your child got that adorable dress, or where you got your purse. There's no better feeling then seeing someone's face when they hear "I made it".

Anything else you'd like to add?

Thanks so much to Melissa for the opportunity to share!

*********

Well thanks to you as well Brittni, for sharing some of your fabulous designs with us!!

Do you like what Brittni has to offer?

Want your own incredible pbj*boutique creation?

Brittni is offering a giveway of one of her amzing knot dresses, like the rocket one pictured below, or the sunshine one in the interview.

With a choice of theme/colors from her extensive fabric stash!!!

Where do I enter, you ask? Well, simply leave a comment.

It's that easy!

Want another entry?

Become a follower of my blog. Already done that? Remind me in a comment.

And an extra entry if you follow Britt's blog too!

What, you say you want more chances to win?

Go check out Brittni's items, either etsy or ebay. And leave a comment here on which your favorite is.

Good Luck to you!