Cleaning Baseboards

My baseboards really need repainting. Eventually we are going to replace them with something different, but in the mean time, I still need to keep up with cleaning them. I can't avoid the black scuff marks on them without repainting (Mr Clean only does so much after all) but today I was cleaning up and noticed these are perfect for the task:

Lysol Dual Action Complete Clean Wipes

One side has fibers to scrub with and the other side is just for wiping up.  These are brilliant! They got even those dustier hard to clean spots right up!

Lysol didn't ask me to write about them, I just liked them that much!

Quilt Squares Outfits

Recently, I received a stack of quilt squares from my mother in law that she had picked up at a yard sale. Knowing how much cutting, ironing and sewing that went into these squares, I wanted to really use them so that they had a purpose...something different than just a quilt.

Here is how I used them:

a Tshirt dress from a smaller onesie my daughter had outgrown:

a dress from a pattern I have used before:

and a market skirt from MADE.

The dress and the market skirt also uses valances as trim pieces, strap pieces and casings! Sometimes when I am sewing, all I can think about is the Sound of Music. I make a lot of clothes from curtains!

Quilt squares have endless possibilities!

Burlap Bridal Shower

Recently, I threw a bridal shower for my sister in my home. The theme was burlap with green and white accents. I loved the feel of the setting from it!

Here are some high lights:

Centerpiece in the kitchen. I loved how this looked. Vases borrowed from my SIL that I added vinyl to *vases from ikea, burlap runners, table clothes, doilies from the dollar store, moss spread through out and green gerber daisies

Favors were Popcorn Indiana Indulgent popcorn. YUM! It had a green grosgrain ribbon, vintage paper scallop shape layered with a green circle and vinyl bird sticker. My mom made the water bottle labels as well. The tubs were from the dollar store and had vinyl birds. 

I love white dishes and clear glass dishes. I want to redo the kitchen in this theme! Brides maids and groom's mom helped with food. I contributed the chicken salad sandwiches.

Sisters and Mom

I decorated frames from the dollar store with burlap and moss after painting them with antique white paint and sealing them with a spray. I used their engagement pictures in the frames.

The banner said M + O

Gift table had white table cloth and burlap runner

Some of the guests

Another shot of the favors

These were the prizes. Wine bags from Target on clearance for .25 a piece with burlap and green gingham ties and a bird vinyl.

Bridal Sash worn for the shower made with freeze paper stencil technique. the sash was made from muslin and frayed. I will do a tutorial and pattern for this sash soon!

Pom Poms made from pattern paper and tissue paper and a towel cake for the kitchen. Also added was the burlap table runner

Thanks for looking! :)

Snappy Toddler Repurposed Outfit

Hi out there! It's been a month since I posted last, and a super busy one at that! I have a lot of fun stuff to post on and catch up with but I'd like to start with this little tutorial of sorts!

Since I found out I was having a girl, I noticed that little girl shorts are sold WAY too short! It drives me up the wall. This year, I have taken matters into my own hands. I have been making her shorts! Even her denim ones!I have a lot of extra left over baby clothes that my little one has outgrown. I have been busy altering existing items to accommodate the rising temperatures! But that is a whole separate post!

I thought it would be cute to make a whole little play outfit from left over baby items. Upcycling clothes and blankets into something that fits her now is the best way to go!

Do you have stuff like this laying around?

Great! You can do this too!

For the top, I used the Prudent Baby Snappy Toddler free pattern. I will admit it would have gone a lot faster/smoother if I hadnt been working with knit, but I really like the results. I like longer tops, so I did lengthen the top all the way down to the bottom of the 8 1/2x11 paper printout and then some. I think its a good length for my tall girl. 

I used the pre-existing hem of a baby blanket for the hem of the shirt:

For the collar, I wanted something a bit more solid, so I used the sleeve of a 1.00 turtleneck I bought at Walmart on clearance just to cut up (and there will be another post on uses for this shirt as well!)

Great! now your pieces should look like this:

See the arm holes though? Needed some binding to finish the edges, so I took my seam ripper and took the binding off part of the scrap piece of the blanket.

Pin the binding to the arm holes and sew on.

Now once you get to this stop, follow the rest of the directions from Prudent Baby!

Next is the shorts.

I used a pair of 6-9 month baby pants and cut off my desired amount. This pair of pants had a ruffle  attached to the bottom hem, which made it easy to finish the edges.

Pin and sew on cuff, then top stitch down. Repeat.

Once that is completed, your outfit is finished! I put it on my very unwilling model who is also lightening quick, and then chased her around trying to get a decent picture.

 

The outfit was easier to make than that task!