From the Mouths of Babes

This is a cute idea. Copy this note, ask your child the questions and write them down exactly how they respond.

1. What is something mom always says to you? go to sleep (can you tell bed time is our biggest debate...)
2. What makes mom happy? kisses
3. What makes mom sad? no kisses
4. How does your mom make you laugh? tickle me
5. What was your mom like as a child? crazy
6. How old is your mom? i can't member (followed by...are you this many, while holding up 1 finger...then two...then...well it went on for awhile...lol)
7. How tall is your mom? tall...just like the giraffe
8. What is her favorite thing to do? make stuff...a lot of stuff...
9. What does your mom do when you're not around? cook dinner!
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? be-cause, cause your a kidder
11. What is your mom good at? play with computers
12. What is your mom not very good at? nothing (with a rather odd look on her face)
13. What does your mom do for her job? wooork???
14. What is your mom's favorite food? melon (not really)
15. What makes you proud of your mom? that u hang up all my drawings all over the house
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? american (does that even make sense....i think she is losing interest...)
17. What do you and your mom do together? draw
18. How are you and your mom the same? we like blue
19. How are you and your mom different? be-cause your not a kid, and i am
20. How do you know your mom loves you? you say "i looooooove you"
21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? the playground (although, i think this is her favorite place...although i do enjoy the mommy chat there)
22. Where is your favorite place to go? THE PLAYGROUND I SAID!

Patnerships and Discount Deals!

This week has been a lot of the same old (short of this wicked cute playgroup craft project)...more Tot Totes (from custom orders to trying to get a few extra done to list as ready to ship in the shop (check out their blog post here))...T-Shirts (keeping kids cute for special occasions is tough stuff...lol...that and Big Girl's football team got a few new players so I need to make their shirts match!)...and some birthday invites. And you will be please to note after last weeks never-ending war wounds...I managed just one casualty this week...a small slice on the knuckle of my thumb (yeah not even sure how i managed that since it is such and odd place...)  So not a ton new to update you all on...except...

Drum Roll Please...

We have partnered up with Lindsay's Whimsies in order to bring you some great deals!!!

FashionableLore &
Lindsay's Whimsies
are offering you a great deal!  If you buy a Tot Tote you will receive a special online code to use with Lindsay's Whimsies to get $2 off a super cute TuTu! 

LinkDesigns & Lindsay's Whimsies are proud to offer your Birthday Princess a fabulous deal!  When you purchase invites you will receive a special online code that will give you $2 off a Lindsay's Whimsies Tutu that is perfect for your birthday star to wear on her big day!

Other fun deals being offered are: 

~ When you buy a Birthday Invite (digital design or printed) with LinkDesigns you can get 10% off a matching custom Birthday Shirt from FashionableLore

~ FashionableLore is offering a Fall Into Savings Deal of FREE Shipping on orders over $25


There are a few fun deal in the works, because no holiday/birthday is complete without a few combo gift ideas! So be on the look out for Tot Totes with Matching Lovie Sized Rag Blanket (comes folded in the Tote) for both Boys and Girls, Holiday Card Specials if ordered before a certain date, Mystery Bow Bags (i will be loading up little paper bags with super cute bows and sealing them shut...if you order one of these bags it will be a surprise as to what you get!)


So I hope you find our Partnership with Lindsay's Whimsies a benefit to you (and please check out her shop and FB page) and that you are able to take advantage of our current deals and are excited about the ones to come.

Have a fabulous weekend and remember...stay fashionable!

(don't forget to follow me on FB and Twitter for great deals and extra savings!)

Happy Friday! - Finding Blogs to Follow and Followers for Mine

It's that time of week again!



Join me for Social Parade on Friday! Leave a comment on one of my posts letting me know you stopped by and I will be sure to follow you back! And if you found me because I stopped by yours first...look around and then let me know you were here :-D

War Wounds

This is slightly off topic but still related to being crafty and all things crafty....war wounds.  Yup that's right...we all have them (heck i'll even count those wicked paper cuts from loading new paper in the printer...or grabbing a fax off the machine).

What makes War Wounds more annoying than painful is how stupid you feel for getting one! I mean heck most of the time you get one doing things you do All-The-Time so what were you doing this time that resulted in the: stab, cut, burn, etc.  I'll tell you...you were on auto pilot...zipping along on a task that is "so easy i can do it in my sleep" and WHAM...reality hits and you have just gotten...a War Wound.

Sometimes it is just a prick, or  results in just enough to give you pause about how you should really be more careful, and an hour later all is forgotten.  Other times, though, it can be more serious (although God willing it doesn't result in a trip to the emergency room and/or dr).

I find myself reflecting on war wounds...because well recently I have gotten a few.  Last week was a tad hectic...prepping for Little Man's 2nd Birthday Party, putting together orders, taking care of day to day life, etc.  So it would be normal that I get one (or maybe even two)...but I sit here typing with two fingernails that have been ripped just below the line, one that looks fine but hurts like a b!tch cause it got caught and bent back...leaving behind that oh so tender all over feeling to my finger tip...a throbbing finger from ragging a ton of totes and a few blankets with regular scissors (fear not i went out and got spring scissors after the pain set in), a nice 1 inch burn on the back of my hand and I take note...that maybe I should slow down a bit more (although i know that is probably not going to happen, i like to think though that staring at the nice red line on the back of my hand will at least allow me to accomplish slowing down for a week or so...one could hope, right?)

And while my fingernails will grow back, the bent one will feel better soon, and my sore finger will eventually stop reminding me that using regular scissors to rag was a big mistake (although the totes do look wicked cute!) I am staring at the red mark on the back of my hand thinking...hmm that one may stick around awhile.  It is showing the signs of turning into one of those pale marks over time...that when other people look at my hand they may never notice it...but I, I will always see it as my rush to get just one more think done before piling the kids out the door to our next adventure.

So take note, try to slow down now and again (i promise everything will still get done...eventually...lol) and find that one war wound that makes you remember why rushing around ended up taking you more time then if you had done it slow.  And heck if that doesn't work, rush around like a crazy person...get another wound to add to the tally and then spend a day or two admonishing yourself for "how stupid" you were for rushing and getting hurt.  Cause let's be honest...that's probably what I am more likely to do!

Happy Monday!  And Here's to our War Wounds...evidence of our battles (fought and mostly won) with our kids, cars, cooking, cleaning, crafts, putting together of toys...well you get the idea...

Tote-ally Obsessed!

As most of you know...I have a new obsession...Tot Totes...although now I have made a few for Adults as well...so these cutie Totes aren't just for your Tots!

My obsession started rather innocently...learn to make a Rag Quilt so I have more gift options when friends are expecting (seemed like a rather fun idea and you can read more about it here).  And then I got to thinking (which is always dangerous...lol) and I decided to attempt a Tote for my daughter...thinking hey...if it comes out funky, at least I tried something new...and if it comes out great...my daughter will love me forever (ok, so she already loves me forever, but you know what i mean, that extra special smile and hug, and the days spent carrying around her new treasure, that just make you feel like super mom!)  So I sat down, and cut myself the pieces...and it turns out...making a Tote is rather fun!  A few steps more than a plain quilt, but I think those steps are what appeal to me.

Reverse of Lots of Dots

Lots of Dots (Birds & Green) Rag Tote

I am a huge dork...I like math.  Yes, I just admitted that.  And who doesn't love a good puzzle?  Well to me the Tote combines a little bit of all of that...math in making sure I have the right size pieces to meet the Tote size I am trying to make.  Puzzling the pieces together as I go, with the end result being...a Tote (shocker on that one...i am sure some of you were hoping the pieces would combine to a money tree...or gourmet 5 course dinner...but alas...the fabric makes a Tote. (on the other hand if any of you have the money tree recipe i would love for you to share it!)).  And the best part, I get to be crafty the whole time!  From matching fabrics, to figuring out side pockets, to picking which thread would be the best choice for that specific tote...it is a great way to get my creative juices flowing.  And a fun way to try new things (like how many pockets is too many...no seriously...how many?).

For instance...this Tote has 6 pockets total (3 on each "side" (outside vs inside))

 So now I find myself making a Tote a day (yes...you read that right...i did the math...see more math!...since my first tote i have made at least one tote a day) and trying new things in the world of my Rag Quilt inspired Tot Totes.  Not only does my daughter have one...but I have one...and in a few short hours my mom will be the proud owner of one (and if you are feeling left out you can see the ready to ship totes in my etsy shop here...or the listing for custom ones...where you have a say in the colors). 

Butterfly Rag Tote

Reverse of Butterfly Tote

Heading into the weekend I look at the fabrics I have stacked around me and my mind whirs with what combo to put together next and what size should I make this time...and I have to remind myself that this weekend I need to step away from the sewing machine...my Little Man turns TWO today and we have a fun filled and packed weekend.  So a word to my Fabrics...I love ya...but you will have to wait until late Sunday to become the next Tote...and stop trying to tempt me! (i find talking to myself...and/or the project i am working on...to be a tad therapeutic...lol).

As for what to fill my new Tote with...that is a question for another day! (most likely craft projects...or a couple diapers, cell, wallet & a snack for the kids as we pop out for a fun trip to the park) 

What do you like to Tote with you?

Social Parade on Friday - Finding New Blogs

Joining in the Social Parade to find new blogs and hopefully have a few people find me.

Happy Friday!

Shirts!

This week finds me knee high in shirts!  SHIRTS!!!  From shirts for that special birthday boy (or girl) to shirts that are a sneaky clever way to announce a pending arrival I have been having a blast working on custom T's this week.  And while I was in the T shirt mode...I managed to put the team name on the backs of my daughter's football team shirts (gotta have some edge against the other teams...lol)

The things I love about doing shirts is:

~ You get a one of a kind creation for you kiddo.

~ I get to have designing something fun just for you.

~ Matching shirts to a party theme is always fun!

~ And most of all it is great to see the fun and creative things people like to have on their shirts :-D

Like a birthday shirt to match party invites and Thank Yous (you saw them in an earlier blog posting).

Or Announcing that your kiddo is going to be a Big...Sister...Brother...who cares...you are having another BABY!  And whether you use these shirts to show your kiddo's pride...or to be sneaky with how you announce the bun in your oven...they are fun, clever and a great keepsake for when the shirt becomes too small. (darn kids growing like weeds...lol)

Or maybe your kiddo is proud to be a big Sister (or Brother) and wants the world to know...I AM A BIG SISTER...

No matter how you word it, you can't go wrong with a custom T shirt!

Another fun way to customize shirts is with artwork.  Like turning photo's into graphic T's by stylizing the images and creating a unique and fun look.  Like this eagle.  What a fun shirt to wear on the 4th of July...or anytime!

So what do you want to say with your fashion...do you have a big announcement, are you celebrating a special day, or do you just want to make a statement?  No matter what it is you are trying to say, custom shirt are a great way to express yourself...or let your kids express themselves.

And as I sit here looking at the pile of team shirts that now have "Sharks" above the number, I know that my daughter's first football shirt is going to be 10x's more memorable...because it will always have the team name on the back...and who doesn't love feeling like a part of a team?

A Little Off Topic Topic Today

So I am veering off topic a little today (although i will talk about a little bit of crafting...so not fully off topic...and when don't i veer off a little anyways...)

Football Fun!

It sees like recently my life has become over run with football.  Not to say that I don't like football and that I wasn't my High School teams biggest fans (even though, let's face it, we weren't that great...). Or in college when I did stats for a semi-pro team and found myself driving to all sorts of strange places to cheer on the guys, keep the stats and enjoy some football (heck after one game i even made my own first aid kit to take to future games cause a cleat had ripped one of our players arm and the field had NO band-aid for him...so after an emergency run to 7-11 (it was the closest thing i could see from the field and we were in the middle of the ghetto...so i wasn't feeling adventurous enough to explore for a better option) i patched the guy up and vowed never to be caught at a game without appropriate first aid supplies).  And growing up I was loud and proud cheering for my fav. pro-team (although i will admit eventually i stopped watching pro as much as i used too...but i was in college then...and college football was the center focus of those years)  From college to the few years after (i stuck around my college town) college football dominated my football watching...except for the few times my hubby's pro-team was being shown on tv in our area...then it was Vikings all the way.

But I am almost 100% positive that football has never dominated my life as much as it does right now!  Why you ask?  Because this year my hubby signed up for a Fantasy Football team...so there are daily updates on talks whether any of his players might be hurt...how his match-up is looking for this coming weekend...then the weekend comes and it is up-to-the minute point checking as we watch whatever games we can find on the tv.  That in and of itself wouldn't be all consuming (well for those of you who know my hubby...you could see how it might be borderline all consuming...lol)  But we signed my daughter up for football through the local Y.
So now my Big Girl is playing football (yes she is the only girl, but she wanted to play and who i am to deny her...besides it is the only program at our Y that starts at 3 and is free...and i figure i pay all that money for my family membership why not sign up for as many free sports as possible!)  Her schedule is not all that demanding...just 8 Saturday's (the first 4 are practices the last four are "games") and her team is very accepting of having a girl on it.  In fact they all cheered for her when she arrived for practice yesterday...so I am beyond thrilled about that and about how much fun she is having.

As for the dominating my life...she now wants to practice daily (inside and outside the house). Because all the footballs are out my hubby now comes home from work, grabs ones and tosses up into the air and then catches it...repeat...repeat...repeat...repeat...and sometimes at the end of the day listening to that pattern is enough to drive me insane.  Let alone the fact it is throwing the ball in the house...something I have to talk about constantly with the kids...but husbands are just really big kids...right?

So now instead of weekends enjoying a few games (in person or on tv) we have our daily dose of football...talking, playing, tripping over...you name it we have it!  And while I couldn't be more thrilled about it...every once in awhile I find I hit my tolerance level of amount of football to be had for one day...but I think my tolerance will have to grow as the kids do...since Little Man is showing a keen interest in Big Girl's practices (both at home and on the field...although yesterday he did integrate himself with two sisters who were sitting on the sideline enjoying a snack...)

As for the crafty part...I am in love with team spirit bows!  And these football bows are just a fun little thing for me to work on when I am feeling like I need a football outlet (because trust me, if you have ever seen me throw...you know i belong on the sidelines...not the field...) and I am finding that many little girls like to rock team colored ribbons in their hair as they sit and cheer on their parents fav teams!

So whether it is a true football bow made with football ribbon and highlighted in the center with the teams colors, or a medium sized hair clip where the ribbon and buttons are coordinated to your team (or the bitty version for the tiniest of fans) football bows are sporty and fashionable all at the same time. 

And who wouldn't want to be both?

Social Parade on Friday

Finding new blogs is always fun, so join me as I participate in:

Looking forward to exploring what is sure to be a ton of great blogs!

Rag Time!

This week brought me a new project and I may have just fallen in love!  I belong to a local mom's group (because who wouldn't want their kiddo's to wear themselves out running around with other kids while you get some quality adult conversation!) and there is a mom in our group that makes STUNNING quilts!  She organized a little teaching playdate for what just may be the funnest and easiest quilt EVER! (ok i might be exaggerating a tad...but it is quick, easy and fun and the results are great)

See...how fun is this!

Above is my very first rag quilt ever! And I think it came out rather cute if I do say so myself (and I do...and my daughter is in love and that is all that really counts!)  One of the most time consuming parts is all the cutting...each square is 3 layers...and since I wasn't sure how big I wanted to make the blanket I am going to send as a birthday present I cut a ton of squares! (in the end I separated my squares amongst 3 blankets...a 3x3 (with 7 inch squares), a 4x4 and a 5x5 (both with 8 inch squares) and I have fabric left over (only a few though are cut into squares already the rest I didn't cut).

So now that I am almost as buff as a body builder (in my cutting arm only...lol) I have a sea of squares in front of me and I start to worry about how much time this is all really going to take. (you know, sometimes you pick a project thinking it is going to be fun and quick only later to find you spent waaaaaaaaaaay more time then you thought it would take to finish...and along the way you loose your initial excitement for the project, well not the case here) So staring at my sea of squares I decide to start with the 3 x 3 blanket...because 1. It's the smallest and 2. I was doing something different with the corner squares and I was impatient to wait and see if it would work (i am a bit like a kid in that regard).

See my corner squares are made up for 4 Little Squares (on the front side)

My Daughter Pointing to the Squares

So above you can see my fun corner panels.  What makes them more fun is that on the back of the blanket it is just one full size square.  I wasn't sure if doing this was going to add a ton of extra time to the project, but lucky enough it really wasn't that much extra work and gave me a much smaller scale to practice the piecing together on.

(the piecing together really is fabulously easy...take two squares and stack them together back to back...sew your seam down one side...viola!...when you are doing it with the larger pieces that means you have 6 pieces of fabric stacked together like a layer cake)

Once all your sewing is done (the rows are a tad trickier because then you hit the thick seams...to make sure your back is straight be sure to line up your seams...some people alternate them (top "bump" of seam fabric folded to the left and bottom "bump" folded to the right...i found it easier to iron my seams open to make it a little flatter for sewing (although it is still rather bulky since you then have 12 pieces of fabric feeding through the machine for that brief instant)) the fun begins.  Put on your favorite show, grab your blanket, scissors (spring loaded helps) and get comfortable....because it's Rag Time!

 You are going to snip all the "bumps" of fabric (the seam allowances) about every 1/4 inch apart (although you can vary it however you want).  Then the EASIEST STEP...WASH IT!  That's right the final step is tossing your creation in the washing machine...and then the dryer (now when you dry it there is a ton of lint so make sure your trap is clean before you dry it...and be ready to clean it when you are done).

Now tuck those babies in with your fabulous rag quilt and get to sewing the next one ;-)

This first blanket was for my daughter to use with her Dollies

The day after I made the 3 x 3 blanket I easily sewed together the 4 x 4 in no time...and then ragged it (it is waiting to be washed because today I am doing the 5 x 5 blanket and I want to save water (when i washed the 3 x 3 i had some rag letters to toss in, so i wasn't wasteful there either)).

Here are a few more pictures for you:

I hope you enjoyed reading about my journey with rag quilting and if you are looking to give it a go your self there is a full tutorial here. (although you should note i used flannel as my middle layers and had it the same width as the top and bottom squares since i was taught that would give a fuller rag).

Whenever I have a friend who is expecting I like to make their new arrival a blanket, I am excited to have a new blanket to add into the mix (my other blankets are crochet).  And even better I can use scraps from other projects to make sure my daughters dolls are never cold! (and if you know me, you know i like to make every scrap count.)

If you are looking for other fun rag projects you should try Rag Letters (a great tutorial here)...I made a set for my kids and they think they are AWESOME (again i might have over acheieved and made both the upper and lower case at the same time...i would recommend doing one at a time...52 letters can be daunting...lol) And again...Rag Letters are a great use of scrap fabric :-D