Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Tutorial Tuesday: Luggage Handle Cover

This is such an awesome tutorial found HERE! I made one for myself to attach to my luggage, only I substituted snaps for the Velcro. Makes your luggage easily identifiable and a little more stylish!


What you'll need:
*2 pieces of 6" x 6 ½" fabric
*1 piece thin batting 6" x 6 ½"
*5 " of sew-on Velcro
*Iron
*Sewing machine and thread

1. Lay one piece of fabric right side up and the second piece of fabric on top of it right side down.


2. Layer the piece of batting on top.


3. Using a ¼ inch seam, sew all around the three pieces. Leave a 2 inch opening for turning.


4. Trim your corners.


5. Pull the fabric through the 2 inch opening. You may need to use a dowel or dull pencil to push out your corners. Tuck your 2 inch opening in and press with an iron.


6. Sew your opening shut. You can just sew the two inches or you can sew down that whole side. Whatever suits your fancy.


7. On one of the sides that is now 5 ½ inches long, sew down one piece of the Velcro. Once this is done, turn your square over and sew the other piece of Velcro down on the opposite side.







8. Attach it to the handle of your suitcase. Now you're ready to travel in style.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Monday Moments: Family Vacations

Remember how I was supposed to go on vacation and instead got called to jury duty. Dang civic duties. Well, we're finally getting around to taking that scheduled trip and I'm so excited! A week at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, courtesy of my awesome grandparents!

I have lots of very fond memories growing up of road trips, family reunions, and other fun vacations my parents made sure to take us on. We learned silly songs, ate lots of junk, and probably annoyed the heck out my parents. But hey, that's what it's all about right. These are the days they'll remember...

So, what are your favorite family vacations? Have they happened yet? Are they yet to happen? Are there any great get-away ideas you want to share?

I hope you make some fabulous memories this summer!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Looking for a favor...

I realize this has nothing to do with My Tiny Sweet Cheeks or babies in general, but I've learned to never underestimate the power of the internet.

We have decided to sell our 2006 Nissan Xterra and are hoping to spread the word. Please pass this along to anyone you know who is interested in purchasing a great SUV!

Visit HERE to see all its features and points.

We're willing to get it wherever you are:)

Thanks for your help.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Freebee Friday: Fourth of July

Just a fun bib to get ya'll in the patriotic spirit! This giveaway will end earlier so you have it in time for the holiday, just FYI.

Check back next week for a big giveaway!!!

TO ENTER:
1 Entry: Create a new post about this Freebee Friday on your blog & leave a comment here! If you don't blog, you can also email and CC it to me.
{Please leave your email address if it is not on your profile}


1 Entry: Become a follower of My Tiny Sweet Cheeks. Leave a comment if you follow, please!

1 Entry: Add a My Tiny Sweet Cheeks button to your sidebar! Again, please comment!

Bonus Entry: Tell me what you're doing for the fourth!

Give-a-way ends July 30th, 2009 at 11:59 pm

The lucky winners will be selected by Random.org and will be notified by email. You will have one week to respond and claim your prize or another random winner will be chosen.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Thrifty Thursday: Bleach

Bleach is one of those fail-safe cleaning supplies you always have in your cabinet. It's cheap. It's reliable. It also reeks, so if you're like me you don't use it too often. Here are some unique ways to safely use it!

Brighten up glass dishware
Put the sparkle back in your glasses and dishes by adding a teaspoon of bleach to your soapy dishwater as you're washing your glassware. Be sure to rinse well, and dry with a soft towel.

Increase cut flowers' longevity
Freshly cut flowers will stay fresh longer if you add 1/4 teaspoon of bleach per quart (1 liter) of vase water. Another popular recipe calls for 3 drops of bleach and 1 teaspoon of sugar in 1 quart of water. This will also keep the water from getting cloudy and inhibit the growth of bacteria.

Kill weeds in walkways
Do weeds seem to thrive in the cracks and crevices of your walkways? Try pouring a bit of undiluted bleach over them. After a day or two, you can simply pull them out, and the bleach will keep them from coming back. Just be careful not to get bleach on the grass or plantings bordering the walkway.

Clean plastic lawn furniture
Is your plastic-mesh lawn furniture looking dingy? Before you place it curbside, try washing it with some mild detergent mixed with 1/2 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water. Rinse it clean, then air-dry.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Workin' Wednesday: Economizing Measures


Recently there have been some changes in my life that have caused me to look even closer at my budget. I was raised to be frugal, but at certain times, frugality becomes more of a necessity than a lifestyle. Total bummer, but what do you do?

Looking around on the internet I cam across this great blog Economizing Measures. The goals: being thrifty, frugal, and green.

There are some of the most interesting posts - with everything from saving money on groceries, to making your own laundry soap, to cheaper entertainment ideas.

Check it out, see if it can make a difference in your home!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Tutorial Tuesday: Adding Ruffles

This week I had another request to learn how to add ruffles to onesies. I found this tutorial HERE and am hoping I either have a little girl or a friend does so I can try this out. Looks so cute and pretty easy too! Enjoy.

What is it about big poufy diapered baby butts adorned with ruffles? You just gotta love it!

I may be the only sewer in the world who doesn’t hang on to every bit of scrap fabric… I have one medium sized bin and that’s all I allow myself, so I end up with only the bits and pieces I really love. This was a great way to use up some of those smallish scraps. I used Steam-a-Seam2 double stick fusible web to trace, cut, and iron on baby's name, Liv, in all lower case. Here’s the scoop on how I made the ruffles. Measure the butt part of the onesie and cut strips, mine were an inch and a half wide, of coordinating fabric twice the length (maybe a little extra if you want a more serious ruffle going on). I used pinking shears on both edges of the strip… it’ll fray a bit when washed but I kind of like that look anyway and it makes this project extra simple. Baste a line of stitches down the center of the strip. Pull the bottom thread of your basting stitch to gather it up. Line the edges of the strip up with the side seam of the onesie, pin the ruffle down randomly across the butt, ending with the other edge of the ruffle even with the other side seam of the onesie. Sew down the middle of the ruffle & pull out the basting stitches. Pin the next strip above or below it and repeat. Instant cuteness!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Monday Moments: What do you do in the Summertime?

I love being a mom in the summertime. Obviously, I love being a mom all the time, but in the summertime especially. I love being able to introduce babies to grass for the first time, to soak in the rays and enjoy the beautiful world we live in.

So here are some fun things I have/will do this summer to spark you into getting outside and live vicariously through your kids.

Please share any fun things you're thinking about as well!

1. Visit the Sno-Shack
2. Run through the sprinklers
3. Walks
4. Sparklers
5. Kiddie Pools - soak your toes while the kiddos splash away
6. Picnic at the park
7. The Zoo or Petting Zoo's
8. Relay Races
9. Sidewalk Chalk
10. Giant Bubbles (for tutorial see HERE)
11. The Rodeo
12. Homemade Ice-Cream (if you have a good recipe, please share!)
13. Bike Rides
14. Sand castles
15. The Drive-In
16. Wash your own car

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Well, I finally made it back. Flying stand-by has its perks and its definite drawbacks. I feel as if I have neglected you all, but I promise to be back with a vengeance on Monday. Thanks for being so patient with me!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Stuck

I am stuck in Redmond, OR due to a series of unfortunate events. Hope to be returning soon :)

Friday, June 12, 2009

Freebee Friday

Sorry ladies, I've been out of town this week and next and am not up to date on good giveaways, or able to host ones of my own. But please leave comments letting the others know of any good ones!

Happy weekend!!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Thrifty Thursday: 4 Nontoxic Bug Blasters for the Kitchen

You can make your kitchen a no-fly zone for insect pests with nontoxic repellents and traps that you can make from everyday kitchen staples.

To get rid of fruit flies hovering in the kitchen, get out a fine-misting spray bottle and fill it with rubbing alcohol. Spraying the little flies knocks them out makes them fall to the floor, where you can sweep them up.

Make your own pest strips by covering empty paper-towel or toilet-paper rolls with transparent tape, sticky side out. Hang them in the kitchen or wherever else you need them.

Keep your kitchen free of flies with a homemade flytrap that uses no toxic chemicals. In a small saucepan, simmer 2 cups of milk, 1/4 pound of raw sugar, and 2 ounces of ground pepper for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into shallow dishes or bowls and set them around the kitchen, patio, or anywhere the flies are a problem. The pestiferous bugs will flock to the bowls and drown!

To ant-proof your kitchen, give it the lemon treatment. First squirt some lemon juice on door thresholds and windowsills. Then squeeze lemon juice into any holds or cracks where the ants are getting in. Finally, scatter small slices of lemon peel around the outdoor entrance. The ants will get the message they aren't welcome.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Workin' Wednesday: the Buti Bag Company




So as much as I love bags, I am not a huge fan of big diaper bags. I prefer the smaller bags that can hold all the necessities and still manage to be chic. Problem is, very few diaper bag companies manage to make small bags that can actual hold all the necessities, look cute and not fall apart. The Buti Bag Company, however, got it right. Their Bundle ($59.99) is an amazing diaper clutch/bag that is extremely well made, durable and super cute. With tons of roomy pockets and their ingenious closure, these bags are perfect for moms of infants and toddlers. Best of all, because of their chic prints and style, the bags can be used as travel bags to hold toiletries and make-up after your little one is through with diapers! Just recently, The Buti Bag Company released their simplified version of the Bundle called the Bundle Baby. With fewer pockets and an included changing pad, the Bundle Baby ($39.99) is perfect for the budget-minded mom. Check out the Bundles and all the other cool stuff The Buti Bag Company has on their website at http://www.butibag.com/ I suggest picking up a couple of their binkmeisters as well. They work not only to hold pacifiers, but also sippy cups and snack cups!

This post was found HERE

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Tutorial Tuesday: Ribbon Wands

By special request, I've come up with a couple of different sites on how to make Ribbon Wands. I personally don't know what these are, and have found a couple of different "looks" so please look at all the sites and gather the info you need!


These seem to be the basic instructions, however:

SUPPLIES

All supplies can be purchased at a local craft and hardware store.

  • Ribbon: 3 yards
    Choose a color combination, or one solid color, that suits your needs. Additionally, if you want your ribbon wands to be fuller than those shown in the sample image, just add more ribbon.
  • Dowel rods: 1/4" width
    Craft stores sell dowel rods at precut lengths in bags of 8-10. The 12" length makes for an ideal ribbon wand. While you can also purchase dowel rods at a hardware store, you will most likely have to cut them to your desired length.
  • Paint
    Purchase one small bottle of craft paint in the color of your choice. For a simpler option, you can also leave them unfinished.
  • Sponge brush
  • Sandpaper: Fine grade
  • Screw eyes: 214 x 13/16 size
    These can be difficult to screw into the head of each dowel, so use pliers after getting it started. Also, be gentle, as the wood can split.

DIRECTIONS

  1. Using the sponge brush, paint all dowels. Stand them on end in holes punched in a piece of styrofoam to dry.
  2. After the wands have dried completely, gently sand them with fine grade sandpaper. Painting may roughen the surface, so sanding them will remove rough areas without removing the paint.
  3. Attach a screw eye to one end. **NOTE** The above picture has a fishing line swivel attached to the screw eye - I personally really like this look.
  4. Cut the ribbon into 15-20" lengths. Cut ribbon at an angle to avoid any fraying that might occur.
  5. Gather a total of 5-6 ribbons and slip through the screw eye. Tie in a nice, tight knot. **NOTE** Again, the above picture uses only 1 long, thick ribbon.
Check out more great ideas and images HERE.

Also, these are also available from a seller on Etsy to buy and super cute. See her products HERE.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Monday Moments: on Being a Mom

I have a very sick, very ornery little boy, so this post will be short to say the least.

But as I was lying in bed last night around 3 a.m. after finally getting him back to bed, I thought, "Man, this is what being a mom is all about. I'm so tired, but I'd get right back up if I needed to."

So kudos out there to every mom who has ever nursed a fevered brow, been sleep deprived, and still manages to put on a happy face!

Friday, June 5, 2009

Freebee Friday: Something for Dad

I was just thinking with Father's Day around the corner, wouldn't it be awesome to win something just for him. Check out this giveaway HERE. The deadline is coming up rather quick (Saturday night) but just hop on over right quick. (I can use that phrase, I'm from Arkansas!)

Good luck Ladies, and happy weekend!

Site: Mom Start
Giveaway: Sports Themed Personalized Cuff Links
How To Enter: leave a Comment
Value: $50.00
Deadline: 6/6/2009 11:00 PM

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Thrifty Thursday: Speed Cleaning in Your Kitchen

Distilled white vinegar is one of the best grease eliminators around. Here's how to put it to good use.

Grease: After frying, wash off grease splatters with a sponge dipped in undiluted white vinegar. Rinse with another sponge soaked in cold water, then dry with a soft cloth.

Dishwashing Liquid: Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons white vinegar into your dishwashing liquid bottle and give it a few shakes. The vinegar will increase the detergent's grease-fighting capabilities and make it last longer.

Frying Pans: Boiling 2 cups vinegar in your pans for 10 minutes will keep food from sticking to it for several months at a time.

Stainless-Steel Cookware: Remove burned-on grease and food by mixing 1 cup distilled cinegar in enough water to cover he material (if it's near the top of a large pot, you may need to increase the amount of vinegar). Boil for 5 minutes. The material should come off with some mild scrubbing.

Broiler Pan: Get blackened, cooked-on grease off by softening it up with a solution of 1 cup cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Apply the mixture while the pan is still hot, and let it sit for an hour or so. The grime will slide of with a light scrubbing.

Kitchen Table or Counter: Eliminate grease stains by wiping them with a cloth dampened in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water.

Hot Plate: Does it look more like a grease pan? To get it back in shape, wash it with a sponge dipped in full-strength white vinegar.

Oven & Grates on Gas Stoves: Fight grease buildups in your oven by wiping the inside with a sponge soaked in full-strength white vinegar once a week.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Workin' Wednesday: Toni Tierney


So we all know that boy clothes are never as cute as girl clothes. Well that is, until now. Toni Tierney has some of the coolest, funkiest, cutest designs in her infant boy layette line that I have ever seen. Her designs are so fabulous and are reminiscent of vintage clothing with a modern twist. I love all the baseball designs she has in her collection, as well as her "hip CEO" creation shown for boys. And the girl clothing in Toni's collections are beautiful, all with amazing details and fun silhouettes. All the clothing is made in the USA and made from super soft high-end 100% cotton. Better yet, Toni helps empower stay-at-home moms by hiring them to make the clothing she designs and allowing them to stay at home with their families. Check out the Toni Tierney website for weekly specials, where you can get amazing pieces for almost 50% off! Visit www.tonitierney.net

This post was found HERE

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Tutorial Tuesday: High Chair Make-Over

I got a high chair off Craigslist FREE and need to redo the seat cover on it. It's great having at Grandma's house, but it just isn't going to last much longer if it doesn't get a needed facelift. I figured it couldn't be that hard, but I went searching on the internet looking for some tips. I found this great tutorial HERE that is exactly what I need to do. Hope it comes in handy for ya'll even if it's just so that such an eye-sore in the kitchen can match! Can't wait to get started on mine.


BEFORE

AFTER

I didn't write a detailed tutorial for this one because it's hard to give accurate measurements since all highchairs are different, but here are the basic steps in case you want to make your own...

Supplies:
Oil cloth (because it's wipeable) --you can find this all over the internet
Quilt binding (bias tape) --I used the extra wide because I'd never done this before, but I think I'd use something a little skinnier if I were to do the project again
Denim needles --DO NOT try and use regular "all purpose" sewing needles-they will break!! Take it from me, I made that mistake
Foam --you can decide on the thickness you want, but I used the skinniest foam Joanns' had (I believe it was 1/2" thick?)

**Tips and tricks from the experts--you may want to read a little bit about oilcloth if this is your first time sewing with it. I found some helpful advice on Sew Mama Sew!

General instructions:
Lay your original high chair cover on butcher paper and trace in two parts. Trace the seat as a separate piece and the back as a separate piece. You don't need to include a seam allowance when you trace.

Lay the pattern pieces down on your oilcloth and cut two of each pattern piece (two backs and two seats)
Cut one piece of foam for the back, making it about 1/2 inch smaller all the way around (this way you are not forcing your sewing machine to stitch through the binding, two layers of oilcloth AND the foam!) and one piece of foam for the seat (same thing, smaller all the way around). Use your original seat cover as a guide for the foam. For example, on mine the flaps where the child's legs stick out of the high chair didn't have any foam in them, so I cut that part off of the foam piece

Lay out your stacked layers on the floor---oilcloth, foam, oilcloth. Cut off any excess you see (or where they don't match up quite right)

Pin the bias tape to your layers. I did a section at a time, leaving the top of the seat and the bottom of the back piece raw. You will be sewing these two parts together later.

Use a zig zag stitch (very forgiving in case straight lines are not your forte) to sew close to the inside edges of the bias tape.



Sew the bias tape all around the back and seat pieces (leaving the aforementioned edges alone-hopefully this part makes sense as I don't have a picture of it).

Once the bias tape is sewn on, you only have one seam left!! Put right sides together (the right sides are the sides that you want to show when the cover is in the high chair). Match up the seat and back piece along the raw edges and use a straight stitch to make a seam.


Voila! Completely unique and custom high chair cover!!

Monday, June 1, 2009

Monday Moments:

I officially survived my first week of flying solo - my DH had to go away on business. Although I do have to admit by surviving I mean that I am a total baby and couldn't handle the "aloneness" of it all and took off down to my parents house.

I have a new found respect for all single parents out there. How do you do it? I am not even working and find it so hard. I keep looking for someone to hand my boy off to when I've just had it and feel like I can't take it anymore.

Overall he is such a good kid, but when it's just you and an eighteen month old 24/7 you start to feel like you're losing your mind.

I know I'm not the only one who has ever been left alone with their kids. What did you do to entertain them and yourself? I am looking for ideas to fill up the month of June so I can stop imposing on my family and be a real grown-up.