Meet the Future Tim Burton

My pal and partner in crime Miss Barbara has a very creative 6-year-old son named Sam. Sam made a Cat in the Hat calendar at school and Barbara shared it with me. As a big Tim Burton fan, I love his amazing creation. I think it's so awesome...OK, maybe a little scary...but creative none the less. And as for scary, at least Sam isn't three and drawing snowmen with blood-dripping fangs, like my husband. (It's still amazing that his parents didn't seek out help...kidding, Shane!).

This is not a far cry from...

... this. We all have to start somewhere.

It's a Barbie Cake Kind of Day

Why are some mornings so much harder than others? The same clothes are in my closet. I woke up at the same time...give or take a few minutes. Overall, everything was relatively the same as it was yesterday and the day before that and the day before that, but this morning...the bathroom outlet stops working (which turned out to be an easy fix, but I didn't learn this until I moved all the hair stuff into the bedroom to use), I couldn't find an outfit to save my life (I'm still not happy with what I'm wearing), Dex felt the need to lick my legs everytime I changed (and I was changing a lot!), and then trying to get Dexter downstairs to go out before I left (which by then I was already late) was an impossible task that required Shane booting him down. Why? Why can't life be simpler?

Then I was on a blog and came across a Barbie cake. I wasn't really a doll kid, but I did have multiple Barbie cakes for multiple birthdays--all of which I loved (really, who doesn't love cake?). I don't really want to be a kid again, but there are days when that was simpler than the random morning theatrics of adulthood. As I kid, I wore a uniform to school, my mom did my hair, our dog was old and lazy and did what we told her to do, and I got a hot lunch at school that I didn't have to pack or plan. Nice. When school was done, I could come home and eat cookies and all the sweets I wanted. No worrying about working out or diets. Simpler times...for sure. If I could find me a gluten-free Barbie cake right now, I might just have to take the rest of the day off to return to a temporary child-like state.

For now...random web images of Barbie cakes will have to do:

Miss Hannah's Birthday

My niece Hannah (the sneaky weasel) had her third birthday last week, and her party was this past weekend. In addition to giving the book, I made Hannah some fun gifts. And not only were they fun, but they were also fast and easy to make!

First up, a tutu. Doesn't every little (and sometimes big) girl need a tutu. As I've told people about the tutu I made, I've heard all kinds of cute tutu stories. My favorite one was from Judith, who said that she had made a tutu for her daughter when she was little. Every time they would go grocery shopping, she insisted on wearing her tutu over her snowsuit. I really think that would improve my attitude about grocery shopping in the winter. =) Have a tutu story? I'd love to hear it!

Want to make your own tutu? Here's a great tutorial.

Next up is the hippo and birdy shirt. I got the inspiration from something I saw on Etsy. I used fabric and fusible interfacing to attach the applique to the shirt, and then I handstitched around the outside.

And now I have extra fabric to do something fun with!

Kristi's Baby Blanket...and Bonus Mouse!

Remember all the babies (and baby mamas) that needed gift blankets knit? (No? Go here.) Well, Shelley's turn was up next with Kristi's blanket. We had originally planned to all do the same blanket, but Shelley didn't think she was up for the round and round stripes of that pattern and decided to do a log cabin instead. And since she's very pregnant (her gift blanket will be coming soon), we tend to let her do what she wants. =)

She ran out of yarn to make the blanket as big as she wanted, so she quilted it with the knit top instead. In turned out REALLY sweet. And with the little bit of yarn she had left, she squeaked out a mouse. (Get it, squeaked...mouse...ah, I make me laugh.)

Want to make your own mouse? Pick up Lucinda Guy's Handknits for Kids!

Sneaky Weasel Giveaway

I need to get a gift for my niece Miss Hannah, who is turning 3 at the end of the month. I always like to include a book, so I've had my eye out but haven't found quite the right one yet. But when I came across Sneaky Weasel, with it's wonderfully great illustrations, I believe I may have found the one. Plus it's about a weasel who bullies others only to find out that no one likes him. He mends fences and there's a party at the end. He turns sweet but keeps an underlying streak of sneakiness still. I think that captures Miss Hannah just right!

• First case in point: Her 5-year-old big brother Trent (Mr. T) was crying about going to bed. Hannah, still 2, turns to him and says "cry baby."
• Second case in point: My brother, Miss Hannah's daddy, sat down to eat something. Hannah immediately popped up from what she was doing and said "Hey! That's my spot!" Without even thinking, my brother got up and moved.

In closing: Hannah runs the house (but don't tell her mom)!

Now the giveaway: head over here to win one of four Sneaky Weasel copies that Springtree Road is giving away. The contests ends on Tuesday, May 19. Go scoot!

Ladybugs for Emma

In high school, I was obsessed with ladybugs. I even wanted to get a few tattooed on my foot (and almost had my mom convinced to allow it). Recently, my high school friend Tasha told me that her wee toddler Emma has been all about ladybugs lately. I knew then and there that I had to make her something special. Below is the black tank top I made her. I sewed on red buttons and made felt applique ladybugs. I hope it fits!

Blabla Kids

Camela introduced me to the super sweet kids site: Blabla Kids. Their stuff is absolutely adorable. I don't have kids, but I'd still like to have some of these items just for me. Check it out.

The Princess and the Pea

I was doing some research on children's books (for a craft project idea that's floating around in my brain), when I came across this image from The Princess and the Pea. I just love this illustration. The colors are amazing and the drawing style is gorgeous. It was done by Edmund Dulac, who I had never heard of before. His other illustrations are beautiful too, but they didn't strike me in the same way as this one did. I'd like this as a print for my home.

A Gift for Hannah

Now that the holidays are done and the gifts have been given, it's time to share what I did with my December. First up, a little felt house for Hannah. I saw something similar to this on Anthropologie for an extreme amount of money ($7o something???) and thought, I can do this myself. Anthro's included bears inside, so I followed suit, but added a little Goldilocks, too. And then I gave Hannah a Goldilocks and the Three Bears book to go with it.

I fashioned each of the bears off of Hannah's family. Papa Bear is my brother--complete with goatee and Bears shirt (Chicagoans). Mama Bear is my sister-in-law Jenn, who is big into belly dancing. Baby Bear is my nephew Trent, who loves baseball and is a White Sox fan. While Hannah isn't blonde, I couldn't make Goldie a brunette. I just hope Hannah can pretend that it is her. =)

The house is sewn together felt and lines with pretty fabric inside. The outside is all decorated by needle felting.

Here's what the Anthro house looked like:

Children's Book Craft Reveal

So with little delay, the Children's Book Collage Craft Reveal went down today. What I'm loving about these challenges is each person's interpretation of the craft. We all bring something different to the table. I especially love this craft because it not only allowed for fun crafts, but we each got to tell a little story about the books we loved as kids.

For me, I chose The Berenstain Bears series of books more than just one single book (although my OCD self always liked the organized bins and boxes in Messy Room). My craft was based on how my memories of these books are very much tied to my big brother. He's five years older than me and used to read these to me all the time. Thanks, Sean!

A scrapbook page of my brother and me. I love the adoring look I have for him in this picture--it came from the heart.

Jessica chose Never Tease a Weasel. She said she loved this book and read it a lot, although the message didn't quite sink in. =) Her craft was a wall art collage made from paint, wood, paper, and embroidery floss. I think the message (taken from the book) speaks for itself.

That's Jess as a little girl...the photo, not the weasel, that is. =)

Shelley chose two books. The first was Frog and Toad Are Friends. For those who don't know the story, Frog loses a button while walking with Toad in the woods. He makes Toad go back and help him find the button. They find lots of buttons, but not Frog's. When Frog gets home, he sees his button on the floor. So to thank Toad for all the trouble he went through, Frog sews all the found buttons to a coat to give to Toad. Shelley's craft is a frame covered in buttons and fabric scraps.

On the front of the frame reads "friends."

The following two books inspired a second frame by Shelley. This one was a more stylistic approach.


Nice work, ladies!

Happy Belated Birthday, Maurice Sendak!

In keeping with the children's book theme (and no, it was not planned), a big "happy belated birthday" goes out to Where the Wild Things Are author Maurice Sendak, whose birthday was Tuesday, June 10. Where the Wild Things Are was one of my favorite books growing up (as I mentioned in a previous comment). Here's what NPR had to say on his b-day:

It's the birthday of the children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, (books by this author) born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1928. He started as an illustrator, and he thought that illustrations shouldn't be used as a way to clarify the text, but as a way to add to its mystery, a way to expand a reader's imagination. He uses his books to explore the complicated psychological world of childhood.

In 1963, he decided to illustrate and write a book, and this book was Where the Wild Things Are, the story of a boy named Max who visits strange lands and strange monsters and then comes home to have his supper. He also wrote In the Night Kitchen (1970), about a little boy named Mickey who travels through a surreal world in the night, a world of giant bakery supplies and huge amounts of cake batter, and in this world Mickey does not have any clothes on, and this has made In the Night Kitchen one of the most banned books in the United States.

Take Two: Throwing Some Craft Smackdown!

A confusing first craft challenge is not enough to stop us crafty gals from giving it another go. This time it was my turn to set the rules. I think the things that tripped us up the last time won't be an issue this time around. After this challenge, we're going to start opening it up to outsiders...so get ready!

Here's the email I sent to Shelley and Jessica on Monday:

Ladies, here is your craft challenge, should you choose to accept it:
Theme: Your favorite children’s book
Medium: Collage
Project start date: June 9th at 8:00 a.m.
Project end date: June 16 for lunch at work
How many to make: Just 1—for you to keep. No swap.
Rules: No talking about the details of your project prior to the reveal!
This is the last craft challenge before we start inviting others to join in. So make it count!

Despite being the one to choose the theme, I'm not quite sure what I'm going to make. In the meantime, I looked up some children's book crafts (not all collage) on Etsy. What's your favorite children's book?

Mad Hatter 8x10 Print (by Kenneth Rougeau)

Big Eyed-Little Wendy Bird Girl-Peter Pan Fairy Tale-Print

Haunted Raggedy Ann doll

Pinocchio Custom Hand Made Tags for Gifts

Curious George Polaroid