No mess bib

I made the jump... and cut into my Amy Butler Temple Doors laminated cotton. Such a beautiful fabric. Very different to work with, though. The bib was a pretty easy sew. I am going to make another one too... So many options!!

I really love it. And best of all? It worked!!! Even with a dinner of noodles, cabbage salad, and peas, he managed to only drop 4 peas and 2 noodles on the floor. That's a miracle! 

He doesn't mind it too much. He likes to put his foot up by the table so that is harder, but it seems pretty comfortable. He is just too darn darling! I can't believe he is turning ONE in THREE days!!!! I might pass out! I forbid it, actually. Anyways, take a look at the pictures below!

How to make a Paper Airplane

Airplanes are in our blood around the Tanner home. With a F-16/commercial airline pilot Poppa and a Aeronautical Engineer Father (aka Aeroenginerd) our boys are destined to be airplane LOVERS. 

My husband (Mr. Aeroenginerd) is really good at making paper airplanes. Hayden is ALWAYS asking for a paper airplane, and, well, i just don't know how to make them. So together as a family we created our paper airplanes. These planes fly AWESOME! So good ahead... make one (or a million) your kids will love you for it!

No mess bib mock up

Our almost *tear* one-year-old sits in a seat that attaches to our table. We bought it for our two-and-a-half year old because we liked how he sat at the table with us. Problem is, it has always caused the worst messes EVER. There is about a two inch gap between the child and the chair which means when food misses the mouth {which is often} it goes right on to the floor. Gag. Our floors have to be vacuumed multiple times a day. Or... they are just not vacuumed {shhh... i didn't tell you that}. We have tried all the "food catching" bibs but alas, they hardly work. or they are too stiff... etc.

So i decided to come up with a solution. I bought some super beautiful Amy Butler laminated cotton...{mmm... nice fabric!} and am busting at the seams to cut it up.

BUT at $20 a yard i decided to make a mock {or two} before i butchered the beautiful fabric. Good plan. Because i definitely had some mods to make. Here is the first take on the new bib:

Swirly Skirt

For Christmas last year my parents bought me mainly fabric and sewing books. Up until now, i had not touched the fabric my mom and dad had bought me. But now i have. And i made a skirt. Yay! I am very excited! I really like it. I mixed two patterns very roughly together (Vogue 8560 & McCall 5631).

The skirt was the Vogue and the waistband was VERY roughly the McCall. The skirt was supposed to have a hem band, but when put on it hit right at the knee and ruined the flow of the skirt. So i took it off. It made the skirt a little bit too short for me (i'm 5'10") but i still really like it. For the waistband i increased the size and added elastic to the back. I wanted it to be able to fit maternity since my husband and i are yet again ttc and i already have a closet full of skirts i can't wear.

I added embroidery in a wave-swirly pattern along both the front and back of the skirt. I really like how it turned out. I am a firm believer in that embellishments make the outfit. So yay! I have two more skirts to make and a shirt too. I am excited to be sewing for myself, but it is definitely more nerve wracking than sewing for my kids. They are easy (and they aren't picky)!

Looking at it again i'm starting to wonder... should i length it? Maybe a-laMake It Love It?
hmmmm.......

Sidewalk Chalk

I've recently decided that at least once but preferably twice a week we are going to do something creative with the boys like playdough {my boys have NEVER played with playdough} or painting or sidewalk chalk. So when i saw a post for sidewalk chalk on Pinterest I had to try it out.

Review: I wasn't the biggest fan of the consistency of the stuff. I actually own some of the Crayola sidewalk chalk and it didn't paint anything like it. It did better in the morning before our outside cement wasn't 100 degrees but still. I think it needs something other than cornstarch. I will do more research and let you know what i find.

America Banner

About two years ago I bought a banner from TJ MAXX for Valentine's day and i fell in love with it SO much that i wanted to make one for each of the holidays of the year.

Two years later... I made a "God Bless America" Banner. The banner kind of symbolizes summer to me. But by September i want to make a FALL one... that will be replaced for HALLOWEEN... then back to FALL (for Thanksgiving)... then CHRISTMAS... Then WINTER... THEN Valentine's... THEN St. Pattys... THEN EASTER... then back to SUMMER (AKA God Bless America). Pretty fun, eh?

For the banner I went to Joanns AND Michaels looking for solid star shapes, but they didn't have any. So then i saw these and at 2.99 each (for 3) i decided they were perfect (and already painted! yay!) So i brought them home, moved the bells, chained them all up together, and added the words! Done! Seriously, easiest project ever!

Then letters didn't turn about as well as i would like because the texture of the wood made the paint bleed and, well, i went too fast. but i like it more and more and i am happy to have it hanging on the wall!

Bowties too!

The bowtie happens to be my older son's favorite part of the whole "tie extravaganza". He is always asking for his "boo-tie." I'm glad he likes it so much!

Here is the photo tutorial for how to make the bowtie. On the pdf i kinda left out the first step so i have added it in here and i will alter the pdf soon.

Don't forget to check out the ties and their photo tutorial too! {Little Boy's Ties!}

Bowties, too!

pattern found here
*this pattern is for home, personal use ONLY*

1. Place bow tie right sides together. Stitch 3/8” away from edge leaving about 1 inch to turn inside out.
2. Iron on fusible fleece.
3.  Turn bowtie back inside out.
4. Iron and stitch opening closed {either by hand or machine}. Set main bowtie aside.
5.  Fold tie neck strap in half. Press. Now fold the raw edges in onto the middle line you just created {just like bias tape}. Stitch close to the edge.
6. Next take your bowtie center knot piece. Fold in half.
7. Stitch between ¼” and 3/8” from the outside.
8. Turn inside out and press so the center seam goes up the back.
9. Grab your bowtie again. Baste up middle of bowtie.{two lines close together work best}
10. Gather as well as you can without breaking your strings. Press.
11. Take the bowtie and the strap and place them together with the back of the bowtie to the front of the neck strap.
12. Take your bowtie center knot piece and fold in the ends wrapping it around your tie as tight as you can {or as tightly as you like}
13. Sew BY HAND the ends of the piece together.
14. Apply Velcro or snaps.
15. Place on your little boy and {again} take LOTs of pictures!

{i can never get enough of my sweet children!}

{taking all these pictures on my ironing board has shown me how badly i need a new ironing board cover... looks like one is on the way! :o)}