baby blanket bonanza

I was so excited to make this baby blanket for my sweet friend's baby, Nora, that I finished it two months before her baby shower! Needless to say, I have been looking forward to finally posting this picture of it because I had to keep it under wraps until I gifted it!

Good thing the colors match her nursery....

yo-yos and tank tops

When I was a little girl growing up I always remember my mom with a needle and thread in her hand...or a seam ripper, or a scissors, or knitting needles. That woman can make ANYTHING! Then a few weeks ago I saw a pin on Pinterest on how to up-cycle old tank tops with fabric flowers, jewels, buttons, or yo-yo's.

I remember my mom sometimes making these and thought I needed to learn. So I found myself a tutorial on how to make fabric yo-yos. SO easy! The trick is definitely cutting your circle of fabric large and in charge so when you tighten the thread it won't shrink down to an itsy bitsy yo-yo.

I was able to learn in about 10 minutes then I was able to upcycle a rarely used tank top. Just in time for the hot summer months in Kansas City!  

**the gray is the yo-yo and the pink/yellow one is a fabric flower

what I've been up to lately...

SCHOOL IS OUT FOR SUMMER!

This virtually means the craft cave is mine to conquer. I have so many ideas to create and I have no idea where to start. My mind looks my fabric scrap pile (a pile I adore, by the by)....

We have started our weekend wedding road trips and just for fun decided to throw in some graduation parties as well. Then of course there is the baby shower for the much anticipated little miss Nora Satterstrom in June. Not to mention her arrival in June/July! I have also been busy helping plan a friend's wedding shower that is scheduled for June. It should be a blast to catch up with old college friends. We have a bachelorette party planned for her in Denver (the best place ever) in July. In between all the trips and events we are busy taking care of yard work, housework, and our rapidly growing dog, Penny.

For my sanity I need to find time to get down to my corner and create something. Whether I use it or don't use it, I just love to MAKE stuff. Facebook is such a good sounding board for new ideas and recommendations for projects but if you have any new craft projects don't be afraid to comment here too!

Be prepared for major post overload this summer (then again, who knows?!)

Mistakes

I had a minor melt down during craft time today.

First off, I get SUPER anxious while cutting fabric. It gives me a headache, I can't think (or remember) fast enough to recall how I need to fold the fabrics in order to cut them to proper proportions. I'm good at math but when math requires cutting and chopping - it gives me terrible heartburn (sarcasm).

That being said, today while making a blanket, I TOTALLY cut the fabric in the wrong directions. There were choice words. George and the dog went upstairs. The house was still. I tried to figure out Plan B (clearly Plan C would have been to go purchase more fabric, but I'd probably cut that wrong too!)

So, a project that was suppose to be 36" ended up being two 18"ers. No big deal. I just appreciate the friends and family who graciously accept the homemade crafts and gifts I produce while I'm still learning and still [unfortunately] making mistakes.

baby blanket!

It is so much fun (and admittedly easier) to make things for babies, infants, toddlers, etc.

Which is why I took on the task of making this adorable blanket for George's cousin who is due in May with her first baby. She and her husband are going with the monkey theme and I found some great monkey fabric to go with the uber-soft minky fabric.

Tricks to working with minky fabric.
1. PIN THE CRAP OUT OF IT! I used two cases of pins (300+ pins). Otherwise the fabric bunches and won't look nice.
2. Take your time cutting. Minky fabric can get thick if you are doubling up while you cut. Just be cautious.
3. If you have a walking foot attachment for your sewing machine - use it! It helps keep your fabric from bunching (so my mom says). It sure helped with this 'lil number :)

Doing my very best Betty impression (it was a blast doing this project when my mom was in town visiting). She was even able to scope out my craft cave!

The final project!

Chalkboard Paint

I love chalkboard paint. Plain and simple. There is something magical about how many uses come from paint that dries and is writable. My brand of choice is Rustoleum. You have the option of green or black. I prefer the black. Although, I'm sure green would be quite fabulous too! Don't even get me started on dry erase paint and magnetic paint - I haven't purchased those yet but I imagine when I do, I won't turn back!

Here are a few crafts I've completed with chalkboard paint...



These glasses were awesome. We used these at the Christmas party I had with my friends from school. I found some cheap, mismatched martini glasses at TJMaxx and after I dipped them in chalkboard paint the girls and their men were able to write their name on the glasses so no one messed up their drinks for the night! Super fun!
[the setup for this craft was horrid and George was appalled, but it all worked out in the end - as it usually does!]

I was also able to turn in an old (rarely used) white Ikea end table into a fun chalkboard table. I will probably use this in my classroom or a future baby Thompson bedroom/playroom. As for now it sits in the basement collecting craft paraphernalia.

Upcycling Old Bangles

I found a cute idea on Pinterest. Someone had taken some old bangle bracelets and wrapped them in old ripped up t-shirts and scrap fabric. I thought what a cute way to upcycle some bracelets and get rid of my ever-growing fabric pile!

So, of course before bed last night I decided to make one to see how easy it was. Turns out, it was super easy. No glue required, no mess, just scissors, fabric and old bangles!

Accesories Organizer

This project required a lesson on the use of some power tools :) I was able to use the circular saw and power drill. After the initial shock wore off I was all for the use of some good machinery to get any job done! ha.

I was excited when I picked up some cute knobs from Goodwill and finished off the collection with some random ones from Hobby Lobby. Hobby Lobby has a wall-0-knobs and they are usually on sale (SCORE!)

I am totally into the red and robin's egg blue color scheme for whatever reason. It is no where to be seen in my house so I'm afraid this little number will have to hide in my closet but it was fun to make nonetheless :) After I drilled the holes I did add a bit of E6000 glue in the holes so the knob would stay secure and George (Deren, my husband, I refer to him as George a lot) will have to shave off the back of the knobs with his dremmel because they do stick out farther than the wood does. Hopefully when you get your supplies you pick up a thick enough piece of wood that this doesn't happen to you. I just tend to use the supplies I have lying around my house so I make do!

Finish product....

baby girl clothes!

One of my very best friends from college found out last week that she is having a GIRL! She is due in June so I have a few more months to get in as much time to make those adorable baby girl clothes and accessories as I can. Since George and I aren't going to have kids for a few more, ahem, years or so she has given me the outlet for my crazy craft craze :) Thanks, Meg!

When she found out she was having a girl I was so super excited. She has the sweetest baby girl name picked out - yeah, we discuss this stuff WAY ahead of time. I'm not obliged to say, even though I'm quite certain she's told the whole world years before this little girl was even a glimmer in her eye ;)

So here is the first piece I made for her before they even knew it was a girl....
I tried my hand at appliqueing on the side of the onesie - it was a little tricky with the thick seam but it turned out super cute!























Once they found out they were having a girl I decided I needed to make one of those necklace onesies I've been seeing all over pinterest. I decided I needed to go with a green theme because this little lady is going to be quite the irish girl :)

I needed to buy some black, circular, foam brushes to make the perfect circles, some embellishments and of course acryllic paint. You could use fabric paint but it's more expensive and acryllic paint adheres to fabric just as well as fabric paint. This green bottle was $.59 at Micheals! Make sure to put some newspaper or gift wrap inside the onesie while you paint otherwise the fabric will stick to itself when the paint is drying!

It turned out super cute!

Of course just in case she had a boy,
I had to be prepared with a cool little guy outfit too ;)

Meet Penny.

We adopted her from the Liberty Animal Shelter yesterday. The animal control officer told us she is a boxer shar pei mix but I'm not 100% convinced that there isn't some lab in her. They don't know her whole story but they think she is about 8-10 weeks old. She's full of spunk and a little firecracker. We are so excited to have her home with us on Tuesday!
Toys, food, and a tag (among other things) are already waiting for her :)

all you need is...

and, for this project, a lot of patience.

Co-Ed Cave

I have to take some to write about the area of the house my husband and I enjoy quite a bit. It's {what I've lovingly dubbed} the Co-Ed Cave. The poor man has his man cave corner staring out over at my craft explosion area. Fortunately, we co-habitat well together.*

*Unless one his projects involves sanding...that noise drives me up the wall.

[This was one of the very first pictures - thngs have since then 'exploded' in the 'cave']

This space in our house is our place that displays our hobbies, our livelihood. We have been living from apartment to townhome and worked hard to purchase our first house together. This area is proof, in a day in age where most people in our generation are gifted their 'fortunes', we learned together what it means to live in a brand new state where our moms and dads are not a 10 minute drive away. We learned what it means to be able to start paying back a student loan debt of $100,000 because we have jobs! We learned what it means to decorate our house with things we enjoy whether those pieces are from target, kohls, ikea, or the thrift shop down the road - eclectic is my middle name. We learned what it means to answer questions for ourselves. We learned what it means to worry about finances but realize it's all okay in the end - things can only go up from here - and they have :)


Life is not always rainbows and butterflies but we get by. We laugh, we have fun, we spend some money, we freak out because we spent too much money, then we save a bit of money, we laugh some more, and life keeps on moving!

And when life just gets to be too much to handle and I wish I had the luxury of spending the evening at my parent's house like so many of my friends do, I retreat to the co-ed cave -
it's just a lot safer there.

DIY Christmas Ornaments

This post will be short and sweet.

All I needed for an extra homemade touch to this year's Christmas was Scrabble tiles. So I had my mom on the lookout, her friends on the lookout, and of course I 'borrowed' some from the kids at work (don't say, "OH how rude!" They had three scrabble games they never played).

Other materials needed are:

Glue - I prefer E-6000 ... it bonds EVERYTHING with no residue or funky 'growth' like gorilla glue
Wire - any thickness ... I liked a little less thick then I was able to mold it a little more easily
Popsicle Sticks to secure to the tiles to

You can create decorations for any occasion! Birthdays, holidays, or just because!
Just spell and create :)

DIY Memo Board

I want to start off by saying, I TRULY began making this before pinterest ate them up. My mom found the idea in some DIY magazine (I forget which one) and thus began our love for recycled frames from Goodwill. (and candlesticks, vases, and plates oh my!)

Sidenote, I seriously think Goodwill is my favorite store. After target of course! Yes, Meghan, I know, I know, I always used to complain when you wanted to thrift shop but I just didn't foresee myself becoming an old lady 'crafter' in my mid-twenties.

Here is one of my recent DIY dry erase memo boards. All I need is spray paint, fabric, and a staple gun. Thank GOODNESS I got a staple gun for Christmas :)

BEFORE....

AFTER!

The cork board was a gift from my mother-in-law...she knew her old bulletin board she had made for 4H when she was younger had some great potential. For this craft, I did have to buy glass from Lowes. No biggy though, it was a large, odd sized piece and it was still under $12. Plus, they cut glass for free!

Applique

My mom was able to teach me how to applique (successfully, without fighting) over Thanksgiving. I have been OBSESSED with applique now.

I used to think, omg, applique is for old women. Which is partially true because my mom is trying to convince me to join her on some of her quilt retreats. In her defense, I hear there is always booze at quilt retreats!

Where was I? Oh yes...applique is so fantastic! Here's proof :)

I got this idea from Pinterest...it's a football for everyone who is saying, WTF?
It's cute and you know it.
This is a gift for an undisclosed recipient.

This was a Christmas present for my cousin's son, Ridley.

So was this one :)

If you're going to applique I HIGHLY suggest "Steam-a-seam" sticky backing. I don't know many other brands but this one is good stuff. You can choose your desired stiffness. This one is a bit more stiff than I'd like but I might as well use it until it's gone!


The ONLY confusion with applique is how to cut your fabric and backing to the desired orientation of the design. I would definitely start out with a design that is the same no matter front from back. If you want to go for a trickier design it will just involve thinking before tracing. SO FUN!! So easy!

like mother like daughter

This woman...


This is her craft area. Do you see where I might have picked up some craft habits?

oh yeah, and this is the rest of it!

I got to spend Thanksgiving in this craft haven and learn from the best :)

Love you mom!

Day One

Here is a picture from my first attempt at embroidering. I asked my mom to try to teach me because I wanted to try some neat designs. She didn't have the patience required to hone in on this talent (cough cough) but luckily we headed out to a quilt store later that day and picked up a book called Doodle Stitching by Aimee Ray. I HIGHLY recommend this book if you want to get into embroidery but don't like the old time designs as much. Once I started on this first cute yet awkward design I haven't looked back since!!

This was later turned into a bookmark because I had no idea what to do with it. ha. My projects have gotten better since this - I just wanted to throw some nostalgia in before I begin posting my ADHD craft stories :)

FaceLift

I think it's time for a change. I've had several friends tell me I should blog about my new found hobby but I'm not exactly sure what that hobby is. Crafts? DIY? Embroidery? So I think after a year of blogging hiatus and with a new year just around the corner I will blog about about my foray into, what I promised I would never become, a crafter!

So, I thought to myself, what the heck do I name this new blog?! The more creative I try to be the lamer the names become**. SO - blog name suggestions are welcome. FYI: blog names in the running thus far...
1. Amy's Attic
2. Craftastic
3. AH! CRAFTS!
4. HOLY CRAFT!

Several of my projects are inspiration from other crafties out there, other websites, blogs, and most of all - my mother. I told myself long ago I would never turn into my mom. But, much to demise (or not so much at all actually) I have become Betty. So, needless to say, I will give credit when credit is due!! So ... here is to a new blog (and probably blurbs of whats happen at the Thompson crib) and a bit of a facelift :)

**see what I mean?

Here we go!

I knew student teaching was approaching quickly whether or not I wanted to hide from it. I was nervous, mostly for how awkward it can be at times but also because now the classroom is on me. I want to make sure I'm leaving an impression with the school and more importantly, the children. It's a heavy load to carry but after a week under my belt I feel like I'm ready for the challenge.

This new year is the first time in a while that I truly don't know where I'll be in a year. After graduation - the possibilities are endless. We don't have plans...yet. We have weddings on the calendar but nothing planned for a getaway just for us. We'll probably end up camping this summer (hopefully in Colorado) and take a trip out to Chicago for a cubs game [maybe they'll play the twins this year!] and I'll enjoy applying for jobs and interviewing - god willing. Needless to say, 2011 is going to be exciting, probably an emotional roller coaster, and hopefully pleasantly surprising :)

But for now, I have a snow day - few and far between when I was growing up. I'll spend my excitement about snow days on the latter half of my twenty-somethings. No plans for the day - and I can't wait!

HIGHS and lows

This is the time in life when we are suppose to live paycheck to paycheck, understand what it means to appreciate all we have and trust better things are in store...when we hit our 30s. Right? HA. This 20-something life is proving to be gut-wrenching. I thought I was over the days of feeling financially unstable but alas, it never ends.

The other day we were so excited to find out that we would be getting a 5% discount on our rent for the next 12 months because Deren works at a "preferred employee" company. We were happy to not experience an increase in rent like we thought we were going to have. No sooner had we celebrated this small victory than we realized Deren got an unwanted charge of $129.99 and $69.95 from something he had purchased online (another life lesson, but that is a different story). He spent most of the day on the phone with a TERRIBLE customer service rep who couldn't even find his account information! Talk about scam. Next phone call = USBank to report a fraudulent charge. He's going to try calling the customer service rep again Monday to get our dang money back. Word to the wise - don't order crap online. Chances are they are scamming you (okay, I might be a little bit of a pessimist).

To make matters worse, Deren went out to his car to find a ticket on his windshield while it was PARKED on OUR sidestreet. A ticket for expired plates. Okay, before I rant about my distaste for Missouri I must say at least we can AFFORD a $38.50 ticket for expired plates (unless of course we take yet another case to our lovely Missouri court system - they LOVE the Thompsons). OKAY, Here I go....

1. Most (aka ALL) people in the state of Missouri get a nice little postcard in the mail to remind their plates are going to expire soon. Not my husband.
2. I have been paying property taxes on my car for the past two years (another reason I do not like Missouri). Deren has not.
3.We have a strong suspicion Deren's car information has gotten lost in the jumble of property tax paperwork Missouri sends out at the end of each year. (that's right, tax is due 5 days after Christmas. How thoughtful.)
4. The states of Minnesota and Iowa put the MONTH and year on your plate tabs to give you a heads up of when they are going to expire. Missouri puts the year to let you take a 1 out of 12 stab when they might be expiring - the odds are really against you.
5. The proactive measures this state takes to keep their citizens 'in the loop' is appauling.

In the midst of all of this commotion my mom called to let me know my great aunt Eleanor had passed away on Friday night. We had a close realationship growing up, she was like a third grandma to me. Since moving to Iowa for college and to Missouri after graduation I hadn't seen her in a while but it still breaks my heart. Heaven has a new, precious angel.

Bad things happen in threes so we took it all in one day...we're done for a while, right? Right?!

On a positive note about our 20-somethings...this is the age of weddings. My good friend from college got married last weekend and we wrapped up our 2010 wedding season in Cedar Rapids. Lindsay and Levi had a beautiful ceremony and such a fun reception. As always, so fun to catch up with them and other friends we aren't able to see nearly often enough. Congrats you two!! Love you!

Another positive - a friend from school had two free tickets to the Zac Brown Band tomorrow night so I'm excited to head out to a concert with her! I haven't been to a concert in a long time! Thanks DeAirra!!

This post is feeling a tad bit bi-polar....such is our life right now.

Hey! At least we get some extra sleep tonight!!