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Towel Bibs

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2013-02-28T13:20:08-06:00

You know how babies are perfect eaters and never look like this?

Oh, right. They always look like that. My little guy went through a phase of yanking off any and every bib, which didn't do any favors for his clothes. So I started using dish towel bibs. They are easy to pop on over his head but he can't yank them off (for now). And best of all, the towel is a generous size to cover his entire body from neck to leg. I just tuck it under him around the edges and his clothes stay clean.

These are super-easy to make... all that's required is a dish towel, a little ribbing, and a teeny bit of time. Unless you decide to embroider fancy schmancy decorations all over them, then you may need a little more time. (So basically if you're the Mom, you'll probably be like me and make the quick, easy one. If you're the Grandma, you'll probably fancy it up a bit!)

Here's my little guy who's obviously happy because his clothes are un-gunkified under that bib.

CLICK HERE for the
Dishtowel Bib Tutorial!!!

Box Crate Book Shelves

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2013-02-25T13:35:27-06:00

This little project came about because we had more books than shelf for a while and I wasn't finding something I liked at the store. I didn't really think bookshelves were in the realm of my DIY capabilities, but it turns out I was mistaken. This fun little boy bookshelf is a combination of my desperation + four box crates + RIT dye (of all things). I love that you can still see the grain of the wood, and they have some spunk to them for a kid's room.

CLICK HERE for the
Box Crate Bookshelves Tutorial!!!

Hanging Art Baskets

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2013-03-30T21:20:11-05:00

Here's my take on a fribulous frabulous way to organize art supplies. I've finally got them cutely organized and accessible. (And juuuuust out of the kids reach too.)

CLICK HERE for the tutorial!

You've Been Busy!!!

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2013-02-06T13:30:00-06:00

Hi there! If you wondered if I've dropped of the face of the earth since I haven't posted for so long... I haven't. I've just been.. well.. busy. And it turns out... so have you! I've gotten so many emails from readers who are using the tutorials and articles on my site, so thank you to all those who took a minute to write me a note and say thanks! I especially enjoy getting to see pictures of some of the things you've made using my site and a few people have sent me pictures so I'll share those with you now...

Featured Reader's Results:

I've heard from quite a few of you using my Fleece Ear Flap Hat Pattern & Tutorial! Here are the ones who sent me pictures...

Ann from Toronto Canada used it to make her 10-month-old daughter's Minnie Mouse costume, which helped keep her warm while trick-or-treating in the cold. The great thing about these hats is they can still be used for every-day-cuteness all through winter, not just for Halloween...

Caitlin, from Fredericksburg, TX used my pattern to make her son's first Halloween costume. She says she's far from a seamstress but this was so simple that she already has plans for another one. Here's little three-week-old Eli as Yoda for his first Halloween...

Sarah B. Of Liverpool, NY used my pattern to make her son's Halloween costume as well (he's Loki, from the Avengers). The fabric she used wasn't stretchy so it took a couple tries to get it to fit right, but she loved the pattern and said it didn't take her long at all...

Tracy R. used my pattern to make several hats last year as her first sewing project. She used it again this year to make her son a mohawk hat to match his coat because she couldn't find any in stores without skulls allover them. (I feel your pain... I don't get the attraction to skulls either and they are on lots of boys' clothes.)

Andrea R. made the ear flap hat with matching scarf to velcro in place and even some gloves too. She posted about it on her blog, HERE.

Renee K. made some creative additions to my pattern to make this polar fleece vikings hat for her granddaughter...

Angela D. of Maryland made several hats with embellishments, and is sure she'll make more in the future. Here's her favorite one...

Don't you love how versatile the pattern is? You can really do what ever you want with it! I have even heard from one woman who will be using the basic pattern (w/out embellishments) to make 100+ hats to send to an orphanage in Asia!!

Teri B. used my Rag Quilt Tutorial to make a couple lap quilts:

and some doll-size rag quilts for her granddaughters:

She also used my rag bag tutorial to make a couple rag bags!

Sandra R. used my Sassy Shelves Tutorial to make some Hello Kitty shelves for her daughter!

If you've used any of my tutorials to make something of your own, don't forget to send me a picture of your results! It's always fun to see what you've made! Thanks Ann, Caitlin, Sarah, Tracy, Andrea, Renee, Teri and Sandra!!!

Spring Cleaning Time for GMOs

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-05-01T02:05:19-05:00

Ok so when I shared the craziness yesterday about GMO's and genetically engineered foods, I wasn't planning on there being a "part 2", but ugh, I couldn't NOT share this one more thing.

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine publicly condemned genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in our food supply, due to their serious health risk. Although the evidence against GMO's is alarming, and the government and food industry are keeping a lid on it while ignoring and denying scientific findings and silencing those who speak up... one thing is for sure. The same foods (GMOs) that are killing lab animals and farm animals and causing serious reproductive disorders, liver problems, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation and changes in major organs are being pumped into our food supply big time. "More than 70% of the foods on supermarket shelves contain derivatives of the eight GM foods on the market- soy, corn, oil from canola and cottonseed, sugar from sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, and a small amount of zucchini and crook neck squash. The biotech industry hopes to genetically engineer virtually all remaining vegetables, fruits, grains, and beans (not to mention animals)." Want to know more? Here's a really excellent article on the Big GMO Coverup, and here's "GM Crops- Just the Science" prepared by researchers and scientists, written in plain English for the general public.

The AAEM "called on the US government to implement an immediate moratorium on all genetically modified (GM) foods, and urged physicians to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients." Much of Europe and other developed countries already have them banned.

In the mean time, why not do a little Spring Cleaning in your pantry, overhauling the GMOs? If you want to stop being part of this experiment, cast your vote with your wallet! The four simplest tips include:

1- Buy organic foods!
2- Look for "Non-GMO Project" verified seals (shown to the right).
3- Avoid at-risk ingredients including soybeans, corn, canola, cottonseed, and sugar from sugarbeets, especially when not buying organic food.
4- Buy Products listed in the Non-GMO Shopping Guide (This is a great resource with handy tips to make you a more informed shopper... they even have a handy downloadable phone app!)

Here's the official non-GMO Project website, which is a neat project immediately providing customers with an informed choice without dependency on government action! You can search through verified products to make an informed choice, or even make a product verification request for a food product you like. Either it's already verified (great!) or your request will let the company know that non-GMO verification is important to you! Let your voice be heard! Until the FDA requires labeling (join over a million other Americans who've signed the petition HERE), this is a way YOU can directly show companies that their consumers want GMO-free foods.

(source)

Fake Drawstrings and Adjustable Waists

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-04-24T20:21:02-05:00

You know when one day you realize that every pair of your kids' pants are too short? And you get him some new ones, making sure to get the ones with drawstrings so you know they'll adjust small enough to fit his waist, even though he's average size and all the pants SHOULD fit him anyway but you know they won't because they are always made for someone with a much more rotund belly?

I know you know what I'm talking about. If not, just pretend you do. So then you get home with your loot, relieved to be done and hoping he doesn't grow for a good long time, only to realize that EVERY.... yes I said EVERY single drawstring is FAKE?!?

Yes, every single drawstring in the above photo is fake. There is something wrong with the world. So now your choices are either:

A- return these fake, pathetic pants to the store, hang your head in failure and start over, even though apparently there are no real drawstrings to be found anyway...

B- let your kid run around with his pants around his ankles

C- remember that one time you were reading this on Tracy's Treasury and thank your lucky stars that she gave you a tutorial about how to add an adjustable waist to any pair of pants!

Although altering is THE most annoying sewing on the planet, it was the quickest fix to my problem. If you aren't familiar with adjustable waist pants, they look something like this:

until you yank on the elastic and re-adjust it to make the pants as small as they need to be. Then you can re-button as your kid grows, so the pants grow with him:

Ever since I discovered adjustable waist pants, they're the ONLY thing I buy for my boys' jeans and khakis, but for the run-around-comfy-cotton pants... they don't sell adjustable waists... just a bunch of fake drawstrings and some laughably-too-large elastic waistbands.

Now before you think my kid must just be a beanpole to have this problem, I will tell you that he's right smack in the middle of average sized for both height and weight, meaning that he should be able to shop "off the rack" and his poor mom shouldn't be racking her brains over altering his clothes. If you know a clothing manufacturer personally, please send them my way. I'd love to do some consulting for them, because I think they're crazy and need some major help.

But if you would like to know how to add an adjustable waist to nearly any pair of pants, then

HERE's the TUTORIAL!!!

And here's the best pant model I've ever met in my life: (he really knows how to work it)

Happy Hineys!

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2013-02-16T11:08:00-06:00

With a title like that, you gotta know you're in for a treat!

Today's project was crafted for my newest nephew, Jeremiah. Isn't he just a doll?

Here's what I made him, and what every mama needs for the daily job of keeping that "tiny hiney" a HAPPY hiney... If you don't have babies, don't throw this project aside! Bookmark it for the next time you need a cute baby gift for someone special! (More on that in a minute!) It's a super-simple project that any mama will graciously thank you for!

I introduce you to... waterproof changing pads! I use these to sit on top of my son's actual changing pad so that the cover doesn't have to get washed all the time. These pads are easier to make than spare covers, and quicker to change out as needed. (There were some days while he was a newborn I'd actually go through 2 or 3 in a day.)

And, they're versatile! You could stash one in the car, or make a few extra to stick in a changing basket in another room. (A changing basket is just a basket with diapers, wipes, a changing pad, and any creams you may use inside it. If you have multiple rooms you may end up changing the baby in, it's handy to keep the changing supplies in a second room for handy use.) If you're looking for a cute, practical baby gift for someone, it doesn't get much better. How about putting together a changing basket with all the essentials? Or if you're feeling insanely crafty you could make a basket out of diapers, like this:

(photo source)

No? Well, ok then. How about we just stick with the changing pads. If you're giving them alone as a gift, you could roll them up and tie a ribbon around them for added cuteness, then skip the gift wrap. That's pretty down-right doable!

Well, here are the front and back of Jeremiah's changing pads:

And here are the first changing pads I made...

Which have been ever-so-handy over the past year with my little guy, Austin:

Babies are the BEST! Even if they do have stinky hineys from time to time. :)

CLICK HERE for the
WATERPROOF CHANGING PAD TUTORIAL

(Note to my email subscribers: You still have to visit my actual website post (HERE) to leave me comments.)

No Way Jose!!

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-04-30T23:10:00-05:00

You know how I've shared a couple things for eating healthier this year? Like... My Top Choices of Cookbooks to ROCK your SOCKS off, and the freaky picture of a McDonald's meal to nudge you away from processed food?

Well, I have another doozy for you! Let's say you ARE trying to make reasonable decisions when buying food for your family. What you may not realize is that there are lots of chemicals in foods that WEREN'T THERE when we were kids. You surely wouldn't feed your kids insecticide, would you? Well, did you know that corn is now regulated by the EPA as insecticide? That's because it's been genetically modified produce its own insecticide internally and to withstand increasing doses of weed killers.

Let me introduce you to "genetically engineered foods" and "genetically modified organisms."

Here in the US, unlike most other developed countries, we have no laws requiring labeling of genetically engineered foods. And they're pretty common. This means that we aren't able to make an informed choice. If you think you have the right to know what you're feeding your family, tell the FDA to label GMOs (it's quick & easy). Visit www.justlabelit.org to find out more about it!

I also watched a video that I just had to share! It's about thirty minutes long, but I'd really highly recommend taking the time to sit down and view it. Trust me on this one, K?

You know if I'm putting in a plug for it, it has to be worth your time. Especially since the last time I did that was... well... never.

Let me know what you think!

(*update: See PART TWO of this post HERE: "Spring Cleaning Time for GMOs!")

Green Cleaning

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-05-24T13:00:00-05:00

I've been extensively lab testing various Home Brews for Green Cleaning, and have fine-tuned it down to the final winners. They are very simple, very cheap, non-toxic, non-caustic cleaning solutions that WORK!

If you haven't heard all the rave about "green" cleaning, you really need to check it out! What's that you say? You're not a tree hugger and you don't actually LIKE cleaning? Oh, I see. Neither do I. But what if I told you that you could get the job done faster, easier, and healthier? Have I ever steered you wrong... really? No, I didn't think so. Green cleaning is for people who like to breathe... surely you fit that category. It's also for people with asthma or allergies or sensitive skin. It's also for people who don't want their child or grandchild accidentally poisoned (it happens every thirty seconds!). Just check it out already, will ya?

Once you're on board to try Classy Cleaning, just be ready to spend an arm and a leg buying fancy schmancy cleaners so you're sure to have the best-of-the-best. Just kidding. That's not how I roll. Actually, my Home Brews will save you some mega mooh-lah, so what's not to love?

First you'll meet a couple of my friends... Vinegar and Baking Soda... but don't think that just because they are so stinkin' cheap that they can't stand the competition.

Then you're in for a real treat, when I share my tried-and-true Home Brews...

Super Simple Surface Cleaner That Rocks!
(To clean almost any surface around the house)

"Scrub-a-Dub, No-More-Grub" Paste!
(A non-abrasive wonder-paste)

Volcanic Cleaner
(For extra pizazz, use this cleaner
and keep the "yuck" from running amuck!)

BETTER-than-Bleach Disinfectant!!!
(This cheap, easy solution has been
lab-proven MORE effective than bleach!)

Wood Care
(Dusting & polishing furniture AND hard-wood floors!)

Laundry Room
(All my tricks for super-clean, spot-free, static-free, bleach-free clothes)

(I also link to a non-toxic soap concentrate and my favorite cleaning products)

Last, just turn on the happy little working song to put a spring in your step, and get to work! Happy Cleaning! :)

Featured Reader: Bible Cover

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-03-05T13:00:18-06:00

Featured Reader's Results:

Elizabeth T. from Missouri used my bible cover tutorial to make her own bible cover. Not only did she not have a serger... she didn't even have a sewing machine. She did this entirely by hand!! I think she has much more patience than I do! Didn't it turn out nice?

If you've used any of my tutorials to make something of your own, don't forget to send me a picture of your results!

HERE's my Bible Cover Tutorial

New Home School Teacher Tools

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-05-18T20:25:29-05:00

Today's post is for home schoolers!

I've been having a hay day on Pinterest and Google Image Search lately and came up with a lot of really neat photos and ideas to help brainstorm when planning a home school room!

I also posted a new page about a homeschool organizational wonder: the Workbox System...

And updated my Teacher Tools for Home Schoolers page, which is full of oodles of teaching ideas I wanted to remember.

Happy Home Schooling!

My Sous Chefs

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-02-16T19:20:24-06:00

Remember my tuxedo apron / instructions for machine embroidering appliques? (tutorial HERE!) Well, I gave them to our boys for Valentine's Day and I thought it was only fair to share a couple photos with you now...

Here's my very serious sous chef:

He's ready to whip up some yummy treats. Or, rather, to watch his spaceship take off...

TP Holder

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-02-22T15:20:04-06:00

Is it weird to be excited about a toilet paper holder? Cuz I am...

This is my latest sewing project, and HERE is the tutorial!

This is excellent if you're new to sewing, or want a basic project. (You can omit the ruffles and it's still pretty super. I'm just in love with my ruffler foot attachment.) It's also fabulous if you just want to be sure you're never stranded without a spare roll of TP nearby :)

And with the scrap of fabric I had left, I cut out a 5x7 rectangle, ironed it & put it in a spare picture frame to use as a message board. You can write right on the glass with a wet-erase marker like you would a dry-erase board. A message board like this is cute on the counter or wall, and can be used to leave notes for each other or write a bible verse.

Just in case you need a little nudge...

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-01-24T21:03:16-06:00

Hey guys, remember about a week ago when I posted my Top Choices of Cookbooks to ROCK your SOCKS off?!? Well, I hope you're all rockin' it out making some healthy food. But just in case you aren't, I HAD to share this little bit of extra motivation with you, that I just came across. Don't worry... it won't take long. And perhaps it will give you the extra nudge you need to cut back on the processed foods.

Are you ready to be grossed out?

You know how real food goes bad? Over time it decays... it molds... and it stinks. Man-made "processed food" doesn't do that. I once heard of someone forgetting that they had a box of McDonald's nuggets sitting on top of their refrigerator for a long time- several months or maybe a year. When they found it, the nuggets looked totally normal, they hadn't molded or decayed at all!

One doctor set this "processed food" on her counter since 2010 and 2011 just "to show people what they're putting in their bodies.....

... This is man-made "processed-food," not "real food."... it has kept its original size, shape and texture. Your body has to work harder to break down and digest this stuff over real food."38

Um, if that doesn't gross you out to eat fast food, I don't know what will. Blech! Ugh. Realize that this is coming from an ex-McDonald's LOVER. Love. Er. I loved it. Past tense. I mean, it does still taste good, but since I've come to the realization that it's not actually food... well... things have changed a little. Actually, my husband and I "quit" cold turkey after reading Don't Eat This Book: Fast Food and the Supersizing of America by Morgan Spurlock... the guy who did the movie "Super-Size Me." It was like ripping off a bandaid. A really painful one. But I diverse...

If you're interested in healthy eating, then be sure to check out my Nifty Nutrition page. I have helpful resources to show you WHY and HOW to change the way you eat, along with enemies to your health to be aware of. I've also got good resources for cooking, kids nutrition, and even a link to where you can find nutritional info for most any restaurant you can imagine. (Just don't order a bloomin' onion. Ever.)

My top choices of cookbooks to ROCK your socks off!!!

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-01-17T22:15:56-06:00

Being the first of the year, I imagine a lot of us have resolved to make healthier decisions. To do that, I have FOUR FABULOUS cookbook recommendations for you. But first, let me just tell you a little about how I roll. If you've visited my nutrition page, which includes both HOW and WHY to change the way you cook & eat... you know that I do care about making food that's reasonably healthy and not complete junk. I'm not into all the packaged, processed, hydrogenated junk that turns us into chunky monkeys. But, my family likes regular food like pizza and enchiladas and I will forever be a mac & cheese lover. So where does that leave me as the main meal preparer?

Well, I can tell you one thing... if I'm going to the trouble of MAKING food for my family to eat instead of getting take-out, it better TASTE GOOD or else it's not worth my effort! I'm not the kind of gal who eats rice cakes. I like real food with fresh ingredients. I don't want to diet or weigh out serving sizes. I just want a collection of do-able recipes that are yummy and nourishing too.

If you're interested in changing the way you cook and eat, you're ready to wean yourself from excessive processed junk that makes you gain weight and feel sluggish, but you don't really know where to go from here... then perhaps my cookbook recommendations will help. I've kindof bumbled around a bit in this area for a while, trying to find that happy balance between "healthy" food and "yummy" food... finding a recipe here and there that was fabulous, simple, and healthy. Now I finally feel like I have a couple of good GO-TO sources for recipes that fit my nutrition approach AND taste great.

Click HERE to see my Four Top Picks of Recipe Books of All Time.
They are pretty much LEGEND. :)
(This page is currently being featured at HERE, at Veronica's Cornucopia!! Thanks, V!)

Click HERE to visit my Nifty Nutrition Page, which also includes:

WHY & HOW to change the way you cook & eat

ENEMIES to your health

Meal planning choices

Guide to Kids' Nutrition

Mommy-made baby food

Enjoy! And have a happy, healthy new year!!!

Little Chef Apron (& how to do machine embroidery appliques!)

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-01-08T14:31:40-06:00

See this cute, but slightly bland tuxedo apron? I found it for $5 at Hobby Lobby with the Valentine's Day goodies. It wouldn't be hard at all to sew one by hand, but I thought $5 was worth letting them do the grunt work and I'd just have fun embellishing it. So that's where today's tutorial comes in... I'll be showing you how to machine embroider appliques. (For those of you who don't have an embroidery machine, there's an alternate method given as well.)

Click HERE for the tutorial!!

TT PreSchool Curriculum

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-02-03T11:00:57-06:00

A while back I linked to various PreSchool Resources. Today I'm excited to share with you something I've been compiling for a good while. If you know anyone with PreSchool aged children or grandchildren, please share this link with them. Basically, it's all of the fabulous at-home PreSchool ideas and activities I've come across from all sorts of sources and places...

It's for Moms (working and stay-at-home) & Grandmas who want some ideas of fun activities they can enjoy together with their Pre-School age child...

It's for Home Schoolers who may be interested in a FREE Pre-School curriculum...

Enjoy!! And happy pre-schooling!! :D

**Click HERE to see Tracy's Treasury Pre-School!!**

FridgeSmart

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-04-05T14:02:06-05:00

Hold on to your hats... I added a new organizational wonder in my Ode to Organizing page!

Want to know what can keep your produce FRESHER... LONGER...

and CLEAR the CLUTTER in your refrigerator at the same time?

I'm pretty tickled by my latest fabulous find, and think you will be too.

Click HERE to get the scoop!!!

Featured Reader: Bible Cover

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-01-21T14:33:42-06:00

Featured Reader's Results:

Katie P. used my Bible Cover Tutorial to make this bible cover for her daughter-in-law! I love how the embroidery looks on it too!

She says she'd like to make another one in the future. Thanks for sharing Katie!!

If you've used any of my tutorials to make something of your own, don't forget to send me a picture of your results!

HERE's my Bible Cover Tutorial

Ode to Organizing

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-02-10T11:00:28-06:00

I made a new DIY section of my site for organizational wonders. I'm just an organized kind of gal, so this was really only a matter of time :) So far I have two before & after organizational transformations featuring two of my favorite, fabulous finds. Here's a sneak peak (click the photos/links to see the actual pages)

The first one is in my pantry. Before I had 5 round canisters (I like things airtight), and lots of wasted space. Boo! After I have lots of canisters (I have them two deep) and tons more shelf space!!

Click HERE!

The second one is in my plasticware cabinet. I found a plasticware line that I truly think is the BEST available- they've really rethought every aspect and nailed it! And it's a MUCH more affordable option than Tupperware brand. Woo hoo! (You can even buy it at WalMart!)

Click HERE!

I've been using mine for a couple years now, and it still looks as good as the day I bought it.

DIY Boutique Hair Bows: Featured Reader

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2011-12-30T21:47:47-06:00

Don't you just love cute things? Me too. One of my favorite cute curly, girly things are these curly hair bows...

Featured Reader's Results:

After giving up on the curly bow directions from Hobby Lobby, Denny J. of Kansas stumbled upon my Curly Hair Bow Tutorial and said it was super easy to follow. She made this cute little bow to match her daughter's Christmas outfit!

Now she plans to make a few for her nieces too. Thanks for sharing Denny!!

Do you have any darling little girls in your life? I'm pretty sure they need some cute, curly, girly hair bows. I probably should have mentioned this before Christmas, but oh well! There's always birthdays! :)

HERE's my Boutique Hair Bows Tutorials Page!

PS- I have a few other bows & a bow holder on that page as well :)

Hacky Sacks Game!

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-01-30T13:21:16-06:00

One of our recent projects was to make a hacky sacks toss game... We gave it to our boys for Christmas and it's a hit!

You get 1, 2, or 3 points, depending which hole your hacky sack lands in...

Here are the score cards...

You just add your buttons to the card for each point you earn. When your card's full, you win!

This is great for the youngin's because it's simple enough for them to be in charge of keeping their own score, and they don't have to know how to add yet. Our 3 1/2 year old is a pro at it! Our 10 1/2 month old likes to eat the hacky sacks.

Would you like to make your own? HERE's the tutorial! Happy Hacky Sacking!

Cinnamon Dough Ornaments

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2011-12-19T14:21:53-06:00

These super-simple ornaments are made from a dough with TWO ingredients. And they smell faaaaaaabulous daaaaahhhhling! Make a few for yourself and a few to give as gifts!

They're perfect to add on to Christmas gift tags...

And they make a great gift for the kids to make and give themselves too!

Who wouldn't want a yummy-smelling gingerbread man???

Click HERE for my Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments Home Brew!

Comment Away!!!

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2011-12-16T14:30:44-06:00

Hey guys! I know you've all been on the edge of your seats waiting for this moment...

Well, it's here!

A friend of mine requested me to enable comments on my site. I know that blogs all have a spot at the end of each post for readers to write their comments. My site isn't a blog, but my "What's New" page (what you're reading right now or receive via email) that keeps you up to date with my latest and greatest endeavors IS. So, I decided she was right... I should have a spot for comments on there.

Soooooo........ I have a job for you! Read the posts on my "What's New" page (CLICK HERE if you're reading this via email!) and leave me some comments after my previous posts so they don't look all sad and lonely, since as of today they all say "zero comments."

It's all I want for Christmas.

(Will my husband and Mom please disregard that statement? Thanks!)

** PS- Please don't include "omg" in your comments! Thanks!! :) **

Easy Sparkley Ornaments!

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2011-12-13T19:58:10-06:00

Something about Christmas begs everything to be sparkled, doesn't it? If you love sparkles but not the mess that comes with them, then these ornaments might just make your Christmas very merry!

They're super sparkly, super easy to make, and best of all... all the glitter is on the INSIDE!

All you need is a clear glass ornament, fine glitter, and some FLOOR POLISH! Now I know you need a little more sparkle on your tree! CLICK HERE to go to the tutorial!

Super Simple Holiday Card Display

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2011-12-15T14:10:01-06:00

This is officially the quickest, easiest DIY idea on my site. If you have Christmas cards running amuck, try this simple way to display them! Just clip them to a ribbon running down your kitchen cabinets. As you get more cards, add another ribbon.

Read-Aloud, Toddler & PreSchool Resources!

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2011-12-05T14:43:01-06:00

Here are links to several pages I've recently added or updated... Enjoy!

Reading Aloud
How to get your child to love reading!

Read-Aloud Family Favorites
My family's favorite books for babies and toddlers!

Toddler Days (age 1-2)
Here are some fun ideas to enjoy your time together!

Pre-Schooling (age 3-4)
Here are the best pre-school age activities you can do at home!

Custom Christmas Stockings!!!

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2011-12-01T14:57:36-06:00

I am so excited about my most recent project, and it's just in time for the holidays! Here's what I started with...

And I ended up with these...

I made them to match this tree skirt I made last year...

Here's a closer look at mine... it has a triple layer of ruffles! A girl has to have her ruffles you know.

And here's my hub's... no girlie frills here... though I did sneak in the cute star stitch on the patches :)

And our boys' coordinating stockings... Since pom pom thingies were deemed too "girly," I used a simple piping edging, which I find rather classy.

Would you like to make your own? Here's the tutorial! Merry Christmas!!! :)

Featured Readers!

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2011-12-01T18:47:15-06:00

Featured Reader's Results:

Regina M. of Wasilla, Alaska used my Fleece Ear Flap Hat tutorial & pattern to make her very first successful sewing project! Here's her one-year-old son, Oskar, modeling it...

Gotta love the camo!! Thanks Regina!!

Teri B. of Kansas loves my Rag Bag Tutorial! She's made three so far.
These two are "quiet bags" for kiddos from church to bring books in...

...and this one is made to tie on to a walker. It's my favorite :) This would also be a nice variation to tie on to a stroller! Thanks for sharing Teri!

***Remember: If YOU make any of the projects on my site, please send me a photo with your finished results!

Universal Shopping Cart / High Chair Cover

spunkytigrr@gmail.com — 2012-03-16T14:30:10-05:00

Since babies like to gnaw on icky things like shopping carts and restaurant high chairs, here's a handy cover to keep stashed in the car. It makes a nice baby shower gift too!

We received two different covers as gifts but both were so elaborate with straps and velcro and extras that they were a major pain to use. I gotta say that simple is better!!! Here's what I came up with for a cover that fits both high chairs and shopping carts, with no ties or velcro... it just stretches on. No need to buy a store pattern, just follow my tutorial. I wish I had this with our first son!!!

Click HERE for tutorial!