Free Printable: Love You To the Moon and Back

My little niece turned one this weekend. She looks like my father-in-law. She has big brown eyes and is sweet as can be. I designed this print for her.

I also made one for my dear friend and gave it to her at her baby shower.

If you can right click and save the image, it is yours to print out. Sorry, I do not know how to make it "downloadable." it is an 8x10 image.

xoxo,
Amy

Baby Shower Games!

I searched high and low for the best baby shower games and I really like what I have compiled. We had so much fun playing these games and I think you will too! There is something for everyone!

Let the Games Begin!

Game No. 1 Guess How Many. It is simple and non threatening so it is a good game to start with. I filled up a bottle with 166 M&M's and had each guest write their name and their guess on a small piece of paper and drop it into a mason jar. Later on in the shower we sifted through the guesses and chose the guest with the closest answer. In this particular instance the guest who won guessed 160!

 Game No. 2 Name the Baby Animal. Still non threatening. I printed out a list with the names of Adult Female animals with a blank space next to them. Guests were charged with the task of naming the baby animal. For example: Deer = fawn, Pig = piglet. Some were easy and some were hard. This is a good web site to look to if you would like to compile your own list or you could email me and I could send you mine.
I also kept a few animals on my master list that I didn't use for the game but for tie breaker questions for other games.
P.S. A lot of people cheated with their cell phones so you may want to consider making some rules:)

Game No. 3 The Diaper Game. This is the most controversial game but also one of the most fun games. Take 15-20 cheap diapers and melt a piece of chocolate ( I just set mine out in the sun, but the microwaves works well too if you unwrap them first) in them and charge the guests with the task of identifying the type of chocolate! They can smell it and even taste it if they dare! have guests number a piece of paper from 1-15. With a sharpie marker write a number on each diaper and tell the guess to make sure they write their answer   on the corresponding number on their paper. So, if Diaper number 7 has snickers in it, you write snickers on line number 7 on your paper.
 Don't use any off brands- it make this game too challenging. I used: snickers, milky way, twix, 3 musketeers, baby ruth, whoppers, kit kat, crunch bar, hersheys, rolos, almond joy, New York Peppermint Patty, 100 Grand, and a Watchamacallit.

This was my Grandma's response to the "dirty diaper game". 

Game No. 4
How Big Is Mom's Belly?  ( This is also a lead into game number five)
My sister -in-law hated when they played this game at her shower, but I enjoyed it at mine and Sarah (pictured) thought it was fun too. So if you feel like you need to ask the mommy to be if she is willing to play this game first- please do.
This game is really quite simple. I used yarn ( you could use string, twine, ribbon, curling ribbon or whatever!). Ask each guest to guess how big Mommy's belly is. They measure out the yarn and you cut it where they want you to cut it! You can have a prize for the closest and the smallest (if you want to make mommy feel better)
Now this next part is key because it leads into the next game. Measure mommy's belly with the yarn. Cut it at the right place. Then have have her walk from person to person to measure her yarn against the guests yarn. The closest one wins. Now get ready for game five . . .

Game Number Five:

What Was Mommy Wearing?

I hope your guests got a good look at Mommy as she was walking around the room with her piece of yarn because now they have to remember everything about her! Give mommy some dessert and have her leave the room for a minute. (Side Bar: I wish I had had a baby monitor set up so that Sarah could hear everything that was going on. I read the questions out loud and it was so funny to hear the responses. Sarah would have gotten a kick out of it all!)

Here were my Questions: You can use mine or you can make up your own.

Do You Remember what SHE was wearing??

1.                      Was she wearing Make up?

2.                      How did she have her hair    styled?

3.                      Was she wearing Nail polish?

4.                      What kind of shoes was she wearing?

5.                      What color was her shirt?

6.                      Describe her outfit.

7.                      How many rings was she wearing?

8.                      Was she wearing a necklace?

9.                      Was she wearing earrings?

10.             What color was her lipstick?

11.             What color are her eyes?

12.             Was she wearing a bracelet?

13.             What color is her hair?

14.             Was she chewing gum?

15.             Did she seem to have a fragrance on?

Game #6: Baby Bingo

Hand out a blank Bingo card and have guests fill up the squares with items they think she will receive. One item per square. For example: burp rags, onesie, blanket, diapers, shampoo, fingernail clippers, etc.  They can use a word more than once like: Onsie and Onsie. But they can only cross off two "Onsie" spaces if the mom gets two onesies. Does that make sense?????

This was my Heading:

Baby Shower Bingo!!

Can You Guess What the New Mama Will Get? Fill in the squares with the names of baby items that you think will be in the gifts she is about to open!!

I used my microsoft program to insert a table of four rows and four columns and then I made the font size 100. Four in a row wins and black out wins. If you have a very large shower you may want to add another row. 

Let me tell you why this game is fun. Because it keeps everyone interested while mom opens her gifts! This is also a great non- threatening game. 

Well, there you have it! I hope that you enjoy these games and that they next baby shower you throw will be a great success!

XOXO,

 Amy

P.S. See here for Baby Shower Themes

See here for Baby Shower Cakes

See here for affordable baby shower prizes and here for cute gifts

Newborn Needs: The List!

One Soon- To- Be- Father asked: How Much stuff could a new baby need? My Answer: A LOT!!

Calling all moms! Calling all moms! Do you remember the daunting task of shopping for the needs of your first child? If you're lucky your friends throw you a baby shower and you score tons of awesome stuff that you need, but if not, where do you start? Lets assume you have the big stuff taken care of like:

Crib

Car Seat

Stroller/ Travel System

Bassinet/ crib

High Chair 

So what else is there? Help me complete this list!! Please! What are the baby products that I missed and what are the products that you love? Now is the perfect time to leave a comment! What were your can't-live- without baby items!!! Lets help all the new moms out there!

 So far I have:

In the Category of Sleeping:

bassinet sheets (4)

Crib sheets (4)

crib bumper (*edit- I have had two comments that say bumpers are a suffocation hazard- this is new to me, but I thought it was worth the mention so you know what the knew information is.)

quilts/blankets (2)

receiving blankets

swaddler blankets

baby monitor

When You Need Extra Hands:
Swing
Bouncer
Sling

In the Category Of Bathing:

Baby Bath Tub

Towels

Wash Cloths

Gentle Soap

Baby Lotion

Cotton Balls

In The Clothing Category (Basics Only):

Onesies (14, 2-3 per day)

Layettes (6)

Sleepers (6)

Hats (3)

Socks (14)

mittens (4)

In the Category Of Feeding:

Nursing:

Nursing Cover 

Lanolin

Nursing Pads

Nipple Shield (optional)

Breast Pump (optional)

Boppy (optional)

Cabbage leaves to put on engorged breast:) Learned that tip from a nurse too late:)

Bottle Feeding:

Formula

Bottles

Bottle Nipples

Bottle Brush

Breast Pump (optional)

Boppy (optional)

bibs

In the category of  Diapers:

Cloth Diapers Like Booty Buns

or Regular Diapers: Newborns or Small

Diaper Wipes

Desitin/Balmex

In the Category of Hygiene:

baby nail clippers

emery board

Small soft bristled brush (if your baby is lucky enough to have hair)

In the Category of Other:

Burp rags

Gentle detergent

passifyer

Mylicon Drops (gas)

baby nail clippers/ emery board

Thermometer ( I like the one that You can run across your forehead- it is not intrusive- The Exorgen Temporal Thermometer)

Helpful tips:

Hydrogen peroxide removes blood and poop stains (unfortunately these accompany new babies) I keep hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle near my washing machine. I spray it on and wash immediately aften rinsing off excess mess- you don't want chunks circling around inside your washing machine:). If I can'twash immediately, I also spry the soiled garment with Shout.

A Few of My Favorite Products Have Been:

Boppy

Baby Legs

Nursing Cover

Bumbo Chair/ tray

( the bumbo chair was great for my third child, but not for my 4th- she was too wiggly for it- so I guess it depends, but I loved it for my son. It was a life saver!)

Now Its your turn! Please help me add to this list!!!

Happy Crafting!

xoxo,

 Amy

P.S. See here for Baby Shower Themes

See here for Baby Shower Cakes

See here for Baby Shower Games

See here for affordable baby shower prizes and here for cute gifts

Crochet Baby Cocoon ~ Photo Prop: PART 2

Crochet Baby Cocoon Pattern PART 2

3 STRANDS VARIATION

What You Will Need:

*Size P Crochet Hook 

*3 skeins of yarn - I use Red Heart Yarn 

If you want to make a cocoon like this one

This is the pattern you will use:

 Use the blue hook size Q

ch 4, sl st into 1st ch to form a circle

Row 1: ch 1, 10 dc, sl st tog              {10 stitches}

Row 2: ch 1 2 dc around, sl st tog                  {20 stitches}

Row 3: ch 1, *1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc* repeat around, sl st tog               {36 stitches}

Row 4-20: ch 1, 1 dc around, sl sl tog                               {36 stitches}

On row 20, fasten off and hide tail.  Admire your cute little cocoon!

For Matching Beanie:

ch 4, sl st into 1st ch to form a circle

Row 1: ch 1, 10 dc, sl st tog              {10 stitches}

Row 2: ch 1 2 dc around, sl st tog                  {20 stitches}

Row 3-5:  ch 1, 1 dc around, sl sl tog            {20 stitches}

On row 5, fasten off and hide tail.  Admire your cute little beanie!

To make the pom pom, see this video.

Happy Crafting :)

Crochet Baby Cocoon ~ Photo Prop: PART 1

When I was pregnant with my youngest daughter, I saw all kinds of cute crochet cocoons in friend's pictures. After several trial runs I came up with this pattern. I made a lot of them & we loved them when our baby was little because they were blankets that never fall off. It so nice not having to fuss with a blanket. I am going to have 3 separate posts with 3 different variations to this pattern.

The hooks needed for these patterns usually come together in a pack. They are the largest plastic hooks found in the crochet aisle ~ the small gray one is size P & the large blue one is size Q} Here are the 3 different variations of this pattern and the hook size needed for each that I will post.


2 strands of yarn {gray hook size P}
1 strand thick yarn {gray hook size P}
3 strands {blue hook size Q}

What You Will Need:
{2 strands variation} 

*Size P Crochet Hook 

*2 skeins of yarn - I use Red Heart Yarn 

Here are the abbreviations that you will need to understand to complete this pattern. If you want to know how to do any one of these stitches, please click here. To learn how to start the yarn on your hook, click here.

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

dc = double crochet

sl st  tog= slip stitch together

At the end of each round you'll see 'sl st tog'. You'll want to sl st into the little v that was created at the top of the 1st stitch for that round.

To start, take both yarns and tie together to start on hook like shown here.

ch 4, sl st into 1st ch to form a circle

Row 1: ch 1, 10 dc, sl st tog              {10 stitches}

Row 2: ch 1 2 dc around, sl st tog                  {20 stitches}

Row 3: ch 1, *1 dc, 2 dc* repeat around, sl st tog               {30 stitches}

Row 4: ch 1, *1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc* repeat around, sl st tog            {35 stitches}

Row 5-25: ch 1, 1 dc around, sl sl tog                                 {35 stitches}

On row 25, fasten off and hide tail.  Admire your cute little cocoon!

For Matching Beanie:

ch 4, sl st into 1st ch to form a circle

Row 1: ch 1, 10 dc, sl st tog              {10 stitches}

Row 2: ch 1 2 dc around, sl st tog                  {20 stitches}

Row 3: ch 1, *1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc 2 dc* repeat around, sl st tog               {24 stitches}

Row 4-7:  ch 1, 1 dc around, sl sl tog                                 {24 stitches}

On row 7, fasten off and hide tail.  Admire your cute little beanie!

DIY Flannel PJs ~ Part 2: The Top

So here goes part 2! There are more steps in making the top, but you can do it :)

First things first, lets talk Black Friday at Joannes ~
Doors opened at 6 am & people weren't killing each other to get anything!! Everyone was patient getting in the door and shared their flannels :) It was the best Black Friday experience
I've ever had! I scored some uber cute flannels!


Plus, the store employees gave everyone the coupons when you walked in,
so I got an additional 25% off my entire order & 50% off my oldest daughter's
Christmas gift since it wasn't on sale.
OH YES!!


I can't wait to cut into these!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE :)

What You'll Need:
1 1/2 Yards Flannel Fabric {this will cover the shirt as well}
About 24 Inches Grossgrain Ribbon
4-5 Buttons Depending On The Size
Matching Thread
And Your Sewing Machine & Tools :)
Also, I used my Seger, but if you don't have one use your zig-zag stitch.

Bring back your paper bag and let's make the pattern. If you have a pair of pjs to trace, then trace each piece. If not, grab a shirt that fits your child loosely. If all you have are onesies, you can use it for your pattern, just make sure to add a few inches to give some room.

If you're using a loose shirt, ignore the sleeves for now & trace the back twice.
Cut 1 out & cut down the middle, then retrace adding 1 1/2 inches to the center.
You only have to create one side because you can flip the pattern over. Next, draw
the neck line how you want it. I like an angled neckline on these type of jammies.
For the collar, measure along the neck line of your pattern for the length, then
make a rectangle with the width of 3 1/2 inches. You can keep the angles sharp
or round them, whichever you like. After you cut everything out, take the front
panel and you're going to trace along the center line and 2 inches at the top & bottom,
keeping the angles the same at the neck line. Draw a line connecting top to bottom,
this is for the reinforcement fabric behind the buttons and button holes.
For the pockets, make a 4 inch square.

Trace each piece on your flannel or fleece. Make sure that you flip the patterns
over for the front panel, reinforcement pieces & collar pieces. In this picture
I marked where the 1 yard mark was so you could see.

But I forgot to make sleeves :)


So take your back & front panels, and line them up at the shoulder, then trace that round angle. For 12 month size, measure out 7 inches from each end & then square off the bottom of the sleeve. Trace those onto your flannel.

Cut each piece out and get ready to sew and serge. First, sew at the shoulders,
then serge or zigzag stitch. Next, serge the bottom edges of the sleeves and
pockets & hem the same way I described in part 1. Add the ribbon about
1/2 inch from the bottom and stitch on both edges.

Pin the sleeves to the front & back panels then sew and serge.

It should look like this after the sleeves are on. Set the pockets aside for a later step.

With right sides together, pin along the sleeve & the side of the shirt.
Then, sew along that seam, then serge or zigzag stitch. Next, take the reinforcement
pieces & sew them on to the center of the shirt. I like the fabric to have the
right side showing, so that's how I sewed it on. When both sides are on,
serge the bottom of the shirt then hem like you did with the sleeves.
Don't add ribbon to this hem, since you'll be adding pockets.
Flip right side out and attach the pockets. I forgot to take pictures of this step,
but its really easy ~ just fold the 3 edges under along the sides & bottom,
then stitch on. Make sure to back stitch at the beginning and end.

The collar was my least favorite part of this whole project, so beware,
it may get a little frustrating! The easy parts are: sew the ribbon about 3/4 inch
from the edge, make sure the fabric lays the way you want it to, if the fabric has a
direction. With right sides together, sew along the first short side, then the side
where the ribbon is and end on the other short side. You should have the
long side with out the ribbon left open.

This is the part that drove me a little crazy, maybe there is an easier way
to do this, I just haven't figured it out. . . fold the flannel inside itself at 1/4 inch,
then pin the neckline of the shirt inside the collar piece.

Sew along the pins, go slow to make sure that both sides of the collar stay in line
with each other & the shirt stays inside the collar. Every single one I made
I had to flip over & sew the other side because I wasn't patient enough to
follow this step, but no big deal since you have to look really close to see the mistakes ;)

The final step that I forgot to take pictures of is to measure your button holes and sew them into place. Open each button hole with your seam ripper then sew the buttons on.

DIY Flannel PJs ~ Part 1: Pants

***When I was at Joanne's this morning I found out that on Black Friday
all their snuggle flannels will be on sale for $1.49 a yard!!!
Can you hear me screaming with joy? I paid $2.99 a yard for these PJs,
so it cost me $4.50 per set; but, with this sale
I'll be able to make 18 month PJs for $3 per set!!!
While you're there check out the fleece since it'll be $2.99 a yard.
You can make pants out of them too, and I'll be posting a top variation next
week that is adorable in fleece.


YAY!!! See you at the cutting table :)

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I have been so busy that October & November
have just been a blur! I made a few of these PJs for baby A & have been meaning
to get the tutorial up. There are a lot of pictures & steps so I am going to do
2 posts. In this one I'll show you how to make the pants; the tutorial for the top
will be posted early next week. The measurements are for a size 12 months.

So here goes. . . .


What You'll Need:
1 1/2 Yards Flannel Fabric {this will cover the shirt as well}
About 24 Inches Grossgrain Ribbon
1/4 Inch Elastic 2 Inches Less Than Your Baby's Waist
Matching Thread
And Your Sewing Machine & Tools :)
Also, I used my Seger, but if you don't have one use your zig-zag stitch.



The first thing you'll need to do is draft your pattern. I use the paper bags I get at
Trader Joe's for my patterns. If you are tracing a pair of PJs you already own,
then trace them on to the paper.

For the rest of us, measure your baby's waist then take that number and
subtract 6 inches. So for a size 12 months the measurement, the measurement
is 19 inches, so it brings the measurement to 12 1/2 inches + 1/2 inch seam
allowance for the top of the pattern.


Next take the measurement from your baby's ankle to the point on the
waist/hip where you want them to rest. Add 3 inches for seam allowance.
In the picture below you can see that I originally came up with 16 3/4 inches
for the length, but the first pair that I made comes up to the middle of her diaper,
so I added 2 1/2 more inches for a total of 19 1/4 inches. So make a rectangle on
the paper bag using these measurements.



For the inseam, I measured from my baby's ankle to her diaper & added 1/2 inch.
From the bottom corners measure up & mark it on your pattern. Next, on the
same corners, measure in towards the middle & mark 1 1/4 inch. Draw a diangle
line from each point.

For those who want just the numbers, here are the
Measurements For 12 Months:

Width: 13 inch {1/4 in seam allowance}
Length: 19 1/4 inch {Finished: 16 3/4 in}
Inseam: 8 inches {1/4 in seam allowance}
Ankle: 10 1/2 inches {1/4 in seam allowance}



Now cut it out and you have your pattern!
Go you with your pattern making self!!! :)

After you trace the pattern twice & cut them out, serge or zig-zag stitch the bottoms,
then fold just over 1/4 inch over and stitch at the 1/4 inch mark. Next lay the ribbon
about 1/2 inch from the bottom and stitch on both edges. Sorry I forgot to take a
picture of this step, but the good new is that you shouldn't have to pin the ribbon
before sewing since it stayed really well against the flannel.

Fold it in half with the right side inside. Sew the inseam then serge or zig-zag the edges.

When both legs have the inseam sewn, lay them together & pin the remaining raw edges.
Sew, then serge or zig-zag stitch the edges.

Turn right side out and admire your work.

Take your elastic & align the edges with one of the seams 1/2 inch from the
edge of the flannel. Place one edge slightly over the other & sew in place.
I like to run the machine front and back a few times. Some people may want to
skip this step & thread the elastic through at the end. I like to do it this way
so that it doesn't roll over on it self to much.

Fold the edge of the fabric over sew around.

I pulled the elastic tight so I could better control it and not sew over it.
Go slow with this step because un-stitching is a pain; but, un-stitching from elastic just stinks.

Finish with a back stitch or 2 and there you go,
some cute little PJ pants that will look adorable on your little one!

MEASUREMENTS FOR:

18 Month
Width: 16 1/2 {1/4 in seam allowance}
Length: 21 inches {Finished: 18 1/2 inches}
Inseam: 10 1/2 inch {1/4 in seam allowance}
Ankle: 12 1/2 inches {1/4 in seam allowance}

FABRIC NEEDED: 2 yards




24 Month/2T
Width: 19 1/2 inches {1/4 in seam allowance}
Length: 22 3/4 inches {Finished: 20 1/4 inches}
Inseam: 13 inches {1/4 in seam allowance}
Ankle: 14 1/2 inches {1/4 in seam allowance}

FABRIC NEEDED: 2 1/2 yards

My Not So Itty, Itty Bitty Dress

When I was pregnant with Aarilynn, I spent hours searching the internet for free patterns or ideas for baby cloths. I found a lot; but, my favorite site is Made-By-Rae. She is uber talented and has so many crafty ideas and baby patterns!!!!!! This is her picture of the Itty Bitty Dress she created and posted on her site:

I wanted to make the this dress ever since I stumble across it, but I wasn't sure how much she would weigh.
Since her sister was over 8 pounds I figured she would be too ~ and she was. Anyways, I finally got my chance to make it for a baby shower. Everyone I know was having boys, so I was super excited when I got invited to one for a girl!


I pulled the pattern out and decided to go a little bigger in case she has big babies too {I was too tired to think of that when she was born} but I went a little too big for a newborn. I guess I just had 12 months on the brain. Since it fit my baby, I had to crochet a cocoon instead ;)

So if you want a 9-12 months, then print it and add like 2 inches on the sides and bottom. Also extend the round part by about an inch. I didn't do this part because for some sleepy reason I didn't think it was going to be this big! I have been making lots of dresses and PJs for the baby, so I must have just been on automatic. Also, Rae's design doesn't call for buttons or zippers, but I added buttons on the back so I wouldn't have to fuss getting it on and off her. I still love this dress and the next chance I get to make one for a baby girl I will follow instructions lol.

If you want to find this dress in a 3T size click here.



Happy Sewing!!!

DIY No-Sew Tutu

These tutus are so simple an quick!! You just need 2 things and a hour of time.
The materials listed will give you a infant/toddler sized tutu.
If you have an older child, just buy a couple more yards of tulle.

What You'll Need:
*5 yards of tulle
[I used the stuff that comes on the bolt since its cheaper,
but you can use the rolled stuff from wedding decor if you'd like.]
*Elastic
[Same measurement as waist]
*Small Piece Of Ribbon or Fabric
[Literally 1 inch is plenty]



First, line up the ends of the ribbon on top of the ribbon piece or fabric
and sew over the piece several times so they are secure.
I put the ribbon down first then held one end of the elastic in place,
then lowered the needle into it; next I put the other end down and
sewed over the 2 ends, then back stitched.
I did this 3 or 4 times.

I only used 1 color of tulle since I wanted a skirt that would make my baby's
crystal blue eyes pop. If you are using more than one color,
make sure it adds up to 5 yards total. Next I took the tulle and cut it
down the middle on the crease from the bolt.
Then I folded it in half several times along the 5 yards.
So the first fold you'll have 2 1/2 yards, then 1 1/4 yards,
then just over 1/2 yard then just over 1/4 yard. Basically, I kept folding until the tulle was about 4-6 inches wide.

Hold the tulle down and cut all the way through every 3-4 inches across
until you have cut all of it.

Now you should have a bunch of strips like this.

Its hard to see the tulle when its just one layer, so I'll use this ribbon to
show you how to tie the tulle to the elastic.
Fold it in half and put the fold under the elastic.

Take the ends and wrap over the elastic then pull through the fold.

Pull tight. Now repeat for every piece.

It should look like this when you're all done.

I've seen hair bands made in a similar fashion.

To make one of those, just grab some coordinating ribbon and attach in the same fashion.