31 March 2011

Little Bunny Foo-Foo

Originally when I made my Peeps garland, I planned on sewing right sides together, turning and top stitching. Halfway thru bunny #1 I realized that would take me for freakin' ever. Nevermind that I was so engrossed in thought that I forgot to leave space to actually turn the bunny right-side out.

On to bunny #2. This time I left enough room to turn, but didn't have the energy to go press the bunny then top-stitch x 9 (well 8 at this point). So I abandoned the turned and top-stitch idea. I decided just to sew the two layers together and leave the fraying edges.

Bunny #2 has now become a hand puppet for DieselBaby. He loves playing with it. Hopping all over. He wanted to take it for "show and tell" but I'm not sure Bunny #2 would stand up to all those kiddos....




30 March 2011

Mr. Green Jeans

Time to use all that fabric I bought yesterday. Making the flat front pants from Celebrate the Boy (as had been my plan with the blue fabric). Adding my own ideas...of course...







Gotta have the shirt to match his rockin' new pants.


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29 March 2011

searching for wabbits...or eggs....

Busy day planned for my "day off". After I dropped DieselBaby off at school, I headed to Lincraft. I perused the aisles for what seemed like eons. I ended up buying tons of fabric. Lots of projects rolling around my brain...

I want to make an Easter bunting (time to actually decorate our little abode). I was thinking this bunting from Made, but of course adding my spin. Maybe doing Easter eggs instead and embellishing with buttons, ribbons and scraps. Plus, Lincraft had an atrocious felt selection (like same primary colors and and super thin). So I thought I try to dye muslin.



Holy moly turmeric really makes fabric YELLOW!!! So...


DieselBaby walked in and immediately saw them. "Somebody brought bunnies!" (don't ya love the view)

I still have the aqua and the pink. They are all cut out, just need some more ribbon to string them on.

28 March 2011

Makin' muffins

When I was little, my dad would make bran muffins for breakfast. I've started the tradition with DieselBaby. He's started waking up asking to make "cupcakes". I usually have him line up the muffin cups and sort them by color. He also likes to mix. We add chocolate chips and peanut butter. They are delish! Recipe from All Bran box, with adaptations...


Ingredients

2 cups Kellogg's All-Bran cereal

1 ¼ cups milk

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 egg

¼ cup vegetable oil (or coconut oil or applesauce)

cooking spray

chocolate chips, raisin, etc.

cinnamon and sugar


Instructions

In large mixing bowl, combine Kellogg's All-Bran cereal and milk. Let stand until cereal softens (about 5 minutes). Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs and oil to cereal/milk mixture. Beat well. Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined. [This is where I add the chocolate chips (~1/4 cup)] Pour batter into muffin cups coated with cooking spray (makes 12 regular or 6 jumbo sized muffins). Top with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400 F about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

27 March 2011

Sparkling jewels

My jewelry was starting to look a little lack-luster, so I decided to clean it while I got ready for work. It's quite easy. You probably have the "cleaner" already in your medicine cabinet. The results are quite spectacular (in sparkles and residual gunk).


Pour in just enough peroxide to cover the jewels.

Wait a few minutes.

Voila!


No elbow grease involved...

20 March 2011

Winging it...

Here I go again....trying to sew without a pattern.

A few days ago, I picked up some remnant fabric at the "hoity toity" fabric shop ($3 for a smidgeon of fabric). I thought I'd just make DieselBaby some shorts - he can always use more shorts. Problem was that this fabric was a little too dressy for school shorts.

DieselDaddy started showing me shirts he thought would look good made out of the fabric -picture kaftan or something like this tunic this from Made By Rae. Little did DieselDaddy know, I'd been Celebrating the Boy and planned on making DieselBaby some new clothes.

So I got it in my little brain to make a shirt instead of shorts. No pattern... no problem. (See, I'm to cheap to actually buy a pattern, b/c what if it's too hard, or I don't like it, or...or...I'm a cheapskate.)

I found a button down shirt of DieselBaby's (that might actually fit. Who knows...he never wears it.). Traced that shape and then started splicing in my "ideas".



Voila!
I used every last bit of that fabric. The contrasting inner is actually b/c I didn't have enough of the plain navy. I think the contrast gives it that added "pop".

And since DieselBaby isn't around to try it on, you get Oatmeal (the bear) wearing the shirt.


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I Am Momma Hear Me Roar

12 March 2011

Sleepy sheep

As I was browsing the fabric store this morning, I came across the cutest fabric. It was so soft. Just begging to be taken home and made into jammies. Unfortunately, it was too pricey for me to make jammies for myself. But I know a little guy who is in desperate need for more jammie pants.


Of course, it wouldn't be "Sewing with DieselMonkey" without some "oops!" moments. I have a pattern that I've drafted, but I keep forgetting which is the body and which is the legs. I, once again, drafted upside-down. This made the body part very short.

So I dug thru my scraps bag and came up with some blue ribbing that matched the sheepies. Oh, I also neglected to pick up more elastic when I was at the store (oops!). So I decided to stretch the ribbing to make the top of the pants.

Turned out well despite the Oops! I'm glad DieselBaby won't be wearing these outside though...they are a little wonky.


07 March 2011

Stenciling DieselMonkey style...

What do you do when you have a white t-shirt with a stain,

a big wall sticker, and some paint?

A cute little shirt for DieselBaby!

The elephant sticker outline was used with a circle placed for the eye. The "E" was made by putting a sticker on the shirt and putting a square around it with cellotape. I cut up a kitchen sponge and applied a mixture of grey and silver paint. Once the paint was dry, I used black to detail the ear, legs, and tail.
Linked in at:
I Am Momma Hear Me Roar

03 March 2011

Shirt facelift

I don't know about you, but I have a few shirts in my closet that I don't wear b/c they are not flattering. Boxy. Drab.

I decided to give some a facelift...









Voila....shirt that fits and makes me feel feminine.

I was able to give 3 shirts a facelife during one episode of "What Not to Wear". Appropriate, no?