Little Bits of Crunch and Fluff

corralling the legos

2011-08-06T15:05:00.009+10:00

DieselBaby (or maybe I should start calling him DieselBigBoy as he's now 3...) got lots of Legos for his birthday. Decided it was time to break out the sewing machine and make some toys sacks to house them in.

Super simple idea. I sandwiched the vinyl between the two layers instead of making all those little seams. Those little seams would have bugged me b/c there is no way I could have lined up the patterns.

Love the details (opposite stripes on the inside and red trim)

The material to make the blue sack came from the remnant bin at the fabric store. Perfect place to pick up little bits of fabric.

I feel more sacks are in our future...

getting patriotic

2011-07-03T11:00:00.001+10:00

I've been asked to come speak to DieselBaby's class on the 4th of July. Other parents have come to talk about their customs, culture, holidays. So this weekend, DieselBaby and I have decided to make Flag cookies. (Ok, not really decided as it is a tradition** so we had no choice...)

I used this recipe. Usually, I substitute almond extract for the vanilla. Not knowing if there were nut allergies, I chose to go with plain vanilla. The recipe really holds it shape when cooked and it's not too sweet.

Using take-out container lids as my guide, I rolled out the dough.

perfect width for the cutter

gotta flour the cutter or the dough gets stuck in all the stars

maybe I should have shaved my edges...

** Tradition being, my mom got this cookie cutter in 1976 - a free cutter to celebrate the bi-centennial of the USA. She made flag cookies that year...and every year thereafter.

There is a picture of me on my first birthday eating a flag cookie. On DieselBaby's first birthday, we got a picture of him with a flag cookie too.

In her will, I got the cookie cutter. My sister got the piano.

pirate time

2011-06-30T17:45:00.001+10:00

Since we're living around the world, we didn't get the pirate craze that hit the US a while ago. (or maybe it's just that we don't watch that much TV).

So when MADE had a pirate post, I was like "meh...". Then Jake and the Never Land Pirates came Down Under (29 May 2011). Holy Moly we went pirate crazy.

So for DieselBaby's birthday, I decided to make him a Jake vest. It looks pretty simple - just a blue vest with yellow trim and yellow buttons.

I used the Frontier Vest but added a fold-over collar. Once sewn together, I added a yellow bias tape around the collar (and blue on the armholes). The buttons were made using some of the yellow bias tape, so they match.

To complete the present, I made a head scarf using some red material I had in my stash, eye patch using black felt and picked up some gold doubloons.

ahoy mateys! the gift was a success :)

birthday shirt

2011-06-22T13:04:00.003+10:00

Hiatus...

2011-06-14T05:42:00.002+10:00

I've been an absent blogger/crafter.... A recent spill has left my cutting, sewing, typing hand non-functioning. I am now on the mend. I've been fabric shopping....

DieselBaby's birthday is coming up, so I must start making his birthday shirt. I've made his previous shirt (1 - flag, 2 - bus, 3- ???) I'm thinking either firetruck or Cat in the Hat.

more pants

2011-05-16T12:55:00.000+10:00

more Made flat front pants. This time with pockets.... and poorly lit pictures

chevron skirt

2011-05-12T08:30:00.023+10:00

Hi SONP-ers! Welcome to my little blog Down Under.

When we moved (nearly a year ago!), I was unable to bring my sewing machine. My darling husband must have been tired of hearing me whine about not being able to sew, b/c I got not ONE, but TWO sewing machines for Christmas. Since it was summer here, I went searching for skirt patterns (my own personal "down with the pants" plan). I stumbled upon Marigold's blog and SONP10. Who'd have thought I'd be contributing to SONP11.

I was trying to think of something new - something not already covered in Marigold's extensive skirt review from last year. That's when I thought about chevrons. I'm seeing them all over blogland. Then my brain started going..."you can't put chevrons on a skirt. a skirt is curvy. it would just look all wonky." Time to prove my brain wrong.

I took my favorite skirt (Lands' End, A-line, side zipper) and drafted a pattern for this project.

For my pattern:
W = waist measurement
A = W/4 (top of yoke)
B = A + 2cm (bottom of yoke and top of skirt)
C = A x 2 (bottom of skirt)
L = length
Cut fabric (I used stretch cotton poplin) - skirt pieces (2) and yoke pieces (4). I couldn't decide if I wanted to use the skirt material or accent material as the waist yoke, so I cut 2 pattern pieces of each fabric.

Don't sew skirt together yet. It is much easier to sew the chevrons on when the pieces are separate. Go ahead and hem both front and back pieces.
Time to start getting the chevrons ready. Using this tutorial as my guide, I made a template (since I don't have a rotarty cutter/ruler). I thought I'd make paper zigzags first since I don't want to mess up with my actual fabric.
Cutting lots of practice zigzags also let me experiment with layouts. Oh the possibilities!!!
Time to get started on the real thing. After a couple goes, I found it easiest to fold my fabric in half and start at the folded edge. This allowed me to cut two layers at once. (Make sure you use the correct side of template - notice one side is not a full pattern).

Now back to sewing the skirt. You can now sew the sides together however you like (I like French seams so there are no raw edges to fray.)
When making the yoke, I would add a layer of interfacing. Not necessary, but it would give the top a little more stability when wearing. (or maybe you don't have a post-baby gut like mine...)

Lots of tutorials out there for zippers. I read a few after my last zipper debacle, then did some trial-and-error.

And now you have a cute, little skirt that is oh so trendy.... My husband said it looked like a Charlie Brown skirt. My co-workers loved it.

ignore my leg jutting out in a weird direction. I promise it's not really that contorted.
And yes, that is how tan I get in the Land of No-Ozone!

COST: $22.35

1.3 m stretch cotton poplin (navy) $15.50

0.2 m David textiles 'linear stripe' $2.60

zipper $1.50

thread $2.75

Thanks for stopping by!

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the stories of a2z
someday crafts

Nurses Day

2011-05-12T00:01:00.000+10:00

Today is Nurses Day (Florence Nightengale's birthday).
Thank you to all my fellow nurses out there in blogland!

KCWC day4

2011-05-11T10:20:00.001+10:00

I was able to sew another pair of pants today. NOT picture worthy though. I used an old pair of my yoga pants to make a quick pair of pants for DieselBaby to have at daycare as back-up.

I thought using pants that already had seams and elastic and hems would be easy peasy. Not so. I think these pants took me longer than any of my previous pants. And these aren't even cute!

COST: free

all material on hand/repurposed

KCWC day3

2011-05-10T12:15:00.008+10:00

Well, day 3 is here and so am I. Can't believe I'm still chugging out clothes for the little guy. Maybe it's the mountain of fabric I have right now.

Big surprise....I did another pair of pants for DieselBaby. This time I added a button-fly. DieselBaby has been working on fine motor skills. He likes doing his zipper on his jacket in the morning.

The pants still have elastic in the waist, so if he has to go RIGHT NOW, he can just pull them off. Although I imagine explaining to a 2 1/2 year old that he doesn't have to do the button is quite tricky.

It was my first time with the button fly, so mental notes for next time.

don't need to use interfacing - it made sewing the placket (?) and cutting the buttonhole a little hard
make R front a little wider in the center - so the placket can be centered

next time....

COST: $4.00

Happy sewing

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i heart naptime
skip to my lou

KCWC day2

2011-05-09T11:00:00.009+10:00

EDITED to add: these much be magic jammies. DieselBaby wore them last night and slept until 7:15am! I can't remember the last time he slept this late. He normally wakes up between 5:30-6:00.
______________________________________
DieselBaby needs new pajamas. All his PJs are from before we moved (read almost a year ago). He is a blanket kicker, so this winter, I want him to wear long pants to keep his legs warm.

Enter super cute, super soft train fabric. I modeled the pants after the previous ones I made him. Only this time, I used a "pattern"...well, at least some forethought.

I haven't decided if I'm going to hem them or leave them long. If the legs are long, then I can tuck them in his sock. This might keep the legs down and his legs warm. But I don't want him to trip on them when he's walking.

Since I had some material left from my 1/2 meter, I decided to make a shirt.

There wasn't that much material left, so I added the gray band on the bottom. (same material from this skirt/recycled top. I have a ton of material due to a mistake in converting yards to meters + over estimating so I would have enough = TONS of fabric).

COST: $5.50

** didn't realize till I was cropping the photos that DieselBaby had used the camera and put little smudgy fingerprints all over the lens...hence the fuzzy nature of the pics.

Linked in at:
Thirty Hand Made Days

KCWC day1

2011-05-08T22:00:00.005+10:00

Got up this morning and decided DieselBaby needed some new pants before church (main reason...someone ::DieselDaddy:: forgot to do the laundry). I just so happen to have a lot of fabric lying around, so I whipped up a pair of cool, blue corduroys...

Of course I used the MADE flat front pants (I'm addicted. They look so cute!) Since I started the week out by sewing something for the little guy, thought I might as well join in the Kids Clothes Week Challenge....

COST: $3.85

0.5 m navy corduroy $3.85

elastic - on hand

craft room

2011-05-02T23:15:00.001+10:00

I've been sewing a lot recently getting ready for Summer of No Pants. Since we are in a 1-bedroom apartment, I've had search out somewhere to do my crafting. My sewing machine sits on top of DieselBaby's bookshelf. My ironing "board" and cutting area is the kitchen counter.

just a peek at my "craft room":

Given the close quarters and the late nights that I've been sewing (gotta wait until the kiddo is sound asleep or else he'll wake up), my pics are less than stellar. Half the time I've gone to take a picture only to find out that DieselBaby has been taking pictures with my camera and the battery is drained (hence the iPhone pics). On days that I can sneak out of work early, it's been rainy so the natural light shots are non-existent.

Someday I'll have a proper craft room...someday.

pants

2011-05-01T16:30:00.005+10:00

I've been sewing recently for Summer of No Pants, so that has taken up most of my sewing time. Gotta make sure my skirt looks awesome (which it does...wore it today and got heaps of compliments).

Here is a recent quick sew for the little man. From MADE pants tutorial. Love these pants b/c I can whip up a pair quicker than it takes me to blog about them. These are just the basic flat front. No extra pockets.

They aren't really uneven. Promise. One leg is just hanging a little flouncier.
I went to Target on Saturday - looking for pant for DieselBaby. $22 for pant for kiddo! I think I threw them back on the rack like they were contaminated. I could not justify spending that much knowing at home I had cheap fabric and a quick pattern.

COST: $1.20

remnant $1.20

elastic - on hand

thread - on hand

easter

2011-04-22T23:45:00.007+10:00

It's the night before Easter, perfect time to do one last "craft".

DieselBaby loves lollipops (or "lick its" as he calls them - he likes to crunch them and we keep saying "Lick It!". Hence the name.) I thought I'd "Easter-up" his lollies.

The egg carton houses a friend.

** On January 10, 2011, CBC news reported that a Kinder egg was seized from a woman's car during a random inspection when entering the United States from Canada. She was informed that bringing the egg into the United States could result in a $300 fine and sent a 7 page letter regarding the egg's disposal. I mean seriously...it's a candy. And a toy.

Hoppy Easter!

Earth Day shirt

2011-04-21T06:00:00.019+10:00

What do you get when you take a skirt your husband accidentally bleached* and add leftover fabric???

an EARTH DAY SHIRT!

This skirt is the first thing I made with my new sewing machine - made a top to match. Wore it once, then it met a rag soaked in bleach. I've had it sitting in my scrap pile trying to figure out if I wanted to try to fix it (huge patch?? tie dye??). Along comes Earth Day and I decide the time has come to give this skirt new life...

I wanted to cut out a map, but knew it would be too difficult to cut the fabric with all those curves. I used fabric stiffener to make the green fabric stiff (obviously....). I was then able to cut the intricate map much easier w/o having to worry about fraying. (I just print out a globe and used it as my template.)

I looked all over for a picture with both North America and Australia, but one couldn't be found. So he got just North and South America. I added the "heart" and "r" to make it an "Earth Lover" shirt.

Close-up of the intricate work. It was actually easy to cut once stiff and the applique sewing wasn't that hard (as long as I took my time).

Big Earth Day hug to you!

(shirt made using 90-minute shirt pattern from Made)

COST: free

all material on hand/repurposed

*(we never use bleach, but DieselBaby had a nosebleed one night. a HORRIBLE nosebleed. All over the bed. In our fully furnished apartment. We tried everything to get the blood out. We had to resort to bleach to get the blood out of the mattress. DieselBaby and I left the house during prime fume time.)

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rocketman

2011-04-18T19:45:00.016+10:00

During my pregnant/"bed resting" days, I came across this rocketship. I bookmarked it in case we had a boy. Well, the day has come to make my boy a....

DieselBaby has been diggin' the rockets recently. He has PJs with rockets and planets. We see the moon every night when we walk home from 'school'. He knows you have to take a rocketship to get to the moon and that we live on planet "Earst".

I used double layers of fabric to make it sturdier. Not because of grand design, bc of a "oops!". I forgot to separate my layers before i started sewing the circle/astronaut hole. I used this tutorial to make the circle. Super easy!

I decided to add the monogram to his rocket. Although now I'm not so sure that was the best idea. He is totally in the "C is for crocodile", "M is for Mommy", etc stage. "A is for rocket"?

As luck would have it, we had a huge pile of laundry to do (see this post about the great laundry debates). I used the dryer lint as stuffing in the rocket. It didn't fill it up - we didn't have that much laundry!

Lucky it's Easter time. I actually found these eggs at the craft store.

Astronaut DieselBaby...ready for take-off

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tater tots and jello
skip to my lou
sugar bee crafts
sew much ado
fireflies and jellybeans
Thirty Hand Made Days

new skirt love

2011-04-15T11:30:00.009+10:00

I remember when I was a teenager, my mom bought my sister some sailor pants. My mom said she loved them and that they were very figure flattering. My sister and I, both not caring about our figures b/c we were skinny-minnies, made fun of those pants. We called them "diaper pants". Not sure where that name came from....

Fast forward XX years (20?? no...I'm not that old!) to my new favorite skirt. When I cut out the pattern, I added a little extra width to the hem. I like the look of A-line skirts.

There is a hidden panel connecting the 2 sides. This really helps to keep my post-baby belly bulge in check.

The fabric is a Home Decor fabric I found at Lincraft. It reminds me of Carolina from Alexander Henry. I like that the added weight helps to keep the shape of the pattern.

Back side panels mimic the front. Slight ruching might disguise the extra padding I've developed on my hips.

And course it wouldn't be "Sewing with DieselMonkey" without a little OOPS! I even followed the instructions this time. I never follow a pattern. In my defense, it was my first time ever sewing a zipper.

I plan on making a corduroy one for the winter. Not sure what color. I'm thinking maybe a nice plum...

COST: $28.60

1.4 m Hibiscus fabric $18.00

.25 m black chino fabric $2.00

thread $2.50

buttons $6.00

Linked in at:
.

cheap pattern storage

2011-04-14T19:00:00.000+10:00

I realize it isn't rocket science....

Recently, I have been drafting my own patterns for DieselBaby and myself. The papers were becoming a bit unruly and I needed some way to corral them. Out of desperation, I reached for an empty cereal box on it's way to the recycling area.

I folded all the little pattern pieces inside a large piece and tucked it in the box...instant "organization" On the outside piece, I wrote what the pattern was for so I could grab at a glance. In the future, I might pick up some manila envelopes to slip all the pieces into.

I could have taken the "classy" route and covered the cereal box with pretty papers. I've done that with some boxes for DieselBaby's color books. I was desperate (for organization). lazy. and cheap.

I opted not to cut one side down like a magazine holder. I feel like it hold the papers in better.

Reminds me of my old drafting days in college.

If I get a few projects going at the same time, I could use a box per project. Putting the pattern, fabric pieces and notions in the box. Then I could just grab the box and start working instead of trying to hunt down all the parts of the project.

everyday is a rainbow...

2011-04-13T07:30:00.007+10:00

DieselDaddy and I were trying to help DieselBaby understand when things were going to happen - like church, swimming, treats. Unfortunately, toddlers can't really understand "you will go swimming on Sunday/4 days". So we came up with a chart so he could visually see when he would be able to do something.

I originally had the numbers 1-5 (the days he goes to school), but I found it easier to say "you have 3 more school days until...."

Now, we say "Today is Tuesday, Orange day. That means you will go swimming on Sunday. Pink day. How many days until swimming?" The visual has also helped cut down on the whining. "I want a treat" We tell him to go look at his calendar and tell us how many more days until he can have a treat.

After doing it for a few weeks, I actually found myself dressing him in the colors of the day. It doesn't always work that way, but....

Best of all...I used things I had on hand :)

remnant skirt

2011-04-11T19:10:00.020+10:00

There is a hoity toity fabric store on the walk to DieselBaby's school. The fabric is waaay out of my price range. Why do I stop by? Because the have an awesome remnant bin.

The fabric has threads stitched in the geometric pattern. Nice color combo for fall. I have a mauve/rose nail polish that matches :)

I used a (H&M $10 linen, drawstring) skirt that I liked to draft a pattern.

I took the top of the skirt measurement x2 to make sure it was at least the same length as my waist circumference. Then I added 2 inches for seams and comfort.

For the length, I measured the lenth of my H&M skirt. Then added 1.5inches (1.25 inch hem and 1/4 inch for folding at top).

For the width of the skirt, I measured my H&M skirt and added an 1 or so for some flare. I like the A-line look so I wanted to make sure my hem was a bit wider than my waist.

I connected the waist line and the hem line and ...voila...my pattern.

Turn right sides together and stitch up the sides and hem.

wow that looks really LONG

I folded the top edge over a smidge, then about 1/8-1/4 inch (using the thread lines as my guide). I like to enclose the raw edges so they won't fray. Then I zigzagged the elastic on the top (pulling the elastic gently as I stitched). I wore the skirt to work today with a tuxedo top from H&M. I got heaps of compliments on it :) I was almost embarassed to say how easy it was to make. I think the drafting of the pattern took me longer than the actual sewing....

(gotta love how formatting is either smooshed together or spaced far apart...)

Bowling anyone?

2011-04-11T06:30:00.006+10:00

Reduce, REUSE, recycle

Been saving up 2L Diet Coke bottles for a bit.

Ok, not really saving, I just hadn't gotten to the recycler for a while. (and sadly it did not take me long to get this many bottles. i love Diet Coke) I need to get a Soda Stream...

This weekend, I lined the bottles up and.....STRIKE! We bowled.
I originally thought tennis balls would be best, but our soccer ball had the best knocking power.

I've thought about spray painting these. I should also rinse them out (made evident by the above picture) and glue on the caps. Nice little choking hazards...

Sorry...no action shots. We were having a blast bowling. I did more setting of the "pins" than actual bowling, but fun none-the-less.

preview

2011-04-09T17:30:00.002+10:00

Just a little preview of some upcoming posts.

(don't judge the cereal. We were desperate for cereal one nite and the only thing open was the market downstairs. We paid thru the nose for our yummy nutty cereal.)

Love this fabric. It actually a home decor fabric but I had a vision

...

deodorant - revisited

2011-04-07T09:00:00.004+10:00

A little over a year ago, I raved about the crystal deodorant. Since then, we moved to an area that sees 40+C/100+F summers. I brought a "conventional" deodorant/anti-perspirant "just in case". I am happy to report that I have not needed to break it out. I have survived the extreme heat, walking to and from work/daycare (some days carrying DieselBaby) using just the crystal.

A few months back, I dropped my crystal. It shattered. I took the big pieces and saved them thinking I could rub them on my pits. Um..no. Sharp edges. Sensitive skin. Salt stick. Ouch. So, I went looking for a new crystal. $7 for the crystal? I bought mine for $1.30. I couldn't pay $7. Never mind the stick lasts me several years.

So I went to the Body Shop to try their $16 new deodorant. It does not work. Break-thru stink by mid-morning. Time to take matters into my own hands...

I took those chunks of crystal and dissolved them in a cup of water. Boiled it for a bit to make it concentrated. Then I poured it into the roll-on bottle that the Body Shop deodorant came in. Success!! I roll it on the pits (it drips, but it's water and salt). After the water evaporate' I can see the glisten of salt crystals my skin. And NO STINK!! I have since used all that dissolved solution up and bought the $7 crystal. (only to have DieselBaby drop it and shatter it). So I dissolved the chunks. Again.

Mission Organization - shoes

2011-04-06T20:00:00.006+10:00

One of my daily blog reads, iHeart Organizing, is having a purge-a-thon. Since we recently moved halfway around the world and only took 7 suitcases worth of stuff, I didn't think I'd have much to "purge".

It's true...I don't. I only brought two pairs of work shoes, and trainers (I did bring back my beach shoes when we were home in January). Since I rotate my work shoes each day, can't get rid of those. And my trainers...what if I actually decided to work out. Gotta keep the beach shoes bc I don't want sand in my trainers or work shoes.

What I can do is organize our shoes. We have a little "nook" under the kitchen island as you walk into the apt. We always just chuck off the shoes, turning them into one big shoe pile. I see it as a learning tool - DieselBaby has to find a PAIR of shoes each morning. See...he's learning!

But seriously, the space needs some organization.

I had picked up some big foam letters and various wooden pictures when we were state-side. I put the foam letters up over the area DieselBaby would put his shoes. I added a little helicopter ("hell-i-doctor") and a hook for his school bag/hat.

For DieselDaddy and my shoes, I just lined them up. We'll see how long that lasts....

Oh...and I totally miss my shoe collection. I had 2 Ikea shoe organizers that I had filled with a rainbow's color of shoes. I loved my shoes. My pink shoes. My red shoes. My green shoes . But sadly, they didn't all make the cut to get their passport stamped...

Little Bunny Foo-Foo

2011-03-31T19:16:00.000+11:00

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....

Mr. Green Jeans

2011-03-30T15:00:00.003+11:00

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

2011-03-29T15:30:00.001+11:00

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.

Makin' muffins

2011-03-28T09:00:00.008+11:00

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.

Sparkling jewels

2011-03-27T09:15:00.002+11:00

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...

Winging it...

2011-03-20T08:45:00.005+11:00

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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Sleepy sheep

2011-03-12T07:45:00.001+11:00

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.

Stenciling DieselMonkey style...

2011-03-07T13:30:00.004+11:00

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:

Shirt facelift

2011-03-03T13:30:00.001+11:00

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?

from scraps to...

2011-01-18T09:30:00.001+11:00

Pretties....

I made 2 slits on the bottom fabric to slip the barrette thru.

easy peasy gift...

2011-01-05T08:30:00.000+11:00

I think I'll do this again next year. It will be interesting to see how DieselBaby's hand grows through the years.

Office supplies + too much time =

2010-12-23T02:15:00.000+11:00

Look familiar?

Interesting comparison

2010-11-21T10:15:00.000+11:00

In their defense...my recycling is a "community" recycling bin for my cubicle mates b/c the office recycling is too far away....

laundry...

2010-02-12T18:25:00.005+11:00

...always an area of discussion at our house. I do all the diaper laundry. DieselDaddy does the other laundry (supposedly).

We definitely have different theories on laundry.... I do all the laundry. It might not get folded or put in the proper drawer, but it's all clean. DieselDaddy waits until he's almost out of 'roos and then does just what he needs ('roos, socks, etc). He actually went out and bought me more underwear b/c I kept asking him to do laundry b/c I was almost out of 'roos. He will always fold it, but never put it away. It annoys me immensely. I need my work clothes cleaned every week. Not when there is a big pile. 1) i don't have that many work outfits. 2) doing that much laundry is such an overwhelming task.

When I started using cloth diapers, I became more conscious about what I was washing with. A lot of conventional detergents contain "extra" ingredients (brighteners, enzymes, fragrance). I also switched to using plant-based surfactants vs petroleum based products.

I realized that you do not need a ton of suds to actually get things clean (this took a while for me to grasp...i love suds). I recently read an article about how much laundry detergent we actually waste... Is this a conspiracy from the manufacturers? why do they have 3 marking levels on the cup when they say level 1 will get your clothes clean? why is the top mark not at the top of the cup? why are the markings so difficult to read unless you tilt the cup while holding it up to the light? they know people mindlessly fill those cups. we are filling our cups waaay above the mark that will actually get our clothes clean. washing away our money as we do. Our clothes are not getting as clean if we have tons of suds that just re-settle on our clothes along with the dirt. No wonder we need "brighteners" in our detergent.

I will admit that I still glance in the washer and look for suds. I often get the urge to pour in an extra bit of detergent just to get the bubbles.

One more reason to know what you eat...

2010-02-08T13:36:00.011+11:00

We have been eating these Simply Fruit "roll-ups". The other day, I purchased some Fruit by the Foot b/c in purchasing it, I actually got my Fiber One bars cheaper (buy 3 get $3 off).

Anywho...I was grazing the other night, so I thought I'd try one. I remember loving them on the rare occasion that my mom bought them.

OMG..blech! They were the most bland "snack" I've had in a long time despite being so colorful. I would have thought that with all the extra (un-pronounceable) ingredients that the flavor would have been enhanced (?). We will definitely be eating the Simply Fruit ones from now on. The FbtF have already been given away.

Simply Fruit:

Apple Juice Concentrate, Dried Apples, Strawberry Puree, Canola Oil, Fruit Pectin, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Blueberry Juice Concentrate, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Natural Flavor, Sodium Sulfite Citric Acid

FbtF:

Grapes from Concentrate, Sugar (at least not HFCS), Maltodextrin, Corn Syrup (oh...wait...), Pears from Concentrate, Carrageenan (?..oh seaweed...natural), Citric Acid, Acetylated Mono and Diglycerides (?), Sodium Citrate, Malic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Locust Bean Gum (yummy!!), Natural Flavor (shouldn't this be in ""?), Potassium Citrate, Color (Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1) (yummy)

darn you formatting...i had this in nice columns to compare, but the formatting got all wacky....

R.I.P. Sadie

2010-02-03T14:16:00.005+11:00

Group hug!

even though I am not a "dog person," you won me over with your gentle nature. you graciously shared your "babies" with me and let me sleep on your couch.

we will always love you.

deodorant

2010-02-03T05:14:00.004+11:00

I bought a crystal deodorant more than a year ago while looking for something aluminum-free to keep me stink-free. I have found it to be cost-effective. I bought a little travel-size stick because i figured if it didn't work I wouldn't be out too much. Over a year later, with daily use, I still have at least half the stick left. I can't believe how long it has lasted. In the same amount of time, I would have bought 3-4 conventional deodorant/anti-perspirants.

When applying, the armpit needs to be wet so i put it on right out of the shower. It's not a quick "swipe swipe" like other deodorants. I usually rub it on for 10-15 secs. I figure it takes a little bit for the water to melt (?) the salts for them to be applied.

This is NOT an anti-perspirant. I still sweat, but I find it is not as much as I used to sweat even with conventional deodorant/anti-perspirants, and the sweat doesn't smell.

I found there was a "detox" period when I started to use this deodorant. I think it took my pores several days to get the yucky gunk out, to be receptive to the crystal. After those initial days (used over a long weekend), I have not noticed a stink. I often have my husband or close friend to do a smell test because I have always had a fear of being "the stinky girl".

I HIGHLY recommend the crystal deodorant.

compliments...

2010-02-03T05:00:00.005+11:00

I like to complain.

(DieselDaddy might say I love to bitch).

People seem to have no problem complaining, but rarely give compliments. I have been trying to give more compliments (who couldn't use a pat on the back occasionally). I've sent emails to:

- Kashi - love their GOLEAN Honey Almond Flax cereal, it doesn't get mushy in milk.

- Keen - I love my Seattle shoes. I have worn them (almost) everyday for almost 3 years. I had to check Zappos to see when I ordered them (4/07).

- GudonyaToo - love their deodorant and Salty Dawg shampoo. (deodorant review to come....)

- BioKleen - love the dishwasher detergent. it smell fresh and clean and actually cleans the dishes!

- CVS - this was actually a complaint. they never have sale items stocked (errr!) and there is a checker who is a real jerk. One night he refused to give me a bag. I had to carry two 2L of Coke home in my arms as I walked thru the park. Last night he refused to let me use a coupon that Cocoa-Cola mailed me for a free 12-pack.

I'll add more as I send 'em....

Bubbles, bubbles, darn you bubbles....

2010-01-30T02:30:00.004+11:00

I have been trying to use products that are better for the environment and me (free of parabens, SLS and petroleum-based ingredients, no animal testing, biodegradable).

A few months back, I found a great deal ($7.99 for 32 oz) on Nature's Gate liquid soap in a refreshing scent-Pomegranate Sunflower. I love the way it smells. I love the way it lathers. So does DieselBaby. He loves all the bubbles it makes for him to play with. That should have tipped me off that something was not right. This morning in the shower, I was looking at the bottle and noticed that the front says "Paraben free" but there were lots of hard to pronounce ingredients on the back. Looking it up on cosmeticdatabase.com, this soap has a rating of 5! That's the same rating as the Lever 2000 that I made DieselDaddy stop using! Granted, the Nature's Gate is never tested on animals and it is biodegradable and the Lever 2000 has lots of hard to pronounce ingredients, but I had expected a better rating than that Lever crap.

I'll finish my bottle, but I will definitely make sure to look at the back of the bottle before I buy in the future. Any good soap recs?

Cold weather rant...

2010-01-29T02:05:00.003+11:00

So... it's FREAKIN' cold here (I know...I'm always here to give the breaking news). I walk to work every day (by the time I walk to the bus stop, wait for the bus, stop-and-go to my stop and then walk to the office I could have already been at work.) Here are a few things that irk me:

1) to the hoochie girls i've passed on my walk: it's minus a bajillion degrees out. you are wearing your big poofy coat and current season UGG boots. why do you have your ear muffs strategically placed under your perfectly coifed hair? put a damn hat on!!!! no one cares what your freaking hair looks like when it is this cold out (or dare i say...we never care what your skunk-striped, over-processed locks look like.) This is said by the woman wearing a ski mask, earband, and thermal hat.

2) to the man who rides the elevator with me twice a week: it's minus a bajillion degrees out. I'm standing in front of the (outdoor) elevator. the red light is on indicating that i've already pressed the UP button. why do you have to push me out of the way to push the button not once, but twice??? do you really think i'm standing here b/c i like the cold??? no. i'm waiting for the elevator. like i do every day.

rants over.

Baby belugas....

2010-01-26T13:39:00.003+11:00

DieselBaby is obsessed with belugas. He loves watching/listening to "Baby Beluga" or reading his "beloo beloo" book that we got last time we went to the Shedd. The moment I walk in the door, all I hear is "beloo beloo" (so cute, but easily annoying).

The Shedd Aquarium has a special deal (probably in honor of their newest beluga). Buy an adult ticket and get one free child ticket! This is running thru March 12th so plenty of time to see the new guy.

Soup's on....

2010-01-25T13:33:00.004+11:00

I love love love the corn chowder from Au Bon Pain. I'm sure it's laden with fat and clogs my arteries just thinking about it. We bought some organic frozen corn when we went to Costco, so I decided to try my hand at making chowder. I found a recipe at Epicurious.com and modified it. (Have I mentioned I don't follow instructions/patterns? no wonder my Architecture instructors hated me.)

I nuked 10-12 red potatoes for 5 mins until tender. Meanwhile, I melted 1T of butter in our large Le Crueset and added my minced onion (only had 1/2 an onion in the house would have preferred more onions). When the onions were translucent, I added 1/2 red pepper and a few diced carrots. Then I added 1T flour and cooked for a min. I added 3 cups boiling water and chicken bouillion, the tender potatoes that I cut in 4s, and a few shakes of thyme. Brought this all to a boil for ~10mins. then I blitzed (love my Bamix! it is the one my mom bought in the early 80's. if that's not EF....). I added 3 bottles (yes, DieselBaby's bottle) full of frozen corn, several carrots (diced), 2 ribs of celery, the other 1/2 red pepper (small dice), and 1/3 cup cream. I had no chicken in the house (and ABP's chowder doesn't have chicken in it). I added a dash of paprika, a couple glugs of Worchesterchire sauce, fresh ground pepper, and salt (kosher...of course!). Simmered for 10-ish minutes while my biscuits baked. can you say Carb-olicious?

I prefer my veggies a little al dente (DieselDaddy does not), which is why I added them towards the end. This was surprisingly good. I think the Worchestershire sauce added some nice flavor. DieselDaddy begrudgingly ate it. DieselBaby ate it (between bits of biscuit he shoved in his mouth). I will be eating it all week for lunch.

yummy (semi-quick) b'fast

2010-01-24T03:07:00.007+11:00

i purchased a couple Pillsbury crescent roll packages a few weeks back, thinking i would make them with one of the crockpot meals. this morning i was craving a pastry, so i thought about making the rolls with some chocolate chips in the center (yummers). then i found a recipe for cheese danishes (knowing DieselDaddy would prefer cheese to chocolate). I modified the recipe slightly.

i opened the roll and cut it into 11 rounds (using thread to neatly slice). i smooshed the center slightly then added some filling. i used 1/2 the recipe for the filling (with some leftover). i put some preserves in some as well. it took about 18 mins to bake (longer than i had expected). once semi cool, i put some icing on mine.

they were very yummy and may become a staple of my weekend menu. also, not too caloric (used low-fat rolls, low-fat cream cheese, and low-fat sour cream)

it's a crafting holiday...

2009-12-23T09:30:00.004+11:00

I had huge aspirations for this Christmas. Lots of cool toys/crafts to make for DieselBaby. It seems like every day off I had was spent doing other things (laundry, groceries, sleeping, etc). Finally got a chance to do some crafting this week.

First, I made some fabric blocks. DieselBaby got some for Christmas last year and he loved playing with them. They are a present for some little ones. One has different textures (corduroy, felt, fleece, etc) and the other has rainbow colored fabric.

Then I made a stocking. I had wanted to cross stitch one last year, but couldn't find a pattern. Seriously, where do you hide those things Micheals, Hobby Lobby, Prairie Gardens?? where?? So as this year started to run away from me again, I thought I'd just whip one up. Maybe DieselBaby will get a new stocking every year. That will be his tradition. (just kidding since that would be sooo un-EcoFriendly). The stocking is felt with a minky cuff. I love minky, but its a *** to work with.

Lastly, made him a stuffed monkey with velcro facial features. He is learning where his eyes, ears, nose, mouth are. I thought this would be a great way for him to practice. "where is the monkey's eyes? nose?". There is little pocket in back to hold all the little pieces so we don't lose them. In hindsight, I'd probably stay away from felt as it snags on the velcro. The pieces are also a little small and will probably get put in his mouth at some point. I used old pieces of fabric and the scraps from this project to stuff the monkey. Trying to be EF....

(tried hard to flip these pics, but wouldn't happen)

ETA: The monkey pattern was just freehanded. I'm not one who follows patterns. If you are interested in my "pattern" or want one for your little one, just let me know.

Turkey time!

2009-11-24T09:15:00.000+11:00

Loving my newest craft project. I made a turkey shirt for DieselBaby to wear on Thanksgiving. The feathers are bits of scrap fabric (ok, they would have been scrap fabric if I sewed a lot. The fabric was actually purchased to make this.) The body is an old pair of corduroy pants. The eyes and beak actually are scrap bits of fabric from this summer's banner projects. I sewed down the center of each feather so it can move.

Did you know that it is freakin' hard to find plain t-shirts/onesies for kids? i searched for several weeks to find a plain shirt for this project. Thinking maybe I'd find a clearance t-shirt i could just layer. Nope. Nothing. I ended up getting a (way too expensive) t-shirt that had a pocket and tearing the pocket off. Next time I find plain shirts, I'm definitely stocking up. I have plans for a Christmas shirt and Easter shirt....

finger puppet fun...

2009-11-17T11:40:00.000+11:00

I made some pages for a "quiet book" for DieselBaby for our recent trip to Boston. The pages were not as much of a hit as I had hoped, but the finger puppets were well received. I used them to entertain him on the airplane. He loved putting them on my fingers.

the "quiet book"... but will it work?

2009-11-11T15:30:00.010+11:00

When planning our upcoming trip to Boston (yeah!), I was trying to figure out ways to get DieselBaby quiet during the plane ride. I during my endless surfing, I happened upon this awesome craft blog. She has a tutorial for a "quiet book" she made for her son. I used her patterns along with some pages from my book as a child to make one for DieselBaby. I was a bit rushed as my projects always seem to be more time consuming that I had planned.

This page has a person (well, it's supposed to look like a person). He has several shirts and pants that can be changed. I had a wonderful cotton print that had lots of Hawaiian print shirts on it. I cut out a few shirts. The pants are a bit of corduroy from pants that got a whole in them.

I had a page like this in my quiet book, but the clothes were just pieces of felt.

Unfortunate placement of a velcro dot makes the un-

clothed person a bit risque...

A rocket that shoots the moon....

I'm mighty impressed with my tulle

smoke and orange felt fire

shooting out of the rocket.

Mailbox that has a door that closes. The letter is attached with elastic so he can take it out. The flag also goes up and down.

The barn is cool. The doors open to reveal animal finger puppets inside. I hope we don't lose them. The cow has brown spots, so I think that makes him a Holstein cow. The pig has a pink curly tail on the bag (pink rick rack). The chicken is white minky. So soft!

sorry the pics suck!

2009-07-02T11:58:00.007+10:00

Recently, I received some samples of organic lotions (ok, it was an Earth Day promo and i'm just getting to use them). I thought I'd compare the 2 lotions since they were both organic and both lavender.

First I tried Avalon Organics Lavender lotion. It was thick, went on smoothly and smelled very calming. I plan on buying some as soon as my current lotion stash is depleted (ok, dwindles....)

Then, I tried Dessert Essence Organics Bulgarian Lavender lotion. It was much runnier and had an "off" smell. I couldn't even finish the sample.

(admittedly not the best review....but I'm writing this after the fact, so it's not like I took copious notes....)

Ok, now on to my "hmmm...." moment. I got a bunch of samples in a reusable tote from Drugstore.com during an Earth Day promotion. Doesn't that sort of defeat the whole idea of being good to the earth? All those tiny plastic bottles (only a few of which were recyclable) and tiny foil packets (which aren't recyclable)...

Still channeling Martha....

2009-06-23T11:23:00.004+10:00

So I also made a t-shirt for the big day. It was also surprisingly easy.

If I had any talent or time, I might think about opening my own Etsy shop....

Channeling Martha Stewart

2009-06-23T06:45:00.001+10:00

So with a big birthday coming up, I felt the urge to channel Martha Stewart. I want a banner that says "Happy Birthday". In the spirit of being EF, I have decided to make one. One of the most daunting things about this banner was the letters. Do I do felt? How do I cut them out so they look half-way decent? How do I attach them- stitch or iron? Searching my favorite place to shop (Etsy), I came across some awesome letters that you just iron on. SCORE!

First hurdle crossed, now what colors do I use? I had a devil of a time deciding between a Stars and Stripes theme or fun colors/patterns. I opted for bright colors so we could use it for other birthdays.

There are lots of patterns on the web. I just wanted some triangles, so I made a template and got cutting. Cutting a gazillion triangles with scissors is a pain in the tushie. Luckily Joann's was having a sale on Fiskars, so I got a rotary cutter and mat. That thing was a huge timesaver!!

Making sure I spelled "Happy Birthday" correctly...

Done!

I'm so proud of myself. It wasn't really that hard/time consuming either. We'll have to see what I can whip up on my next day off....