DIY Photo Canvas

Hey Everyone!!!!  Thanks for stopping by- I'm in the process of switching my "Adventures at Naptime" category over to an entire blog of itself!!!!  

I have already moved this post- check it out HERE!

Sorry for the blog-hopping I'm making you do- hopefully you find something helpful at Adventures at Naptime!

My Cup Runneth Over - Large Wall Art, by the Kids

I am in the process of switching all of the posts from my "Adventures at Naptime" category to their own special blog home!!!  

Visit HERE to see a tutorial on how to create meaningful, beautiful, HUGE wall art with your kids!

So sorry for the inconvenience!!!

Mud Room Update

We are so lucky that this little "mud room" came with our house. I would have never been able to pull off the mud rooms you see on Pinterest. People amaze me!!! Anyway- our mud room had 2 hooks. There are 5 people in our family. That have purses, backpacks, dance bags, coats, sweaters, bathing suits, towels, etc. All for 2 measley hooks! Not working- our mud room was more cluttered that peoples homes that don't have mud rooms. So I added some hooks, and wanted to dress it up! Here is what I did, in pictures: 

What I started with- 8x10 chalkboards (Amazon), and $12 frames from Target (glass and matts removed). The chalkboards were gray, and had an annoying border on them. So I painted them with more chalkboard paint, and popped the borders off (so they'd attach behind the frame without causing issues with hanging them). The borders were easy to pop off- probably not a pro most of the time, but for today it was great! 

I also had to paint the frames gold. Like, HAD TO.

The paints I used were:

Finished with step 1!

Step 2- glue the chalkboard to the frame. I used "gorilla glue" bc it's what we had on hand. Kind of annoying bc it dries white so you can see the seepage on the front of the chalkboard- but whatever. Then place them upside down to dry with something heavy on top. We used training skates :) (I left the open space to leave room for hooks- my wall space wasn't long enough for the frames and hooks underneath!)

This was the best before picture I could get. Before pictures aren't my forte. Usually I remember mid-project.

And after!! Love it! 

Got the hooks at Target- $6 for each "rack":

Mud Room Update

We are so lucky that this little "mud room" came with our house. I would have never been able to pull off the mud rooms you see on Pinterest. People amaze me!!! Anyway- our mud room had 2 hooks. There are 5 people in our family. That have purses, backpacks, dance bags, coats, sweaters, bathing suits, towels, etc. All for 2 measley hooks! Not working- our mud room was more cluttered that peoples homes that don't have mud rooms. So I added some hooks, and wanted to dress it up! Here is what I did, in pictures: 

What I started with- 8x10 chalkboards (Amazon), and $12 frames from Target (glass and matts removed). The chalkboards were gray, and had an annoying border on them. So I painted them with more chalkboard paint, and popped the borders off (so they'd attach behind the frame without causing issues with hanging them). The borders were easy to pop off- probably not a pro most of the time, but for today it was great! 

I also had to paint the frames gold. Like, HAD TO.

The paints I used were:

Finished with step 1!

Step 2- glue the chalkboard to the frame. I used "gorilla glue" bc it's what we had on hand. Kind of annoying bc it dries white so you can see the seepage on the front of the chalkboard- but whatever. Then place them upside down to dry with something heavy on top. We used training skates :) (I left the open space to leave room for hooks- my wall space wasn't long enough for the frames and hooks underneath!)

This was the best before picture I could get. Before pictures aren't my forte. Usually I remember mid-project.

And after!! Love it! 

Got the hooks at Target- $6 for each "rack":

Adventures at Naptime: The iPlay

Been working on this gem of a tummy time/ play time blanket for Tate whenever I can squeeze in 20 minutes of downtime for about a month now- it's Tate's very own iPad! :)

I've dubbed it his "iPlay"... I'll post more about it soon. I actually still need to attach the black "screen" to the gray fleece... My sewing machine broke, and I'm waiting on a replacement part I ordered- hoping I can mend it; I have several more projects in my brain begging me to choose them next! :)

Fabric Scraps = Baby's 1st Book

Turn your fabric scraps- especially ones in bold patterns and bright colors- into a visually and sensory stimulating book for a new baby!

Mom Jeans to Boyfriend Skinnies

I'm all about a budget. But try to avoid looking frumpy if at all possible. Which I rarely succeed at- but I'm trying here. Anyway, back to my budget. I'm actually sitting here writing this as I am attempting to dye my hair back to some sort of an original color- highlights are such a waste of cash.

I also have this pair of jeans (one of the few that actually fits the hips that birthed a baby 5 weeks ago, not to mention the muffin top left by my 9.1 pounder!)- said pair of jeans was purchased circa 2003. With about a month's worth of earnings from my college job (I pretty much didn't go out or grocery shop this particular month. Well, I probably went out- but most likely didn't grocery shop. But I digress)....

Anyway, they weren't cheap, they still fit amazing, and they're ssssoooo soft. The downside? They're mom jeans a decade later. (Shutters at the thought) I can't go out and drop a bunch of my hubs' hard earned cash on every latest style of jeans in this particular brand every time it tickles my fancy (mom phrase- shutters again), so I got proactive. Enter pins, scissors, and sewing machine. And leap of faith in my non-existent sewing skillz. Here's how it turned out. Not much of a tutorial bc anyone attempting this with a sewing machine will already know what I did, ha! (I can't caption the photos since I'm blogging from my phone- but *hopefully* you can tell the BEFORE and AFTER!)

Note: The left pant leg is rolled up to show you these can be worn as skinny jeans or skinny boyfriends.   Not trying to start some bizarre trend here. :)

Another Note: Please excuse the closet mess.  

Adventures at Naptime: Activity Kits

I made these for the kids when they come visit us and the new bubby at the hospital- they are a gift from the baby, and will hopefully entertain them for a few extra minutes!

Adventures at Naptime- No Sew Heart Applique

Let me preface this by saying that I did in fact sew a few stitches on this heart appliqué.  

If you don't have a sewing machine you can either a) skip that step, or b) sew them by hand.  

I just like to know that it's a little better adapted for wear-and-tear with some mechanical reinforcements. :)

So, here's how to make your girly-girl a Valentine's Day shirt on the cheap!

1. Get yourself some Heat-n-Bond Lite or Ultra.  

Ultra is best if you're skipping the sewing part.  

I live for this stuff when machine monogramming.  Check out products at Sweetish Baby.  :)

2. Cut out a square of the Heat-n-Bond and follow the directions to iron it onto the back of your fabric. The square should be about the size of the appliqué that you want to make.

3. I used Word to make a heart template.  You could get crazy and free-hand it.

4. Use your template to cut out your shape- I like to secure it using a spray adhesive to prevent slippage.

Peel off your backing, and you're ready to go!

My daughter chose this ruffley pink fabric.

5. Iron on your appliqué.  This would be your last step if you're going no-sew!

6. It's going to hold up better if you can stitch a few- I used my machine, but hand stitches are just as nifty!

7. Trim those edges..

Oopsie!

And then ask your cutie for a photo-shoot.  I'm sure she'll indulge you!

Those boots are to die for.

Nailed it.

Bam.

Adventures at Naptime- Nursing Pancho

I saw this on Pinterest last time I was nursing a baby- and wanted to buy it.  But could never find the original source of the photo to purchase it!  

So, I'm pregnant again.  

And I refuse to succumb to terrible nursing covers with terrible backfat/boob coverage any longer. 

 I thought to myself, "I will make that elusive nursing cover myself.  And I shall call it The Nursing Pancho."

Here's how I did it.  Please.  Do not judge my sewing skillz. I work more from an image in my mind than by directions or dimensions.  Plus I'm working on very limited time, as it is naptime here and I have approximately 1.5 hours to get crap done + this.  :)

K, buy 2 yards of a jersey cotton on clearance.  I paid $5/yard for this gray at Joanne's fabric.  

Fold it in half horizontally. 

Or, for you stuck in Kindergarten like me- "Hamburger Style."

Now measure your wingspan.  

OK not really- measure from the middle of your collarbone to where you want it to fall.  

I wanted it a little below my elbows.  No particular reason.

Fold your fabric so you have this length doubled up on itself. 

My "extra" leftover is on the right.

Whack that leftover fabric off.

This folded closed edge will be the top of your pancho- where your neckline will be.

Now pin where you want your seam. Notice my "closed" top edge is at the top- this is where your shoulders and neck will be.

(Note: you could totally skip all sewing steps and make a seamless pancho.  But then you still run into some boob/backfat coverage issues.)

Don't make your pancho too tight- we don't want to smother a perfectly content nursing baby.  

I pinned my seam about 4 inches from the edge- you can ALWAYS sew a new seam further in if yours ends up too baggy.

Notice my little perpendicular pin at the top for a pseudo-sleeve. 

Get to work-

Whack off the excess - but don't cut too close to the seam!

Now repeat for the other seam on the opposite side.

Hint: try to match the arm seam placement from the other side. :)

Now, here's where it gets real scientific.  Chop off a neck-hole. 

You could get all over-achiever and fold your shirt in half to ensure a symmetrical neckline. :)

Be careful not to cut too much- this is the size I made mine, and my neckline turned out really large.  

Which is fine so you can watch that baby nurse. 

Here's an attempt at a final outcome picture- I will have someone snap a shot of me actually nursing a baby under it in about 5-6 weeks!