Giddy-Up!!

 At least 2 years ago I bought this cute little retro cowgirl outfit at a yard sale.  I thought it was kinda throw back Dolly Parton or something.  Plus little girls can get away with wearing totally ridiculous things....like fringe and horse head shirts.  Now at the time my little girlie was barely ONE and this was a TWO year old outfit, but I figured SOMEDAY my little girl would be a cowgirl...but it just never happened.  The fairs here are all during the summer and too hot for long sleeves and no other occassion warrented a fringy horse head.  SOOO this cute little number hung in the closet and got smaller and smaller.  BUMMER.  Well the other day a huge haul of thrifted clothes and a FULL closet required some mid-SUMMER cleaning, so I decided to discard all of the too smalls hanging out in Emersyn's closet.  I decided the horsies---no matter how cute---had to go.  Then I had AN IDEA....I have pretty much shortened the sleeves on every hoodie and sweater I own....WHY NOT A SHIRT???  What could it hurt??????

SOOOO here you have it....

HOW TO SHORTEN THE SLEEVES ON SHIRT OR DRESS SHIRT!!!

The process was a little bit different, but the idea is the same.  First I unpicked the arm from the shirt.  I think if you had a regular cuff you could do EXACTLY like a sweatshirt, but I needed to salvage my cute cuff.  Once the sleeve was off, I cut the TOP of the sleeve.  I just free handed it...but make sure to copy the SHAPE of the top of the sleeve.  You need the curve to make the sleeve look right.  Make sure you use the cut sleeve as a pattern for cutting the 2nd sleeve so that they are the same length....which is always a good idea:)

Then i just followed the steps from SHORTENING a hoodie sleeve.  Which are....
1. turn your shirt inside out. 
2.  put your sleeve (right side out) inside the arm hole.  This should put them RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER)
3.  Then line up the seams for the under arm and pin. Make sure that these seams line up...otherwise your arm-pit looks WONKY.  You don't want a HOMEMADE looking arm-pit!!!!  ALSO line up the middle of the top of the sleeve and then middle of the top of the arm hole and pin. 
4.  Pin all the way around. Your sleeve may not be the same size as your hole....just evenly disperse the fabric and pin well.  I left all of my extra at the top of the sleeve and made little pleats on the shoulder.
5.  Sew around the sleeve hole.
6.  Flip it right side out and enjoy!!!! 

I was so happy that this worked out. The shirt was perfect for a COWGIRL night at the fair!!!    That is just how my Cowgirl poses these days...not sure why, but you get a pretty good view of her sleeve..haha!!!

I would really recommend measuring how much to cut off.  I was on the safe side and didn't have my Cowgirl handy....I could have for sure gone a bit shorter.  But that didn't stop her and her bestie from having a fun old time at the fair!!!

She got in some good practice on her Rodeo Queen wave during her PONY RIDE. Seriously..what could be better than riding a pony IN a pony shirt?????  Nothing cuter that is for sure!!!

I think this NEW way of shortening sleeves will be great for me.  I have short stubby arms, so long sleeves never fit me quite right.  PLUS I like 3/4 better than long sleeves....so I will have to start QUARTERING I guess. 

Here is the whole HANDY family.  Don't feel bad for BABY BOY not having a COWBOY outfit...He had just already POOPED OUT his overalls.  Just so you know we are EQUAL opportunity with our Cowboy/girl attire over here;)

Happy "shortening" Ya'll.  Just a warning....it can be exhausting being so cute and cowgirlie...be prepared!!!!

Fact OR Fiction???

I have never been a big fan of non-fiction.  I am more of a historical fiction kinda gal.  BUT the whole fiction thing takes a bit of time and a few more brain cells than I have available at the moment.  I need something that you can jump in and out of and skip around in. PLUS I kinda like this little thing called LEARNING.  So I have started to check out a few non-fiction books from the library.  

I started with BABY LOVE by Norah O'Donnell and Chef Geoff Tracy.  This book was a good start for me to begin learning about making homemade baby food.  It DID have a few good recipes and tips, but it also had stuff that was WAY beyond me.  Like Baby Couscous.  When my kid is ready to eat couscous, I will probably just feed my kid what I have made us for dinner.  PLUS I don't even know what Flaxseed is, probably not going to figure it out just to make some yummy apple pie like baby food.  Just my opinion.  I am not a chef. I would have rather had more BASIC recipes...just my opinion.  Overall good information though...

   Next up, THE ONE MINUTE CLEANER by Donna Smallin.  It claims to give you 500 tips for cleaning smarter and not harder.  I need all the tips I can get.  This was a quick read.  Just brief little snipits about cleaning.  Perfect for reading while feeding the baby or during a 5 minute break from....feeding the baby again;)  It had great info about alternative cleaners and different ways to lift stains and odors.  It also gave some good tips on getting your house cleaner and more organized so that it is EASIER to clean.  Who doesn't want that??  I plan to read her other book...THE ONE MINUTE ORGANIZER....sounds like someone we need to hire at our house.

Next on the agenda, Real simple SOLUTIONS.  I love this magazine, so when I spotted the book I grabbed it right off the shelf.  I REALLY love the photos.  So clean and lovely.  This book (and the magazine) has great little tips for organizing and cleaning.  Actually solutions for everything...how to clean your hairbrush...the best way to ripen tomatos....easy decorating tips...you name it.  I also love that the pictures explain the process....easy and fun to look at.  This book really reads like a magazine.  I recommend!!

And last, 365 Activities You And Your Toddler Will Love.  This was one of those books where you think....I know how to play with my kid...I don't need a book.  AND you are right.  BUT this book did have some fun little activities that I will try.  Like songs with hand motions.   Or little craft ideas that I would not have done.  It is always nice to have a new fun idea floating around up there.  PLUS it is a good reminder to ACTUALLY do things with your little ones besides feed them, bathe them, and watch Dragon Tales with them.  I would say this book is geared more towards younger toddlers, 12 months to 2 years, but it did have some good activities and simple science experiments that would work with those crazy 3 year olds too. 

Happy Reading (and learning)!!

Dirty Little Secrets...

Meet my WIP basket.  We have not been on speaking terms lately, but I have decided to give him another chance.  Poor guy is overflowing with un-finished projects, mending, ironing, partialy sewn pieces of clothing, pants with no buttons...YOU NAME IT.  I have officially decided to DE-clutter my life a bit.  I got rid of TONS of un-used fabric and notions, I have re-organized my craft room, and I am ready to get the mess under control. 

STARTING with THIS darn basket!!!! 

 First on the list....pillowcases.  A few months back my Mia-Maid girls sewed up some pillowcases for ConKerr Cancer. It is  a great organization that gives cute handmade pillowcases to children undergoing cancer treatments.  ANYWHO...a few of the girls did not finish and a bunch of the donated fabric was cut and ready to sew.....SO I took it upon myself to finish them on up.   

 It took a night of mid-night sewing, but I FINISHED.  The girls had made 4 and I finished up theirs and made 11 more.  We had already sent off 6 from our first go around.  THAT makes 21 of these little cuties that are going to be out there helping cute little kids to feel better.

 It is a WIN WIN.  I get to mark something off my TO-DO list AND help.  I used THIS pattern from MADE and still love it....so simple and easy. 
Now I have to get myself off to the post office before another 4 months has come and gone!!

 Anybody else have a BIG fat basket full of dirty little secrets???? 

HOW TO: cut a watermelon

Now I know this seems like a silly thing to post about...AND IT IS.  BUT it blew my mind and made me WANT to buy a watermelon.  Usually I am at the store and WANT to eat watermelon, but DON'T want to deal with the mess.  Sticky floor, sticky cutting board, juice EVERYWHERE.  NOT WORTH IT!!!

But yesterday my dad brought over a watermelon (how can you resist free produce???) and I did't wanna waste it.  SOOO I tried to think of a less messy way to cut it.  Go outside....good, but still a mess out there.  Cut into slices and eat it out of the rind....not doable for a 3 year old.  THEN I had one of those moments.  You know the ones like Oprah always talks about???  I was like AH HAH!! I've got it!!!  Now you may have had this moment years ago...if so ....good for you.   BUT if you, like me, have been avoiding sticky melons for the sake of laziness, this is the AH HAH you have been waiting for.

You simply have to cut the stupid thing on a towel.  Then all of the sticky juice drips on the towel and NOT all over your counters and floors. 
Did I just blow your mind???  I hope so!!!  Totally changed my life.   I even drove by a fruit stand today and thought...hey maybe I should stop and pick up a watermelon....and maybe even a Honeydew.....endless fruity possibilities....  :)

Happy Summer Ya'll!!!

Repurpose--Hoodie to DORA BACKPACK

Backpack was a hit yesterday.  You know when you make something and put your heart and soul into it and then....NOTHING.   Nobody cares.  No reaction.  NOTHING!!!!  THIS was not one of those projects.  I got a hug, a kiss, a thank you, and little happy dance, some jumping up and down, and a run around the yard.  CAN'T beat a response like that. 

SOOOO anyway...this is a simple little backpack made from an old hooded sweatshirt.  How can you resist a FREE project???   If you wanna ACTUALLY read through the tutorial....its after the jump ( I didn't wanna bore all of you unsuspecting NON Dora fans!!)