Boy's Boutique Appliqued Shirt/Pant Sets

 My newest little boy outfits!  I hope you love them as much as I do!  The pants are completely lined adjustable waist cargo pants with roll-up cuffs.  The shirts are appliqued to match.  I'll be selling similar outfits at Tinsel &  Treasure here in Knoxville TN the weekend of November 2-4.

Changes, New Jobs and Crafty Stuff!!

Still looking for the gold at the end of the rainbow!

Wow!  Is today really August 24th?  Has it really been 4 months since either of us posted?  The only explanation that I have is that a lot of things have happened since April.  I guess the most important is that Joy went and got a real paying job!  It's hard to believe.  She has managed our parents' business for over 7 years, but with the economy the business has declined.  She is still managing their books but isn't managing the retail store anymore.  My husband has recently started his own business and I'm running his office from home.  I love it!  Which brings us to why you've not seen a post for 4 months; you all know that I am not a committed writer.  I am going to try to do better though and my hubby is begging me to start actually selling my items instead of just giving them away.  Joy may pop in every once in awhile; she's not completely out of the loop she's just extremely busy now.  It'll take her a month or two to figure out how to juggle everything and still find time to do her crafty things.

I do have a few new items that I've made, but yes, I gave these as gifts too.  I can recreate them for anyone who is interested.  I guess I like making things for someone specifically.  I like having that person in mind and putting all my time and love into making the perfect items just for them.  Our brother & his wife are expecting their first child.  It's a little girl and all these items were made for her.  Our newest addition is expected to arrive on September 26th.  This will be my parents' 18th grandchild.  We are so excited and I can't wait to show you pictures of the baby in this special outfits.

Peasant Dress, Bloomers, 2 burp cloths, headband with bow, and matching shoes

Peasant Dress (pattern from Sew Much Ado) with Bloomers

2 burp cloths made with 6 ply Gerber cloth diapers

University of Alabama pillowcase dress, 2 burp cloths, and headband with matching bow

2 burp cloths; one made with 6 ply Gerber Cloth Diaper and the other backed with soft minky fabric

Layette/Gown, pacifier clip, headband with matching flower, and 2 burp cloths

2 burp cloths backed with soft Minky fabric

White Eyelet Blanket

Let me know if you are interested in an original gift set just for your little one.  I love creating baby clothes and would love to make something special just for you!

~Lulu

Ties, Ties and more Ties

While Joy was using ties to dye eggs I was making a tie.  I couldn't find one for my hubby to wear for Easter that would match my dress so I improvised and made one!  For my first try it wasn't too bad.  Let us know what you think.

2012 Easter Tie

Handcrafted by Lulu!

Tie-Dyed Easter Eggs

Tie-Dyed Easter Eggs is something I tried a couple of years back and it was super cool to do.  I don't have any pics of the last time I did it, but I wanted to post the instructions for my own memory.  If I have time to make some this year I'll take plenty of pics and try to post them next week.

Items Needed:

• 100% Silk Tees (I go to thrift stores to find these for a $1)  The darker, more vibrant colors will work best.  Look for reds, dark blue, purple, etc.  Honestly usually the ugliest ties make the prettiest eggs.
• Eggs
• Twisty ties/Rubber bands
• Light Colored Pillowcases/Dishtowels (think something old & cheap)
• Pot
• Water
• Vinegar

Directions:

Alright, I'm going to word this the best I can without any pics of the process.  First you deconstruct the tie.  Seriously, rip that badboy up.  Cut it right up the seams.  Then wrap it around the egg, with the printed side touching the egg.  Pull it as tight as possible and then use a twisty tie to hold it in place.  Don't worry if there are folds in your fabric - it'll create a super cool pattern on your egg.  After you have the eggs wrapped in their ties, you're going to cut up that old pillowcase/dishtowel and wrap it around the silk covered eggs.  Pulling it as tight as possible and securing it with a twisty tie as well.

Next, put the eggs in a pot.  Cover them with water and add some vinegar (if you need an exact measurement go with 1/4 C vinegar).  Bring to a boil and let them boil for about 20 minutes.  Once they're done and have cooled unwrap them to see how they turned out!

Hope everyone has a Happy Easter!

-Joy

The Great BM of 2012

Look at that Sweet Boy!  Isn't that the most precious face you've ever seen?  Well, don't let that fool you.  I have got a great story to share with you.  Please do NOT read any further if you have a queasy stomach.  You have been warned!


Sweet Boy has been potty trained for a while now, but like most 3 year old's he does have an occasional accident.  Keep in mind that the occasional accidents are always #1, never #2. . . until last week.  Now remember that Sweet Boy's daddy has been working out of town and now he's been working 60+ hours at his regular job and taken on a side job.  So it's just been me and Sweet Boy around the house most of the time.

One night last week I fed Sweet Boy his supper and then turned on his TV and told him I was going to take a bath (this is part of our routine - he watches a movie while I shower then I give him his bath).  Now he knows not to come into the bathroom unless there is an emergency.  He will come to the door and talk to me, but he never comes in unless something is wrong.  I had just turned on the bath water and set down in the jacuzzi tub when he walks in and I immediately see he has no pants or underwear on.  Just a Tshirt and yes. . . there is diarrhea running down his legs.  So I jump up, put my robe on and hose him off in the shower. Then I run a normal amount of bath water with bubbles and tell him I'll be right back.  I go to survey the damage. . . 

The floor in my room looks good, the hardwood downstairs - no messes.  Halfway up the stairs I see it. . . yes, he's got poop on half the steps!!  I walk into his room and it looks like a diarrhea EXPLOSION!  No joke, like 5 spots on the carpet then it's on the carpet on the way to his bathroom - looks like he really tried to make it to the potty.  Because right beside the potty are his underwear, shorts, a giant puddle of pee and what must be 45 POUNDS of poop!!  I'm not lying.

So I clean all this up to go back downstairs and find that Bad Kid (Sweet Boy's other personality) has turned the water back on.  At this point it's within an inch of overflowing.  But he was so pitiful and said his belly hurt (like that wasn't obvious from all the poop hanging out in the house) so I just let it go.  We got him washed up and out of the bathtub and he asked me "mommy, what are you going to do me?"  And I said "for what?"  and he said "for my accident.  are you going to spank me?"  And I felt so bad - I mean he obviously had gotten sick in his bedroom and ran to the potty and just couldn't make it.  Then he came to me for help.  And thought he was going to get a spanking.  So sad. (And please don't judge me if you don't agree with spanking.  Believe me the spanking's are rare in this house.  Of course I did not spank him).

Now I know this is a loooong disgusting story and you may be wondering what the point of it all is.  Well, the point is. . . there is no point.  It was just sick nasty and I had to live through it so I figured I would describe to someone else and make them sick, too :)  Have a great day!

I'll leave you with a pic of Sweet Boy (aka Bad Kid) in the almost overflowing tub he created the night that will go down in history.  The Great BM of 2012!

Thankful Thursday!

Whoa!  It's Thursday again!  And we got a surprise visit from Lulu yesterday.  See, I'm telling y'all she's really the talented one in the family.  She has so many cool things in her craft room.  Seriously, the other day I was at her house in total awe at the fabrics she has.  In my head I could see all these awesome creations, but alas time. . . there's never enough time.

There are so many things to be thankful for today.  But, mostly, I'm excited that tomorrow is Sweet Boy's FIRST Wee Ball practice!  He is so happy and has been looking forward to it all week.  His daddy is supposed to go buy him a bat and glove this afternoon and I can't wait to see Sweet Boy's face when his dad brings it in.  I'll take pics of his first practice (of course!!)  and be sure to share them with y'all next week.

Now, I'm going to be honest about something.  I'm a lurker.  Seriously, I read so many blogs and forums and NEVER post or comment.  I love to read so sometimes instead of reading a book I'll find a new blog I like and go back several years and read into the present.  It's so much fun.  But, since I have this annoying habit of reading blogs like novels now that I have started (trying) to write this blog it's hard for me to find my "voice".  Does that make sense?  Like, obviously from previous posts, I'm a Christian and I love the Lord.  But do I want to write about that all of the time?  No, probably not.  I'm also a wife and mother.  And as much as I love my husband and son I don't really want to write about them all the time either.  Now I know we started this blog to show our crafts & items we'll be selling on Etsy soon.  And we are going to be doing that, too.  But, how interesting is a blog that's only trying to sell you stuff all the time?  In my opinion, not very interesting.  And then there are those blogs I read that are so sarcastically funny that I'm absolutely laughing until I cry the whole time I read them.  But, to be honest with myself. . . I'm not really that funny.  So, I'm asking you to be patient with us while I find my "voice".

The thought running through my mind today is:
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: 
for my strength is made perfect in weakness. . . 
1 Corinthians 12:9


~Joy

Memo Board

Aqua & Grey Memo Board

A peek into my craft room...

...more to come!

~Lulu