Repurposing towels

A while ago I posted about my serger envy....well shortly thereafter temptation got the best of me and I went ahead an bought one. Not a really expensive one, but just a simple starter machine from Wal Mart. Figured if I didn't really love it then I would just box it back up and return it without a problem.

Well after a brutal battle with threading the machine, seriously, it was like an hour and half, and the stupid thing is even color coded, I finally was able to get some things sewn on it and see what it can do.

I'm still new to the serger world, so bear with me as it will take some time. And along with awaiting  a new baby in our home some crafty projects are just not going to get done for a while. But here's what has begun....

Baby wipes/washcloths! Super super easy. Some are made of flannel and then I had a couple old baby towels that were stained and didn't look great to use again, but I didn't want to pitch them, so I cut up the good pieces and made the washcloths.

Have a serger and want to make your own. (I suppose you could also do it if you did a zig-zag stitch along the ends of the fabric on a sewing machine as well.)

I cut squares of 8.5" fabric (flannel on one side and cotton on the other)

Laid them together with wrong sides touching each other and ran them through the machine. Finished product was super quick!

Definitely think I am in love with my new gadget!

Homemade baby wipes!

At one of my baby showers a couple of weeks ago, one of the gals gave me a Domino Sugar container and bottle of water.....no really, that is what it was, kinda.

So of course it peaked my curiosity and I opened it up first, and lo and behold....homemade baby wipes!!!!!

Super cool idea, do you know how many of those are consumed in our home! Well hopefully this will help out some and help with some diaper rash when it comes.

Cut a roll of Bounty paper towels in half and place into a tub. (Don't buy generic.)

Recipe for solution:
1 oz. baby oil
1 oz. baby wash ( any brand)
1 oz. witch hazel
1 3/4 c. water

Mix all ingredients, add to tub, let it absorb and then remove towel inner tube and use within 2 weeks.

Great idea Jesse!

Making Boo Boo Bags

My little boy is constantly showing me the power of boys and getting into his little scrapes and scuffles. But when he has a boo-boo he hates to put ice on it to make it better because it is too cold.

So I found these "grow" bubbles in the plant decorating section at Michaels, made a little baggie and filled it with the beads. When you run it under water the beads expand and are soft and squishy in the bag which allows me to put it in the fridge to cool without getting frozen. Super easy fix to his boo-boo situation.

Want to make your own....super easy way to do it!

Supplies: Two 3x4 pieces of fabric and water beads

Stitch the fabric with right sides together and leave an opening on one side. Snip corners and turn right side out.

Add 1/2 tsp. of water beads into the bag. Top stitch around the bag to close the seam opening and provide reinforcement. Add to water so beads expand and put in fridge for next boo-boo situation.

Personalized Tumblers

So if you have followed my projects for a while, you know by now how much I adore all things personalized!!!! When my crafty mama friend Emily showed me her tumbler, I knew I had to make one. While she used acrylic paint to decorate hers I turned to my trusty Cricut and used some vinyl for mine. And with some girls throwing me and my little bean a baby shower, I decided to make some for thank you/appreciation presents for them. 

Process and Supplies:

• Vinyl sheets for the Cricut (got mine online super cheap)
• Double walled tumblers from Wal Mart  (These are not dishwasher safe)
• Clear paint sealant for acrylic from Michaels  (This is dishwasher safe) 
• Small foam paint brush to apply sealant

I cut out the vinyl with my Cricut in a 4" letter and 2.5" burst shapes using the Lyrical Letters cartridge. Attached the letters to the tumblers and then sealed the outside of the tumblers with the sealant. (Memo: You can't wash the tumblers for 10 days with the sealant because it takes that long for it to permanently seal into the plastic. The actual dry time is about 3 minutes, but it will permanently alter the cup so it can be washed over and over without coming off or spoiling.)

Finished project....Love me some reusable and personalized cups!

Potato Bags and Casserole Covers

I came across a few tutorials online that I really loved. For some Christmas presents this year I made some potato bags. (Tutorial here.) Love these little suckers, great for taking to work and eating a nice warm potato or when you are in a pinch and don't want to wait around to bake them.

Then for a recent wedding I went to, I decided to pair up a potato bag with a casserole cover. My girlfriend made me one a year ago for a birthday present and I've loved it and used it a ton. (Tutorial here.)

Definitely a great gift set idea and super great gift for a new wife starting out her kitchen.

Nursery renovation

So remember that elephant fabric I bought to use....well I was really scared to use it. You know that feeling when you get fabric you love and don't know what to use it for? Afraid to cut it and screw up the material? Well maybe you don't get that, but I do. 

I finally decided to make a toy basket for my little bean. I used the green elephants for the basket, and then I made a curtain with the brown fabric. I tried to take a picture of the curtain, but I couldn't get a good shot. With the scrap fabric I had from the curtain, I used a the elephants to put onto some baskets my girlfriend gave me that she got from the dollar store. Just a nice little way to add more color and elephants to the room. 

Yeah, we've already filled the basket with toys and baby items :)

Think the brown adds a nice little touch.

Randomness

I have SERGER envy....all of a sudden I desperately want to buy a serger machine to work on tons of projects. Let's see how long I can hold out!


There are at least 3 or 4 projects on my table that are finished and waiting for photos so I can post them. I really need to get to that, but to be honest, I don't want to get out of bed enough to go do it now....darn pregnancy.

I have been crafting...sorry crafty followers, I can't post it all yet since it is mostly nursery decorations. But pictures will come soon.

Will go to sleep now, hopefully I will feel well enough this weekend to do some crafty things for you!

For the mama's with diaper babies...

So I have three codes for Amazon that will allow you to take 20% off of diapers if you order online....and since my little bean isn't here yet and I don't know which brand of diapers he will use I don't want these to go to waste. Two of them expire tomorrow, one expires in March on the 31st. I put the expiration date next to the code.

You can only use one per purchase, so only take what you need. Codes can only be used one time as well.

First come, first served....only thing I ask is that you become a follower of the blog and leave a comment letting other moms know which codes are already gone.

1- YTDR-ECJG65-2WPGJ3  (2/28/11)

2- YJDS-FKLCMB-P3WL6A (2/28/11)

3- YJJZ-JW7K7Z-LRW3Y9 (3/31/11)

I Spy Tube & Giveaway!

 I've seen little "I Spy" baggies everywhere. And while they are simple enough to make, I wanted something even simpler....and something that I could do with my little man and didn't require any sewing.

When my husband got me these little watches for Valentine's Day and I saw the nifty tubes I had left over...mind went into thinking how I could use them....I Spy tubes!!!!

 So I took the sticker off the tube, (used a little Goo Gone to get the glue off) and bought some tiny craft beads at the store.

 Had my little guy pick 10 different little buttons and beads like a fish, heart, starfish, etc. and put them in the tube.

 Add tiny beads to the tube.... be careful, this could get messy! We did it slowly and mommy helped out immensely.

 Then I used crazy glue to glue the cap into place on the tube so nothing can come out and becoming a choking hazard. Then off to go play and find all the little goodies in the tube!

Want your own "I SPY" tube????? Enter to win the giveaway by doing the following 3 things: 

1- Become a follower of the blog. (Click FOLLOW over on the left hand side.)

2- Leave a comment on this post and let me know if you want an I Spy tube for a boy or girl in case you win. 

3- Become a fan of The Woobie Shop's FB page.

These make a great toy to take along to a restaurant, in the car, something for church, or a treat for a present. 

Winner will be chosen on Feb 24th after 12 noon.

Valentine Swap Help....

A girlfriend from church decided to do a Valentine Swap. Several of us signed up and we were sent someone's name to be their secret Cupid. The challenge is we have to either create or purchase an inexpensive item and use the word LOVE as our inspiration.

So blogger friends....I need items that start with the letters L-O-V-E.


Ideas????? Share in the comment section below. Much appreciated!!!!