Tall & Slender Stand-Up Tote Bag

I love to make bags. This is a new pattern I developed; a tall and narrow tote with long straps. 

I love the pink and soft gray color combination. 

It would be great for toting around knitting or crocheting projects in progress. 

Check it out in my Etsy shop!

Teach Your Child at Home: Part 2

My little guys love to play with water. So when I saw an idea on another blog for an educational water experience, I decided to try it. My three-year old loved it.

What is floating? What type of objects float? Why do they float? What is the opposite of floating?

We gathered some random items around the kitchen and tested them in a large plastic bin. Silverware didn’t float. Neither did coins. Lids for plastic containers floated, but if they got filled with water, they sank.

Fun times.

We also tried to make a (pretend) hot-air balloon following some instructions in a book, but it didn’t work out too well. My three year old kept saying he wanted to make a ‘real’ hot air balloon and insisted all the materials we would need would be Daddy’s tools!

“Flock of Birds” Yoga Skirt

Monkeys in Action: Part 4

I’ve forgotten quite how much work 13-month old children are. 

The littlest guy may not be walking quite yet, but he sure can climb.

Twitter

Hi Crafty Friends! I'm on Twitter now. You can find me @jvturbo.

Swim. Bike. Run.

I did a triathlon a few weeks ago.  I am posting this brief account in case any of you are considering signing up for one—I encourage you to do so as it was really a lot of fun. This was just a ‘sprint distance’ tri, but I did not sprint!

Upcycled Tank: Updated with Fabric Flowers

Do you remember the upcycled bow tank I posted here?

Pesto Sauce Recipe

I love basil. Pesto is made from basil and often tops Italian-style dishes at restaurants. You can buy it at the store, but I’ve found it is expensive and usually very oily. I’ve made it a few times and wanted to share the recipe! Mine was made using my Vitamix Blender,but you can use any type of blender or food processor.

Boy-Theme Onesies

I embellished some onesies that are boy-themed as some baby gifts. I made a few extra to sell.

Kids’ Black Pants: Upcycled

Black pants. Not too exciting. But they fit. And they were free. My husband had been given a pair of pants a few years back that were just a smidge too small. They had been cast-off from someone else. Barely worn. So I cut them down to fit our little guy.

Upcycled “Lounge Pants”

…because pre-schoolers need to relax, too.

Upcycled Handmade Pants with Flannel Lining.

I’m starting to understand why quality clothing made by workers who are paid a fair wage costs money.  Meaning: Made in the USA!

AstroBrights Paper

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Astrobrights Papers by Neenah Paper for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

AstroBrights paper offers a line of products ranging from envelopes, cardstock, self-adhesive paper and more that is 20% thicker than regular paper. With 23 different colors, such as "Lunar Blue" and my favorite, "Plasma Pink", they have fun colors you'll recoginze are unique to AstroBrights paper.

The colors would be perfect for invitations, crafts, or just everyday use (they do make note cubes!) Their self-adhesive paper would be useful for various crafts or organizing projects. Colorful paper or labels always make mundane things more interesting!

AstroBrights is hosting a sweepstakes called "Give a Brighter Year". You could win $30,000 in paper products to benefit the school of your choice."Give a Brighter Year" sweepstakes To enter, go to the AstroBrights Facebook Page. Plus, you could win a $500 cash prize for yourself.

Astrobrights on Facebook

There's also a "Make Something AstroBright" challenge on the Facebook page. Share your AstroBright paper crafts on Facebook for your chance at a prize. I'd love to see what you submit! 

AstroBright Papers is active not only on Facebook, but Twitter and Pinterest, too! Use the hashtag #goastrobrights to share your ideas. 

It is always super fun to work with materials that are bright and colorful. Try AstroBright paper and make your crafts extra bright! Or use the AstroBright papers next time you need to make a boring flier. Bright fliers aren't boring and they are certainly more likely to be noticed! 

Five More Children's Books We Love

I love to read books to my kids. I posted a few titles that might have been new to you awhile back (Five Children's Books We Love). Here are a few more suggestions you may not have read before! (You can click on each for a link to Amazon.)

I just happened to pick up this one at the library this weekend and it is hysterical! The pictures are great and made us laugh:

Sewing Books I'd Like to Own

I don't own any sewing books. But I've been working hard this week on sewing a few things for my oldest son and I'm realizing it might be time to break down and buy some patterns. Books seem like a great way to get patterns. Here are a few I think might be a worthwhile investment.

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I think this might be a 'must-have' for me. It was recommended in a comment I received and I would use it. A lot:

Famous Footwear

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Famous Footwear for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Everyone loves new shoes. I have shopped at many stores for shoes, and Famous Footwear is a great place to check for back to school shoes for your kids. Shopping at Famous Footwear is easy, as the sales people are ready to help if you need it but also allow you to browse in peace. Their displays make it easy to see the variety of shoe styles available. 

 

Right now, Famous Footwear is offering a back-to-school promotion: 15% off + Buy One, Get One Half Off (BOGO). 

It would be easy to shop at Famous Footwear because you just have to make one stop to get all the shoes you need for everyone in your family. Maybe you'll even find a pair for yourself while your kids are choosing their new kicks! The store claims that you can buy three kids shoes in 20 minutes. That leaves you time to look for shoes for yourself!

 

Print the coupon: BOGO + 15% off Famous Footwear Coupon.  If you are a rewards member, you'll get 20% off using that same coupon. I have been a Famous Footwear rewards member for a long time; it is free & easy to join. Every dollar you spend is credited to your rewards account and you'll receive a certificate for up to $100 in rewards. You'll also receive other perks. 

And one last reason to shop at Famous Footwear: If the size or style of shoe you want is unavailable at the store, they will ship it to your home for free! Also, if you would rather choose your shoes online, you can have them shipped to your local Famous Footwear store for free. That is great service.

Dress Pants Improvements

This past weekend, I had the little ring bearer try on the dress pants I made for him. (The wedding is next Sunday.)

Since the fitting pictures I shared a few weeks ago, I found out that he GREW!

Guess I shouldn't be surprised. Kids do that.

Monkeys in Action: Part III

This was a messy day. It was the littlest guy's first time in the sandbox. I'd seen a tip for cleaning up sandy skin...dust them with baby powder.