Featured: Money saving idea!

 I had an idea featured on another website, Hip2Save:

https://hip2save.com/2023/01/27/this-reader-repurposed-an-unexpected-item-for-organization/# 

Etsy Shop

 Visit my Etsy shop for some handmade items and also some vintage finds. 

Some are things I made a long time ago and may have some instructions on the blog...

Some are new ideas.

Wild scrunchie display:

New PDF Pattern Available in my Etsy shop!

 I made a PDF pattern for a project I've made a few times for my boys. It's a document that shows step-by-step how to make a travel felt car mat for kids! 

Here are two mats I made recently using the tutorial and pattern:

Check it out if you are interested in making some of these for children in your life! It's a great beginner project and you can even have kids make it themselves. 

New Esty Shop!

 Hi friends, 

Just checking in to let you all know I have a new Etsy shop, called CreeksideVintageBarn. It is featuring some items shown below:

I'll be adding more things as time goes on. Please stop over!

Stuff this YEAR.

Things here are busy. Homeschooling. Getting through everyday life. Making meals. Getting laundry done. Going grocery shopping. I have fit in more sewing than last year at this time. I just don't have time to take photos or blog. 

A few new bibs for the littlest guy...

Sewing. Growing.

Haven't been doing tons of sewing lately. But here and there, I have finished some things! Mostly shorts (this pattern, of course! Affiliate link.) Coastal craze baggies for the win. 

Two Pat-a-Cake Rompers and One Shirt Hack

I used the free 6 month size pattern found here to make these cute little rompers for our littlest guy.  You can purchase all sizes using this affiliate link to Peek-A-Boo Patterns. It was a little bit tricky, first time I'd ever done a collar or snap placket, but the instructions were exactly what I needed to complete the project! I highly recommend Amy's patterns!

Sharing Three Projects.

I have had a very few minutes to sew since having this little guy. I did make him this changing pad! The old one had zero elastic stretch left. I made it with some remnants I had on hand. 

Update My Last Few Unexpected Weeks (part 1)

So my due date with our fourth child is this Saturday. But guess what, he's already six weeks old.

Why do the worst medical concerns happen at night?

I think I had mentioned we were expecting a baby at the end of January (this month!) November was a normal month up until Thanksgiving. We had a great day here and had a few family members in for dinner, nothing major or taxing by any means! But during the night, for no apparent reason, my water broke. I was 30 weeks and 6 days.

I wasn't actually positive that it was amniotic fluid I was sensing, but the entire night, it kept leaking. I changed clothing multiple times and couldn't sleep as I was worried about what this could be. I did not want to wake my husband--he was getting up early anyway to go to the gym and I wasn't sure I wanted to call the doctor in the middle of the night or my parents to come stay with our older boys. 

At 5:30 when my husband's alarm went off, I told him what was going on and what I had suspected since around midnight. He was surprised when I said I had not yet called the doctor and made me call them. Of course, the doctor on call said to come into the hospital. I called my mom around 6 am and felt I was overreacting, but yet something in my head just knew this was amniotic fluid and we'd better get to the hospital. My mom rushed over and we left around 6:15 am. 

We drove to the not-so-local hospital where my doctor delivers babies. The nursing staff checked for amniotic fluid and the first test was positive. I cried, not knowing what could be done for this baby. My doctor came in, they did another test and it was also positive. He explained that I would need to decide on another hospital in Pittsburgh with a NICU to transfer to; this hospital could not care for a baby of this gestation. They had been watching me for labor, I had no signs so it was safe to transfer. My doctor called our selected hospital, talked with the Maternal-Fetal Medicine doc there and then the staff administered a steroid shot to help mature the baby's lungs, began two courses of antibiotics in case of infection, and started an additional IV for fluids since I hadn't eaten for awhile and wouldn't be allowed to eat until they saw me at the hospital in Pgh. They made sure I had two IV sites so I could possibly get more medications at the hospital I was transferring to. The doctor said they might give magnesium sulfate to mature the baby's brain. If I was the lucky recipient of that drug, I would be on bed rest in the hospital. He said they would probably try and get me to 34 weeks before delivering the baby but wasn't sure of exactly what they would do. 

They had me go as quickly as they could in an ambulance; I wanted to go with my husband in our car but I was hooked up to so many drugs and also was at risk for labor to begin so they would not permit him to drive me to the hospital in Pittsburgh. I was so tired as I'd been awake all night but was so worried I couldn't sleep at all. I was not in any pain, so it seemed odd to be on a stretcher. The paramedics asked me if I'd had prenatal care (of course I had), but apparently this happens more often in women who haven't had prenatal care. 

When I arrived at the hospital, the first room I saw from the stretcher read "Bereavement Room". I was so worried after seeing that! They delivered me to a tiny labor and delivery triage room without windows. A nursing aide hooked me up to a non-stress test and I waited. And waited. And waited. 

Finally, a resident came in and examined me, saying that my doctor had collected most of the information they needed, but she would be re-doing some of it. They also did an ultrasound to check the baby's position, breathing patterns, and movement. Then the doctor came in--he was great, told us what to expect. I was surprised when he told me I would not be leaving the hospital while still pregnant. And that they hoped they could keep me pregnant for three weeks! I was surprised they would require me to stay in the hospital. They told me if there was an infection, antibiotics could "calm it down" and possibly keep labor away. However, he did tell me that 50+% of women go into labor in 7-10 after membrane rupture. 

Since we were now at a hospital with a Level III NICU, he said that the baby would be expected to stay in the NICU for several weeks; if born now, at 31 weeks the stay could be until 37 weeks gestation and likely discharged by the baby's due date. I was concerned about cerebral palsy and other disabilities. The maternal fetal medicine doctor was not concerned about those things at this stage but estimated that for every day we could keep the baby inside, that would be about two days less the baby would spend in the NICU. He answered all of our questions and told us kindly that even though this seemed like a dismal situation, we could have a very good outcome and there were many that have experienced great outcomes with the protocol they suggest.

Knockoff Baby Booties with Snaps

I have always had summer babies (I guess one was early fall) but it's always pretty warm. This new baby coming in January requires warmer footwear. 

I had seen these baby booties on a friend's child and LOVED that they stayed on her feet so well. I found them on Amazon, but I couldn't imagine paying that much for one pair. 

After some research, I found a pattern that was suitable for making the same thing! I will say that they aren't completely the same (mine might be a little more round) but they seem like they will stay on baby feet better than socks alone! 

There is some elastic at the back to help keep them snug. 

I have no idea what size they are for as it was not marked, but hopefully they will cinch up enough to stay on many sizes. 

Footed Newborn Pants, Bandana Bibs, Baby Leggings

I used the tutorial from here to make these newborn sized baby pants (from an old t-shirt). And I had to make a matching bandana bib, too! Our new baby will need new bibs, some were completely worn out and terribly stained!

Baby Hats

I love making baby hats. (You can search for "hats" on this site to see others I have made.) 

I made this in case the baby is a girl. I love bow hats. 

Tons of Baby Hats.

I go through phases. Sometimes I sew. Sometimes I crochet. Sometimes I do both. Or neither. 

I'm going through a crocheting phase. I made a ton of hats for our church to donate to the newborns at the hospital. 31 total. So far. 

I did sew a few of them. Someone had given me a lot of yarn. And I just started crocheting. 

Projects Lately.

I haven't felt like doing much lately! I have been sewing on and off. 

We're expecting a new baby end of January/early February (hopefully not that late). I have done a few projects over the course of the past few months, but most of my time has been devoted to homeschooling my boys (we are on WEEK 9 already, the year is flying), stuff around the house (does the laundry never end?), and just trying to keep up with everyday stuff. 

I did make two new pillow covers for our couch. I don't know that the men in my house appreciate them. The front two longer pillows are new. I covered two pillows my mom had given me. My husband knows not to comment on how the fabrics don't match. I'm not sure I like them. But for now, they are fine. 

Two Little Baby Outfits.

I really love making handmade baby clothing. I used two patterns, one is free, for this outfit. The shirt was made using the Varsity Cowl Neck from Peek a Boo Pattern Shop (affiliate link). The leggings are the free baby Go-To Leggings Pattern from Go To Patterns. 

I purchased the deer print fabric from Peek A Boo pattern's fabric shop as well. It is Birch Organic. 

Self-Drafted 'Drapey' Gathered-Front Top with Curved Hem

I ordered the July KnitFix from Girl Charlee. I received six fun fabrics, several of which I like very much and can't settle on what to do with. (Guess I should show a photo.) I was happy with the assortment and they sent me two fabrics I had requested specifically, based on their promo photos! 

This was one of the surprise fabrics that wasn't my absolute favorite--it isn't something I would have ever chosen for myself. But that made it easy to cut into and make a self-drafted shirt that actually fits! 

Yoked Day Camp T-Shirt

I made this shirt for my 5 year-old's birthday. I had ordered this Organic Birch Bear Fabric from Peek-A-Boo pattern shop, but I only ordered 1/2 yard. It wasn't quite enough to make the front of the shirt. So I hacked the free Day Camp T-Shirt pattern to add a yoked front. 

I also made the pattern longer. The yoked front just involved slicing the pattern at the point I wanted and adding 1/2" of seam allowance to both pieces. The back is solid navy from Girl Charlee fabrics.

Sunglasses Case

I made this fun sunglasses case for a friend's birthday. She loves yellow! So it is yellow inside and out. This is the pattern from Thread Riding Hood.

Fire Truck PJs

I started making these PJs for my newly-turned-seven year-old son in anticipation he could wear them in the fall. Well, this summer he's pretty much stopped wearing PJs at all. I'm hoping he will make an exception when it gets chillier. 

Matching Baby Bib and Onesie

A good friend is having a baby in several weeks. I attended her shower and had fun making this set for her new arrival. 

I made these in size 9 months so they would fit the baby during "short sleeve season". I used the same pattern I used previously here.