The Rubber Punkin

FREE GIFT!

2011-12-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

available exclusively to Sissyprint followers! Just stop by, become a follower, and leave your email address in the comments to the sissies know where to send your kit! What a great way to get organized for the new year! Happy holidays!

Couples Road Trip Questions

2011-09-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

Have a roadtrip coming up with your significant other?

Or, maybe you just want to do something other than catch some Z's after the kids go to bed?

Socially reconnect with your sweetie with these FREE conversation tags.

There are 60 in all, sure to start some chatter.

Get them at Sissyprint today!

Giveaway - the Play Space Collection

2011-08-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

To wrap up Back to School week at Sissyprint,

we are hosting a giveaway for our very own Play Space Collection.

After a busy day at school, every kid deserves a cheery place to let loose!

Check it out and enter!

Free Bookplates

2011-08-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

Snag up these little goodies for yourself or your busy student!

Visit Sissyprint to get some of your own!

There are six options to choose from, available today in celebration of Back to School Week!

Back to School Tags

2011-08-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

Back to School week continues over at Sissyprint, my free printables blog.

Today, you can snag some back to school gift tags.

Send cupcakes or packages of pencils to your student's new class

and adorn them with these cheery greetings!

Back to School Bookmarks

2011-08-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

I know, I know... I've been absent, and it might be that way forever.

I've been dedicating most of my creative energy at my new blog, Sissyprint.

You guys know where my heart really is... designing.

But, if Back To School fever has hit your house, you must check check out Sissy.

There are back-to-school oriented printables every single day of the week this week.

Today, we featured bookmarks and tomorrow back to school gift tags.

And, if you know me, you KNOW everything's gonna be free.

Life is better that way.

Happy end of summer everyone.

I hope it was a good one.

Alternative to Birthday Cake

2011-08-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

My husband's 30th birthday is just a month away.

Right around this time, I begin planning his annual birthday cake alternative.

I call it the "soda pop cake."

He is not a sweets fan.

No cake, rarely ice cream, and certainly no frosting. He borderline hates the stuff.

So, four years ago I came up with this alternative and the idea stuck.

Just get a plethora of glass-bottle sodas such as Virgil's or Izze.

Arrange tightly into a basket or box and decorate with sparkly, festive goodness.

I use the tall "candle-lit dinner" kind of candles so he at least has something to blow out after we sing.

He loves it and everyone enjoys taking a sip of the specialty sodas.

the Play Space Collection.

2011-07-18T22:46:00.000-07:00

My new design blog, Sissyprint, has just opened the Sissy Shoppe on Etsy.

We are JUST starting, so more items will be making their debut.

Currently listed is the Play Space Collection!
I can't wait to hang these goodies in my children's room.

Check it out here!

And, there will be a giveaway this weekend at Sissyprint.

So stop by and enter!

Happy summer everyone!

Doesn't the sunshine just make you happy?!

all images and illustrations are ©emily ward

Free popsicle cozy pattern and gift tag!

2011-07-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

My popsicle cozy pattern and gift tag are available today at Sissyprint.

Check it out!

I think popsicles are a huge part of summer nostalgia.

When my son was a teething baby, I'd wrap a paper towel

with a rubber band around the ice pop to keep his little fingers from getting cold.

Two kids later and a little experience has helped me make the perfect popsicle cozy.

Believe me, there have been several designs that have been modified and simplified.

There have been pocket cozies, wrap-around cozies, but the sleeve-style cozy is the way to go.

What kid wouldn't love getting a cozied ice pop, topped off with a coordinating gift tag!

Make summer special.

Quoteable Monday at Sissyprint

2011-06-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

Go here to download this graphic!

A New Avenue

2011-06-03T22:28:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to announce the launch of Sissyprint,
founded by a family of sisterly designers... and me!

There you can expect to find free printables, designs for purchase, or print media for hire.

We have an affinity for color, typography, and all things graphic.

Kick off each Monday with a free quotable graphic to help push you along through the week.
Celebrate the weekend with us by enjoying Freebie Friday with a variety of free printables.

And, check back often for sewing patterns, gift tags, organization labels, party pack printables,
and just about anything else we're designing for fun or for purchase.

The first item up for grabs? Here's a sneak peak... photos and more info to come next week!

Happy Summer and visit Sissyprint!

Happy Summer Print

2011-05-23T07:02:00.000-07:00

My mom always had cross stitch samplers that she'd change out throughout the year.

Easter, Summer, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Fall, Winter, Christmas...

Why not do the same with a little graphic wall art?

Find a frame you love and just switch out the graphic periodically as season and holidays change.

Click here to download a high quality pdf of this graphic.

Don't forget to visit Jordan at Blueprint Crafts for the "New to You" series today!
She just turned an old mason jar into this little goodie...

Happy Summer!

Thrifty Work Space

2011-05-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

I wish I knew how to make my camera take bright photos. Any tips anyone? This is my workspace and ALL of it (with the exception of my computer) was purchased on a budget. A very TIGHT budget. But, especially as a freelance designer, I spend a lot of time at this little place. So, it has to be a place I enjoy being.

I got this lamp off clearance for $8, the squirrel for $5, and the vintage alarm clock for $2.

I honestly think my husband thought I'd gone too far when I brought Howard home. But, he keeps me company.

A vintage suitcase purchased for a few dollars at an estate sale a few years ago.

I'm still searching for one a little flatter. But, I'm keeping this one around in the meantime.

My second favorite, a mustard yellow office chair, totally vintage and absolutely free.

A flag garland made from burlap and leftover fabric scraps from my grain sack pillows.

This craigslist find is my favorite piece of furniture I own. It was a bit of a splurge for me at $200. But, it was already finished, is solid wood, and was custom-built for the previous owner. I've been searching for some antique, mustard yellow knobs, but have yet to fall in love. But, this is a refuge I don't mind working in.

New love for an old window

2011-05-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

Not so long ago, I was behind a local goodwill store, dropping off some bags from a de-cluttering spree.

Propped up against the side of the building were a few old windows, recently dropped off, no doubt.

I asked the man collecting donations if I could purchase the lot of them, on the spot.

He told me just to take them. I probably got embarrassingly excited and quickly swept them into the back of my car. Oh, the ideas...

There are so many vinyl on glass calendars out there. So, I realize this is no novel idea.

But, an old window adds a new flare, I think. And there were already holes drilled into the wood, so stringing through some wire and ribbon for hanging was a breeze.

No painting or distressing necessary. It was roughed up to perfection, as is.

New to me and pretty much free. Life is good.

Blue Print Craft Monday - New to You

2011-05-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you guys, but I'm itchin' to start organizing mi casa.

I think it's a side effect of Spring.

Check out Blue Print Crafts to see how she went from this...

to this...

A hanging plastic bag dispenser!

Vintage Flour Sacks... oh the options!

2011-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

My absolute favorite thrift-type store is Vain & Vintage in Pocatello, Idaho. All things vintage, all things perfect. I really need to do an entirely separate post simply to introduce you to this place. It's truly glorious. I feel right at home whenever I'm there. On my most recent trip down Center Street, I stumbled across a stack of vintage flour sacks. I instantly fell in love with the graphic elements, printed onto the fabric in perfect shades of blue-grey, bright reds, and a rustic navy blue. They ranged in price from $7 to $12. A little pricier than I would have liked. I'm a 50 cent kind of girl. But, I fell so head over heels, I had to splurge a little for these.

Today, I'm going to show you how I like to rock pillows. I'm a germaphobe, so I formulated this "pocket pillow." It's a cinch to whip up and easy to peel off the pillow case when it needs a good washing. You can find vintage flour sack on ebay (although the large canvas ones like this are a bit trickier to hunt down). Or, you can call on the lovely ladies at Vain and Vintage.

Cut your pieces. My pillow form is 16"x16", so my instructions are directed toward those dimensions.

Give the inner edge of back panel 1 and back panel 2 a 1" hem.

Lay the back panels on top of the front panel, right sides together. Be sure to layer back panel 1 under back panel 2. This is the part that will allow the case to removed from the pillow form later on, if need be.

Now for the speedy part! Just sew around all four sides of the square. I tried to make a graphic for you to understand how the pieces need lay. See the "sandwich" to the right? Hope that makes sense.

Clip the corners of your pillowcase without severing your stitching. This will make your corners nice and smooth once you turn it right-side out.

Turn your pillowcase right-side out. Iron that baby, make it look a little more profesh, and insert your form. See the pocket on the back side? I ran out of sack material for this pillow. So, I supplemented a little with some ticking I had in my stash.

Ta-da! Done-zo! I've got flour sacks on the brain lately. Here are some other fun options they can be used for! P.S. I got this rocking chair at a garage sale for $4. Just sanded it down, primed, painted, and distressed! Now, it's one of my favorite things.

Shopbellavita.com

sarawakianali.blogspot.com

sarahblucastle.com

Am I crazy if I want to sprinkle my itty bitty apartment with flour sack elements? Covered chairs, pillows, maybe some curtains for my kitchen... I might go a little overboard. Love these little gems.

Blueprint Crafts Monday - craigslist rehab

2011-05-02T07:02:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this coffee table look totally anthro? I love it. Check it out over at Blueprint Crafts today!

Happy May! New to You - Thrift Store Decor & More

2011-04-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

I am very excited because my friend, Jordan from Blueprint Crafts, and I will be spending our month of May perusing the local thrift stores! Have I ever mentioned my love for secondhand shops? Visit Jordan every Monday and me every Wednesday to get the skinny on what we're up to!

Also, my blog will be moving the end of May! While we're sharing "new to you" month, many changes will be happening to the Rubber Punkin, including a new name and purpose. Stay tuned, friends, and happy May!

Wedding Party Headband Tutorial

2011-04-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

photo credit - BHLDN.com

So, like I mentioned weeks ago... I've had weddings on the mind lately. I was a member of my sister in-law's wedding party in March and when I came across this pom pom rose headband from BHLDN (love-love) for a whopping $130, I felt a challenge coming on.

First cut a BUNCH of circles in random sizes and from different textures. I used a basic white cotton and leftover scraps from Lady P's blessing skirt. This is a great project to use up some scraps in your stash. Fray the edges ever so slightly by holding the edge of the circle tight between your thumb and pointer finger and pull the fabric through that tight grip with your other hand.

Make a cone shape by layering 3 differing sized circles, pinching them together in the center, and stitching through the pinched portion of the fabric. Somehow I forgot to take a photo of stitching the cone. Sorry. But you can visit my friend Lyric's blog here to get an idea.

Now for the fun part! Cut a piece of felt into a circle. My circle was about 3.5" because I wanted a large, dramatic blossom. But, you can do it whatever size you'd like. Start sewing the pointed portion of the cone to the felt. Continue sewing cone after cone and wind them around the circle in a spiral pattern.

As the spiral gradually gets closer to the center, they'll start standing more and more upright.

I was able to hand stitch all the cones onto the felt in about the time it took me to watch a movie.

Now just attach your pom pom rose imitation to an alligator clip or headband and you're set! I can see this for so many purposes. A purse charm, a brooch to your favorite blazer, at the waist of a skirt... don't you love possibilities? I do! And for $129 cheaper? You betcha!

See the finished product perched on top of my head? It really was a day full of beautiful things... like Rachel, the bride. Gorgeous!

The snow is melting here in northwest! YAY! Idaho is so beautiful in the spring!

Weddings...

2011-02-24T11:25:00.001-08:00

Weddings have been on my brain lately... I've been busy designing wedding invitations for two special little brides. I have to give a shoutout to Anthropologie's new bridal line. I'm obsessed. Some pieces on there are very avant garde and not too practical for everyday wear. But, talk about beautiful. If you're a fan of anthro style, you must check it out. It makes me drool.

My kids have been sick this week, but I am working on a tutorial for some hair pieces for Lady P and me to wear to a wedding we have coming up. I must say knowledge of BHLDN could not have come with better timing! Light bulb!

Keeping kids entertained indoors

2011-02-16T08:54:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a fantastic V-day. My husband and I are celebrating Friday, so my day of hearts has yet to arrive. Can't wait. Meanwhile, we are getting a little stir crazy being cooped up in our itty bitty apartment this winter. Any new ideas of how to keep mister J and lady P entertained and happy are quickly slowing down to nada. I'm sure many of you out there are feeling the same way. So, I have asked Ashley from Taking Terrible out of Toddler to do a guest post today on fun ways to fight the cabin fever. She's got some amazing and clever tips, so be sure to read on and visit her blog! And here you have... Ashley.

.................................................................................................................................................

Lately the cold days have been dragging on, and on. Instead of taking my toddlers outside, there are other great places to take them, like: Library Programs, Indoor Swimming, Pet Store, Mall, Skating , Play Groups, Bounce Houses or Activity Centers. If for some reason I can't take them anywhere, there are plenty of ways to stay inside and keep everyone sane during the long winter days.

What do I do with my toddlers all day? I bring the outdoors inside! Here are some ideas on how I do that:

Leaf Jumping Party: I got this idea from my friend Lara who did a guest post for me, Teaching Creativity. What to do: take an old newspaper or magazine and let the kids shred it up. Give older toddlers children safe scissors...good practice for them, let the younger toddlers tear it up. Shred enough paper to make a nice jumping pile, this is the pile of leaves. Toddlers love to rake the pile up. My toddlers love to jump into the pile, bury each, throw shreds up in the air and let them fall on their faces. When we are done we clean it up by singing to the tune "first you pick it up, then you put it in the bag...bum bum," I remember it from an old cartoon, called "In The Bag." You can keep the "leaves" for future play times, recycle them, use them as hamster bedding, or even crafts.

Camp Out: Go camping in the HOUSE! Put the tent up, sleep in sleeping bags, use lanterns...the real deal...with the exception of a warm bathroom with running water (isn't that nice). When my family does this, we eat camping food like: hot dogs, chili, dinners wrapped in foil, and smores. You might have your own camping food you like to eat. The food makes it feel more authentic. We also play games inside the tent and tell stories. The kids think they are getting to do the real thing, the parents are happy they don't have to pack and clean all that camping gear, or deal with curious toddlers that think dirt and ashes are as good as chocolate cake.

Picnic: Pack a picnic just like you would if you were going to the park. Lay out a blanket (water proof on carpet floors) in the living room and set up the picnic the same as you would on a hot summer day. My toddlers bring out all the stuffed animals and dolls they can find...sometimes the dolls get plates too. Then we eat our real picnic food (I like to buy a watermelon just to make it feel like summer) and we enjoy the company of our stuffed friends.

Summer Day: Declare the day a summer day and let your toddlers dress in swim suits, shorts, sandals...whatever summer cloths suit their fancy. We wear sunglasses, throw beach balls around, sip lemonade, eat ice-cream...its a summer day! We even sometimes lay out on towels and pretend we are tanning...very relaxing if your toddler lies still long enough. We do this all while staying inside and just pretending. You might want to turn the heat up or find a south facing window on a sunny cold day, open the blinds and lay in the sun coming through the window.

Go Swimming: That is...in the bathtub. Put the toddlers in swim suits and get out all the small swim toys and fill the tub, its a pool party. Put a towel on the floor for precautions and don't worry at all about cleaning the kids. I let a little stream of water run down from the faucet or shower...just for the fun of it. Then they just play, play, play in the water.

Petting Zoo: Go to the zoo. The zoo in your toddlers room that is (it may seem like one everyday). While the kids are occupied with something else, get out the stuffed animals and some of the small hard ones...they are fun too. Then bring the toddlers back into the room (it is more surprising that way) and pretend you are at the zoo. We pet all the animals, name them, feed them whatever it is they eat (pretend), talk about where they live, make the sounds they make...and so on. They can actually feed the lions this way and not get eaten! We have a lot of fun.

Come visit my blog to read more from this post and find other ideas and useful information about toddlers.

Valentine's Day Art Project for kids (or adults...)

2011-02-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

It has been a hefty winter, so art projects have definitely been MY saving grace while we're cooped up indoors! I happen to love Valentine's Day, so this is our project for this week. I apologize for the lack of a "finished product," but I'm saving this puppy for after lunchtime tomorrow.

Photo Credit: Just something I made (flower tutorial here)

Remember these tissue paper flowers we all made back in grade school? It was usually the go-to craft for Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, etc. Remember how you'd cut squares out of tissue paper, shape the square over the edges of a pencil eraser, and whala, you have a beautiful fluted flower? Yup, those are the ones. Easy peezy, lots of fun for the kiddos, and they look pretty gorgeous when they're all bunched together. Add those to the tree portion of this free printable and you have yourself a charming little valentine for someone special (like mum or dad) or some memorable holiday art you can pull out each year.

Go here to download the .pdf. It works best printed on white cardstock, but plain computer paper will be just fine also.

Do you have clever ideas on keepin the kids happy inside? I'd love to hear them!

Love Nest Wall Decor Freebie

2011-02-01T19:14:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been attempting to decorate my itty bitty apartment to make it feel a little more "me." Not gonna lie, it has not been easy. We are still living in limbo waiting for the job, so my budget for decor is nil. But, that's okay... it's forced me to be creative, so not all is lost.

What better way to spruce up the place with a little wall art? And ta-da! FREE! You can also resize them and use them for cards, housewarming gift gift tags, etc. Lots of uses

Want one of these goodies for yourself? There are two versions. Go here and here to snag some!

I love Valentine's Day.

Owl Teether Pattern

2011-01-31T14:01:00.000-08:00

I am super thrilled today because I heard from my friend, Claire, that my owl teether was featured on one of my favorite blogs, Homemade by Jill! YAY. But, since then, I have received quite a few emails and comments mentioning that Scribd.com, the website that is supposed to be offering me free file hosting, is now charging memberships to those who wish to download my free pattern.

The whole fun for me in sharing patterns on the Rubber Punkin, is that they're free! I will now be using google docs to host my patterns and printables. To get your Owl Teether Softie pattern go here!

Have fun making these and thank you Jill!

Happy Valentine's Free Printable

2011-01-18T22:07:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Well, I know I posted months ago that my computer would soon be fixed and I would be up and running in no time. But, my amaaaawzing computer guy kept finding problems with the dear little imac. So, patience was a forced virtue and today was my first day back in the design studio (that is my itty bitty apartment).

The day of love is fast approaching, so I wanted to gift a sweet little printable to all of you. Consider it a thank you for sticking around despite my absence the past few months.

Click here to be redirected to the high resolution PDF version.

Happy January!

Wool Felt Christmas Ornaments

2010-12-06T13:30:00.001-08:00

I was planning on posting this idea last week. But, my husband's grandmother passed away after a two year battle with a rare form of skin cancer. Remember this giveaway where I mentioned her? She was a sweet lady and the week was spent honoring her life and spending time with family.

So, this Christmas, we are living in a small apartment (still waiting on a job) and on a tight budget. I couldn't afford to go buy more kid friendly tree decor, so I whipped out my wool felt scraps and whipped these all up in about 30-45 minutes. If you have a one year old in your house this holiday, as I do, these can set your mind (and budget) at ease.

Gather together your wool, in Christmas colors of course.

1. Cut out your desired shapes. I did sloppy stars in all different sizes and circles. Be sure to cut two identical shapes per ornament.

2. Sew around the edges of the shape, attaching the two layers together.

3. Now just connect your ribbon. You can sew the ribbon directly to your ornament, or use a grommet press like I did and feed your ribbon through that.

Done! Super easy, super fast, super cheap, super durable! I think the inperfection in these is what makes them so charming. So, don't worry about making them perfect circles or perfectly dimensional stars. These would even be sweet attached to brown paper packages, tied up with string.

It's fixed!

2010-11-27T17:46:00.000-08:00

I am reeeaaallly happy today because my computer that has been RIP since the end of June is returning in all its glory. That's right, my beloved imac has been in the shop this week (at last!!!) and I will be designing again! Be ready friends! There will be some free printables for Christmas coming soon! Gift tags, patterns, etc! It's coming. And, for those of you who are worried about keeping your Christmas tree safe from little hands this holiday season, I've got a goodie coming up the first of next week! Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving! The roads are treacherous here in Idaho, but it sure is beautiful!

I am alive and glad to be back!

2010-10-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers...

I have been away for some time now, a whopping three months. I never anticipated having a blogging hiatus, but it ended up being that way. My computer still awaits repair, which takes a financial backseat while we wait for my husband to find a job. He graduated in May, and we continue to wait... patience. My family experienced a death in the family, the second this year from cancer. And, we moved into an apartment. So, the past few months have been filled with happenings. Good, bad, tragic, blessed.

I was debating whether or not to even return. My blog isn't one of the big ones and I doubt I would go missed. But, lately, I have found myself missing this place. I've found myself missing that creative outlet that was my "own." So, here I am, attempting to return. I doubt my projects will be weekly. But, I hope they will be frequent. And, if you like it here, I hope you stick around, because I love my blogging friends.

So, here's to the holidays! They're commmmmiiiiing! If you ask me, it's the best time to get-a-makin' stuff. Happy Autumn!

Emily

A little somethin-something for mamas...

2010-07-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

My computer is dying and has been for weeks. It's now at the point that I am unable to even open programs, such as Safari. Thus, I am currently on my mom and dad's computer, letting you know I'm still alive. I'm just waiting for the funds to fix the imac.

I have one 3-year old and a nearly 10-month old. Lately, I feel as though much of my day is spent saying "no," "don't do that," "stop that," "don't talk like that," "don't act like that," and so on. To say the least, I spend many of my nights lying in bed feeling regret over my actions during the day.

I know everyone says two is terrible, but three has shaken me through the loop. I once believed myself to be a good mother. I was patient, playful, energetic, and kind. But, now I feel like I'm not sure what I'm doing. Then, I came across this wonderful video with an uplifting message for mothers. I promise it will make you feel, as it did me, like you're doing an okay job.

Anyone else having a hard time finding a job out there? My husband has been graduated since May and we are still hoping, wishing, and praying that SOMETHING will come up soon.

Happy July!

Vintage Summer - Flower Power

2010-06-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

So, a little irony this week as Blueprint Crafts also posted about planters this week!

How charming is this old pitcher? I love it! I even think the imperfections add to its flare.

Old galvanized buckets, vintage coke bottle boxes, antique bowls...

What found objects have you used for planters this summer?

homemade pop art with an owl in the mix

2010-06-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for a whimsical print to hang in the room of little Lady P.

I haven't had much luck finding anything I particularly love. Lots of like, but no love.

For some reason or another, I've developed a crush on owls.

I found this photograph of a cute little owl on google images and saved it to my desktop.

Then I discovered t his fantastic photoshop tutorial and transformed the owl photo into a duotone print of my own. You can do any color. Pink was just a no-brainer for me.

Just some free art for your home. What a deliciously easy goodie.

Happy summer everyone! It was 81 degrees in Idaho today! YAY!

Barefoot Summer

2010-06-06T21:06:00.001-07:00

It's official! My stamp set, Barefoot Summer, was released at Practicing Creativity Designs over the weekend! I am so excited to see one of my designs in production! I am new to the world of stamping, but what fun! And so many possibilities to play with!

Here are a few cards that were made using this stamp set. You can check out more here.

It's raining in Idaho.

Makes me want to snuggle up with my husband and watch a movie with the lights off.

Cozy, cozy.

WINNER

2010-06-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

CONGRATS ASHLEY

on winning the Navy Perl giveaway!

Email me your contact information ASAP.

Ashley said...

i am totally loving the leni jane in turquoise! these are so beautiful i'm hoping to save my college dollars and buy some!!! =)

MAY 27, 2010 11:36 AM

Giveaway Finale

2010-05-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Stoddard Show! You are the winner of last week's giveaway!

Email me asap with your design goodie preference and we will get started.

Now, for the final installment of our Giveaway in May event!

Headbands are one of the hottest trends right now and

Navy Perl

is doing them justice, for sure!

They are the giveaway finale, so do not miss out!

Check out their website and blog to browse for your favorite version.

A lil' bit of design

2010-05-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to............ Emily, David, and Daniel

for winning last week's giveaway prizes!

Please email me asap with your mailing address.

For this week's giveaway, I wanted to give something myself. If you read this blog often, you know I'm a sucker for graphic design. So, I would like to giveaway my skills for a customized blog banner, invitation, button, or party favor. The winner will get to choose what they would like and that item will be designed just for them. I love my readers and this is for you guys! Thanks for always sending me such kind notes!

Just leave a comment to enter! You don't even have to say anything in the comment. An exclamation point will suffice! Hehe.

A big win and an Etsy Giveaways

2010-05-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

A big congratulations to Midwestern Gone Idahoan for winning the Look Up! stamp from Practicing Creativity Designs! Thank you everyone for participating!

Today's giveaway is courtesy of my new friend, Jordan. She's the creator of Blueprint Crafts. Jordan has a fantastic etsy shop and has been kind enough to supply THREE items for today's festivities. The winner of this giveaway will win that gorgeous necklace, a fabulously frilly apron, and a pot holder! Sorry there isn't a photo of the pot holder, Jordan's camera has a cold.

I want these goodies for myself. Love love love. But, I'm excited that one of you will end up with them. Visit Jordan's etsy shop here and leave a comment saying which items YOU love.

To all the card makers out there:

2010-05-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

With all the graphic freebies I post here, I receive a lot of feedback from card makers. So, this giveaway is for you guys. Practicing Creativity Designs has been so kind as to gift a stamp set to one of my readers! They even let me pick which one. I fell in love with this set, entitled Look Up! It's so whimsical, fun, and encouraging. And want to know a little secret?

I was asked to design a set for Practicing Creativity, which will be released this summer!

I am pretty excited and will keep you posted on that little development.

To enter the giveaway, simply visit Practicing Creativity and leave a comment saying which of their products you love! They release a new stamp each month, so if you're a paper crafter, be sure to check back periodically for new items! A big thanks to Practicing Creativity for supplying this week's giveaway, Look Up!

Giveaway in May

2010-04-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

I have some dandy little goodies making their way to the Rubber Punkin this May.

Each Monday, a new little lovely something will be posted for giveaway.

Don't miss it.

Especially if you don't want to miss a chance to get your paws on one of these.

Can't wait.

Reader Tip Tuesday - Mothers Day Gift Idea

2010-04-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know if any of you are familiar with Miss Elizabeth with To Be Charmed, but it really is one of my favorites. I kinda think Elizabeth and I could be kindred spirits because everything she posts makes me drool. From inspiring projects she's found elsewhere to items she's conjured up in that genius mind of hers, I love it all. Now, I know Mothers Day is coming and Elizabeth forwarded me this lovely, feminine spin on packaging a gift. I adore those gorgeous tissue paper flowers! And to pair them with a nicely scented candle. Perfection. I can NEVER have too many candles. These flowers make me want to make some GIANT ones and hang them over the crib of my little Lady "P." This is the final feature for Featured April, so be sure to get all the details for this project here.

Thanks to everyone who submitted tips! There are some ladies out there with some wicked good ideas. Happy Tuesday, everyone.

Reader Tip Tuesday - Tile Coaster

2010-04-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Meet Jordan! She is the genius behind the featured blog of the week, Blue Print Crafts. I love when you find something at a store, laugh hysterically at the outrageous markup in price, and say to yourself in total confidence, "I can make that, better and cheaper." And that is precisely how Jordan rolls. See these DARLING tile coasters? She saw some at Tarshay (aka Target) for $15 and had her own "I can make that" moment. Get the lowdown on how to make these goodies here. I'm adding this project to my next girly weekend. Love it.

Way to Go Reward System Chart

2010-04-19T19:56:00.000-07:00

Let's be honest... I've been the worst blogger mama ever.

It's been a challenging few weeks at our house. Remember my aunt who was diagnosed with brain cancer in January? She passed away. And, although there was sincere sadness associated with her passing, the blessing of her battle drawing to a close brought great comfort.

***

Since then, however, I haven't felt much like crafting, blogging, or doing much other than love on my kiddos. We've played hard and I haven't felt that normal empty space needing to be filled by a few hours spent in the sewing room. Time is so valuable, don't ya think?

But, then Buster "J" turned three last week and I made up some good behavior charts to bid a proper farewell to that terrible two and start with age three anew. I hope you guys will find use for these goodies. Puh-lus, they're free and I sure do love free. Happy Monday!

Way to Go { blue-1 }

Way to Go { blue-2 }

Way to Go { rust-1 }

Way to Go { rust-2 }

Way to Go { pink-1 }

Way to Go { pink-2 }

There are two pages per color, so be sure to download both.

Sewing Room Organization Freebie

2010-04-07T22:13:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! My sewing room is far too embarrassing to photograph. Piles and heaps of all things wonderful (aka wool felt, Amy Butler, burlap, etc) is overtaking my work area and I'm thinking that could be the cause of my creativity slump. So, I finally broke down, purchased some bins, and whipped up these labels. I've also enclosed a blank version so you can customize them to suit your needs. It is Spring, after all. A little Spring cleaning anyone?

Go here to download the sewing room goodies for FREE!

Go here to download the blank goodies for FREE!

Reader Tip Tuesday - Onesie Cupcake

2010-04-06T09:50:00.001-07:00

I would like for all of you to meet Kristi and her onesie cupcake! You know the diaper cakes we all love so much? (Seriously... it was one of my favorite shower gifts) Well, Kristi has formulated a new spin on an old idea by forming onesies into a yummy cupcake of a goodie. Its' the Reader Tip for this week, so be sure to check out all of Kristi's bright ideas at her Bowl of Cherrys blog.

P.S. LOVE her bunny tagged sidewalk chalk. Check that out here.

Just keepin it in the family

2010-04-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, Ruffles and Stuff has been hosting quite the exciting contest this month. I've been racking my brains for something ruffly and haven't been able to come up with anything. I think it's fair to say I've been afflicted with non-creativitis lately and it shows.

Sorry guys.

With the deadline being tomorrow, I had almost decided not to participate. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about family. Our families are such a blessing and have such importance in our lives. So, I decided I would make a family tree. I was a little intimidated with the feat of trying to make a tree out of ruffles. But, I think the texture of the ruffles is what makes it looks so whimsical.

Wanna make one? I cut a bunch of elongated triangular shapes out of the brown flannel and ruffled them up. I laid out the branches and trunk onto a sky blue print and sewed them in place. If I were to do this again, I think I would have ruffled the sky blue backdrop.

I ruffled up a ton of flowers out of two different green cotton twills. Initially, the flowers were all the same sizes, but I love the variety of sizes much better. Even throwing on a few yo-yo flowers would be darling!

Most of the flowers are embellished with vintage buttons or pearls so you can hang miniature "name tags" from them. I just cut a few small rectangles from cream card stock, hand-wrote a few family names onto them, poked a piece of thread directly through the "tag", tied a knot, and looped it around a button.

What fun it will be to continue adding to it over the years! I realize the construction details of this piece are vague, so if you'd like to make one, feel free to email me questions and I'd be happy to help you as much as I can.

Happy Easter everyone and happy weekend!

Reader Tip Tuesday - Spoon Rehab

2010-03-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

I love things that are unusual, unexpected, and add a little whimsy to life.

So, when a reader sent me a post about these sad little guys...

That she rehabbed into these black beauties... I kind of got tickled.

Because I kind of love them.

They came from Random Thoughts of a SuperMom. If you want to check out all the details on this project, you can visit Kelli's work here. And really, all you have to do is spend a few minutes browsing through her other projects to realize her blog is appropriately titled. She truly is a SuperMom! Plus, she often leaves me some super nice comments.

So, like her spoon and fork, I kind of love her too! Thanks for the tip, Kelli!

Egg Coloring Party Pack

2010-03-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Easter... just another great reason to have a party. Here is a free printable party pack for a fun-packed easter egg coloring party. Be sure to download and print the graphics as a full page, otherwise it will print smaller than intended.Click on the orange links below to download.

Egg Coloring Party {invitation}

Four invitations per sheet, designed to coordinate with the theme of the party.

Egg Coloring Kit {egg carton tag}

This tag is meant to top a 12-count egg carton. Have a dozen eggs ready for each guest. Boil the eggs ahead of time and return into the carton. Print out this 11"x3" tag, mount onto a 12"x4" piece of colorful card stock, and embellish the top of the egg carton to make it a little more special.

Egg-stra Special Tag {part favor tag}

This tag would be great as a cupcake topper or just tied around a sucker.

Happy Easter

Paper Mache Grass Bowl

2010-03-25T20:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys! I've been kind of M.I.A. with the projects lately! I've been a busy little bee with some design jobs and rehabbing a few craigslist finds. But, I'm back! And, I've got a fun one for you today! Easter is coming and I needed a little art project to enjoy with Buster "J." I remembered seeing this project in a magazine a while back and thought I'd give it a whirl. It's super simple, fun to do with the kiddos or on your own, and just in time for the upcoming holiday.

Shred some lightweight paper using either a paper shredder or just cutting strips with scissors. I did mine in varying colors of green, but any bright color would be fun!

For the glue, mix 1 part water to 2 parts glue. Cover the outside of a bowl with saran wrap and tape inside to hold it in place. Paint a thin layer of glue over the saran.

Lightly sprinkle the strips of paper with water to moisten, and start layering paper over the bowl.

Once finished layering on the paper, apply a coating of glue over the paper. Let sit undisturbed until it's completely dry and hardened. Mine took about 36 hours.

Gently separate the bowl from the saran, then the saran from the paper strips. Take your time and whala! DONE! I can't wait to fill this with some dyed eggs. More pictures to come. I just didn't have anything exciting to fill it with yet.

P.S. Speaking of dying eggs, I have some FREE labels and tags coming to help you host an egg dyeing party. Stay tuned for those little goodies.

Reader Tip Tuesday - Shirt Refashion

2010-03-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

Refashions are huge on the crafty blog circuit these days. So, when clever Lyric from Crafty Chic sent this project for Tip Tuesday, I knew it would be a hit. And, doesn't this come in time for an easy little Easter dress? Perfection for summertime. Get the how-to here and be sure to check out more refashions and cleverness at Crafty Chic a la Lyric!

Go ahead and grab her button!

Attention Readers

2010-03-20T12:57:00.001-07:00

I'm just a little old blog... tiny really. But, the only reason I have any followers at all, is because a few other blogs were kind enough to feature an idea or two of mine. So, to my lovely readers, my friendlies, I'd love to feature your ideas! Every Tuesday through the month of April, I'd like to feature one of you. I know you're all creative geniuses and I'd like to show you off. Submit your tip to me via email at emhward (at) hotmail (dot) com and title it Tip Tuesday. I'll also feature your blog button in my sidebar for the week and let everyone know how much they need to pay you a visit!

I can't wait to see what you're all working on, and I can't wait to show it to everyone else! Hope you're having a fantastic weekend! It's beautiful in Idaho today and the sunshine is calling my name!

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-03-13T15:49:00.000-08:00

I love Easter. My husband's grandmother arranges an extravagant hunt each year. And, this is not your ordinary hunting for eggs. She makes a string of clues for each of her grandchildren. Everyone has a designated color. For example, Megan's clues might be written on pink paper and Spencer's clues may be written on green paper. Each clue leads to another clue, eventually leading them to their Easter basket. One year, a clue was tied to the mane of a horse. Another clue was frozen in a block of ice. The impossible clue was tied to a rock that was thrown into a field. Amazing, right? It's truly is one of the highlights of our year. It's so fun.

Want to host your own Easter extravaganza? Start by getting this miniature egg hunt invitations here, FREE!

Embellished Knobs

2010-03-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Here's the inspiration, folks. Isn't it a gem? I love this little knob from Anthropologie. But, the $12 a knob didn't exactly fit into my budget. I bought a dresser this summer for $20 that I have been waiting to ravamp for Lady "P," but I have not found the whimsy and color I've been looking for in a knob. But, then I stumbled upon these anthro knobs and fell in love. So, what was I do to? Attempt a copy.

I'm still searching for a nice bird print. But, I did find a floral paper at the scrapbook store. If any of you know of a black and white bird print, puh-lease steer me in that direction.

1. Paint the knobs to the color of your choice. I did mine white. No worries about getting the surface perfect, it's going to be covered with paper anyway.

2. Paint the surface of the knob with a layer of modpodge glue. Let it get a little tacky. The paper will stick better if you let it sit for a sec before slapping the paper on.

3. Lay a square of paper onto the surface of the knob and pull tightly down.

4. You can use a bone folder for this step if you have one. Buster "J" has triangular-shaped Melissa and Doug colored pencils. So, I just used the flat edge of one of those. Rub it across the surface, smoothing out the paper and adhering it to the knob.

5. Let the glue sit for a few hours so it's nice and stiff. Using sandpaper or a modpodge sanding brick, start sanding around the edge, removing the excess paper.

6. Paint a layer of modpodge glue over the surface of the knob. For added durability, continue adding multiple layers of the glue. Ta-da! Done. Can't wait to find a home for these beauties.

St. Patty's Day { Patch Pin }

2010-03-08T06:20:00.000-08:00

Hey all! I am now contributing to Executive Homemaker! If you're NOT familiar with EH, it's a great location to find free printable goodies. There's also some excellent ideas, like how to throw a successful St. Patty's Day bash.

I have a tutorial up today on how to make this patch pin for St. Patty's Day. Use it for a headband, bag charm, or simply pin it onto your shirt to avoid the pinch.

Go here to get the full how-to and free pattern!

Tooth Fairy Pouch

2010-03-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

My niece, Kaily, lost her first tooth today. My dad pulled it out. It was quite exciting. It's been loose for weeks now, and she finally let Grandpa string it up and jerk it out.

Since the tooth fairy is visiting her pillow tonight, I wanted to maker her something special to house her first tooth.

1. Cut a piece of wool felt to approximately 2" x 5" and a tooth shape out of white wool felt for the front. I freehanded mine, but you can trace the outline of a shape like this. You can search google images for one you like.

2. Sew the tooth to the 2" x 5" strip. Stick close to the edge of the tooth as you stitch it on.

3. I put a "K" on the tooth with pink embroiddery floss using a basic back stitch.

4. Fold the 2" x 5" strip in half, right sides together. Sew down the sides and turn right-side out.

Very easy. Sorry I didn't take step-by-step pictures of this one. It was a spur-of-the-moment job. If you want to make this and have questions, please don't hesitate to email me. I'd be happy to help you! I hope you guys aren't getting sick of wool felt. I can't help it, I have a craft crush on the stuff.

Congratulations!

2010-03-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

Melissa Stramel

You have won the Stacie suit from Panga Swimwear!

Thanks to all of you who participated!

To shop for your own sun safe swimsuit, go here.

Creamed Spinach and Chicken Soup

2010-02-25T10:21:00.000-08:00

It's not too often that I make a soup and my husband says, "wow! This is great!" He's kind of a soup nazi... not a fan of the stuff. Well, like a broken record, I've had sick kids AGAIN the past two weeks. So, I felt inclined to make soup. I found this recipe here, but had to do a few modifications to make it gluten free (my mom has celiac disease). Here's what I did:

You will need:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

salt and pepper

3 carrots

long grain rice

1 can of black beans

1 package of frozen spinach

1 package of cream cheese

milk

butter

parmesan cheese

nutmeg

corn starch

1. In a big pot, boil chopped chicken and thinly sliced carrots in water and salt.

2. Meanwhile, start cooking your rice according to the package's instructions.

3. Now for the creamy spinach. In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup of butter and a cup of milk.

Once that is combined, add 1/4 c. of corn starch as a thickener. Whisk.

Add the package of softened cream cheese. Melt mixture together, stirring regularly.

Pop the package of frozen spinach in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften it up a bit, and toss it into the saucepan, stirring regularly.

Add 1 tsp. of nutmeg, 1 tbs. salt (or garlic salt), and 1/4 c. parmesan cheese.

Stir the mixture until it thickens.

4. Once rice is fully cooked, add it to the chicken, carrots, and water. Add a can of black beans,

followed by the creamy spinach mixture. Let the pot simmer for ten minutes and serve!

Sorry I didn't take pictures. But, I promise this was truly a delightful meal.

Free Easter Tags

2010-02-22T16:46:00.000-08:00

Okay. So, I'm lame and was actually going to try and charge for these printable goodies. But, no. I cannot do it. It's much more fun to give them away for free. I realize Easter is over a month away, but you really can use the bird tags for anything and everything.

Click here to download the bird/nest tags.

Click here to download the rabbit tags.

Pottery Barn inspired chalk-board

2010-02-17T10:14:00.000-08:00

I'll be honest, the creator in me must be on hiatus. I went into my sewing room last night with good intentions to make something. But, I ended up on the couch and watched a dog show of all things.

But then I came across this in the Pottery Barn catalog. Isn't it clever? And most certainly doable to make one on your own.

Then a little firework went off in my head and I remembered the white platter I just bought from TJ MAXX on clearance for $8! Buh-bye slump, helloooo chalkboard paint.

Like a just mentioned, I purchased this adorable platter on clearance for $8. But, surely, you could probably find one of these at a thrift store for less. You'll also need painters or masking tape, newspaper, and a can of chalkboard spray paint.

First, tape around the area you want to be covered with chalkboard.

Then, cover the white ceramic border with newspaper. Tape it in place. This is going to keep the white parts white, so unless you've got mad spray painting skills, don't skip this step.

Spray paint away. Call me paranoid, but I let mine dry for 24 hours before I peeled the paint.

And, ta-da! A nice little goodie for you to write love notes, grocery lists, inspiration, or stick figures. And, it's easy, too! Just a little note, and a lesson I learned the hard way, don't use clay sidewalk chalk. It scratches the surface and you'll have to repaint.

I've GOT to give a shout out to Elizabeth who is going live today with her new website called "To Be Charmed." She posts some great inspiration. Show some love and visit her here. Good luck Elizabeth!

P.S. I take the worst tutorial photos ever. If any of you have tips on what I can do to make them better, I'd so appreciate the help.

Kids Tee Applique

2010-02-12T22:14:00.000-08:00

My friend, Claire, is expecting a baby girl in the coming months and spotted some appliqued onesies she kinda loved. Well, they were $30! Can you believe that? Thirty bucks! Well, here's a tutorial that can help you get a $30 onesie for $2. By the way, if you don't know what to make for dinner, Claire has a stellar recipe blog. You've GOT to check her out here. I ate her cookin' every day for an entire summer... it was heaven.

First, iron double-sided fusible webbing onto your choice of fabric(s) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Fusible webbing really is the trick to doing a successful applique, especially onto jersey.

Browse google images or some clip art software for an image you like. Print it out, cut it out.

Trace the outline of that image onto the paper backing of the fusible webbing.

Cut out the traced image. Peel the paper backing away from the webbing/fabric and lay the pieces onto your onesie or shirt. Iron in place, adhering the fabric images to the jersey.

CAREFULLY and slowly stitch around the very edge of the images. Take your time on this step and I promise it will be perfection.

Now for the legs... To add a little extra texture, I used brown embroidery floss and did a back stitch to create skinny little bird legs.

Ta-da! A little love bird onesie. Easy, right? I kind of want to design dozens of these for summer shirts for littly lady "P." Applique away, folks! Hope you all had a happy Valentine's Day!

Schizophrenic Blogger

2010-02-11T18:45:00.000-08:00

I am a graphic designer and I can't help myself but not be fully satisfied with the look of my blog. So, if you stop by for a visit and are unsure if you're at the right site because it doesn't look the same, it's because I keep changing it! Chances are, I'll continue to do so. But, I thought I'd ask my lovely readers what style of banner you prefer. Take a vote and help me out!

The original punkin sofa... my very first banner.

A little scalloped action... my most recent of doodles.

Or the great outdoor edition, which I recently replaced.

Like I said, my mind is likely to change and my blog may continue to change with it. But, I would love some input from you guys on what direction I should be going.

I'm off to the mountains! YAY!

Love my Readers

2010-02-10T09:33:00.001-08:00

So, I've decided I love all of you. Thanks so much for the sweet notes you leave me. They really do brighten my day and encourage me to think of new, fun projects to share with all of you. I'm off on a little vacation in the mountains this weekend. Surely, goodies will be made and I will be sure to share them all with you next week. Valentine's Day is on its way, so I wanted to share some of the V-day projects some of you have created from my V-day Freebies! Have a great weekend everyone! Until next week...

Ivanka's Card Studio made some seriously DARLING cards!

My cousin Jen imported her Valentine's Day box into photoshop and did a little color therapy to make it a little more girl friendly. Clever Jen!

Valentines for a preschool class.

Paper Therapy Ponderings used the Valentine freebie to make some cute cards.

BIG giveaway by Panga Swimwear and I am kinda excited

2010-02-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

I am SUPER excited to announce this stellar giveaway. Skin cancer is becoming more of an issue around the globe and over the past year, my husband's grandmother has suffered from a form of skin cancer, which may ultimately end her life. Did you know 90% of skin cancers are preventable? Why risk cancer if it can easily be prevented? All it takes is a little tweeking in our lifestyle. Sun screen, hats, any precaution we can take to protect ourselves and our families is well worth it, right? Well, I am kind of stoked about a new company called Panga Swimwear that is promoting CUTE and flattering swim wear that is considered "sun safe." These suits are designed to give you extra coverage in areas that the sun likes to kiss, namely your back, chest, and shoulders. Plus, they have all the bells and whistles to make you feel like a hottie and comfortable in the meantime. LOVE THEM.

So, wanna win one of these goodies? Ya gotta enter the giveaway and this is how you can do it.

Maximum of two entries per participant:
1. First entry - visit the website here and leave a comment saying which swimsuit is your favorite. Take your time there and make sure you check them ALL out.
2. Second entry - announce this giveaway at your blog or website and link over to us.

www.sunsafeswimwear.biz

This giveaway will run from February 7, 2010 through February 28, 2010. I will announce the winner on Monday, March 1. But, if you just CAN'T wait until the deadline to get your sun safe swimsuit, hurry up and buy one in time for swimsuit season! Good luck everyone!

Owl Teether PDF

2010-02-02T21:18:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! I got a few requests for the owl pattern. This might not be the EXACT dimensions to the teether I made, but I think I got it fairly close. You can probably enlarge it, too, if you'd like it larger. Sorry it took me so long! Had to wait for a night when the kiddies were in bed early. Go here to get the owl parts. Hope you're all having a happy week!

Growing Like A Weed Heat Pack

2010-02-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

My son is going through a growth spurt. I remember when I would get growing pains as a child and how awful it was. Hot baths late at night, mentholatum lotion, but my favorite remedy was a nice warm heating pad. So, I needed to make some up for little J. But, I thought I would try to make them a bit more fun than a regular heating pad. So, I found these great prints in snug fleece and designed some "growing like a weed" tags. This way, it seems like a gift and hopefully my kiddo will be excited to give them a try.

1. First "marinate" your uncooked rice. Fill a bowl with an airtight lid (or ziplock bag) with uncooked rice and your choice of scent. You could drop in some scented oils, such as lavender, or use what's in your spice cupboard such as ground cloves and cinnamon. It's up to you. I like to let my rice sit for about a day so it's nice and smelly... in a good way.

If you wanna get real fancy, you could even make different rice packs for different stuff. My bestie from high school, Melissa, knows all about these things and told me certain oils can be remedies for different ailments. For example:

Lavender: good for leg cramps, anxiety, great for calming and can help with sleep.
Wild Orange: good for colds, anxiety, flu, and to calm.
Breathe: respiratory system problems, coughs, colds, asthma.
DigestZen: Can help balance the digestive system, flu, stomach aches, gas, and colic.

If you want to check out some of these oils, visit Melissa here. She's super.

2. There are two options. There's a SUPER easy version and a little more complicated version. For the super easy version (pictured above), just cut out the fabric to the dimensions of your choice. Simply sew around the edges (kind of in a "U" shape), leaving the top open. Fill it with your rice, fold the rough edges under, and stitch it up. SUPER EASY, right?

3. If you prefer your bag to have sections, it's not much more difficult. I did multiple bags in hope to achieve this look and think I found the quickest way to do it. Sew around the edges of your bag, right sides together, leaving one side open. Be sure the side you leave open is the longest side. See here?

4. Divvy up your bag into sections, the measurements are up to your liking, and sew ALMOST to the top, toward the rough edges. Don't forget to backstitch.

5. Fill the sections up with rice, stopping just about 1/2" short of where your stitching ends.

6. Fold the rough edges under about 1/2" and pin in place. Sew it up. I put a folded ribbon at the corner so little hands can carry the hot bag around without touching the hot part. But, that's really it. SO simple, right? Done.

Now, pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and sooth those aches and pains. Although the tag says 1-2 minutes, big boys and girls (aka us adults) can heat it up to 3 minutes. Want to download a pdf of these "because you are growing like a weed" tags and print them out? Go here.

I love comments... wink, wink.

Ramblings...

2010-01-29T12:29:00.000-08:00

This week has been a challenge. I've had two sick kids, which seems to be the broken record of the season. Ear infection, strep throat, strep throat, ear infection. My husband has had a bugling disc in his back since early Monday morning. My baby is teething, still, and I am functioning on zero hours of sleep it seems. I've become exhausted to say the least. I've been whiney. I've complained. I've even cried. Poor me.

And then the sky parts, the thunder really starts to roar, and something else happens that makes you broaden your perspective. My aunt is not well. The news is not good. It is likely we will lose her in the coming months. She has six children, 18 grandchildren, and two grandbabes on the way. She has two brothers and two sisters, a 90-year old mother, nieces, nephews, all suffering to cope with this tragic news.

Was I truly feeling sorry for myself because I have two beautiful, overall healthy kiddos who I am so lucky to care for and love? Was I so selfish to pity my sleep deprivation because I am so fortunate to wake in the wee hours with my babe only to sooth her? I. am. blessed.

I know it's cliche, but every day is a blessing. We cannot determine what tomorrow holds. Will we be happy? Will we be safe? Will we lose someone we love? Maybe so. But, let's not postpone happiness for the days that are perfect. Strive to be grateful for the usual and everyday. Take advantage of the time with those you love... even if it calls at 2:00 AM.

Happy Friday everyone!

Wishin and Hopin... and a Valentine Box

2010-01-28T10:40:00.000-08:00

My lovely, amazing, selfless, kind, adorable Aunt Leslie has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor which crosses over two hemispheres. She is going to the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City today for a second opinion. I know this blog is dedicated to tutorials... but, she sure could use a lot of prayers today.

Want to make a Valentine's Box in ten minutes? There are five pages to download for this PDF. See the orange links listed below.

Valentine Monster Face

Valentine Monster Booty

Valentine Monster Side 1

Valentine Monster Side 2

Valentine Monster Top & Bottom

1. Cut out all of the pieces.

Don't stop at the darker green edge. Go all the way to the end of the paper.

2. Using a bone folder, or a credit card, fold on the dotted line as indicated.

3. Piece the sides together like this... forgive my messy table. It was coloring time for my kiddo.

Super easy and the guess work is already done for you!

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Owl Softie Ribbon Teether

2010-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

My baby girl is teething right now. Although you can never have too many receiving blankets, I really didn't want to go to all the work of making a teething blanket. So, I formulated this cute little owl softie. My daughter loves it. It's small enough for her little hands to grab onto, soft enough to cuddle with, and a total cinch. And how cute would this be for a baby shower gift?

1. Cut out your pieces. Owl body, owl wings, facial pieces, and ribbons. I just freehanded the body and the wings. But if you guys want me to post this as a pdf pattern, just let me know.

2. Fold the inside curve of the wings under about 1/4" and iron flat. You know how I feel about starch when it comes to making these creases. USE IT!

3. Sew the wings to the body. Get creative with your top thread color. I thing it adds a little whimsy when the stitches don't fade into the background.

See how close I stuck to the edge?

4. Place the facial features onto the face and sew on. I used wool felt for the eyes and the beak... it's a true obsession, me and wool felt.

5. Next fold a strip of ribbon in half. I prefer grosgrain ribbon so the texture can massage baby's gums when she's munching away on them. Pin the ribbon to the body with the rough edges at the edge and the folded end pointing inward. Arrange the ribbons around the wings like feathers, and two at the base like feet. Sew them on.

6. Now put the back to your owl against the front, right sides together, and sew it up. Be sure to leave a little opening to turn it right side out.

7. Go ahead and stuff it up with some batting.

Don't overstuff this little cutie. It's meant to be kind of flat so little fingers can hold onto it easily. Whip stitch that opening shut.

8. And there ya go! A nice little owl softie ribbon teether.

*** Due to multiple requests, you can now download the pieces to this owl for free by going here.

2010-01-25T06:40:00.000-08:00

to make this little goodie...

Which is a variation of this...

To get the full tutorial, go here.

Cape Apron Tutorial

2010-01-21T17:34:00.000-08:00

My son tends to believe he's a super hero. He even wears ski goggles around town and keeps them on when we go into the store.

For Thanksgiving, I made him a super hero cape. Not only does he love it, but his cousins play with it lots, too.

Since cousin Kaily had a birthday this week, I made her this Apron Cape. It does double duty, acting as an apron by day and a cape by night. And... you've guessed it... it's easy.

To download the neck template go here.

1. Fold your fabric in half, the hot dog way. Put the neck template at the top and pin in place. Cut around the template. I like this style of neck because I'm paranoid and don't have to worry about ropes, strangulation, and all those cheery things us moms stress about.

2. Lay your ruler at the same angle of the template. And cut down the side.

Unfold the fabric and you should have your cape. You need two of these pieces.

One for the front, one for the back.

3. For the bottom corners, just lay a plate or something round onto the fabric and trace the curve. Cut along the curve so the corners are rounded.

4. I love typeface design... guilty by trade, I suppose. So, I put Kaily's first initial on the cape. I found a font I liked, printed it out to the size I wanted, and cut it out. I then pinned the paper letter to some wool felt and cut it out.

Once I was pleased with the design, I sewed it to the right side of the cape. LOVE wool felt. No need to fold under the edges or anything. Just sew around the edge and that's all you have to do.

5. Now put the front and the back pieces of your cape right sides together and sew them together.

Be sure to leave a small opening so you can pull them right side out.

Pull the cape right side out and whip stitch the opening shut.

6. Iron the cape flat, taking extra care along the curvy parts of the neck.

7. Sew the pieces of velcro to the neck, stitching with a simple "X" shape. You could even do button holes if you'd like. I just thought velcro would be easier for the kiddos.

8. Ta-da! Done! Super easy, super cute, super fun, and very versatile in purpose.

My friend, Claire, made these for her two very cute boys.

Welcome Mamma Tortilla

2010-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

I would like to welcome Melissa from Mamma Tortilla and thank her for her guest posting for today's sweet little goodie. Not only is this super easy (my favorite way to do things), but the result is just too cute.

Although this particular tutorial was built for the darling cutie to the left, this same idea can be applied to girls of all ages. Maybe even mommies?

If you would like to check out Melissa and Leslie over at the Mamma Tortilla, check them out here. They really are a couple of clever ladies.

Materials:

1 t-shirt

10 x 44 coordinating material (longer or wider to adjust for a different size)

optional : ric rac, embellishments, lace, flowers

1. Cut your coordinating fabric 10 x 44 and hem the bottom edge.

2. To create the pleats I folded down and ironed 2 1/2 inches and then

flipped the fabric and ironed down 1 inch. I did this repeatedly until I

reached the end. You could also run two lines of stitching along the top

and gather to create a ruffled skirt rather than a pleated one.

3. With right sides together sew along the side of the skirt piece.

4. Turn the t-shirt and skirt piece inside out. Pin the edge of the skirt

to the edge of the t-shirt. To create the appearance of a shirt over the

skirt you pin the right side of the skirt to the wrong side of the shirt.

5. Sew skirt to shirt. I sewed along the existing seam of the shirt and

then topstitched lace to jazz it up a little. I also added a flower using a

modified version of this one from my My Mama Made It.

Be Mine Freebie...

2010-01-14T06:30:00.000-08:00

Only one month away from Cupid's holiday! I know... it's early. But, I wanted to catch all of you before you ventured off to buy your valentines. These were loads of fun to design for the Rubber Punkin and I hope you use them. They're free! I think these would make darling gift tags. You can right click the image and save to your desktop. Or, for higher quality, go HERE and download these goodies in PDF format. My gift to you.

Easy Peezy Lemon Squeezy Wallet

2010-01-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

Okay. So, I've got another super easy project for all of ya. This doesn't take a whole lot of time and you'll feel like a fashionista (slash) domestic goddess. Not only will your cash be stored in style, you can now claim your stake to crafty fame by telling everyone you made it yourself. I love being able to tell people that.

I call this the Easy Peezy Folded Wallet and this can be made in about thirty minutes. I'm sure you'll want to keep this once it's finished, but it would certainly make a great gift, too!

***To print out the pattern pieces, right click the image, save to your desktop and print onto an 8.5"x11" piece of paper.

Cut the exterior from a cotton-twill kind of fabric.

Cut the interior out of wool felt.

Cut the credit card pocket out of cotton-twill and the cash pocket out of felt.

Be sure to cut the pockets on the fold as indicated on the pattern.

Take your exterior piece of fabric and fold each side inward. Iron flat.

Fold the credit card pocket piece in half and fold the sides with rough edges inward. Iron flat.

Take the pattern for the credit card pockets and mark where the dotted white line indicates.

I like to use THIS TOOL to mark lines. You can use it like a rotary cutter against a ruler and it makes your lines perfectly straight. Plus, unlike a marking pencil, it doesn't wrinkle your fabric as it draws.

Fold the felt cash pocket in half and iron flat. Stack the fabric credit card pocket on top of the cash pocket. Sew along the lines you marked in the previous step, attaching the credit card pocket to the cash pocket. Next, lay the pockets on top of the felt interior piece.

You should have four layers. The credit card pocket, the cash pocket, the felt interior, and the fabric exterior. Stack the layers in that exact order, being sure the lines match up perfectly around the edge. All of the fabric pieces should have their rough edges folded inward. All of the felt edges are left rough. That's the beautiful thing about wool felt!

Sew around the very edge of the rectangle, adhering each layer to each other.

Fold the flap over the credit card pocket and iron in place. Starch is pretty handy in this step to make the crease nice and crisp.

Now you have a nice little home for your moolaw.

Plus, it just makes me happy looking at it, knowing it only took thirty minutes. Beautiful.

Felted Monster

2010-01-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

I have a cutie named Jack. He's turning three this year. There really isn't all that much for little misters in the tutorial world. LOTS for girls, but finding fun things to make for boys is kind of tricky.

Felt toys are pretty popular right now, especially ones that have that homespun flare. Imperfections are part of their charm.

So, introducing this cute/ugly/scary/hilarious felted monster doll. I have the full detailed pattern and instructions available on etsy for a mere $5.00. You can find it HERE. If they sell out, you can email me at emhward@hotmail.com and I'll list some more.

Otherwise, follow this quick tutorial and figure it out as we go. No sewing divas necessary. This is super simple and like I previously said, imperfections are part of its charm.

1. Pin the pattern pieces to your fabric and cut out.

2. Construct your arms and legs.

3. Sew on facial features.

4. Pin arms and legs to front side of face, pointing inward, and sew in place.

5. Sew the bottom strip to the face, being sure the legs and arms are pointing inward.

6. Sew hair onto the back.

7. Attach back to the face and bottom. Sew it up.

8. Turn monster right-side out and stuff.

9. Pinch opening shut and seal it up with a whip stitch.

YAY! All done. Get creative with your facial features, hair, and any other

embellishments you'd like to add. Although I used wool felt, you can use whatever.

Coming soon...

2010-01-05T14:53:00.000-08:00

I was hoping to have this tutorial up this week. But, strep throat and ear infections have hit my household. So, playing nurse leaves little time to create. Don't give up on me. Stay tuned. The felted Monster is coming and it's a doozy. Lots of fun. Get your wool felt ready!

Baked Cheese... not grilled

2010-01-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

I love grilled cheese sandwiches on a cold day. Dip it in some warm tomato soup and you've got coziness in a bowl. BUT, I hate making them. It's so time consuming making just one grilled cheese at a time in an itty-bitty skillet. OR, I have to whip out my ginormous breakfast grill. So, I improvised my frustration into a new concept. You may have already conjured up this idea. But, it's made my grilled-cheese craving moments much easier. You can make up to six sandwiches at one time! It's beautiful! And, in my opinion, I actually think it tastes better. So, let's get a cookin!

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Butter one side of each piece of bread.

3. Put the buttered side face down onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Slice your cheese and place the cheese onto the unbuttered side of the bread.

5. Put the other half of your sandwich on top of the cheese, the buttered side face up.

6. Sprinkle a SMALL amount of seasoning salt on top.

7. Put in the oven and bake for four minutes.

8. At four minutes, flip the sandwich so it's evenly crispy (my oven may differ from yours. Just make sure it's starting to brown ever so slightly before you flip it).

9. Bake another four minutes.

10. Ding ding ding! Time to eat! This is perfection dipped into hot tomato soup.

Organize This - A New Year Freebie

2009-12-29T22:32:00.001-08:00

Most of us are probably intending to ring in 2010 with high hopes of being more organized throughout the year. Me! Me! Me! I'm part of that group! I want to be more organized, more logical, more structured. I spend hours each day searching for lost shoes, missing socks, misplaced keys, my cell phone... the list goes on and on.

So, I am gifting free labels for you. I was designing these for my own use and figured I might as well share these cute little goodies. Right click the image, save to your desktop, and print them to size. These tags are great on card stock or photo paper... you can even laminate them if you'd like. Although some of the tags are already labeled, I've included blank ones so you can customize them to suit your needs. Happy New Year!

Tulle and Eyelet Poof Skirt

2009-12-27T18:22:00.000-08:00

My baby was blessed today. Doesn't she look so sweet? It was kind of last minute. My little brother plays college basketball and it's been difficult finding a weekend that he could get away from his hectic game schedule. So, last night I hurried and whipped this dress together. It took about two hours from beginning to end, but I was definitely taking my time to get it just right. Although my version was for a baby blessing, this could easily be moderated into a print or something not so formal. I definitely intend to make oodles of these for the summer time.

1. CUT OUT YOUR PIECES

Cut out the skirt. Measure the waist as well as the distance between the belly button to the bottom of the shin. Add about 3/4 of the width of the skirt to the initial measurement. For example, if the waist measured 19 inches, like my daughter's, you'll want to make it 33 inches. Cut out a rectangle of fabric fitting your measurement. Mine, was 33"x 9."

Cut your tulle. Cut out a rectangle that is twice as long as your measurement. For example, my skirt is 9" long, so I'm going to cut the tulle to be 33"x18."

Cut your elastic. If your waist measured 19", you want to cut your elastic to be one to two inches shorter than the initial waist measurement. This is so the elastic will hold tight and be kept from falling down when it's worn. I cut my elastic to be 18".

Cut the waistband casing. My daughter's waist measure 19 inches, so I cut the waist band 20 inches. The elastic I'm using is 1.5" so I cut the casing to 4.5", allowing enough room for your seam allowance and for attaching the casing to your skirt.

2. Construct the casing. Fold the casing piece in half, right side together, and iron a crease at the fold.

Leaving a 1/4" seam allowance, sew together the rough edges. Turn the casing right-side out and iron flat.

3. Sew the hem. Lay out your largest rectangle, fold the bottom edge over twice and iron flat. Sew along the inside edge of the fold, making the hem extra sturdy.

4. Attach the tulle. Fold the tulle in half and pin the folded end to the top of your largest piece of fabric.

Sew along the top, attaching the tulle to the "fluttery" part of your skirt.

5. Attach skirt to the casing. Put the skirt portion and the casing right sides together, and start pinning them together. This is also the step where you establish the pleating.

I find it easiest to pin each end of the skirt to the ends of the casing. Then, pin the center of the skirt to the center of the casing. This way, the pleats are evenly disbursed. To form the pleats, pinch the skirt and tulle and pin that bunched fabric to the casing.

Continue pinching, bunching, and pinning, until the entire skirt is pinned evenly to the casing. Sew the skirt and tulle to the casing.

6. Insert elastic into the casing. Attach a large safety pin to the end of your elastic and feed the elastic into your casing. Once the safety pin has been strung all the way through the casing, pin each end of the elastic to the casing to hold it in place during the next step.

7. Finish your goodie! Pin the rough edges of the skirt, right sides together. Stitch it up, again using a 1/4" seam allowance. Turn the baby right side out and ta-da! You are DONE! Cute and poofy and I LOVE IT! I'll post the construction of the top for my next tutorial.

Coddled in Corduroy

2009-12-23T21:22:00.000-08:00

Being a lover of all things beautiful, especially ones that can be made, I was quite taken by this lovely corduroy skirt. It's so charming, don't you think? I have dreams of one day owning a chunky corduroy sofa. I just love the texture of it.

I can't wait to get to the fabric store after the holidays, buy up some yardage of this stuff, and get to skirt-making.

Thanks bunches to Sachiko, whose cleverness I've swiped for this post. Wanna visit her? Check her out here to see the complete info on this DARLING goodie.

Fabric Flower Bracelet

2009-12-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

I have gobs of fabric scraps in my stash, leftover from previous projects. But, most of them are too small to do anything substantial with. I was watching iCarly with my nieces a few nights ago and she was wearing the cutest fabric flower necklace. I'm not a huge necklace girl, but I liked the concept. So I evolved the idea into this. I won't lie, it took a good hour and a half, but I'm a fan of how it all turned out...

First take some household items of varying sizes that can help you trace out some fabric circle. I used a baby bottle, a Salt City candle, and a spool of thread. Find a color scheme you like, and cut out the fabric circle.

Next, stitch around the outside of circle, being sure to stick close to the edge. If you want to be extra safe, you can even run a little fray-check around the edge of the fabric.

Once you've made it all the way around the edge, pull the thread tight until the circle forms a pumpkin-looking shape.

Push your needle through the center of the gathered top, and thread through the back where you can tie off your thread. I even did a few passes back through the top and back down to make it a bit more durable.

Continue this process with all of your fabric circles and press them flat with an iron. Once you've finished making all of your flowers, lay them out to find a grouping that works for your taste.

Cut a strip of wool felt that's wide enough to accommodate the grouping of flowers, and long enough to wrap around your wrist. Start sewing on your flowers. Stitch through the center, and continue to stitch small stitches around the outside of the flowers to make it stay in place. I let the outer flowers hang over the felt a bit so the felt is more hidden.

I embellished my flowers with vintage buttons that I found in a tin from my Grandma Tresa. But, I know most thrift stores have bins of buttons you can buy loads of for a STEAL!

The great thing about working with wool felt is, it holds its own pretty well. So, button holes are super easy. First wrap the strip of felt around your wrist and mark with a disappearing quilting pencil where you want your button hole to be.

Then, take a small and SHARP pair of scissors, and cut a straight slit where you've marked your button hole. No sewing is necessary for this step, but I did do a small stitch around the outside of my slit simply for looks.

Sew on your button. I prefer a button that is the same color as my felt, so the flowers, the REAL centerpiece of the bracelet, can take center stage.

And, ta-da! A little whimsical and feminine fabric flower bracelet. Now, do I keep this for myself? Or, give it to my little sister for Christmas... it's a true debacle.

Featuring.... ME!

2009-12-22T13:11:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I know I'm the new kid on the crafty blog block, but I am already making friends. Yay. Ruffles and Stuff featured my first tutorial ever, the t-shirt beanie, as their daily feature today. The author of that site is a creative genius. Check her out here.

T-Shirt Beanie

2009-12-19T14:20:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you guys, but I have t-shirts that I have saved from over ten years ago! Most of them are wearing thin and are destined for the trash heap. But, I came up with an idea to salvage a few of them. The best part about this tutorial is it's fast, easy, and you don't have to be an expert seamstress to get it to look virtually perfect.

First take an old t-shirt and a beanie that fits whoever it is you're making this for. I'm making mine for my 3 month old daughter. Lay the beanie at the bottom hem of the t-shirt, using the beanie for a pattern. Trace an outline with a disappearing quilting pen, or just hold the beanie firm and cut around it.

After this step, you should have 2 sides for your t-shirt beanie.

Next you're going to cut strips out of another portion of your t-shirt. Do a basting stitch down the center of the strips, being sure to do a reverse stitch at one end to hold it in place.

Pull on of the end strings of the basting stitch, gathering the strip of t-shirt into a ruffle.

Now, start stitching the ruffled strips to the front of your t-shirt beanie. Do strip after strip until you get something like this.

Then, pin the two pieces of your t-shirt beanie right-sides together and sew around the top. The original hem of the t-shirt will act as the bottom of your beanie and should remain open.

Ta-da! You have yourself a very cute, one-of-a-kind beanie. Although I did mine with ruffles, you could do it however you'd like. Just get a little clever and embellish it to your fancy.

Ta-da! My first tutorial blog!

2009-12-19T12:25:00.000-08:00

So, here we are at the Rubber Punkin, getting ready to kick off some creative radness. Check back the the first of next week for our tutorial debut. Want a hint? Start digging out some of those old t-shirts you never wear. I've got a good idea brewin.