I got my sewing machine set back up the other day {it’s been faaaar too long since last I sewed – my machine is broken so it’s a frustrating experience}. But I wanted to make something, anything really. So I decided to whip up a simple baby doll pouch sling for Lucy. I checked online and did find some how-to guides for making pouch slings. But I was feeling lazy and wanted something really easy. I didn’t want to have to adjust the measurements or do quite so many steps {even if it would make a nicer sling}. So I improvised.

At some point in the future I’ll probably make a nicer one {maybe once I have a working machine}. But in the meantime this gets the job done. And just in case you’re a lazy sewer too I present:


See? Easy peasy! Just a few cuts, and a few lines of simple stitching. Enjoy! And if you make one of your own I’d love to see pictures so link ‘em in the comments!
By the way, these instructions are NOT suitable for a real baby carrier. Dolls only!

Hmmm…what’s this? Envelopes? A marker?

Not just any envelopes, not just any marker…
Dear readers, THESE are special play letters! That marker is a wet erase marker. And those envelopes are laminated. That means hours of fun imaginary play and, someday, practice for printing and addressing letters!
How did I make them? It was easy-peasy. I took some small, colorful note cards and envelopes I had lying around, added a few US stamps leftover from before we moved to Canada {and a few 2 cent Canadian stamps} then took ‘em over to Staples and asked for their sturdiest laminating job. While I was there I picked up some wet erase markers. And that’s all it took. Now, I’ve seen some pretty adorable felt play mail. But I like my way for two reasons:

1. This mail can be addressed, cleaned off, and addressed again and again and again and again. How fun is that?
2. My way was eeeeeeeaaaaaasy {no sewing}!

Why did I make them? Well, besides the obvious {hello! they’re adorable!} I made them because of this:

How cute is this play mailbox? I’ll tell you. WAAAAAY cute!
It’s the perfect size for Lucy. And while it is pretty dang cute that she hides her toy chickens inside it I thought it was high time she had some proper mail to go in it.
It’s got a working door, and a working flag {that way the mail carrier won’t miss your outgoing mail – too bad Canadian mail carriers don’t seem to pick up outgoing mail. We have to drop it off at the Post Office, but I digress}.
I loaded all the letters in the box and closed it up. Lucy was immediately curious.
 
I think she digs it. Were I to do it again I’d use slightly smaller envelopes. These just barely fit inside the mailbox. But it’s all good. I love them. And I love the mailbox. It even came with a few white stickers for writing an address or name. See Lucy’s name there on the side? I’m pretty much in love with how cute this toy is. I’m considering making a play house for Lucy just to go with it. Admit it. You love it too. You’re jealous…on behalf of your kid of course. ;)
Well, guess what.
One of you is getting one.
For free.
That’s right folks. I’m doing a giveaway, this week, compliments of CSN Stores*. So don’t miss it {it will be a separate post}! Closed.


*CSN stores provided me with the toy mailbox for the purposes of reviewing it. However  I had a wide variety of choices in toy to review and I personally wanted the mailbox for Lucy. Just FYI.

I’ve been drooling over this project on Three Pumpkins Little. I recently picked up some clear vinyl at the dollar store so that I could replicate the idea but with German vocabulary {I’m hoping to save up my birthday and Christmas money to start taking German again}. And as I was thinking of what other fun things I could do with my vinyl it hit me, snowflakes!
I drew some simple snowflakes with my silver sharpie and stuck them to the back of our dining room chairs. It’s not the perfect look since you can see where the vinyl ends. But it was easy, cheap, and will be perfect for Lucy’s Winter ONE-derland party! The party is THIS weekend and I’m sooo not ready. I’m still waiting to do some of the projects because I’m still waiting on RSVPs from some guests. Cross you fingers that everything is ready on time.
Come back tomorrow for another Christmas picture for the December Photo Challenge.

ETA: You can now see pictures from the party, and get another free download for use in your goody bags.

The theme for Lucy’s first birthday party came to me when browsing Michael’s back in September: Winter ONE-derland! I think the combination of snow, pretty shades of blue, and cute arctic animals will make for a great party. And before you can have a party you have to have party invitations!
I made these invitations myself. I did them {including the polar bear illustration} in a vector program. Then I had them printed as 4x6 photos {which I’m having a little trouble finding envelopes for, but hopefully Staples will have them}. It only cost $1.90 plus tax to have 10 invites printed at Walmart. I just uploaded my file to their online photo center and they did the rest.
But I wanted to make the invitations extra special so I decided to give them the glitter of fresh snow with glitter glue pens from Michael’s!


Aaaaand…just because I’m awesome, and generous, and “ONE-derful” {and humble, apparently} I’m giving you a blank version that you can download for your own party {assuming you have a winter baby who’s turning one}. To download a .png invitation {for use in programs such as Photoshop} just click the picture below, then right click and save as. To download a vector file {for use in programs such as Inkscape or Illustrator} click here. You’ll also need to go to kevinandamanda.com and download the “Teacher’s Pet Font” {free}.
ETA: I didn't end up finding the right sized envelopes {they can be ordered online but I didn't have time for that}. What I ended up doing is buying blue envelopes and trimming the blue border off the invites. If you use these invites you could either order envelopes online, trim the blue border off, or have them printed with a white border and trim that off.
ETA: If you want to have a party for a kiddo that won't be turning one, or if you just want to have a winter party for the fun of it, you can get free invitations with "Winter Wonderland" instead of "Winter ONE-derland" by visiting this post.

So, I know I told you I wouldn’t be posting much. And now I’m posting twice in one day. But hey, I’ve got stuff to say so why not? Anyway…I’m part of an online ornament exchange. The mama I got paired up with uses cloth diapers too and I knew I wanted to make her a cloth diaper ornament. So I did. And you can too.
You’ll need:

• felt in the colors of your choice {I suggest white for the inside}
• needle
• thread {I used white thread}
• ribbon to match
• scissors
• paper and pencil {optional but I found it helpful}

Or...

• ETA: hot glue and hot glue gun {if you really, really don't want to try sewing you could totally do this project with hot glue, or maybe even fabric glue}
  

First, cut out a diaper shape a bit like the one pictured below. I did mine with paper first, then used it as a pattern for the felt. This first piece is the inside of the diaper. Sew {I hand stitched for all the steps, it’s easy when the project is this small} the inner piece to the piece of felt you want for the outside of the diaper. This second piece can be a rectangle {make it a little larger than the first piece} and once they’re sewn together you can trim the outside of the diaper to match the inside but a little wider.

After the two pieces are sewn together you can sew a felt rectangle and felt “tabs” to the front and sides of the diaper as the “Velcro.” Or you could sew on little snaps to make a snap diaper. I went with the Velcro look.

I also stitched a cute little heart to the back of the diaper. Then I sewed the diaper shut and added a ribbon for hanging. You might find it’s easier to add the ribbon before closing the diaper.

Adam kept telling me I should add a little “poo” in the diaper, but I decided to pass on that idea. And just in case my DIY ornament wasn’t as cute to my swap partner as I think it is I’m also sending her a purple picture frame ornament I picked up at the store. This project was inspired by a cloth diaper keychain a friend of mine owns. It was really super easy. I’m not a great seamstress, I swear. I was able to do a lot of this project while breastfeeding so that should tell you just how easy it is!

Do you think you’ll try making a diaper ornament? Tell me in the comments! And leave me links to any pictures you have of the completed project!

I hope to have more pictures to post after the festivities are over…but I couldn’t resist sharing a shot of the costume I made for Lucy {Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds}.

Here’s how I made the costume:

1. I found a plain blue onesie {which was actually a lot harder than I expected}.
2. I bought white felt, and fake diamonds at the craft store.
3. I cut the felt into cloud shapes and hand stitched them to the onesie.
4. I used hot glue to attach the diamonds.
5. I made the tutu using elastic and tulle I already had on hand.
6. I threw on white tights and a pair of white shoes I found at the store for one dollar {yay!}.
7. I let Lucy do the rest by being adorable. ;)

Mr. Dork and I are also going as Beatles’ songs {ETA: Here are the pictures of our Beatles costumes}. But our costumes aren’t nearly as awesome. Hope you have a happy Halloween! Stay safe!

Check out this craft I found in a recent issue of Better Homes and Gardens’ 100 Decorating Ideas Under $100. It’s an Autumn Monogram “Wreath.” Their instructions for it consisted of two pictures of the finished project and three sentences. Hopefully you’ll find my extra info a little more helpful.

You’ll need to buy a paper-mache letter, some silk leaves,* and some strong magnets at your local craft store. You’ll also need a hot glue gun and paint if you don’t already have them. These are all pretty cheap supplies. I think I spent $10 or less for everything {except the glue gun and paint which I already had}.

When I made mine I cleared off the kitchen table and placed down some newspaper. Then, once the glue gun was hot I glued on my magnets. I later discovered that the magnets are so strong that the hot glue won’t cut it when it comes time to take your wreath down. The letter pops right off and the magnets stay stuck to the door! So you might want to try super glue. Whatever you use I recommend attaching the magnets before the next step.

You’ll need to paint the letter a color that will work well with your leaves. I chose red. I found it was easier to paint the edges of the letter with the magnets already glued on because they acted like little feet to lift the letter off the table. Make sure you don’t miss any spots, but you don’t have to worry about doing a perfect paint job since you’ll only be covering it later.

Once the paint has really dried you can glue on the leaves. I arranged my leaves on the letter first to find a layout I liked. Then I went through and glued each leaf. This is really a very easy and quick project. The biggest hassle is waiting for things to dry in-between steps. Your children could do this project and would probably have a lot of fun too!

Once everything’s dry just hang it on your door! If you don’t have a metal front door you could probably use 3M sticky-tabs instead. Or you put it on your fridge.

You can also modify this project for any season or holiday. A glittery, white initial would look like snow for winter, or you could glue on peppermint candies for a Christmas look. You could use silk flowers for spring or summer, black roses for Halloween, pom-poms for a birthday party…the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Happy Autumn!

*You could go out and gather dried leaves but I chose silk for two reasons; I can store the project and use it again next year and I can use the wreath now at the start of fall instead of waiting until there are leaves to gather.

This post is part 3 of a 3-part series on fighting fair. Part 1 covered the 5 things you should never do in a fight. Part 2 covered how to be persuasive. And part 3, “Saying Sorry,” is for when you screw up part 1 and 2. ;)

Admit it. You’re not perfect {but I am*}. Sometimes you lose your cool, or fight dirty, or otherwise mess up. It can be hard to admit when it happens (especially to ourselves). But being willing to admit our mistakes and say “I’m sorry” can save a relationship. So here’s the how and why of apologizing:

HOW to Apologize

• Be Sincere. If you’re not ready to offer a true apology, wait a while until you’ve cooled down. A false apology leaves the offended party feeling dissatisfied and you feeling resentful.
• Validate Their Feelings. Acknowledge that they’re upset and that you screwed up. Apologies that include qualifiers such as “I’m sorry, but…” are not apologies. They’re poorly disguised attempts to appear to be the nice guy while laying the blame elsewhere.
• Be Specific. Say what it is you’re apologizing for. It shows that you actually understand what you did wrong and why the other party is upset.
• Make Amends. If you broke it, fix it. If there are actions that ought to accompany your apology your words will be empty without them.

{See http://www.theperfectapology.com/index.html for more ideas on how to apologize.}

WHY to Apologize

• Preserve Relationships. A good apology can smooth over some pretty big offenses. They keep relationships strong by demonstrating your commitment. People intuitively recognize that a person who will say “sorry” to them is a person who cares {cares enough to eat crow}!
• Model Good Behavior. Your children won’t learn nearly as much about apologies from being forced to say “I’m sorry” to their friends of siblings as they will from seeing you say it to your spouse, friends, and yes, even to them. It’s especially important for them to see apologies if they see their parents fighting. It shows them that mom and dad still love each other and get along, as well as showing them the proper way to end a fight.
• It’s Good for You. Ultimately apologies aren’t about you. They’re about others. But a nice perk to apologies is that they can make you feel better about yourself and help you grow.

And remember, when it’s you on the receiving end of the apology…

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” -Mahatma Gandhi

Was there ever a time that saying {or hearing} “I’m Sorry” made everything better? Tell me about it in the comments!

*Just kidding!

This post is part 2 of a 3 part series on fighting fair. Yesterday I told you what not to do during a fight. I gave 5 helpful hints to keep arguments civil. Today I’m going to teach you some of the things you can do to “win” a debate. These tips will help you convince others to see things your way. All you need to do is D-E-B-A-T-E.

Drop the attitude. In addition to following the guidelines for fighting fair try to be cool during a debate. Don’t act like a know-it-all. Be personable and relaxed. People enjoy talking about their opinions with others but not when the conversation is making everybody uncomfortable or when they feel judged for their opinion.

Explain your point of view. Be clear and concise. And tell how and why you came to view the issue how you do. The person you’re trying to persuade will benefit from understanding where you’re coming from.

Be logical. Don’t use faulty arguments. They might work on people who don’t understand logic well, but if you want to persuade people as clever as you are (and if you want to avoid being fooled by bad logic yourself) you should know the basics.

Appeal to your opponent. Try listing the ways your opponent stands to benefit from seeing things your way or doing what you’re suggesting. If your debate involves negotiation offer fair incentives. For example, if you’re trying to convince your neighbor to let you pick the apples of their tree explain to them that it’ll make mowing their lawn easier, and you’ll even share the apple crisp you’re planning to make.

Thank your opponent. Saying thank you for shared time, and shared thoughts helps the debate end on a good note.

Even if you win, you might not win. You can do everything right. You can be cool, and logical, and be arguing that the earth is round. But there will sometimes be people still convinced it is flat. Don’t take it personally. And don’t try to “win” by pushing the debate to keep going. That isn’t persuasion. Try again some day if it’s worth debating. If not, let it go. You may have “planted a seed” that will grow in their mind. Eventually, even if you’re not there to see it, they might come to agree with you. And if not you did your best without being a jerk which is how you really “win.”

Any other tips? Leave ‘em in the comments!

Remember to check in tomorrow for my post on saying “sorry” {because, let’s face it, we all screw up}.

Have you ever been in a heated debate online about politics, or argued with your spouse about whose turn it is to do the dishes? How’d it end? Did you freeze up and find yourself unable to think of responses to the other side until days after the fact? Or maybe you “won” the fight after your opponent gave up?

If so then this 3 part series of posts is for you. Over the next few days I’m going to teach you how to fight fair. Day 1 {today} I’ll cover 5 things you should never do during an argument. Day 2 I’ll cover how to be persuasive. And on day 3 I’ll cover saying “sorry.” By the end of the series you should be better able to argue your point of view without being a jerk. Why is that so important? Well…

1. If you act like a jerk you’ll very rarely convince anyone of anything {except maybe for the fact that you’re a jerk}. And…
2. Nobody likes a jerk.

So, what are the top 5 things you should never do during an argument?

1. Name-call. Don’t attack people, attack ideas. The minute you get personal you have lost. The person or people you’re trying to persuade will shut down and stop listening, or become defensive and maybe start name-calling back.
2. Yell. When you feel passionately it can be hard not to raise your voice. But once yelling begins a debate can quickly turn into nothing but a screaming match. You can’t listen to each other if you can’t hear each other.
3. Refuse to yield. Admitting you don’t know something, or that you were mistaken does not make you weak. But it does help the other side see that you’re reasonable enough to be worth continuing the debate. Who knows…you might even find yourself persuaded to change sides.
4. See things in black and white. No matter how strongly you feel that President [insert president of your choice here] is evil incarnate, or that Twilight is the worst/best book ever, or that the horseshoes are the best Lucky Charms marshmallows simply feeling passionately about it does not make it so. Very few arguments you have will be arguing anything other than opinion. And the rare arguments about facts are usually ended with a quick trip to Google. If you forget that issues come in shades of grey you’ll have a very hard time doing any of the other items in this list.
5. Lie. Anybody with the IQ of a naked mole-rat will be able to tell when you’re making stuff up. They’ll despise you for it and they won’t trust anything else you say, even if it is true. In addition to outright lying, don’t fudge the facts or use absolutes {i.e. “you NEVER do that,” or “they’re ALWAYS doing this”}. Absolutes are almost never accurate.

If you avoid these 5 things you might find fights ending much more amicably and perhaps even sooner than usual. You won’t necessarily change anybody’s mind…but, at the very least, you’ll probably avoid making an enemy.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for part 2: “How to Be Persuasive!”