Battling cabin fever

We have had some real weather this winter. More (and earlier) snow than usual, and now an amazing ice storm. My university actually cancelled classes! (I've had loads of free time this week, which has been wonderful.) I'm quite impressed with what Mother Nature has thrown our way.

But the weather has kept us indoors more than usual. Fortunately we hadn't yet decorated for Valentine's Day, so I was able to find some interesting projects for the kiddos to do, to keep them busy.

Nienie inspired me to try Crayon Hearts.

I regret to say that I enjoyed making them a lot more than the kids did. But they are pretty! (Not as pretty as Martha's, I guess, but I don't have a staff of people just to cut things out for me.)

Hubby cut out some paper heart mobiles that the kids decorated. That went over much better.

I have to say that I'm getting a bit stir-crazy, and more snow is expected this weekend. (For those of you who don't live in the Midwest, snow on top of ice is BAD NEWS.) I have started nesting (6-ish weeks to go until baby!) and I wish I could get down to a good spring cleaning. However, I don't think I'll be opening any windows any time soon. I'll just have to settle for washing cute baby clothes and purging things we don't need.

Frugal Cloth Wipes

I know you've heard me wax poetic about cloth diapers in the past. I love my cloth diapers: frugal, earth-friendly, and so much prettier than nasty plastic diapers. To keep with the theme, I also use cloth wipes. It makes no sense to pay out money for the equivalent of chemical-laden paper towels, and it's just not practical to throw a diaper in the pail and a wipe in the trash. (Not to mention, they can get pricey.)

I knew that I needed to replenish my stock of cloth wipes - the ones I have are threadbare after being washed, over and over, for years. This time, instead of shelling out $5/dozen for some WAHM-made wipes, I decided to make my own. I kept my eyes peeled in the paper for a good sale/coupon at JoAnn Fabrics, so I could make my wipes as cheaply as possible.

And then, guess what I found on Craigslist? A dozen flannel receiving blankets for $5! Just what I needed: cheap flannel! I pounced on those blankets, you can bet! Two of them turned out to be made of something other than flannel, but no worries.

Originally, I tried to cut my wipes 8x8 inches, and only zig-zag the raw edges of two squares together. That didn't work - too much fraying. So then I cobbled this method together:

1. Cut wipes to desired size. (In my case, that's 8 inches x 8 inches.)

2. Enlist the help of a five-year-old to do my seam ripping. (Not that I make any mistakes, mind you!)

3. Sew squares right-sides together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Leave an opening to turn wipes right-side-out.

4. Snip the corners to reduce bulk.

5. Turn wipes right-side out, and sew as close to the edge as possible, all the way around.

6. Enjoy the finished product: 38 wipes for $5. (Quite a savings!)

Repurposing what I repurposed...

Okay, forgive the bad, grainy pictures. It was a cloudy day, and I did the best I could with light.

I needed a pot holder for my cast iron skillet. I hate realizing that I need to pour something out of the skillet before it burns, and then having to hunt (quickly!) for the pot holder that I'd just used and set down somewhere...

I wanted one of those handy-dandy ones that fit over the handle, but I really wasn't willing to pay $5.99+ for it. I mean, it's basically a padded sock, right? So I rummaged around in my scraps, and found a block that I had made for this quilt, but hadn't used. It was the "odd man out" and didn't fit into the dimensions of the quilt I made. So I traced around the handle of my cast iron skillet, and made a pot holder using that tracing as a pattern for this:

See? Fits perfectly! It's denim on the outside, lined with flannel on the inside. Durable, and keeps me from burning my hand.

Second, Adam was complaining that his legs were cold. (It just so happens that the chair he sits in for schooling is in the coldest spot in the house.) He wanted some leg-warmers like I wear. I grabbed a pair of knee high socks of mine that had holes in the heels and were headed for the rag bag. I found a tutorial online, and repurposed those holey socks from this:

To this:

So I managed to solve two problems in our house for $0. Yay for me!

For more frugal tips, check out Frugal Fridays, at Life As Mom.

Odds & Ends

Here are some snapshots out of our life from the past couple weeks. 

That's Luke, putting together one of the Lego sets he got for Christmas. You'll also notice the Magic Cabin crown on his head. He's such a ham!

And here's Adam, putting together one of his Lego sets. It's HUGE. He just finished it (with some help from Hubby) this afternoon. That's the homeschool cabinet in the background, in case you're wondering why we keep books at the kitchen table. 

Every year, I get together with a friend from high school to make Christmas cookies. We get our kids together and make a big mess. The kids decorate a few cookies (and eat a lot of dough) and I get a playdate with one of my favorite people. I love our little tradition! I wish I could find a link to the book I take my Christmas cookie recipe from: it's the best! 

Another annual family tradition is to go to the local children's museum at Christmastime. This is a picture of Gracie at lunch during our visit. Right now, this picture is also the wallpaper on my Mac. Every time I sit down at the computer with Gracie on my lap, she squeals with laughter looking at her own picture. She's growing up SO FAST! 

Another pair of the baby shoes I've made. I have a purple pair made from just the purple fabric you see in these shoes, and I have another pair in progress, with denim toe pieces and that dot fabric for the heels. Too cute! 

I've been crafting again

And I have some baby shoes to show you, but Blogger won't let me upload the pictures. I also made some cute bows for Grace, but you'll have to wait to see those, too! 

So here's a teaser post, and I'll post pictures as soon as Blogger lets me! 

***UPDATE***

Here are the pictures, as promised. Please remember that I am NOT a good photographer, and the only time I get to create & take pictures of my creations are after 9pm. 

I got the pattern for the shoes here. It's hard to tell in my picture, but the shoes are chocolate brown with baby blue flowers. So sweet! I have three more pairs in progress right now. My dear friend Dani sent me some suede skirts over the summer that she found at a thrift store, and I've been making good use of them as soles for baby shoes. (She knew my intentions prior to sending the skirts, btw.) Pair those with my little quilting fabric stash and a couple of fat quarters I've scored on sale, and Gracie has a shoe fetish in the making. ; ) 

I finished it!

I only have a second to post this, but I had to come share my accomplishment! I know this is a pretty poopy photo, but it was the only one I could get that didn't have a kid in FRONT of the quilt. (Yes, that's Adam's head sticking out from under the quilt.) 

Yes, I finished the quilt! Turns out that I was able to get my sewing machine working myself. This quilt is made from salvaged denim from worn-out jeans, backed with flannel. It is so heavy and warm. Perfect for snuggling under while reading a book on the couch. It's a great use of what I had around the house; I never have enough throw blankets. (The kids & hubby are always fighting over them. Must be because I keep the thermostat so low. LOL!) 

My current project is a pair of baby shoes for Grace. I have the cutest fabric to use! I can't wait to finish them and post pictures. I think I may make some matching hair bows, and wrap them up for Christmas. 

Happy crafting! 

Looky what I made!

This was, by far, the easiest craft I've ever done. And so quick! I bought some ribbon and alligator clips, and voila! New hair accessories for Gracie! I think I have a new addiction...

The Craft Table is Trying to Kill Me!!

My sewing machine is broken. Okay, it's not really broken, but it won't work until it gets a tune-up. So all craft projects are currently on hold. 

I'm going to go drown my sorrows in some Oreos and milk. 

Craft table - during

Yeah, yeah. I've been working on the craft table. And Cory's been painting the trim, and prepping the walls for paint. But it's not done yet. See? Look! 

And even worse, my mess is spreading! See?! LOOK!! 

You want to know why it's not done? Here, look at my wonderful husband: 

Yeah, that's him. About 5 minutes ago. Wave to the nice people, honey. 

So, do you notice that little lump next to Cory, on the bed? Here. Take a closer look:

Yep. It's Gracie. She's a sweet little darling. But have I mentioned that she likes to be held? ALL THE TIME? So during the day, I school the kids, clean the house, wash the dishes, and do the *mountains* of laundry that we produce. All while holding a chubby (read: heavy) 8-month-old. If I need two hands, I give her to hubby. (If he's home, which he hasn't been lately - job interviews and other such details. Ha *insert eye roll* ha.) So if he wants to paint, it's got to work into Gracie's schedule, and the job interview schedule, and the grass-mowing, landscaping schedule. And if I want to get any crafting done (and hence clear my table) then I have to do it at night, after Gracie is sleeping. (Otherwise I run the risk of sewing my fingers, since I'd be using the sewing machine with one hand while jiggling a chubby baby. Kinda distracting, that jiggling.) 

So I'm giving myself another week. We'll see how far I can get. 

Craft table - before

This post is to keep me accountable. See my craft table? It's a mess! 

Let's work from left to right, shall we? 

First, you can see the pile of homeschool books. Some are for this year, and some are from last year. Last year's books can be put away. I will do that this week! 

Above the book pile is the pegboard, which is just holding onto things that should go to their homes, instead of being vagabond clutter. 

Next, we have a pile of mending and quilting that should be done. A gift bag that should be put away with the other gift bags. An empty bolt core, to hold some fabric that I haven't ironed yet. A book, some fleece, and a pile of jeans. A picture that wants to go on the wall. Some beans. (Yes, beans. I made draft stoppers last winter, and never took the leftover beans back to the kitchen!) 

And, lastly, we have the walls. UGH. For a brief time, hubby & I traded rooms with the boys. Once we realized that their room couldn't fit our king-sized bed, and that the boys much preferred a room on the main floor, we switched back. That was more than a year ago. The room remains painted as it was when the boys were up here, so I am the Princess in the Castle. We have the paint to repaint the room, and we have the supplies. IT WILL GET DONE THIS WEEK!! 

So I am keeping myself accountable by posting my intentions here. I will clear my craft table this week, and I will help hubby paint the room. I'm going to make a dent in this clutter!