Sewing Project: Children's Beach Robe

As the needle goes up and down and the beautiful fabric feeds through the machine, frustrations about temper tantrums fade away as something is created from nothing.  Learning to sew (one of my summer goals) has been so fun!  All of my creations thus far have been for our home, so I decided it was time to make something for Mr. Cheeks.  

There is an amazing blog called MADE, where Dana creates awesome projects, many of which are for children and many are repurposed things.  Many of Dana's ideas are for BOYS which are sometimes hard to find in crafty blogland.  

I started her Beach Robe Pattern and in just a few evenings I was done and SO PROUD! 

The materials are simply a beach towel (I found mine at Target for $4.00), and some bias tape.  

This was my first time sewing with a pattern, and it was a great first project.  I learned new skills like how to put in sleeves and sewing around curves.  And Voila!  The finished project:

The adorable tie helps keep Mr. Cheeks looking stylish.

Even a hood for extra coziness!

I'd love to know any other ideas you have for simple kids clothing projects or patterns!

One Stitch at a Time

My sister will tell you that I am someone that is interested in EVERYTHING!  Breadth. Not. Depth.

I guess the creative side of me is just entranced by all of the cool stuff out there, and I want to do it ALL.

Enter the latest hobby.  Sewing.

My Mother's Day gift was a class here:

Whipstitch Fabrics

As I journey through crafty blog-land, sewing is the one skill that pulls at my every crafty bone, and although I've tried to conquer it alone, success has eluded me.   

Enter Deborah, and the wonderful staff of a sewing boutique in Atlanta called Whipstich.  I entered tenatively, lugging my Brother through the front door.  The lovely girl casually says, you can set up in the back.  "Ok, thanks" I find myself eeking out (internally thinking I have NO IDEA how to set up!).  Surrounded by beautiful fabrics and listening to a woman choose yards in which to make her children's clothes, to say I was intimidated was an understatement.

Pish. Posh.  This class was awesome.  Within the first hour, I was laughing and learning, interacting with other women my age.  The mechanics of that scary machine were no longer scary, and by the end of the first night, I was sewing!

Each night we finished a useful project - napkins (click here for a free tutorial on these!), a picnic placement, an adorable tote bag, and these:

Awesome!  These piped pillows look adorable in our house, and made me feel like I could make ANYTHING.  Learning how to sew is such a liberating feeling, and I am already snipping and pressing my next project.  Stay tuned....

Oh, and if you are not in the Atlanta area, but want a fabulous introduction to sewing, check out Deborah's book, Stitch by Stitch: Learning to Sew, One Project at a Time.

Clipboard Cuteness!

I am truly impressed with the creativity and craftiness of the writers of the blog, How Does She?  Their collaborative efforts have lead to great decorating ideas, awesome giveaways, and even free printables!

In an effort to nurture my creative spirit and my bank account, I recently created cute clipboards using their tutorial for birthday presents.  What child doesn't like to doodle and draw?  I also thought these would be perfect for a car or restaurant.
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Weeknight Craftiness

I have FINALLY found some time (or made some time) to escape to my craft room!  I decided to expand on another idea I had this summer, and create a more personal thank you note.

When I receive a gift, or someone goes out of their way for me, I never cease to think of the time and effort it took to make that act of kindness happen.  Giving a gift requires prior thought and planning, and most times even expense.  I needed to write a thank you for recent hospitality and one for a belated birthday gift for Mr. Cheeks.

To thank our hosts from last weekend's amazing retreat, I took one of my favorite pictures and made it the cover for the note.  I was sure to mention how much the beautiful surroundings helped us feel so relaxed, and hopefully it will make these wonderful friends even more proud of all the work they've put into their house.

Some of our extended family lives in California, so they never get to see Mr. Cheeks.  I decided to capture the moment of him opening his gift (side-note:  very cool that he actually cares about a package now!!).  I'm sure my Uncle will appreciate getting to see his fascination with the ribbon and the exciting present inside.

So many of my followers are inspirational photographers, so next time, instead of reaching for a boring old thank you note, share some of your work with those around you!

A Quick Craft - "Giftable Notecards"

As a mom, there are so many people who support you throughout the  year, and acknowledging that support is so important.  All of us have people that lending a helping hand, and deserve a little "something".  


Most of us also take such beautiful pictures of scenery - from a pretty flower in backyard, to a beach that gave us a wonderful week of relaxation.  These pictures usually lack people, and thus don't find themselves in a frame, but left behind in our myriads of digital files.


This project puts those photos to good use, and puts a smile on the face of those who give to us.
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