Finally Finished {Faux Chenille Baby Blanket}

So the baby has not arrived yet, obviously or else I'd be shouting it from the rooftops!

I guess my womb is just way too cozy... dang my cozy womb. 

Instead I will show you what else I labored over lately (man I'm funny).

The faux chenille baby blanket that I made based on the Made tutorial turned out SO CUTE!

Even if I mangled my hands with all that cutting between the seems. 

My hand looks like Chandler's Pacman claw from Friends.

Awesome.

One thing that I could do without is binding. 

I. hate. binding.

Or maybe binding hates me....

Not sure, but either way, I always have the toughest time with it.

I love the colors that I chose for the blanket, the top ended up being what I thought would be the bottom.... that was confusing. 

What I meant was, I had a brown and white polka dotted flannel for the side of the blanket that would "show" and I decided at the last minute that I wanted the green on the other side to be the one that was prominent.

Don't really think that made anymore sense than before... let's pretend it did, 'kay?

So in the end, once I had painstakingly cut all the chenille-like-whatever, the polka dotted side ended up looking kinda funky.

But to me it's a good funky, psychedelic if you will :)

And of course Aubrey got herself all up in this photo shoot. 

Funny because this kid is NOT pleased when I pull out the camera these days... guess I over did it there for a while. Oops.

So soft she had to fake-sleep on it.

The lovely green :) 

And Aubrey's too-cute feet....

This seriously was one of the most time consuming projects I've ever done. And soooo NOT an instant gratification one either, which is usually how I roll. 

So worth it in the end...

Even if it looks wonky because I wasn't fully paying attention when I tried to trim the edges and make it a rectangle.... more like a trapezoid (hence no full blanket shot!).

Random Pictures... And Thoughts

Why do I do this to myself?!? Why do I look at pictures of myself not pregnant when I am almost 39 weeks?? It's just mean to do! But aren't we cute?! I think so... and so happy to be at the New Hampshire coast... fabulous :)

I. Love. The. Atlantic. Ocean. 

There, I said it. 

Aubrey got a cough/runny nose the beginning of this week and this was my mantra when I was around her...

Bahahaha 

This was actually Zach's Valentine's gift. I'm so romantic right?! 

He loved it and that's what matters.

It's a quote from Barney on How I Met Your Mother. 

When I heard it I KNEW it was perfect for Zach to put in his office. It's him in a nutshell... being a resident does not let you take "sick days" well, ever. Seriously, I'm sure some of your doctors you go and see are more sick than you are.

You want me to be joking, but sadly, I'm not.

The ever fabulous Amy whipped up the quote on her Photoshop for me (not to mention all the new blog headers I've been sporting these past few months...pays to have a friend who is experimenting with such things!). I used this canvas I had spray painted previously, stuck on some burlap, threw on some mini clothespins and I had me a funky picture frame, voila! 

And this... this is a much hated sight for someone who sews! An almost empty thread spool when you're in the middle of a project.

Insert weeping and gnashing of teeth.

I was on a roll with my baby blanket, the faux chenille one I found a tutorial for, and I ran. out. of. thread. 

AWFUL.

So the blanket was set aside (with an angry huff) because I knew it would be days before I'd have the car to get more thread. 

I actually got out last night and got more thread AND went to the mall and got a shirt for my dinner out tonight. 

So I can start work on this blanket today again AND go to the dinner tonight not sporting a toga ;)

In the mean time I actually started working on my quilt (yes, the quilt I got fabric for waaaaay back when we first moved to Georgia in June--shame on me)! I got the whole top of the quilt sewn together and bought the muslin for the backing last night too, so I might actually get both the quilt and blanket done before this baby comes.... dreams are cheap ;)

And look at little Aubrey! Pretending to make a mini quilt with my left over charm pack I decided to not use on my quilt. She was chattering away about how she was going to piece it together...too cute!

 Like I said earlier, my Big Night Out (dinner with Zach's work....and yes, that's a big night out because I get to talk with adults, not listen to constant 3 year old chatter) is tonight and I actually have something to wear :) So I'll try and remember to take a belly picture when I'm dressed up too, but my memory is a little wonky so forgive me if I forget.

Now I must go and take this 39 week body and try and paint my toenails.... assuming I can find my feet.... and actually reach them....

Wish me luck!

A Little Sheep Obsession... And Being Featured

So as of Friday and a little wander around the World Wide Web, I fell in love with sheep.

Seriously, I saw a birthday party on Half Baked, The Cake Blog and then a link to make the sheep pillow at Purl Bee Blog and I was hooked! 

And you know I was in love because I went right up to my sewing room and started to make all the things swirling around in my brain. 

Motivation is not my strong suit when 37 weeks pregnant.

It was a bonus that I happened to have all the supplies on hand already!

True to Jen fashion, I totally wung the sheep pillow and freehand drew a pattern, partially because that's how I roll and also because our printer is not working so I couldn't print the free pattern.

The sheep in the frame was just a random what-not I came up with and ended up falling in love with. 

Just a garage sale frame, some rick-rack and felt and you got yourself some art.

Too cute right?!? It's going above the baby's crib and the pillow is for the crib too.

Just look at the little lamb!

Of course Zach has now taken to randomly throwing the lamb at be an baaing super loud, but I saw that coming before it even happened.... 

Seriously, I was sewing the lamb together and was thinking of all the random ways Zach was going to be obnoxious with it. 

I guess I've learned a thing or two about my man in the 11 years we've been together :)

Like I've said before, those are the moments I love him the most.

We're a little sad like that.

To be honest, I'm not sure the sheep/lamb is going to ever make it into the baby's crib, between Zach's randomness and Aubrey's new found love for it, I think is destine to be in the living room.

Oh well.

Linking up here...  

In other news....my ugly tray to chalkboard project was featured over at Southern Lovely!!Yay for being featured :) You can check me out here !

Sweater Pillow

Confession....

I've been coveting the pillows made from sweaters that I've seen all over Pinterest.

I mean, they just look so stinkin' cozy!

So the other day, when I actually had the car (yay!!) I stopped in at Goodwill to check out their selection of sweaters and I scored a fabulous, stain-free, like-new, cable knit for only $4.50.

At that price, it fit into my non-budget... budget ;) especially considering I had the wooden buttons in my stash at home already.

I'm just annoyed I didn't get a before shot of the sweater.

I got to cutting and whipped this little puppy up and I. am. in. love.

I have to say, when Zach saw the sweater and I told him what it was for?! He pretty much looked at me like I had grown a second head (and asked if I had washed it....seriously?!? Doesn't he know me at all??)... I merely laughed and told him to wait and see.

Oh he of little faith.

Now he keeps professing his love for the pillow every time he passes it. 

I love being right.

It was so quick and easy to make (read 30 minutes from start to finish!), I'm definitely seeing another one in my near future :)

Take 2....{A Handmade Doll Carrier}

So I've made a doll carrier before, 

and it sure looked cute, but it never was easy for Aubrey to use and it was ridiculously floppy. 

I knew that I had to try again, but to be honest... I just was NOT in the mood to try and come up with another pattern.

That was all the way back in April.... Then comes December and I'm trying to think of Christmas presents for some of the little girls we know. 

After a few failed attempts at making something else, I knew I had to give the doll carrier another go.

And this time it worked! 

I'm SO happy with how this one turned out. 

The last one was way too flimsy and had snaps that were hard for Aubrey to use.

The doll always looked like it was going fall out at any second, and that was assuming Aubrey was even using the carrier...which was pretty much never. Awesome. 

This one, I used a super stiff Wonder Under and it did the trick.

Look at that baby all securely fastened ;)

I made the straps way stiffer, used velcro instead of snaps and it's way easier to use. 

It's just a sturdier carrier all around and that's what was lacking the last time.

My model was looking pretty classy in her we're-staying-home-clothes, but there was no way I was going to convince this grumpuss to change, let alone go outside and pose for pictures. So indoors, with fabulous clothes, it was... not to mention many promises of candy canes....

See, baby doesn't fall out! I win! 

Of course now Aubrey wants one too...let's see if I get the energy to make her one....

Ummm So I Might Be Addicted....

Okay, so I'm really into the hoop art. 

I can't seem to get enough!

I just love that I can sit in the couch and be lazy AND craft at the same time!

Perfect combo for me because this baby in my belly is starting to really beat me up and my lower back is gonzo by around 5pm in a day. Can barely move, fun :)

I would like to reiterate that I still LOVE being pregnant! Seriously, bring on the back pain because it's all part of the miracle...cheesy you say? Well, get over it ;)

I've been loving all things 'birdcage' all over the blog-world.

It's my first embroidery project and I'm pleased to say that I did this without a pattern... yes, I know it's basically a bunch of straight lines... pretend it's a big deal okay?! Thanks.

I remember my cousin had sent me this link, so I dug it up and went from there (thanks Marlene!)....

It took me forever to decide on the ribbon, fabric, colors, etc. I can't make a decision for the life of me. 

You'd think this was a life altering choice I had to make, I think we chose our car faster than I chose the materials for this thing. 

But, it was worth it! I LOVE how it turned out!