Rag Applique Tutorial

Warning: If you follow this tutorial you may become an applique addict like myself! They are so easy and always turn out super cute! Select your fabrics. I almost always use scraps. A fun shape. I like to free hand these, but this heart came from my Circut. You will also need Wonder Under.

Trace your shapes onto the smooth side of the Wonder under and cut them out.

Note: If you are doing letters make sure you trace the backwards!

With the traced side up, use a warm iron to iron the shapes onto the wrong side of the fabric.

This step is what makes this a "rag" applique, because we are leaving an unfinished edge to enable the fabric to frey more. Cut out the shape leaving a 1/4 inch edge around the Wonder Under.

Snip along the edge to create a fringe around the edge. The closer the snips, the better the fringe!

Peel off the backing of the Wonder Under and use a warm iron to place the shapes onto your onesie. Remember, your edges will be loose, but most of the shape will now be fixed to the onesie.

Leaving the fringe loose, hand and or machine stitch around the shapes with 2 ply thread. Since I have been working on newborn sized onesies, I like to hand stitch them, but on larger ones I use my machine. The last step is to wash and dry your onesie... this is what helps the fringe get that fun "rag" look. It does not show up great in the picture, but trust me it sure looks cute!

It's Done... Really!

Welcome to Adelyn Marie's nursery... Here is the first view from the hallway entry. The wall cling above the door is one of my favorite things in her room. It reads... "Such a big miracle in such a tiny girl" and this could not be more meaningful after all the love and prayers that brought her here. No nursery is complete without a place to rock baby to sleep. I still have an idea for the little lamp, but it works for now. I hung up her first few outfits and my favorite monogrammed bloomers on iron scroll hooks. The crib looks like something from a magazine to me. My mom really worked hard on the dust ruffle and bumper pads. I did make the sheets myself which were very easy and fit perfectly.

Since we did not have a matching mobile, I made fabric balls and we suspended them over her crib with fishing line. They look much better in person! The scarf came from Walmart and as in an earlier post, I framed a piece of fabric and used chip board letters to spell her name.

The other side of the room is the changing table and a book shelf.

Most of these details I posted about earlier.

Mike's room was done in a vintage cowboy theme and these were his baskets. I just added some ribbon and fabric to the handle and they were a perfect match! I just love this look.

This plate is one of the first things I bought for her room and

I used the Circut to cut out the letters from vinyl- so much fun!

Don't worry they will peel right off if she comes before her scheduled date.

Wouldn't this make a nice wedding gift with the wedding date and bride and groom's names.

This is above her changing table. The iron shelf holds some fun booties and bunny slippers. Of course the bow holder. It was kind of cute having to explain to Adam how to use it. And the the "You Are My Sunshine" sign Lala bought for her. That made me cry when I saw it!

This is the last view looking out from our master bedroom.

It is so nice having the nursery just off of our room.

Someday she will move across the hall and my scrapbook room will have to be down sized- boo!

So there it is! All ready to go and boy does it feel good to have it all done. I wish you could all come over and see it in person... or I wish I had a better camera. So much love and thought went into every detail- we are just thrilled with how it turned out!

Oops- I almost forgot... this is the art nook above her closet. I made the very popular Martha Stewart tissue balls... one suggestion... I bought the prettiest tissue paper from Hallmark and it was just one sided- next time I will go for solids.

Grayson's Gift

Here is my 12X12 quilt I made for Grayson's Gift. It was truly an honor to make this, as I am five weeks away from meeting my baby girl after losing two babies. Please consider sending a small blanket to Meryntha to honor these lost babies.

Fun New Appliques

These were so fun to make and I am really into this girly color combo. The onesie is my my best friend's baby girl and the bib is for Adelyn. I have started to do more of the stitching by hand because it allows me to be in the living room with the boys and brings back childhood memories of cross stitch! If anyone out there is interested I may make this my first picture tutorial!

Grandparent's Day

For the first time I noticed Grandparent's Day on the calendar just in time to do something about it! I wanted to make something simple and meaningful, but I knew Mike wouldn't be able to help too much this year... So when I found these dish clothes marked down at Target a light bulb went off! (six for $4)

I really like how they turned out. The colors and the stitching make them child like and who doesn't like to see a child's hand print as time passes! Even though Mike is far away from his grandparent's, he loves looking at pictures and calling them on the phone. There is nothing more special than the relationship between a child and their grandparent... and I would know!

Isn't It Lovely

My friend Joanne and her mom made Adelyn this beautiful quilt that matches her nursery perfectly. I wish you could all see it in person and touch it for yourselves because this picture does not do it justice! The craftsmanship is just amazing and the fabric and color choices look sweet and sophisticated at the same time! Thank you Joanne and Mrs. Champagne for this wonderful family heirloom! I can't wait to lay Adelyn next to her name and take a picture.

Happy Snack

I love making this yummy snack mix. I like to bring it to family holidays and make for my teachers when I host a workshop. It makes everyone happy and especially me because it is cheap, easy, and can serve a bunch of people... Plus I get to use a cute cookie jar!

Happy Snack

• One box of Chex cereal (I like rice Chex)
• One bag of pretzels
• One jar of dry roasted peanuts
• One bag of M&Ms (try the seasonal colors)

Add every bit to a cute serving jar or bowl. Give it a good shake! I use a measuring cup as a scoop and serve it in coffee filters in place of cups or bowls. You could also add raisins, crasins, and other dried fruit. You can even scoop it into treat bags and tie it with a bow for a simple homemade gift!

A Tiny Piece of Joy!

No blog post has touched me like the one from Kari's at U Create today. As many of you know around this time last year Adam and lost a baby girl. I delivered her at just 17 weeks. She was lovely and very tiny. The night before we had to deliver her Adam and I got into an argument about whether or not to bring a baby blanket to the hospital. For me it was letting her know we loved her, but for him it was just too much to think about. I remember this like it was yesterday...maybe it is the regret of not bringing a blanket. The closer I get to delivering Adelyn, the more I think about the baby I lost... and then to stumble upon this post only to find out the hospital in need is in my own backyard tells me God is listening and offering me a tiny piece of joy. I am going to be making a blanket or two and sending it to Greyson's Gift and I hope you will, too!

Please look at Greyson's Gift for more details about the 12 X 12 or 24 X 24 blankets and where to send them!

Look...

It is my first "feature"... My Sicky Note Holder was featured on Dollar Store Crafts... What great ideas this site has! You should check it out!

You Might Be a Redneck...

You might be a redneck if the first outfit you ever

get to pick out all by yourself is...

• faded blue jean shorts
• a home made iron shirt... that is also a hand me down
• brown cowboy boots... without socks
• and a trucker hat, ... one size too small, that you put on backwards
• Did I mention you were headed to O'Rileys Auto Part store, where everyone knows your name because you are your dad are "regulars"
• Or that your redneck parents thought you looked PERFECT! (and took a picture to post on the net)

(Insert Kevin Fowler song here)

31 Weeks and Counting!

So here is my view looking down! Seems like we have been too busy for belly pictures, so I took one of myself. I am carrying her very low and my belly seems a lot more pointy than with Mike. I am at the point where all do is think about how she will look. I think she will look like her brother, but with blue eyes. For awhile I was having dreams she was a boy. Then this week I had two dreams of a blue eyed, blond hair baby. In these dreams people would ask me if it was a boy or girl and I didn't even know. Finally last night, I had my first girl dream and she looked like me as a toddler... blue eyes, blond curls, and a runny nose- ha! I am now seeing the doctor every two weeks and she will start checking for progression at 35 weeks. I am a little nervous because by 36 weeks I was dilated to a three and 80% effaced with Mike. One of the wonderful things about a c-section is having total control of the arrival of #2. With no family in town, a full work load, and a two year old to care for, the drama of labor and my water breaking is just not an option! I am predicting an October 28th birthday and that she will be 7 pounds even, 21 1/2 inches, red hair, blue eyes, and have her days and nights all mixed up. Mike was such an easy baby and Adelyn has been different since day one! Of course I really don't care about any of those details, after everything we have been through, I just want to hold her and for the first time in a really long time have not a speck of worry in my heart.

Cousins are the Best Fun!

This past weekend Aunt Amy, Uncle Larry, and cousin Jolene came up for a visit from San Antonio. We all had so much just hanging out. The guys took the the kids to Cabella's and then fishing in a small pond, where Jolene caught her first fish and Mike ate Cheetos... again. Amy and I went to Joann Fabrics and played with my Circut.

The bounce house was again a great energy zapper and still remains the best $200 purchase of the year!

Aunt Amy brought fun washable paints. It is always amazing to the difference just a few years makes with projects like this. Mike was all process and Jolene was all art!

Writing on the outside chalkboard was also a big hit. Ya gotta love chalk board paint! And now I hear it comes in cool colors. My favorite cousin time was after bath. They looked so cute having their cookies and milk.Plus I got to read bed time stories! It was such a nice visit and next time there will be one more in the cousin mix! We love Jolene, Aunt Amy, and Uncle Larry!