Quick and Easy DIY Gifts for a Baby Boy

Recently, a wonderful bloggy friend of mine, Trudie, had a beautiful baby boy. I was so excited for her (naturally, as I amt he cluckiest duck in existence) and resolved that I should make a little care package for her entire family to celebrate the new arrival. Knowing that Trudie is a bit of a thrifty, vintage-loving, hippy mumma, I knew she would appreciate something handmade or second-hand for her little one and herself,  and I was all too happy to oblige, since my budget is somewhat limited lately.

I included an op shopped skirt for Mumma, a cute little onesie I found at Best 'n' Less for baby, and some colouring books for her other two children - Cars for Cohen and Disney Princesses for Sarah to keep them occupied while mum is busy with baby. I also made these cute little singlets for baby Fraser, and I just had to share them with you all, as they were so easy and Trudie seemed to really love them. Over summer I imagine Fraser will get a lot of wear out of them, as it is a little too hot here for little ones right now!

All three singlets were refashioned with bits and pieces I already had in my sewing box, so this made the gifts really cheap for me to make. The dinosaur and whale are just scraps of fabric which I adhered with two step Heat'n'Bond iron-on adhesive. First you iron the fabric to the adhesive, then you trace your template on the back of the Heat'n'Bond and cut around it. Peel off the paper backing, and iron it to the singlet and you're done! There are tons of cute templates on the internet to choose from, as well! The spout and eye on the whale were embroidered on, and I would recommend you make sure your Heat'n'Bond is the sewing-friendy one. I found out the hard way (a bent needle and a pricked thumb) that mine wasn't.

The caterpillar was a little more time consuming to make, but since I had Criminal Minds episodes to catch up on, it felt like nothing at all! I simply chose some vintage buttons out of my huge stash to use in co-ordinating colours and a similar size and sewed them on the singlet, overlapping slightly in a zig-zaggy caterpillar pattern. The smiley novelty button I found in my stash was the perfect touch to this design, don't you think? The antennae are optional, and I embroidered them on.

I really love giving handmade gifts and love personalising singlets and onesies for new arrivals! When I finsished the singlets, I bundled them together with the rest of the presents for Trudie's family and wrapped them in a vintage tea towel which I picked up at an op shop with Trudie in mind a while ago. It's not really my style, but I knew it was hers and just had to get it for her! The whole package was finished off with some retro looking ribbon, and handed over with a handmade card when I visited Trudie last week. I hope that this post has shown you how easy it really is to make a thoughtful, customised baby gift and inspired you to give these simple ideas a go!

You're making my head grow!

Guys, you're making my head grow!

In my little bloggy break, I was nominated for another TWO Liebster Awards, one by the lovely Erica of Being Erica, and one by my awesome sponsor, Britt of The Three Inch Stitch. Both these lovely ladies inspire me on a day to day basis, so I would love for you to click on over to their blogs for a looksie :)

rules:

- the liebster award is given by bloggers to other bloggers with 200 followers or less.

- the nominees must link back to the blogger who awarded them.

- you must write 11 random facts about yourself.

- you must answer the 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you.

- you must make up 11 new questions and nominate 11 other bloggers.

I love this picture. Even though Aud's photobombed it :)

facts:

- I have worn glasses since I was 7 and my first pair had Sylvester licking his lips on one corner and Tweetie on the other. 

- I am slightly obsessed with blue and white at the moment, especially the Blue Willow pattern which I have started to collect.

- My favourite author is Emily Bronte and I plan on naming my first daughter after her someday.

- I can't count how many times I have seen the Harry potter movies. I watch at least two of them at least once a week.

- I am a massive History and Literature nerd and am studying those subjects this year at University.

- When I'm reading a good book, I usually end up dreaming that I'm either the character in it that I love, or the author's best friend. It's weird. 

- I am a girl and I HATE shoe shopping. Am I going to be evicted for this or something?

- I absolutely love eating apple puree and stewed apples. The kids at school used to make fun of me for eating "baby food" but it's totally delicious!

- I may have had a bowl of stewed apple for lunch today.

- Sometimes I don't wear a bra. I can get away with it cos I have small boobs and they're pretty perky. 

- I once considered getting my nipple pierced. I seriously don't know what got into me and I'm so glad I somehow woke up from that idea. That would sooo not suit my personality!

Erica's questions:

1. what is your middle name, and would you change your name if you could?

I, truthfully and in all honesty, do not have a middle name. Not very many people believe me when I say this because they think it's just something ghastly that I don't want to admit to, but it's true. Neither does Jake, actually. It always made me feel left out when I was a kid so I'd tell people my middle name was Rose (my absolute, most favouritest name ever at the time).

2. what was your first ever concert, and the last you went to?

My first ever proper concert was Bullet for My Valentine, Bring Me the Horizon and Cancer Bats. I hated Cancer Bats and loved the other two and nearly got killed in an aptly named circle of death, but a huge, tattooed bear with stretchers I could fit my head through saved me and it was an awesome night :)

The last concert I went to was a new, Aussie band called Ball Park Music, and they were supported by Loon Lake, who I absolutely love. It was also a great night but this time, rather than getting punched in the boob, neck and face,  my friends and I did awesome 80's throwback dance moves and awkward group hug, bouncing sing-a-longs.

3. what is your favourite movie, and can you recite a line from  it for us?

Omg, don't even get me started. Omg. 

My FAVOURITE movie is Harry Pooter and the Philosopher's stone and I can quote the whole bloody thing for you if you like? Favourite lines include:

and, of course,

4. tea or coffee, and how do you take it? 

Tea, preferably loose leaf Earl Grey with two sugars and a tiny splash of milk in a vintage tea cup.

5. what was the last book you read, and are you a kindle or original girl?

I am reading a few books at the moment - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and a Kathy Reichs book - Break No Bones. I refuseto use a kindle. Part of the charm of reading is the smell of book pages, the sound of turning a page and the feel of the book in your hands/on your face as you fall asleep reading it. A kindle just wouldn't feel the same on the face.

6. scrambled or poached, and with what on the side?

Hmm, scrambled with all the trimmings - ham, tomato, eschallots, parsley, salt and pepper in them with toast and bacon on the side.

7. can you play an instrument, and to what level?

Does Three Blind Mice on the recorder count?

8. what one food would you survive on forever, and can you cook it?

PASTA! And hell yes, I can cook it! I make a mean lasagne, spag bol and fettucine alfredo, as well as an awesome "shells with vegemite and cheese", which was my childhood fave.

9. lindsay lohan's best movie is meal girls. true or false?

Try her only good movie? Oh wait, she did Freaky Friday okay too.

10. pink is obviously the best colour, but what's the second best?

Blue! (obsessed right now)

11. next to me, who is your favourite instagrammer, and give me their name.

Umm, probably my bestie, Ellie. i think her name on IG is elliegracee

Britt's questions:

1. How long have you been blogging?

I've been blogging since August, so that's, like, 6 months now!

2. Have you been nominated for a Liebster Award before?

I have, this is my second/third nomination and I just can't believe it! People like my blog?!?!

3. What does your typical day look like?

HA! This is going to make me look sooo lazy and weird because I haven't started study yet and so i'm in this weird limbo thingy where I have nothing to do all day, but usually I wake up around 9, check my e-mails, facebook and twitter over breakfast, then I make a to do list (yep, everyday, even if all that's on it is "lay around in jarmies drinking tea and watching Harry Potter"). Then, I do the things on my list, taking short naps and social networking breaks every 5-10 minutes, depending on how interesting my to do items are (usually grocery shopping, cleaning and organising the new home). Then, I spend the afternoons either watching movies and crocheting or embroidering, or blogging/generally wasting time on the internet. Like right now, where I wrote a whole paragraph about how I do nothing all day. Then I cook dinner and go to bed. The end.

4. Do you have any furry (or scaly, feathered, slimy) friends? 

My gorgeous boy, Coke, who is a Jack Russel cross Mini Foxy and is the cutest, kindest, most caring creature on the planet! I miss him so much! He lives with my mum and dad.

5. What are your favorite crafts to make?

Like, uh, anything!? Haha. I'm not a fussy crafter. I like cutesy stuff with purpose.

6. What was your favorite toy from childhood?

Definitely my Baby Born! And her cot, pram and all her pother accessories! Mum bought her for me when she had my little sister so that i'd stop pestering her to hold the baby all the time, and I carried her around everywhere, playing "mum". She was incredibly special to me and I've kept her for when I have kids. I'm extremely sentimental about things like that.

7. What is your favorite place to be?

Home, in my jarmies doing bugger all, thrift shopping, or at one of my favourite beaches. Depends on my mood.

8. If you could live anywhere (other than where you are right now), where would it be?

Honestly, I am ACTUALLY PLANNING on moving to either England or Germany for a few years when I finish uni. Boyfriend doesn't fancy Germany much, because my ex lives there, but we are both super keen to head to Europe at some stage and I daresay we will one day end up in England :)

9. What would you consider one of your greatest accomplishments?

Honestly, sticking with this blog is a major accomplishment to me. That and surviving the HSC with chronic fatigue syndrome and still getting into the Uni course of my dreams.

10. What is your favorite book?

Wuthering Heights, hands down. Closely followed by the Harry Potter series, the Millenium Trilogy, the Dragons of Pern books, and the Clan of the Cave Bear series. I like series'. 

11. What is one thing you want your readers to know about you through your blogging?

I really want my readers to connect to me, personally. I want to share my life with my readers and I want them to know me for all my ups and downs, my creativity and my eccentricities. I hope I am achieving that in my blogging. 

11 Aspiring Bloggers Who Get a Mega Thumbs Up:

Trudie, at My Vintage Vow

Kim at What Peggy Said

Natalie at Good Girl Style

Charlotte at Midnight Caramel

Octavia at Octavia and The Ocean

Chelsea at Sketchy Notions

Sarah and Lauren at Whimsy and Juno

Emily at Emmy in the Making

Marium at Decorate Vintage

Annnd that's it because Sarah and Lauren totally count as two and all these bloggers are so awesome that they make up an extra person between them all!

If you were one of the nominated blogs, link me your post so that I can find out more about you!

Molly's Christmas Present - The Finished Product!

Today I finished Molly's Christmas present! Remember how I showed you the top and skirt last week? Well now the dress is done as well and all I have to do of my Christmas sewing is Nan and Mum's hand towels!

I used the criss-cross tunic pattern by Whimsy Couture for the dress and I love the way it turned out! Whimsy Couture have a way with making super hard looking patterns actually be so easy to sew! The tutorials they include in their patterns are great - they have so much detail and nice big pictures to follow so you know you're doing it right. I absolutely love their patterns!

I love that these tunics are reversible and I think the two fabrics I chose for it look perfect together for summer!

My only regret with this present has been listening to mum when she said to use puff paints to draw the edge of the bird on the top I appliqued for Molly. Look at the poor thing!

Puff paints are not easy to use - or at least not if you have unsteady hands! I struggled to make the stream of paint even, and at one stage it wouldn't come out, so I shook it a bit, and that's how I made such a mess of the birdy's beak! Oh well, I guess for the sake of a $2 target shirt and some scrap heat n bond and fabric, it's not going to be too hard to make a new one!

Are you making any of the gifts you're giving this Christmas? If so, what is it that you are making and who is the special person you are giving it to? I'm kind of worried Molly's mum won't like her present or won't appreciate all the thought and hard work I put in to making it. I tried to make it look as professional as I possibly could. There's nothing worse that handmade clothes that look handmade.

Melissa's baby shower

On Sunday, my friend from work, Melissa, had her baby shower. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the event, but here is a little look at what I made for her little girl.

I love seeing babies in yellow, and since she knows she is having a girl, I guessed that everyone would be absolutely loading her up with pink, pink and more pink. (I guessed right - it was everywhere at the baby shower!)

Although yellow is a unisex colour, I kept my decorated singlets and little gingham bloomers feminine with floral accents and bows. I really hope she likes them, and I can't wait to see Bub in them when she arrives!