Pattern:  New Look 6861 Child Pajamas Size:  Pants size 6 with added length; Shirt size 7 Age: 8 Cost: ~ $11.00 Fabric: JoAnn Buttons: Walmart variety pack -------------------------------------------------------- Trying to keep true to my self-inflicted tradition of home-made Christmas Eve pajamas, I bought this folky Christmas fabric at JoAnn during one of their 50% off sales.  The intention was to pull off two piece sets this year, but I made it about half way.  My middle son, got a new pair of flannel pajamas for a dance recital so I gave myself a pass on that one, and by the time I got to the little one on Christmas Eve, I only had enough steam for the pants.  But Monkey Pants turned out the privileged one once again. I really liked this pattern for the traditional details.  Also because there is a girl and a boy version of the top with both short and long sleeves.  I would have made the long sleeve for her but I had a bit of confusion from the time

My sewing studio is now Santa's workshop.  Look, I'm even wearing a green sweater. Which is totally coincidental. I'm really not trying to look like an elf.   I was forced to put the door back on my sewing room, which I had previously taken out as it just got in the way, and so that I could keep a better eye on the kids.  Unfortunately, it has no handle, so I've covered up the hole with a bag.  I know.  Really efficient.  It's more stressful this way, every time I think the kids are coming and they might discover everything I'm making.  If I had a knob with a lock, it would just be too easy. This is a trunk my dad made for me when I was in high school. It was covered with some old Victorian-looking upholstery fabric which was totally OK at the time.  We stripped it all off and I'm re-inventing it as a treasure chest for the kids for Christmas.  There's been decoupaging (for the first time), power-stapling (for the first time), elastic ruching

For  Monkey Pants eighth birthday, I did a smallish party.  I'm not much for all out theme parties, but I like to have a general idea to motivate the cake design and colors.  I decided on Lalaoopsy .  Keeping the cake simple is always a goal these days. I used a couple of ideas from Pintrest like the rainbow colored fruit ca bobs and I couldn't resist the milk bottle drinks with ridiculously expensive paper straws. I couldn't resist OK! [Tip: Novelty milk bottles are ridiculously priced. I used a coupon and bought Starbucks coffee in these glass bottles for a lot cheaper. My husband didn't mind drinking all the coffee. I'm more of a tea person.  The labels came off easily.  I used these contact paper chalk board labels for names, which also come off with no residue]. For lunch, I made pigs in blanket with croissants (I don't know why they're not on that orange tray), sweet potato fries in individual containers, and some assorted sweets like m

Pattern: Ottobre 6/2010 Paperback Writer Pants #31 Fabric: Green Corduroy (less than a yard, JoAnn Fabrics 50% off) Fabric Price: ~$4.00 Notions: 1 snap, 2 rivets, 1 recycled zipper Size: 92cm with length of 98cm Child's Age: 5 [Shirt: Tea Collection, Shoes: Simple] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - With the success of the Funky Boy Jeans , I was eager to make some more pants for my growing little boy's fall/winter wardrobe.  He's forgotten all about the existence of pants after wearing shorts all summer.  This one didn't go as smoothly as the jeans.  Not because they were harder. I guess, I was feeling over-confident and was only running my brain on partial power.  I sewed the zipper before the center back/front seams, then the fronts didn't line up with the zipper closed. But no matter, I fixed it all and they are darling!  I think this is the last year I can say that about his clothes.  I really love the

Pattern: Ottobre 4/20102 Funky Boy Jeans #21 Fabric:  Grey stretch denim (less than a yard) Fabric Price: ~$6.40 Size: 92cm with length of 98cm Child's Age: 5 [Shirt: Gap] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I'm really loving these jeans! This is the second pair of pants I've made from Ottobre for my little boy.  I loved the spread in the magazine, even if I wasn't entirely convinced by the huge and low hanging back pockets.   [from Ottobredesign.com]  He's a skinny and little guy for his age, so the store-bought jeans he has, I have to cinch up the elastic-pulls on the inside of the waistband to the max. Then they are all gathered and puckered up at the waist and baggy throughout. Not very comfortable either. These fit perfect with only a litlle bit of slack in the waist.  And don't they look fabulous with these red sneackers his Tio Pedro gave him for his birthday.  It's almost like I did it

Pattern: Simplicity 5520 Size: 3 Total fabric cost: ~ $15.00 Shoes: Walmart mud boots $15.00 [Pattern does not include pants, sparkly black leggings size 4-5 girls, Walmart $4.97] ----------------------------------- This year's Halloween costumes were pretty much decided on in the spring when I made a Renaissance princess costume for Monkey Pants school festival. The pattern I bought, Simplicity 5520 , had a costume for a knight and a warrior, which I figured would work out just great for the two little brothers. I even bought all the fabrics for the other two costumes and they've been waiting for me to make them all this time. However, last month, I was at Costco and they had a slew of pretty fantastic costumes for about $24. There were two different knight costumes and I folded and bought one for my older son. I was planning for his birthday at the time, and this seemed like an excellently intelligent choice which would save my time, energy and sanity. Right? Ok,

Two years ago, I decided to make a small square foot gardening area in our back yard.  (If only I could find the pictures).  We're not huge lovers of vegetables, but we try.  This was our second year of tomatoes, and this time, I planted less and decided I would try to can them instead of trying to eat them all once they were ripe.  It was the year of canning, I guess.  I ended up canning apricot jam from my mom's back yard (also hurt my back for a month after picking those), apple sauce from my mom's back yard, and marina sauce from our tiny garden.  It was a hot process.  Next year, maybe I'll try freezing instead.  Time for involved things like this is scarce.  It usually comes down to, "Oh no, the tomatoes we picked last week are going to go bad.  We need to do this today!" So, I found a simple recipe online. You put the following ingredients: tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, salt and pepper in the oven and then blend them. (That was mostl

Pattern: Ottobre 3/2009   Velma Skirt #30 Fabric: Heather Bailey, Nicey Jane, Picnic Bouquet - lagoon (less than a yard) Fabric Price: ~$10.00 Size: Oops, I don't remember Child's Age: 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   This was a pretty simple skirt to make.  A large floral pattern is a must. It still calls for a hidden zipper, but other than that, the construction was quite fun, I think mostly do to the rick rack.  I don't use that very often, and of course on this pattern, it really makes the skirt.  It was tough deciding what color to use.   Monkey Pants used to be a skirts only girl, then a leggings only girl, and now a shorts only girl.  But she will make an exception here and there.  This pose was quite unexpected. I didn't make the top so we had to make do with this plain, boring white t-shirt for the photos.  I also didn't have the yardage called for the width of skirt and didn't want t

Now that I'm a mom of three young kids, my enthusiasm for attempting to make 3D cakes, planning birthday parties, and waking up in general, has gone out the window.  I've been trying to keep it kind of low-key lately on these things.  However, my food-allergies-son turned five and now that he has outgrown some of his food allergies such as milk, soy and eggs, I can no longer hide behind the excuse for not making him a cake.  So this was to be his big I-can-now-eat-cake celebration.  I obliged him with a real cake and a real party. I always get a bit nervous about birthday parties no matter how "simple" I tell myself I'm going to make it.  My son has been feeding me his birthday party expectations ideas since the moment his fourth birthday party was over. Expectations Ideas, I couldn't possibly meet.  The problem is, he has an incredible memory and I knew he would remember each and every one of his requests.  A few days before his birthday, he dre