MamaMade...for your little one!

Win a Diaper Bag and lots of MamaMade goodies!

2009-07-18T01:53:00.001-07:00

As the summer is starting to wind down (in my mind at least, as the Monkey has only 2 weeks of summer pre-school left), I've decided now is a great time for a giveaway!

You can win a beautiful MamaMade diaper bag, full of wonderful MamaMade goodies (over a $150 value!!), just by making a purchase of $20 or more from my Etsy shop between July 18th and July 31st.

Even if you're not in need of a diaper bag, this bag would make a great tote, or a fantastic gift for any mom-to-be!

The winning package will include:

- MamaMade Diaper Bag: 4 external pockets (2 are perfect for bottles), 5 internal pockets. Long handles allow you to wear the bag over your shoulder. 100% cotton fabrics, completely machine washable! Very durable. Bag measures 14" wide x 14" tall x 6" deep - great for cloth diapers too!

- Rubber Ducky Minkee Baby Blanket: This adorable blanket has a super soft, yellow Minkee on one side and a 100% cotton "Just Ducky" flannel on the other side. Measures 30 x 36", a perfect size for baby. Machine washable, great as a crib blanket (my Small Fry curls up with one like this every night!)

- Flannel Burp Cloth Set: This set of adorable pale blue flannel burp cloths is perfect for cleaning up any mess. They are double sided flannel, top stitched for durability. Each burp cloth measures approximately (9" x 17")

- Custom Sock Monkey Shirt or Onesie: You pick - girl monkey or regular sock monkey, and pick the shirt size (newborn-18 months onesie, or t-shirt - I'll discuss the best size/style with the winner).

- MamaMade Reusable Sandwich Bags: You'll get 2 Sandwich size bags and 1 snack size bag in prints that coordinate with the diaper bag (photo below is a sample, the winning bags will be different prints).

Read on for all of the details:

How to Enter:
- Make a purchase of $20 or more (before tax and shipping) from my Etsy shop any time between July 18th at 12:01 am MST to July 31st at 11:59 MST. For every $20 (before tax and shipping) you spend, you get ONE entry to win the diaper bag and goodies!

(One entry for every $20 spent (before tax and shipping) means that if you buy $40 of items from my shop, you get TWO entries, and so on!)

Drawing:
- I will draw a random name from all qualified entrants by using Random.org's random number generator. Name will be announced on my blog on August 1st, 2009, and winner will be notified via email (make sure your email is correct with your Etsy account!)

Other stuff:
- I'm sorry, but purchases made outside of the contest dates do not apply.
- $20 must be purchased in the same transaction.
- Any unpaid orders will not be eligible for the drawing, so please make sure to submit your PayPal payment upon check out.

Thank you and good luck!!

Head on over to my Etsy shop to fill up your shopping cart!

I love mail day!

2009-05-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

I knew I had good mail coming today! Check out what I got from Fat Quarter Shop today:

Most of it will become sandwich and snack bags, but it will become other stuff too. I had a great idea from a loyal customer when she asked me to make some water-proof water bottle holders for her Sigg bottle. The bottles are great, but I know condensation can make everything else get wet, and a waterproof holder would be ideal!

From the left: Bot Town (the first four pieces, I have more coordinates), and then a great new zoo print in two colorways.

From the left: A fun and funky print from Moda, some great dots, three colorways of a fantastic tree print, and my favorite - blueberries and strawberries, on light green and cream

A few cowboy prints, I can't wait to work with these!

Things Happen for a Reason...

2009-05-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

PHEW! May was one of the busiest months of my whole life. Thanks to a completely unexpected shout-out in an "Etsy Finds" email/blog post on Earth Day, I was beyond swamped with orders. Earth Day was definitely a lot more like Christmas this year, and totally busy, but wonderful. Things are starting to get back to normal, and I have started to even take a night off every now and then (I generally sew in my studio from 8 pm - 2 am every night).

Funny thing...the DAY before Earth Day, I got this strange urge to move things around in my studio. I have this beautiful, and LARGE Sylvia cutting table, and I knew I could reconfigure it so that I could open out the table the whole way (It has two drop sides, and I only had one side up).

What I thought (ha!) would be a quick project, turned into 8 hours of complete reorganization and a fantastic and completely productive new set-up. Little did I know that 24 hours later, I would be on my way to making over 600 new sandwich bags, and finally have the perfect set up for such a mass-production? Kind of cool how things worked out that way.

Thought I'd post some before and after pics. The before pictures were taken in January 2009, so just less than 4 months before I decided to do a switch-a-roo. Oh yah, and I added new lighting - it's like a whole new world!

View from the entrance - BEFORE:

View from the Entrance - AFTER:

Fabric Storage/Cutting area: BEFORE

Fabric storage area/Ironing area: AFTER

View of Ironing Area: BEFORE

View of Cutting Area: AFTER

New shelving to hold the rapidly multiplying fabric stash:

View from the sewing machine: (My space is optimized, and there is a much better flow/path through the area)

And a few last photos...that moving around was good, because I need LOTS of floor space when I'm packing orders:

I restocked!

2009-04-23T10:45:00.001-07:00

A quick note, my shop is restocked on snack and sandwich bags. I don't know when I'll be able to restock again, so get your order in before they all disappear!

http://mamamade.etsy.com

And the Winner is...

2009-04-23T00:34:00.000-07:00

The winner of MamaMade's Earth Day give away is...

From Random.org's Random Number Generator...

Comment #22 - Amber!

Congrats Amber! I'll be leaving a comment on your blog, but please email me at MamaMade@LNSDesigns.net with your mailing address so I can send you your bags!

Thank you to EVERYONE who left a comment for me during this giveaway! I am so excited to see the variety of ways that everyone is trying to live a simpler, greener life. Thanks to a great Etsy article that showed my sandwich bags, I sold out the shop a few times today. I'll be listing lots of pre-order bags tonight, so if you didn't win this bag, consider checking out some new listings.

Thank you again!

Earth Day Giveaway - Win a Reusable Sandwich Bag!

2009-04-20T19:46:00.001-07:00

***This contest is now closed, but I still have bags available in my shop!***
Over the past year or so I've seem to become hyper aware of what I'm throwing away. Every time I take out the garbage (or make hubby do it), I think what is in there that I could have saved, reused, or gone another route to avoid throwing it away in the first place.

One big change we made is to completely eliminate paper towels from our house. That was a change, but our dish towels love the use they're getting! We switched over to more eco-friendly cleaning products and detergents (like Crunchy Clean Detergent) and even stopped using dryer sheets (thanks to Fuzzy Wuzzy Dryer Balls!)

I also started to realize I was using LOTS of plastic zip-top baggies. With a 3-year-old in pre-school and a 1-year-old with a big appetite, I am packing lunch and toting snacks on a daily basis. I'd reuse the plastic bags filled with cheerios as much as I could, but I figured there was a better way. So I checked out my studio and realized that the seemingly simple combination of a cute cotton print, a waterproof lining and some velcro would make the perfect reusable sandwich bag!

After a few trial and error bags (those that I could barely get open, lol!), I made the perfect bag, in two sizes too! The bags are completely reusable, waterproof (so put in a handful of grapes, carrots, celery or even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich), AND they're machine washable.

When the bag gets too dirty, just toss it in the washer (and dryer if you need it right away)!

As Earth Day approaches, I know we all start to become more aware of ways to preserve our majestic planet, and I want to hear your ideas! I'd love to know what you currently do or would like to do to be more Earth friendly! Leave a comment with your ideas and you'll be entered in a drawing to win a sandwich bag set (like the bag pictured above!). One lucky winner will get a Sandwich size (6.5" x 6.5") AND a snack size (6.5" x 4") in my new favorite batik print - Recycle.

------------------------------
How to Enter:
1) Leave a comment on this post between now and April 22nd at 11:59 pm MST. Tell me the ways you have become more Earth friendly, or things you'd like to change. One comment per day/per person please! If you leave an anonymous comment, be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner!

2) Blog about this contest to win another entry - just leave a comment with the blog link.

3) Mention this giveaway on a message board to win yet another entry! Just let me know which message board in your comment.

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I will randomly select one comment as the winner for the giveaway and post the winner on my blog on April 23rd. Good luck!! :)

Monkey has a Girlfriend!

2009-04-17T18:24:00.000-07:00

After several requests for a girly version of my classic Sock Monkey tee, I designed this sweet little lady.
Of course, her bow can be any color, and she even has sparkly genuine Swarovski crystal "earrings".

A New Lunch Bag - Opinions Please!

2009-04-10T01:46:00.000-07:00

For a long while I've been thinking about making reusable lunch bags, and lately have started to get some requests for them. I want to make something fairly simple, but practical, and of course, cute!

So, I've come up with this bag:

It is approximately 7" wide x 11" high x 4" deep, a perfect lunch size.

The tabs you see will have snaps (poly resin snaps), and the snaps will have two points to snap.

First, they will snap here:

And then if you want to fold the top down further, they will snap here:
The bag outside is 100% cotton with a ribbon embellishment, and the inside is lined with a PUL, waterproof laminated knit.

The entire bag is machine washable, lightweight, and oh yah, also comes with a cloth napkin! I'm expecting retail price to be about $18. I also plan to offer a set with matching snack and/or sandwich bags too.

What I'm looking for is opinions! I want to know what you like, what you don't like, what you think the bag needs, what it doesn't need, etc. I want to make a great lunch bag, and that requires hearing from more than the voices in my head (lol!).

So let me hear what you have to say!

Shhh...it's a secret!

2009-04-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

Well, it's not really a secret, but I've been making some new items to have at the Hopscotch Hustle on Sunday and I couldn't wait to post a preview. Anything that doesn't sell at the show on Sunday will be listed on Etsy, and I may remake a few of them as well, so let me know if you're interested!

I made a new black and white and red baby quilt (it will have a coordinating tummy time pillow) with a luxurious Minky (super soft velour) backing. There is a nice batting in the middle (a Hobbs 80/20 cotton/poly blend batting - durable and still soft). It's large too, 42" square, so something that will be great as baby gets older.

I've also made lots of new ribbon play balls. My favorite is this eco-friendly play ball, using bamboo fabrics and even a super-soft bamboo/organic-cotton velour.

Even this adorable baby boy version has a little touch of tie-dye green Minky.

And of course, I can't forget the girls:

Sock monkeys, always a classic:

Last Day to Order!

2009-03-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

Just a quick little reminder - today is the LAST day to get in your order for the "Some Bunny Loves Me" Sock Monkey onesies or shirts. My Small Fry has been wearing his for a while now, it washes up wonderfully and is still picture perfect for Easter Sunday.

(Click on the photo for more details!)

Hopscotch Hustle

2009-03-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in a fantastic event next week and have been super busy making lots of cool new items to have at the event. So, if you're in the area, please attend and make sure to check out my booth as well as the many other exciting vendors that will be there!

The Hopscotch Hustle is an event that benefits "Wee-Cycle" a local organization that "distributes new and gently used baby gear through our network of community-based organizations that serve families with infants and toddlers int he Denver metro area who are coping with poverty, homelessness and domestic violence".

Click on the photo above to visit the "Wee Cycle" site and learn more about this fantastic organization - and make a donation or purchase tickets to the event!

New Snack Bags - New Sizes!

2009-03-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy lately, it seems that my blog has been sadly neglected. I can't complain though, I just can't keep up with all the orders!

I have, however, managed to make a bunch of new bags, in new prints and even a new size. I've had the 'sandwich' size (6.5" x 6.5") available for a while, and now I have a little bit smaller, 'snack' size (4" x 6.5"). This is a great size for a little treat.

Combine a sandwich bag and a few snack bags, and you've got the ideal, eco-friendly way to transport your lunch!

Prints will sell fast, and I won't be relisting until next week (see the next post), so be sure to get them while they're here!

Green Laundry

2009-02-21T18:34:00.000-08:00

My Crunchy Clean Detergent and Fuzzy Wuzzy Dryer Balls

Upon entering my laundry room, it looks fairly typical (the cloth diaper pail on the wall isn't as common), but when you check out the shelf of my laundry essentials, it may look a little different than most.

I have to admit, before I started cloth diapering the boys, I really didn't know too much about how to turn my laundry room green. Once I learned about why cloth diapers needed a environmentally-friendly detergent, I started to learn about the environmentally-unfriendly ingredients that were in the detergents I was using (brand-name stuff, cleaned my clothes and smelled good).

Then I learned about why dryer sheets weren't great for me, my clothes, or those of my kids. We live in a dry climate (not the desert, but close enough), and so I thought I was destined to use fabric sheets forever (since I long ago swore off fabric softener).

After learning why the stuff I was using wasn't good, I found some even MORE amazing eco-friendly alternatives. And now I'm hooked. I'll never go back to petrochemical based items again. And as I told a friend recently, I'm actually loving laundry day (regular laundry and diaper laundry!).

So, what do I use?

For detergent, I occasionally use Allen's Naturally. Allen's is a fantastic, bio-degradable, dye and perfume free detergent that is eco-friendly. It is fantastic for diapers and clothes, but if you're like most people, it's nice to have a scent. Nice smelling things are always a little cozier. You can add some vinegar to the rinse cycle scented with an essential oil, but I'm lucky to get the detergent in. More steps take time!

Enter Crunchy Clean. Really, it is eco-friendly detergent heaven. It is available in a regular and diaper friendly version (although the diaper version works well on clothes too) and dozens of wonderful scents. The scents range from fruity to spicy to fresh and clean. There is a scent to please everyone. And it comes in unscented too. As a work-at-home mom, I love that this is actually a homemade product, and I'm a huge fan of supporting small business.

(See the glass jar (I had a jar that fit the 136-load order perfectly!) and reusable containers with powdered detergent? I can't pick one scent, so I have a scent (Linen Breeze) for clothes, and two scents (Baby Bee Clean and Vanilla Insanity) for diapers).

If I need to get out the stinkies, some Bac Out (by BioKleen) or a little vinegar in a Downy Ball (for the rinse cycle) are ideal. And I found a plant based, eco-friendly (and kind to your skin) fabric softener for those times when I wash the sheets - Ecover.

On to drying. Ideally, it'd be great to line dry everything. But I admit, I don't. So the dryer is used. Once I eliminated dryer sheets, I learned about dryer balls. I found some at a big chain store, the plastic, "As Seen on TV" balls. They were priced right, but really didn't work that great. I still had static, and I hated using the plastic things!

I recently discovered Fuzzy Wuzzy Dryer Balls, another handmade product. And I'm in love. These 100% merino wool balls are not only beautiful, but they're natural and work SO much better than those plastic ones I used for months. They even nearly eliminated the static that I was afraid would happen if I didn't use dryer sheets in this semi-arid desert!

My laundry now is not only clean, but smells good, is fluffy dry and everything I'm using is better for my family and the environment.

Some Bunny Loves You!

2009-02-17T17:57:00.001-08:00

Sock Monkey has made his debut as an....Easter Bunny!

This is another one of my favorites, his soft bunny ears are the best (and even Small Fry was cuddling with the shirt when I showed it to him this morning). The ears are a super-soft white microfleece and the pink parts are a pink minkee.

I've got a variety of sizes in long and short-sleeved onesies, and a limited supply of long-sleeved shirts.

Available in my shop now!

Rockets Everywhere!

2009-02-12T13:57:00.001-08:00

I am so in love with these new prints from FreeSpirit fabrics, and just had to make something from them. I finally got a breather from other things, and needed a night in my studio to create. So I made these two adorable onesie/pants sets (they are also available in custom sizes). Enjoy!

To Do: Buy Loads of Fabric

2009-02-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

Done. I'm done shopping (for a while). I went on a spree the past two weeks replenishing my stash and getting some new items for new projects I have in mind.

I posted about all the diaper/reusable snack bag supplies I got over the weekend. Before that, I received a wonderful package of fabric from another Etsy seller, Lucky Kaeru Fabrics, SO easy and quick to work with and she had everything in stock that I needed. I forgot to take a picture of when it came in though - but here's a pic of my refolded, reorganized "stash on the side" (it's fabric that doesn't fit into any shelving unit and is used primarily for items I will sell). The fabrics in the middle stack, top half are my Lucky Kaeru fabrics. (And some other new items from my store!)

Yesterday, I received another wonderful package of fabric from Fat Quarter Shop. I've ordered from them a few times now and am always 100% pleased with the customer service and quality I get. I am SO excited to replenish my sock monkey fabric stash and add a few new pieces (I got a sample pack of Amy Butler's Midwest Modern 2 line and some larger pieces).

Sock Monkey Diaper!

2009-02-11T14:27:00.000-08:00

Well, it's a sock monkey color diaper. Some of that brown PUL I got in the mail on Saturday, and the red fleece went to making this diaper. Small Fry loves it (and I think it's pretty cute too!)

Amy Butler Reusable Snack/Sandwich Bags!

2009-02-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

I dove into my favorite collection, Amy Butler's Midwest Modern, to make the latest snack bags. (Some sold before I even got this blog post up - but I have more if you're interested!) If you'd like to see a particular design or want a custom set of snack bags, please send me a note over on Etsy!

Fluffy Mail

2009-02-07T16:51:00.000-08:00

In the cloth diapering world, "fluffy mail" is the joyous event of getting a new cloth diaper in the mail. It is always fun, as I know (from first hand experience) that a great deal of the attraction in modern cloth diapering is all of the options and the endless amounts of cuteness.

I am so happy Fed-Ex delivers on Saturday (I have fabric coming via UPS, but not until Tuesday, boo). My doorbell rang about noon today and a wonderful box of "fluffy mail" arrived.

This time, it was not a finished cloth diaper, but instead a whole new stash of stuff to diapers! I have been using the white PUL (laminated knit - typically seen in cloth diapers), to line the inside of my reusable snack bags, and of course, I couldn't just order boring, white PUL, so I added a few (okay, many) other items to the order.

I got PUL in dark brown, light brown, black and melon, microfleece in red and white, organic hemp fleece (yeah!), and lots of velcro (for the reusable snack bags), and various kinds of elastic (including some fold-over elastic for diaper covers, another woohoo! - I'm planning on making diaper covers with matching t-shirts.)

Fluffy mail on a Saturday, couldn't be better!

Win a Valentine Sock Monkey Shirt!

2009-01-29T00:43:00.000-08:00

My first giveaway on another blog! This adorable blog from a customer of mine is having a giveaway - win one of my Valentine Sock Monkey Shirts for your little one!

Visit Jackson and Jacob to check it out!

My studio...the growing stash.

2009-01-28T19:47:00.000-08:00

About eight months ago, I thought it would be fun to post a "tour" through my sewing studio. I often look back on that post and realize that my fabric buying has increased exponentially in the past year.

I have ideas swimming through my head on a daily basis, and I'll spot a fabric that fits with one of the ideas and, well, there goes $20. I rarely buy just one piece, often coordinates, and often at least a yard. It gives me options, especially if I don't know exactly what the project will be with the particular fabric.

I thought it was time for a "re-tour" of the studio...to see what's changed. My hubby thinks the fabric multiplies like rabbits.

From the entrance:

Walk around the white cutting table, turn to the right and...

Look a little to the left to see the back of my sewing machine (swoon, I love my machine):

And, turn around 180 degrees to see the ironing area, with drawers packed full of my other hobbies:

And newly added...head out the door of my studio, and just in the hallway is my new shipping area! My dad made the table many years ago, and I love it. I'm so excited to have a dedicated area for shipping. I'm sure I'll add more shelving and such as I determine my needs, but for now, this is perfect.

Cupcake Snack Bags!

2009-01-22T16:45:00.000-08:00

Computer problems today, took forever to get everything uploaded and posted, but I'm so excited about this cupcake set! Each bag is listed individually, so you can buy one, two, or all five!

Enjoy!
:)

Going Green with Sandwich Bags

2009-01-15T12:45:00.001-08:00

We've really started to make a lot of eco-friendly changes in our house...and a few weeks ago I was noticing the abundance of Ziploc bags that I was using. Every time I leave the house with my two young boys, I bring snacks. The 3-year-old gets an apple or some cookies or goldfish. The 1-year-old gets cheerios, graham crackers, maybe some soybeans. We always have something to snack on, and it was always in a plastic baggie.

I realized how wasteful I was being and knew there were better options out there. So I made some reusable baggies. Cute prints, lined with waterproof PUL (polyurethane laminated knit - used in cloth diaper making), and with a hook and loop closure (Velcro).

If they get dirty, they just drop in the washing machine (and can be put in the dryer too). Since they're lined with a waterproof material, it's easy to tote around healthy snacks like carrots, apples, soybeans, and more.

My studio has been buzzing with sandwich bag creation - so I thought I'd post a few photos!

(You can see these and more bags in my Etsy shop)

A photo book

2009-01-05T20:27:00.000-08:00

My only niece (I have two nephews), is turning one on Wednesday and I wanted to make her something special. I know how much babies (including mine) love to look at pictures, but all too often, whatever they are holding ends up in their mouth, gets some Cheerios "goo" on it, gets dropped on a dirty floor, etc.

So, I wanted to make her a photo book that you could not only switch out the photos (because likes and interests change quickly in a baby's world), but something that could be tossed in the wash when it met the "too messy" threshold.

From all those requirements, this adorable photo book was born. It is approximately 8" square, and has 10 vinyl pockets each sized to hold a 4"x6" photo. The front and back cover feature some dots with coordinating fabric from the inside pages. Photos can easily be inserted and removed, and the entire thing (minus the photos of course) is machine washable.

Enjoy!

Crocheting in November...

2008-11-30T11:08:00.001-08:00

As I stated in an earlier post, crocheting is my new hobby when I need a break from sewing. It started with the shoes from a pattern I got from Etsy (http://sylver.etsy.com), and snowballed.

So, here's what I made starting with the first things, to the most recent creation, a dreidel, available in my Etsy shop (http://mamamade.etsy.com)

The cat:

The hippo:

Then I started to get brave and make something a little "out there" - a sock monkey cupcake:

The cutest little mug of cocoa ever:

And finally, the dreidel - something I wanted to make for Small Fry, since he'd likely eat a real dreidel:

When I'm not sewing...

2008-11-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

I have what I call "craft ADD", that is, I can't focus on one craft medium for too long. My mind starts to wander, and I ponder the possibilities of other things I want to be making. That is why I've got supplies for scrapbooking, cardmaking, photography, painting, soap making, beading, punch needle, embroidery, knitting, and more. It's fun, and I'm never bored (thanks, Mom, for teaching me that!)

A few weeks ago, I was browsing Etsy and came upon the cutest shoes, that turned out to be a pattern for crocheting shoes. I happened to have a "Learn how to Crochet" book, but hadn't tried it because they patterns in the instruction book were from the mid-70's and just didn't pique my interest. But this pattern, marked as "easy" was something I knew I could tackle. I quickly bought the pattern, anxiously awaited for its arrival via email and learned how to crochet. I did some research on the internet, found videos that showed me how to do stitches and after some trial and error, I made a pair of shoes. For some reason, I still haven't taken a picture of them.

These are the shoes I saw that made me have to learn to crochet! Check them (and lots of other cute designs out at http://sylver.etsy.com)

Fast forward to about 2 weeks ago. Hubby and I took the kids to the bookstore (our oldest, the Monkey, is a book FANATIC), and I took out youngest (Small Fry) to browse the craft books. What I happened to find led to a list of "things I want for Christmas", but some were too good to pass up. I found some cool books on "amigurumi", a Japanese word for "knitted/crocheted stuffed toy". I'd read a little about it on Etsy, because it is a big craze, but since I previously didn't know how to crochet, I really hadn't paid that much attention.

This was one of the books I found - she sells the finished products on Etsy too!

Another of the books I found - I love it! (See how the cute photos make you want to check out the book?)

Well, being a true marketer's dream, the beautiful photos on the front of the two books, pointing right at me, were just what I needed to spend $40 and a subsequent trip to the yarn store to stock up on dozens of colors.

And now when I'm not busy sewing dozens of sock monkey shirts (that's coming in another post), I'm crocheting. I love it because I can make projects quickly and easily, and can crochet when my boys are awake. Small Fry can't come in the studio, since he just likes to eat the glue and get into other trouble. And the Monkey thinks that every time he's in my studio, he gets to watch "Curious George".

So, I'm going to sign off this post, and get my photos ready so you can see what I've made!

I went missing!

2008-11-21T00:06:00.000-08:00

I think my real life got the better of me the past few months! I've been busy with family obligations, two increasingly demanding kiddos and by the time I think about the blog, the day is gone. I said the other day to a co-worker, that I make myself shut down the computer, stop knitting/crocheting, etc., by 2am...sometimes I'll watch a show (like Grey's Anatomy) that I've recorded, but it is time for my brain to wind down.

I get up with the boys about 7:30 every morning, so I guess it's good I'm still young...I can continue to burn my candle at both ends.

Anyway, I'm working on a photo essay of "the creation of my monkeys", which will be up soon, but in the meantime, I just had to post a few photos of "Santa Sock Monkey" that I've recently listed in my shop. He looks SO cute, all dressed up as Santa, and I'm hoping that others like him as much as I do.

Making Diapers!

2008-09-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy with stuff for my shop lately, but trying to take a brain break to do some other projects. Sooo, I decided to make some cloth diapers for the boys. A while back I made some AIOs (All-in-ones). I liked them, but they take so long to dry and I decided they just wouldn't be practical for us.

I adapted a bunch of patterns, used diapers I had on hand and made up my own pocket diaper! I love, love, love how they're turning out. I found some colored fleece, so the inside isn't boring white anymore, and I've been able to create some cute combos with the fleece, PUL, and threads. I may venture into using snaps soon, but for now, they're all velcro closures.

I can't wait to make more when I get back from vacation. I've even got some ideas on some new versions of a sock monkey diaper cover.

The first pocket diaper I made (there are flaws, trust me ;))
It's a sage green color with a butter colored fleece lining.

The pocket opening.

The inside of the diaper. I even stitched around the leg elastic to create gussets.

Summer Diaper - A teal-ish, sky blue outer with a green grass fleece inside:

A peek inside:

A view of the green fleece
(green is by far my favorite color - I even made Small Fry a pair of fleece pants out of this color)

And my favorite - a teal-ish sky blue outer with a chocolate brown fleece inside:

A peek inside:
A full-view of the outside:

Close-up of contrasting stitching:

And I couldn't leave out my little model (this size also fits my 2 1/2 year old!)

And the winner is....

2008-08-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

...Sheralyn!!

I know she just got in to cloth diapering and has two adorable kiddos - so I'm sure this bag will come in handy.

Congrats Sheralyn!

And to all those that entered but didn't win - be sure to add this blog to your reader or keep an eye on it...I plan on doing lots more of these contests!

Win a Free Wet Bag!

2008-08-02T00:54:00.000-07:00

I've been MIA for a while...life is just B-U-S-Y these days! But I'm thick in the excitement of my new found obsession - cloth diapering! And to celebrate a new addition of cloth-diapering related items to my Etsy shop, I'm giving away a wet bag!

This bag measures 8" x 9.5", and has a zippered closure. Fits one or two diapers perfectly! (See below for more details.)

How to Enter Contest (and rules):
Leave a comment on this post anytime from now until August 16th at midnight (MST). I'll pick one winner at random and post the winner's name on my blog on August 17th (so be sure to check the blog!). Only one entry per person please!

What is a "Wet Bag"?
For those who don't know, a wet bag is a stylish, yet water-proof bag that is ideal for carrying those "used" cloth diapers. Though it can also be used for swimsuits, other soiled baby clothes or just about anything you can think of.

My bags are made with the following specifications:

- Inner lining made with color-coordinating PUL (waterproof laminated knit), keeps wet items contained).

- Inner and outer layers are sewn separately to prevent wicking of moisture onto the outside of the bag. Each seam is straight stitched and zigzaged to ensure durability.

- Zippered closure keeps items secure and keeps the smell contained! Both layers are topstitched to the zipper to keep everything in its place.

- Convenient carrying handle makes it easy to hang the bag on a stroller, on a doorknob, or around your wrist.

This bag can be washed and dried with all of your other diaper laundry. All items are pre-washed to minimize shrinkage.

I'm here!

2008-07-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a while. I've been SWAMPED these past few weeks. Daily life (kids, school, "real" job, family, etc), and my Etsy shop are keeping me so busy.

I'm busy working on a lot of new projects that I'll be debuting in the next few weeks, and one of the things I'm most excited about will be my journey into the world of cloth diapers! I don't know yet if I'll be making diapers, but please be sure to keep an eye on my shop for all cloth diaper accessories - wet bags, wipes and more.

I've even finally found a source for wonderful, soft, organic blanket material - so I'll be going green and sustainable with some baby items in my shop.

Leave me a comment and let me know if you'd like to be notified when this great stuff is listed in my shop - or better yet - let me know what YOU want, what you'd like to see in the shop!

Baa, Baa, Black Sheep!

2008-06-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

When I was in Steamboat for our annual ski vacation in February, I happened on a knitting shop that was closing (they're in Ski Time Square which is closing due to development). They had great deals on everything so I picked up a little hard-backed book with instructions for knitting various baby quilts.

So, I knitted this for Small Fry. I'm not a great knitter by any means, but with a pattern, I can hold my own. I just love how this turned out...maybe next winter (when I can stand dealing with thick yarns again), I'll knit him another one!

Finished!

2008-06-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

Those deflated play balls I posted about the other day? They're finally done! Woo! (It's A LOT of stuffing).

Fruit & Veggies ribbon Play Ball
Sushi ribbon Play Ball

Now, I can move on to finishing up some binky bags, quilts, and of course starting to do something with that *oh so fun to look at* stack of sock monkey fabric!

Drool! I just like looking at this stack - it was hard to focus on the projects I needed to actually finish before playing with this selection of fabric!

Lots of Play Balls!

2008-06-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite (but most tedious to make) items is the ribbon play ball. I tend to do them in batches, especially since none of the ball is a "quick-to-do" thing. It's all hand tracing, cutting, piecing the sides one at a time and then stuffing.

So, I've now got seven balls to stuff...thought they looked funny all deflated in my studio yesterday. Check for them soon - they'll be up by Tuesday! Fruit & Veggie and Sushi themes available!

Monkeys Everywhere!

2008-06-07T08:02:00.000-07:00

I'm in a sock monkey kick right now. The retro little creatures are hot again and I'm totally taken by them! I even stumbled upon the fantastic Etsy seller, BrightsIdea, who is selling adorable authentic (and updated) sock monkeys. I can't wait to purchase a "baby safe" sock monkey!

Check out my chronology of products I've created along with ones that are currently available!

About a year or so ago, Moda fabrics came out with their first adorable sock monkey line, "5 Funky Monkeys" by Erin Michaels. I loved the line, the retro styling along with endless possibilities for baby items (and the line was available in flannel too!), led me to purchase many pieces from the line. Not long after 5 Funky Monkeys, Moda released "Monkey N round", which focused on the fun the mischievous monkeys have, along with incorporating more pastel colors. With these two lines, I created many projects...

Ah, a favorite, the first Minkee/Flannel Baby Blanket - and it went to a good friend who is now looking for a duplicate in case her little one loses the original.

A diaper-mini tote.
Holds a few diapers and wipes, ideal for quick trips and easy to toss in any bag.

Another diaper mini-tote. I created lots of these in many colors...they were a popular item. (And it's interesting noting how much my photography has improved since the early days).

The Sock Monkey ribbon play ball. The ball itself is my most popular item, so I love to create it in many themes. Sock Monkeys were very popular. And I'll soon be creating a new theme ball with the latest sock monkey fabric line.

Sock Monkey ribbon play ball - Version 2.0. I had to create more of these for some custom orders, and so the ribbon colors and fabrics were changed a little bit. I can't wait to use the Malibu Monkeys line for a new ball!

One of my favorite items, the Binky Bag. It holds about 3 pacifiers, and features a snap on one side of the strap. It makes the pacifiers easily accessible (since many of us can relate to the mad binky search when baby is crying). I made these in many colors too.

Another fun Minkee/Flannel blanket - I've been making lots of these as they are popular items. I tend to only make one or two in each style though and then move on.

Classic red monkeys.

Making a bib and burp cloth set. I love these since personally, I'm ALWAYS needing bibs and burp cloths for my spitty little one ;)

Pairing retro monkeys with another hot trend - pink and chocolate. This is one of my favorite items (I would have kept it if I'd had a girl!)

Again, using the beautiful pastel pieces from the "Monkey N round" line to create more blankets.

Another favorite blanket of mine - and this one is still available in my shop!

The piece that revived my sock monkey obsession. I wanted to make a fun onesie to coordinate with some pants I'd made for my little Small Fry. So, using my love of applique, I created this adorable design. It is quickly becoming a popular item in my shop - and is available now!

So naturally when I had the onesie, I wanted to create lots of coordinating pants.
All of the styles below are available in my shop (in 6-12 month size) and are available to be made in custom sizes too (from 0-3 months to 3T).

And last, but certainly NOT least - my favorite, a sock monkey theme "tummy time" quilt. It's just the right size for a baby to roll around on and then tuck into a diaper bag and tote along. And it is available in my shop ;)

So, the sock monkeys are in full swing in my studio...and I'll soon be creating lots of items with pieces from the new Malibu Monkeys line and adding in lots of other pieces from the other two lines. Enjoy!

It's ALL here (well, almost)

2008-05-30T16:56:00.000-07:00

So, I just got the second of my three fabric shipments. I must say, it's ironic that the one shipment that isn't here yet is from a massive on-line only fabric company that is located about an hour from my house - and they haven't even shipped my product yet.

I'm BEYOND pleased with the fast shipment from the other two places I ordered from...Fat Quarter Shop and CatyLou Quilts (another Etsy shop - she was super fast with setting up my order, I got everything quickly and so nicely packaged - I will definitely be ordering from her again). Both shops were easy to work with and super fast.

I'm now headed up to the washing machine with about 30 yards of fabric so it can be washed and dried by the time both boys are in bed tonight. I'm currently working on two quilts from the "Baby's 2nd Step" line from Wilmington - and then it's time to use all of my new fabrics!!!

Waiting for the Mailman

2008-05-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

I'm anxiously awaiting the mail truck (and UPS truck) today and tomorrow. I placed three huge fabric orders on Monday and I can't wait to start sewing with all the new fabric I'm getting. I re-ordered a lot of Sock Monkey fabric because I think it'll be great to make up some pants, and I need to back a super cute Sock Monkey tummy time quilt.

Also, I stumbled upon some cupcake fabric, and had to snatch it up. I've got a friend who is a cupcake fanatic, so every time I see cupcake fabric I think of her. That fabric is going to make a lot of cute baby gear.

Well, I'm off to sit by the window and hope that each car that turns into the neighborhood is the one that has my packages :)

My studio

2008-05-27T23:59:00.000-07:00

I think we are all a little voyeuristic at times, and I especially love to see the spaces of fellow crafters...I like to know how people work. When we built our house in 2005, I picked this space specifically for my studio...the windows face south east, great light, and I'm on the main floor, just off the kitchen and can see my boys' playing in the family room. An IDEAL location.

I'm a "controlled chaos" quilter, sewer, and scrapbooker. I am by no means clean, but I'm organized and I know where everything is at all times. Buuuut, I am very visual, and I have to see my stuff to be inspired. So, when I'm working on something, I've got ALL my options laid out in front of me (or around me).

The other day, in the midst of completing three large custom orders, photographing new things to list, and sewing some new projects, I thought it would be a perfect time to photograph the controlled chaos in which I work. I didn't pick up or clean up for the photos - so if you think I'm messy, I am!

The doorway - I haven't painted this room because I like having the white walls for photography and I'm not skewed when choosing colors for projects. The cutting table is a beautiful Sylvia table that I got as a Christmas gift. It folds down and out of the way if I need more room - as it is in the photo, it's only halfway extended.
The chaos. The small bookshelf holds my finished projects that are currently for sale. The huge white shelf is mostly my fabric stash. Very little of it goes into projects for sale (either won't be used and just "collected", or I use it for personal projects). The fabric piles on the floor and under the cutting tables are actually all organized - and all projects and supplies for items that will be listed on Etsy.

A head-on picture of the stash...I love the shelf, it's a Metro shelving unit I got from the container store. Each shelf can hold up to 500 lbs, and since fabric can get so heavy (I've destroyed many bookshelves in my day), this shelving unit was worth the investment. (Oh yah, and for perspective, you can see the ceiling - it's 9' tall!)

Where the magic happens! I have used this desk for literally years, it used to be my student desk when I lived at home! It works so well for me, and someday I'll be able to get an official sewing table, but this is the best fit int he meantime. I have lots of storage behind the desk - hidden behind the sewing machine is a bookshelf that actually has all of my quilting and sewing books, and a few shelves of currently in progress projects.

My typical view. (Notice the tv with the Tivo - the best invention ever!) I got this Bernina 440 QE as the best Christmas gift ever from my mom and dad in 2007. I have put almost 400,000 stitches on it to date :) (You can tell in this photo I've been working on a Sushi Tag Ball - soon to be listed).

Another great set up. My ironing board used to be a typical ironing board with a "Big Board" on top. I bought this Elfa shelving and the Big Board actually drops right on top. It is the MOST efficient ironing space ever. In those drawers are all of my other hobbies. Stamps (Stampin' Up is ADDICITING!), knitting, scrapbook paper, embellishments, tools, digital printing items and accessories, and two drawers with gift bags, bows, ribbons, etc. (notice the gift wrap holder on the left hand side).

A blankie for Emma

2008-05-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

A girl I "know" from one of my message boards (we've got to coin a 21st century term for people you don't know in real life, but feel like you know through your computer)..anyway, I know this girl, and we have a mutual in-real-life friend too. She was pregnant and ended up in the hospital with some serious complications.

Long story short, she delivered her baby, Emma, at 29 1/2 weeks (for those who don't know, normal gestation is about 40 weeks, and anything before 32 weeks is considered very high-risk). Little Emma had to spend almost 8 weeks in the neo-natal intensive care unit. I was asked if I could make a blanket that would cover the isolette that Emma lived in. Something that would keep the light out and make it a little more "personal".

I was so happy to be able to do something for them, as I had followed the story, but just didn't know how to best help. Emma's mom picked out a great fabric that I just happened to have in my stash. I added a border, appliqued a name on, and quilted it using a nice batting (Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 - preshrunk), and a super soft backing (Oh! So Soft, also called Minky or Minkee). It turned out so well...and I was so happy to get to make it!

The finished product - I think it measured about 50" x 50"

Machine Appliqued name (fusible with a blanket stitch)

I did a simple cross-hatch quilting pattern with a beautiful Superior rainbows polyester thread (and a 90/14 topstitch needle). I used the backing to do a self-binding that I folded under and zig-zag stitched from the front.

Just a photo of the beautiful white backing. I LOVE the Oh! So Soft, it is addicting!

So, where can I buy more time?

2008-05-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

I'm still figuring this whole sort of stay-at-home mom, part-time working mom thing. Boy #2 is four months old on Friday, and Boy #1 is starting pre-school of sorts on Monday. He'll be going three mornings a week, and I'll be going in to my "real" job two of those mornings...but bringing boy #2 with me. Confused yet? I guess I'll just try it for a while, and I'm still a little sad that #1 is growing up so fast - I'm going to totally miss him, but I know he'll have tons of fun and love getting to be with other kids. There is no basis for this fear, but I sure am hoping he's "good" and doesn't hit or throw things at the other kids. I SO don't want to be "that" mom, lol.

That all said, I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to fit in the rest of my life. #2 is pretty high maintenance, so lately I've only been able to spend time in my studio when both boys are asleep, which is usually from about 9 pm - 1 am. I've got millions of ideas floating through my head right now, and I'm hoping that i have some time to work soon!

Also, custom orders have been consistently streaming in, which is keeping me busy, but the other stuff that I "want" to do is also piling up. I've got about 5 quilts I want to make, and right now I'm totally obsessed with baby pants. I want to be able to set up a few listings where customers can choose the size they want, since I'm seeing that larger sizes (like 12 months and up) are likely going to be more popular. I'm hoping to also make a bunch of "mix and match" type sets with pants and matching appliqued onesies...ahhh...now, I just need more of that TIME to actually get all of it done!

Mama wants to blog!

2008-05-27T00:14:00.001-07:00

So, I have a personal blog, but I thought it might be fun to journal some of the "creative process" in making my MamaMade stuff. Like what I'm thinking about making next, to what it's like working in my studio, in the wee hours of the night when the kiddos are finally asleep.

I've got tons of ideas, hopefully I can keep up with it ;)