Happy events!

Hey blog friends.  Just wanted to share some happy events.  My son made the all A honor roll for the entire 5th grade year (with Gifted and Talented classes!)  Only eight 5th graders accomplished the A honor roll! He also got 4 other academic awards for having such high A's.  In addition, his class voted him "Most likely to become a doctor", which is what he wants to be anyways!  I am a proud momma!

He's the one on the very right, his certificate didn't print, but we did get it!

That's a smarty pants look if I have ever seen it! :)

 My stepchildren still have another week left of school! But they will both be getting the A/B honor roll! I am surrounded by smart children! (Which I am not sure is a good thing)  ;)

ALSO....my hubby and I just celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary.  Don't we still look so cute and in love??  If I knew how to make a bunch of little hearts around here I would.  :)

 I love my partner in crime!

 Should be back to sewing posts next week...not sure if I will have more or less time with the big kids home.  Here's hoping for MORE!
Have a good Memorial day weekend!

More Free Patterns (I love the word FREE)

I know if you're anything like me you LOVE FREE PATTERNS! Tutorials are great but the less work I have to do, the more I like it!! Here are some cool crochet and sewing patterns I have recently found and LOVE.

I don't crochet but I have found a lady with some ADORABLE patterns that make me want to start! Plus, they are mostly only around $3 each! BUT..today if you "Like" her fb page Creations by Sasuga you can get this TOO CUTE FOR WORDS baby mobile pattern FREE!

 A couple of her other patterns I like are these sweet turtles,

and this Noah's Ark blanket that I could definitely see as a hand me down treasure!

Visit her Etsy Shop The Trendy Yarn Studio for more.

Now moving onto MY area of expertise...sewing! I came across this pattern for a dress made out of knits, which seem to be on the harder side to find patterns and tutorials I have noticed.

Cute stuff! Fellow blogger The Train To Crazy gives away her pattern for this fun little dress. I love the attached sleeve, although I will be altering the sleeves to short sleeved because, well, I am in Texas.  Bonus- it's even a multi sized pattern! 12mo to 5yr! Thank you for your pattern. I can't wait to try it!

Lastly is a purse/bag! It actually doesn't have a printable pattern, but she's really good at giving exact measurements and it's pretty simple to draw.

Plus when you check out her blog Delia Creates you will be getting a LOT more tutorials and possible patterns from the Color My Summer series they have going on.

Have fun with your free patterns!!

Automatically have facebook and twitter upload your new blog posts on your pages! Here's how!

Every time I did a blog post I would copy it over to my personal page and my SweetStuffCreations page on facebook.  This was annoying.  Recently, I found an application on facebook that will automatically check blogger and put your new posts on your wall for you! I really like the way they make it look also.  It looks more professional than it does when I just copy and paste the link.  The application is called NETWORKED BLOGS.  Now here is the difficult part..as with anything on facebook it seems, there is a lot of going back and forth and between your personal and business page because for SOME reason facebook doesn't want everything to go only though your business page.  I am going to try and run you through most of it, hopefully I don't forget anything since I have already done this.  First, you will sign up and register your blog.  (I have added in pink where to click) Don't click the syndication button for options just yet.

Your screen should then look like this:

Fill that out..then it will lead you to how to verify your blog.  The easiest way to do verification is to add a widget to your blog so it links the NetworkedBlogs App to your blog (searches for the posts, etc).  (In Blogger you go add a blank HTML widget and paste the code they give you)  Then you will go back to the NetworkedBlogs app and click on that Syndication options button I showed you (in pink) in the first picture.

Your screen should then look similar to this.

Pull down your blog name from the menu.  Click add facebook target(or twitter) and connect your pages to your blog!  Now.. here is where I suggest writing a blog post, something quick and easy.  You will then wait and notice nothing shows up on your facebook page! LOL.  There is a reason for that.  The more followers you have..the quicker networked blogs goes and pulls your blog posts.  Because we are new, it takes 24 hours... OR.. you can just run over to your NetworkedBlogs page and make them go pull your posts.  Here is how you do that.

Click on your profile tab in Networkedblogs then when that opens, click on your Blog name, as pictured below:

 There is a button that says PULL NOW...which is the hardest button to find! But I have shown you in pink below:

Now you will see your new post show up on your facebook pages!! Here is what mine looked like! 

I hope this is helpful and explanatory for everyone! If you need any more help or I missed a step just let me know and I will see if I can remember or find it for you!  Happy blogging!

#1 on my list

I follow a lot of crafty/sewing blogs, and those blogs feature other blogs, and those blogs have guest tutorials from other blogs.  Needless to say I have a HUGE list of things I love and want to make.  There is a list of the "someday ones"..and there is a list of the.."have to make it this week ones"!

Looking at my ever growing list, I keep coming back to this..so this will be my Top Priority, numero uno, #1 thing to make asap (or soon anyways)!

We seriously need a new duvet cover.  We have a  Ralph Lauren comforter that I got about 4 or 5 years ago at the Polo outlet in Hilsboro.  It is still sooo comfy and in great shape...except..I bought it in a solid cream color.  After the last couple of trips to the dry cleaners, I realized that sucker is not going to come back perfectly cream anymore.  So, I plan on making a duvet cover for my bed using an Anthropologie type tutorial using just bed sheets and sewing skills!

I will either do the gathered one pictured above, click here for tutorial.

 or this one with added ruffle below, click here for tutorial.

I will NOT be using white or cream, most likely gray or navy.

I'll take pictures along the way and give little tips and tricks if I find anything that makes it easier.  Overall it should be a pretty easy sewing process..just time consuming.  Wish me luck!

No sew tutorials!

So I was crafty this weekend.  I made a few cute things and so did my kids!

This was a gift for my husband's grandparents 60th wedding anniversary dinner we went to.  

 Here is the link to the tutorial and it tells you how to make every part (even how to get the wood cut to the right dimensions for you!)  Art and Soul's Block Photo Frame

I also had the kids make gifts for Mother's Day.  My son made these flowers for his stepmom.

Here he is in action, (any project is 10x messier when kids do it!)

He decided he needed to make a bracelet made from the pipe cleaners.

My stepkids made this bouquet for their mom. (notice the box of cheez-its..a necessity when crafting)

I decided to get in on the fun.  

I made the yellow ones for my table and the other two for my mother-in-law and sister-in law.

Then I decided my yellow ones needed a red center flower.

All these were made with Dana's easy Paper Flower Tutorial and instead of using tissue paper you use party napkins.  I love the way they all turned out and are much sturdier than tissue paper.  I got my napkins at Walmart, but saw some really cute colors at Target afterwards, OR.. you could look on Amazon and find really different ones... how awesome would a zebra or paisley flower be!? Hope everyone had a great Mother's Day!

Paying it forward

Do you know what this is??? DO YOU???!! If you are in the sewing world you do..if not, it's called a Serger, a Bernina Serger at that, and it does so many awesome things that a sewing machine can't!  Well guess what?? IT'S MINE! It was GIVEN TO ME!! Can you believe it?! Can you tell I am excited by all my punctuation? My husband coaches volleyball on the side (he's a programmer by day).  They travel to out of town tournaments in different states and all that fanciness.  He gets to know some of the parents pretty well on their trips, well... I guess he was talking about me, my sewing, and my project for Lilly, he tends to brag about me a little...or if you know him...A LOT :), so last weekend one of the moms brought this Bernina Serger to my husband to give to me!! She hasn't used it in 5 or so years and was praying for someone to pass it on to, and she gave it to ME!  I am still flabbergasted and so thankful and excited.  I am bringing it to my sewing teacher tomorrow (she uses all Bernina) to show me how to use it.  I still have to write a thank you note...can you ramble like this in a thank you note? But, I figured as part of my thank you.. I will be paying her kindness forward.  My blog friend Nancy, who was a big help on Lilly's kimono sewing, told a story about a little girl who has lived almost her whole 1st year of life in the hospital.  She is about to go home though! Needless to say her mom hasn't been able to do a lot of shopping.  So with the help of my new serger, blog friend Nancy, and anyone else willing to help, I will be making some cute clothes to send to this little girl.  Read her full story HERE.  Take a quick look and see if anyone has done you a kindness lately and think about PAYING IT FORWARD.  

New Lilly update in pictures!

"Lilly update"

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