week 52: 5 minute sweater pillow tutorial

 

Hello! Its your old friend Emilee WHO HASN’T BLOGGED SINCE SEPTEMBER. (gasp and I’m sorry) I have still been crafting, just haven’t done a good job documenting it here on the ol’ blog.

Man, we started out this year well.  A project a week...this blog has never seen so much action! But then summer came and life happened and this poor blog got put on the back burner once again.

I think in the new year, my goal will be to blog once a month at least, if not once every 2 weeks and to create much smaller goals that are attainable, rather than bigger goals that are left incomplete.  I also created lots of handmade gifts this year, but did a poor job of following up with a blog about them. I will try to do better about that in 2015.

First, you will need:

• a sweater
• a pillow
• a sewing machine
• coordinating thread

 

Next, lay sweater on top of pillow to determine where to cut.  I cut off both arms and part of the neckline. I didn’t have to sew the sides because they were already done!  I inverted the sweater and sewed up the arm holes and top where I cut with a quarter-inch inseam. I trimmed the corners to be diagonals. (Makes them lay flat!)

Then, I flipped sweater back and placed on pillow. I sewed up the bottom and I was done!  It was really thick to sew at the end, so I worked slowly. But seriously, after 5 minutes I had a super cute sheep pillow that I gifted to my mom!

Viola! Super cute and fun!

I had to document my christmas card trees before I took them down. Christmas cards make me happy!

Some other things I’ve been up to:

I made a mixer cover for Shea’s Nana and I just love this fabric.

I also made Shea a ninja turtle pillow with fleece (major score at Jo-anns)

He was thrilled.

I also wrapped one of Shea’s gifts in a bag I hand-sewed when I was 12. Consider it the beginning of something grand!

I gave my snowman from craft night away at our family gift exchange, so I had to make another for myself! I love how the earmuffs turned out! 

Planning to do a project a day this next week and blog about them throughout the month of January!  We shall see!  Wishing you a blessed new year!

 

ruffled key chain

What week are we on again?  (I've really been slacking on the 52 week project)  I figured it was time I update since I haven't since July. (Insert shocked emoticon here) Of course, August is like Christmastime for me with school starting.  

Seeing as we are a week and a half into school, this girl was ready to have some time with her sewing machine.  This quick project did the trick.  I will be doing some tweaking to the pattern I followed when I make more, but this is the tutorial I followed in case you want to make your own! 

It was super fun to make and took less than hour.  Just enough time to satisfy the craving to make something! 

School is back full swing, which I'm loving, but you always forget how much work it is in the beginning teaching procedures and routines on top of curriculum.  I want a nap EVERYDAY.  Lol. Planning to join the gym again and then hopefully, I will have the energy to sew too. :) 

2 days till the weekend.... but who's counting?  

that time I made a dress

Last week, I made a dress and I was pretty excited about it…mainly because it has POCKETS….but it was still a little too big, so this week my cousin Jessica helped me take it in a couple of inches. This dress took me all day because I didn’t want to mess up. Thank goodness for seam rippers! Super excited about this dress though and for trying new things!  If you wanna make your own, I purchased the pattern here! Check out other fun staple dresses here. Happy sewing! 
Also thanks to dear friends for styling suggestions such as that rad yellow belt and chunky teal necklace.  Friends are the best!

BOOKS! (i may just read all summer)

You know when you haven't done something in a long time and then once you pick it back up, you remember all the reasons you loved it and you become slightly obsessive...no?  Well, that's where I'm at right now.  I discovered I could become a member of a library in the city next door = endless access to books.  Our town library just doesn't have a good selection (no offense). I stumbled upon blogs with book recommendations, I scoured amazon and added to the wish list, I checked the online card catalog and SCORE!--they were all available.  I stocked up and so far I've read 2 and a half books.  I can't stop.  They're so good and I want to read MORE!!!

photo via janabananard

I started with Still Alice by Lisa Genova and it broke my heart.  It pulled me in and I felt like I was Alice.  Alice is 50 and has early on-set alzheimer's.  She is a psychology professor and eventually has to resign due to her memory.  It's devastating and beatuiful all the same time.  I loved it through and through.

photo via amazon

Next, we went to the beach and I read The Husband's Secret by Liane Moritary. Gosh, I'm loving her writing!  What if your husband wrote a letter you were only supposed to read if he died and you find it before he passes away? This book had me on pins and needles because I was wanting to know more.  Loved how she intertwines everyone's stories!

photo via hungryhealthygirl.com

Now, I'm reading What Alice Forgot by Liane Moritary.  At first, I kept saying, "This just isn't as good as The Husband's Secret, but I'm realizing it really is in a different way. You find yourself rooting for the main character Alice as she wakes up in a gym after a nasty fall and has forgotten the last 10 years of her life. The whole book is like a puzzle, putting the pieces back to her life. When I finished it, I realized I liked it better and it reminded me that marriage takes work, just like most good things do.  If we don't invest in our marriages, they tend to fall apart.


Next on my list:
Orphan Train
The Rosie Project
The Girls of Atomic City

What are you reading this summer?


Side note: I'm really loving this photo from our vacation 2 weeks ago. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

DIY polka-dotted fridge

Well folks, we are week 2 into summer and I'm staying true to my mantra this summer, "Use What You Have."   Ever since I spotted this fridge the other day, I coudn't stop think about adding a little pizzazz to our fridge.  Shea and I went to Target and I was ogling over this wallpaper, but he said "No way"  because it was $30.  I don't blame him and I didn't wanna spend that much either.  Then I looked online, but I wasn't really in to waiting either.  As I was cleaning up the kitchen from lunch, it hit me all of the sudden. I could make my dreams come true FOR FREE, people. I just happened to everything on hand, but you could do it pretty cheaply as well.  If you're not into DIY, you can buy pre-cut dots here.

Things you need (or things I used):

• vinyl (mine was white)
• gold spray paint
• handy box to anchor vinyl while spray painting
• Cricut cutting machine
• scissors

I grabbed my vinyl and anchored in the box we had and started spray painting it gold.  (hint: spray paint with wind, not against it!) I waited 30 minutes and got it out.  I trimmed it to fit on the cricut mat and started cutting circles until I had about 60.  The Cricut cartridge I have is SimplySweet, but I think most cartridges have a shape option. You could also easily use a circle punch and gold contact paper. I just used what I had, so it wouldn't cost anything!  TADA!  I'm loving it.  Best part is its easy to remove in case we ever get tired of it.  (which I don't see happening anytime soon)  

Hope you're inspired to do your own fridge now!  :) 

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Katherine's Corner Thursday Favorite Things &

summer bucket list

Summer is here and as my friend Sara always says, "I can't wait for Summer Emilee to get here!"  Well friends, she's back and in full-force.  I have SO MANY plans for this summer.  Some are surprises and some you'll get to see along the way.  As always, I had to start with a bucket list.  Some items never leave as they are essential to each summer for me, but as you can see, there are plenty of new things on my list as well!  Today I visited the library and I'm so stoked to read the books I checked out.  I had to refrain from checking out more because I knew I'd be back in July.

So without further ado, this year's bucket list:

On my list, I mention "a ridiculous amount of sewing" and "slash the craft stash."  With these 2 goals in mind, I plan on using up what I have and swapping with friends as well.  I hope it helps spur more creativity as well.  As far as sewing goes, I've got a few things up my sleeve.  I can't wait to try new patterns and challenges.  I love to be able to say, "Oh yeah, I've done that before."

Seriously excited about giving this a whirl SOON...
http://april-rhodes.com/products/the-staple-dress-pdf

                          This was one of several staple dresses sewn by Sew Caroline

In case you're new here, this was last year's list and post that went along with it:

I was looking at my goals and some of it was accomplished during summer.  I did accomplish most of those goals last year though, sewing-wise.

SIDE NOTE: I also made this ridiculously good iced coffee and you should stop everything you're doing and go make some right now.  And as if that isn't enough, I have plans to make funfetti creamer this afternoon as well.  I'd say summer is off to a pretty great start!

via crazy for crust

thoughts on life

[it appears i'm doing a series. my last post titled thoughts on teaching, this post: thoughts on life, maybe i'll wrap up with another thoughts post]

I had every intention of doing a craft post. This does seem to be the season of gift giving: weddings, babies, graduations. I have made some of the gifts and was going to share that here, but I think I'm going to wait.

I also considered posting my summer bucket list. Again, this will wait. Its gonna be quite fun though!

Today marked 5 years of teaching for me and I expected this day to feel different. Its amazing to think of all the things these 5 years have brought. Some things make me smile, some break my heart.  Isn't that life though?  Why do we often expect to get through life without pain or struggle?

As I continue to sort out my thoughts, pinterest provided plenty of wisdom to ponder.

Isn't it interesting how God created us as flawed beings?  That we would have to learn how to receive and give grace based off of His example. That we would continue to need grace all the days of our life.

Glad we have choice, even if sometimes we have to keep choosing to make ourselves strong simply because its necessary. (and by make ourselves strong, I really mean Christ standing in the gap and being our strength-I can't take any credit for any strength I bestow.)

I posted this quote earlier this week on instagram, as it has been a long time favorite of mine.  It reminds me of the journey, the process we go through as we strive to be like Christ, even as we mess up and endure hardship along way.

Tomorrow's Friday. I hope it finds you well.

Thoughts on teaching

When I first started teaching, I wish someone could've given me a toolbox with various things that would come in handy.  Even though that wasn't the case, I had the honor to do that for someone else. I have several friends graduating soon with teaching degrees. The first is my friend Katie.  I was able to stock a basket with some of my favorite must-haves as a teacher.  It's a customized first year teacher survival kit, complete with customized clipboard.  

Things I included in the survival kit: clipboard, sharpies, dry erase markers, small journal, glue sticks, gum, germ-x, notepad, binder clips, my favorite pens, classroom labels, bandaids, small patterned duct tape, coke, and m&ms.

There's a part of me that can hardly believe it is May already.  Last week I was getting teary-eyed on the way to school thinking about saying goodbye in 12 days.  In August, we became a family.  I was able to witness kids start believing in themselves, accomplish amazing things, overcome obstacles, grow a tremendous amount.  This is by far my favorite part of my job, watching them exceed even their own expectations. After 5 years of teaching (can you believe it?!), you would think it'd get easier.  It doesn't. In some ways it gets harder.  I love what I do, even on hard days, and believe me, there are plenty of days I want to pull my hair out. After saying goodbye, I want my students to remember how much I loved and believed in them. I want them to remember how much fun they had in 2nd grade and how much they learned...especially on hard days when they want to give up.  I hope they'll remember how much I cared about who they were and what made them tick.  I hope they remember the hugs and the laughter we shared.  I hope they remember how much we celebrated, even small victories.  I hope they always do the "friday dance" and sing "happy birthday" backwards. More than anything though, I hope they saw Jesus.

a shower for baby mayzie

my friend/co-worker vanessa is having a baby girl in july and we threw her a shower after school one day last week.  we did it in her nursery colors: mint, coral, and grey.  I thought it turned out super cute! I’m kinda addicted to decorating for showers too. Love how all this came together!  [also, I can’t believe I’m posting again so soon!]

Two of the lovely hostesses for the shower.


The art teacher made this cute frame to coordinate with the nursery and below, Vanessa is holding the quilt I made for Mayzie.


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tatertots&jello
katherines corner
six sisters stuff