The Itty Bitty Mermaid, Kinley's Halloween Costume

McKinley was a little mermaid for Halloween.  Notice, I didn't say the little mermaid, that would require her to actually wear the red wig I got for her that for some reason she is completely terrified of.  If she even sees it, she cries.
 
Wouldn't this picture of her sitting on a rock be perfect if the rock was in the middle of the ocean and not in the middle of my backyard?  If only I had some good photoshop skills and wasn't lazy! I used this wonderful tutorial from Elegant Bloggery for her tail.  It was really fast to make.  The part that took the longest was adding the fray check.

I never did get a good shot of her standing up to show you the tail. This picture shows the front but was taken before I decided to cinch the tube top in the middle and add a little bling (not to draw attention to her cleavage or anything :0).  I also got some tan dye to color the onesie to make it look more like skin but I never got around to actually doing it!

I just had to post this picture because I have a big case of momma pride.  I love this beautiful, blue-eyed girl and have a hard time resisting posting hundreds of pictures because in each one she's doing a slightly different smile or whatever (I know, I know she is totally my first and only child!). ;o)  Don't worry.  I don't want to turn into one of those people you pass by that pulls you in and takes out their wallet and forces you to sit through hours of looking through family photos.  I will try and resist and only post a few!  I hope you had a happy Halloween!

What I've been up to...

I've been making lots of these little things.  I will be opening up a shop soon to sell these sassy, little pants.

I'm also finishing up Kinley's Halloween costume.  She is going to be adorable!  I can't wait to show you!

"Knot" your average knot.

If you do any sewing at all, you will want to know how to do this knot.  It will change your life!  Ok, maybe that was a little (ok, very) dramatic, but it's a good knot to know!  It makes tying a knot so much easier/faster for me.  Click here for the quick tutorial from Heather Bailey.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I realize there is no shortage of recipes for these floating around out there but I want to put all my favorite recipes on this blog.  I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, I think this may even be my mother-in-laws recipe, I'm not sure.  This recipe makes a ton.  It made about 7 dozen cookies.  I made them on Saturday night and they are already all gone!  No, I did not eat them all. ;o)  You can always cut the recipe down or you can just make them all and share them like I did.

I have had the kind of pumpkin cookies that you make just by mixing a spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin and I like those too but I like these ones a little better so I've stuck with this recipe when I need a lot of cookies like I did this weekend.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 7 dozen

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

4 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 T. vanilla

1 large (29 oz) can pumpkin

7 1/2 cups flour

1 T. baking powder

1 T. baking soda

1 T. nutmeg

1 T. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. salt

 1 bag chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl cream together butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and pumpkin.  In a separate bowl mix together remaining dry ingredients (except chocolate chips).  Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Spoon batter onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. 

Felt Flower Clips Tutorial

This is the tutorial I posted for the blog swap the other day but I also wanted to have it here.  So in case you missed it, here it is...

Need to add some sass to your little lady's hair?  A couple of these should do the trick...

Gather your supplies:
-2 small felt squares, one slightly bigger than the other (mine measured 2" squared and 1 3/4" squared)
-one piece of, 3/8" wide ribbon cut to 3 1/2'' long (grosgrain ribbon works well)
-some sort of "bling" for the middle of your flower (I used a rhinestone)
-double prong alligator clip (you can get these for pretty cheap at beauty supply stores, I found mine at Sally's I got 100 clips for about $5.00)
-candle
-lighter
-scissors
-hot glue gun
-hot glue
-non slip shelf liner, optional (I got mine at the dollar store)

1-Heat seal your ribbon (to prevent fraying) by running the ends through the flame of your candle.

2-Sandwich your ribbon between the prongs of your clip, right side facing down.

3-Run a string of hot glue on top of the prong where the ribbon is.

4-Quickly fold the ribbon up and over the top prong.  Pinch the ribbon together to smooth out the glue.  Be careful, the glue is hot!  Remove any excess glue.

5-Continue gluing on ribbon and smoothing it out as you go.  Do just a little bit at a time until you reach the end of your ribbon.

6-Round the corners of your felt, forming two circles.  It doesn't need to be perfect.
7-Cut a slit in the middle as shown in picture.
8-Cut a slit on the opossite side of your last one.  Do the same to the other side.  You will end up with 4 slits.
9-Round all the corners.  This forms your petals.
10-Glue it all together.  Make sure your smaller flower is on top.
11-Glue your flower onto the center of your clip and now you're done!....unless you want to add some "no slip grip" if you're making this for a little lady with fine hair.

12- cut a rectangle of your shelf liner slightly smaller than the base of your clip.
13-Glue on the shelf liner to the back of the top of your clip.
14-Now you are done!  It can now grip onto the finest of baby hair, even a single piece of thread.
15-Repeat steps 1-14 and attach to some cute pigtails.  I love those little whale spouts!

I also made a pair of these to match the "I Scream" onesie I made.

I will be linking to some of these parties.  Check them out for more crafty ideas!