Etsy Finds

Homemade Baby Wipes

OK, I know my babies are 6, 6 and 3, but I have been intrigued by homemade baby wipes for months now, and I finally decided to make some.

There are tons of recipes online, each a little different. Here is the one I used:

• 2 TBSP Baby Wash
• 1 TBSP Calendula extract
  
• 2 Drops Tea Tree Oil
• 2 Cups Water

I went with this recipe because of the tea tree oil (for cleansing) and the calendula extract (for soothing). Rylee had 2 UTI's in 2 months this summer and often has an irritated little bottom ever since she has started insisting on wiping herself, so I thought this might really help her if she uses them when she goes potty. This recipe was a bit pricey because of the oils, but they will go a long way.

Along with varying recipes, there were also varying methods of making the wipes. What I ended up doing was mixing the above ingredients in a jar. Then I took several paper towels, as many as would fit in my wipes container (one of those small Huggies ones) and folded them to fit. Then I poured the solution over the wipes and let sit. After awhile I went back and squeezed out much of the excess back into the jar. I had read about wipes going musty if you made too big of a batch, so I figured this was a good way to start.


I ended up only using a fraction of the solution which I stuck in the fridge. Then when I run out of wipes, I just have to fold up a few more paper towels and the solution is already made up. Not sure how long it will keep--I'll let you know.


And of course, I saw this as a perfect opportunity to get out my hot glue gun! I saw similar wipes containers being sold on e-bay for $30!!! I made mine out of a scrap of fabric I'd used on another project, and leftover bits of ribbon from hair bow making. I think it turned out pretty cute!

Print and Pattern

I recently visited this great site. I love all the graphic prints. How cute is this one?

PJ Bags

We have a problem at my house--laundry. I see it as being a two-fold problem:

1) I am not very good at keeping up with the laundry. I am good at washing and drying it, but folding, hanging and putting away are another story. It gets so bad that there are times when you can hardly walk down our hallway for the piles of laundry that have accumulated. All clean mind you. Honestly, I would rather clean a toilet than fold laundry. (I used to think I was the only sick person out there, but then my friend Kathie shared that she too has the same aversion. We are starting a group called LHA--Laundry Haters Anonymous. Anyone else care to join? I digress.)

2) My kids change clothes an excessive number of times in any given day. Whatever happened to kids wanting to wear the same clothes for a week straight?!

One of the biggest problems it that of pajamas. My boys think that every night warrants a new pair of pajamas. Even though they shower before bed and have finally mastered eating breakfast without getting it on them. But it's not enough to just get a new pair of pajamas. Somehow the old pair wind up in odd places: under their bed, in the toy box, on the bathroom floor, under their sheets. . .anywhere but in the hamper. It had gotten so bad that there were times I would go to change their sheets and find 3 or 4 pairs of pajamas stuck between the bed and the wall.

I finally decided that I'd had enough and decided to try to do something about it. I made these simple little bags for the boys (Dallas Cowboys fabric of course). Every morning when they get dressed, they put their PJ's in the bag so that 1) they don't go missing and 2) unnecessary laundry is not created and 3) they can find them when it's time for bed again. Then every few days we swap out pajamas. So far it's working pretty well! Now if I can just get them to stop changing clothes!!!

More Bows and a Budding Crafter

I found these cute little pom-poms and had to do something with them, and of course my ribbon obsession continues.

While making more hair goodies for Rylee (like she needs any more) she sat on the counter with me and wanted to "make a project" too. So I spread out an assortment of supplies and this little bracelet is what she came up with.

My little budding crafter! Of course, she didn't actually do any of the work--she just instructed me on exactly what she wanted me to do. The little princess is good at giving orders.

I Love Summer Monsoons!

Shirt Dress

I have been borrowing my mom's sewing machine for the last month and while it was here, I did all kinds of projects. One of which was making these cute dresses out of men's shirts. I saw the link for THIS on a friend's blog and just had to try it--thanks Bethany! I scrounged around Goodwill and found two shirts for 3 bucks each. Two dresses for $6!! Here is Rylee modeling the first dress. Ignore the wrinkles--she had been wearing it all day.


And the second one--I have yet to get her to wear it. At the beginning of the summer she was all about wearing dresses, but not now. Oh well. They are big enough to fit her for quite awhile. I added a little ribbon embellishment on this one, which might have been a mistake as my inability to sew in a straight line became blazingly obvious. But from a distance it looks ok.

Rainy Day Fun

Our Monsoon rains have returned which means the kids were cooped up in the house for awhile today. This was my solution. I saw directions on THIS site and figured we'd try it. Only instead of newspaper, I used my husbands' old ESPN magazines--2 birds with one stone! The kids loved it and wanted to make one for each of them, but I ran out of staples after the first one--maybe tomorrow. But at least it kept them occupied for awhile.

Remembering

Jason is off this afternoon video taping a wedding. I was just thinking of our wedding day. For some reason, my mind was drawn to the flowers in my bouquet. Gerber daisies. . .such a joyful flower! They just make me smile.

Tooth Bears

My boys are both 6 which means they are starting to get loose teeth. In fact, Weston lost his first tooth today. Growing up we had tooth bears shaped like Care Bears with a little pocket in front to put the teeth in so they wouldn't get lost under our pillows while we waited for the Tooth Fairy to come. I think my mom made them for us. My boys are crazy sleepers, so I decided this was probably a good idea for them too. Here is what I came up with. Super easy and simple made out of a few sheets of craft felt and a little fiber-fill. My niece is staying with us and made the little tooth cut-out on the front of the pockets. Thanks Elizabeth!