Monday, August 31, 2009

Shhh!!! Don't Tell Noodlebug

Amy brought this little gem to my attention and I knew it would be perfect for Noodlebug's "big" Christmas present. This is one of those ideas where you see it and then slap yourself on the head and say "Why didn't I think of that?!!!"  Such a cute idea! An easy-to-store playhouse that fits over a cardtable.  Miss Pretty Pretty of Imaginative Playtoys makes these little playhouses and they come in many different styles. I chose the farm because we live out in the country in Sonoma County and Noodlebug sees cows and sheep everyday.  It will even be customized with his name. So cute and so genius!!!

I finished the first figure for my gift for Noodlebug last night. I have discovered that I am a VERY slow hand-sewer.  So, Mary is finished!  She isn't perfect but she was made with love and I guess that is the important thing.

By the way, here is another great idea for a simple handmade gift. Noodlebug is a little young for it yet but I'm thinking it might make a great birthday gift. It's a bed board by Maya*Made for those times when your little one is confined to bed.  Such a great idea!!!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Wine, Jazz and Blues---a Winning Combination

We are heading to the Petaluma Wine, Jazz and Blues Festival tomorrow.  Noodlebug loves music and proceeds from this event will go to support music programs in local schools.  Win, win! I'm hoping the weather won't be too terribly hot. I'm getting a bit anxious for Fall to get here.  Fall has always been my very favorite season. I have already started putting together Noodlebug's Halloween costume if you can believe it!
Hope you all have a lovely weekend!!!
P.S.  Special find!!!! I went to my local Big Lots store yesterday and they were selling Martha Stewart craft kits for $2 a piece!  I snapped up a paper flower kit, felt picture frame kit and several handpuppet kits.  What a deal!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

EmersonMade



I just adore finding a new blog and new handmade creations!

EmersonMade makes these absolutely beautiful one-of-a-kind, handmade lovelies. I snapped this one up immediately. They are listing new items all this week and I am jumping up and down with impatience while waiting for Friday's creation to arrive. Go see for yourself!!!

(photo borrowed from and owned by EmersonMade)

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Madsen Bicycle Giveaway

Remember how I said I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted one of these?  Well, Madsen is going to give one away every week!!!  Isn't that fabulous?!  Now, if I can just channel some good-luck-giving gnome or something. 
Anyway, if you want to join in on the giveaway fun, go check out Madsen's blog here.  Find more information on their lovely bikes here.
Maybe Noodlebug and I will get lucky this time and will soon be tooling around town on our very own Madsen!!!

Joli Paquet Returns!



Hooray! Joli Paquet will soon be returning will all sorts of Halloween-Themed goodies. I can hardly wait!

In the meantime, I started Noodlebug's Christmas present last night. It is a good thing I am starting now because it is very slow-going. I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Fantastic Felts


Some of you may remember that I knitted Noodlebug a teddy bear for Christmas last year. I have been casting about for another homemade gift idea for this year and I think I may have found it. My grandmother made me all sorts of lovely felt/bead creations as a child. I still have my handmade Christmas stocking though I don't use it for fear of something happening to it. When I ran across this Blogger/Etsy seller, it immediately brought back memories of all of my Grandmother's creations. I bought this pattern to make a little Nativity scene for Noodlebug. It seems straightfoward enough so maybe I can do it! If it works out, BuggaBugs has other fantastic felt projects as well and I may have to buy them all!!!


(photo borrowed from and owned by BuggaBugs)

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Cute Kid Thursday

A familiar face popped up on PARENTS magazine's blog today.

LINK

(of course, I think he is the CUTEST kid)

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Backyard Holiday Retreat


Okay, I have figured out what is going on the top of my wish list. I want a vintage holiday trailer. I have seen two posts recently about these little vintage retreats and now I am salivating for one. See one lovely caravan here and one here.


We rent our home and there isn't really a space just for me. I think this would make the perfect retreat. Not sure where I would park it but my husband is the property manager so I'm sure we could figure something out. I'm not really a girl for diamonds or fancy things but I love this little vintage hideaway!



Now, will someone tell my husband about this?


(photo borrowed from and owned by Tin Can Tourists)

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Thrift Store Find


Noodlebug and I found this at one of our local thrift stores. They had not even priced it yet when we snapped it up! It is a perfect little handmade duck chair that fits into his green and yellow room quite nicely. Just right for reading "Goodnight Moon" in.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Coming Soon!

Hi Everyone!
My week of being a single mom is almost over! Hubby returns from his trip on Saturday night. Hooray! I'm a little behind in my posting but I will have some fun things to share with you soon. I got my swap package from the Favorite Things Swap which is just wonderful and Noodlebug and I found something at the local thrift store to share with you. I'm hoping to get photos up this weekend. In the meantime, hope you are all having a lovely day!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Dime Store Chic


The ever-fabulous Beth of Beth's Bagz has opened a new Etsy shop full of all sorts of adorable vintage goodies and kits. I ordered a kit to make the Halloween corsage pictured above. I keep talking about following Beth's tutorial to make a corsage but I've never done it. Now, I will have no excuse since the kit will have everything I need. Beth's original Etsy shop carries her lovely handmade bags and one-of-a-kind pincushions. I have one with the sweetest little cowgirl you have ever seen perched on top!


Congrats on the new store Beth!!!
(photo borrowed from and owned by Beth Holcombe)

Monday, August 10, 2009

Whew!

Busy weekend! My hubby is gone this week camping in the Grand Tetons with his buddies so I am a single mom this week. Luckily, Grandma is here to help!

Some of you may be familiar with Athleta. It is a women's athletic apparel catalog that is owned by the Gap. Athleta happens to be based in my little town and they have an incredible warehouse sale every year. I have been the last couple of years and it can be a truly overwhelming experience. Women run through the doors as they open and start grabbing everything in sight. Clothes are flying and women are stripping down right in the aisles to try things on. Not for the faint of heart!!! I have gotten incredible deals, though. This year, I was lucky enough to be hired to work the sale. I got to shop before the general public and got a (temporary) generous Gap discount. Noodlebug is now all stocked up on Fall clothing!

I was given the Friday morning shift which is when the sale opens to the public. Women started lining up at 5am. (the sale opened at 9am) I worked the checkout area. It was truly a sight to see as the doors opened and 1400 women ran into the building. I have never been happier that I got to shop the sale early!!!

I tend to get overwhelmed at these sales so I didn't do a very good job shopping. Still, I walked away with three pairs of shoes, two sweaters and a winter coat. I looked up the shoes and they are all currently selling at places like REI for $100 each. I got them for $20. Score!

Now, I have to settle into my week and get my Favorite Things Swap package mailed off. And I think it's time for a new knitting project. After all, the holidays are right around the corner!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

DIY Canopy

I have always loved the cool bed canopies and kid forts that you see in many catalogs. Like this wonderful Halloween creation from Pottery Barn Kids:



The Pottery Barn version is $99 which is a bit out of my price range. Luckily, I have run across several DIY tutorials for canopies lately. This one from Country Living magazine uses an embroidery hoop:




(photos above borrowed from and owned by Pottery Barn and Country Living)

I saw a similar canopy in a parenting magazine recently that used a hula hoop. If I find that tutorial, I will post it. Thanks to Monika for the link.  See image below. They have a girly version too. In the meantime, my head is buzzing with ideas for my own versions!

(image source)


By the way, if you haven't picked up a copy of Country Living magazine lately, you are missing out!!! They have redesigned and I found myself marking almost every page in the last few issues.




**UPDATED 8/20/12***  I love FAMILY FUN magazine so much!!!  They always have the best ideas.  Go here for a no-sew reading nook canopy.  Can't wait to try and make this one!!!

(image source)

Monday, August 3, 2009

The Rule-Follower Gets Busted

Hello Friends.

We went to the county fair last Friday and had a great time. The weather was perfect and the funnel cakes were hot! The fair had a dinosaur theme this year which was great for Noodlebug. They gave him a little "passport" that you used to collect stamps throughout the fair and then redeemed for a little plastic dinosaur. Being the goal-oriented person that I am, I dutifully gathered all the stamps to the amusement of my family members. To be honest, Noodlebug was more impressed with the food than the plastic dinosaur.

I especially enjoyed seeing all of the crafts and handiwork that people had submitted to the fair. My co-worker's five-year-old son put together a Lego boat and won a First Place ribbon! So cute! It made me look forward to the day when Noodlebug can submit something to the Fair.

Now, for the downside...

I am a notorious rule-follower. To the point of ridiculousness. I always follow speed limits. I read signage to make sure I am following the rules. I cue up in lines and wait my turn and never carry more than 10 items into the express lane at the grocery store. My rule-following is a little neurotic I admit but I figure there are reasons for rules.

Well...

At our county fair, they have horse-racing. I bought my family reserved seats in the grandstand because my mom has never seen a horse race before. There are A LOT of stairs to get into the grandstand and we had a one-year-old and a stroller. When we walked into the stadium, the man selling racing forms told us to head around the corner and take the elevator since we had a stroller. We dutifully followed his directions and headed to the elevator. A woman was sitting on chair next to the elevator and said, "Are you handicapped?" Well, obviously none of us were. I told her we had been instructed by the gentleman up front to come to the elevator. She yelled at me, "Well, I'm in charge here and you can't use this elevator. You guys are probably the type to park in handicapped spaces too, huh? You think the rules don't apply to you!!!" I was shocked, embarrassed and hurt. People were walking by staring at us as this horrible woman was yelling. As someone who always tries to do the right thing, I was extremely offended. It was just so unnecessary!!! We skulked around the corner and my husband carried Noodlebug up the stairs while I folded up the stroller and schlepped it up. I have to admit that I let the experience ruin the race for me. I was in such a bad mood afterward. I'm still debating if I should complain about this person. What do you think?