Our Mountain Pillow in the Design Sponge Best of 2012!

I'm finally catching up with all my reading and saw that our mountain pillow made it into the Design Sponge Best of 2012 round up. So fun!

Have to say, it's one of our favorites from last year as well. Makes me happy every time I walk by it.

Mountain Pillow DIY over at Design Sponge

Hi friends! Today I'm sharing with you my love for all things alpine and snow peaked with this cozy little mountain pillow for your home. Head on over to Design Sponge for the full tutorial!

Crafting for Design Sponge: Bleach-Dot Clutch

When Kate Pruitt, of Design Sponge, asked me if I wanted to contribute a few DIY crafts for us older "kids", just in time for the holidays, I jumped at the chance. You know that I'm completely enamoured with kids crafting but I welcomed the chance to kick up the sophistication a notch.

This week I will be sharing with you how to create your very own Bleach Dotted Clutch. This would seriously make the most perfect gift and trust me, it's very easy to make.


Hop on over the Design Sponge for the full DIY. But be careful, you just might fall in love with this so much, you'll want to keep it for yourself!


(and OK, since I just can't help myself, you could do this with the Littles too - particularly the 8 and up crowd. Just supervise the bleaching part. Otherwise it's seriously a great "learn how to sew" project! Perfect little pencil pouch.).

A Simple DIY Thanksgiving Place Mat

I love Thanksgiving. Really I do. But I have to confess that I wasn't planning on doing much with it this year as I have been rather overwhelmed with work and the new baby. I actually like how Thanksgiving melts into Christmas as I feel like the spirit of thanks should be felt during the Christmas season so to me they naturally go together. I don't even mind the Christmas decorations everywhere and holiday music playing on the air mid November.


Well this got me thinking. I may feel this way but how are my kids going to appreciate gratitude if I don't do something to foster the spirit of giving thanks? So I decided to come up with this simple last minute place mat designed to give them a way to express their thanks on this special holiday.

You might notice that this resembles my gift to Jon I made a few years back. It's such a fun and simple idea I decided to apply it to the upcoming holiday. To make this I simply stitched together two sheets of brown packing paper. I then cut out a number of white paper flags in varying sizes. These were then straight stitched onto the mat.



And that's it! Give your guests some pens and let them express their thanks while you are finishing up those mashed potatoes and that pumpkin pie!

And you'll get a kick out of seeing what your kids come up with. Mario, among many other things, of course made the list for this little guy.  Love it.

And if you are looking for another last minute Thanksgiving craft, our turkey feather headbands are a great, easy craft to do as well!

Make Your Own Toys this Holiday Season with Mer Mag!: Gift Guide Part 1

Make your own toys this holiday season and get your kids in on the fun! We have just a little obsession with toys over her (and toy making) and thought it would be fun to share a round-up of some of our favorite projects. The Littles even weighed in on some of their top picks!

And don't forget to encourage the spirit of giving with your kids. So many of these would be great for your kids to make for their siblings and friends! Such as this set of paint chip animals. They would be an ideal gift for a grade school amigo. It is a simple and sizable toy for you little one to make and give (and easy on your holiday pocketbook!).

Start Santa's workshop here:
a. gradient blocks  b. interlocking play castle  c. milly the mermaid doll  d. paint chip animal friends  e. geometric tile puzzle  f. tea box circus train  g. articulated paper dolls  h. pop-up puppet  i. paper mache puppets  j. animal box mask

Mario in the Middle: A 4-yr-old Birthday Party

October was a busy busy month for us. Not only did we have our third child, but Little O had his fourth birthday and of course there was Halloween. Because I knew this month would be just a little bit crazy I really wanted to make Little O's birthday both very simple and very special.

You see Little O has been thrown into the middle child slot...and he's feeling it. Because we've all been sick he's not been allowed to really interact with the baby much and is constantly being shooed away...and he's over it. I feel for the poor kid.

Which is why I'm glad that I stayed up until the crack of dawn to make this little Mario costume for Little O. And why I'm glad that I threw together this little birthday bash last minute. And why I'm seriously grateful for a gigantic polka-dot "mushroom" balloon that can transform an ordinary day into an extraordinary one.

We kept things simple by having the party at a local park complete with a playground (or "Mario Land") and a covered picnic area.

And we made things special by bringing simple white linens and dishes to dress things up a bit.

And of course we had to have chocolate mustaches. (Like my sister, I've never really gotten into the mustache craze -she has an entire pin board for ridiculous trends that are way overdone, it's pretty funny really- but I felt that this party was the perfect place for it. And I think even she might approve. I know Little O definitely did.)

We brought along some sodas in bottles (a huge treat for the boys as they typically don't get to drink soda in this way), threw together some star cookies (thanks Jon!!!) and bought a simple cake. We also put out some grapes, string cheese and crackers so it wasn't a total sugar fest.


And thanks to the dollar store we were able to outfit each goodie bag with a self-sticking mustache.

We chose the park for the easy already-something-for-the-kids-to-do-so-we-don't-have-to-plan-games aspect but ended up loving it for the the real life Super Mario game play aspect of it. I mean just look at that slide. Doesn't it just scream plumbing tube?


The kids had a great time and really interacted well together. I was so impressed with how they initiated their own game play. Sometimes I think we forget that you don't really need that much structure for a birthday party to go well. Just a decent area for kids to run and play in...and they'll come up with the rest!


And this little Pizano? He was in Super Mario heaven. And well...I'm not sure he's left it since.

Man I love this kid. Here's hoping he stays in this magical make-believe world of four forever.

Halloween 2012: The Happy Bat and The Moody Drac

Happy Halloween! These little creatures of the night just wanted to pop in and share with you their Halloween costumes before embarking upon a fun filled night of tricks and treats!



We have ourselves a fun and spunky little playful bat alongside a more somber and moody Dracula (and little girly bat whose costume we will be sharing with you tomorrow!).



Having lost his front two teeth, and consequently sporting his own set of natural fangs, A went traditional this year and chose to be Dracula. And then the theme just went from there. I just love how each of their personalities come out in these costumes. And can we just say this little Dracula is 6 going on 16? How is it possible he's growing so fast?



And wasn't this little bat just my baby?



Well with a new 1 month old baby in the house, we had to go simple this year. All I made was the vampire cloak, the bat hood and cape. Everything else was just a compilation of clothing we had already (except these most excellent vampire boots. I saw them and just had to get them).



And now to finish up baby M's little batty costume (she was going to be a cat but it ended up looking more like a bat, so we went with it) and get those little ones out and about the neighborhood.



Wishing you all a super fun, and slightly spooky, Halloween!!

Liz's Mini Peplum top tutorial on Cotton and Curls!

Did you guys see the adorable tutorial Liz put up for the this cute mini peplum top? You will die and want to make a closet full, like I do! There are so many cute options for this top. Thanks Liz!!

Complete Milly the Mermaid doll pattern (with additional hair and skirt option!) in the shop!

As a continuation of Sarah Jane's fantastic Out To Sea fabric blog tour I'm offering the entire complete Milly the Mermaid doll pattern in the shop!

This downloadable PDF pattern is for a 20 inch Milly the Mermaid pattern, complete with instructions. Milly can transform from sea to land with both legs and a slip on mermaid tail! Milly's hair can also change up as this pattern includes options for two different hair styles that can be taken on and off with Velcro. Milly also comes with a pattern for a darling bodice and skirt.

 So many fun dress up options!

This pattern is appropriate for those with intermediate sewing skills.

The PDF pattern will be sent to the email address associated with your etsy account unless otherwise noted. You will receive the pattern within 24 hours of purchase.

And what's even better...visit Sarah Jane's blog to get an exclusive discount code towards you very own Milly the Mermaid pattern!

And like always, I LOVE to see any creations made from Mer Mag tutorials so I'd especially love to see any mermaid dolls you might make! Share them on facebook, twitter and instagram and spread the mermaid making love!

Milly the Mermaid Doll Basic Mod Doll Pattern with Out to Sea Fabric

Have you guys seen Sarah Jane's new adorable fabric line, Out to Sea? If not you are in for a real treat!!

And as part of her incredibly fun blog tour, I'm offering up a doll pattern, based on my Mod Dolls, for you to create your own mod Milly the Mermaid doll!!


In celebration of the the Out to Sea tour, for a limited time, I'll be offering a FREE downloadable pattern and instructions for the basic Mod Doll itself. Tomorrow I'll be offering the pattern for the mermaid ensemble, complete with instructions and additional hair and skirt options, in my shop! And can I just say that I love that you can take her tail off and change up for another option at a whim?! She can be your real life little mermaid!

Purchase the full MILLY THE MERMAID pattern HERE

And you know that if you make one, I just have to see it! So please do share your darling mermaid creations when they are complete :)!!

and stay tuned for the limited release of the mermaid ensemble tomorrow!!

(and I've no doubt there will a number of many more outfits for our little Mod Doll in the future!)

*Update: The simple Mod Doll Pattern is no longer available for free download but you can purchase the entire pattern, complete with mermaid tail, top, skirt and two types of hair here.

DIY Hand Stamped Swaddle Blankets

I can't believe I only have a month (or less) left before our bitty baby girl arrives! I've been trying to do my best to prepare for her arrival amidst all the many things going on here - back-to-school, illustration work, blogging and more! Little by little things are starting to look like a baby just might be coming to stay in our home soon.

Last week I decided to create a few hand stamped swaddle blankets made out of a gauzy muslin fabric. I like how simple they were to do and how graphic they turned out.

To make these I cut up large squares of muslin fabric. (I referenced Dana's tutorial for this). I then used black fabric paint and a handmade stamp to create the pattern.

The trick for me was to apply the paint to the stamp with a paint brush before stamping onto the muslin. I got much better stamping coverage this way as opposed to when I just dipped the stamp right into the paint. The coverage of was still varied a bit but I actually like this as it gives it that "hand stamped" feel.

After hand stamping the blanket to my liking, I hemmed the edges of the muslin.

I then created another one from a pretty salmon pink fabric found on my LA Fabric District shopping spree (I think it's the same fabric as Dana used in her tutorial! what are the chances?). I then used a rain drop stamp for this one...which admittedly looks a bit like watermelon seeds with this color of fabric.

Rain drops? Watermelon seeds? You decide. Either way, I'm so excited to swaddle and cuddle up my little girl in these when she arrives!

Now to find a crib...and perhaps a rocking chair...and...

Quilted Chevron Comforter

I wasn't kidding when I mentioned that this quilted herringbone comforter was my new go-to baby gift. It seriously is the best. So simple and the pay off is great. I recently made another one for my little sister Lorajean, who just had another baby girl, Evangeline (don't you just love the name!). Only this time instead of going for a quilted herringbone stitch, I simplified and went with a free style chevron quilting pattern. It was SO easy and there was really no way to mess up (I personally love that some of the zigzags are closer together and some are farther apart). Just find some great great fabric for the front and back, sandwich some batting in the middle of the two sheets, baste, and then quilt away! And you'll notice that I used the same binding from Eleanor's quilt (I'm kind of in love with it and, well I had a bunch left over) and went with Heather Bailey's tried and true continuous binding technique.

This is also great project for littles ones who are learning to sew and would love to start quilting. You could even do a mini version for a little doll or softie. Wouldn't that just be so cute?! And I promise you, you could do the entire thing in one afternoon (I did! but we won't get into my tendency to procrastinate...).

*photos of quilt and darling baby taken by Lorajean of Lorajean's Magazine

Mer Mag in Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids (And a Giveaway!!)

Friends, I've been dying to share this gem of a book with all of you! Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids, by Jenny Doh, hit the shelves on April 3rd and I've been waiting until after all the Easter holiday fun was over to introduce this book you. If you are not already familiar with this new title, you are in a for a treat! It consists of 20 craft bloggers who focus on creating with kids and share one project each that you can do with your little ones. I feel so honored to have been selected to be amongst this great group and know you will love the book as much as I do.

If you follow this blog at all you'll know that I'm just a bit passionate about creating art and crafting with your kids. It has added so much to my life, and to the life of my kids. And what a treat it is to read all of the wonderful thoughts and experiences about creating with your kids from the many other bloggers in this book. I really was inspired to work hand in hand :) with my Littles, all over again!

The other contributors featured in this book are:

• Jackie Boucher (weelife)
• Samantha Cotterill (mummysam)
• Jenny Doh (Crescendoh)
• Maya Donenfeld (Maya*Made)
• Ali Edwards (AE blog)
• Rachel Faucett (handmade charlotte)
• Pam Garrison (pamela garrison)
• Abby Glassenberg (While She Naps)
• Cindy Hopper (Skip to My Lou)
• Beki Lambert (artsy-craftsy babe)
• Jhoanna Monte Aranez (One Red Robin)
• Jessica Okui (zakka life)
• Ella Pedersen (Little Red Caboose)
• Carly Schwerdt (moopy & me)
• Amanda Soule (SouleMama)
• Nicole Spring (Frontier Dreams)
• Jean Van't Hul (the artful parent)
  
• Dana Willard (made)
• Kristin Zecchinelli (maine momma)

I was lucky enough to meat a few of these ladies in person at ALT, such as Dana Willard of MADE and Rachel Faucett of Handmade Charlotte and they are just as inspiring in person as you will find them in this book and on their blogs. Many of these other bloggers have inspired me and my kids in days past and many others have been a treat to discover and explore for the first time.

Here are a few spreads from our chapter. It was so fun to really explore and express how I feel about creativity and cultivating it in the home.

There are some fun shots from our South Pasadena home that I miss from time to time. (I especially miss all that space in the kids room!).

And there is a shot of how we ended up storing our geometric floor puzzle. (We adhered it to the wall with Velcro which made for some great movable wall art! And then when we wanted to have more free reign and play with it on the floor, we simply removed the tiles from the wall and placed them on the floor in fun and interesting patterns).

And for our craft contribution, Little A and I show you how you and your kids can make a personalized keepsake pillow from an original drawing, fabric and a bit of embroidery floss.

We loved working on this together and still treasure this pillow!

If you are interested in perusing the many creative activities found in this book (which of course you are!) just leave a comment and I'll enter you into the drawing for a free book! And I'd LOVE to hear something creative (big or small) that you and your little one(s) love to do together.

You have until the end of Wed. April 18th to comment and enter the Hand in Hand book giveaway! From there I will randomly select a number from the comments and reveal who has won the book a week from today, Friday, April 20th.