Union Jack Card

London Calling...

Are you still bitter about not getting invited to the Royal Wedding? Well tell someone about it, in a Union Jack Card. The Wedding is only hours away, and today I heard that over 1 billion people will be tuning in. The most watched televised event in history. Crazy.

Here is what you need to feel involved :)

• Red, White and Blue Cardstock
• Blank Note card
• Sewing Machine
• Red Thread

Cut a blue piece of cardstock the size of your Note card, mine was 5.5" x 4.5".
Cut out the following strips:

• 2 thick white
• 2 slightly thinner red
• 2 thin white
• 2 slightly thinner red

Place a thin white strip under a thin red strip and place it corner to corner on the blue card, sew a line down the card. Isn't there something fun about sewing on paper? Do this again across to the other corners.

Now you have an "X" on your card and we need to add the "+" over that.

1. Place the 2 thick white strips in a cross over the "X"

2. Place the thick red strips over the whites

3. Sew down both lines

Trim the excess strips and tape your flag onto the notecard.

Here's to William and Kate...

Little Boy Shorts

This year I had the bright idea that I would dress my boys in matching shorts for Easter. I mean how much longer are two boys going to let me do this, right (but really how much longer)? So, I found some adorable plaid fabric and decided to make them some Little Boy Shorts. I know that the best way to make a pattern is to take another article of clothing apart and trace the pieces, so that is just what I did. Add length to the top (about 1.5") and the the bottom of the shorts (about 3") My sons wear 2T and 6mo.

Supplies:
1/2 yd fabric
1/2'' elastic
white paper for pattern
safety pin & sewing pins

1 - Trace an old pair of shorts onto a piece of paper
2 - Pin the pattern pieces to your fabric
3 - Cut the new pieces out

This is the first pair of shorts I have made for the boys and I kind of just sat there after this step. I had a million ideas for the order of construction but because I was making these the night before Easter (oops) I didn't have time for that. I remembered that one of my favorite blogs MADE has a tutorial for a Basic Kids Pants and thought it had to be pretty similar. So thanks MADE!

She says the easiest thing (which totally makes sense) is to sew up the crotch of the pants first because they are already together. If you have a fabric with a right and wrong side, flip your fabric before sewing.

After every step, serge the seam if you have a serger and press with your iron for a more professional look.

Next, pin and sew the inseam together. Then again,serge the seam and press it down.

Next, pin and sew the legs together. Serge that seam as well.

Next, I serged around the top of the pants and the bottoms of the legs because I had to try them on the boys and I didn't want them to fray. Dana (from MADE) said that the front of the pants will be lower than the back, which is something I had never noticed. She said it will make for a more comfortable fit, so on the 6mo shorts, I actually just cut a little dip after I took this picture.

Next, we will add the elastic. Measure your little boy's waist and add one inch. For example my oldest son's waist is 18.5" so I cut my elastic to 19.5". Fold down the top of the pants with about 1/4" overlap and use the elastic as your guide as you pin. Leave an opening of about 1" and take the elastic out. Sew to top of the shorts closed but remember to leave that 1" opening to put the elastic back in.

Now insert the elastic using a safety pin. Make sure it is flat all the way around. The elastic will be shorter in length that the shorts. Scrunch the shorts up, pull the elastic out a little and sew the elastic together. I used a zig-zag stitch in 2 places to make sure the elastic stays together.

Lastly, turn the shorts inside out and sew the bottom of the shorts. I sewed in two places. On the top of the serged line and on the bottom right next to the seam.

I added my fabric labels to the back.

Look at these sweet boys in their matching Little Boy Shorts.

Perfect for Egg Hunting

Stay tuned next week for an exciting project because I am a contestant on Season 3 of One Month to Win it! Woo Hoo!

Happy Easter

Happy Sunday, I have been making "blog goals" this week and one of them is to set a schedule(ish) for my posts. Up until now, I would think about the crafts I wanted to do, I would make them when I had time and then I would stay up way too late or try to squeeze time in during the day to finish the tutorials. That doesn't work anymore with two babies :)   So, I am going to try to be a week ahead- that way I can spend a few hours on the weekend and have more time during the day for my boys (and my sleep).

I thought I would throw that out there so I might actually have to sick with it...? Anyway, I am a proud Mommy because Finn did his first craft project today, died Easter Eggs! If you have a boy, you know that it is a proud moment anytime your son sits down to do something for over 20 minutes.

(look at his face)

Have a great day with your family!

Get Well Smoothie

I would consider us a very healthy family but this "flu season" kicked our butt. We pretty much had it all, of course I was every one's nurse until last week when I got sick! That never happens and when you are a Mom there is no time for that so I whipped up this Get Well Smoothie and I had it every morning last week. It even has a secret ingredient; Emergen-C which is an extra 1,000mg of Vitamin C... Kick start the immune system much.

Ingredients:

Frozen Fruit (I used mixed berries)

Milk

Greek Yogurt (no fat and 2x the protein than regular)

Emergen-C

Just add the frozen fruit to the blender and add enough milk to cover the fruit, then add the yogurt and Vitamin C. Blend that baby up.

Get Well Soon.

Fabric Nest - an Easter Centerpiece

Now that my "baby" is almost two, he gets a visit from the Easter Bunny this year and I am probably much more excited than he is. I love that he is older and I get to relive all of the magic of childhood through him. To celebrate the festivities, I am cooking a big Easter Morning Breakfast at my house. Does anyone have any good recipes for a breakfast casserole?

Now on to the Easter Breakfast Table Centerpiece. Do you ever have an idea in the wee hours of the morning that seems totally normal? Then when you wake up, it actually isn't that normal after all? That always happens to me; enter the Fabric Nest. I had a bunch of scraps left over from my Anthro Shower Curtain KnockOff. The scraps were super long and very thin because they were trimmed from my serger and I liked the shape, so I kept them around. So, I had this idea to turn the scraps into a hardened nest...

Here is what I did:

• Gather a handful of fabric scraps
• Mix part Elmer's Glue and part water
• Pour the glue mixture over the scraps in a bowl
• Use another bowl (same shape and size) and press

I left the bowls pressed together for a few hours then I drained some of the glue mixture out and I took the top bowl off. I set the bottom bowl with the "nest" in the sun for a full day. When I removed it, this is what I was left with... it worked!

I wish I would have used a "rounder" bowl so the nest was taller on the sides, but overall I actually like my weird early morning vision. I got a few paper eggs from Hobby Lobby and placed them in the new nest.

Happy Easter

Do You Pinterest?

So do any of you share in my new addiction, Pinterest? I LOVE it and I find myself searching for pictures to "pin". If it is new to you, get on board (get it). Its basically a virtual Pin board and you crate "Boards" or different categories and pin any picture that you find all over the Internet to your boards. Its awesome for me because I always find a million ideas online and I usually save them all as bookmarks or I email myself the link. Not anymore, when you "pin" a picture to your board, it saves the link. Brilliant! Here is a snapshot of my board that I call "Future Craft Room". You can also link to your Facebook or follow "boards" that you like. I added a link to my Pinterest on my sidebar.



In other exciting news...you now have TWO new ways to follow Taylor Made, I know - earth shattering news. Not only do I have a new Pinterest link, I also started a Taylor Made Flickr Group. I also added a link to my sidebar. Feel free add any  projects that you have done to the pool.

If you have a Pinterest tell in a comment so I can stalk see your boards :)

Black Bean Salad

Are you feeling springy yet? I sure hope so and if you are I'm jealous because I am feeling summery already and I don't like it. If you know me, you know that I am extremely hot natured and wear my flip flops all winter long. So, I'm not happy that it has been in the upper 80's all week, Houston, its April... you are killing me!

What does this ramble have to do with Black Bean Salad? Its hot, and when its hot I like cold food. So I made Black Bean Salad the other night on the side of our Chipotle Pork Tenderloin and Baked Sweet Potatoes. Its simple, healthy, cold and Finn couldn't stop eating it!

Black Bean Salad:
- 2 cans of Black Beans
- 1 avocado
- cilantro (I love a ton but add as much or as little as you like)
- 4 scallions
- juice from 2 limes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste

Stethoscope Covers

Do you have a special nurse in your life? 'Cause I do... my sister hehe! Not only is she about to graduate from nursing school but it is also her birthday this week. (Last year I made her this) So, I cant think of a better gift than some handmade Stethoscope Covers. The sad part is after I decided to make her a few, I realized - I don't have a stethoscope to try them onto. Oops, I hope they fit.

Materials:
- one yard of fabric (you wont use it all, you just need it for length)
- button
- elastic
- sewing machine
- serger (optional)

Directions:

Cut your fabric into a piece that is 34" x 6" 

Serge the ends (the sides that are 6" in length) If you do not have a serger, get online right now and buy one you will have to press the ends and sew a clean edge. Do this to both the top and bottom of the cover.

Next we will add the elastic to the bottom of the cover. If your fabric is a print like the floral one I have then just pick a bottom. My other fabric with the hearts has a specific bottom and top so don't confuse the ends.

1. Cut the elastic about 2" shorter than your width, so in our case 4". Pin it to the bottom of the cover.

2. Start sewing it on.

3. Once it is on, pull the elastic with your hand while you are sewing.

4. It will look like this when you are done.

Next, pin right sides together lengthwise all the way down the cover and sew.

Turn the cover right side out. This is the main part of our cover. You can tell that my covers are a little different in width. I used two different seam allowances only because I wanted them to look a little different.

At this point I realized I had to come up with a way for the cover to stay on the Stethoscope. Do you see where it has a "Y" in the top. I decided to use a little flap with a button and a button hole. You could use Velcro, snaps, etc.

 I had scraps left over from the original cutting of the fabric so I used these two scraps. I folded it in half with wrong sides together and serged it into a rectangle flap. Sorry, I don't have an exact measurement. Again if you don't have a serger then you will have to sew right sides together leaving an opening, turn it right side out and sew again. Make sure the flap is the same width as your cover, length does not matter.

1. I added my TaylorMade label (tutorial here) to the back of the flap
2. Make a button hole on the flap

3. Pin the flap to the back of the cover

Sew the flap to the back of the cover

Last step is to add the button to the front side of the cover

Don't you love this vintage mustard button?

Happy Birthday Sis!