Freezer Paper Stenciled Onesies

 

Freezer paper stenciling is a hot trend right now in blog land.  Just google "freezer paper stencling" and you will have hundreds of links, trust me.  I first heard about this idea here on Create Studio, but used the tutorial on I am Momma, Hear me Roar.  I do not intend to recreate the tutorial here, but just to show you what I did.

Like I mentioned yesterday, I made some baby hats for a friend's shower and wanted to add some personalized onesies to the gift.  Wal-Mart sells these onesies for $2.00 each, and they were just perfect for this project.

 

I used Microsoft Word to print the name and used the outline option to save ink and make it easier to cut out.

 

This is printed in the Script MT Bold font.  I then put freezer paper on top of my print out, and cut along the lines with my Exacto Knife.  Be careful to keep this as one stencil and not to cut each letter separately.  I really liked how this font connected all the letters and made it easy to form one stencil.  Be sure to save the inside of the L and E!

Updated to add:  Many of you have asked where to buy freezer paper.  I was only able to find it at WalMart locally.  However, I did find it on Amazon if your WalMart does not have it in stock.

 

Cutting out the stencil was the most time consuming part of the entire project.  I can't say how long it took because I did a little, then loaded the dishwasher, did a little more, got the kids some juice, did a little more.... you get the idea.  :)

Iron the stencil on the onesie as directed in the other tutorial (shiny side against the fabric).  I particularly liked the onesies with stripes as they served as a guide to keep my letters straight!

Paint inside the stencils.  I was careful not to pull on the edges of the stencil, but to do more dabbing than actually brushing.  I had no problems with bleeding of paint.

I used Apple Barrel acrylic paint that I also found at WalMart.  Most craft stores also have this, or you can purchase it here on Amazon.

 To make this onesie, I used a negative stencil design.  I cut a circle (used a teacup as a pattern) and then placed an "E" in the middle.  The E is Monotype Corsiva in Microsoft Word.

This is the baby girl's monogram, in Copperplate Gothic Bold font.

 

 

I paired these onesies with the knit flower hats, a nursing cover, and a car seat canopy.  It was a fun baby gift to make and I hope my friend loves it!

Knit Baby Hats with Flowers

When I saw this post on Make It and Love It, I knew I had to make some hats for Breanna's baby girl, who is due mid-March.  I actually made these hats a week or so ago, but delayed posting them until today so she wouldn't see them before the baby shower.

These hats were so easy to make, and incredibly fun and girly, too!  I tried making one for my daughter, who is 21 months, but I made it too small, so I'll pass that on to someone a little younger.  I am so happy with how they turned out, and now I just need to figure out how to make one in my daughter's size!

I wasn't able to attend Breanna's shower, but sent these hats and a few other things as a gift, so I hope she loves them as much as I do!

Coupon Codes and Other Blogs

A lot has changed in 2011, and we're not even in March!  In early January, my husband and I decided for me to return to work full-time.  I am a pediatric nurse and have worked part time in a pediatric urgent care center for a while, but they recently offered me a full-time position.  I accepted the position in mid-January, because we wanted to save more money each month.... to start building a retirement, figure out what we will do for our kids education, etc.  We paid of all our debt (except my student loans and our mortgage) last year and are now looking at building our savings.

Our God is so sovereign, for He knew in advance all that 2011 would bring.  The first week of February my daughter (21 months old) was diagnosed with verbal apraxia, a neurological disorder which makes it very difficult for her to form words.  I anticipated this diagnosis for a while, but it was still hard to see it officially in writing.  We also learned that we would be expected to pay about $4000 this year in co-pays ($40 every time we go to speech therapy, which is twice a week right now).  We were so relieved to know that I was working full time and we could use the extra money to help pay for speech therapy.

In mid-February, my husband lost his job.  It's a long story, but we now see it as God's Sovereign hand to lead him back to school and finish some things he started back when we first got married.  He has always wanted to counsel, and started a program back in 2005 but we were re-directed after a few months.  He will start the process of certification as a Nouthetic Counselor in March.

So, all this to say that we are more sure than ever that God is all-knowing and has led us on this journey.  We will not save as we planned or hoped, but we will also not go in debt or distress over medical bills.  I'd like to ask you to check out two blogs-  my other blog, about our journey through apraxia, and my husband's blog about his new adventure towards a certification in Nouthetic Counseling.

Thank you for reading all the way to the end.  I'd like to reward your support of this blog with a coupon code for my etsy shop- 20% off your entire purchase!  Use the code WINTER2011 to get your discount.  This code expires March 15, 2011.

Oh, and BTW,  I still plan to continue sewing and posting about it even though I'm working full time.  Creating is such an outlet for me and it brings such stress relief.... I've got some great posts scheduled for next week so stay tuned!

Reusable Snack and Sandwich Bags- from Vintage Fabric!

Everytime I go "home" to Alabama, I get to plunder through both of my grandmother's stashes of fabric.  This is a real treat for me, as fabric shopping is limited with two youngsters and a nursing job.  So, it's like shopping for me.... but without paying!

Last time I was in the Heart of Dixie, I found two pieces in my Grandma's closet that I grabbed politely asked if I could have.  This weekend I successfully used both pieces to make reusable snack and sandwich bags, which I first posted about here.

These bags are now for sale in my Etsy shop.

Black and White Pleated Purse

Tonight I made this Black and White Pleated Purse from an Ali Foster Pattern.  As I've mentioned before, her patterns are so easy to follow and instructions are clear.  I print her instructions on regular paper and then print the pattern pieces on cardstock which makes them easy to trace and pin to the fabric.

 

This purse is a black and white print on the outside, with a punch of red color on the inside.  I love the "hidden surprise" element of the red lining!

This purse is now for sale in my etsy shop.

Candy Cane Hearts

This week we've repurposed our leftover candy canes into Valentine treats!  I first saw this idea last year, using miniature candy canes.  I used full size candy canes, because I found them on clearance at Albertsons for $0.25 a box!  What a steal!

Here's how we made them:

 

Form a heart shape with two candy canes.  Place on a greased baking sheet and bake in the oven for 5 minutes at 350.

 

Remove from oven and use a butter knife (or your fingers, but be careful!) to push the two candy canes together where they meet.  Do this gently, as it will distort the red stripe if you push too hard.  Return to the oven for about 2-3 minutes.  Watch them closely as all oven temp vary and you don't want them to melt!

 

Remove from the oven, let cool and then put in a cellophane bag.  I got this set of 12 bags in the dollar bin at Target.  I folded over the top, taped it down in the back, and then punched a hole and added a tag and ribbon!