Tooth Fairy Pillow Tutorial

I came up with this little tutorial for Sam since his first loose tooth is on it's way out.  I DO NOT think I am prepared for the look of my precious boy without his chicklet teeth.  That being said, here goes!

Begin with a sketch for a literal "tooth fairy", a tooth with fairy wings.  Cute huh???

Then cut out a pocket ( a smallish rectangle that the pieces for the "tooth fairy" will fit on with room for a seam on all ends

Then cut out  template for the pillow (same width as the pocket, but the height you can determine)

Then lay the pieces out on the pocket, and then remove all but the tooth.  Sew the tooth to the pocket using the zig zag stitch all the way around the perimeter

Then sew the seam for the top of the pocket.

Then sew on the fairy wings, and make sure you go all the way around each piece using the zig zag stitch again

Now, cut your loose threads, and place the pocket on top of one side of the pillow at the base of the pillow piece...this will form the pocket.

Then lay the other piece of the pillow on top of the pocket, but UPSIDE DOWN!

Stitch all the way around the pillow perimeter, but leave a 1 1/2 in. opening for turning right side out, and stuffing

Turn right side out

Pop out corners using a scissor or pencil

Stuff loosely

Free hand stitch or machine stitch the opening closed

Last but not least, hand over to a very excited little person who is now hoping his loose tooth was more loose!

Moving Day!

 Today I decided to mix things up!  I  was tired of our current bedroom set up, and found a few things (already in my house!)to help it look and feel better.  

But first of all I looked at my old phone area which consisted of a 3 tier bookshelf with magazines, books, games, you name it, smack dab in EYESORE heaven in the corner of my living room.  I traded that bookshelf out for a lovely chair that was my grams, and a small table I already had.  I love the sitting area, and maybe it will get me to sit down and talk to people on the phone instead of doing my usual "uh hu..yup... WHAT did you say???" that I usually do while typing away on my computer.

 

Then Jay and I bought a desk, that had been generously been given to me from Julia, upstairs as a MUCH needed addition to our bedroom for a place to do bills, compute, and write.  I love the set up!

Then we moved my dresser into my bathroom to make room for the desk being set up, and it was such a perfect fit...it stayed there, and I love it!

Thanks for reading and commenting! Laura

Vests Galore!

Check out my Ravelry Link to the Right for the pattern links.
They are from Drops, and Contemporary Crochet. 

Self Portrait Challange

The lovely, and beautiful Ariella of Childhood Magic is taking part in a Self Portrait Challenge.  Being inspired by her honesty, I decided to take part as well.

As many of you know I use my own self as a model for the items I craft for our Shop.
Not that I think I am a model...HARDLY.  But I do like to show things on a person, and since I am not likely to go and grab a complete stranger to do it, I am the guinea pig.

This picture below is one of my favorites.  I took it yesterday, and it was dusk.  The lighting was fair, my bags under my eyes are apparent, but not horrible.  My hair is tousled from the pool water, and the bun I removed from my hair just prior to clicking this picture.  The wind was breezy, and my hair flowed in the breeze.  I am untouched, without makeup, and 100% Laura here.

Usually I analyze my pictures for my "horns" sticking out of the edges of my nose, for my hair showing the thinning spots, for my arms showing their beefy upper areas, for my legs showing any cellulite, and for the waist band of my pants indenting my waist.  But this day...none of that happened, and I was content.

Content with being me.  Pure and simple

Thanks for reading, and please check out Ariella

Laura

Italian Cornmeal Cake

Today I whipped up this awesome recipe that I featured over on the Rhythm of the Home Blog.  It is so delicious!   Sam wanted sprinkles in it.  It is sweet enough that you don't even need frosting!

Italian Cornmeal Cake

Visit the blog for the recipe by Joy!

Rhythm of the Home Blog

Puff Stitch Beret Pattern

Put a new pattern in the shop today, and thought I would pass the word along.

Check it out here

Adirondack Patterns

Sam Hayden's Birth Story...6 years later

Today I am the proud mama of a 6 year old BOY.
An amazing, wonderful, special, growing before my eyes little boy who I love more than life itself.

 My boy, nestled in his Auntie Jella's arms the day after he was born.

Feeling sentimental, I feel it is time I share with you my Birth Experience, since I never posted it before.

Me, a few days before he was born. 175 pounds of loveliness...LOL

July 11th 2004 3 AM: I was on my couch sleeping due to it being too HOT in our bed.  Come on people, July 11th...HOT! I went to the bathroom and came back to lie down, but felt wet.  I went back to the bathroom, and came back again, same thing.  Hmmmmmm, maybe that is my water leaking. 

5AM: Same trickle, nothing much.  Wake Jay up. Then we head off to the hospital after paging my Midwife Mary.  Today is the actual due date of Sam's Birth, and it is uncanny that it is happening.
I drove us there...I think that is hilarious!

7AM: Mary comes to the hospital, tests the fluid, and tells me that I am leaking amniotic fluid.

Morning: Julia, and my Mom arrive.  I STUPIDLY, and FEVERISHLY in an excited moment of weakness agree to a Pitocin drip.  UGHHHHHHHHHHHH...BAD BAD BAD IDEA!

Late Morning: Mild contractions, progressing to moderate uncomfortable contractions over the hours.  With every increase of that drip on come the painful piggyback contractions~ARGHHHHH... Mom and Julia and Jay are there, my cousins (Emily and Annie) stop in every now and then (they are RN's at the hospital we work at also).  Getting more and more uncomfortable.  

 Julia, Me, Emily, Annie in my early labor phase

Early Afternoon: Feeling like crap, hate the Pitocin.  Offered and accepted Nubain.  Wears off quicker than I would like, and I want more.  The nurses inform me that you can have a maximum dose of two doses.  CRAP!  Ok...so I wait a bit. 

Later Afternoon: I really do not remember much other than me being very hot, and very uncomfortable.  Ask for more Nubain.  That lasts for a bit, and I relax.  Then it starts up again.

Early Evening: My Inlaws arrive, and my dad comes over after work.  Julia and Mom and Jay are still here, and my cousins pop in again.  I am currently 5 cm.  OMG...I am in agony.
I AM A WUSS! BIG BIG WUSS.

6:00pm'ish: Paged Dr K. who is on his way down to give me a spinal.  I need something more...like I said...I am a wuss!  So at about 6:30 he comes down and administers the spinal.  I am in HEAVEN from about

6:45-7:45.  THEN IT STARTS up again.  WHAT???? I thought this would last longer!  What is going on?  I want more!!!!  Mary checks me...10 cm.  WHAT???  In 1 hour I went from 5-10 cm.? 

I am so NOT ready to push. 

7:50: WALK to the bathroom during contractions so I don't pee on the birthing bed, and walk back.

8:00: Begin pushing with the contractions.  To my surprise it actually makes the pain feel better.  I NEVER once felt the urge to push believe it or not, I just pushed because they told me to, and to stop the pain from the contractions. In the mean time Jay, Mom, and Julia (Sam's Auntie Jella) were in the room.  Jay and Julia (who by the way was 7 months pregnant with Eben) held my legs, POOR JULIA!, and wonderful Mom took a video.

  I am SO grateful for this video, you will see why later.

8:30ish: Still pushing with every contraction, apparently at this time more family members were peaking their heads around the privacy curtain.  Modesty out the window because Ladies...I WAS FULLY NAKED, I had asked if I could take off my gown because I was SO HOT.  Lovely huh?  Must have been a site to behold. HAHAHA. Getting no where with the old pushing.  His head was there, but not able to fully crown.  Mary said that I needed an episiotomy. FINE WITH ME!  Go for it...end this torture~poor kid was hitting up against a brick wall what was not budging after over 30 minutes of pushing. 

8:45: Episiotomy (got that on video...UGHHHHH).  Finally relief!  Pushed, and his head crowned.  Pushed again, more little blond hair revealed...I felt it too!

8:58 EXACTLY...I reached down with Julia's assistance, and pulled my little boy out of my body and placed him on my. He was facing his Auntie Jella, and not making a sound.  A calm, wide eyed, observing, pink little slippery babe. I had done it, and he was here! BORN ON HIS DUE DATE! Such a punctual lad.

Sam Hayden
7 pounds 13 ounces
21 inches long

 Me and my rooting lad a few hours old

Now the last 45 minutes of the birth, and the next 4 hours are a BLUR.  A very distant, half remembered, half forgotten memory.  I hemorrhaged after his birth. My IV infiltrated and was restarted, I then received Methergine for the hemorrhaging, was sutured (tore internally, and then the obvious episiotomy suturing), received Demerol for the pain of the suturing.  Overall I was basically a shell of myself in EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE NEXT PHOTOS!!! A smiling, drugged, exhausted, shell.

Due to the Demerol, and probably the blood loss, I do NOT remember pushing, nor the pain, birthing Sam, pulling him out of my body, or any of the pictures that were taken.  I do not remember conversations with my loved ones, I do not remember ANYTHING.  The first memory I have is that about 10:30pm Jay and everyone left, and I showered.  He came back with a grilled chicken salad, and we ate while we admired our newest addition.
The little boy who made our family complete.

 Mom, Jay, Me, Julia, Dad

Jay, Marilyn, Me, Dan

New Daddy

Gram and Pa

Auntie Jella and Sam...Eben is in her belly!

Mom and Sam

Dad and Sam

So, that being said, a special thanks to my mom for taking those amazing videos of his birth, although I still feel as though I am watching someone elses birth video, and not my own due to the drug induced amnesia, I am so grateful to have a documentary of what transpired since my memory was erased.

My Love
2 Days Old

Thanks for reading my story.  I have never shared this, feels good to write it down.  Laura

This recipe is great for washing fine to thin hair.  NO SHAMPOO NEEDED!

It worked great for me, and I tend to have a bit of an oily scalp.

This Hair Rinse left my hair full of body, not heavy, absolutely clean feeling, and my scalp felt great!

Lilac Blossom Baking Soda Hair Rinse

Ingredients:

1 Heaping Tablespoon of Baking Soda

1  1/2 C. Warm Water

Essential oil of your choice  ( I used Lilac Blossom)

Step 1:

In a large glass pour baking soda

Step 2:

Pour in warm water

Step 3:

Stir till all the baking soda is well dissolved

Step 4:

Put one drop of the essential oil

Step 5:

Pour over DRY hair, and massage thoroughly.  Focusing mostly on the roots.

Step 6:

Rinse hair thoroughly.  Towel dry, style as usual.

This is the actual photo of my hair after I washed with the rinse.

Note: If you do not need to use all of the rinse for your hair, you may store in a closed canister for the next day, or make a double or triple batch and store in a jar for ease of use!

Enjoy~Laura

Happy 4th Of July!

Just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Holiday!  Watch out for those firecrackers.  

 

Also, please go check out our newest pattern for sale on Etsy.  

Adirondack Patterns Baby Booties Tutorial

(we made and sold well over 100 pairs of these for our shop)

T

Julia made a FANTASTIC $3.00 tutorial for her own pattern and it is for sale at the shop!

I had to tell everyone about it!  

Tell your crafty friends will you please???  

P.S. we just made our 46th sale!!!! YIPPY!

Oh, and I am working today~so I will be away from the computer, but look forward to everyone's pictures of their glorious Holiday.

Now off to find some red, white and blue scrubs in my stash.

Have a great day everyone~Laura

Rhythm of The Home Poll!

As the new Assistant Director for the Rhythm of The Home Blog, I have been interested to see what our readers would like more of.  Therefore I created a Poll for tallying of the opinions of the masses.  

Check it out HERE!

A Gift for a Hurting Soul

A Prayer Scarf For Julia

Made with love in every stitch!

Thinking of you, every day~Love Laura

Shivaya Naturals Yarn Rocks!

Julia and I were going through her yarn stash yesterday. We came across some lovely deep blue green Kid Mohair Yarn that had been gifted to her by her friend Heather of Shivaya Naturals.  She had no ideas as to what she wanted to do with it, and not wanting it to just sit there, and knowing what a CROCHET addict I am, she kindly offered it to me.  

So thanks to Heather for her second hand generosity~HAHAHA

I had the perfect idea for it...which I will share in a future post. 

Here is a preview

At any rate, I am in love!  I am sooooo going to buy more when it becomes available in Heather's Etsy Shop.

Stop by and buy some of her yarn if you like.  It is nothing like anything I have worked with before~Laura

Color and fruit

Can NOT wait till these ripen...BLACKBERRRY CRISP is calling my name

Some lovely Primroses

Found some Wild Strawberries, no bigger than my index fingernail ( I feel like they are from the oompa loompas, and I am a GIANT!

Buuuuzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

So, after much asking, pleading, and mentioning in general my lad asked for me to BUZZ his hair yesterday.

So I bit the bullet, grabbed the clippers, called my husband to see if he minded, and then we went for it.

Before

 

During

After

Handsome as ever~wouldn't you agree?

Kindergarten Graduation

A few tears were shed, but over all I feel like I did pretty good!  They were all so precious, and happy, and proud.  Wait a second, we all were!  HEHEHEHE!

Here are a few of the best shots.  

Best Buddies!

Great Grandma and the boys

Oma and Poppy with the boys