I had a really good night...

UPDATE: Ok, so many if you are demanding details. :) Did you notice the baby booties hanging on the wall behind us? I submitted them to an art show and Martha was there for the opening night! Oscar was my golden ticket to a photo op - she thought he was super cute.

welcoming oscar

October 16, 2008
7 lbs 3 oz, 20 inches long

Oz joined us last Thursday morning, so we were busy all weekend falling in love. Crafts are put away and posting will be light for a little while. I'll try to pop in occasionally to say hello.

do-it-yourself nursery art

There is some really great nursery art out there, but since I was on a budget, I decided to make my own. I bought 3 12x12 inch canvases from Lee's Art Shop (on special buy 2 get one free!) and painted some very simple shapes.



Amateurish, yes, but kind of cute too. After painting the canvas with a glossy white, I used the paint can to trace the polka dot birds, and traced enlarged numbers that I printed from the computer. After a lot of paint mixing and a few little details later, I had my counting art.

I like painting on canvas, since you can just hang it straight on the wall, no frame required.


No baby yet ... we are crossing our fingers that he makes his appearance sometime this week. :)

Decoupage Baby Hangers

Check out the tutorial on Little Birdie Secrets to learn how to make these cute decoupaged baby hangers. I found my wooden hangers at IKEA and used plain old wrapping paper for the prints.

Perfect for hanging on cute little hooks...

to display precious tiny clothes.

girlie tag blanket

I made another tag blanket, girlie-style this time for my building super, whose wife just had a baby. I'm growing really fond of these tag-animals. Instant craft gratification!

quick craft: t-shirt sleeve baby hat

Here's another quick baby craft for you - turn the sleeve of an old t-shirt into a baby hat!

When using a long sleeve, you will need to hem the widest side (this will be the open part of the hat). Use a zig-zag stitch so it will still stretch easily. Choose how you want the top to look. There are many possibilities here - you can just round it out, do a long point, or here, I sewed "bunny ears" that can be tied in a knot, like so:

Short sleeve tees work really well too, especially since the end of the sleeve is wide and can be used as the hat bottom, no hemming required. Just finish off the top and you're done!

giveaway winner!

Wow - I can't believe so many of you commented! Thanks so much for stopping by. :)

And the winner is .... klarobinson215, who said, "What a groovy little fellow! I have always wanted a sock dog :)"

Email me your mailing address to homemadebyjill@gmail.com, and I'll send Preppy Dog right away. I hope you or someone special enjoy him!

When comments started flying in, I thought back to last year when I did a giveaway, which was also a sock dog. Coincidentally, it was also posted on October 1 (and that really is a coincidence ... I didn't plan it). At the time, I didn't have many readers, but I remember saying to Jared, "I bet I'll get 30 comments on this!" which would have been huge for me. Then I got 8 comments in the three days I let the giveaway run. Woo! :)

So I guess my point is, a blog can change a LOT in a year. In September 2007 I had around 350 total visits. In September 2008, folks popped in 23,031 times! I am wowed. I am honored. Thank you so much.

quick craft: 20-minute headbands

Another quick project for the labor bag - headbands! I'm not usually much of a headband girl, but wanted something to hold my hair back at the hospital. I like these so much that I wore one to work today. :)

You can find the easy tutorial and pattern here at Savvy Seams.


The second go round only took me 20 minutes - super easy!

2 weeks to go ...


p.s. don't forget - the sock dog giveaway ends at midnight on Sunday!

quick craft: non-slip socks

It is time to start packing for the hospital, so I thought I'd make myself some goodies. First, I needed a pair of non-slip socks. Didn't see any I liked at the store, so here is a quick tutorial on how to make your own.

You'll need one new pair of socks, cardboard and fabric paint. Trace each foot onto the cardboard and cut out (an empty cereal box works well).

Slip the cardboard template into the sock to give you a flat working surface and to absorb any excess paint.

Add fabric paint to the bottom of the sock in any design you like.

Let dry according to the paint instructions. My paint instructions said to let dry for 12 hours.

There you go ... easy non-slip socks. I plan to make these cute slippers and make them non-slip as well.

homemade giveaway

As promised, I'm doing a giveaway to thank all of you who come back again and again (and even those of you who are here for the first time!). It really means a lot to me that so many people stop by to see what I'm working on. I love reading your comments and emails, getting your input, and feeling your encouragement. It keeps me crafting!

So I give you ... Preppy Dog, handmade by yours truly. It's been a while since I've made a sock animal, and I found a great pair of argyle socks that reminded me of fall, and back-to-school preppy style. I also crocheted him a little scarf since it is starting to feel crisp outside. I love fall - it is my very favorite season.

He's not quite as serious as he looks, even when he puts on his tough-guy face. For a chance to win, just leave a comment by midnight on Sunday, October 5. I'll use the handy, unbiased Random Number Generator to pick a winner. No anonymous comments please!