T-Shirt Refashion for Toddlers

Hubby has earned/collected a ton of t-shirts in his lifetime. He plays softball, bowls, and used to shoot darts. Every team needs a t-shirt right? What about if they win the championship? You guessed it, another t-shirt. (Hey, I guess it’s better than a trophy, how on earth would I upcycle all the trophies? )
My step-son is also involved in sports, so more t-shirts. We have hand-me-downs from my baseball/football/basketball playing nephew. Needless to say, we have a lot of t-shirts.
One of my 30 by 30 goals is to craft through my stash. Somehow these t-shirts ended up in my stash.
The twins need t-shirts. Specifically long-sleeved shirts. (Have you ever tried to buy long-sleeved shirts in February?)
Last week Melissa from Melly Sews posted a how to sew a t-shirt tutorial (and pattern). She made it look achievable, so I decided to tackle our t-shirt pile. Here’s the outcome:

The gray shirt was the first one I tackled. The project was a quick one, about half an hour. I used an XL men’s gray t-shirt for the body. The neck and decal came from a men’s large softball t-shirt.

This one was my problem tee. I was working at night, and that seems to be when I make stupid mistakes (like forgetting to not cut the fold, that’s why we have the layered sleeves). The quality is lacking compared to the gray shirt.
Melissa’s tutorial and pattern are wonderful! The hubby was so impressed, he mentioned going through his closet so I have more t-shirts. Thanks for supporting my stash busting hubby. Here’s a few tips:

• Use the biggest shirt possible. The orange shirt was small, causing a little frustration and creativity.
• To save time, and have a finished-looking project- use existing hems. This is why the sleeves are a little long, I didn’t subtract the extra seam allowance. Oh well, it works (and they grow, fast).
• Use the neckband from the old t-shirt. Just cut it off right above the serging. I unpicked the red collar during a car ride, too much work. The blue collar I just cut. They had the same effect.
• Want a cute ‘boy’ applique? Look in your coloring books. I traced the animals from a coloring book. Then I traced it onto fusible stuff. Ironed it onto scrap t-shirt. Cut it out, and ironed it onto the finished project. I didn’t sew them down, too many small details. (I’ll let you know how they hold up.)
• If existing t-shirt has details you like, use them. (For example, the name on the sleeve.)
• Toddlers are awesome to practice your skills. The project is usually small and quick. Also, they rarely stay still, so any imperfections that you are hung up on are not noticeable to the general public.

Have you done any boy refashions? If so, share them in the comments, I am always looking for more things to sew for my boys.
Here’s to a wonderful week!

Partied here.

Egg Free Cheesy Rice Balls

When I have a surprise sitter (mom drops by and asks if I’d like her to watch the boys for a while). I usually go to the library. Exciting I know.

Actually I love the library. The only problem with it is that it is about a half an hour drive, and I have twin toddlers. After that 30 minute ride, they are ready to tear things up! So spending any time in the quiet grown-up section of the library with the boys is completely out of the question.

So what did I find? Allergy cookbooks. (Even more exciting, I know.)

Today’s recipe is adapted from Allergy Proof Recipes for Kids by Leslie Hammond and Lynne Marie Rominger. Since an egg allergy is the only allergy I have to adapt for, I added cheese.

Here’s the recipe:

Cheesy Rice Balls

• 2 cups cooked rice (recipe calls for Arborio, I used white)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• Salt and Pepper
• Optional- 1 Tablespoon of spices (I think Italian spices would be good)
• 2 Mozzarella cheese sticks (string cheese), cut each stick into 8 pieces
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon corn starch (or could use tapioca or arrowroot)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs

Mix hot cooked rice, pumpkin olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Let cool.

Form into golf ball sized balls. Push your thumb into the center to make a little hole. Stick a piece of cheese in there. Push the rice mixture back around the cheese.

In a bowl, whisk together the water, corn starch, and 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil. Set aside. Pour bread crumbs into a shallow bowl. Dip each ball into the starch mixture, then roll in the bread crumbs. Make sure you coat those little guys good.

Put rice balls on foil lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally. You want the outside to be crispy. Serve warm, with preferred dipping sauce, we preferred pizza sauce.

*After making these, I strongly suggest adding some spice. They taste a little bland without.

*Actual recipe fried these in oil. I wanted to try baking them. Either way works.

*I only baked half, and froze the rest for a future meal. They freeze well. Just pull from freezer and put in the oven (does take longer to cook).

What would you do if you had a surprise sitter?

Daddy Saved a Box

Hubby brought home a box. A big box.

He came home from work with excitement on his face, a roll of duct tape on his wrist, a utility knife in his back pocket, and a box.

We got to cutting; cut out a door and window. Then we taped the flap down, and taped the door and window edges (don’t want any boo-boos). Remember all that leftover green felt I have? I grabbed enough to cover the door, cut strips most of the way up, and taped it down. (We thought about giving the boys markers to color the walls, but mommy had instant visions of the whole house being colored, maybe next time.)

This playhouse has survived a month of rough and tough boy play. The boys play in it upright. They flip it on its side. Their favorite is turning it upside down, climbing through the window, running out, around, and doing it over and over. We have story time in the box. The boys flip it over, grab a stack of books and their milk, then coerce mama to get in and read.

Sadly, this box has been beaten up (it did last over a month). But, don’t worry, daddy brought home another box.

I married the best dad ever!

Its amazing the joy they get from trash. What items have your kids saved from the trash?

Quick Bathroom Update

Sorry for the sporadic posting (or lack of…). No excuses, sometimes I just have to step away from my computer for a while; and get things done.

Realizing that I only have under three months to work on my 30 by 30 list, I decided to get moving. I cleaned and purged my shoe closet (a hall closet that houses my shoes and other useless clutter). I donated two garbage bags (no, not all shoes), took a huge box to the garage sale pile, and tossed a few things right into the trash.

I had a lot of steam, so I tackled the bathroom. Cleaning the bathroom. Scrubbing from ceiling to floor. This project was so long overdue, and made a huge impact once it was done.

While working on the bathroom I had decided to do something about our light fixture. No before picture, but I’ll try my best to describe it. The fixture was like most things in our house; old. It had two glass globes… a long time ago. The globes were white with gold decoration. U.G.L.Y.! One of the globes broke, so the fixture only had a single globe for a while. Then hubby decided not to put the other one up the last time he changed the bulb. Like I said, U.G.L.Y.

I made a 2 minute transformation. (If you don’t have to run down two flights of stairs for mason jars, it will only be a 30 second project.) Here it is:

I just tightened the screws around the mason jars, and voila! Looks much more finished. This is my favorite type of decorating project; quick, easy, and cheap (or in this case free).

Have you done any simple decorating projects lately?

30 by 30 Update, Only 3 More Months

Instead of New Year’s Resolutions, I made a list, a list of thirty things I want to accomplish before I turn 30 (this May). This is not a crazy-exciting list. Nor is it an outrageous, adventurous bucket list. This is just a list of a few things that I have need want to personally work on. Sort of a list to help corral the chaos.

Without further ado, here’s my updated list (a strikethrough means completed):

1. purge home, clear clutter {Ongoing. I have been spending naptime working on this.}
2. make cleaning a habit {Ongoing, but being deliberate has helped a ton!}
3. make recycling a habit {After a few visits to town council meetings, our town finally started curbside recycling last August!}
4. scan pictures, organize pictures {This goal is crossed off because I know I’m not getting to it in the next 3 months.}
5. organize recipes {I have found a method that seems to be working.}
6. paint bedroom; decorate {Rearranged, and deep-cleaned/organized. Started thinking about colors…}
7. paint living room; decorate {Picked a color, bought a sample, loved it. Need to remove wallpaper border at top of 12 foot wall, buy paint, and paint!}
8. learn how to effective manage household, and time {I am happy to say that I am getting much better at this.}
9. make wedding album {See excuse #4}
10. journal for the boys {I am not very consistent, but the journals are started.}
11. journal for my husband {See #10}
12. learn how to use my camera, and take more pictures {Ongoing, getting better.}
13. have monthly date nights with my husband {I need to be more deliberate here.}
14. go on mini-vacation with hubby {We did go away overnight in September, and December. (not my idea of mini-vacation, but we will take what we can get!)}
15. go on vacation with the family {Thanks to a wonderful Christmas gift last year we took the family to Great Wolf Lodge. This is probably going to have to suffice for this year.}
16. read to the boys every day {I may have figured this out!}
17. learn to/teach the kids to pray (and Lord's prayer, and Ten Commandments) {Am I a bad mom?}
18. teach my step-daughter to sew and/or encourage her creative interests {Struggles here…}
19. implement a budget {Nope}
20. start nursing clinicals {Crossed off because I didn't get in this winter, hopefully in fall.}
21. manage time better {Isn’t this the same as #8? Improving greatly!}
22. get up early (like to start day by 6:00) {Boys are early risers. I am no means perfect, but so much better.}
23. dress for my hubby more often (less jeans and t-shirts) {I am struggling in the colder season, but I am crossing it off because 1. I wore skirts/dresses most of summer and 2. hubby likes me in jeans and t-shirts.}
24. style hair more, less ponytails {Since I made the cut, I have been better, not perfect, but better.}
25. blog regularly {Getting better, but I think I need to make myself a schedule.}
26. exercise regularly {You would not believe that one of my previous careers was a full-time fitness instructor and personal trainer.}
27. craft through books; get rid of books not needed {I have not actually been crafting through books, but I have been getting rid of the ones that do not inspire my creativity.}
28. craft through stash {Stash is still here, but getting smaller. The only materials I have bought have been project-specific.}
29. make a dress, and wear it {May make more, but check this one out.}
30. start selling on etsy {Been working on shop, a little. Need to tell my confidence (or lack of) to leave me alone. }
31. do a 365 project {I started. Got 21 days in. And quit. I will restart, after I knock out some of my more important goals.}
32. have a (semi) handmade Christmas {did not finish all I aspired too, but did manage to make a few gifts.}

The list is getting smaller. There are some items that could be crossed off, but I don’t feel they’re ready for a strikethrough. I’ll keep plugging away.

Do you make birthday goals, or to-do lists?

Egg-Free Friday

If you have been reading for a while, you know we have an egg allergy around here. I haven’t posted any egg-free recipes lately, so here are a couple of links to recipes I have tried. (If you are not egg-free you still MUST try the chocolate chip cookies!)

These chocolate chip cookies are AMAZING! I think I will continue to use this recipe even if we grow out of the allergy. I have a couple of connoisseurs of cookies around here, and I have been told these “ARE THE BEST EVER!” You can find the recipe here. (These usually take twice the recommended bake time, just watch them.)

The other cookies in the picture are Cool Whip Cookies. I have seen this recipe floating around Pinterest, and wanted to adapt it, making it egg-free. I used the flax seed substitute (1 Tablespoon ground flax seed, and 3 Tablespoons of warm water) in place of the egg. The dough is pretty stiff for these cookies, I added another huge dollop of Cool Whip. Don’t think that was a wise decision. The cookies weren’t bad, but I probably won’t make them again.

I make a big pan of oven baked pancakes every other week. I’m not sure if I will ever make traditional pancakes again, they are that easy (and delicious). I have made plain, and topped with various toppings; bananas, blueberries, and chocolate chips (our favorite). The ‘pancakes’ freeze well, making it easy for mama to get breakfast ready for the boys.

One more favorite around here; Cheerios Jumbo Breakfast Cookies. There is always a batch of these in our freezer. I pull a couple out first thing in the morning. By breakfast time they are slightly cool, moist, and delicious! This recipe also calls for an egg, I just use the flax seed substitute. We like ours with Craisins (our favorite is pomegranate) in place of the raisins.

Do you have any favorite egg-free recipes? How about egg-free tips? (As you can see, this is still a learning experience for me.)

Have a blessed weekend!

I Spoke Too Soon

Hubby left for work this morning with one request. “PLEASE take a nap when the boys nap.”

I love the ‘me’ time that naptime brings me. I look forward to being able to focus on things that I enjoy (like sewing). I like being able to have the house look normal, even if only for the few hours the boys nap. I enjoy having the time to prepare dinner for the family without frequent breaks to break up a wrestling match, fill a cup with milk, or to move things up even higher; out of reach from my growing toddlers. I LOVE naptime.

Why the request for a mama nap? Well… remember when I mentioned the other day about how blessed we were. You know, because the boys have (mostly) slept through the night since they were little? We are usually very leery of sharing this information, it seems as soon as we do- they make us want to eat our words.

Tuesday night, the very day I hit publish, Zeke woke up in the middle of the night. He’s getting the runny nose junk. No problem, we just brought him into our bed and he fell right back to sleep. Last night on the other hand, Zeke woke up, and proceeded to wake Xander up. Bringing two toddlers into mama and daddy’s bed is not a good idea. (Remember the previously mentioned wrestling matches?) Especially when dad has to work in a few hours. I brought them downstairs, where they decided to party the night away. And the morning.

That’s parenthood. I’m off to take a nap.