Check me out on Good Morning Texas!

I'll write more later about my experience, but here is a link to the segment I did this morning on Good Morning Texas. (I don't know how to actually include the video here, but just click on the link above.) I had a lot of fun and I'm trying not to be super critical of myself (man, the camera really does add 10 pounds!).

And no, Gene Simmons wasn't actually there...it was a previously taped interview. Can't say I'm exactly disappointed, but I was looking forward to seeing his entourage and all the hub bub surrounding him. Oh well, I did get to meet Tony Dorsett (although I had to text my brother-in-law to find out who he was!).

Thanks to everyone who weighed in on my fashion dilemmas and to everyone who tuned in this morning. You all have been so sweet!

My TV Debut - REMINDER

In case you didn't get the memo, I'm going to be on "Good Morning Texas" tomorrow! So if you're local, tune in to channel 8 at 9a and check me out! And in case you missed the big announcement of who else will be on the show...

That's right, Gene Simmons from KISS will also be on the show! I have to admit, I'm not a KISS fan and I have never actually seen his reality show "Family Jewels" but I do think it will be an exciting show to be a part of. I've even made a KISS-inspired hair bow for the occasion!

I can't wait to tell you all about it! And in case you were wondering, I decided to go with the tights and hair down. But I bought a new necklace/earring set that I'm hoping will add a little interest (since many of you recommended a necklace/scarf). Thanks so much for all of your feedback!

Keep your fingers crossed that I don't say anything embarrassing or have pit stains or have something in my teeth. I'll post the link to the segment once it's up on their website (unless of course I am guilty of one of the aforementioned embarrassing occurrences).

Future Project Friday #13- Drop Cloth Slipcovers

I know I'm a little behind on my Future Project Friday (FPF) post, but yesterday we had such beautiful weather (gotta love Texas...70 degrees in January!) so the kids and I were out and about yesterday enjoying the day. In addition to working on a few custom Happy Baby Designs orders, I'm still getting ready for my Good Morning Texas segment on Monday. And then, yesterday I found out that Gene Simmons is going to be the big guest that day! So since I'm doing a hair bow tutorial, I had to come up with a KISS-inspired hair bow for the show! I'll have to post pics later since my husband took my son and the camera to the NFL Experience in Dallas. Did I mention our city is now in full Superbowl mode? So needless to say, it's been a little crazy around our house...and our city!

But without further ado, on with Future Project Friday. I'm sure you've seen all the beautiful drop cloth slipcover projects out there in the blogosphere. Well I would love to join the club and recover this baby:

When I moved in to my first apartment in college, my mom and I bought this loveseat at a consignment shop for $85. It has been the.best.loveseat.ever. It's super-comfortable, just the right size and really sturdy. But the upholstery leaves something to be desired.

I'm not sure how old the couch is, but the pink just isn't doing it for me anymore. Usually I have it covered with this green, SureFit slipcover, but I really want to try my hand at a drop cloth slipcover for it.



So here is some of my inspiration...


I LOVE this slipcover by Miss Mustard Seed. The little ruffle at the bottom adds such a cute detail! She also shares some great tips on making drop cloth slipcovers in this post.



And can you believe this is Sommer's first attempt at making a slipcover? I think it came out beautifully!



You wouldn't know it to look at it, but this is actually a big, brown, brass nailhead, leather sofa. It has been completely transformed by this drop cloth slipcover!



Although this isn't a sofa, I just had to share the adorable faux grain sack detail Miss Mustard Seed added to these dining room chairs (besides I just can't resist the little skirt detail!). When it's time to make my slipcover, I'm definitely going to consult her Tips for Making Slipcovers.



And finally, Robin at 2 Vintage Sisters used a French Grain Design to add a fun detail on this piano bench slipcover. Brilliant!


Any of you ever tried to make a drop cloth slipcover? Any tips, advice, warnings?

And remember, if you're in the DFW area, be sure to tune in or set your DVR's for 9a on Monday, channel 8. Yours truly will be on Good Morning Texas! Also, I want to encourage you all (if you're not already) to "Like" Happy Baby Designs on Facebook. I'll probably post there first about my Good Morning Texas experience!

My Bunting Obsession Continues

So you all probably know by now that I am obsessed with bunting (also known as pennants, banners, garland). Remember my Christmas wreath? And the Baby Name Banner I made as a baby shower gift? And these lovlies from Future Project Friday?

As I am preparing to sell at some upcoming craft markets, I decided to make my own bunting for my booth. And I.am.in.love!

It just makes me so happy, I want to drape my whole house in bunting!



It's super easy to make (I might just make 100 more!). All I did was pick out my fabric, decide how many pennants I'd be using (I used 15 pennants, at 5 1/2" wide x 7" long, spaced 1/2" apart on 3 yards of bias tape). And then decided what order I wanted my fabric.


I cut out my template on poster board (so it was nice and sturdy) and used it to cut out 2 pennants for each fabric (I'll explain why in a minute).


I wanted my bunting to be double-sided in case I was hanging it where you could see both sides, or if it was blowing in the wind you would see "pretty" on both sides. That is why I cut out 2 pennants from each fabric. You can skip this step to make it easier, but I think it makes your bunting more versatile.

I simply placed the 2 pennants, wrong sides together and sewed along the long edges (you don't have to worry about the top since it will be inside the bias tape). You could also use different fabrics for each side to make a two-sided bunting. I left the edges raw because I liked that look, but you could also sew your pennants right sides together and turn them for a "cleaner" look (but what fun is that ;)

Once I had my pennants sewn together, I pinned each one inside my extra-wide, double fold bias tape at 1/2" apart. I left about 9" of slack on each end to allow for pinning or tying of my bunting. Then I just sewed a straight line all the way across.


And voila! A colorful, happy, bunting to brighten up anyone's day.


You could customize these for any decor, holiday, birthday parties, kid's rooms. That's it, I'm off to make some more ☺


Sharing here:

Thrift Store Fabric Finds

I got to enjoy a rare experience the other day...a solo trip to the Thrift Store! So decadent, I know :) My mom was in town so she stayed with the kids and I actually had time to look at things. I was in search of a floor lamp that I could spray paint and use as a prop for my upcoming craft fairs. But as is usually the case, when you're looking for something specific you can't ever find it.

I ended up perusing the linens since I'm a fabric addict and I can't help myself. I always check out the linens because you never know when you might find a fun, vintage pillowcase or sheet to repurpose. I got lucky and found not one pillowcase, but two! As with most of the fabric I buy, I have no idea what I'll use them for, but they'll be there when I need 'em!

The orange/yellow one was only $.99 and the brown one was $1.41 (it's a sham so I guess that's why they figured it was worth the extra $.42).

Wouldn't this make a sweet apron?

I can picture this as a summer dress for my daughter!

And then, as if it weren't already my lucky day, I found these beauties hidden on a shelf under some stuffed animals (no, I don't mind digging if it means a good bargain!).

They were wrapped together for $.99! The yellow one is about 2 yards and the green/turquoise is about 1 yard. What a steal!

I just fell in love with this poppy design.

And this fabric I could use for just about anything. Who doesn't love chartreuse
and turquoise together!

So there you have it...my big day of shopping! Who knows, you might see one of these fabrics in an upcoming project!

And now I'm off to make a hair appointment and raid my closet in preparation for my big TV debut!

I'm going to be on TV!!!

I was going to share a post tonight with you about "Thrift Store Fabric," but that will have to wait until tomorrow. Instead, I have some EXCITING business news that I just couldn't wait to tell you about! Last week I shared with you that I was approved to be a vendor for the Funky Finds Spring Fling. Yay!

As if that wasn't exciting enough, I received word that I was also approved to be a vendor at the Cowtown Indie Bazaar the following weekend! This is an event sponsored by Etsy Fort Worth and I am honored to have been chosen to be a part of it. So I hope that you will be able to come out and see me at either of these craft markets.

But wait, there's more! I've saved the best news for last! I found out today that on Monday the 31st, I will be appearing on Good Morning Texas' segment "Mompreneurs". For those of you not in the DFW area, this is our ABC local affiliate's post-Good Morning America morning show. The "Mompreneur" feature is part of the "Not So Perfect Parent" segment. I will be doing a hair bow tutorial (like I did for craft night not too long ago) and will also talk about my shop, Happy Baby Designs. I am so excited, I can't stop smiling ☺☺☺☺☺

So for those of you who are local (how many of you locals are out there???), set your DVR's for Monday 9a on channel 8. For those of you that aren't local, I will do my best to figure out a way to share the segment with you. I assume at some point they will put a link on their website, but who wants to wait that long???

I am really excited (can you tell?) about these exciting opportunities coming my way. I am also really nervous, anxious, overwhelmed, stressed, etc... I have so much to do to prepare for all of these awesome events, but for tonight I'm just letting myself be excited! Tomorrow I'll glue myself to the sewing machine...

Stay tuned for a far less exciting post tomorrow about "Thrift Store Fabric." ☺

The Accidental DIY'er

When my husband and I bought our first house about 10 years ago, I'm pretty sure he didn't know the difference between a phillip's head and a flat head screwdriver. Don't get me wrong, my husband is a wonderful man, but a DIY'er he was not.


My husband and I had very different experiences with DIY projects growing up. My dad was the consummate DIY'er. If something broke, he fixed it. If the oil needed changed in the car, he changed it. When he wanted fresh vegetables, he planted a garden. When he and my mom couldn't find the perfect house, they built one. Growing up, I believed there was nothing a homeowner couldn't do themselves. It might take a trip to the library or hardware store, but nothing was off limits. These were not the experiences my husband grew up with.

Fast forward to a leaking toilet in our first home. I have never been afraid to tackle a DIY project so I told my husband we could fix it (it's not like we could afford to hire a plumber!). And we did it! It was such an accomplishment and we truly felt like homeowners after our victory over the toilet. We are now on our third home and I am proud to say my husband has become quite the DIY'er.


What I gained from my exposure to every DIY project you can imagine is the confidence to be able to face any project head on. I'm not saying I know everything about plumbing or drywall, or even that every project I attempt turns out the way I had intended. But I'm not afraid to try. And I am so happy that my children will have that same exposure to DIY projects and hopefully will have the same confidence to tackle their own projects someday.

Future Project Friday #12

Today's high was 34 degrees...and windy...brrrrrr... So as I was trying to decide which project to feature this week, it's no coincidence that the one that stood out to me was a summer project. Oh to feel the warm sun on my face again...but I digress.

I came across this post about a DIY Topsy Turvy from Kristi over at Creative Kristi last summer. I bookmarked it then because one of my goals for this summer (since I didn't achieve it last summer) is to start a garden. I had seen the Topsy Turvy tomato plants everywhere, but they're not cheap and they don't seem to be reusable. Kristi came up with a great solution to make your own out of a trash can that is way cheaper, not to mention way cuter, and you can use it year after year.


So if you're indoors escaping the winter weather like me, poor yourself a warm cup of coffee, hot chocolate, glass of wine, and go check out Kristi's tutorial and begin planning some of your summer projects!

Valentine's Day Activities

With Valentine's day quickly approaching, it seems that there are lots and lots of Valentine's crafts out there in the blogosphere. But I have to admit, I don't do any Valentine's day decorating (does that make me a bad crafter?). It's all I can do to get the Christmas decorations up each year! But I have come across a couple of Valentine's Day activities that I thought I'd share.

{Photo Credit}

Wendy over at The Shabby Nest just celebrated her 15th anniversary. She surprised her husband by filling the room with 15 balloons and tied a picture from their wedding/engagement to each one and a little note with a reason why she loved him. I love this idea so much. It's so simple but it has so much meaning to it. This could easily be turned in to a surprise Valentine's Day treat for your sweetheart.

{The Shabby Nest}

And some of you may have come across Tip Junkie's How to Date Your Spouse Challenge. It's based on the book 101 Nights of Grrreat Romance: Secret Sealed Seductions for Fun-Loving Couples. She's already on Week 3 of the challenge, but you could jump in anytime (you can catch up with Week 1 and Week 2). It seems like a fun, creative way to get out of that date night rut (or are we the only ones that struggle with that?). You could pick one of the weeks for a fun Valentine's date. The good thing is that you don't have to spend a lot of money and most of them you can even do after the kids go to bed!

{Photo Credit}

I love these ideas because if you're anything like me, by the end of the day, you barely have enough energy to load the dishwasher and brush your teeth before bed, let alone have any time for your husband (significant other, etc...). So whether it's your anniversary, your hubby's birthday, or Valentine's Day, these are some fun ideas to reconnect with one another.

Do any of you have big Valentine's Day plans? I guess I better get planning so it doesn't sneak up on me!

Guilty Pleasures

Tonight was a sacred night in our house...for those of you who weren't aware, it was the premiere of American Idol. AI (that's what us fans call it ☺) has become one of my Guilty Pleasures. I don't claim it's good TV and I know I'm not gaining any brain cells by watching, but I'm a stay at home mom with DVR so don't judge! Speaking of judging, I really wanted to dislike this new panel of judges, because I loved Simon Cowell...but I have to admit, I am loving Steven Tyler and J Lo! But as if indulging in some AI wasn't enough, I also received the new issue of Real Simple! Wow, what a night! It's the small things in life ☺

So for those of you who watched AI (and are willing to admit it) what did you think of the new judges?

Funky Finds and Facebook

I received some super exciting news this weekend. I was chosen to be a vendor at the Funky Finds Spring Fling in Fort Worth, TX this March! I am so excited I can hardly contain myself...except when I think about all that I have to get done to prepare for it and then I get pretty freaked out! If you're not familiar with Funky Finds, go check out their blog, and their shops (much like Etsy). It's a pretty awesome network of artisans who are "dedicated to promoting independent artists, crafters and designers worldwide." So if you're in the DFW area, mark March 12 & 13 on your calendar and come see me at the Spring Fling!


And on an unrelated note, but not worthy of it's own blog post, I want to invite all of you to come over and "Like" Happy Baby Designs on Facebook. I'm planning some fun giveaways and discounts in my Etsy shop for my Facebook fans only. So come hang out with me!

A Minnie Mouse Birthday Party

As you know, my daughter just turned 2. We had her party this weekend and I chose a Minnie Mouse theme. I let my kids each pick one show to watch in the mornings and she always, I mean always picks Mickey Mouse clubhouse. What's worse is she has one Minnie Mouse shirt that she wants to wear everyday. If I don't immediately put it in the hamper when it's dirty, she will find it and insist on putting it on, dried mac 'n cheese and all! So I figured a Minnie Mouse theme was a safe bet.

For her 1st birthday and also my son's 3rd, I made them both birthday shirts. I just love the idea of having a special shirt for their special day. You can see the shirts I've made for my kids here and here. So of course I had to make her a Minnie Mouse shirt to celebrate her second birthday!

(P.S. If you're looking for a custom birthday shirt for your little one, check out my shop.)

And how about this adorable clip my sister-in-law made for her to wear. Isn't it the cutest thing ever?!?


In addition to some Minnie plates, napkins and balloons, I ordered her a Minnie cupcake cake from Target. They did a beautiful job and for only about $25!

(This is the face of a child who's had waaaay too much sugar!)

So there you have it! We had a great time celebrating with our friends and family. And I am happy to report that we now have several Minnie Mouse shirts and sweatshirts to choose from! Thank goodness because I was tired of doing her laundry every other day!


Sharing here:

Future Project Friday #11 (it's baaaack!)

Some of you may remember that I used to do a weekly feature called "Future Project Friday." I had abandoned this weekly feature for awhile, but I missed it so I'm bringing it back! I hope you all enjoy it! I see so many awesome projects out here in blog land and I'm constantly bookmarking them in my "future projects" folder. If I'm being realistic, I know I will never get to all of these amazing projects, so I thought I'd share some of them with you each week and maybe you'll get to them before I do ;)

(I'm thinking about making it a Linky party. What do you all think about that idea? Would you participate? Would you link up to another Friday party? Give me your feedback, please!)



I LOVE all things bunting! I think they are especially cute in a kid's room. But there are so many other fun ways to use bunting around your home, for parties, to decorate for the holidays. Here are some of my favorite Bunting Projects from around the blogosphere.


Check out this adorable Owl Bunting by Spunky Junky! As far as I'm concerned, you can't go wrong with bunting or owls...but putting them together is almost more cute-factor than I can handle!


This Ruffle Heart Banner by Pickup Some Creativity is the perfect way to add some fun, unique Valentine's decor. Her tutorial is great and she's got lots of other sewing projects, including one for a Birthday Banner!


How cute is this no-sew Scrap Birthday Bunting? What a great way to use up all of those little fabric scraps!


And finally, here's my own Baby Name Banner project. Such a fun way to customize a nursery!



I hope you all have enjoyed the return of Future Project Friday! If you have a bunting project on your blog, let us know about it in the comments!

My Baby Girl

Today is my "baby" girl's second birthday (sniff, sniff...sigh). It's hard to believe that time can move so quickly. It seems like she was just born yesterday, but at the same time it seems I have known her my whole life. I can't imagine my life without this little person who makes me laugh everyday, who gives cuddles that would melt your heart, who can get me to do just about anything by giving me those eyes, who thinks her brother hung the moon, who has brought so much joy to our lives. Happy Birthday, Baby Girl! Mommy loves you!

Giveaway!

Guess who's having a Giveaway over at The Girl Creative??? I'll give you a hint...you're reading her blog ;)

Go check it out and enter to win!

Free, Last Minute Card for Grandparents

If you're anything like me, you remember other people's birthdays the day of (maybe the day before if I'm really thinking clearly). But unfortunately, most of our family lives out of town so by the time I remember a birthday, it's too late to get a card there on time.

So I've come up with the Best, Free, Last Minute, Melt-the-Grandparents'-Heart, Card idea. (It also works great for aunts and uncles!)

Here's what you do: Print out your birthday message (or if your kids are older, have them draw/write their own card). Have your child(ren) hold the sign. Take their precious picture and email it to the birthday recipient. Wait for Grandparents to call and tell you it is the best birthday present they received all year!

Who wouldn't love an adorable message like this on their birthday?