Easy skirt

This skirt was so quick and easy to make that I actually made quite a few of them however, this is the only picture I remembered to take and/or keep.

This skirt just has elastic in the back so no buttons or zippers to worry about. The thing that took the longest was cutting out the fabric. Just measure out the back, then the front. Add the elastic to the back piece. Gather the front, sew back and front together and hem. Easy peasy.

Nautical themed baby shower

Another friend of mine was going to have her first baby in October and I wanted to help out with her baby shower. Her mother in law provided the food and I was in charge of games and decorations.

These are just a few of the decorations we had and they were super easy and cheap to make.

This wreath was made with a wreath a $4 wreath mold? ( I know that's not the right word), new born diapers, ribbon, construction paper and a decorative toy. I first attached the diapers and tied off the tops with white ribbon. Then I traced out a circle large enough for the back drop and attached that to the wreath. I printed off a picture of an anchor and glued that on. I took the blue ribbon and just weaved in through the wreath and diapers then added the toy on the bottom.

The diaper cake was so much fun to make. Most diaper cakes are done by rolling each, individual diaper then form each tier. I did not want to do that so I lined up the diapers and fanned them out. It took a bit of practice, but once you get it, you'll be so grateful you didn't roll each diaper up individually. I kept each tier tied up with white ribbon then added the "It's a boy" ribbon on top of the white. Each tier is independent of the others (meaning there is nothing in the center holding them all together). After I add the blue ribbon I put the frame and toys for finishing touches.

Along with these decorations were also two clothes lines with baby clothes and wash cloths (nautical themed) as well as glass baby bottles filled with swedish fish which also served as our anchors for the blue, white and silver balloons. All in all it was a fun baby shower with quick and easy decorations.

BYU cheerleader outift and a beard

A friend of mine was going to be having a baby girl in November 2013 and they are big BYU fans so I started making here a little outfit for the baby shower. The cheerleading outfit is actually the top of one pattern and the bottom of another. The front, obviously, had the "BYU" logo stitched on. This was going to be baby 3 so I made the back like a uniform with their last name and the number 3 stitched on. I also made slippers/booties and a diaper cover with a "Y" stitched on the back and a beanie.

These are obviously not finished, but you can get the idea of what it looked like.

I also tried to make a beard like this

Mine did not turn out that well :(

Newborn booties with matching head band

I can not find the pattern I used for these. Most of the time I just look things up on YouTube however, I do tend to change the pattern a little bit either to make it easier on myself or just see how something else may look.

These were made Fall 2013 for my niece

Mickey Mouse hats

I made these hats for the boys shortly after I realized how much they love Mickey Mouse. They were quick and easy. I made both during nap time, which is usually 2 1/2 hours.

I just followed this lady, who is very easy to follow, and whipped up two beanies for the boys. I didn't add buttons to mine, but they still work.

Welcome

This page is to just let you know that while I am busy with my boys (and all that entails: cleaning up after them, feeding them, changing diapers, teaching them letters, etc) I am still able to find time for myself and crafts. I do not do this to try to brag, but rather to let all you other mothers out there, who may find yourself overwhelmed and wondering how to find time to do what you want, IT IS POSSIBLE!

I am interested in a variety of things: Gardening, Cooking, Crocheting, Sewing, Home Decor, Organizing, and anything else that helps me feel productive. I admit, I fell into the idea that I had to have it all and be doing it all to be a good mom and wife and I just felt so overwhelmed that I ended up getting depressed, telling myself I suck as a person and letting everything just get away from me. Now, with my twin boys, it was a bit hard to just be sad and not do anything. I do regret saying that it took me nearly 3 years of being married and short of 2 years being a mother that it finally kicked in (and I was okay with it) that I don't have to do it all. The things I would see other moms doing were by mothers who didn't have little ones at home anymore. I realized that it is more important for me to spend time with my children. Luckily, they still take naps and have a pretty good sleeping schedule so I have a few hours a day to myself and this is when I do what I want to do. To let you into a "typical day of Lei" here is MY schedule.

7:00 am - Wake up

7:30-8:00 am - D & K wake up

8:00-8:30 am - Have the boys play while I get breakfast ready (usually consists of Cheerios or Life cereal with yogurt and some sort of fruit on the side and a cup of water)

8:30-9:00 am - Clean up from breakfast, rinse dishes, 1 hr of TV for the boys (usually Word World or Super Why)

9:00-10:00 - am - I take a shower and do any laundry that needs to be done (which is really me putting clothes in the wash and taking any clothes that were in the dryer and throwing them on my bed until they end up being put away).

10:00 am-12:00 pm - Time to do any errands. If I don't need to go grocery shopping or anything else then we will either play out in the cul de sac or at the playground (if weather permits). If the weather is not nice, then we end up playing inside while listening to something on pandora.

12:00 pm - I make lunch (varies on the day. Sometimes it is left overs, other time it may be a sandwich. It just depends how hungry and cranky the boys are at this time)

12:15 pm - We all sit down for lunch

12:30 pm - Clean up our lunch mess and have about 15-20 minutes of down time with no background noise

12:45 pm/1:00 pm - Put the boys down for their nap

1:00 pm - 3:30/4:00 pm - ME TIME (depending on how I feel I will start prepping for dinner, put laundry away and/or do some sort of project)

4:00 pm-5:30 pm - Play outside with our neighbors (if weather permits, if not, we just play inside)

5:30 pm - I start dinner while the boys are distracted with TV (I know some parents may not agree with this, but the TV is the best distraction I have for the boys, otherwise they are in and out of the kitchen which always has me worried that I will trip over them or spill something on them. We tried baby gates, but they just climbed right over them).

6:30 pm/7:00 pm - Eat Dinner

7:30 pm - Clean up Dinner messes and put the boys in the bath

8:30 pm - Get boys out of bath (Yes, my boys love their bath time. Derek would stay in there all night if he had the choice). 

8:45 pm-9:30 pm - This is just where we have our down time, usually as a family. It may consist of a variety of things like singing nursery rhymes, reading books, or (what this of the year calls for) watch NBA games with Alan. At 9:00 pm they get any last snack they want and then the kitchen is closed.

9:30 pm - Alan and take them to their room, say prayers, give hugs and kisses and walk out.

9:40 pm - Start the dish washer, clean up the kitchen and dining room, mop the floors, vacuum, make Alan's lunch (if the next day is a working day for him).

10:00 pm - ME TIME (similar to my me time from 1-4pm what I do at this time all depends on how I feel)

10:30 pm/11:00 pm - Go to bed

And there you have it folks. That is my "typical day". I don't always follow this schedule, but I do my best and I feel like that is why I am able to get my little projects done. Another key point I failed to mention at the beginning is that do my best to not start another project until I am done with the first (unless it is something simple and easy like hemming).

I hope you enjoy.