New Branches

Talk about a construction zone...  

We recently took a big axe and cut out a chunk of our creative production process.  We are semi-retiring this blog- off to bigger and better things.  Becca is branching out with her new "Becca Marie Designs" blog and shops.  CK is excited to pursue more photography with a new project and possible business called Opal Dream Photography (and yes, she is dragging Becca along for the ride). 

So please come visit us at these new places.  Both of us are right in the middle of moves.  Becca is taking her family across the country and we have holidays coming up.

We may post back here from time to time when we find something appropriate but overall we won't keep it regularly updated.

We have had a fantastic time with Made by Bedtime Tales blog and we are so grateful to everyone who has been here, commented and encouraged us through our experience ;)

Thank you all!

-CK & Becca

A free "Green" downloadable puppet stage pattern

Under the Sea

The Proclamation ABC's Free Download

If They Could Talk Series

Handmade for Haiti

Baby Duschshunds

Please be patient with us!

Or blog is currently in the middle of a construction zone.  

We don't know how it got there, it just up and jumped into the middle of a muddy pit between a ninja and a robotic flying bunny.  

Please be patient while we get it sorted out :)

In the meantime, here is a coupon to go eat that treat that is in your cupboard that you keep telling yourself is for later....

go ahead, it will make you happy.

Popsicle Sweater

I showed this little pillow that I made to my mom on video chat 

and she thought I'd gone off and gained time to knit a pillow with seven different colors in it.

haha.  ha.

No, truth is, this pillow used to be a sweater.  And yes, it was a pretty little sweater.

I debated for a week or two trying to decide if I really wanted to be a clothes murderer.

But then if I didn't go ahead and make the jump, I'd never be a pillow creator.

This is what she used to look like.

Yes, adorable.  It was a hand-me-down.  But to tell you the truth, my daughter was given quite a few hand-me-down sweaters this year.  And this one was a little... boxy.  Can you tell I'm trying to justify myself here?  But that wasn't what really made me feel like it was okay to chop her all up, she didn't even have a stain.

It was the little pieces of yarn all broken and fraying on the shoulders.  This seemed to vindicate things in my head.

Here's what I did:

I cut out a square right from the bodice of the piece.  I made sure to be cutting out of the front and back so that I had two squares.

This middle step there isn't a drawing for, but I basically cut two muslin squares the same size.  I then sewed the two squares of sweater together wrong sides facing out, with the muslin sandwiching them.  I made sure to not sew it completely shut, but to leave a hole so that I could turn it right side out (is that how you say it?)  This makes a nice pillow like the sketch below, with muslin lining the insides.

I then filled it with stuffing and sewed up the gap with another piece of yarn.

I made a tiny one too with the one of the sleeves.

I think it would be nice to be decorate a whole child's room around these colors.  They're beautiful.  And to be honest, I think this thing is going to get a lot more use with it's second life than it did the first.

-Becca