Vintage Fresh

John Anthony's First Birthday Party!

2011-11-14T21:57:00.014-06:00

This amazing, adorable beautiful boy of mine turned one in August. Now, like any self-respecting, slightly insane mother, I had his party all dreamed up months in advance. The evidence: Birthday Pin Board.

It was the beginning of something crazy, but we all enjoyed it! I had so much fun finding all the perfect little details.

The dipped pretzel rods my mom and I made at midnight (it makes them taste better, I swear!)

The spread, including my daughter's cake, choc full of food dye! Her birthday is the day before little man's, and she had a separate party. But we had to sing happy birthday to her too!

These awesome little piggy biscuits are made out of Grand's biscuit dough, a little egg wash, and some peppercorns. They would be super yummy stuffed with cheese and pepperoni or ham!

The gorgeous smash cake, it was so perfect!

The Baby Einstein caterpillar my oldest son and I made, little one went nuts when he saw it! It's still hanging out in his room. It's balled up packing paper on the inside (newspaper would work), covered with tissue paper and attached with clear packing tape. A few bamboo skewers hold the head in place, and the antennae? are pipe cleaners. Not too much work for a big impact!

The utensils all wrapped with John 1 Anthony napkin rings, I love how these turned out. A nice touch for no extra money. These were just printed (nothing fancy, cut, and glued with a glue stick.

The birthday banner I worked SO hard on! This was time consuming as all get out and I didn't even get a good picture. If I had a Cricuit (hint hint) it would have been soo much easier. Colored cardstock, cutting 24 letters by hand, the cardstock by hand, stringing them all together. Can I mention again how glad I am I started early?

These balloons were so awesome, they stayed up for weeks! It took five people to blow them all up, the living room was just covered in balloons. I strung them in sections, and we hung them in three places.

The Kool-Aid bar, lots of color with little effort!

One more shot of the rainbow cake, just cause it was cool!

And the most amazing first birthday cake ever! This was created by some awesome friends of the family, you can check out their work here: Dreams By DC

It's absolutely everything I had in mind!

Little one was SO amazed by his cake, he just loved it! All of his little "friends" were brought to life.

His onesie was made by me- just an applique, then the embroidery was done at a friend's shop. I love how it turned out!

Our little one is so lucky to have such a loving family and friends to help celebrate his first birthday!

The picnic dress!

2010-07-15T09:10:00.003-05:00

This dress is begging for a picnic at the park, we really need to get on it! Steff made some awesome matching bows here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=340950&id=135323379813617

Recent customs

2010-07-15T08:43:00.005-05:00

Rainbow ruffle shirts, bloomers available as well!

2010-07-15T08:36:00.002-05:00

I've made several of these now, and have been bad about taking pictures. The rainbow looks great in bigger or smaller ruffles, in brights or pastels, or on a tiny one with matching ruffled bloomers.

Obey the Pug! Fun with photo transfers

2010-07-15T08:30:00.002-05:00

Toy Story 3 customs

2010-07-15T08:14:00.005-05:00

Audrey has two custom Toy Story 3 bows made by Steff, buy here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mesa-AZ/spoiled-rotten-chicks/135323379813617?ref=ts&__a=13&ajaxpipe=1

Toy Story 3- of course little girls need a custom Toy Story 3 dress!! How on earth is one supposed to watch such a long-awaited movie in anything else?

Joey and Audrey waiting for Toy Story 3 to start!
Yes, I know I'm terrible about updating. So you get everything all at once!

Baby goodies!

2010-07-15T07:47:00.005-05:00

Car seat cover/tent, whatever one is supposed to call it! Please excuse the child and the dog, they wanted in on the photo shoot! Velcro tabs go around the handle for easy removal and carrying.
Baby gets to look at airplanes on his side. Quilted changing pad- Cabo thinks it belongs to him.
Changing pad on reverse, folds up nicely and ties to fit in a diaper bag.

Reversible bibs, just right for little boys who like to ooze! I have a whole stack of these in the works, need to get a move on! I think I will make the next bunch a little larger, and then find some fun wipe-able fabrics for when baby starts on solids.

My new diaper bag, made from yes, and old t-shirt and some bright scraps! I was kind of impatient and didn't feel like making a trip to the fabric store, but I think it turned out fabulously! 4 pockets on the outside, two on the inside. Soft structure, with a padded strap.

Burp rags, made with prefolds and whichever fabrics caught my eye at the moment. I've never realized just how difficult it is to find some fun boy-appropriate fabric that's not covered with critters or sports related.

So, it's not quite as fun to sew for little boys, what with the lack of ruffles and lace and all that good stuff, but I'm managing!

Sailing away......

2010-05-19T11:27:00.004-05:00

Shocking, I know, I made a BOY outfit! It's just not quite as much fun to sew without all the frilly extra's, but the embroidered seersucker and anchor buttons helped make up for that. Little miss loves her sailor outfit (separate tank and tiered twirl skirt), we just need to find somewhere appropriate to wear it to! If anyone is interested, I can do customs in the same fabrics/patterns. Email me for pricing info.

Sibling shirts!

2010-05-19T11:20:00.003-05:00

Custom orders available for sibling shirts. $18 each, or two for $32, three for $45, etc. Other colors/styles available.

Spring has sprung!

2010-03-19T15:01:00.003-05:00

Okay, well, there is still snow on the ground. But it was 65 degrees yesterday! I was inspired, and decided our house needed some lovin'......in the form of spring crafts.

A wreath for the front door is a given. My lovely husband confessed that he might have thrown away my hook on the front door, so you get to see my wreath in all its glory on the kitchen table. I might make a similar one for the kitchen, it's too kitschy to go in the rest of the house.

The mirror in the front hall needed some cheering up, so a new welcome sign, bird house, and teeny tiny wreath were painted, decoupaged, glued, and beribboned. These were all super cheap, not more than $5 worth of supplies. They will be joined later by more easter themed decor, but I will probably wait until later this week to get started on that.

Recent crreations

2010-03-18T16:52:00.004-05:00

New custom dresses, one for Audrey, and more coming soon!

Joey's Nerf War Birthday Bash!

2010-03-18T16:06:00.006-05:00

We are linking up with We are THAT Family to help celebrate Mighty Mason's victory over cancer! Read more about Mason and his Nerf War Party here!

20 boys, 1 girl and 4 grown men playing like little boys....this was definitely a hit! We rented the community center gym, sent out some fabulous invites courtesy of a wonderful lady named Sarah, and loaded up on over 450 darts and 30 some Nerf guns!

Fresh new lunch bag

2009-11-23T09:32:00.002-06:00

Miss Audrey was carrying a sad, tattered princess lunch bag to school every day. It even had a hole in it. So, I get to work, break out the sewing machine and whip her up a new one. It's just cotton on the outside, thermal batting on the inside, and lined with nylon. I'd like to switch out the lining for something a little heavier and more wipeable, so I don't have to wash the whole thing all that often. But the nylon was what I had on hand, and it will do for now.

I did two buttons with loops instead of velcro, as velcro doesn't seem to hold closed when her lunch bag is heavy. Added her name, and a little handle. Miss Audrey was excited to use it this morning!

Jumping on the sillhouette bandwagon...

2009-10-26T10:31:00.004-05:00

This was super easy to make! I didn't think my first silhouette would turn out this good, but I was pleasantly surprised. I've seen several different methods of how to make your own sillhouette, but this is how I did mine:

1. Take a a whole bunch of profile shots. For little girls, hair half up or a ponytail works best. A tiny bow if you like.

2. Pick the photo that best shows details, keep in mind the hairline, neck, eyelashes, nose, and lips.

3. Print photo, and use a craft knife or small scissors to cut the outline. you can "fix" spots as needed, and be sure to include little wisps of hair to make it look realistic.

4. Trace photo onto black cardstock or paper, be sure to place it so you can flip it over and the untraced side is the one you want displayed. Smooth out all rough spots.

5. Use a piece of scrapbook paper to mat your sillhouette. A bright color or pattern really makes it pop.

6. Frame, and enjoy!

Halloween fun

2009-10-25T15:41:00.004-05:00

Bits and pieces of fall and Halloween throughout the house. Lots of old Halloween decorations got kicked to the curb, it's time for more "grown up" Halloween decor. At least that's my excuse. Audrey and Joey dressed up yesterday to go to a Halloween party with Grandma, being the slacker that I am, Joey's costume wasn't complete yet (vampire) so he wore last years Optimus Prime.

So it's been awhile....

2009-10-01T20:51:00.003-05:00

We are finally all moved in to the new house. One of these days, I might actually post pics :) For now, I was in the mood to sew, and Miss Audrey needed a Halloween outfit. I'm really quite happy with how it all turned out. I'll be starting the Christmas dresses soon! Coming soon.... silhouettes, a revamped desk, and a white, white house.

Flippin' Adorable!

2009-06-06T12:50:00.004-05:00

My kids are cute. Really really cute. Yes I brag, wouldn't you? I had just wanted to take a few pics of the sherbert dress with the matching BAB's, and they decided to cooperate for once and be little darlings.

Little miss and the sleeping prince

2009-05-29T13:49:00.003-05:00

Talk about attitude! We love these BAB (big-ass bows!), thanks Steff! Joey was so worn out he fell asleep for the night at 6:00, poor kid.

Gettin' Busy!

2009-05-28T22:35:00.003-05:00

Here's a new yummy goodness creation. It reminds me of an old fashioned ice cream parlor.

So it's been a while!

2009-05-28T20:03:00.004-05:00

I didn't drop of the face of the earth, honest. I've just been stressed and poor and that doesn't make for a very creative me. I did complete an order yesterday, and I'm very excited with how the dresses turned out. Especially the red and black and white one! Now my creative juices are flowing like crazy, and I have tons of projects in mind....anyone want to finanace me? The things I could do if I had lotsa money!!!

A Bowling...dress?

2009-05-07T00:43:00.003-05:00

So the boys started their bowling leauge tonight, I didn't get to go, no sitter, though I normally do. I'm not a good bowler, (okay, I'm awful) but I'm a pretty decent cheerleader. My friend and fellow cheerleader says we need outfits, so off I go thinking about the possibilities. An old bowling shirt could be perfect to reconstruct, but into what?

So a googling I go, and come up with..nothing. Seriously? Well, me sitting here in my jammies, with the soon-to-be-husbands bowling shirt on for inspiration (lol), and I've decided his shirt would make a fantastic dress. Being as tall as he is, it hits mid thigh, and with a few tweaks in the sleeves and waist, voila, a dress! I found one fab example on ebay, a real 1950's bowling dress uniform. Since for some reason he said I couldn't cut up his shirt, I am on the prowl for old bowling shirts, or cheap wholesale shirts. I will make a dress or something fun to wear with jeans. Bowling cheerleaders FTW!

I have an Etsy shop!

2009-05-06T20:46:00.006-05:00

Just a few things up now, all for custom orders....feel free to email me direct at missnotbeth@yahoo.com or go through Etsy!

www.vintagefreshhome.etsy.com

New projects!!

2009-05-06T16:15:00.007-05:00

In order of appearance: The raggy britches and ruffle tiered shirt, matching headband, little miss and the prince, retro-cool bloomers and ruffle shirt (for sale!), raggy britches and ruffle tiered shirt on little miss, Disney princess pillowcase dresses and appliqued jeans (cell phone pics, sorry!), I have a few more things to update, but little miss is at the end of her patience :)

Not so good for that girlish figure....

2009-04-26T21:32:00.003-05:00

Chicken and dumplings is just so, so good. And even better when paired with a butter and brown sugar laden sweet potato. This has been dinner twice this week, but hey, at least it keeps me away from Cracker Barrel. Recipe below:

Cracker Barrel Chicken And Dumplings Recipe

Chicken and Broth

3 quarts water
1 3-4 pound chicken cut up (I cheat, and just use broth, still do the seasoning, and a rotisserie chicken).
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 small onion sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
4-6 whole parsley leaves
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Dumplings

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the chicken, 1 teaspoon of salt, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and parsley to the pot. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook the chicken, uncovered, for 2 hours. The liquid will reduce by about one third.

2. When the chicken has cooked, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Strain the stock to remove all the vegetables and floating scum. You only want the stock and the chicken, so toss everything else out.

3. Pour 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) of the stock back into the pot (keep the leftover stock, if any, for another recipe-it can be frozen). You may also want to use a smaller pot or a large saucepan for this. Add coarsely ground pepper, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the lemon juice, then reheat the stock over medium heat while preparing the dumplings.

4. For dumplings, combine the flour, baking powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and milk in a medium bowl. Stir well until smooth, then let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to about a 1/2 inch thickness.

5. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch squares and drop each square into the simmering stock. Use all of the dough. The dumplings will first swell and then slowly shrink as they partially dissolve to thicken the stock into a white gravy. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until thick. Stir often.

6. While the stock is thickening, the chicken will have become cool enough to handle. Tear all the meat from the bones and remove the skin. Cut the chicken meat into bite-size or a little bigger than bite-size pieces and drop them into the pot. Discard the skin and bones. Continue to simmer the chicken and dumplings for another 5-10 minutes, but don't stir too vigorously or the chicken will shred and fall apart. You want big chunks of chicken in the end.

7. When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, ladle four portions onto plates and serve hot. Serve with your choice of steamed vegetables, if desired.

New projects!

2009-04-26T21:14:00.004-05:00

I've been a busy little girl lately...definetely on a creative high. Though little miss didn't care for the blue pillowcase dress, I ended up making two of the same fabric for a trade, I love how they turned out! I went out and bought more fabric with her tastes in mind. The first completed work of art is above in the orange, made from a target tank top, and two 1/4yard lengths of fabric.

New pillowcase dress

2009-04-16T16:30:00.003-05:00

I love this new creation! Little miss loves ladybugs (well, actually, she likes to catch them and squish them till the explode, but hey, that's another story). She hated the last pillow case dress I made, and won't wear it. If anyone wants the blue dress below, size 3/4, let me know!

My day, in pictures.

2009-04-14T20:16:00.008-05:00

First things first. The covers on the kitchen chairs were awful. They were originally an old vinyl tablecloth from Kmart of all places. So, since they were torn to shreds and the soon-to-be husband and I spent the morning scrubbing down the kitchen, I ventured to Hobby Lobby for some replacement vinyl. Uh-oh. Just ask the STBH. I found some a great brown and white print and clear vinyl. It's so much better to do it that way than to limit yourself to the whole five prints otherwise available. So I went home, unscrewed the chair seats, cut both layers, and broke out the staple gun (thanks for letting me borrow that Dad, again!) and worked out all that pent up anger! Here is the finished result, I love it

Next up was Miss Audrey's hair. I used the faux-French braid look from The Story of a Princess and Her Hair. I'm not sure why this whole paragraph has weird font, but whatever. It turned out great!

I set up my fab new spice rack, though it's still empty. Shh, don't tell anyone. I have to wait till I make the trip to Michaels and uy Martha's spice jar labels, or I won't know which is which. I threw in a few pictures of the kitchen window, which was one of my first mistreatments (ala the Nester) . It was once my favorite sundresses (I will have to hunt down a picture of me in the dress when it fit something other than the window). I cut off the top, added a few tacks, and there ya go!

Comming soon: Mistreated pillows and curtains oh my!

Treasure hunt

2009-04-12T21:59:00.003-05:00

So I have an antiquing day all planned out for this Saturday. Left to my own devices, I can sometimes entertain myself. Unfortunately, it usually involves shopping. Ah well. I am hitting up two big indoor flea markets (the outdoor ones in summer are so much better, I hate being cooped up with so much old stuff!), and this fantastic antique mall. The one where I always find my vintage pillowcases and all sorts of pretty things. I am on the lookout for dpression glassware in sherbert and decorative birdcages. Also, mirrors and big frames. I have a giant toffee colored wall in need of desperate help.

Feelin' crafty!

2009-04-10T00:11:00.004-05:00

Well, I was on another pillowcase kick tonight. I have a pretty white and pink seersucker pillowcase all done, but Miss Audrey is sleeping on it. So when I was through with that, I finally made another pillowcase dress. I think it turned out cute, being completely unplanned! I bought the fabric forever ago, and didn't know what I wanted to do with it. The ric-rac is from my late great-grandmother, probably 50's era. I think it needs some pantaloons, but I will have to get matching fabric, since more print would be too busy,

Goodies for the kitchen

2009-04-01T22:59:00.004-05:00

Amazon, you've done it again. Your free super saver shipping will be the death of me, or at least my bank account. All I wanted was a simple little kitchen timer, old school egg timer, as I don't have one. So now I can buy the $9.99 cool as all get out timer, and pay $6.00 shipping, or I can spend $25 and get it shipped free. I always opt for the free shipping. I've even gotten into the habit of placing a weekly order, so I can just wait until I have everything I need, want, and desire.

But wait! I found these fab little spice jars, in the chrome rack. And then extra matching spice jars for everything else. I need!! $25.00 and $14.99. But I do have to pay for shipping....non-amazon seller. I also found a $120 mint green blender, but seeing how I have used my blender exactly once, I'm not getting that.

Vintage Fresh Pillowcases

2009-03-30T11:56:00.003-05:00

So, I was browsing eBay today to fill my linen closet. You see, there is nothing better than the long ago worn in softness of vintage pillowcases. My addiction started with the piles of 1960's sheets we were raised on in the '90s. I bought my own vintage pillowcases a few years ago at an antique mall, and keep going back for more. I found a few sets to buy, but am even more excited about this fantastic pattern for sale by basketwearhouse here: rick-rack applique pillowcase pattern. These look so fun to make! I am going to dig through my supplies today, thanks to my great-grandmother, I have piles of 1950's era rick-rack and hand tatted laced.

Laundry room makeover!

2009-03-29T20:39:00.006-05:00

Well, here it is! I got teeth pulled on Monday and painted on Wednesday... I know, I'm crazy. Miss Audrey, aged 3, helped with the painting. Sorry about the awful pictures, my camera battery is dead and charger is MIA with the living room renovations. The first picture is my favorite detail, my housewife pinups! The floor is the same aqua as the towels, so the room really pops. I will post better pictures when I can, but I had to show it off.

Comfort on a rainy day

2009-03-23T18:46:00.004-05:00

I hurt today...tooth pulled, no fun at all. Add in the tornado warnings and hailstorm, and it's a lovely day. Actually, it's not so bad. Soup, snuggling in bed listening to the rain, and hot and cold comfort. Cup of tea, a nice soft ice pack, and a warmer for the back.

To make your own ice pack, I suggest cheating :) I put a a cup or two of frozen corn or peas inside a baggie, seal tightly, and place inside a pocket sewn out of a square of flannel and a square of cotton. You can throw the veggies back in the freezer to reuse next time (just don't eat!), and the flannel helps keep your hand from freezing.

To make a rice warmer, take two pieces of pretty cotton fabric (double up if it's flimsy) and sew three sides. I made mine about 10 by 6 inches, so it's good for the back or wherever. If you are primarily using it for the neck, then make it about 5 by 14. Fill the pocket with a bag of rice, the round brown rice works well. Add a few spoonfuls of dried lavender, and sew the opening shut. Microwave for a minute and half to two minutes, and enjoy the comfort!

Spring and Summer wardrobe

2009-03-22T22:07:00.003-05:00

Ahh, the beauty. There is nothing better than a sundress. From modcloth.com. stopstaringclothing.com, and BetseyJohnson.com. From April on, I buy a new dress at least once every two weeks! It's a necessary habit for a properly attired girl!

Fun stuff for the laundry room

2009-03-22T19:12:00.004-05:00

Fun stuff for the walls. I think I am going to drive the soon-to-be husband crazy and start tearing down wallpaper tonight. I will run and get paint tomorrow, spend the afternoon painting, and order my signs. I'll update when done!

Laundry room that might get used

2009-03-22T16:59:00.006-05:00

I need to tear down three horrid layers of wallpaper. Then I can paint the laundry room something fabulous, put up some fun vintage signs, and tackle the 8 loads of laundry I have waiting. You have to understand, I can't do laundry with that god-awful black floral wallpaper starring at me! I love the yellow to the left, since there are no windows in there, and the floor is the same color, a great old pattern. I have a shelf like that too, but no where near as much space!

Salsa Garden

2009-03-22T15:15:00.000-05:00

So, once upon a time, someone came up with the idea to plant a salsa garden. This was a fabulous idea, as those of us who love flavor are always running to the store to buy fresh ingredients. The best part? Tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro and the like are easy to grow, even if you have no space at all. I don't think I am going to do a traditional garden (digging up the grass seems like an awful lot of work), but will probably invest in a few cute planters and set it all on the patio. There is plenty of sun, and this way I won't forget to water it, as I will see it all day long. I've grown cilantro before, and we buy a bunch at least once a week, so I'm excited to have fresh on hand again. Tomatoes don't really like me for some reason, though everyone else in the world seems to have piles of nice ripe tomatoes in their garden. I've never grown onions before, so this will be new.

I'm also going to throw in some cucumber seeds, but this obviously needs more room. That will go on the side of the porch. In my opinion, it looks like a bunch of weeds anyway.

Home sweet home

2009-03-22T15:01:00.007-05:00

So, it's Sunday afternoon, all is quiet on the home front. I am planning my garden for later in the season. We have this ugly wire farm-style fence, so I feel the need to cover it up with something beautiful. As of now, I'm going with Heavenly Blue Morning Glory, which is a flowering vine that grows like crazy. Good, becasue I don't exactly have a green thumb. The basic jist is buy some seeds, till the soil (I think one of those is floating in the garage somewhere?), soak seeds overnight in water, dig little holes, plant 6 inches apart, water a bit, and watch 'em grow! I don't think I need to do anything fancy to the dirt, which is good becasue I lose interest if it's too messy.

I'll post pictures of the planting process, and the final result (hopefully pretty!) I have visions of lounging in my new patio lounge chair (still need to find the one I envision), sipping lemonade and enjoying the summer.