Nov 30, 2010

Giving the Gift of CUTE

Several weeks ago I came across this AWESOME tutorial by H is for Handmade over at I am Momma. Immediately I shouted in glee and giddily clapped. I knew I had to make a version of this. But for who? When?

Then an idea came to me...make it in mini form for a cute little girl. 

I had the perfect person too. Just before finding this tutorial, my friend and I set up a little Christmas barter. She had something she was willing to give me that I could use for my Little Men for Christmas and all she asked was for something for her adorable little girl and boy. 

Her little girl gets this mini version of Amy's scalloped sweater-

I used a simple long sleeve t-shirt instead of the sweater. I bought it in a size big so it would go over clothes well. I hemmed the sleeves to the right length.




LOVE it. 

I made her Little Man one of these-



Did you notice that the fabric coordinates with the cardigan? LOVE it.

Tomorrow I am going to tell you how you can get a hold of some ties for your little men.

Nov 29, 2010

I'm Back With a Sparkly Giveaway

FIRST- THANK YOU, thank you, thank you for all of your wonderfully supportive and kind words. I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my sweet family and I am feeling tons healthier.
To really say thank you, I am back with a sparkly giveaway just in time for the holidays.

Colleen from The Shop at No. 144 is showing her holiday spirit and is offering one of my readers this sparkly pair of shoe clips. How perfect would it be to have these little bows to clip on to your tired old heels or flats?? Poof you have a gorgeous pair of shoes just in time for your holiday party.




The Shop at No. 144 is full of the cutest fashion accessories.


Tons of great shoe clips-



The cutest hair accessories-



Absolutely beautiful belts-

Isn't her stuff breathtaking? Simple and beautiful accessories that can spruce up anything you already have.
One of you are going to have the prettiest shoes ever...plus there is a treat for all of you because in Colleen's shop several things are on sale 25% off AND whatever you buy there is FREE shipping from now until December 17th. So after you enter this giveaway, stop by her shop and buy yourself a little something extra...you deserve it!

Here is how you can win her shoe clips-

first entry
leave a comment and tell me where you would wear these lovelies to

another entry
go visit her shop then leave a comment telling my your very favorite item
another entry
become a follower of Just Another Day in Paradise

Remember you need to leave a separate comment for each entry. The giveaway ends Friday, December 3rd at 11:59 pm est.

Nov 17, 2010

A Peek Inside




It has been a crazy couple of months. Normally this is by far my FAVORITE time of year. From the preparations for Halloween to the preparing of the feast. One minute eating turkey the next minute setting up the Christmas tree. Then there is the bringing of the spirit of each of these holidays into my home. The pumpkins. The smell of baking. The fall color palette. Then the decking of the halls. Oh and then there is the traditions, old and new in each nook and cranny of each holiday.

Here I am it is almost Thanksgiving and I feel I have already missed something.

Instead of my days being dotted with fun traditions here and time with my kids spent there, it has been ruled and determined by deadlines. Some completely worthy and necessary, but most (inserts ashamed face here) are of my own doing with no real value or necessity.

If you had a peek into my head the last month or so it would have looked a little like this...

project needed to post about for tomorrow...ooh this will be a fun idea...I will sew this and this and THIS...what is that smell...have I done the laundry...will have to wait I need to sew...this looks like crap...my head hurts...what time is it...2 AM...what if I glue it on...do i have something to post for tomorrow...oh shoot recipe thursday is tomorrow...what have I cooked....do I still cook...my throat hurts...has the tv been on all day...poor little men...tomorrow will be different...look at that great project so and so did...she is amazing...i bet her house is still clean...ugh cleaning....have i done that in awhile...poor hubby asked me to sew that button on...i sewed an apron instead...why am I coughing now...oh little man sounds sick...I will hold him until he sleeps....must sew while he sleeps...ah sleep do I do that...have to do the tutorial during the day...the light is better for pictures...shoot it is raining today...this picture looks yucks...this project I came up with is pretty cool...people will love it...won't they...uh maybe not as much as I thought...oh well next project I am sure...i am out of ideas...i am out of money...my head still hurts...my cough is worse...ugh I have a project due in 2 days...what was that noise...why does littlest man always cry as I go to the sewing machine...because he hates this thing...cause I sew too much...bad mom...what does mono feel like...I think i need to take a break...what will people say if I take a break...will they still be my "friend"...am I going crazy...am I already crazy...all I really want to do is go and cuddle with my boys...but I have to sew or come up with a project...but do I....


And the answer my friends...the one I finally came to today...is No, no I don't have to sew or come up with a project today. Today and for the next several days I am going to STOP, enjoy, and mend myself and cuddle with my family.

So have a great Thanksgiving, enjoy your family and friends. I will be absent until after Thanksgiving...undecided until when. I DO NOT want to spend Christmas with mono or pneumonia or with my little men thinking their mom has a sewing machine for a head.

Love you all. Hope you are patient with me and don't mind my mini break.

Nov 16, 2010

Mayflower Place Setting Tutorial


Later today I am guest posting over at Whatever DeeDee Wants 

Keep your peepers open for this little Thanksgiving gem of a tutorial on her site today. It is easy and of course made of FELT. I hope you head on over and say hi.

More Thanksgiving tomorrow!


Nov 14, 2010

Give Thanks: A Winner and A Tutorial

FIRST let me apologize for the lateness of the announcement of the giveaway winner...anyone wanna take a guess why I have been MIA for 5 whole days...

Who guessed that Littlest Man and I were sick again?? You win!

Speaking of winning...who won the lovely Ella Mae Design Christmas card giveaway?

Out of 37 entries, the lucky winner (thanks to random.org) is #19 MARISA.
Congrats Marisa. Leave a comment or email me with you email address and we will get you set up.

Tutorial time-


Give Thanks. That has been the motto of my last week.

Thankful for a visiting Momma.
Thankful for playtime for my Little Men with their Nana
Thankful for doctors
Thankful for medicine
Thankful for Wee One not having ANOTHER ear infection
Thankful for sleep
Thankful for helpful hubby
Thankful for FINALLY feeling a little better

So today to show my thanks I have a little tutorial for a last minute Thanksgiving decoration.

You need:

1 yard of muslin
1/2 yard of 2 fall prints
1 yard of 1 fall print (this will be for 2 letters and the top binding)
coordinating thread
letters printed out and cut out in a font and size of choice ( I used Calvin and Hobbes)


Cut out 12 rectangles from the muslin, measuring 11" x 10". Two rectangles per letter.

Once you have the letters cut out, trace each letter facing backwards on the back of the fabric. Two letters per each print.

Once all the letters are cut out, pin and sew each letter to one muslin piece. I placed my letters in the center towards the bottom.


Once each letter is sewn on. Pin each piece to a blank muslin rectangle right sides facing.


Sew around the edges with a 1/2" seam allowance, leaving a small hole at the top. Turn out. Iron flat.


To make the top binding you will need a strip of chosen fabric measuring about 86" long by 4" wide. I did sew together two pieces together so I didn't need yards of my chosen print.

I took the strip and ironed it in half along the entire length. Then each edge ironed into meet the half mark. Then folded in half one more time...basically making your own binding...feel free to make this step easier and just buy wide double fold quilting binding in a coordinating color.






Find the center point of your binding. Pin your "a" and your "n" 1 1/2" apart with the half point directly in the middle. Pin each piece with the top of the rectangle directly into the fold.  


Continue to pin each letter in order, 1 1/2" apart.


To sew the binding, start at one edge, sewing along the short edge then turning to sew along the entire bottom length of the binding, sewing the banner pieces in place.



You can either leave the edges as is, or you can fold over an make a loop to hang it by.

Now you have a festive banner you can hang up to beautify your house and help you reflect on what you can give thanks for.

Nov 10, 2010

Toy Story 3: The Photo Shoot


When Buzz Lightyear and Woody first meet, after a cautious start, all Woody is to Buzz is the local law enforcement. All Buzz is too Woody is an annoying toy that is under the delusion that he is an actual real Space Ranger.

Soon enough though, they are amigos, com padres, buds, friends, bros...


that is when all the fun begins...

and the sewing takes over and a costume is born, and a mom annoys her little space ranger and local law enforcement with a photo shoot.








I am not sure that I can ever top these costumes. I had SO much fun with these. My Little Men had such fun with them. Now all I need to do is actually watch Toy Story 3.

PS I am going to try and do a tutorial for the Buzz Lightyear gloves. 


Thanks for letting me post this so far after Halloween...first day of good weather and happy boys.

Nov 7, 2010

Ella Designs Christmas Card Giveaway

Even though Thanksgiving is still several weeks away and you are all up to your eyeballs in Thanksgiving meal planning, table setting, and Thanksgiving grocery shopping...

Guess what?

Your Christmas card deadline will be here sooner than you think. Since I am looking out for you and I love ya all so much I have a Christmas card giveaway for you today.

Alli from Ella Mae Designs is offering 1 Just Another Day in Paradise reader 25 custom Christmas cards, with envelopes, a $45 value.



She has tons of new designs to choose from. Here are a couple of my favorites-





Seriously LOVE them.

Here are all the cards to choose from...



Could you just die from all the cuteness???

So you really want to win this giveaway don't you? So here is how you can enter to win this sweet giveaway-

first entry: leave a comment telling me which design is you favorite
second entry: blog or tweet about this giveaway
third entry: like Ella Mae Designs facebook page  http://www.facebook.com/pages/EllaMae-Designs/118470534834044
fourth entry: grab the Ella Mae Designs button
final entry: in preparation for Christmas do a random act of kindness

Whew, that is a lot of chances. Remember, you need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

The giveaway will end on Friday, November 12 at 11:59 pm est.

Good Luck everyone! 

Nov 5, 2010

10 Minute Place Mat Apron Tutorial


Now, immediate disclaimer, I said 10 minutes, but really I think it only took me 5 minutes. Seriously folks...5 easy breezy minutes. The secret: using a lovely already sewn $3 place mat. Woohoo! I walked past this lovely at "The Mart" and loved it, but I don't really do place mats so I just kind of lovingly stroked it...don't judge.

Then I had a brilliant idea, and I held it to my hips to see if it would fit with what I was thinking. Another woohoo, it did. I had just found myself a cute little half apron.


10 Minute Apron Tutorial 


here is ALL you need-

a place mat you adore
1 package of double fold quilters binding in a coordinating color
thread



To make-

Pin the apron into the fold of the binding. I use the whole three yards, except I just trim with edges, because I like it to wrap around and tie in the front.


Starting at one edge, sew the edge closed and then sew along the entire length of the bottom of the binding.


Sewing completely over the apron and then down the rest of the binding until you get to the other end. Finish of that end.

And WHAT!!!! You are DONE!

I wasn't lying when I said this project took me not even 10 whole minutes. Seriously, the photo shoot took longer.


But now I have a lovely apron quite perfect for Thanksgiving...okay or for just looking marvelous in the kitchen.


Not going to lie, now I am on the hunt for the cutest place mats ever.

PS there are some beautiful ones from Target you might just seen in the near future.

linking too...

Pity Party at 30 days
Friday Fun Finds at Kojo Designs
Weekend Wrap Up at Tatertots and Jello
Show and Tell Saturday at Be Different Act Normal
Making Monday Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T

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