We Aren't That Spooky

Our Halloween evening was short and sweet with two little ones that were too tired to rock-n-roll all night and a slightly sick mama that was just fine with turning in early. I spent most of the weekend between fevers and headaches and Brett took care of the kids so I could rest. Halloween afternoon rolled around and I was able to finish Ruby's Little Red Riding Hood cape and decided on my own costume as the wolf dressed as granny. That's when things started to get interesting.

Brett pulled me aside and told me he was an hour into his essay revisions for his online class and it was going to take him much longer than he thought to finish. I knew he was hoping I'd be the one to mention he stay home to work while I took the kids out and that we were both disappointed. I pouted a little but then remembered how much time he'd sacrificed all weekend watching the kids so I could rest, the five loads of laundry, the three loads of dishes, the trips to the grocery store, and taking Sebastian to church by himself that morning. He had taken good care of us so I needed to take care of him. Though, I did pout a little bit longer than I should've.

I got Ruby dressed and left her to scoot around her room while I located her brother who suddenly didn't want to dress up AGAIN and go get MORE CANDY. He wanted to look for transformers online! And play transformers with his friend from across the street! And why couldn't he be BUMBLEBEE for Halloween! Because the fever inhibits my ability to make costumes appear out of thin air, son. Obviously.

We had Brett take photos and video of us in the front yard after I changed my costume from granny the wolf to The Woodsman. It was WAY more comfortable anyway, ya'll. We got packed into the car and I downed a small bag of M&M's while I pouted a little longer that I was hauling two small ones out into the night while wearing a moustache and a fever. (Maybe I should've been the H1N1 virus!)

We then drove to McDonald's ya'll, because in all the costume finishing, plan changing, pouty face frenzy, I had forgotten to feed my son. My son who then uncharacteristically threw his Happy Meal toy at my head while I was driving so I could open it for him. I called his toy stupid as I teared up at the state of our evening and soon we were both crying. Did I mention he missed his two hour nap?

We finally made it to the trunk-or-treat to meet up with our friends and hit up a neighborhood with plenty of candy and not too many kids to wait behind at the door. I got to see my friends' son and daughter experience Halloween for the first time (without missing a beat I might add) and enjoyed the comic relief that all of our kids provided as they raced back from each door to show us their buckets.

Spiderman, declared he was worn out before I did so I took that opportunity to head home, count our candy, and tell Brett what he'd missed. Thankfully he was able to see all the photos before we tried uploading them later that night because most of them managed to get deleted en route. Yes, the perfect ending to the evening. My Instax 210 saved the day, though, so Ruby will someday have proof that her first Halloween actually happened.

At the end of the day I got my costume photo, Sebastian got to see his friends, and Brett finished his paper with about 30 minutes to spare. It could've been worse.

I'd love to hear how your Halloween went! Do share...

xoxo,
Rachel

I Heart Etsy!

I've been wanting to buy Ruby a simple, wooden doll house since before she was born but felt like I should wait until at least her first birthday. I was doing some research (avoiding the laundry) on Etsy and came across these adorable vintage Fisher Price sets from Toys of the Past. I have vague memories of playing with these original Little People at our church nursery or maybe a friend's house and love the color scheme of the furniture!

I had them sitting outside after opening them and Sebastian came out and took an interest in them right away. He was telling the baby that she was in trouble for making a mess. Supposedly the baby had knocked over ALL of the furniture. It seems I need to be a little more patient with my mess maker.

This is the nursery set.

And these are the kitchen and sewing sets. The sewing desk is what sold me in the first place. It was such a major part of women's lives when these toys were first introduced and I'm glad Ruby will get to enjoy making up stories about what to sew in her doll house. I'll probably add pieces over the next two years, although, I've never run into these in all my years of thrifting.

She's also getting this adorable, handmade owl hat from Bzzyfingers. You can customize your colors so I chose the purple base with a light blue border and I will show you as soon as I can wrestle it on Ruby's head long enough to get a photo. That girl is quick! I'm hoping she'll start getting used to it so that her bald little head won't get frost bite this winter!

I saw that pink screen-printed stocking from Gingiber Snap on Twitter and went straight to her shop to make it my own. Ruby never got a proper stocking last year so this will be hers.

I was hoping Stacie would be offering a boy version and she soon added a green one so I snatched that one up for Sebastian. The colors match our holiday decor and the playful, vintage theme is just the right style for my kids. I'm so thankful to have that part of our holiday checked off the list because last year's good intentions to make family stockings out of recycled wool suits was a bust.

What have been some of your favorite Etsy purchases (or on the wish list)?

xoxo,
Rachel

Projects, Projects Everywhere

I started this little project to decompress from a few lengthy tutorials in a row over at Home Ec. and Small Craft earlier this month because it didn't involve sewing anything. It's also easy to do whilst catching up on Design Star on Hulu! I plan on turning it into this cute hat that Elsie made last year for Ruby as she has no hair to keep her warm. I also need to find that girl some socks and shoes because she's been barefoot for months and those toes are going to start getting chilly! I haven't made any more progress on the moccasins but haven't lost my enthusiasm and I have it in good faith that a certain friend has been perfecting her mini moccasin template lately. And I've seen a sneak peek of a sample. And they are cute as can be!

I've tried to get back to the crochet project a few times only to remember my hook is missing after an incident involving a certain four-year-old mindlessly unraveling row after row as he watched Thundercats with his daddy one afternoon. I came around the corner and shouted, "What are you doing!" and they both looked surprised that it was happening. That'll teach me to keep my stuff laying around for other eager fingers to work on.

So, do you have any favorite suggestions for handmade (and warm and slightly practical) shoes for little ones on Etsy that you love? There are a ton to pretty shoes to choose from but I'm most interested in hearing real reviews of things you've used and loved. Thanks in advance and I'll be sure to share if we go with any.

xoxo,
Rachel

I Get To Wear A Pretty Dress To Elsie's Wedding

Elsie and Emma hosted a cupcake party under the guise of testing out Emma's recipes and getting photos for her portfolio but really they just needed a bunch of their friends and family to show up at the same time to invite us to be bridesmaids in Elsie and Jeremy's wedding. I can usually see these things coming a mile away but those two have twice pulled off grand surprises that I've been lucky enough to be a part of.

These were some random shots from my camera using the Hipstamatic while carrying Ruby in a sling on my other side. She was squirmy. Janae was there taking photos and Elsie has shared some beautiful ones on her blog here and here. I'm so thrilled to be a part of the unfolding story of their lives together and love that I get to share this piece with these lovely girls that I admire.

Be back soon with some projects I probably shouldn't be starting!
xoxo,
Rachel

Small Craft Online Class [Details & Registration Information]

I'm thrilled to introduce you to our brand new online class called Small Craft! Small Craft is a six week class full of fun projects for kiddos (newborn to age 10). Projects are primarily designed to make as fun gifts for kids with some interactive projects that children can participate in as well! This class is designed for anyone who has a cute kiddo in their lives that they'd love to craft for!

What is Small Craft?

This 6 week class is open to students worldwide. Tutorials are posted throughout the week and students are encouraged to work at their own pace, there are no deadlines! The class includes 30 Project Tutorials with 6 video sessions included in those projects! The class starts September 13th and runs for 6 weeks. There are two video Q&A sessions with Elsie & Rachel included (Students get to ask questions in advance and we answer them in one big private video... it's so much fun!). Note: There are a few sewing projects included in this class that require access to a sewing machine.

SMALL CRAFT
$60

*These are just a few peeks at projects we've created for this class! Rachel and I both agree that this is one of the most inspired classes we've created. We've had SO much fun developing it together.

Meet Your Teachers...

I'm a work-at-home mom of two! I love coming up with D.I.Y. projects for my son, Sebastian, and daughter, Ruby. I love interior design and have created some amazing kiddo bedroom projects for this class!

Elsie is a full time independent boutique owner and proof that you don't have to be a mom to be in love with creating pretty things for little people. She's an aunt and loves making things for the kids in her life as well as for her shop! ♥ We're both excited to share our projects and know they'll be so fun to work on into the fall season and through the holidays!

Projects include: Pretty, Pretty: Customizable dress pattern for all sizes, The Well-Styled Child: DIY scarves for fall, A Mid-Century Modern Fort, Abra Cadabra: Bedroom makeover tips and tricks, Here's The Skinny: Two necktie patterns and embroidery samples, Use Your Words: An art journal just for them, Traveling Puppet Theater, Modern Geometry: A block set you can both live with, What's For Lunch: DIY lunchbox, Monster Bibs, Snack Attack: Fun snacks for little fingers, Storybook Plushies, The Starving Artist's Smock/Apron, All Dressed Up And No Place To Go: Fun photo shoot ideas through imaginative play and handmade props, Upcycled Dress Up Chest: Includes three felt mask patterns and tips on creating costumes....and more!

Class cost $60 (only $10 per week or $2 per project!) Payable via paypal (button above) or through credit card in our online store.

*Private blog info will be sent within 36 hours of payment.

Questions? Please e-mail racheldenbow(at)gmail(dot)com

Hope you can join us!! We've put a lot of extra love into this class and can't wait to share it with you!

xoxo,

Rachel

What Goes Up Must Come Down

Ruby has been crawling on top of everything lately and either getting stuck or falling off with a thud. I have more proof of this on my camera but it's sitting across the room and I can't be bothered to get up and upload the photos from this week after the day we've had. It was so full of activity and projects and errands and adventures in our front yard that I'm worn out! Ruby and Sebastian are both changing right before my eyes it seems and I'm thankful that we are enjoying being on this side of a third tooth and some recent power struggles.


Speaking of power struggles, we played a new game today with one of my projects for the Small Craft class that I'll share later today. Sebastian called it the 'One-Eyed Truck' game but really it was him chasing after me doing karate chops and me hauling him over my shoulder and putting him in jail until he escaped. Again and again and again. Then we used our new contraption as a pirate ship and then it was a train. And we went to China and saw Kai-Lan. Aren't you jealous? She says Ni-hao.


Anyway, go tell the lovely James of Bleubird Vintage how adorable her new little one is and check out some of the fabulous guest posts that are up while baby and mama (and daddy) get to know one another. I've got another little tutorial over there. Congrats, James and Aubrey! She's beautiful.

Check in around 7 p.m. for full details and registration for Small Craft! I may pee my pants!
xoxo,
Rachel

Small Craft Online Class Sneak Peek!

Elsie Flannigan and I are excited to share a little taste of our Fall Online Class with you! Aptly named, Small Craft is full of projects for little people. We've created 30 projects that let your favorite kiddo explore their imagination through dress up and creative play and included plenty of style with ways to customize their wardrobe, tips on room makeovers, and hands on projects to encourage your budding artist.

My projects have already been kid tested and approved but now I'm wondering why I didn't save some of them for Christmas presents! I might still be making multiples of a few of them because every kid needs a traveling puppet theater and dress up chest in their arsenal of creative toys! We've included a little something for all ages and can't wait to share full details with you soon. Check back on Wednesday, August 25th for the project list and more photos. Registration will begin that evening at 7 p.m. CST. We hope you can join us in making their world a little more magical!

xoxo,
Rachel

My Daughter Growls

I have had this plaid cotton for at least a year and a half and FINALLY decided it was my best bet for a headed into fall type smock. I used the same basic premise as a pillow case dress but based the width off of an existing loose dress and the length magically worked out perfectly for a smock. A dress length would've been too long as she's quite the crawler and it may have even swallowed her whole.

The mint blue is extra, extra wide double fold bias tape from Wal-Mart. I used it for the tie at the shoulders by sewing it shut. It made it through the wash intact, too!

I was in a little bit of a hurry to photograph it so pretend you don't see my loose thread at the ends!

Keep pretending!

Pretty soon Ruby's two bottom teeth won't be the only ones that show up in photos. She's been working on her third these last few days, which means these last few nights have been a little hit and miss in the sleep department. It's safe to say that Ruby is looking much cuter than I am this week. It comes with the territory sometimes, right? ;)


If you are interested in the step-by-step process you can see one version of the pillow case dress here and another here and you can probably think of five more. Feel free to leave links in the comments section.

xoxo,
Rachel

HOME EC...Coming soon!!

Are you ready for your favorite new e-course?

This Thursday Leigh-Ann Keffer, Courtney Tucker, and myself will be introducing HOME EC, our Online Sewing Class for Beginners!!! If you've always wanted to learn how to make your own stuff, this class is your chance to gain the skill set you need to do it. Learning how to sew can impact your budget, business, home, wardrobe, family and life. Not to mention it gives you major street cred. Well, maybe online 'street' cred! Ha!

We're so excited to show you how this course can take you where you want to go with your sewing machine (plus a peek at EACH of our projects!!!), so check back here this Thursday for full details and registration info!

xoxo,
Rachel

Red Velvet Summer Update

Elsie has just updated Red Velvet Art with a ton of handmade and vintage accessories for your summer wardrobe. Some of my favorite pieces below!

Check them out while they're still available!

I've also restocked the shop with thought bubble chalkboards. They'd make the perfect 'going off to college and living in a dorm room' gift. Who wants a boring message board when you can tell your new hall friends to meet you in the student center for a late night ( fill in the blank ) on something with some personality!

Be back soon!
xoxo,
Rachel

Chalkboard Thought Bubble Photo Call

If you've purchased one of my originally designed chalkboard thought bubbles from Red Velvet Art and have photos of yourself or others using it, send it my way! I'd love to share happy customer photos with Smile And Wave readers.

(READ: good excuse to do a little photo shoot this week!)

xoxo,
Rachel

p.s. photo by Wess

Birthdays Are His New Favorite

Sebastian's fourth birthday party was a great success thanks to everyone who shared it with us through their presence or their gifts and phone calls. It was quite a lot more work to pull it off than I had imagined it would be but all the more rewarding to see how excited he was when he showed up (after spending the previous night with my parents at their hotel) and saw the walkway lined with orange cones, his bedroom full of balloons, and trucks! On the cake! He kept saying, "Come check out this, Mama!"

I was hoping against a character themed party this year so when Sebastian suggested a Mighty Machines party, I headed in the direction of dump trucks in a color palette I could live with. I used a few ideas from this fantastic truck party such as the orange cones, the sand box on the porch, and the marshmallow building activity from this post on OhDeedoh. Some ideas were obvious for a truck themed party such as hard hats (scored at a thrift store!), mud themed desserts, a dirt pile cake, and a dump truck centerpiece to play with later.

We had gluten free cupcakes and healthy snacks to help off set the sugar high from the cake, soda, and mud pies. For those I made chocolate jello, added crumbled No-Pudge brownies, and topped them with gummy worms. Easy and kid friendly.

We can reuse the truck decorations and Sebastian will have fun playing in the storage container turned sand box all summer, or until he's managed to dump all of the sand through the porch rails.

Thanks to the summer toy section in Target, Sebastian's friends got to take home little sand buckets filled with bubbles and tiny markers, as well as a truck set that they played with at the party.

I was originally going to make a 'Happy Birthday, Sebastian' banner from grocery bags and duct tape and hang it over my clipboards but while I was taking my summer inspiration photos down I realized I had one of Sebastian in black and white. I spent the next hour and a half browsing through our Flickr sets and printing off photos of S after editing them to be black and white.

The garlands were easy. I was lying in bed late one night brainstorming about party decorations when I thought of using yellow duct tape I had on hand to make bunting. It felt 'construction-ish' and wasn't going to cost me anything so I made it the next afternoon while the kids napped. Yesterday, I came across Diane's fabulous Fourth of July garland on Apartment Therapy! I'm rarely surprised anymore when I see the same idea posted on another blog around the same time. There's some sort of science to it, I'm sure, and I love Diane's red, white, and blue combo!

The other garland is just tissue paper cut into tall rectangles that I folded over twine. I can't tell you how many times I had to pick the same two or three off the floor and rehang them whenever someone tall walked past one particularly low spot.

Here's a photo of Sebastian's first birthday party that we had at my parent's house. He was a mostly bald little thing just like Ruby is and I was.

And here's a photo that my grandmother took of Sebastian opening his backhoe. He's sitting almost the same way so it's fun to see how much longer those arms and legs are and how different he looks with dark hair. Or any hair! We're off to St. Louis to spend some time at the zoo and Science Center and wherever else our little adventure takes us. Thanks to all my online friends/readers that are representing the East side and sending recommendations for pit stops. I appreciate it!

I hope your Fourth of July celebrations end with your eyebrows intact.
xoxo,
Rachel