My 15 month old as Kat Von D for Halloween

Some mother's dress their baby girls up as princesses or fairies. Or maybe they'll put them in little furry costumes so that they are puppies or bunnies or kittens. Not me. Nope, my 15 month old rocked Halloween as Kat Von D from the show LA Ink.

Her name is Natalie and we sometimes refer to her as Nat Von D. Well, when it came time to figure out a Halloween costume, it was obvious what we had to go with.

She's got the blue and black eye shadow, red lipstain, blue hair, cool clothes and, of course, the star tattoos by her eyes. Yeah, she's not an exact match, but close enough to count! We had intended to put a lot more tattoos on her, but she screamed when we'd apply the wet wash cloth to moisten the tattoos. You'd have thought we splashed her with battery acid. She loved getting eye shadow applied, however. Weird kid.

Cute handmade bunny barfing tissue

How cute are these! I seriously need to get me an embroidery machine. Anyone want to lend me a few thousand bucks? (Link to source.)

We've now got hats for boys! (and some for girls, too)

I've finally got some stuff for boys on Dramatic Baby! I'm posting up some very cute hats for boys, handmade, with love....

These are too big for little babies. They're better for toddlers or small children. The sizes vary a little depending on the type of yarn used and the design used. 

There are hats for little girls, too, so don't fret! I've also got a couple of drawstring bags for little girls, perfect for storing their tiny toys or to carry snacks on a trip. Click here to view the entire album of available items.

I've posted some more handmade bows on Facebook!

I've posted some more handmade bows on Facebook, and one is VERY large! I was trying to copy a design I saw and I grossly overestimated the amount of lace to use. In the picture below, it may look nice and normal, but in reality, it's about 9 inches across and would swallow a child's head!

In fact, I've lovingly nicknamed it the Face Hugger, like those lovely creatures in the movie Aliens.

The resemblance is uncanny!

Along with the giant monster bow, I've also created several normal hair clips, just a few of which are shown below. Be sure to head over to my Facebook page and check out the Album "For Sale" in order to see all the new additions and my entire stock.

$25 for $50 worth of fabric at Boca Bargoons

Groupon Atlanta is offering a deal of $25 for $50 of high end fabrics at Boca Bargoons in Alpharetta, Georgia. The fabrics are pretty pricey normally, with some going for $32.99/yard! Yikes! But this would be a great opportunity to basically get $50 worth of material you wouldn't normally splurge on for half price. To get this deal, click on the Groupon box that is to the left of this post. It doesn't show this particular bargain, but click it and it will take you to Groupon and from there click All Deals up top and you'll see it listed. There's apparently a very limited supply of these, so grab one quickly if you're interested!

20% off your entire purchase at Michael's

Click here for a coupon good for 20% off of your entire purchase, including sale items, at Michaels. This coupon is good September 29th through October 1st.

40% off one item coupon for Hobby Lobby

Click here to print a coupon good for 40% off one item at Hobby Lobby. The coupon is good through October 1st. You can also go to that link and get a mobile coupon that you just show to the cashier on your smart phone.

Two great coupons for Jo-Ann's Fabric and Craft Stores

Click here for two great coupons good for Jo-Ann's Fabric and Craft Stores. One coupon is for in store only, good for 15% off your entire purchase! The other coupon is good online only, good for free shipping off a minimum $25 purchase. Both coupons run September 24th through September 28th.

Singer computerized sewing machine 60% off on Amazon!

I may have to go ahead and buy myself an early Christmas present! Currently, you can get the Singer Computerized Sewing Machine with 66 Built In Stitches w/ Bonus Extension Table and Sewing Feet for $199.99, marked down from $499.99. That's 60% off folks! Plus, if you have Amazon Prime shipping (which you can get by signing up for Amazon Mom, a free program), you'll get it shipped to you in 2 days, totally free!

This was listed under the Today's Deals section on Amazon, so you have a very limited time to get this deal as it expires on September 22.

Free scrapbooking embellishments from Creative Memories

Click here to download free embellishment designs from Creative Memories. If you're into scrapbooking or just like to random crafty things with digital images, you should check them out!

Two AWESOME Michael's coupons!

Click here to get two great Michael's coupons. One is for 40% off one regular price item, good September 18th through September 24th. The other coupon is for 20% off your ENTIRE order, including sale items! This coupon is only good on September 18th from 4pm to 8pm.

Like Jo-Ann Fabrics on Facebook and get 20% off your total purchase!

If you Like Jo-Ann Fabrics on Facebook you'll get a coupon good for 20% off you TOTAL purchase, including sale items! Some exclusions apply, so read the fine print. This coupon is good Friday, September 16th and Saturday, September 17th only, so get hopping!

40% off one item coupon for Hobby Lobby

Click here for a coupon good for 40% off one regular priced item at Hobby Lobby. You can use it both online and in store. Or, you can save the trees and just show the coupon on your mobile phone! Good through September 17th.

My visit to the United Flight 93 Memorial site in Shanksville, PA

I recently had the opportunity to visit the field where United Flight 93 crashed on September 11, 2001. To say it was moving would be an understatement. As you drive through a small rural town, with sunflowers lining the street just before you veer off to the crash site field, you realize this is something wholly different from what you've experienced before. It's not like a memorial you might visit in DC; this is where these people actually lost their lives. And it's different than visiting Ground Zero in New York. In New York, while still remembering, they are rebuilding and moving on, to prove that the terrorists did not accomplish their ultimate goal of breaking us. However, in Shanksville, PA, there isn't a sense of needing to rebuild and move on. It's not a bustling city reclaiming something it once lost. It's a field in the middle of small town America, off the beaten path, off of the terrorist's radar. It's quiet remembrance. It's a battle field of sorts, marking the site where many lost their lives to a war they didn't even know they were fighting.

There is a permanent memorial being built, the purpose of which is to allow people to reflect on the lives that were lost and the sacrifice they made. The first phase is complete and being dedicated and opened to the families of the victims on the 10th anniversary. The other two phases are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014. If you have the opportunity to visit, I highly recommend it. You'll leave with a deeper respect for those that gave their lives and a greater understanding of what was lost that day.

Free Michael's and Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts iPhone and Android Apps

If you've got either an iPhone or an Android, you can download the new Jo-Ann's app for free! This way, you can carry all of your coupons on your mobile smart phone. You'll also get access to mobile exclusive coupons and craft ideas and lists.

• Click here for the Jo-Ann Android App
• Click here for the Jo-Ann iPhone App 
• Click here for the Michael's iPhone App (no Android app)

Fun stuff from the CRAFT blog

These are just pics and links to some of the fun stuff I've seen on the CRAFT blog. When I get back from my vacation I'll hop back on the crafting wagon and start creating again and get new stuff up.

Keyboard Cat Quilt

 

Gift Card Envelopes

Knit Fabric Stretch Book Covers

40-50% off at Michael's Arts & Crafts

Click below for coupons good at Michael's Arts & Crafts. Each coupon has it's own set of rules and dates of use, so read carefully. Happy craft shopping!

• 50% off one regular priced item, good 09/04-09/05
• 40% off one regular priced item, good 09/06-09/10
• 40% off one regular priced item, good 08/28-09/03
• There are other coupons at the bottom of the first two links, so scroll down and see if any of those interest you as well!

Happy Birthday to my crafty mom!

I want to take this opportunity and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my super awesome mom! I'm not going to reveal her exact age, but let's just say she's older than she looks. Seriously, you'd never guess her actual age, she just doesn't age! I really hope I inherited those genes from her! She's very crafty as well. She taught me to cross-stitch and inspired me to learn to craft with fabric. She's been called Super Mom by some of my friends and is known for being the most gracious host and most thoughtful person. I couldn't agree more. I love her to death and thank God everday that I lucked out and was given her as a mother.

Me, my little Natalie and my mom

Not Kid Friendly: No-Sew Nipple Tassels

Okay, so this isn't really kid or baby friendly, but it could lead to babies, so maybe it sort of counts...

As I was looking around the Craft website after posting on their Star Wars post, I saw this and just had to share: No-Sew Nipple Tassels. Classic. Anyway, click and read away and if you make some, let me know how they work out.

More Star Wars Crafts

I'm starting to think I should have focused on Star Wars themed crafts instead of baby bows...nah, not really, I'll let others do the heavy lifting.

On the super awesome site Craft, crafter Bonnie Burton and her Star Wars creations are highlighted. I'm in love with the Admiral Ackbar paper bag hand puppet. He's so cute!

Free craft-themed mystery ebook

If you have a Kindle or have the Kindle app on your smartphone or computer (yes, you can download Kindle books to your computer), click on over and get this free ebook, Lye in Wait (A Home Crafting Mystery). There are lots of free ebooks on Kindle daily, but how long they remain free is anyone's guess. The publishers will run quick promotions on their ebooks for a limited time, so while the ebook is free as of this posting, it may not be free in the near future, so grab it while you can!

From Amazon:
Cocoa butter soap, check. Lemon lip balm, check. A dead body? That's just what Sophie Mae Reynolds finds in her workroom: the corpse of Walter Hanover, the neighborhood handyman. He died from drinking lye, something she has in good supply. But the police don't suspect Sophie Mae, a thirty-something widow who makes and sells beauty products. Instead they call it a suicide. But why would a man with lottery cash and a loving fiancée kill himself?

No one can stop the impulsive Sophie Mae from answering this riddle, not her sensible best friend Meghan or Detective Ambrose, who incites annoyance as well as stomach flutters. Sophie Mae's big mouth and sharp nose lead her to a peppermint-scented trail of arson, bigamy, and a shocking family secret that reveals a personal connection to Walter . . . and his killer. This crafty new series features real recipes and a blundering, yet lovable, amateur sleuth who brings a fresh face to cozy mysteries.

I may be a craft hoarder...

Well, so much for getting a lot of crafting done yesterday. I visited my mom so that she and I could do some crazy crafting all day on Sunday. However, we got detoured by a trip to the craft store where I bought more stuff, you know, because I needed more stuff. I did buy an organizer, so that's something productive.

Anyhow, instead of crafting like crazy, I ended up organizing all of my craft materials. Not quite what I had planned, but it needed to be done because I had embellishments and fabric and ribbon coming out of my ears and had no real clue where everything was. I took some "before" pictures so you can see what I was dealing with. The best part: this wasn't even everything! I had more stuff that I could have piled on the table but I got tired of unloading my materials and just took these pictures. I figured you'd get the idea.

Star Wars themed embroidery on Etsy

From Neatorama.com:
Etsy seller Love & A Sandwich is currently sold out of these cute works of embroidery and appliqué, but she still has available a hoop featuring Beast from the X-Men. Still, I have my heart set on the Fuzzball hoop.

Love and a Sandwich is most definitely one of my Favorites on Etsy now.

My crafting wish list

Since I'm still relatively new to the crafting with fabric world, I'm discovering nifty new things everyday that make life a little easier. Case in point, the AccuQuilt GO! Baby Fabric Cutter. It's a small machine that uses varying shape dies to cut out fabric quickly, instead of having to hand cut each and every piece of your project. OMG that is amazing! And best of all, this thing is normally around $130. However, Amazon has it for just $78! I'm thinking I may have to break down and get this as a birthday present to myself. I wanted to share this with you guys because it's such a great deal. If you like playing around with fabric and want to be quicker with your cutting, you really can't beat this price.

The only drawback to this machine is that the stinking dies are almost as pricey as the machine itself! The dies run around $20 and up, usually more along the up side. However, what would you consider your time to be worth? I guess if you look at it that way, the price isn't really that bad. Anyhow, if I end up getting this machine, there will most definitely be a post of me breaking into and going nuts!