Idea Sharin' Wednesday #15

It's that time of week again.  I can't even say this week has gone by fast because it's been the last few weeks really that are just all blurred together.  Busy buy busy!  I love taking a little break to look at your projects though so please link up and give me an excuse to take a breather :)

And don't forget to enter the Needlcraft Patterns giveaway, its going to be my last one for awhile so enter!  Click on the image in my sidebar or scroll down a couple entries to get to it.  Happy Wednesday!

Review and Giveaway- Needle Craft Patterns

I made something cute for my little guy, want to see?  Cute little shoes!

When Vasilena from Needle Craft Patterns contacted me to do a review/giveaway combo I was excited because I had been wanting some shoes for my cute little guy.  Since he doesn't walk yet, they aren't a necessity and when you live on a budget you don't buy it if it's not a necessity.  But that didn't stop me from wanting some :) 

Needle Craft Patterns has lots of cute and very affordable patterns!  With one $4.50 pattern you can make loads of shoes in different colors and prints.  And since they only take fabric scraps and about 15 minutes why wouldn't you? 

I never thought of making baby shoes before, but with an easy to follow pattern it's actually pretty simple.  The pattern reads like a tutorial, not like a Mccalls type pattern.  I prefer this because it's good for begginers like me who don't know all of the sewing language.  Someone like my mom who has been sewing with the same type of pattern for years may not, but I have no doubt that anyone could successfully make these shoes using this pattern! 

The pattern was emailed to me promptly and the service was great, Vasilena is very sweet!  And most importantly my little guy loves his shoes!  You may  notice, I made them to match his little tie onsies :)  Oh I will throw in that the pattern runs a little small so if your baby has chubby feet like mine you may want to consider making it a couple sizes bigger.  And make sure to add a seam allowance.

I would reccomend Needle Craft Patterns to anyone.  I couldn't have been more pleased with my experience!

I think making baby shoes is a great idea.  They are so overpriced in the stores.  And this way you can make them to match certain outfits.  And I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that even if you've never sewed before you could make these shoes (at least the ones I made- which are the Poppy ones)!  Basically, I love them!

Here are some more of the adorable patterns you can find over at Needle Craft Patterns:

They even have shoes for adults!

Click here to go check them out!

And now. . . Giveaway time. 

Remember this is going to be my last giveaway for awhile.  At least until I can manage to get a few other things off my plate.  It's just so jammed full right now I want to make sure I still have enough time to lavish my little guy with attention.  All of you who have giveaways you know how much time they can take, especially when you do a lot of them.  They are fun though, aren't they?

Here's how to enter:

1) Stop by Needle Craft Patterns and come back here and tell me which is your favorite item.

2) Become a follower of the Needle Craft Pattern blog (she's got some great tutorials on there!)

3) Follow Needle Craft Patterns via Twitter

4) Add Needle Craft Pattern etsy shop to your favorites

5) Become a follower of Win, Lose, or Blog

6) Follow me via RSS or email

Vasilena is giving away three patterns to three different winners so odds are good this time!  Good luck and thanks for entering!

eShakti Review

Alright, a few of you may remember a couple months ago I mentioned eShakti and that I was going to be doing a review of one of their dresses.  This one to be precise:

Well due to a little slowness on their part and mine, I am finally posting the review.

I think their shop is great.  They have the largest selection I've ever seen, seriously!  And ALL of their stuff is cute!  You could without a doubt get an entire wardrobe and more just from their shop!  They have casual, professional, summer, winter, and everything in between.  They have lots of modest choices and everything they have is customizable so even if it's not, you can say change the sleeve length or neck line so that it is!

The whole premise behind their shop is genius: they design tons of cute stuff and let us (the customers) customize it to fit our needs.  You can order things in standard sizes or enter in your measurements to have a garment made especially for you.  I chose to do the second option because I thought it was cool, but looking back I would probably just go with a pre-made size.  I've never had a problem finding a size that fits me so I wouldn't say this dress fit me any better than a normally sized dress would have.  Plus I imagine that contributed to why it took a little longer than expected to get my order.  I do however think it's a great option for people who can't seem to find clothes that fit them just right.

Overall I am very happy with  my experience with eShakti.  The dress was just as cute as pictured.  I will definetly be shopping with them again.  Once you take a peek at the cute clothes they have to offer I think you'll see why!  Here are some of my other favorites:

Seriously though, I can't even put a dent in everything they have to offer.  They have pants, (getting your pants tailor made to your measurements sounds like a good idea to me- who doesn't hate shopping for the perfect fit when it come to pants?!) accessories, and more!  So go check it out, you'll be glad you discovered this cool shop.

I hope none of you are too dissapointed in the lack of picture of me in my dress.  Honestly that's why the process took longer than it should have on my part.  I kept meaning to do that and finally I decided I better just write the post without it so it got done :)  Oh and I'm thinking this should definatly count as a Fashion Friday!  Believe me you can get tons of fashion ideas over there!

Click here to visit eShakti.

Happy shopping :)

Features!

I love this romantic canopy bed over at The 31 Lady!

Loving these key fobs from Not So Crafty.

Felted soap!  A washcloth and soap in one, love it!  Find it at Homemade Mamas.

I am also in love with these pinched flowers over at Sumo's Sweet Stuff.

Check out this cute memo board over at Madchen Fur Alles.

Thanks to everyone who participated despite the fact that I was a little late posting.  I went to put the bubs to bed last night and ended up falling asleep myself but it just may have been the longest nights sleep I've gotten in over six months!

Idea Sharin' Wednesday #14

I'm looking forward to seeing all of your fun projects this week.  I'll be featuring some tomorrow.  Thanks for joining the party :)

Features from Idea Sharin' Wednesday

Wow, there were a lot of fun ideas out there this week!  Here are some I particularly loved:

Recycled bottle banles at Thriftcore.  I would love to make myself some of those when I get a chance!

Love this printable card for dad.  I know my husband would appriciate it.  We love the old school NES!  Find this at Cute as a Fox.

You can find a free ruffle rag quilt pattern over at A Vision to Remember!

I am just in love with these little rompers!  You can find this tutorial at Pickup Some Creativity.

I think this mango and avacado salsa from Inspired 2 Cook looks delicious!  I love manoes, mmmmm :)

And I'm lovin the shirt revamps going on over at Lemon Crafts!

I found this cute personalized door wreath at Lil Luna.

You'll be amazed when you hear how little Kathryn (from I Can Find the Time) spent to make this stylish clock!

How cute is this?  Know what it's made of?  Light switch frames, what a good idea!  Go check it out at Keeping it Simple!

Last, but certainly not least, this precious little flower clips over at Live, Laugh, Love, Create.  Go check them out!

And now to announce a prize winner.  Random.org declared # 59 a winner.  And that actually turned out to be. . .  Kathryn

who was actually featured above with the clock!

Congrats Kathryn, email me to claim your prize.  And thanks to everyone who participated!  Happy weekend :)

Idea Sharin' Wednesday #13

First let me announce the winner of last week's prize, Apron Senorita who linked up some adorable aprons, go check them out.  And congrats, go ahead and email me to claim your prize :) 

And the winner of this week will once again win their choice of several great prizes, yay!  So join the fun, I can't wait to see what you have in store for me this week!

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Tutorial Tuesday- A Very Delicious Dessert!

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

The ironic thing here is that I actually took a really great picture of this recipe (for once) BUT I accidentally deleted it I guess so this picture is from Kera's Cookin'

Anyways, this delectable creation is from my oh-so-talented mom.  She's made this a lot and EVERYONE loves it!  So here's how to make it. . .

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cups cold water

- 1 package (5.1 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

- 1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

- 12 oz pound cake, cut into cubes

- 1/2 cup strawberry jam (homemade freezer jam is BY FAR superior than store bought)

- 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries (Just a little tip- an egg slicer works great for this- and actually for mushrooms too)

- Additional strawberries

In a large bowl, blend water, pudding mix, and condensed milk.  Chill for 15 minutes.  Fold in whipped topping. 

Mix berries with jam.

In a 3- qt. Serving bowl, layer 1/3 of the cake, strawberries and pudding mixture.  Repeat layers twice.  Top with additional strawberries.  Refrigerate until serving. 

Yield: 12-14 servings. 

Additional tip: Use local berries (Spooners is what we have here, not sure about everywhere else) for both the jam and the dessert itself.  Store bought berries can be crisp and tasteless, bluh!

Enjoy!

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Don't forget to check out Win, Lose, or Blog!  Only a few days left to apply if you want to be a contestant in season one :)  We've already got more than $500 worth of prizes lined up!

And thanks for all the sweet comments on the Pleated Poppy giveaway about my schedule dilemma.  You guys give good advice :)  I think I will keep a tentative schedule but with some leeway for myself.

Giveaway! The Pleated Poppy

Hi!  I'm Lindsey Cheney.  I am married to an incredibly supportive husband and am mom to 3 littles, 6 and under. My days are full of sewing, home schooling, crafting, snuggling, avoiding the laundry, sneaking bites of chocolate, and wondering "is it naptime yet?"

Lindsey is the creator of one amazing little shop!  {The Pleated Poppy} Look at all the cute things she makes. 

Lindsey sure is talented isn't she?  I love everything in her shop! 

Want to win a $25 gift certificate to spend however you would like at The Pleated Poppy?  Here's how to enter:

Mandatory:

1) Visit The Pleated Poppy, then come back here and tell me what you think

2) Become a follower of The Pleated Poppy Blog.

3) Follow The Pleated Poppy on Twitter.

4) Display the Pleated Poppy button on your blog

5) Blog, facebook, and/or tweet about this giveaway (one entry for each thing)

6) Check out Win, Lose, or Blog

7) Leave me a comment telling me your thoughts on this: I am thinking of getting rid of my rigid schedule (not that I always keep to it anyways, lol).  The blog will still stay pretty much the same.  Same content, etc.  I just wont have a set schedule per say (expect Idea Sharin' Wednesday of course).  This is my way of announcing that switch (I've been so busy lately and I would be happier if I didn't set such a tight schedule for myself) but I do want to know how you all feel about that!

Thanks for entering!  Have a good Monday :)

Two Lucky Winners

The winner of the awesome custom canvas from Pure Joy Creative is #22. . .

Aubrey, who said: "I love the diaper cakes!"  I do too Aubrey, so cute!

And the winner of the $25 gift certificate from Sucre Lulu (ie home of the cutest accessories ever) is #23. . .

Crafted By Mama, who said: "I love the La Marie...how fun"

Congrats Ladies!  Email me to claim your prizes.  And I hope you'll all go check out these great shops if you haven't already.  They are owned by some great ladies who were generous enough to donate these prizes! 

New giveaway scheduled to post 5am tomorrow :)

Features from Idea Sharin' Wednesday

Better late than never right?  Well here are just a few of the fabulous projects linked up this week.

I love everything about this project: the stenciled wall, the cute monogram, and the tips for decorating in trios.  Check it out at What Allie's Making Now. 

Check out this before and after!  See more pictures at Decor Chick.

Cute clipboard picture frames at Red Heads Craft More Fun.

Learn how to make a cute bubble gum tank top at Handy Pants!

And Kimberlee at The Spunky Diva tried my fabric bracelets, yay!

Learn how to make a cute stair-step card over at "How To" Homemaker.

<a border="0" href="http://womenwhodoitall.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src=http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz148/womenwhodoitall/Featured.jpg></a>I'm going to fore go Fashion Friday this week since I was so late in posting this (plus it doesn't seem to be a huge hit anyways so I don't think anyone is going to mind too much :)).  I am going to post easy recipe share tomorrow around noon though so check back because I will be sharing a DE-LICIOUS dessert recipe!

Don't forget to enter the Pure Joy Creative giveaway and the Sucre Lulu giveaway!  Both giveaways end tomorrow.  Click on the pictures in the sidebar to enter.

Idea Sharin' Wednesday #12

So I decided to take a day off from the computer yesterday (Tuesday) and let me tell you. . . It felt good!  Me and the bubs had a lot of quality time together :) 

Since I have put off my features from last week's party I am going to do them here, along with announce the prize winner. 

Speaking of prizes, please go enter the two giveaways I've got going on right now!  I'm not sure why entries are so slow this week, but these are some great prizes!  Click on the pictures in the sidebar to go to those posts.

Anyways, I have been so busy lately, and there is no end in sight so be patient with me :)  To make the most of my time I decided to choose only three projects to feature this week.  It was tough to choose just three, let me tell you!  But here they are:

This fun and easy to make baby block from A Vision to Remember

This oh so stylish vest made from an old pair of pants at I Heart Jenny's Art.

And this unique and sophisticated baby nursery over at Bungalow '56.

As you may have noticed, this was definitely not one of those weeks where I was able to leave some comment love for everyone, but I did have a look at your projects and I loved them all :)  And now for the winner of last week's prize (a choice of several unclaimed prizes from past giveaways). . .

Abigail from Abigail's Crafts How To

Congrats Abigail, email me to claim your prize!

And for this week's prize, we'll be doing the same thing.  You'll have your choice between a few great unclaimed prizes from past giveaways.  Yay, so join in the fun!  If this is your first time, you can click here to read about Idea Sharin' Wednesday.

Giveaway! Pure Joy Creative.

Let me introduce the sponsor of our newest giveaway, Jamie from Pure Joy Creative. . .  Look at all these gorgeous creations:

Pure Joy Creative started about two years ago in my home with me wanting to make special and meaningful gifts for my friends and family.

My friend had asked me to make a scripture painting for a baby shower she was attending and I was so excited to do this for her. It was that painting that started my thoughts about opening an etsy store. I'm so glad I did. While I may not have sold a TON I've helped my family earn some extra money for our bills and even a little fun once in a while.

My amazing husband is a Pastor and I am so blessed that I am able to stay home with our two small children (and one on the way) but the bills were still coming so it's great that I can help out a little bit here and there.

I've also been making felt food as gifts for over two years and many people have encouraged me to sell that as well...although it takes longer to make it is really fun for me to do. I try to keep my shelves stocked but to me it's more important to spend time with my family than be sewing all the time!

I've also been a professional photographer for 8 years and love that I can incorporate that into my etsy store as well with scripture prints. I hope to be adding more as time allows.

Thanks for entering to win this scripture/quote painting! I will put whatever you would like on this teal/white circle background. Thanks for having me Jill, it's great to be able to share these gifts with all your readers!

Thanks Jamie!  Enter to win this gorgeous canvas with the scripture of your choice hand painted on!

Here's how to enter:

Mandatory entry:
1) Visit Jamie's etsy shop and comment here about your favorite item.

Optional entries:
2) Become a follower of the Pure Joy Creative blog
3) Visit Jamie's photography site
4) Add Pure Joy Creative to your favorite etsy shops
5) Make a purchase from Pure Joy Creative (10 entries)
6) Become a follower of Win, Lose or Blog
7) Blog, facebook, or tweet about this giveaway (whichever you use more- 3 entries)
8) Visit some of my sponsors (one entry for each sponsor visited!)

Thanks for entering!  This giveaway will close Saturday June 12th at 11:59pm.  Remember to leave a separate comment for each thing you do and multiple comments for things worth multiple entries. 

And don't forget to enter the Sucre Lulu giveaway to win some super cute accessories!

Winner! R'z Cozy Creations Giveaway.

The winner of the R'z Cozy Creations giveaway is number 51

Justine from Just Better Together. 

Congrats Justine, email me to claim your prize.  I hope you all stopped by R'z Cozy Creations and showed them some love.  Thanks for the great giveaway! 

Don't forget to enter the Sucre Lulu giveaway and watch for a new giveaway tomorrow early morning.