Summer summer summertime...

Welcome summer. 

Welcome sun and sand and swimming.

Welcome memories filled with smiles and the smell of Coppertone.

We spent the weekend at the lake with the in-laws, and minus the sunburn tan I got on my shoulders and forehead.... had a fabulous time.  The girls are at an age that is just too much fun.  Sure, they're in to everything... but they approach it with such joy and excitement and curiosity that you can't help but have fun along with them.  They're also finally at a point where they can play and I don't have to hover as much.  Notice I didn't say "don't have to hover at all."  Cause you know mama's gotta keep a close eye on her chickies.  Life jackets can be a girl's best friend too, right?!

Of all the things I love about weekends like this, moments like this are some of my favorites.

Bring on the heat!

Popsicle Sleeve Tutorial! (and giveaway...)

To kick off the start of all things hot, all things sunny, and all things summer... how about a tutorial?! 

The popsicle sleeve serves two purposes... it keeps your little one's hands from getting cold while enjoying their tasty treat and it catches any sticky drips that ensue.  The terrycloth lining also adds enough traction to help those little hands slide up the popsicle as they're eating it!

First, gather your supplies.  You will need:

Scrap of fabric for exterior

Scrap of terrycloth fabric

(That's it!)

From exterior fabric, cut out two pieces, each measuring 2 inches x 6.5 inches.

From terrycloth, cut out two pieces, each measuring 2 inches x 6 inches.

Layer exterior fabric (wrong side) with terrycloth (x 2), matching up fabric at the bottom edge.

Fold over exterior fabric at the top, 1/4 inch.  Repeat.  (The hem will overlap the terrycloth.) Pin.

Using a straight stitch, sew along each edge of overlapped fabric, creating two parallel lines.  (I use a contrasting thread because I like the detail, but you don't have to...)

With exterior fabric (right sides) together, pin along outer seams and sew a straight stitch (using 1/4 inch seam allowance).

Snip the bottom corners and turn.

Press along seams and corners with your turning tool (aka chopstick!).

Add popsicle (pop-ice, otter pop...), an adorable kiddo and ENJOY!!

For those of you out there who maybe aren't sewing-inclined... I'm giving away the popsicle sleeve made in this tutorial!  Here's how to enter:

1.  Leave me a comment (with your email address so I may contact you if you win!)

2.  Post about this tutorial on your blog for an extra entry (let me know you did via a comment!)

Winner will be chosen Monday, May 31st, 2010! 

Good luck!

No fair!

... to have to work today
... to not know yet if I can make my girls' "Lunch on the Lawn" at their school
... to have robin's egg blue linen on my dining room table beckoning me
... to have to clean off my dining room craftiness just in case someone wants to see the house

At least it's Friday, right?!

Gentlemen, Start your Scissors

While anxiously awaiting the arrival of my fabric for previously mentioned dress... I decided to go ahead and cut out the pattern pieces, tedious as it may be.  They're laid out nicely on my craft dining room table, just waiting to be pinned to some robin's egg blue linen.

Whee!

I must say though, that after cutting out a size 12... I'm not feeling the love from Simplicity.  Size 12...

I've got your size 12.

Anyhoo.

Stay tuned during the dressmaking drama to catch an upcoming tutorial for these:

"'Sicle Sleeves"!

My girls love their popsicles, but they don't like how cold their hands get, and I don't like how wrapping them with paper towels only leaves me with sticky bits of paper to clean up... so I made them their own little  popsicle sleeves to keep their hands toasty and my patio clean!

Hope you're having a great week!