Where to Wednesday: A Simple Idea for Road Trip Fun

Keeping kids busy on long car trips is not easy. We do quite a bit of travel over the summer. I can get Maggie to watch a movie for about 30 min, & when the road trip is 8+hours that leaves a lot of time for "are we there yet whining"! We bring books & stickers but Maggie loves to play with all of her little dolls & animals. She tries to play with them in the car, but they always fall off her lap (which leads to a lot more whining). 

A few months ago, we kicked off an early morning road trip with a stop at our local coffee shop. We had barely reached the parkway when the waterworks started because Maggie dropped "mini Cinderella". I looked down at the drink tray holding our coffees, thinking to myself: I should have gotten a bigger coffee for this trip. Then I had an idea...

I took the coffees out of the tray & announced that Cinderella now had a new castle for the car. Maggie loved it & played with it the rest of the drive. 
Recently I painted one to make it look even more fun. We now have a blue swimming pool, a green forest & pink & yellow bedrooms for the princesses.  This is a really simple way to entertain kids in the car or stroller. You can leave the tray as is or get creative with it! Any other favorite activities for long car trips? 

How to Make A T-Shirt Quilt: A Guest Post

Hi friends! I'm Leslie from Lamberts Lately. I was so honored when the sweet girls from The Chirping Moms asked me to guest post! Over at my blog, I love to write about family, friends, and anything home...that includes things you can do to make your home a happier, more inviting place.  I think the craft I'm bringing you today definitely falls under that category!  This was such a fun project - I hope y'all enjoy it too!  

  For years, I've had a pile of old sorority t-shirts sitting in the corner of my closet that I just swore I was going to make a quilt out of one day. Well, y'all know the story…life happened. I got pregnant, had a baby, and proceeded to take care of that baby through her newborn stage. Finally, a few months ago, I got a little bit of "breathing room" and was able to start doing fun, hobby-like things again! One of the first things on my list was this quilt. I knew it was probably a big undertaking to learn how to quilt, but I was committed to it. I think I've mentioned before that my grandmother taught me how to use a sewing machine…I regard this skill as the best gift she ever gave me. But quilting is a whole new ballgame. So I sat down a few weeks ago to actually learn the basics…and was shocked to find out it's not hard at all! You just need a little bit of patience and a couple more supplies. Here's how I did it! 1. Gather your supplies. Yes, there are a few things I regard as "essentials" when you're making a quilt. Here's a list of things I think you absolutely have to have to make it successful. Rotary Cutter* Self-Healing Cutting Mat* Large Acrylic Quilting Ruler* (*I was able to find all three of these in a set…by far the cheapest way to buy them that I could find.) Sewing Machine Good, sharp pair of scissors New sewing machine needle (so it's nice and sharp) Fabric (see below for measurements on my quilt) Quilt Batting Quilt Back (I used a twin-sized flat sheet I found at a local discount store for $3!) T-Shirts (9 would be minimum…I used 12 and it made almost a perfect twin-sized quilt) Big Safety Pins Bias Tape Maker Here are a few things that would probably make it easier, but aren't essential. Walking foot (This is a foot for your sewing machine that helps feed the fabric through easier…I did fine without it, but a lot of sites I read swear by it.) Nylon Thread (I loved using this - it's very thin, so kind of hard to work with, but it can be used on any fabric when quilting because it's so thin and see-through.) 2. Gather measurements. First, I sat down and drew out a "blueprint" for my quilt.  

Don't you love how professional this looks? :)  Kidding. The gray pieces represent my t-shirt squares…they were cut to 15"x15" (more on that later). The dark purple were each cut to 15"x3.5"…and you need 17 of them for this pattern. (You'll need a half yard of fabric for this color.) The light purple pieces, my end pieces, had 2 different sizes…2 of them were cut to 69"x7.5", and 2 were cut to 71"x7.5". (You'll need 2 yards of fabric for this color.) The light blue pieces were actually a pretty pattern I found at the fabric store…you'll need 6 3.5"x3.5" squares. I also used this fabric for my bias tape that sealed off the edges (more on that below), which requires a half yard of fabric…so go on and get 3/4 yard of this fabric, and you might have leftovers. 3. Cut your fabric. Now to the scary part! I say scary - it's really not that bad. First, the shirts. Here's the best way I found to do this.

1. Start at the bottom of the shirt, right below the armpit, and cut straight up to the armpit of one side of the shirt. Then, follow the seam of the shirt all the way around the back of the shoulder, neck, and other shoulder…don't actually cut the seams out, just use it as a guide. Get as close as you can to them so you have more fabric to work with! Once you get to the other armpit, cut straight down to the bottom of the shirt. 2. Lay your piece out on your cutting mat….try to get it straight with the grid on the mat. Take your ruler and cut a straight line across the top of the shirt with your rotary cutter as high as you can above the design. 3. Go to the bottom of the design, measuring 15" from the top cut, and cut another straight edge using the ruler and the rotary cutter.    If that bottom cut is looking a little close to the design, and you have a little bit too much room up top, you can go back and make another cut at the top. 4. On the cutting mat, see what number on the grid is in the middle of your shirt's design (it was usually around 12 or 13 for me). Take that number and subtract 7.5 from it…make a straight cut at that number. Now, add 7.5 to it…make a straight cut. This makes sure your design is centered in your square. And voila! You have a centered, pretty t-shirt square.  Really rely on your cutting mat's grid and your rotary cutter for this.   You need to also cut your fabric strips for the rest of the quilt...not that hard, just make sure they're nice and square.  It makes sewing so much easier!   4.  Start putting together!    This is the fun part!  Start pinning your pieces together.  

    Take one of the 15"x3.5" strips and pin two of the small squares on the ends, lining up the edges and putting the right sides together (ignore the picture, they are right sides apart...learned that was wrong the hard way. :/).  Sew these outside edges with a 1/4" seam (you're going to use a 1/4" seam for everything in this project, unless otherwise noted).  The easiest thing to do is to measure 1/4" on your machine and mark it with masking tape.  I lucked up - the end of my sewing foot was exactly 1/4", so it was pretty easy for me! Once you get those sewn, unfold and pin a 15"x3.5" strip to the on the top of each square, right sides facing each other, left side lined up...sew the edges, so you have one big straight line of pieces sewn together.  You just finished your first section! You'll need 3 of the sections listed above. Now, start on the t-shirt squares.  Lay them out in the floor to make sure you're order is correct and there's no funky colors together. Take the t-shirt square on the far left of each row and pin a 15x3.5" piece on the right-hand side of it, right sides facing each other.    

  Sew down the edge of this with your 1/4" seam and unfold.  Now, take the second t-shirt square in the row and put it, right side down, on top of the 15x3.5 piece...pin the right-hand sides together and sew.  Keep repeating, alternating t-shirt squares and 15x3.5" pieces, until each row is done! All of your rows should be finished, and now it's time to put them together!  First, iron all of the seams open on the back of the quilt...this makes sure your seams lay nice and flat in the finished product.

  Now, take a skinny row and pin the bottom edges with your top t-shirt row, right sides facing each other.  The important thing here is that you line up the ends of each individual piece in the row so that there won't be any funky lines.   Sew this, unfold, and lay the second t-shirt row, right side facing down, on top of the sewn-on skinny row.  Align the edges and pin.   Keep on repeating this until your squares are sewn together with your skinny rows!   Now, the end pieces needs to go on.  Take the 71.5x7.5" pieces and pin them onto each side (left and right) of your big piece, right sides together.  Sew and open up...iron your new seams open.  Now, attach the 69x7.5" pieces to the top and bottom, right sides together, sew, and that's it!  

  You have a finished quilt front.  Not so bad, right? 5.  Make your "quilt sandwich." This is apparently a pretty common term in quilting - "quilt sandwich." It just means you layer your quilt backing, batting, and quilt front to prepare for the actual quilting part! Like I mentioned, I just used a sheet I found at a discount store for the quilt back...I'd recommend this.  Not only is fabric more expensive per yard, but it's hard to find it big enough to fit in one big piece. I used cotton quilt batting I found here.  Several places recommended cotton over polyester batting because it is more stable and longer-lasting.  If I'm going to put this much effort in, I'm going to get something that's going to last!  It was only a few dollars more - I used the twin size for this project. Layer your pieces, make sure everything is nice and flat and lined up, and start pinning!  The sheet and quilt batting will probably be bigger than the quilt front - that's ok - don't trim it yet.  You'll need to safety pin every few inches, all over the whole quilt, so it will stay together while quilting.   6.  Get to quilting!   Start in the middle of your quilt, with it facing up, and use your nylon thread (or thread to match the quilt) to start quilting!  This is where the walking foot would come in great if you have one. I did what's called "stitch the ditch"...just stitching along each seam line, all the way through the quilt sandwich, row by row.  It made this nice pretty pattern on the back of the quilt!  

   

  It is a little difficult to squeeze all of the quilt in the sewing machine when you're doing the middle.  I found it easiest to roll up the end, like this, so all of it would fit.   7.  Trim the edges. Once you have stitched all of the ditches, horizontal and vertical, bind the end of your quilt.  You'll need to sew a seam all the way around the quilt about 1/4" from the end of your quilt topper.  This makes the ends stay together.  

After you've binded, trim the edges of the backing and batting.  Personally, I would trim all the way down to the end of the quilt topper, leaving just a little bit of an edge (even less than shown - maybe 1/8"). 8.  Prepare your bias tape. I'm not even going to try to explain bias tape...it's what you use to make the edge of your quilt pretty.  Just go here and thank me later...this easy method is what I used, and it worked perfectly!   9.   Attach bias tape. Again, the site mentioned above has a fabulous tutorial for attaching bias tape to the end of a quilt...click here to see!

My bias tape attaching wasn't perfect...but none of the quilting process was for that matter.  That's ok with me - it's supposed to look handmade.  It adds character, right? :)

I absolutely love the way it turned out!  And it wasn't a very time consuming project at all - I just worked on it for an hour or so here and there for about a week.   So get to quilting!  I promise you'll love it as much as I did. :)

Sharing the birth announcement...and a Tiny Prints GIVEAWAY!

First of all, I hope you enjoyed our awesome Spring Fling event this past weekend.  We hope you found some great deals and finds to kick off summer!
My sweet girl may have just turned two months, but I am finally sharing our "birth announcement" with you!  
Here is our sweet Abigail Snow, our little St. Patty's baby...

Many people have asked me where baby Abby's name has come from, so here's the story behind the name...
Abigail is named after one of my closest childhood friends.  Abby and I went to elementary school together and were best friends until I moved from North Carolina to Iowa in fourth grade.  We managed, despite the long distance, to stay best friends and even took trips to see one another.  When she was in junior high, she was diagnosed with cancer and passed away a couple years later.  She has always inspired me to live life with a positive outlook and I am so honored to name my baby girl after such an amazing and sweet spirit.  Baby Abigail's middle name, Snow, comes from my grandma.  We have always called her Grandma Snow, although her first name is actually Dorothy.  (Her maiden name was White and she has seven grandchildren...hence Snow White!)  I really liked the ring of Abigail Snow when we were thinking of names, so that's what we decided to go with, something special and sweet!

Being my third child, it took me about three weeks before I sneaked in the the time to order my birth announcements during my nonexistent free time.  And another three weeks before I had them actually labeled and mailed.  (And trust me, there are a few still sitting on the desk that I need to send out!  But remember we are also in the middle of selling a house, moving several hours away, renting a new house, and my husband starting a new job, all with three kids four and under!  Most days I'm proud of myself if I can manage to fit in taking a shower much less get the birth announcements mailed out.)

I'm so thankful to use Tiny Prints to create my birth announcements.  Tiny Prints makes the most amazing birth announcement cards.  There is a wide variety of styles, ranging from modern to whimsical.  You can choose to do one picture or a collage of several pictures.  There is also special cards for twins and multiples, adoptions,  and even pregnancy announcements.  Tinyprints' cards are a great way to announce to your family and friends the arrival of your baby boy or girl. The cards are so easy to create.  I just uploaded the photos, added my text, and clicked order.  The card that I chose happened to be the "Snow" print, perfect for Abigail Snow's name!    One of my favorite new finds from Tiny Prints is the Tiny Prints blog!  The Tiny Prints blog has lots of great ideas, such as their features on a first birthday party, baby shower invitations, throwing a graduation party and more.  Ideas shared are creative and trendy with so many great ideas so make sure you head over there and start following.   
One lucky reader will win 30 Invitations OR Announcements, customizable for any occasion. They have a wonderful selection to choose from.  Enter in the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win.  Good luck and happy Monday Funday!
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Shop Yellow Friday!

Yellow Friday, Spring Fling edition, runs all weekend long!  

All shop deals are revealed below.  Click here for Part One and Part Two of the follow-up posts  with more information about each shop and details on their deal.  All deals will run through Sunday at midnight. There are LOTS of great deals at fantastic stores.  If you have any questions, feel free to email the chirpingmoms@gmail.com. We are so excited to bring this fun shopping extravaganza to you!
EVERY shop is using the same code:  yellowfriday 
Anne Riggs Designs:  Spend $50 in shop and get a free set of 25 makeup/facial pads AND mesh laundry bag, value $20 (Put yellowfriday in note to seller when ordering) The BBQ Pantry:  20% off Baxter & Beatrice:  25% off The Beaufort Bonnet Company:  15% off hats & gifts Carly Megan:  25% off Dolphin Organics:  25% off sunscreen and aloe based lotion The Idea Box:  25% off LB Originals: 25% off plus free gift when you spend over $100 The Little Crane:  10% off London Times:  30% off Love Bubs:  20% off Messy Kids Designs: Buy One Shirt, Get Another One 50% off and use code yellowfriday2 for free shipping on ALL orders Mis-Tee-V-US:  25% off Miss Monogram:  15% off and Free Bow when you spend over $100 Missy Madewell:  25% off Olivia and Owen:  20% off Posh Princess Bowtique:  20% off The Recycled Bin:  "Spend More, Save More" deal...see detailed post for more info! Refined Inspirations:  20% off Ruffles and Twirls:  20% off Sila Boutique:  15% off Simply (Darr)ling:  20% off and free glitter headband with $25 purchase Smock Your Tot Website or Etsy Shop or Facebook:  20% off Snapping Turtle Kids:  30% off Starlight Woods:  15% off Owl Be Sweatin:  15% off Wild Sprout Design:  20% off
Again, EVERY shop's coupon code:  yellowfriday.
Thank you for shopping with The Chirping Moms!
Earn entries in the giveaway below by shopping or sharing these deals on social media! You could win a $25 Amazon.com gift card! 

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Yellow Friday Part 2

Is everyone having fun shopping? This is the second group of shops participating in Yellow Friday. This will give you a little more info on their deal & their company. You can view the full list & also enter the fun Yellow Friday giveaway here.
Beatrice & Baxter 25% off the entire site with code yellowfriday. Some items are already on sale, so this code gives you extra savings!  We love this line & featured their clothes during our Kids' Fashion Week.

Baxter and Beatrice is a children's clothing manufacturer located in Houston, Texas.  They are a division of the long standing and well respected children's clothing brand, Mis-Tee-V-Us.  Their clothes range in size from newborn to youth.  All of the garments are 100% cotton and are hand made in the USA. The colors and patterns are fun and bright! Website : Facebook
BBQ Pantry 20% off their entire shop using code yellowfriday. It's a great time to stock up for summer grilling. The BBQ Pantry also has gift baskets that would make fantastic Father's Day gifts! Earlier this week, I shared 5 of my favorite recipes using products from The BBQ Pantry.

The BBQ Pantry is owned by a stay at home dad of three. He opened the shop last October & after a very successful holiday shopping season, decided that he would not go back to work, but instead do what he really loves: BBQ. Along with the shop, he has a competition BBQ team that travels the state of SC competing and using the products sold in The BBQ Pantry.  Etsy Shop : Facebook : Twitter
carlymegan 25% off the entire Etsy shop with code yellowfriday. Carlymegan has so many great items in her shop including baby & toddler leggings, onesies, blankets & accessories! We've featured this shop a few times & currently have a giveaway going on where you can win a pair of leggings! 

 carlymegan is a shop that started as an outlet for creativity for the owner and has since become a way of life for her! The shop includes a mixed bag of unique, simple, and handmade pieces.
Etsy Shop  :  Facebook  :  Twitter
Dolphin Organics 25% off all sunscreen & aloe products with code yellowfriday.  We love Dolphin Organics at The Chirping Moms. We've written about their wonderful products a few times now: Beach Essentials : Favorite Organic Products : Favorite Bath Products

Dolphin Organics makes personal care products for babies and young children, made only with natural and organic ingredients. There is nothing artificial – not even the preservatives.  Website : Facebook : Twitter
LB Originals  25% off the entire Etsy shop with code yellowfriday PLUS spend $100 & receive a FREE personalized luggage/ bag tag!  This wonderful Etsy shop has an assortment of bright, cheery personalized items! From monogrammed phone cases to personalized rulers, this shop has it all. 

  Looking for personalized sippy cups, water bottles & snack containers for summer camps? LB Originals has you covered! This shop is also perfect for "end of the year" teacher gifts.
Etsy Shop
London Times 30% off entire site with code yellowfriday. Moms: now it's time to shop for yourselves! London Times is an online women's line. They have dresses for all occasions. There are some vibrant colors & many styles to choose from. They are all under $100 & the shipping is FREE!  We were lucky enough to meet some of the London Times team at an event last month & also enjoyed having them in our Great Mother's Day Giveaway! Website : Facebook : Twitter : Pinterest
Miss Monogram 15% off with code yellowfriday AND if you spend $100 or more you'll receive a FREE monogrammed hair bow! For hair bow, mention it in the "notes to seller" when checking out & Miss Monogram will send you an email to redeem it!

Miss Monogram is owned by an Atlanta native and mother of 2 young children.  What started with monogrammed burp cloths and bloomers quickly developed into something much bigger.  This shop is full of personalized gifts not just for babies, but for moms and home, too.  This is a great place to get teacher gifts! Etsy Shop  :  Facebook
MIS-TEE-V-US 25% off the entire site with code yellowfriday. Some items are already on sale, so this code gives you extra savings!  We love this line & featured their clothes during our Kids' Fashion Week.

MIS-TEE-V-US is a  fashionable, mix-and-match clothing line for kids ages 2-14. Since its inception in 1992, MIS-TEE-V-US has evolved from a T-shirt company to a full line of brightly colored and stylishly coordinated tops and bottoms for girls and boys.  As a result, both kids and parents alike love MIS-TEE-V-US.  Kids are crazy about the fun styles and comfortable fit, while parents find the rugged, long-lasting quality irresistible. Everything is made in the USA.  Website : Facebook 
Olivia & Owen 20% off the entire website with code yellowfriday. Olivia & Owen has beautiful, classic clothing for boys & girls. We had the pleasure of seeing this whole line at their pop up shop in New York City last month & loved every item! 

   Olivia and Owen is a high-end children’s luxury line focused on classic style essentials made with the most luxurious fabrics and sophisticated prints. The Olivia and Owen brand is defined by an exciting collaboration of East meets West, with style influences spanning from the sleek trends of New York City to Lisbon Portugal’s old-world charm. You get the best of both worlds, as they offer two collections. Everyday– focusing on quality, classic American styles and Holiday – representing a more formal European feel with an American flavor. Website : Facebook : Twitter : Pinterest  Ruffles and Twirls 20% off entire Etsy shop with code yellowfriday. Ruffles and Twirls has a fun assortment of all things cute, stylish & girly!

Stop by Ruffles and Twirls and see their beautiful summer line of fluffy pettiskirts, lacy leg warmers, tutu tops, and cotton chevron skirts! The shop owner tries to add a little ruffle to everything she creates and loves lace, tulle and satin. Enjoy browsing around the shop - there's even have a little something for the moms!  

Etsy Shop The Recycled Bin This awesome Etsy shop is offering a fun Yellow Friday deal: Buy More, Save More! Spend at least $10--Save 10%  Coupon Code  Chirp10 Spend at least $20--Save 20%  Coupon Code  Chirp20 Spend at least $30--Save 30%  Coupon Code  Chirp30 If you forget to enter your code, message them and they will apply your discount!  

The Recycled Bin, a mother-daughter duo, features a selection of distressed & vintage home decor. From the always popular cast iron bottle openers, to colorful hooks for towels, coats, keys etc!  Polish off a room with their vintage wall outlet covers & light switches. They make every item to order, so you can customize your color choices to perfectly fit your home! The bottle openers make also make a great Father's Day gift!
Etsy Shop

Snapping Turtle Kids 30% off the entire site with code yellowfriday. Pool & beach season kicks off next weekend & Snapping Turtle Kids has a wonderful line of swim wear for boys & girls! We shared their adorable tunics back in March & we're so glad they are now part of Yellow Friday. 

Snapping Turtle Kids was started by a mom, who while struggling to get her baby out of her bathing suit on the beach, thought "there must be an easier way"! All of her adorable swimsuits have stainless steel snaps at the bottom, to make diaper changing a breeze.  Website : Facebook : Twitter