2 burp cloths in under 1 hour

Burp cloths seem to be one of the most used items for babies.

 

I always had one... or many more... on me at any given time.

So why are there such few options for them?

They make some with patterns or prints on them but usually the quality is lacking and even then they aren't super cute!

 

So here are some ways to make a simple (affordable) gift into a One of a Kind gift!

 

I buy the packages of pre-folded burp cloths from Walmart.

 

Then you can embellish as many as you want (or have time for) and you can always stash the extras in the gift bag.

 

I did add her name/initials via my embroidery machine. I'll start doing some tutorials for that soon, so check back!

 

I hope these tutorials are easy to follow. Let me know if you have any questions!

 

Option 1:

1. I measured by burp cloth (length) and the middle width (the thicker part in the middle). Mine measured approx. 20" long and 4.5" wide in the center.

   
2. I cut my decorative fabric 5" wide and 20.5" long. So if your burp cloth measured differently, I just added 1/2 inch to the length and width. It doesn't have to be perfect, just make sure that the length is not shorter than the burp cloth! You may even lay the burp cloth on the material and mark your length  + a little more for the hem.

   
3. Next, I positioned my fabric in the center of the burp cloth. Be sure to fold the fabric under at the top and bottom (not on the sides, we will fix that next).

   
4. Now that the fabric is centered and pinned, take your ribbon and you will use it to hide the unfinished sides of your fabric. Lay it over your fabric on each side.

   
5. At the ends, fold the ribbon under the fabric, then you can pin the ribbon all the way up and fold the top of the ribbon under the fabric as well.

   
6. Here's where we are...

   

   
   

   Now, Starting on either ribbon, sew it to the burp cloth close to the side where the fabric is. This will secure the ribbon and the fabric to the burp cloth.

   

   
   
7. Do this to both sides. I didn't like how the ribbon popped up on the outer edges so I sent back and stitched it as well.
8. Sew across the bottom and top of the burp cloth, where you folded the fabric under.

   
9. Now you have a cute, personalized gift for the new baby!

   

 

Option 2:

1. Measure the width of your burp cloth. Mine (and probably most others) was 14" wide. I cut my fabric 14.5" wide by 9" tall.

   
2. Create a hem by folding the top and bottom (14.5" sides) under about 1/4". I pressed it with an iron to keep it folded.

   
3. Fold length wise (like a hot dog) with right sides facing each other. Align material at the folded ends and stitch each end.

   
4. Turn fabric right side out. Tuck burp cloth into the pocket you've created with the fabric. Make sure the top of th fabric is still folded under on both sides of the fabric.

   
5. Pin the fabric onto the burp cloth. **Make sure that the fabric lines up on both sides so that when you stitch it down you will get the back and the front sewn together.

   

   
   
6. Just stitch the top of the fabric, it should be sewing down this side and the fabric on the other side at the same time.

   
7. I used my embroidery machine to add her monogram to the Burp cloth.

Now you're done! You have 2 cute personalized burp cloths to give the new momma!

There are so many other ways to add cuteness. I hope these 2 ideas lead to many other creations for you.

Enjoy!

Why I QALO

Why I QALO?

 

Well, first of all, what is QALO?

QALO is a wedding band company that focuses on making silicone wedding bands. Some people have jobs that make wedding bands dangerous to wear and many people who work out don't like to wear their real wedding bands/rings.

QALO offers a fantastic alternative... I don't work out or have a dangerous job (lol) but I am active and I like to bake (which can be very messy for me). These rings are easy to clean and don't really get in your way.

I found these rings by chance on Facebook one day and fell in love with them! So not only are they practical, they are also affordable. The women's rings are only $15. That's awesome!! Men's rings are $20 (I guess because they are a wider band). The best part is they come in different colors and they are always adding to their collection. I can't wait to add to mine. I have the teal... and it's amazing!!!

They are super comfortable and oh so cute. I took mine to the beach on vacation and loved not stressing over my "formal" wedding ring. This one went in the ocean and played in the sand.

I've had my ring for around 6 months now and it has not discolored or stretched any. It looks just like it did the day I received it.  

 

My husband also ordered from them when I ordered mine. His, however, came in the wrong size. He tried it for a few days before realizing what happened. I called them and they were fantastic. Not only did they send a new one out that day but they also told us to keep the wrong sized one.

I love that this company is pro-marriage. They are great people with a passion for giving people a quality product.

 

I really hope to spread the word about this company because I truly believe in their product. I am in no way receiving anything for posting this. I'm just proud to own one and hope that others will enjoy it as well.

Rainy Day Puppet Show

Well, It keeps raining... it seems as though it will never end. I shouldn't complain really. We are blessed here. We aren't having flooding or dry forest fires. I do, however, have 2 kids who are ready to be outside. I'm running out of ideas on how to keep them busy. Today was one of my better days!

We decided to have a puppet show. Only problem was, we don't have puppets... or a puppet stage. I decided to get the kids in on the prep work.

DIY Puppet Show:
I went to Google and did a google image search for paper doll outlines. I could have printed them but I was out of ink. I simply placed a piece of paper over my ipad and traced the figures.

Next, I let the kids do the coloring. Please note, they are 6 and 3, thus the randomness :)

I cut them into simple shapes, who has time to be that detailed to cut exactly on ALL the lines... not this girl!

Then my daughter found jewels, so they naturally got added to the puppets!

We added popsicle sticks/craft sticks to the back of the paper cutouts... Tadah! We have puppets!

Then I took 2 dining chairs, 1 twin sheet and 4 clothes pins and made this handy puppet stage.

a little practice and they were ready to perform.

This really took very little set up and kept the kids busy for hours. It may be our new "go to" item for rainy days!!

Taco Soup in a Sack

Taco Soup in a Sack

 

I received the greatest food gift a few months ago! I can't wait to share I'm so excited about it. Most of the items for this gift can be found in your pantry. Even if you have do go buy them it's a great meal to have on hand. I didn't care for some of the options in my bag so I've adapted it a little and wanted to share with you all.

 

It's a great gift for a new mom, someone who's ill, or just to have on hand for a family in need.

Everything they need to make the meal comes in the bag you prepare! All they do is open the cans, add water, and cook it on the stove for 30 minutes or all day in the crockpot.

 

We served it with a bag of Tortilla chips and it was a huge hit in our home. I hope you enjoy this meal... and gift idea as much as I did.

 

Taco Soup in a Sack 

• Pinto Beans: 2 cans
• Rotel: 2 cans
• Sweet corn
• Canned Chicken
• Tomato Sauce
• 1 pack ranch mix
• 1 pack Taco Seasoning
• 2 TBS chopped onion

Directions: Mix all ingredients (do not drain) and 1 can of water into pot. Cook 30 minutes on the stove or all day in the crockpot. Serve with tortilla chips!

 

Great soup for a cold day or when you need an easy meal!

 

(I mixed the ranch/taco seasoning/chopped onion together b/c I didn't have individual packages of each of them)

 

Enjoy!

5 Tips to a Smooth Morning

I consider myself a morning person... by morning person I mean I enjoy mornings... peaceful, slow, quiet mornings. But Now I have 2 kids and have to be at school by 8:00 every day. My mornings have turned in to a dreaded time of yelling, running, and chaos! Surely I'm not the only person with this struggle? Anyone??  I've struggled with this since my daughter started kindergarten last year. I hadn't had to get up and be somewhere at a particular time in years. So I've put together a list of things that I've learned since starting school that have really helped me to get out of my house with my sanity, my kids, and fully dressed... well most days lol.

5 Tips to a Successful Morning

1. Wake up earlier than your kids! I know that seems counter productive. An extra 20-30 minutes of sleep sounds fantastic. But hear me out. I wake up 30 minutes before I wake up the kids. I have my coffee, I read my Bible, I check email/social media, and I just sit and enjoy the quietness. I have found that these few moments of solitude help me to fully wake up and embrace my day.
2. Prepare the night before! I always try to set out clothes for everyone the night before. It seems like a simple task, but with an opinionated 6 year old it is much easier to discuss the length of shorts or appropriateness of a shirt when time is not an issue. We make outfit choices at night, together, and then have less drama in the morning.
3. Have a lunch plan! I also try to set out lunch boxes, and non-refrigerated items the evening before school as well. This really just helps me to not forget to send my daughter to school with no food! I place snacks, dessert, chips... etc in the lunchbox at night so all I need to add in the morning are the essentials in the fridge.
4. Turn off the TV! Ok so this one has taken some time to figure out. I thought I was doing myself a favor by giving the kids something to do in the few minutes before going to school. I thought they'd enjoy waking up to a quick TV show... that was not the case... they loved it! so much so, that nothing got done! I'd come in to add finishing touches to outfits or to tie shoes and they'd still be in their PJs. Once I realized the TV was a time waster, I turned it off.. and turns out the kids could actually sleep an extra 10-15 minutes when they weren't fascinated by animated characters on the screen.
5. Be calm and Smile! I know, I know... I've lost my marbles! but no, really, when I've done everything I can to make our day start off right, and it still seems to be spiraling out of control at only 7:30 am... I stop, take a breath, and remember, I love these little people that God has entrusted me with. They can't help it that they are small and not as efficient as me. so I stop, smile, thank them for their efforts. When I make that small effort, I find that the kids attitudes change, my attitude changes, and we are all a little calmer. They are more likely to be compliant and they have a desire to help us get out the door once I stop being so stressed and remember... it's just one morning!

These are just a few of the helpful tips I've learned on this wild journey of motherhood! It gets us out the door with no tears (most days) and gets us where we need to be on time! I hope these tips can help make your mornings a little smoother too.

Sincerely,

A Wild Olive Branch 🙃