Carseat Cover Makeover

Today, I want to show off a project I worked on weeks before Elena was born (like 4 months ago...eeks!). I had seen several projects like this on the web like here and here. I always thought about recovering the boys carseats until my procrastination got the best of me and I just never got around it. 

But Elena was coming into this world without a carseat (the one the boys used was loaned out to my nephew) and I knew I had to get the project started. STAT. 

So my thrifty self went to a thrift store and grabbed this carseat, not yet near its expiration date, and snagged it for $4. Yep. Big spender. The only thing wrong with it was the cover. It had to go. 

This project requires you to take apart the existing cover. I carefully made notes and took pictures of how each piece was assembled so I could replicate it with the new cover.

Next was the fun part: choosing out the fabric! I was absolutely smitten by these colors and this beautiful pattern. I know it might be a bit much for some people, but I've gotten a ton of comments on it so I feel they complement each other well. One thing I refused was pink. Please God, no pink. 

I traced my fabric over the disassembled pieces. I also bought new batting and some cotton backing for it. Pieced and pinned them all together ready to sew! 

I absolutely loved watching this cover come together! I never thought I would be capable of making something like this. After sewing it together just place the old cover on the new one and mark with a pencil the parts that need to be slit for the straps and buckles to go through. Then sew it! It is just like sewing a button hole, just longer...

And next, was elastic! I measured out the old elastic, marked the areas they stretched from the old cover onto the new one and voila! The project was almost complete.

Once the elastic was done, the bias tape pulls it altogether and gives it the neatness effect! Making bias tape, to me, was the hard part. Until you understand the concept of bias tape, it's not going to make sense why you need to do it a certain way...I had to enlist the help of youtube several times and my genius Mother-in-Law to understand the measurements and how to go about it. I still messed it up a bit but was not about to go through another headache of re-doing it and I just made it work (I'm lucky I have that skill). I wish I could have bought the bias tape they already make in stores, ha!

I did have to hand-sew some plastic clips onto the cover though (sorry, no pic of that). It wasn't difficult, but they were absolutely necessary. They fasten the cover securely over it all and make the cover wrap itself nicely over the seat. 

When Elena was born, the cover was complete, but I had no time to finish the 'whole' package like strap pads, head cushions and canopy. I would get around to that later. 

A few weeks went by and I could finally finish the project. I visited the fabric store once more to find a third fabric that would complement the other two. I ended up with small green polka dots on white, and I love how they all simultaneously work together!

It's so good, she gets mesmerized by it. 

You guys, I can't believe I managed to pull it off! And if you have some sewing skills, you can too! Let's get to it! 

~Lynet

simple moments :: giving

linking up to simple moments from myreal.everyday.life

simple moments is about finding the small things that make up our everyday, things we want to remember and be thankful for. it's the little bits of our lives that might not be remembered when we are gray and old. so we document it, on paper, with a photo, in a journal, through a blog.

alright guys...i've been holding off on posting these because i didn't want my sister to see them, soooo, after finally giving them to her this past weekend, i can finally do it! 

now, these aren't tutorials. but, i did follow basic sewing techniques and online tutorials {thank you internet}.

the post today is a simple moments because really, these simple {sometimes not} were all made out of love and in the spirit of giving. i couldn't be happier to finally be an aunt and hope that my sister loves motherhood as much as i do. 

with my second kid, jonah, i found it really easy to just stuff this in my purse. just stick a wipes package and a couple of diapers and you're set! not to mention that green is lovely! i am in love.

next thing i made were these onesies. inspired by forest animals and Leo's name, i know for sure he'll rock these to the fullest! 

white onesies, simple acrylic paints, clothing pens and a sponge was all it took to make these bad boys! 

next up, is this monster of a blanket that was similar to climbing mt. everest! and Leo better use this til he's 25 because it is huge! i didn't have much trouble building the blanket--just framing it. is that correct terminology? ahh, i'm over it. this blanket was a challenge. all i know is that i was so happy i was done with it. and it looked beautiful when done, so i was extremely pleased with it.

currently, Leo measures smaller than one rectangle on the blanket. it'll be fun to watch his progress as he bulks up and gains inches! 

caren, my sis, made sure to pick out 5 complementing fabrics, as she loves texture and patterns and wanted to keep it neutral. this being my first blanket, i think i did a decent job. i know i won't be doing another one unless someone really wants one as i am a big softie {but i won't be happy about it}. so just keep in mind my well-being.

and of course, as a surprise i decided to make her THIS ruffle crib skirt because duh, Leo's gotta crib in style! since i don't have a crib set up at my place, and sis is hundreds of miles away, i just hoped it fit by the given dimension and looked good. still haven't seen it, but i can't wait to see some pictures of it soon.

and guys, don't attempt this as a simple project. holy peanut butter balls!!! i got so hunched over, i started going crosseyed! it was definitely easy, just very time consuming...but check out the end result--GORGEOUS--and again keeping with the neutral tones. ruffles til death! 

annnnnnd last but not least, the baby shower! if this wouldn't have happened soon, i seriously would have gotten heart broken. originally this was supposed to be a baby shower for only my sister, and not sister + baby. but God had different plans and decided that Leo should be part of this Showerland.
and of course i designed the invites! the theme was secretly kept for months from my sister. she still won't stop thanking me for the amazing event.

if you know me or read this blog, you know i'm a diy-er. big-time. everything at the shower was either made or assembled by me + my younger sister + mother. we make a sweet team! 

months of pinning ideas, collecting tea cups, little glass "Drink Me" bottles, scouring thrift shops for something that would turn into an Alice-in-Wonderland thing was definitely exciting. i sure am thankful for iPhone/iPad, it definitely made it so easy to communicate between mom about what all we had acquired and put together. 

Leo was such a great sport the entire evening, we had a crowd of lovely ladies join us, much more than we expected actually, so it turned out way better than what i had envisioned. and i love it when that happens!!! these are just a few photos, will post more in coming days ;) 

the 'Alice' of the Showerland was decked out in her card diadem...so lovely.

i did all this for you sister. because i love you. i know we have our differences but that part will never change. 

now, to rest and get ready for my baby in February! 

also linking up to Shaken Together link party:

toddler outfits

Well, we had another wedding this year...this time, the hubs' side of the family {The one on my side of the family was in March and can be found here}  I was told it was supposed to be some fancy ordeal. And it was. Oh my, it was fancy! Immediately I began thinking about the boys' outfits. I had to make them obviously. Me being the DIY-er, I was determined my kids were gonna be the coolest kids ever and they were {in my opinion anyway}!!
So I put their outfits together in my head and searched their closet for their hand-me-down dress pants, and got to work. I managed to make their pants fit them better. They didn't exactly fit right so I did my best and I was pleased with the results, making their pants seem somewhat 'skinny'. I didn't snap any pictures of this process because I was focusing solely on the tailoring job. And on a personal note, I beg my husband on a constant level to switch to skinny pants so I can admire his butt more... I think I commit some kind of sin when I see other guys wearing them...but the hubs STILL WON'T WEAR THEM! I guess it's like when he prefers my skimpy underwear and all I want to be is comfortable. Alright, I get it.
Anyway, on to sewing boy stuff. Vests were next! I combed the racks of a thrift store and managed to find one that fit perfectly for my eldest--it was even the perfect color!

I somewhat used it as a template for the youngests' vest that I had to make from scratch.I gotta tell ya, it was pretty fun. Much more fun than those dang pants. Pants are hard, guys! I sorta used this tutorial online as a guide for the vest and side note again, i love the internet because it tells me exactly what to do. Perfect example, I present the

Add the cutest anchor buttons {cliché, I know} and he would be showing up all those grown gentlemen at the wedding

You guys, I love the internet. And my sewing machine. But most of all, those boys. I would do anything for them. I just wish I had the willingness to make more clothing for them like Dana from Made. I choose to be optimistic and say, it's better than nothing. Hopefully they will remember their cute little vest and ties that I made them just like I remember that knitted vest with bunnies my mom made me and still treasure memories of. 

Next up, toddler ties! These were so fun--picking out the coordinating fabrics and seeing these itty bitty ties transform right before my eyes.

Once again, I looked to the internet for information on how to build them and found my templates here and here. I wanted a true tie. Not a velcro or 'cheating' one and there were plenty of those... ;) And again, I was pleased with the results. Luckily, I have a husband who knows how to tie one.

For Andrew, I picked out a green/blue/charcoal colored fabric to match up with his Forest Green Converse. 

And when the time came to get dapper'ed up, he threw a fit. Don't ask why...but I love these pictures

And for Jonah, the youngest, I picked a fabric that coordinated with the blue in his shoes. 

The lines on the tie are actually a steel blue color, not black as it shows in the picture...and the light blue would light up his eyes, I just knew it.

I backed the ties with fabric I have had for an eternity...I love how they turned out! 

I only wish I had noticed how much Andrew's vest covered up his tie...still, they were so handsome! 

The boys acted appropriately during the ceremony, except for Andrew blurting out chicken butt!! to my husband which was just a bit too loud for the front row to turn around and sorta giggle...but kids will be kids.  Everyone told us what good little boys we have. And I'm very proud of that.