(iCandy) my hero frames

oh, man, guys...I've felt like the absolute pits the last couple of weeks, and even though I KNEW I better get off my booty and start working on something to post for today, I just couldn't do it!  

So, I'm posting something that I did about a month or so ago, but never posted about because I thought you wouldn't care so much...ha

sorry!

Anyways, I'd been trying to figure out something to do with my husband's personal baseball cards.  He played in college, and then for a minute in the minor leagues (which was a dream come true), and we of course have a little stack of his baseball cards from each.  

But, other than keeping them in a little zip lock bag, I had done nothing with them...and really...they're pretty dang cool!  And if they're cool to me, how cool are they to a little boy?

So, I found 2 white square frames in the garage that I had purchased at Target several years ago for something...and decided they would house Jeff's baseball cards perfectly for Max's (my 5-year-old) room.

 I sprayed the white frames black, printed out some vinyl, and stuck them on the wall above Max's bunk bed. 

baseball photograph compliments of Michele of Now and Forever Photography, (gilbert, AZ)

Here's the full collage above his bed.

I'd show you his whole room, but since he shares a room with his sister, the baseball paraphernalia and the bright girly colors mixed together aren't cute enough for me to show the world!  One day, I'll show you a cute room chock full of boy stuff and baseball!

For now, I felt WAY better the last couple of days, so I hope to be back to normal (minus my daily diet coke {sigh}) soon!

(inspired by) Ice Cream Social Skirt

After I made the Ice Cream Social Skirt, a couple of readers sent me links to their creations inspired by it!  

I wanted to share them with you, as well as the second version that I made!

Katie, at stvital, made a darling lilac/purple one for her niece as a birthday gift. 

 It turned out beautiful, complete with a rolled hem at the bottom.  

I couldn't put a picture here, but definitely check it out!

Emily, from Replicate and Deviate used my tutorial to copy Shabby Apple's Baja Dress!  

Hers looks just like the original, so impressive!  

Go check it out more pics and details of her lovely dress here.

Finally, here is my second version of the skirt.  I would probably make several more, but I can't find cute striped knit anywhere!  {Except for LA, but its hard to get away without my kids for several hours!}

{If anyone has a good source for striped knit, we would love for you to leave a comment!  I am especially interested in navy/white...}

Thank you, ladies for sharing your creations! 

We love to see what you make with our tutorials. 

 We welcome any and all photos or links of reader creations!

(eyecandy) Ugly Sofa Throws

I laughed so hard when I saw this post from Creative in Chicago.

These pillows are so awesome...and while her couch is ... well, totally ugly, the pillows make her space awesome! 

have a laugh and go check it out!

(Sponsor Spotlight & Giveaway) Whimsy Couture

We are so pleased to have another amazing sponsor!

Whimsy Couture

Whimsy Couture is a darling blog and etsy shop where they sell ebook patterns for instant download.  They're patterns are darling and unique, and sure to make you lunge for the nearest sewing machine.  Check out a couple of my favorites, before you go see for yourself!

The Petti Ruffle Romper...

 I want to eat that little girl up...and kind of want her permanently situated at the top of iCandy...doesn't she just fit right in?!?  Oh my gosh...that pattern's at the top of my list!

The Bubble Skirt from Size 3M to 12 in girls

 Another item on my list of things to do, the bubble skirt is classic and darling!

The Girls Ruffle Shorts with an option for a flat front

...the shorts, the tank...really?  darling!

You must go check out their blog and etsy shop and her Instant Download Shop for yourself...you'll swoon, watch out!

...and now on to the giveaway {get excited}

Whimsy Couture has offered to giveaway 3 sewing ebooks of YOUR choice {open worldwide}

In addition to this giveaway, they are also offering iCandy readers a 25% discount on all sewing ebooks from her etsy shop! {just mention iCandy in your checkout notes}

You have until Next Friday, Sept 2nd to enter to win {and to get your 25% discount}

Here's what you've gotta do:

{you know how it goes}

-be a follower of iCandy...leave a comment with your email address!

-be a follower of Whimsy Couture blog via email...leave a comment here with your email address

-follow Whimsy Couture on Facebook with a friend request...and then come back here and leave us a comment with your email address...

that's it!

Ready, Set, Go!

(Pink Fig) Winners!

Guys, thanks for the reminder emails!

With me being gone for 2 weeks, and Jen now being gone, I think out awesome giveaway from Pink Fig got lost in the shuffle...but fear not, here are the winners!

Thanks again to Pink Fig for offering such an awesome giveaway!

Also...If you want to get the buy 2 get 1 free deal, just mention iCandy in your check out!

********************************************

And the winners of the darling Nie Nie skirt pattern are:

#141:  Amber Rice!

#131:  VioletCo!

#109:  a Matula Ikvek!

and the winner of the grand prize awesomeness of 10 of Pink Fig's Best sellers:

#90: ChristyJean!

Please email me at madebyautie (at) gmail (dot) com to claim your prizes!!

Thanks again to Chelsea for sponsoring this awesome giveaway...and so sorry that we're late picking the winners!!

have a great day!

(iCandy) Quiet Book Part 3 of 3

OK, you are probably thinking 

ENOUGH with the quiet book posts! 

Well, if you are thinking that, you are in luck.  This is the last one.

:)

{BTW I am in Colorado visiting my parents, so my sewing is on hold for a bit.  BUT I am working on a 

fabulous top secret project that I can't wait to show you...in due time.}  

So in the meantime, here are the rest of the quiet book pages we made!

 Amazing desert scene (by Ali) where rubber lizards can play "hide and seek"

 Fancy Flowers snap on

This one is another masterpiece by Ali.  She attached a vinyl pouch, which contains a little realistic book, pillow, mattress, quilt, teddy bear, and dress.  Then you "clean your room!"

Good old I Spy game, but sewed into the quiet book page. On the back is a little pocket that holds the laminated card with what to find.

I printed out cute animals onto iron-on transfer paper, and transfered them onto the felt.  Then I did a second layer of felt and stitched the two layers together.  The barn pocket holds the animals, and they

 fit into the car seat.

Match the colors

Snap the fruit onto the tree.

Well, that's all folks!

(Review) Fresh Produce

I recently had the opportunity to try out a new line of clothing that I had never heard of before!

I was excited to look through the Fresh Produce online catalogue and choose the gems that I liked best!

Here are a few of the items that I chose and what i {love} best about each of them!

The Wrap-Me-Up Dress in Oyster

I love to wear dresses to church, and I'm always on the look out for a classic dress that can be accessorized in a few different ways to make it different each time.  I was so excited to get to try out this dress, and it did NOT disappoint!  It's made out of quality fabric; I love the weight of it and the way it hangs when it's on.  The bottom hem of the dress is not symmetrical, which is fun for a wrap-dress, and what I was most excited about was that it was modest enough that I didn't have to worry about wearing a shirt underneath it.  This dress is so comfortable, and it'll be perfect for me this fall, not only at church, but any nice occasion!  I feel like it's so versatile!

They have lots of other Daytime dresses and Party Dresses that you can check out!

The Knit Coastal Wrap Cardigan in White

 I was equally excited to try out this cardigan!  I recently found out that I'm expecting baby number three, and with fall approaching, a couple of good Cardi's over my classic white tee's are sounding so appealing!  This cardi is cool enough that I can push up the sleeves and wear it now for a leisurely walk on the beach with a little wind, but also warm enough that it will serve me perfectly in our perfect fall weather here in California!  I love the neckline, and the little extra fabric just makes it different than all the other cardigans that I have.  I can see myself wearing this all the time!

Check out their cardigan selection!

The Baby Rib Island Top in Sunrise

This top was right up my alley!  Bright summery color and ruffles..hello!  I love the cap sleeves, i love the ruffled neck-line that gives it just the right amount of flavor, and i love that it fit comfortably and not skin tight...I want to be able to move in my clothes, and this one fits just right!  They had several fun colors, and even some that would be perfect for fall!

Check out their other tops here.

I'm so pleased with the quality of each piece, I know they'll wear well and last a long time!

Please, go check out 

You will love the quality!

Fresh Produce now ships  to over 200 countries, so women outside the US can also enjoy their colorful styles, too!

(Sponsor Spotlight) Dang Gina Gives and Miss B's Boutique

I'm so excited to announce our new Sponsor

I've had the pleasure to work with Brittney from Dang Gina Gives on a recent vinyl project, and she was amazing, especially amazing considering she has been in the middle of a move, while I've been pestering her!
Scroll down to see the Vinyl project she helped me out with, but for now....Here's a little bit about Dang Gina gives and the Vinyl shop Miss B's Boutique:

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Here are a couple of my fav's from Brittney:

As medical students we live on a SMALL budget but I love to find products at a great price and with great quality, who doesn't?! I started Dang Gina Gives because I have 2 small business's and wanted to help other mom-preunuers get their name & products out there! So I do reviews & giveaways on products from the fabulous shops and business's I find!  Dang Gina isn't just a blog to get FREE stuff from the reviews & giveaways I host, its also to show you where I have a found GREAT places to SHOP! I also share my own projects as I do them, I LOVE refinishing/revamping/refurbishing!

My vinyl shop is Miss B's Boutique and you can shop straight from Dang Gina Gives, I LOVE doing custom work and try to keep costs as low as possible for my customers! All the vinyl I use is high quality 6 year out door vinyl-so its virtually indestructible in doors! Vinyl is such a FUN and versatile material to work with! It never ceases to amaze me all the things you can do with it! 

You can also order custom vinyl of my 'scoreboard' project from her etsy shop if you're interested, or she'd love to help you make anything else you have a fancy for!  She's so fabulous, go check her out!

(iCandy) PB knock-off Scoreboard

I was inspired by this picture from Pottery Barn Kids to make a scoreboard for my son's room.

So, with the help of our new sponsor, Miss B's Boutique, I came up with this!

It's obviously not nearly as big as the one from PB, but I was able to find a super cheap 24" x 36" canvas print at a tent sale.  (2 feet x 3 feet is pretty dang big anyways...and I was worried about the weight if I just did it on a slab of wood...so a canvas, complete with the hanging tabs already on it sounded like a pretty dang good option!) 

I primed and painted over the painting with a "smokey emerald" paint from Ace Hardware.  I taped and painted off the lines where I wanted and I had Brittney from Miss B's Boutique/ Dang Gina Gives whip me out some custom vinyl to fill in my gaps.  i love it, and I'm so excited to hang it up in his room!

(eyeCandy) Children's Art Display

I LOVE this idea.  

My daughter brings home stacks and stacks of art from school, and 

creates stacks and stacks at home too.  I always take a picture of each piece, 

and then they go away into the computer, where no one can see them.

What a beautiful way to use those photos!

Go check out how she does it at They say a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Shabby Apple Top 15!!!

Hello friends!

My
Sail Away With Me dress 

made it to the 

Shabby Apple top 15!

My day (which actually wasn't all that great) just got much better.

It would be even BETTER if .....

you all would go vote for my dress! (Mine is #13!)

... I know, I am shameless!...

p.s. You can vote daily until Sept. 11
and thank you!!!!!

(iCandy) Quiet Book Part 2 of 3

Here are some of my favorite pages!  

{As I was taking pictures, I realized that I had more pages than I thought...

so I will have more to show next week!}

 The numbers are a flip-stack of laminated numbers, and then you can move the foam beads and 

count along! Super fun.

 This one is modeled off a vintage game/toy where you can create different noses.  I just used part of an old necklace chain for the nose.

My friend Ali did this one, she is amazing! 

Cute three dimensional hat, and the ponytails have built in rubber bands and ribbons so they don't get lost.

 Each hexagon is made up of two colors of felt, so they are reversible.  Helps child learn color wheel, 

including primary colors and complimentary colors, shapes, and how to button.

 Good old fashioned lacing and tying.  Thanks, Amber!

Cute city/car track.  Includes pocket for car, which is attached with a string so it doesn't get lost.

My friend Ali made this one too...I love it!

(iCandy) Monster Truck Quilt

This is not a sparkly, ruffly, glamorous project, but I do know a certain 5 year old boy who will be so excited about it!  My son, Max has an obsession with Monster Trucks..Mom might, too.  Every time you buy one of these bad boys:

you'd also get in the package a small flag with that particular truck's logo on it.  (Actually, recently, they've gone to including monster jam tattoos, but we've been saving flags for years!)

Anyway, we got to the point where we had so many flags, we didn't know what to do with them!  I started hoarding them away so we wouldn't lose any, and I even made Max a couple of shirts with the flags on them.

(See his Donut Patrol Monster Truck shirt?)

That was a really fun idea, which Max LOVED, but I really only wanted so many of those shirts, and not all of the logos are as 'cute' as "Donut Patrol", ya know?

So, after months and months of collecting, I finally did something with the stash of flags I had piling up in my closet.

Max's Monster Truck Quilt

 This isn't just a regular old bed quilt...this is a play quilt.  He can lay it out, and match the trucks to the logos, or whatever he wants (or at least that's the idea)

 So, sorry, this isn't one of those fancy fun girly posts...but Max is so excited it for it, that makes this one of my favorite projects!  Do you guys have any Monster Truck flags lying around??

(iCandy) Quiet Book Part 1

Growing up, we had a quiet book that came with us to church.  It was made of felt and I can still remember playing with it.  I think my mom made it back in the day.

So when Emily was about 1 1/2, I wanted to make one for her and her future siblings.  I got 2 more friends involved, and we did a swap.  We would each make 3 of whatever page we did, saving both time and money.  Much easier to do repeats than create a whole new page. Doing it this way was so fun, because you got pages you wouldn't have thought to make.

It turned out that some pages were super simple, others more elaborate.  After all was said and done, we ended up with a great mix.  Both my kids love to play with them.

For the size, we chose to make them square, about 8" x 8." The pages were made out of felt, with colorful fabric sewed onto the back for stability.  Then we put little grommets on the side to put rings in.  We made lots of pages, so they could be switched out periodically.

I remember when we made these, that I went online and searched and searched for cute ideas.  At the time there weren't that many.  I don't know what is out there right now but I thought I would show you the pages we made.

Here is the first group (more to come on Thursday!)

 Simple shapes attached with velcro.

 Foam stickers worked great, again attached with velcro.

I cut out the ukulele shape out of Hawaiian print fabric, then "laminated" it with iron on vinyl.  I sewed that onto the felt shape, and inserted a piece of cardboard between the felt background and the fabric backing.  The strings are gold elastic tied through the cardboard and knotted on the other side.

 My friend inserted a mirror into this one, not sure how she did it!  Graphics were done printing them onto  iron-on transfer paper and then transferring them onto fabric.

 Used iron-on transfer for the basket and fruit. Sewed a zipper to the top of the basket for the fruit storage, and sewed the fruit "printed" fabric onto the felt.  Used magnetic snaps for this one.

Used iron-on transfer for the nest, and made the eggs attach with velcro, and sewed them so that the baby chickie could go in and out.  Mother hen's wing lifts up so chickies can be with mama too.

Stay tuned for more to come....