This past Sunday my sisters and I threw a baby shower for my sister-in-law. We had a beautiful shower with brunch and games and of course lots of cutie pie baby gifts for her to open. Instead of buying her a corsage to wear I created one for her using a pacifier. This is so easy to do and makes a great keepsake to put in the baby’s room. To keep the cost of the corsage cheap, I  found a pack of two pacifiers from Dollar Tree. I have to honestly say I would not actually use them for a baby, but they worked great for crafting! I also found a pack of plastic baby carriages and the handle formed a little loop that was perfect for tying onto a ribbon.

Supplies:

• Pacifier
• Ponytail holder
• Assorted ribbon
• Fabric flowers with hole in center
• Other baby items that can be tied on
• Scissors

How To:

1. Use a ribbon to tie the pacifier onto the ponytail holder. Make the pacifier the center of the corsage.
2. Continue to tie assorted sizes and colors of ribbon onto ponytail holder on both sides of the pacifier.
3. Tie on fabric flowers. I inserted one end of the ribbon in the center of a flower and knotted the end. Then I tied the rest of the ribbon, with flower attached, around the ponytail holder.
4. Tie on other baby themed items.
5. Keep adding ribbons and flowers until the corsage looks full.
6. On the day of the party slide ponytail holder around wrist of mommy-to-be!

The post How To | Pacifier Wrist Corsage appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

If you read my summer day camp post last week I mentioned this upcoming post about baby carriers. I recently sewed myself a Mei Tai carrier and I love it. When my kids were babies I used the Baby Bjorn and I loved that thing, but my babies were all on the big side and it seemed too quickly they got to the point where I couldn’t stuff their chubbies into that carrier anymore. My youngest one she is a zinger, she makes me want to purchase one of those leashes and hook her to it just so I can keep her in my sight. I decided a bigger baby carrier might be one solution. We have lots of times when we forget to or can’t fit the stroller in the car and we end up some place where I need to carry her. Other times we have our double-stroller, but if there is a lot of walking then the 5 yr. old and 3 yr. old like to ride in it, this cloth carrier gives me a lot more options for getting everyone to where we need to go.

I have seem similar carriers sold for around $100, but I couldn’t bring myself to spend another $100 on something for toting kids around. I decided to do some searching on the internet. I had a really good idea of how I wanted to make the carrier, but I thought I would look around to see what I could find. I lucked out and came across this great tutorial that was exactly what I had been picturing, it even includes a hood/headrest. Check it out – Brooke wrote an awesome free tutorial that is full of clear instructions and videos for sewing your own carrier. She has over 4 years of experience making carriers.

You can find the tutorial here: Mei Tai Baby Carrier Tutorial at Still Learning Life…

You can see my finished Mei Tai carrier above. I made mine out of gender neutral fabric so I could also carry my 3 yr. old son in it. After making the carrier I have a few changes I made or would make that I will detail out below.

1. I made the main part of the carrier 2 inches longer than what is shown in the instructions, so instead of being 21 inches in height mine is 23 inches. You can see how my daughter fits in it by looking at the picture at the top of the post. In that photo she is 20 months old and wears a size 2t. It is a little on the big side, but I also carry my 3 yr. old and they are both only going to get bigger.
2. I followed the instructions for the waist strap padding. For me the waist strap padding wraps all the way around and when I tie the straps I can’t make them quite tight enough because the padding is in the way. When you add your padding, measure your waist and decide how far around your waist you want the padding to go to make it comfortable to wear and easy to tie tight enough.
3. I also followed the instructions for the length of the top straps. The straps were a bit to long even when I tied them in a really big bow. That was an easy fix, I just trimmed off the end and sewed them back closed.
4. I am hoping to add a small pocket to the waist strap. I always wear my daughter on my back (you can easily wear a baby/child on the front) and would love to have a little pocket to hold keys, cash and a cell phone. Carrying a purse while she is on my back is impossible.

This Mei Tai carrier has been a real life-saver this summer as we travel and camp. Again, you can find the instructions here: Mei Tai Baby Carrier Tutorial at Still Learning Life…

During my internet search I also come across some other link for Mei Tai carriers that you might want to look at:

• http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/tablerunnerplacemat-onbuhimo.html

• http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/asian.html
• http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/man-tai.shtml

The post How To | Mei Tai Baby Carrier appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

As a mom to 4 small kids it is so hard to “live in the moment” as they say. Most of my days feel so hurried to get from one thing (breakfast) to the next (cleaning up breakfast, putting the baby for a nap, making a morning snack, answering calls from outside to come help catch a frog or dragonfly). Lately it seems my two smallest kiddles are growing by giant leaps and the moments are passing by too quickly.

In the past month Calista has learned an amazing set of skills. She has learned to: sit up without toppling over; get on her hands and knees and rock back and forth preparing to crawl; eat puffs; wave and say “ba-ba” for bye-bye; wave and say “hhh” for hi; say “da-da” for Daddy; clap her hands and make a yay noise; and play So Big while putting her arms up. Can you believe a baby can learn all this in one month? Just 30 days? This little ball of pudge has 7 teeth already and weighs at least 20 lbs. She is just 8 months old, but already so in tuned with the world. She is child #4, but all these accomplishments never cease to amaze me. I rejoice inside and out each time she learns something new. Yesterday, when she learned to play So Big, I kissed and schmushled her (that is hugging while squeezing chubbiness all in one, okay I made that word up). I could feel her happiness and she could see my excitement. She discovered one more way to communicate with the world.

Kiddle #3 is changing fast too. He calls himself “Charlie Barley”. Over the past month he pretty much potty trained himself. He even runs in from outside to go to the bathroom, takes his pants and underwear off and goes to the bathroom. When he is finished he insists on putting everything back on by himself. (Sometimes his pants end up being put on upside down with both legs in one hole. He just pulls the waist up and the empty leg hole flaps behind him.) He washes his hands by himself when he comes inside, he can buckle the top latch of his seat belt, he can put his own shoes on. He is independent. He is two! Need I say more?

His favorite toys are cars from the movie Cars, he especially loves his Ramone car and sleeps with it almost every night. He loves the color green. He loves to blow bubbles. He loves to emulate his big brother and sister. He is a leftie. He tells me he loves me almost every day. He loves going places and meeting new people. He is super sweet.

Honestly, if I could have a little conversation with Father Time I would ask him to freeze them in their ages for just a little longer. I love the stage they are at and would love to “live in the moment” for just awhile more.

The post Growing Up appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

My swap friend and fellow Bella, Miss Lynn, sent me this Baby Bootie Kit from her Etsy store. I finally found time to put the kit together and the end result is this cute baby shoe. I love it and am going to display it in the baby’s room during this year and then at Christmas time it will transition and become a Baby’s First Year Ornament that I can hang on the tree year after year.

This would make a great handmade gift for any new mom. You can purchase your own kit by visiting her store at: www.etsy.com/shop/sissylove Each kit is different and original, your ornament will be one of a kind!

The post Handmade Baby Bootie Ornament appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

Hope all of you have a lovely Valentine’s Day!

The post Happy Valentine’s Day appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

When we had our first baby I had no idea how much gear it would take to get out the door. Now that I have a system for packing the Diaper Bag I want to share it with all of you.

I love my Skip Hop Diaper Bag. It has made it beautifully through four children and is still in great shape. Mine is nothing fancy, but it does its job. The bag cost a few dollars more than some other diaper bags, but for me I knew we were gonna have more than one baby so it was worth it to buy something that would hold up over the long haul.

Once you have your diaper bag you want to pack the basics. You need diapers, wipes, diaper cream, and a changing pad. What I discovered is that when I am away from home my baby likes to poop out of her diaper. So I pack an extra outfit or two to change her into. I also pack a gallon-size plastic zipper bag with a scoop of Oxi-Clean in the bottom. When the baby dirties an outfit I put some water in the bag and then add the outfit (make sure you zipper that bag shut tight) and let it soak in the bag until I get home and put it in the washer. Because the baby likes to dirty her outfits this way I also put a travel-size container of baby wash in the diaper bag. If I need to I can give her a quick bath.

If you are out in public areas you might want to include disposable changing pads in your bag. You can cover the changing table in the public restroom (I use my regular changing pad underneath too) and if the baby does poop or pee while you are changing her you are going to throw the pad away anyway. Include scented diaper trash bags and a travel-size container of anti-bac hand-sanitizer in your diaper bag; both are great to use if you have an emergency change in the car or at some other inconvenient location.

Other items I add to the bag include Infant’s Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen and a thermometer. You may want include an extra pacifier, burp cloth, blanket and season appropriate clothing such as hats, etc. Don’t forget any feeding items you might need such as bottles and formula.

What to Pack Checklist:

• Diapers
• Wipes
• Diaper Cream
• Changing Pad
• Zipper Bag w/ Oxi-clean
• Extra Outfits
• Travel Size Baby Wash
• Disposable Changing Pad
• Diaper Trash Bags
• Travel Size Anti-Bac
• Extra Pacifier
• Burp Cloth
• Blanket
• Seasonal Clothing
• Infant’s Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen
• Thermometer
• Feeding Items (Bottles, Formula, Ice Packs)

The post The Diaper Bag | What to Pack appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

If you have a sewing machine you can easily sew your own pacifier clip. You can customize your clip by using different color ribbon.

Needed Supplies

Supplies:

• Suspender or Mitten Clip
• 6″ of 1/8″ Soft Stretch Baby Elastic
• 12″ of Ribbon
• Straight Pins

Pin Along Length of Ribbon

How To | Pacifier Holder

1. Fold the ribbon in half and slide the mitten clip on and down to the folded end of ribbon.
2. Align ends of ribbon and fold both ends inward. Tuck both end of elastic inside and pin in place.
3. Pin ribbon in place.
4. Sew along edges of ribbon. Make sure to sew over the area with elastic a couple times to secure the elastic so it won’t come loose.
5. Attach to pacifier.

The post How To | Pacifier Clip appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

I have babies on my mind this month, so I decided to cover baby related topics for the month of January. I have a couple baby related crafts planned if all goes well.

The first topic I want to cover is what baby gear you really need. This is all based on my personal opinion, but after having four babies I like to think I know something on the subject. Thinking back and looking at what I use daily I have compiled a list of the items you really need. This does not include items such as clothes, diapers, blankets, sheets etc.

(Also, check out the links to these items in the left side-bar.)

Baby Gear Items You Need:

• Bouncy Seat
• Sound Machine
• Burp Cloths
• Nursing pillow – I like Boppy
• Playmat – I like Tiny Love’s Gymini
• Stroller
• Car Seat
• Car Seat Mirror
• Diaper Bag – I like Skip Hop’s Deluxe Duo
• Changing Pads
• Crib or Co-Sleeper – I like the Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper
• Baby Carrier – I like Baby Bjorn or Moby Wrap
• Baby Bath Tub
• Diaper Pail – I like the Diaper Champ (requires no special bags)

Baby Medicine Cabinet:

• Infant’s Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen
• Saline Drops
• Gas Drops
• Thermometer
• Bulb Syringe
• Nail Scissors

Items For You:

• Nursing Pads – I like Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads
• Daytime Nursing Bras – I like A Pea in the Pod Soft Cup Wireless Nursing Bra
• Maternity Sleep Bra – I like A Pea in the Pod Full Coverage Nursing Sleep Bra

The post Baby Gear | What You Need appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

We welcomed Calista Rose into our family on December 1st. She was a week overdue by the time she arrived. I had a rough delivery; it started with an induction and ended with an emergency C-Section. Not the way I pictured I would deliver baby #4.

I love the above photo of Allan and Lorelei admiring her when they first saw her at the hospital. Allan kept telling everyone to come and look at her.

Her siblings are in love with her, especially Lorelei. They fight over who can hold her and Allan is always asking if she is awake so he can, “see her cutie face.” Even Charlie brings me her pacifier and even brought me her blanket and said, “Baby cold.”

Our house is bustling with activity as we try to keep up with having a new baby and enjoy the spirit of the season. So much to do, thank goodness my husband was able to take some time off to help with the baby and the other kids.

Hope all of you are enjoying your Advent Activities. We fell a little behind while I was at the hospital, but we are slowly catching back up. It helps keep the kids busy now that the weather is cold and gray.

Happy Holidays!

p.s. The day Calista was born we had our first snow fall for the season. Here is a picture of Grandma with the kids outside that day.

The post Our Newest Love appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

I have been checking into diaper prices recently trying to figure out how to get the best deal. I should have done this earlier, but you know how that goes. Now we are about to have 2 in diapers again and I thought I should do some research. I compared purchasing diapers at Sam’s Club, Amazon.com and Diapers.com. Here is what I discovered.

Pampers Cruisers Sz. 3

• Sam’s Club – 160 ct @ $37.98
• Diapers.com – 164 ct @ $43.99
• Amazon.com – 160 ct @ $39.18
• Amazon.com Subscribe and Save/Amazon Mom – 160 ct @ $27.43

Pampers Swaddlers Sz. 1-2

• Sam’s Club – 234 ct @ $37.98
• Diapers.com – 180 @ $42.99
• Amazon.com – 234 ct @ $31.o9
• Amazon.com Subscribe and Save/Amazon Mom – 234 ct @ 21.76

Huggies Wipes Natural Care

• Sam’s Club – 720 ct @ $14.16
• Diapers.com – 576ct @ $22.99
• Amazon.com – 720 ct @ $31.58
• Amazon.com Subscribe and Save/Amazon Mom – no option for that

It became glaringly obvious that I should be using AmazonMom with Subscribe and Save to buy diapers. Looks like they have options for receiving a shipment every 1 month, 2 months, 3 months or 6 months and shipping is free.

Sam’s Club beat out everyone for the Huggies Wipes by a huge margin. We go there once a month, so I will continue to purchase wipes at Sam’s.

Hopefully this was helpful for some of you. If anyone has any other tips for getting diapers cheaper I would love to hear your ideas.

The post Diaper Shopping | Price Comparison appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.