Owl Bookends: DIY Tutorial

I've seen many different versions of these cuties around, and when I saw them, I just knew that I'd have to make them! And beyond just being used as bookends, they obviously serve as cute decor, as well.  What's that mean?  These are well worth your time to make. :)

 {Materials Required}:
cotton fabric
felt {white, black and an additional color of choice is optional}
sewing machine
rice
fiberfill
scissors
pen
funnel

Okay, so first you need to decide how big you want your owl/s.  I decided to go with two different sizes: one baby and one mama owl.  (But please KEEP IN MIND: if you're using them for bookends, the bigger the better, to hold all that book weight.  I decided I only needed one bookend, and am going to use my smaller one as a play, beanbag sort of toy).  For the small one, I cut a rectangle about 7x8 inches, and for the larger one, a square about 11x11 inches.  Then I freehanded an owl shape onto the backside of one of my smaller cotton rectangular pieces of fabric.  I drew only HALF of the owl, then layed it on top of my other small rectangular pieces of fabric.  Next, I folded the fabric over (length-wise), and cut along my owl shape.  By using this folding & layering method, you'll get symmetrical sides for your owl and matching sides for the front and back of him, too.

half of my owl shape (the smaller owl)

how it looks folded, before cuting

Now place your two large rectangular pieces of fabric together, with the right sides facing each other.  Go ahead and take your cut out owl shape and pin it onto the wrong side of your large pieces of fabric.  Cut our your large owl shape, using the smaller one you already cut out as your pattern.  Basically, you're just going to cut the same shape as the one you already did, but go out a couple inches from the smaller one's edges.

Now take your white felt, and cut out 2 circles (layer two small squares together, and then cut the circles from that), which will make up part of the owl's eyes.  You're going to need to cut out 4 white circles altogether - one smaller pair for the baby owl, and one larger pair for the mama owl. (You can't go wrong with a size here...just eyeball what size you think looks best).  HINT: use some sort of round thing you have in your house to make the perfect circle...a biscuit cutter (as I did, shown below), tupperware lid, etc.

For the eyes & beak, you're going to use your felt.  Cut out two small black circles for the baby owl's pupils.  Cut out two larger black circles for the mama owl.  OPTIONAL: I decided to add another dimension to mama's eyes, by adding a pair of pink circles to her eyes...right in between the white & black circles for her eyes.  Now you can also cut out a beak to match: for the smaller owl, I did a little triangle, and for the mama owl, I did a diamond shape - both in an orangey-yellow color of felt.

Take just one of the pieces of one of your owl bodies, and lay the eyes & beaks on it to see where you want them to be.  Now pin down the beak and remove the eyes from the body.  Sew the beak on - be sure you're sewing onto the RIGHT side of your fabric, and sewing onto only ONE of the body pieces!

Now take your white eyes, and pin them in place on your body, right above the beak.  Sew them on.  You can do a straight stitch or zigzag in a matching or contrasting color - whatever you prefer!  I chose a soft pink for my baby owl, and a green thread for my mama owl (to complement her baby green owl!), and did mine in a zigzag stitch for fun.

After you've stitched on the whites, stitch on the middle color (if you chose to do so), and last, the pupils.

Here is what your owl will look like so far:

Okay, time to put the owl together!  Go ahead and put the pieces of the owl's body together, being sure the "right" sides are together and matched up along the edges.  Pin in place. 

Sew (I chose about a 1/2" seam for my larger owl, and just 1/4" seam for my smaller one) along the edges, leaving about 2 inch opening at the bottom of your owl (be sure to backstitch when you start & stop, to secure your seams).

Clip the curves. (If you're new to sewing, this means that wherever there is a curve (at the top between the ears, and on both sides of the body), you're going to need to take your scissors and cut little slits just about to the seam.  This will allow for the curves to lay right).

Now turn your body right-sides out.  (You're almost there!)  You're going to take some of your fiberfill and stuff this into the head part of your owl.  Be sure to really get it into the ears and in their points. This will help your owl keep its shape and stay 3-dimensional.

Once you have enough fiberfill to fill the ears and about halfway down the eyes, you're going to start adding the rice.  This will help weigh him down...necessary if you want your owl to be able to "stand" and definitely necessary if you're using as bookends.  Use your funnel for less mess.

Once he's filled about 85 -90 percent of the way, you can stop filling.  Now you just need to turn in the seams, and either sew straight across with your sewing machine, or hand-stitch it shut, along the bottom.

 

Now just follow the above steps for your second owl, and you're done! Enjoy!

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Owl Love.

Our Spotted Owl Burp and Bib Set {image #5} was recently featured over at the Modern Handmade Child blog.  She put up a list of some just-too-cute owl items handmade just for baby.  So here's a link to the post and her blog~enjoy! {And if you're looking to decorate your nursery in owls, this is your winning ticket to the best finds out there!}

Have a product you'd like reviewed? 

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Pinwheels!

I'm not sure why, but lately I've been all about pinwheels...  From their fun-spirited essence to their calming continual motion yet sassy colors, I just love 'em!  Wish I had another room to decorate with them...  But for now I think I'm just gonna add a "punch" of them into my office ~ see the postcards below that I'm thinking about ordering!  {By the way, I'm redecorating the office/crafting room...bit by bit...little by little....pictures to come when it starts looking a bit more "together"!}

I'm thinking maybe for my little girl's second birthday party, maybe I'll do a pinwheel theme...  Ha!  It's not any time soon, though ~ she's not even 1 yet!!  But she turns 1 soon, and I've already got her theme nailed for this year {butterfly garden party...can't wait to share more about that with you all later!}

So, for now, here is some Pinwheel Inspiration!  All items can be purchased from Etsy...you know how much I {heart} Etsy!!  Hope you end up adoring these little guys as much as me...and if you have a room with them, or have used them as theme for something, feel free to share more ideas! :)

Pinwheel Wedding from Rule42

Pinwheel Postcard Set from Cassia Beck

Red Velvet Pinwheel Cookies from Jeanette's Patisserie {SOOO cute for V-Day, right??}

Paper Pinwheels from Once Again Designs

Pinwheel Statement Necklace from Blueberry Shoes

and my FAVORITE: Pinwheel Mobile Chandelier from Pickled Parlor

Have a product you'd like reviewed?

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Diapers: {Subscribe & Save}

I'm not sure why I just discovered this...well, I mean, I know how I just discovered it {thank you, Mae!!}, but now I sit here asking myself, "Why didn't anybody tell me about this earlier?!?"  {As in, nearly 4 years ago, when I had my first child!!!} But, nonetheless, at least I know about it now.  And now you can thank ME for telling you about it!

If you haven't heard of it, you simply must start doing this. It's the subscribe and save program from Amazon.  You can use it on a number of items, but what I particularly will be using it for is diapers.  I can score my diapers {I prefer Pampers, but you can also get Huggies or a couple other brands there, too, with this} for a huge discount by simply setting up a subscription for Amazon to send them to me each month.

All you need to do is register with Amazon Moms first of all.  This will score you 15% off the diapers.  Then you sign up for their Subscribe & Save program to score an additional 15% off.  You can have the diapers set up to be sent every 1 month, 2 months, 3 months or 6 months.  AND did I mention you get FREE SHIPPING, as well?  It's really a no-brainer.  So for just $28.00, I can get 204 Pampers diapers sent to me each month.  That's a huge savings and so, so convenient!!

Have a product you'd like reviewed?

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{Crib} Mattresses.

 When you're a new parent, there are so many things to buy for baby.  But with so many choices on the market in the World of Baby, it's really hard to know what you need, what you don't need {my husband's favorite!}, and what brand/s to go with.

One of the important decisions you need to make is what kind of mattress to get for your baby.  Sounds simple enough.  But actual, this is one decision that could save your baby's life.  Sooo...it's an important one.

All Crib Mattresses is a site that can help you make the right choice.  That is, the choice that's right for you.  From reviews and the differences between foam and innerspring mattresses to firmness and the benefits of organic mattresses, this site has got all the information you need to find.  So no searching and researching all over the internet - it's a one-stop shop.

So be sure to check them out before purchasing a mattress for your baby.  You can click here to check out their Buyer's Guide {there's one for both the standard crib mattress size and one for the mini crib mattress size.

Have a product you'd like reviewed?

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{Mobi} Digital Cam Review and GIVEAWAY! *GIVEAWAY CLOSED*

I think every family I know that has a baby has some type of monitor to, well, monitor their baby.  But there really are soooo many to choose from!  Where does one start in the search for a good one?

Lucky for you, I recently had the privilege of reviewing the Mobicam Digital from Mobi.  Here's what I immediately noticed about it upon removing it from its box {these were particularly evident to me since the last monitor we had purchased was from 4 years ago...and much dated}:  It's sleek, easy to transport and ready to use out of the box. Those are three things that make me happy because a) I don't want something that takes up a lot of space, and b) I really hate poring over oodles of directions.  Oh, and of course, this monitor actually has a camera so that you can see your baby - not just hear him or her {although it is also nice that you can just listen and turn off the vision portion, too, if you like}.

After delving into its features even further, I discovered these qualities about the Mobicam Digital:
*has DigiLock Wireless with FHSS technology for privacy
*has a transmission range of up to 450 feet
*features night vision with a 30 foot range to view in total darkness
*has a built-in night light on camera
*the 2.4" color LCD screen tilts for optimal viewing angles
*features an extra wide camera angle to allow you to see more of the room
*has audio/video output/cable for connection to the televisionor recorder
*includes a wall mount for the camera
*includes 8-hour rechargeable Li-ion batteries

And for you "techies" out there, they also offer an Internet Kit {to purchase separately} so that you can monitor sound and picture remotely from your computer or another Internet device.  What's really cool about it?  You can have an email or text sent to you when motion occurs, for example! Wow!

So, the most important thing is that the camera works like a charm.  Clear picture, no fuzz, & good volume control.  There is no bright light on the monitor either, meaning you, the parent, can sleep better without some big glaring red light in your face all night long {trust me...I know this to be a big benefit since our last monitor had that!}.  And, the light on the receiver in baby's room is a nice blue glow that hardly puts out any light at all, meaning it won't distract baby's sleep.

BUY IT! Visit Mobi today to get your own chic MobiCam Digital Wireless Monitoring System. 

WIN IT! One super lucky Haute Tot and Baby Couture reader is going to win their own MobiCam Digital Wireless Monitoring System {valued at $189.99}!! See below for how to enter!

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Mobi and come back here to tell me another product they offer (1 entry)! YOU MUST BE A HTBC BLOG FOLLOWER {VIA GOOGLE FRIEND} IN ORDER TO ENTER!!  SO IF YOU'RE NOT YET, SIGN UP AT THE RIGHT!! Be sure to leave your email address in the entry so that I have a way to contact the winner! If there is NO EMAIL left, another winner will be drawn. Winner will be chosen via random.org and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize or another winner will be chosen. Entrants can enter through October 20th. Winner to be chosen October 21st!!

Additional Entries!

Once you've completed the mandatory entries, do any of the following for more chances to win! {Again, please be sure to leave your email address in each entry!}

*Subscribe to our blog (2 entries possible; 1 via google and 1 via email feedburner (must be activated to count as entry)).

*Include our blog in your blog roll and include URL (1 entry).

*Become a fan of Adam's Blankie on Facebook (1 entry) and score coupon codes!

*Follow Adam's Blankie on twitter AND tweet about this giveaway with the following tweet, (1 entry - can be done daily):

"Win a MobiCam Digital Wireless Baby Monitor from Mobi @adamsblankie! Enter at www.hautetotandbabycouture.blogspot.com!"

(Be sure to leave a link to your tweet/s!).

*Post our blog buttons on your blog and include link to blog. (6 entries possible - 3 for Adam's Blankie shop button and 3 for Haute Tot Couture blog button).

*Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post AND a picture of the prize!! (3 entries).

*Enter any of our other current giveaways for one entry each (up to 3 entries possible) and leave a comment letting me know which giveaway/s you entered.

*Email up to 3 friends about this giveaway ~ be sure to copy me on the emails! (3 entries possible).

Please note, I was not paid to do this review.
Opinions are strictly my own, and no one or nothing else has influenced me in my review.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED!

WINNER: AKRITICAL - CONGRATS!!

Have a product you'd like reviewed?

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{Sweet Arts Design} Review & GIVEAWAY! *CLOSED*

With a background as a graphic designer in Seattle for 14 years, you can easily see why the creator of Sweet Arts Design is so successful in her children's gifts business. In an effort to become a stay-at-home-Mom, she took her expertise in her field and utilized it to bring creative and personalized gifts for children to the rest of us {lucky for us!}.

So what does Sweet Arts Design offer? Well, everything from books & prints to clothing & totebags. And the real beauty of it all? You can personalize them. And by "personalize," I mean, not only picking your own colors, fonts and designs, but also adding your child's name to them.

So we received the Sweet Arts Design personalized alphabet book for our little guy recently. And I just gotta say at the beginning ~ what an absolutely beautiful keepsake to give as a baby shower or birthday present! The book goes through the entire alphabet with their beautiful original designs, with one page asking, "What starts with the letter B?" and the next page answering, "A balloon that floats high in the sky," for example. And on the first page is the letter, very largely printed, and on the corresponding page is the picture of the balloon. The colors are vibrant and rich, and the patterns are beautiful. And by "patterns," I mean that the pictures and letters are not just colored solid colors, but instead layered {collage-like} with different patterns in colors that coordinate beautifully. And to top it all off, your child's name and initial are put not only on the front of the book but also on the page your child's name starts with {so "Sophie" would be on the "S" page, for example}. You also get to select the color & design for the book cover, whether you'd like it bilingual {Spanish, Italian & French are available along with English) as well as whether you'd like a soft or hard cover.


Needless to say, we love the book, and as I said before, I think it makes a very special keepsake to be treasured a long time. I think you're definitely going to get the "Awww, how adorable!" factor if you give this at the next baby shower you attend! Additionally, the book was shipped and packaged in tissue paper with coordinating ribbon, and wrapped in a clear cellophane sleeve, making it ready for gift-giving upon receipt.

I am also a huge fan of their "Help Our Children" prints that give $5 of each sale to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. These special prints are available for just $15.95 and are sized 11x14 and printed on acid-free white cover stock. There are over 24 of these designs to choose from ~ one of my favorites being this adorable butterfly print!

BUY IT! Visit Sweet Arts Design to purchase your own personalized goodies! Choose from items such as their alphabet book, birth print, cards or onesies! Get 15% off one personalized product with code "adamsblankie," good through March!

WIN IT! Sweet Arts Design is going to be giving one lucky Haute Tot & Baby Couture reader a FREE personalized softcover alphabet book ($29.95 value) of their own! {Open to US residents only}.

Mandatory Entry!
This giveaway is for public HTBC blog followers only {if you're not yet one, sign up today!}. Then simply visit Sweet Arts Design to find a product you'd like to try, and then come back here to tell me what it is {1 entry}, including how you would customize it, for your chance to win! Be sure to leave your email address in the entry so that I have a way to contact the winner! If there is NO EMAIL left, another winner will be drawn. Winner will be chosen via random.org and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize or another winner will be chosen. Entrants can enter through March 30th. Winner to be chosen March 31st, 2010.

Want More Entries??
Once you've completed the mandatory entry, do any of the following for more entries! {Again, please be sure to leave your email address in each entry!}

*Subscribe to our blog (2 entries possible; via google - 1 entry, via email feedburner - 1 entry (must be activated to count as entry)).
*Include our blog in your blog roll and include URL (must leave link to your blog in comment - 1 entry).
*Become a fan of Adam's Blankie on Facebook (1 entry).
*Follow Adam's Blankie on twitter AND tweet about this giveaway with the following tweet (copy and paste), (1 entry - can be done daily):
"Win a Personalized Alphabet Book from Sweet Arts Design @adamsblankie! Enter at www.hautetotandbabycouture.blogspot.com!"
(Be sure to leave a link to your tweet/s!).
*Post our blog buttons on your blog and include link to blog. (6 entries possible - 3 for Adam's Blankie Etsy shop button and 3 for Haute Tot Couture blog button).
*Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post (3 entries).
*Enter any of our other giveaways for one entry each (up to 3 entries possible) and leave a comment letting me know which giveaway/s you entered.

Please note, I was not paid to do this review.
Opinions are strictly my own, and no one or nothing else has influenced me in my review.

This giveaway is now closed (winner: tina reynolds).
Thanks to all who entered!

Have a product you'd like reviewed?
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{The} Nursery.

Well, I promised that I would share some pictures of our nursery with you, and while there are just a few final touches to get into place {rug and curtains, mainly}, I wanted to show these to you all while I have the chance {that is, before she actually arrives!}.

I went with a bird theme, complete with trees and flowers, and love the feminine and airy feel to it....I guess I wanted to go completely opposite of a boy, since that's all I've known the past 3 years! Enjoy! {And let me know what you think!}

Here is an {overview} of the room...

I decorated a plain {picture frame} & adorned it with rhinestones and distressed edges...the photo will be filled in later, of course...

here is a little {flower holder}, complete with a "frog" for separating stems, that I found at a divine little antique-ish store in a local downtown shop...

this beautiful distressed {bird bath lamp} was given to me by a friend...you can get one like it from www.thelandofnod.com.

a close-up of the {tree mural} I painted and highlighted with paper flowers...this is right above the crib ~ a safe decoration, and one that should be interesting for her to look at...

...and some matching {paper pom pom blooms} to hang from the ceiling...
better than a mobile, in my opinion!


this is my grandmother's old {rocking chair}...my mom made a new cover for it {actually was redone when my son was born, but the color worked with the new nursery, too!},
and I repainted it black...

and to aid my back while nursing [ridiculous!] hours of the night, I made this {pillow} for the chair...just couldn't resist a ruffled edge!

thee {bedding}...sewn by my mom and I...all in Amy Butler fabrics {and notice the bitty pom pom ruffled edge on the skirt!}. The inner part of the bumper is a cream chenille....soft and feminine...love it.

realizing it's a little early for this {tooth fairy pillow}, I will use it now to add some color and softness to her door; it also acts as a nice "welcome" greeting upon entering the room...

just HAD to have a {hairbow board} in the room! {I just covered canvas with fabric, and added criss-crossed ribbon for clips, bows & flowers to clasp onto}.

another {hair clip holder}...an upcycled ceramic egg carton dish from Anthropologie...
{to purchase hair clips like the felt/fabric brown and turquoise ones you see,
visit my friend Michaela's Etsy store!}

recycled an old empty {frame} and covered cardboard with fabric...then used spray adhesive to attach my circle and bird-on-a-branch to it...

some lovely {hanging clothing dividers} I found on Etsy...find your own at www.artbykristi.etsy.com

Have a product you'd like reviewed?
Contact me at adamsblankie@gmail.com
www.adamsblankie.etsy.com
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