DIY Onesies, AKA, My Feelings Toward Pinterest

I have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. My crafty artsy side loves pouring over the DIY projects thinking, I could easily do that... or, I could totally do that differently. The logical side realizes that I have way more craft ideas than time. I look at Pinterest images, ponder how I could use them and then add them to my to-do list. Yes, that's correct. I add crafty, for-fun items to a list of items that continues to grow and stress me out. When I have a few nap time minutes to tackle a to-do list item I find myself analyzing over which is more important... load of laundry, lesson plans, thank you notes, create cute storage boxes for magazines (that I don't have time to read) using cereal boxes, wash the dog. Clearly storage boxes are what I decide to tackle. So I find myself eating bowl after bowl of cereal so that I can make them into trendy little boxes. Luckily, the mass consumption of cereal has lead to the load of laundry being unnecessary since I now can't fit into the dirty clothes and must buy pants to fit my cereal increased waistline.

It happens time after time. For example, I'm newly home from the hospital with my newborn baby and she's sleeping. By all standards I should be sleeping too.... or, I could check Pinterest. And that's where I see them: freaking adorable monthly onesies for your baby to wear so that you can photograph her growth. And I'm hooked, I HAVE to make them. I start my sketches and send Brent to Babies R Us the next time he makes his trek across the bridge. After receiving the onesies I get to work. Ignoring the laundry pile, uncooked meals, crying baby, ok, just kidding. But you get the idea. Life stopped, and I blame Pinterest. As it turns out, they were very easy to make, so I thought, I should post a DIY!

Therefore continuing the cycle! I saw them on Pinterest, and voila, not only do I feel the need to create monthly onesies I add in complete DIY instructions so that I, too, can post on Pinterest and have some other pinner avoid their to-do list by creating. It is a vicious cycle.

These onesies are super easy and fun to make. I am only making three at a time so that I can be sure the size is correct. (Who wants to see a 9 month sized baby in a 3 month onesie?)

You need the following materials:
- Plain, pre-washed onesies
- Various fabrics, look at colors and patterns that work well together
- Wonder Under Fusible Web
- Scissors
- Puffy Paint

I started with a simple design that could easily be changed each month with just a number substitution. Feel free to one-up and make your's harder, whatever floats your boat. From there I picked 3 fabrics that could be used for each month. Again, I like a simplistic color scheme, you feel free to do as you see fit. I placed my drawings on the fabric before cutting so that I had enough material. (Knowledge learned as a middle school art teacher.)

The next step was to apply fusible web. I could give you directions for how to do this, but since it's on the package that seems silly. I always use Wonder Under on any of my projects. I think it is the best. (So maybe they should send me some free samples for promoting their product.) After the material was cool I began the process of tracing my design and cutting it out. At this point I think I'm suppose to insert helpful tips, such as turn the design over before tracing and use sharp scissors. The next step is to arrange the design and iron it to the onesie. I like to arrange the entire design, then take everything off leaving only the very bottom piece and iron that and let it cool. I repeat the process again, assembling the whole design, removing all but the one next to the bottom and iron. Tedious, yes. But that way I can continue to make sure it all fits and make changes as necessary. Rush through it if you prefer half-assed craftsmanship. It's up to you. This could be your last step, the webbing will hold for the 10 photographs you are going to take of your precious baby. Or, clean the edges using puffy paint. I think the paint makes it all stand out better. Let it dry (please! No one wants a puffy paint smeared baby) and you're done!

While I have your attention.... how cute is she?!

Thoughts After 24 Hours of Pain Meds

My brain frequently likes to work against me. I have an over active imagination that takes any situation to an extreme, in my head.  Waiting, is therefore, brutal.  Sometimes, it is fine. Waiting for traffic on the way to work usually leads to lesson planing.  Waiting at the bridge on the way home spurs a great fantasy life on a beach. Yesterday was a day of waiting, and my personal Hell.  I say this now, because today it is funny to me.  I can look back at the situation and chuckle. (Laughing still hurts) Yesterday, however, it was torture.

Why did she include this
random flower picture?
Because this part is gross
and I wanted you to see
something pretty. It also
relates to the end of the
entry, so be patient. 

I was scheduled at 9:30 for my second gum graft surgery. The first one was awful, so I woke up at 6:30 dreading the day.  I don't like knowing that is coming, because my brain over works it.  In the 5 months since my first surgery I have changed the procedure in my head to include chainsaws and drills ripping apart my mouth as I am screaming that the pain killer didn't work.  The rational side of my brain knows that this was because there were problems with the numbing agent, but it was solved quickly within the first cuts.  The other side really believes chainsaws were involved.  


Anyway, not getting called back to the room for a solid hour after my scheduled appointment did not help the anxiety. Thank God I brought my father along for entertainment and distraction.  (Which he is always able to provide!) The hour long procedure was as expected.  My numbing was increased to the point that I wasn't sure I had a mouth... maybe something went wrong?! Maybe they have paralyzed my jaw and that is the reason they continue to exchange looks? Probably not, but you can never be too sure. I was told frequently what a good job I was doing, for what I'm not sure. Laying there, I suppose, because I sure wasn't performing the surgery.  


Finally I am done, and yes, this might be too much information.  As I feel my mouth literally filling with blood I am sure a stitch has popped.  Something didn't hold and I am sure that blood is gushing out and I am going to bleed to death.  Dad hands me a couple paper towels that are smashed in the pocket of the door (see, Brent, it is good that I don't keep my car clean) and looks the other way.  Clearly he doesn't think my life is ending, so it must be ok.  


Once I am home I've taken my pain killer, Tylenol 3, which I find out does nothing for me. It makes me sick and doesn't touch the pain.  (I've finally reached the point of the blog entry, thanks for hanging in there!) I've been on the couch crying for 3 hours, my mouth is throbbing, and I'm developing frostbite from the frozen peas stuck to my face.  I can't turn to liquid medication because the alcohol and tylenol do awful things to your liver/kidneys and I'm pretty sure I've reached the end.  I grabbed my vase of flowers, sketchbook and pencil and took my apple juice outside. (I downed two bottles in one day, heck yeah!) It was the best hour of my day.  I turned my brain off and just drew.  It was the best form of medication and held me over until it was time to start a different pain reliever.  If felt good to sit outside and draw, and I wondered why I don't do it more often. (Other than the obvious time answer.) My students are required to sketch 10 minutes a day, what not me?

Blog entry wrap-up for those of you who are still lost in my rambling, or looking for the point --> 


Yesterday was torture, but I got to draw.  Today will also be rough, but I plan to draw again because it made me happy.  Maybe I'll keep it up, maybe not. But it is a good weekend goal.

Insert "I'm Back" Comment Here

I’ve been trying to think of a corny starting line about not writing.  It seems like everyone that has a blog goes for a period of time where they don’t post anything and then they say something like, ‘long time, no write’ or, ‘hey, remember me?’ Since both of those are taken I’ll skip that part and just say I’ve been really freakin’ busy.  End of the semester at school, ski trip (and, no, I don’t ski), illnesses acquired from my favorite middle school-ers… regardless, I haven’t posted anything for awhile, but I like to keep a running monologue in my head of things I could post… like, stupid things that I do, or something I have observed. Nevertheless, posted I have not.

So here I am catching up.  And I really am catching up because I have a pretty busy spring.  Luckily, I have quite a few pregnant friends, and quite a few nursery pieces to create. I’ve spent this weekend completing unfinished projects so that when the new supplies come in I can jump right in.  Here, finally, is the snowman that Morgan won. It will be delivered to her tomorrow (Morgan, remind Brent that he has it!) This is the piece that was raffled off to facebook, etsy and blog fans.  It is fused fabrics and beaded, I kind of like it better than the first one. 

Next step, two more projects, and then nursery wall hangings begin! Nothing like having the deadline of ‘childbirth.’  

Snowman Give-Away

I love raffles, especially when they're stacked in my favor. So, as we bring in 2011, I'm giving away a piece, and giving you a chance to cheat!


On January 15, I'm going to draw one name from all of my Facebook, Etsy and blog followers.  That means the more you join (or your spouse), the better your chances! That lucky winner will win a snowman wall hanging, similar to the one shown here.

To be eligible, you must be a Facebook Fan, Blog Follower, or Etsy Favorite.  

Follow the blog (after all, you are reading it!): 

And, lastly, to favorite the page on Etsy, create an account and then do this. (And lets face it, starting an account on etsy is the thing to do. You can find great gifts from starving artists all around the globe.) 

Good luck and happy joining! Fans, Followers and Favorites must be done by 5:00 January 15! 

PS. Abby, how are the demo pictures? My technology skills at work! :)

The Very Best Assistants

I'd like to introduce you to my assistants.  They are possibly the best fans you could ask for... faithful, kind, and supportive.  They bring warmth (and sometimes odor) to my studio.  Unfortunately, naps occur frequently, so we are working to improve work productivity. 

Toeby likes to play.  Mostly while I am working.  I frequently get hit in the leg with a toy which is his sign for me to throw it .  It is nice to take breaks from my projects, but the frequency of his 'play times' continues to increase.  When he gives up he usually decides to sit right next to my legs... usually resulting in tail injuries.  


Daisy Mae prefers to watch from a distance.  She studies every movement and piece, never making judgement.  Her only vocal outbursts come in the form of loud snores.  

We work comfortably together in our shared studio space.  I have learned to walk around the water bowl as opposed to knocking it over every time I walk by.  Brent and I have both learned that the dogs like to pull the cotton batting out of the container to play.  Perhaps they think it is indoor snow.  


Toeby and Daisy have learned that when I enter their room and light a candle I'm staying for the day, and that makes us all happy!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Morris Family!

As I scurry around finishing the shopping lists, wrapping gifts, scrubbing toilets and baking quiches (not in that order) I am looking forward to my week and a half break with family and friends. Regardless of how many last minute tasks come up, or finishing touches need to be done, it is nice to spend the evenings with the people I love. I hope that you will be able to do the same throughout this holiday season! 

Starting over... again and again

I have my students create sketch after sketch before starting a project.  They hate it. I tell them over and over again, "better to start over on a sketch than start over on a project."  So why is it, that on my last three projects, I have started over every time? And not just a little start over, I mean, nearing completion and then throwing the thing out.  Sometimes I get a better idea, sometimes I just don't like it, sometimes I get bored with it.  Whatever the case may be, someone on a limited amount of studio time (me) should be learning to use time more wisely.  






For example, Unity.  I started this piece and created the entire thing with stitching.  Hand stitching. No machine work. It was the exact same image, but done with thick solid threads.  After working on it for DAYS, I hated it, threw it out, and started over.  Do I love the final piece? Yes. Should I have focused on planning before hand? Yes.  

Then there was Charley's Giraffe.  I have already admitted to procrastination on this, but spending an entire day working on a background painting only to find that it looked too 'grown-up' for a child's nursery didn't help. Best to throw it out and start over!  




Now I am working on Caitlin's Cats.  I've been working on this since October, but started over last weekend.  There were two driving forces.  First, I don't have to have it completed until Christmas because I know she isn't coming home before then.  Second, I hated it.  It was very small and geometric.  The background kept the cats in seperate sections which made it look too uniform.  I found myself not working on it simplly because I didn't want to.  (You also have to realize that one of these cats knocked my toothbrush in a toilet, so finding motivation to work on her can be difficult.)  

Last weekend I pulled out different fabric, drew some cat silouhettes and started sewing.  I like the detail in this new background and am ready to begin again.  Lets hope I can keep it at just two re-dos now.... 

Thankful Thanksgiving Thoughts

Although I’m feeling about 20 pounds heavier and much lazier, it has been a great Thanksgiving.  I didn’t get a whole lot of art done, but I have spent four solid days visiting with family; who, at every occasion, enquired about the status of my current projects.  I can’t express how much I appreciate your emails, inquiries, ‘facebook likes’ and discussions over my artwork.  In four short months I have completed projects and challenged myself to attempt new levels with my artwork.  I am currently working on three commissions, a contest piece and two show pieces.  I don’t believe I would have continued to work without your positive energy and support, and I do mean that in a sincere, non-sarcastic way (I know that is hard for you to believe!) Thank you for your continued support, I truly appreciate it.  

Drool, meds and fabric

Finally! A weekend in the studio! It only required a dental procedure, pain meds, and a swollen jaw, resulting in not leaving the house for three days.  Although the drool and pulsing pain were slight annoyances it was great to spend time working on projects.  I finished dove ornaments in time to post an entire month before Christmas, worked on Caitlin's Cat Wall Hanging and started planning for our Christmas card and a calendar entry.  I've missed having studio opportunities and am hoping the cooler weather will free up some studio time.  On a positive note, I have three more of the same dental procedures, so three guaranteed studio days!  

The perfect way to end the week!

It has been a long first week back at school, and there is nothing better than coming home to a quiet house, glass of wine and fabric project on the deck.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my job- my classes are great, students are creative, friends are amazing…but I’ve missed my art. This week has been exhausting with very little time for creation… or anything else!  (Disclaimer: If visiting the house please ignore the flowerbeds, don’t open any closets, and throw in a load of laundry.) Ideas swirl in my head constantly and I try to be organized and record them for a later time.  Lets hope I take good notes!

Here we go...

I'm new to blogging.... completely.  My goal this summer was to create work, start a facebook page, and then create an etsy account.  Somewhere 'start blogging' was slipped in and now I am ready to go- I think.  I hope to use this as a way to show the work I am creating and get feedback and encouragement. Thanks for checking out my blog, and be sure to come back as I struggle to figure out what I'm doing with it!