Crafty Project: Linoleum Block-Printed Geometric Onesie

The babies are coming--so many babies! Last week, we were given a few onesies that we were to decorate for a friend's brand new baby! He was coming soon (about two days after the shower!) so we needed a quick decor option and not a lot of fuss: linoleum blocks it is! We did a full tutorial on linoleum block printing last year, so definitely refer to those instructions if you are starting from scratch.

You will need:
• a linoleum block
• several onesies (in case you mess up)
• an ink brayer
• fabric ink (I used my old gocco fabric ink)
• a surface to pull ink--I used an acrylic sheet
• a pencil
• linoleum cutter
• not pictured--an iron and several sheets of paper to iron over

First, draw your design onto your linoleum block. It doesn't matter if you mess up (see my weird floating triangle in there?) the cutting is what really matters.

When you have your design exactly how you want it, use a "small V" cutting attachment to go around your design lines. Once you've cut your lines, use a larger "U" to dig out the areas that you do not want to stamp. I even used the knife portion of the cutting tool to remove full areas that I did not need, which is up to you!

After you are finished carving your stamp, pull some of the ink with the brayer until it is evenly spread onto the roller. Lightly roll over your stamp (or if you are using an ink pad, pat the stamp against the pad) in order to see any mistakes you might need to remove on the stamp.

After you're finished making sure your stamp is cut perfectly, stamp a few times on a sheet of paper or a loose piece of fabric to test. If the impression is to your liking, prepare your onesie by placing a thick piece of card stock or an acrylic sheet (as shown here) inside the onesie to protect the back from getting ink on it.

(I also taped the sleeves and sides to the table in order to avoid any wrinkling.)

When you're ready to stamp, pull a thin layer of ink over your stamp and press it to your surface. Create your design and allow the fabric to dry. Once the impressions are dry, remove your acrylic sheet (if you used paper, you may leave it in there), and cover the design with a sheet of paper. Iron on high heat for about one minute to set the design.

Now you're all finished! Wrap that gift up (a onesie with a funsie for big sis) with some baker's twine and you're all set! Thanks to Madi and Sarah for the onesies and lovely shower to Jaqui (and baby Enzo).

The Best Gifts to Buy a New Mom, by a Non-Mom

In light of our recent events: brand new George coming into the world, I thought I'd put together my perfect list of gifts to give a new mom. Yes, I know I'm not a mom--however, about 90% of my friends are. I hear their gripes, I hear their wants, I read endless Facebook status updates about onesies and diapers. HOWEVER, I still have an anchor to the "I'm just a lady" side of being a woman. Not the mother side--the woman side. So I take pride in enhancing that in even the most exhausted new mom. Below are my favorite gifts to give a new mom:


1. Lipstick. I may take heat for this, but I stand by my choice. It really doesn't matter how cheap or expensive it is. Lipstick is the fastest way to brighten your face. Add a lip balm like this this Clinique Chubby Stick Lip Colour Balm, and a new mom is set. Feeling more fresh, pretty, and moisturized.

2. Comfy, stylish slippers. Let's be honest: Mom's going to be home a lot. Slippers are nice, especially cute ones. Indulge in cuddlies for your pal. My favorite are these Moccasin Slippers from J. Crew.

3. A coupon for pretty much anything is going to make their day. A coupon for babysitting, cleaning, a free meal, a free massage, a date night with their spouse: whatever. Don't forget to bug them to use it though, because most people feel a bit uncomfortable demanding your time.

4. If you're ready to drop some cash, grab them an iPad Mini. Endless breastfeeding entertainment.

5. Another appearance enhancer: chew beads. We've talked about these before, but they are awesome. I don't even have a baby and I think they're adorable. Non-toxic, baby-safe, cute jewelry from baby mamas.

Got any suggestions?

Crafty Project: DIY Felt Mobile

Our dear friend is having a baby shower this weekend, and we offered to make some cute and crafty decorations to celebrate the arrival of her baby girl. There is only one request from the momma-to-be: No pink, No frills. Don't worry, Karen, we got this!

Our idea is to hang these modern felt mobiles above the dessert and/or gift tables for a pop of sweet (but not too girly) color.


Here's what you'll need:
• 12" wooden embroidery hoop
• Felt (enough for at least 24 circles)
• Different sized circles to trace (I used a 5" mug, a 3" cup bottom and a 2" bottle opener!)
• 1 skein yarn
• Scissors
• Large-eyed embroidery needle

Here's what to do:


Note: Keep the strands aligned tightly and neatly, until the entire hoop is covered. Knot the tail of the yarn and tuck it back into the strands to hide the end.


Now you can start making your garland strands...


Note: You'll make about 2-3 stitches per circle (more for larger sizes). The number of circles and spacing per strand will depend on the size of your circles and how low you want the mobile to hang.

Next: Tie the strands to the hoop, tucking loose ends in. For our 12" hoop, we made 5 strands with 5-8 circles per strand. Our strands hang approximately 18" long.
Then: Tie three to five strands of yarn to the top of the hoop (spaced evenly) and knot together in the center to create a hanging point.


Have fun!