{Happy Holidays}

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas.  Simply Heaven Baby wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year......Happy Holidays!!!!!!

{Teacher's Gifts}

I admire and respect all teachers.  To be a teacher, it takes a lot of patience, time, and passion.  So each year during the holidays, I try to give my children's teachers some type of gift to show my appreciation.  This year I gave them some "Sweet Treats."  This was inspired by Kim's free printables at The TomKat Studio.  I think that she is so talented at what she does.  Between two of my three kids we ended up making a total of 13 gifts.  I really wanted to do so much more but as I have said several times, I am such the big procrastinator and as always, I knew that I would be stressing the night before trying to complete these gifts. 

I want to share with you that I had bought the mugs, candy, and cards at least 3 weeks in advance.  Why I did not start on the gifts, I have no idea.  So you better believe the night before I did exactly what I knew I would do.  Start stressing because I wanted everything to be perfect.  I still think that the gifts turned out great!!

 The gifts consisted of:
-A chocolate dipped spoon sprinkled with peppermint candy
-A pack of flavored cocoa
-A small box of Godiva gems
-Hershey kisses
-A Christmas card

And after all of the wrapping here is the finish product

                                                
 I really think that they turned out great and the teacher's were very excited.

{Mission Unaccomplished....But Completed}

During the last post, I wanted to complete McCall pattern 5697 by December 7, 2010.  As you can see I did not complete the project by the date but indeed it is complete.  Now I am not going to bore you with all different types of excuses but I will say this, have you ever had a picture in your mind about how you want something to look and when you go to shop for the items you can not find them?  Well this was sort of my situation.  My mom picked out the fabric from Joann Fabrics and Crafts during the after-Thanksgiving sale.  I got off to a good start cutting, pinning and sewing.  The notions needed for this jacket was three 1' buttons.  In my mind, I pictured some cute little pink buttons shaped like a flower.  Well several stores later, I found every color but pink so in the end I just ended up settling for the black round ones just so I could finish and post.  So here is the finish project

and here is the back..

I really had fun with this pattern although I messed up a little with the serger but like a lady told me a long time ago, "anything can be fixed or covered up."



{Goal Reached} Christmas Pajamas

{Goal Reached}  In a previous post on my blog, I told everyone that I wanted to make my nephew some pajamas out of the Disney Car’s holiday print that I purchased at JoAnn’s during the After-Thanksgiving sale.  I gave myself until December 6, 2010 so that I would have time to put the pajamas in the mail and my nephew would be able to wear them for the holidays and especially the night before Christmas.  Now, before I post these pics, I want to let you know that a lot of things were not done around the house.  For example, I did not cook on Wednesday so we had leftovers that night.  Laundry was not done and I did not get a chance to plant my Christmas cactuses that I bought about a week ago and I did not do a thousand other things around the house that needed to be done.  The good news is I finished on Thursday afternoon and I also was able to put the items in the mail the same day.

Here are the pajamas that I made and put in the mail on Thursday afternoon.  I think they turned out really cute and once I get my fabric stash under control, I look forward to making him more sets.

Now that I have completed my goal before December 6, 2010, I plan on cutting out the pattern for my next project.  This weekend, I would like to do a little Christmas decorations  with the kids and some gardening.  I will make my next goal accomplishment for December 7, 2010.  I will use McCall pattern 5697 

Wish me luck!

{Free Giveaways} Two Christmas Organizers

I went out today and noticed that the stores are really starting to get crowded.  Christmas is right around the corner and I am still not done with Christmas decorations and I have not even begun my Christmas list.  I am the type of person that has to write everything down (if I want to remember it) and check it off once I have completed the task.  That is just how I operate because my mind seems to go a million miles a minute and sometimes I can’t keep up.

I spotted these cute little organizers from Pepper Pot that can help get me somewhat on the right track.  I can remember years ago when I would start Christmas shopping in June and by November, I would sit back and cross my legs and listen to all of the horror stories my family encountered during the busy Christmas season.  Well I guess I have fallen off of that bandwagon because I am really unorganized this year.  Now I could blame it on the new house and the mishaps but to be honest with you,  I was the same way last year.  I guess I can blame last year on the fact we would be moving shortly.  To be honest, there are no excuses.

I thought these little Christmas organizers were so cute that I wanted to give 2 away to 2 lucky readers.  Whether you are finish Christmas shopping or have not begun, I think these are cute and useful for the holiday season.

What I love about these cute little organizers are they are divided in five sections to keep you organized.
Section 1:  Holiday Calendar
Section 2:  Christmas Card List
Section 3:  Shopping & Budget
Section 4:  Gifts Received/Thank You's
Section 5:  Holiday Notes

You can carry these in your purse and while you are Christmas shopping stay organized.

To enter:

1.        Become a fan of Simply Heaven Baby on Facebook .

2.       Leave us a comment on our wall to let us know you are now a fan and tell us if you are done with your Christmas shopping, almost done, or have not even started!

3.       If you are already a fan, let us know and still tell us about your Christmas shopping list.

4.       Do you have Facebook friends that would love Simply Heaven Baby and the opportunity to win one of these organizers?  On our Facebook page click “Suggest to Friends” for an extra entry.  Be sure to leave another comment letting us know that you did.

5.       Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry!

***As a special bonus visit our Etsy shop where we are offering 50%off of our Christmas Toile Bib and Burp cloth set during the giveaway.   This will definitely be a great start to your Christmas list.

Winners will be chosen on Sunday, December 5, 2010 at 8:00pm (EST). Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

Good Luck!

{Product Review} Bath and Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Candle

Now I am not a big sucker for coupons but Bath and Body Works happened to send me an online coupon for a free item (up to a $13 value) with any $10 purchase.  I have been out of the United States for a total of six years.  We had Bath and Body Works products but I never really bought any unless there was a really good sale going on.  I now have a Bath and Body Works retail store that is right up the street from me and one day I said, “why not?”  I browsed the store for a while smelling the different fragrances.  I told myself you have enough hand soaps and lotion caddies, similar to the one you see below:

In the past I have made my own lotions and candles but believe it or not, I am still unpacking things and I have not gotten to the point where I can say that I am FULLY ORGANIZED so right now, I am just kind of working around things.

  The holidays are here so I decided to use my free item on a candle.  I like the smell of their body and lotion fragrances but I am just a “Plain Jane.”  I will spray a mist of my favorite perfume and that will do it for me.  Everyone is different but  I am not real big on a lot of different scents because some scents do not go with every person’s body chemistry.  I have walked by people who I think have literally poured a bottle of fragrance spray and sometimes my noise just cannot take it.

OK, now I am getting off of the subject again.  I used my free item on a candle.  It was so hard to figure out which scent that I wanted because mostly all of them smelled so good so I ended up going with the Vanilla Bean Noel which I thought would be perfect for the holidays.

 I let the candle sit on my dresser for about two weeks because I wanted to burn the other candle out before I begin to burn this one but the other candle that I bought at the grocery store just was not cutting it but it did add some ambience lighting.  I lit the Bath and Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel candle and it smelled so good.  When I walked into the room the aroma just hits you.  It also has a good cold throw too.  This basically means when the candle is not lit, you still can smell it.  I am really pleased with this product.   The cool part is lucky me happened to receive another offer for another free item, so can you guess what I am going to use it on?  You guessed it another candle but the hard part is which scent.

After this I will get some self-control because the more you buy the more they will send you these offers like a calling card and like I tell my sister, just because someone sends you a coupon does not mean you have to use it. 

Visit http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/ for more great items and Christmas gifts.  They are now offering 25% off of your entire order (CODE CYBER25) at checkout.

Any suggestions or feedback on what is a good candle scent from Bath and Body Works?

{These Are My Confessions}

I think that maybe I blogged too soon.  What was I thinking with the holidays around the corner?  I have a confession to make.  I really think that I am a fabricholic and a patternholic.  I have an explanation for my purchases and now I just need for them to become a reality.

Joann Fabrics keeps emailing me all of these good sales and I just could not resist this time.  The day after Thanksgiving they had such a great deal with their fabrics and patterns.  I am not making an excuse but all of the patterns that you see were only .99 cents.  I purchased two of the patterns on an earlier date.  I also had a 50% off coupon so I can not dare let that go to waste.  I always preach to my sister, just because somebody sends you a coupon does not mean you have to react.  It is a calling card and looked who got reeled right in.

                                                                                                                             

I took the pledge with Etsy a couple of years ago to make handmade items for Christmas.  Now I have just a few exceptions but for the most part, I am sticking to the pledge. 

I promise I will share with all my creations from these purchases but I really do need to stop this.  I've tried New Year’s Resolutions but somewhere down the line I just keep giving in.  I am going now to cut the fabric for my nephew.  I will be making him some pajamas out of the Cars Christmas Print fabric.  Normally my husband makes fun of me because he knows that I have good intentions but time is never on my side.  I am giving myself a deadline for this project.  I want to have these completed by Monday, December 6, 2010.  This way I can get them in the mail and he can wear them during the holidays.  I think that if I can pull this off, this will motivate me even more to continue to use up all of this fabric that I have.

So stay tuned…..

{ETSY SALE} 10% Off all Items in Etsy Shop

Etsy has a new feature. You can now create coupons for customers. In order to try out the new feature, we are now offering 10% off everything in our Etsy shop. This is a great way to start the holiday shopping. There are already items that are on sale so take advantage.
COUPON CODE: HAPPYTHANKSGIVING10

Visit us at the link to the right or:http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimplyHeaven

****Sale ends Thanksgiving Day****

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM SIMPLY HEAVEN BABY

{New Additions Added to Etsy Shop}

Transportation and Asian Theme Items

I have a confession to make.  I really think I am a fabric addict.  I am scared to show anyone my stash because I am literally ashamed.  I did not realize I had so much fabric.  So I made a promise to myself and so far I am doing pretty well.  I promised myself I would not buy another piece of fabric nor another pattern until I sewed AT LEAST half of the fabric that I already have.  I think that I am doing pretty good.  I even went into Joann’s with my 50% off coupon and did not buy a single yard of fabric although I am looking for a lavender damask fabric for my daughter’s bedroom.  Can you believe that I can find every color but lavender.  I even found a minky plush lavender damask but not the home décor weight. 

Do you ever envision or imagine the way a room should look and when you go to search for the items to make it all come together you cannot find what you are looking for?  Well that is currently my situation so to keep from stressing out, I went to my fabric stash and sewed a few baby items that are think are so cute.  I always name my items or give them a theme.  I call this my “Transportation Newborn Bib and Kimono Booties Set”

Features road signs and modes of transportation. The bib is backed with a soft red chenille fabric and has a super absorbent layer for the little spit-ups. Bib also has velcor closure for a quick on and off.

Includes kimono style boots with a soft red chenille sole.

Bib measures approximately 6 1/2 width and 5 1/2 from neck to bottom.

We also have just the bib featured in the Transportation theme.

I also have also listed an “Asian Theme 3-pc Set in our Etsy shop that is super cute.

This gift set is perfect for baby/toddler on the go.  It features an Asian inspired print bib that is super absorbent and backed with a soft chenille fabric, a burp cloth, and a diaper holder. This diaper holder is perfect to carry when you do not feel like bringing the entire diaper bag with you.

Bib measures approx. 8" x 12"
Burp cloth measures approx. 10 1/2" x 17 1/2"
Diaper holder measures approx. 10" x 7

Visit our Etsy shop at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimplyHeaven

and also visit:

www.simplyheavenbaby.com for new products all the time.

Sesame Street

We all know that Sesame Street has been on for many years.  I can remember watching Sesame Street as a child.  They made you laugh and learn too.  Some of my favorite characters are: Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, and Elmo.  Back in my day we did not have a computer so we watched Sesame Street on T.V.  Today they even have a website for interactive learning and playing.  You can visit http://www.sesamestreet.org/
and you can even download Sesame Street episodes on iTunes which I think is really cool.  Our way of watching Sesame Street was on PBS which is still on today so check your local listings for times. 

I could not resist this cute fabric and when I saw it, I immediately thought toddler bib because that is when most children start to watch Sesame Street.  This cute toddler bib is now featured in our Etsy shop at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimplyHeaven

Made from a durable Elmo print and back with soft red chenille which could be totally reversible.  So visit our Etsy shop and take a look at some of our other great products too!

The Many Uses of Basil

Last night the weather dropped tremendously or maybe I am just use to the Mediterranean climate.  As you may not know we arrived back in Georgia in July after living in Italy for three years.  We were in the midst of trying to find somewhere to stay therefore I could not start my garden like I wanted to.  While living in Italy, we stayed in apartments with balconies therefore I could not have a full garden like I really wanted but I was able to plant items such as basil, cherry tomatoes, spinach, parsley, rosemary, and cilantro.  I even planted grapes but did not get a chance to get any grapes the first year but the leaves were beautiful! 

 I love fresh herbs!  The flavors are so robust and it makes me feel good knowing this is something that I have grown.  Although I am young, I am very “old school.”  I say this because I watched my mother and grandmother for years have a garden and make everything from scratch and this is something that has stuck with me.  Yes it takes more time but there are so many benefits that outweigh the time spent.  So when I arrive back in Georgia, I had to find fresh herbs.  Many places did not have them but I searched high and low until I at least found basil, rosemary, and  thyme.  Can you believe that when we were staying in hotels and in out of friends and families home I carried them with me?  When we had to drive I would load the herbs in the car just like the kids and off we go.

So back to the moral of this story, the weather dropped and I wanted to bring my herbs inside this weekend because I definitely did not want them to go into shock.  The basil is beautiful and two of my favorite things to make with basil are pesto and bruschetta.  Although these are two of my favorites, the possibilites for this herb can be endless.  For example, you can make basil oil or vinegar, tear some leaves over your salad or pasta, and definitely put some in your homemade tomato sauce.  There are so many types of basil like Thai basil, purple basil, and lemon basil.  I would love to experiment with other varieties of basil but right now the one that I have always grown is the sweet basil which is the type used in Italian cuisines.  In Italy my basil was 10x bigger than my basil is here and although they would say not to let it flower, I would let mine flower a little because there were seeds in them in which I would save for the next year.  What excites me even more is one time I had to make a service call and the Italian guy had to get to the balcony in order to get to the water heater.  He walked out on the balcony, stop to smell and touch the basil and said, “good basilico.” (Italians pronounce basil as basilico.)  The plant was really beautiful and I felt really good just hearing that statement.  The basil had gotten so big and so much that most of the time I would give some away and by doing this also help the plant to produce more.  

So once again, back to the moral of this story, today I took the basil inside and I will be making pesto.  Now when I make pesto, I normally make a double batch because I will use some and I like to freeze the rest.  Unfortunately, I do not think that it is enough for a double batch so this time I will only make a single batch.

If you have not figured it out already, I love Martha Stewart and most of the times I think of myself as a mini Martha Stewart, a young Martha Stewart or maybe an apprentice of Martha Stewart.  So maybe we can say a Martha Stewart in the works.   I love to cook, garden, entertain, sew, and create.  Believe me I can go on and on.  I love to feed people and I just love the art of food and the many creations that one can make.

                                                                                                                                                                       

So here is a picture of the basil that I had to bring inside because of the weather:

Here is my recipe for pesto:

-          2 cups of fresh basil

-          ½ cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

-          ¼ cup of pine nuts toasted and cooled

-          3 garlic cloves

-          ½  cup of olive oil

-          Salt and Pepper to taste.

Place item in food processor.  Pulse until combined.  Toss with fresh pasta and enjoy!

Another recipe that I just love is bruschetta.  It is fast and easy and makes the perfect appetizer. You could make different variations but here is a basic and fast recipe for bruschetta:

-1/2 lb. of tomatoes diced

-1/2 cup of olive oil

-2-3 cloves of minced garlic

-hot pepper (optional)

-fresh basil to taste

-fresh or dried oregano to taste

-salt and pepper to taste

-Italian bread or French baguette

Place all of the ingredients in a bowl except for bread.  Mix well.  Slice the bread about ½” thick and rub with garlic.  Toast both sides and remove.  Put equal proportions on bread and serve immediately. 

Believe me this makes a wonderful and quick appetizer when you have guests.

Now I will say this, I am an experimenter when it comes to food. For example, if I am making pesto and I cannot find pine nuts then I do not use them and my pesto is still good.  If the mixture is too oily then I will add more fresh basil and cheese.  If it seems a little dry then I will add more oil.

I would watch my mother and grandmother cook all of the time and once I moved, I would call and ask them for some of my favorite childhood recipes.  They would always say a handful of this or a pinch of that and I would get upset because I would ask them would you say ¼ a cup, ½ a cup or what.  Just give me an estimate and they never could.  Now I realize what they meant. When I get in the kitchen and get going I may use oregano one time and maybe not the next.  I may add a little more cheese or garlic to the pesto than normal or maybe not.  It just depends so when my girls ask me about a recipe, I will probably tell them the same thing that my mother and grandmother told me.  This way they can experiment and learn the art of food.  It is definitely a wonderful thing!

"Baby It Is Getting Cold Outside!"

I am back in the south and the weather is beginning to turn cool.  While living in Germany you experienced all four seasons.  In the winter, it got very cold and snowed.  This was something I was not used to but I got use to this very quick.  My grandmother would always tell me, "protect that baby's head." By this she meant in the summer they should wear a hat or bonnet to protect their heads from the sun and in the winter a warm hat to protect their heads from the cold.  She would also say, " a baby's immune system is not as developed as adults so you DO NOT want this baby to get sick!"  With my grandmother's voice in the back of my mind, I made sure that each of my babies head were always protected.

With the weather getting cooler you do not want to wait until the last minute to go and shop for a hats, gloves, boots, etc.,.  In the past, with my experience, they have either sold out or do not have the size that I need so I am left to go from store to store in order to piece enough outerwear together.

We have added two new cute hat and boot sets by Baby Deer that will be perfect for the cold weather.

This beret style hat and boot set by Baby Deer is so cute and sassy for a little princess.

The hat and boots both features cute little bows and a sassy little leopard lining on both the hat and inside the boots.

This super warm hat and boot set for a little boy is perfect for your little prince.

These items have now been added to our website!

Visit http://www.simplyheavenbaby.com/ so your baby will be ready for the cold weather!

Unique Baby Shower Gifts Pt.2 (Centerpieces)

The last time I posted, I shared a unique baby shower gift with all of you. 

A custom bib and burp cloth set (http://simplyheavenbaby.blogspot.com/2010/10/unique-baby-shower-gifts.html).

I always think that a custom made item is a great gift for any baby.  This week is not only unique gift but it will make a great centerpiece at a baby shower.  At the end of the baby shower, and once the baby comes all the items can be used for the baby.  Instead of taking a bunch of baby items and just putting them in a gift bag, why not bring this to the baby shower?

A custom made diaper cupcake.  This is a cute rubber ducky themed diaper cupcake that is gender neutral.
The diaper cupcake includes:

-Infant Diapers
-One receiving blanket
-Ducky t-shirt and hat set by bon be'be'
-Comb and brush set
-Ducky scrubee
-Trial size lavender babywash by Gerber

As you can tell this makes the perfect set for baby at bathtime!

This item is now listed in my Etsy shop!  Click on the Etsy items to see all items in the shop now!

Also be sure to continue to visit http://www.simplyheavenbaby.com/ because we are adding new products all of the time.  Visit us on Facebook and become a fan!

Unique Baby Shower Gifts

I am so grateful to have good friends.  They gave me a baby shower (years ago) while I was away from my family.  It is always good having support from friends.  I have hosted and attended many baby showers and it is one thing that never fails.  The mother-to-be always gets two of the same gifts and she will have to end up exchanging them for something else that the new baby will need.  While living in other countries normally we shopped at one main store, therefore if a baby shower was being given most of the guests were selecting gifts from the same store. Now if you live in a big city this might not be as big of a problem for you but after a while, the guests would just give gift certficates because they knew the odds also.  This is one of the reasons that I started making many baby items.  I also think this is one of the reasons that I would always get invited to baby showers also:)  Not only were the items unique but many of the moms there would also want the same thing for their baby.

It is always a good feeling to see the mother-to-be face light up because quite frankly, it is so darn cute!

For all of you out there that want to give something unique at the next baby shower, I have listed a cute bib and burp set on sale now on http://www.etsy.com/ and http://www.simplyheavenbaby.com/

The bib and burp cloth set features the Michael Miller Carnival Bloom print with a a soft pink Minky Dot fabric. 

Visit http://www.etsy.com/ or http://www.simplyheavenbaby.com/ to purchase your set for baby.  These are so super cute and most of all it will make a unique and special baby shower gift! 

The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same

This is my very first post and I am so excited.  I have procrastinated on starting a blog for years now.  I am back in the United States and I feel as though I should not put this off any longer.  As I stated in my profile, my goal is to bring you all things that are beautiful, creative, and informational.  So here we go....

Have you ever heard of the old saying, the more things change the more they stay the same?
Well, I am blessed and lucky to have lived in Germany, Japan, and Italy.  I have travel to several different countries such as, Austria, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.  Every culture is different and I have learned so many things from each country.  I still look forward to traveling to other places that are on my list.

When I was a baby, my grandmother fed us "from the table."  This means there was no baby food bought.  Whatever everyone else ate, that is what we ate.  While living in Japan, I noticed that the Japanese feed their children "from the table."  I have search the internet high and low for the equipment I would see my friend use but unfortunately I had no luck.  My Japanese friend would come over with her baby and if she at an apple she would have a tool that looked something like a grater.  She would grate the apple and maybe add a little juice and feed her baby an apple also.

Now do not get me wrong there is baby food in Japan but my friends would use this grater apparatus and feed their children some of the same foods that they would eat.

Amazon carries several baby food mills.  I think that this is great for those mothers on the go but still want to feed their kids natural fruits and vegetables. 

This is a Green Sprouts Baby Food Mill and I think that it is a great item for moms on the go to have. 

With my kids this is my food mill.
This is an extended process but my grandmother would not have it any other way.  If we had a banana, I would take the fork and mash the banana while added a little milk.  For a real treat the kids would get, black eyed peas, cornbread, and "pot liquor."
Do any of you out there feed your kids from the table?