Inspiration Workship - Favorite DIY

Don't you just love Thursdays?

I am really enjoying the Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop. It's getting me all kinds of inspired!

This week is Favorite DIY 

I don't quite know if it is possible to identify my favorite DIY, my Pinterest and bookmarks folder is FILLED with adorable projects I have completed, and a lot I haven't gotten around to.

So for my favorite ALL TIME DIY

The Prudent Baby Pretty Makeup Bag

This was probably my first project with my sewing machine almost a year ago and I CONSTANTLY refer to this tute for guidance on sewing zippers, lining zippered bags, making gussets in bags...it's sooo versatile!

I mean you cannot resist making something to put something in right?

Okay, now for some DIY eye candy and inspiraition

Source: prudentbaby.com via Cricket on Pinterest

All things DIY and Missoni fabulous!

Source: kevinandamanda.com via Emily on Pinterest

This is one I keep saying, "I'm totally doing that!" But seriously. I'm totally doing it before my move :)

Source: thecsiproject.com via Erin on Pinterest

This is GORG and all the storage you will ever need is right in it. Tell the hubs to get on this ASAP. Lord knows I don't need to be handling power tools...


There is so much amazing DIY inspiration out there. I could easily spend my entire day on Pinterest looking at DIY projects.


There is nothing more fulfilling than making something totally awesome all by yourself :)

Keepin it Crafty

It has been a little bit crazy busy lately as I told you all in a previous post.

I do feel like my blog has been suffering a bit and blogging is what got me into all this so I want to keep it up.

My Bow Tie deal is going to be on Very Jane till tomorrow (or until the quantity limit is reached), so if you haven't checked it out, do that! There are a couple other adorable deals, like hand stamped family key chains and cute fabric flower bobby pins on there too right now.

Yesterday, I found an unopened bag of jelly beans from Easter.

 The sugar rush inspired a flurry of crafting. I got some "non-etsy-related" crafting done and it felt amazing (actually it was probably just all the sugar). I actually made a fall wreath and a fabric covered headband with a little ruffle poof. 

 Im REALLY in love with my wreath. We are moving in a couple weeks and I have been having fun dreaming up decor schemes :) This mustard-y wool-y felt called to me at Joann...and yeah it's pretty awesome. Here's the tute for the wreath :)


So it's most likely going to continue to be crazy, but I am hoping to get on here and at least post about the crazy :) Have a great day!
 

Very Exciting!

Today is a really exciting day for Isaboo Designs. My Toddler Bow Ties are being featured as a side deal on Very Jane!

If you are not familiar with Very Jane and love handmade items, you need to be! Very Jane is a deal site (much like Babysteals, Zulily, Ideeli, Totsy, etc...)but for the handmade market. So items like you would see on Etsy, at great prices! 

This is a great opportunity to get an amazing deal on my toddler bow ties to stock up for gifts or the holidays.

So make sure you head over to their website and check it out and while you are there be sure to get on their email list and like the on Facebook :-)

All of the prints below will be available! Have a happy bow tie Tuesday!

Kick it in High Gear

Does anyone else have this feeling, like life just put the petal to the metal and forgot to tell you so you forgot to put your seatbelt on but you can't because you're going too fast?

Ok, so maybe not that bad, but WOW. We have a LOT going on. 

I'm in school full-time, staying home with the kids, working to promote my Etsy store, I'm the team mom for my son's soccer team (hubby is coach), and we have some changes coming up that could really shake things up.

I just have to say now. I am SOOOO thankful for the Flylady method, otherwise my house would be CHAOS. It was a particularly crazy day yesterday and me and the hubs were pleasantly amazed to find how quickly the chaos was contained. Right now I only have time for the basics of the Flylady method and its WORKING.

So lately I have been living by my dry erase calendar

Everyday I list what I need to do and sometimes I even put time limits on things. Like 1 hour for working on orders/crafting, 2 hours for homework, etc. It's nice to be able to wipe things off :)

I can be a big procrastinator and this is teaching me to just GET THINGS DONE. My Etsy shop is teaching me that too.

Remember the "thankful" banner I made?

Well, I had so much fun making it, I whipped up this lovely.

You can find this in the Shop for just $10!

I also had fun taking some new photos for my bow-ties. 

And for more shameless showing off of my children...my baby girl started ballet yesterday...

Again...we are really busy and I can't believe I actually got this blog post done! 


Hopefully, I can get my schedule under control and figure out how to do more than 2 posts a week!


Have a great weekend!

Inspiration Workshop - Living Room

Our Living Room...hmm...

Well, I have two toddlers and I lack in home decor sense. Therefore, I have a very uninteresting living room. 

But it gets the job done, it's pretty cozy, and is decluttered and clean.

 Yep, my couch is IN FRONT of the fire place. But really. It's THAT hideous. Me and the hubs also cannot agree on a coffee table or find one to our taste. Thus, the living room is a racetrack.

 I have this little corner for my kiddies toys and books. It's actually kind of cute. Well, to me it is.

 I have pared down all knick knacks to only things I love. This was my grandmother's statuette of Mary and the Baby Jesus. It was always in her house as far back as I can remember.

 The boat was my Grandfather's. He had a small collection. My hubby found the groovy little clock while doing some decluttering this past weekend.

These are in the "dining room" technically but it's all one big room. My husband won these from a local artist and they are just so cool looking.

Okay, so that's pretty much it. My living room says: I have kids, (hence the lack of breakables and white), I am sensible, and I have no coffee table, haha!

Here are some lovely bits of inspiration...notice how everything is white...and there are no TVs...hmm...

Source: ilovevintagestuff.tumblr.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: theinspiredroom.net via Erin on Pinterest

Source: google.ca via Erin on Pinterest

Don't Give Up

I apologize for the lack of blog posts on here. I admit it's been a bit chaotic and maybe I have a bit too much on my plate, but I LOVE blogging, so bear with me while I work out the kinks in my schedule.

I've been spending a lot of time working on my Etsy store and getting things up and running and I admit, it can be frustrating. You put a lot of work into something and it doesn't feel like it's taking off and you don't want to give up because then you're stuck with loads of bunting and other various items that you will apparently have to start giving away.

There have been several times when I have wanted to quit, including last week, because who am I kidding? I am a full time mom, full time student, kid's soccer, ballet classes, oh and go to the gym too...

My hubby is always encouraging when no one else around me is and I think that the reason I haven't pulled the plug is because of him. 

BUT, of course this week I get a couple orders (including a fun custom one) and there is a cool opportunity coming up (you will have to stay posted on that one) to get my store some exposure.

So it should be said that I am not in this to make loads of money. I just love creating things and I really love running my store. It is nice to have this to fund my crafting and designer fabric habit :)

There is a Misty Edwards song (it's actually more of a spontaneous/prophetic song) and the chorus says:

Don't give up, don't give in, if you don't quit, you win, you win.

I don't think this is about being the most successful, but it's about just not giving up, not quitting and even if it's not perfect, you still win, because you didn't give up.

The song goes on to say:

He's gonna turn it all around, just wait and see. He's gonna make everything beautiful, just in time.

Isn't that the truth!

Source: google.com via Annora on Pinterest

 

The Mini Wallet and Something for Boys

I posted these lovelies on my Etsy the other day so of course I have to be redundant and share on here too!

 These adorable wallets are in my Etsy store for $10 and would make an awesome gift (I didn't say it had to be for someone else...).

I test everything I make before I list it to ensure it functions well and I am in love with mine. I use a couple different bags throughout the week (diaper bag, purse, school bag) and I like how it fits in everything.

This pretty green one is in the shop too!

I hope you all love these as much as I do...

There are also these adorable bow-ties for little boys up in the shop. It's hard to find cute accessories for little boys, so here you go! I'm calling my first collection "Spots and Stripes" (big duh, I know...)

 Hope everyone is enjoying their week so far, make it lovelier with something cute from my shop :)


Thank you!

A Little Fall Crafting Love

I think it's pretty amazing I already have completed ONE craft for the fall season :)

Last year the holidays sort of crept up on me and this year I am determined that will NOT happen.

So to get you in the spirit of pumpkins and fall (because it's 90 degrees here in Florida), here are some of my top picks for fall crafts! Get to clicking and then get to some crafting!

Source: abeautifulmess.typepad.com via Erin on Pinterest

Because no good fall craft bonanza would be complete without a felt leaf garland. I love the colors used in this!

Source: creationsbykara.com via Erin on Pinterest

I love any project involve book pages...this is on my list!

Source: tipjunkie.com via Erin on Pinterest

Don't you LOVE free printables! Here are a bunch of adorable ones.

Source: budgetwisehome.com via Erin on Pinterest

I love how simple and pretty these are...these are definitely going to be on my table.

Source: somedaycrafts.blogspot.com via Erin on Pinterest

Cuteness for the kiddies! I don't think mine are quite dextrous enough for this one, but it would be fun to make for their room.

Hope you get some inspiration and ideas from these! I know I had fun looking at them. 

Happy crafting :)

Thankful Burlap Banner

I made a banner somewhat like this last year for Christmas and got this idea in the middle of my brainstorming for Etsy store things.

It's so simple to make so I am just going to share on here.

Gather up some:

Burlap

Paint (I used brown tempera)

Paintbrush

Some kind of letter template

Bias tape

 I have a template I use for my triangles. This one was 5x6 inches. Cut your triangles.

I used Cricut cutouts to use as my templates, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Your letters should be about 3-3.5 inches tall. Just fill it in with paint :)

 Voila! Repeat until done.

 Let them dry and gather up your bias tape. I made my own using this method

Just start sewing the open end of your double wide bias tape together until you have a few inches of extra string for hanging and them start inserting the triangles in one by one (make sure in order or you might end up with a weird word).

All done! Yep, I was up at night making burlap banners...what's wrong with me.

This will go up somewhere in the house when it gets closer to Thanksgiving, but for now it's hanging in my office and I think this is a good reminder to be thankful any time of year.