My son goes through pants so fast. Very few pants survive his rough and tumble play, especially the knees. Browsing through the clearance section of Joann’s one day I found a great deal on organic cotton and bamboo fabric. I decided to make him some play pants and thought these would be the perfect fabrics.

I used the Oliver+S Sandbox Pants pattern and whipped up a pair of “scooter pants” in no time at all. I love this pattern and thought it was so easy to follow. It is definitely a pattern a beginner could try out.

I let my son pick out a really cool bug print fabric to line the pockets. I think this is his favorite part. Now, he can say he has bugs in his pockets without actually having to have real, live creepy crawlies in there--thank goodness! Here are pictures. As you can see he was excited to try these “scooter pants” out and immediately got on his scooter. (It is too nice of a day to have him stand still.)






























































I also purchased the Sunday Brunch Jacket pattern. When I picked up the organic khaki fabric I also picked up some beautiful fabric for this jacket. That is still on my “to do” list. I am now a fan of Oliver + S patterns so I will definitely be doing this one soon.


If you enjoy sewing children's clothing (or any type of clothing, really), you should check out Oliver + S's schoolhouse presentation on their blog called Principles of Fabric Selection. The weekly blog posts will cover these topics to help you create well-designed handmade clothing:

• See the child before the outfit
• Think sophisticated and understated
• Look at the supporting fabrics in a collection, not necessarily the central prints
• Solid colors and neutrals can ground a bright, busy print
• Be eclectic; don’t be afraid to mix collections
• Look for updated versions of traditional prints
• Tonal and two-color prints look very fresh
• Approach juvenile prints with caution

The series just started a few weeks ago, so get caught up now and then follow their blog for more professional fabric advice!

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Well, our cranberries and capers giveaway was a huge success. Thanks to all who participated. I am sure you are all anxious to hear the winner, so without further ado....

The winner of an item of your choice at the cranberries and capers store is

Melissa of Bloggin It

Congrats, Melissa! Please contact us at littlebirdiesecrets@gmail.com so we can put you in touch with the giveaway sponsor.

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We want to introduce you all to our newest sponsor! Baby Jack Baby Sack is a store with beautiful slings to match any mom's style. The slings are crafted with two layers of fabric and durable Sling Rings. Every sling includes a hidden pocket and a little something extra- a girly ruffle, vibrant ribbon detail, or a special splash of color. You can also contact Jennifer through her store and order a custom made sling. If you visit strawberry-patches.com, you can see a wide selection of quality designer fabrics that she uses to make the slings.

Right now Baby Jack Baby Sack is offering a special discount of $10 off of your first order. What a deal! You can contact Jennifer through her site and she will discount your order for you. She is also offering our readers FREE shipping. Double the reason to purchase your sling now! They make a fabulous baby shower gift, or just a special present for yourself (and baby). We are so excited to have Baby Jack Baby Sack as our newest sponsor.

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My husband thinks I'm quite the gourmet every time I make pizza. I know, it sounds too easy to be true, but a good pizza can make you you the goddess of your abode. But we're going to make it even easier with our favorite 15-minute easy pizza dough (courtesy of my mother-in-law--thanks, Jode!). Once you've got this recipe down, making deluxe pizzas will be a piece of pie!

15-Minute Pizza Dough Recipe

2 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup hot water (120-130°, use a candy thermometer for accuracy if you're not sure)
1 Tbsp. Rapid Rise or Bread Machine yeast
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 500°. Mix dry ingredients together. Add hot water and olive oil. Mix for five minutes (I use my Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook, but you could do this by hand, too). Let rest 10 minutes. Press dough on pizza pan, pizza stone, or jelly-roll pan. Bake at 500° for 3 minutes. Take out of the oven and cover with toppings. Return to the oven and bake 8-10 minutes more. Makes one large pizza (16-18 inches).

Told you it was easy. Now for some great toppings.

BBQ Pork Pizza Recipe

15-Minute Pizza Dough recipe
1 tub Lloyd's Hickory BBQ Pork (or similar prepared BBQ meat)
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped

While your dough is resting, caramelize your onions. Place sliced onion in a frying pan over medium heat. Add sugar and cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally. Your onions are ready when they become tender and a little sticky.


Heat your meat according to the package directions. After baking your dough for 3 minutes, cover the crust with the BBQ meat.


Cover the meat with mozzarella cheese. Using a fork, separate onions and spread over pizza. Sprinkle on cilantro.


Return to the 500° oven for 8-10 minutes. EAT!


Another quick and easy pizza we love is pesto and tomato. This is a great summer pizza, especially if you grow tomatoes and basil in your garden.

Tomato Pesto Pizza Recipe

15-Minute Pizza Dough
Pesto, your own or in a jar (we like the big jar at Costco--it makes lots of pizzas!)
2-3 sliced fresh tomatoes
Sliced fresh basil (I use about 8 big leaves)
2 c. mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)


After baking the dough for 3 minutes, cover the crust with pesto.


Add mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.


Bake for 8-10 minutes more. Enjoy!

This dough is also great for pizza parties. Make small pizzas and let everyone add their own classic toppings! Note: You'll probably want to shorten the baking time if you make smaller pizzas.

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Stacy has been playing around with metal stamps lately and come up with some fun projects. We thought this one was perfect for Father's Day!

We used a metal stamping alphabet set we found at HarborFreight.com to stamp a little message on a metal dog tag. You could stamp your kids' names, "World's Best Dad," or a silly saying. I chose one of my favorite quotes from the movie Star Wars. Who doesn’t love Yoda?

Beaducation.com has a great video tutorial on YouTube about metal stamping (it's a four-part tutorial, so be sure to watch all four), or it's available as a free class on their Web site. If you're new to metal stamping, check that out before beginning.

After stamping your letters, color them in with a Sharpie marker (you can use black or any other color you want). Wipe the excess marker off with a paper towel.


Attach the key ring and you've got a cool, manly key chain for Dad!


Our metal stamping set was only $7.99, but if you have a Harbor Freight retail store near you, they have them for about $6 (and no shipping charges!). You can find dog tags at your local military surplus store. We've also tried this technique on common hardware like washers for pendants (watch for that in a later post). Or you could try the sterling silver jewelry pieces available at beading stores or in the jewelry aisle in craft stores. Happy stamping!

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We three birdies love to craft and we do not discriminate when it comes to our craft supplies. We love to experiment and try new things. Inspired by this contest that challenges people to make a roller coaster out of pretzels, we decided to try this and turn it into a fun family activity. Sometimes it is okay to play with your food, right? We knew our kids would love being the “architects” of their own roller coasters. Plus, the winner will win a year's supply of Snyder's pretzels and a trip to Busch Gardens in Colonial Williamsburg, my old stompin’ grounds. My (Stacy) first job ever was at Busch Gardens. I have nothing but fond memories of that place--well, minus the pastel pink French costume and mop hat. Note: We found out WA residents are not eligible to win the trip, so check the official rules before entering. We thought this would still be fun, even if we couldn't win.


Three opened bags of pretzels and a few hot glue burns later, we are off to a great start on our pretzel coaster. Here’s our work in progress. We hope to finish it up in the next day or two. It’s wonderful to see your favorite people getting creative and expressing themselves in a positive way. Now, we just need to figure out how to make a triple loop de loop. Check out another blogger, Croq-Zine's design. LOVE the Cheerios for wheels!


UPDATE! Here's our finished coaster!


Pretzels not your thing? Try making ice cream sculptures. Carving ice cream into works of art is a fun group activity, plus you get to nibble on the excess ice cream. Score! Refreshments and entertainment all rolled into one.

You can let each person have their own carton of ice cream, or divide up into teams. Remove the paper carton, gather up some creative kitchen utensils, and dig in! Don't forget to wear gloves if you intend to eat your art later. These cute girls came up with a beehive, a cupcake, and a head stone. Pretty creative (and delicious!).

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We are big Mod Podge fans and recently stumbled on their Web site. Mod Podge is made by a company called Plaid, and they make tons of other cool craft stuff, from acrylic paint to chalkboard paint to cork stamps. We saw this texture paint there and had to try it.



I love cupcakes and thought this stuff would make the perfect frosting for my little one's birthday party invitation. I started with a chipboard cupcake shape. I applied the paper for the cupcake wrapper with the Sparkle Mod Podge (such fun stuff!). I wanted it to be all sparkly and it was nice to have the glitter already in the Mod Podge.



I used a butter knife to paint the white texture paint on to get an “icing” look. I then stuck on some beads to look like sprinkles. Voila! Instant texture and dimension to my paper "cupcake."



The texture paint line comes in a few colors including a sparkle white, which would also be awesome as "frosting." Love this stuff!

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We had so much fun with our giveaway week that we just couldn't resist throwing another one in. They're addicting! Meet Cranberries & Capers, a sweet Etsy shop with handcrafted hair clips and accessories for babies and girls. Aren't these owl binky clips a hoot?




All of Cindy's creations are darling. Here's some more birdie love.



And all of her flowers are so fun!




Cindy started making clippies for her two girls and just fell in love with this new way to express herself creatively. She started selling them through her blog at first to family, and then friends, and then strangers. Then not long ago she opened an Etsy shop in hopes of sharing her clippy goodness with more people. She works hard to make sure they are each super cute and well-made. Cindy says, "I think adding cute clippies to an outfit is icing on the cake {the best part, right?}." We think so!

You could win the Cranberries & Capers item of your choice! Just leave us a comment with your favorite item from Cindy's Etsy store by Sunday, June 14 at 11:59pm PDT. Or, purchase now through June 14th and mention Little Birdie Secrets at checkout to receive 20% off your order! Don't you just love all these generous Etsy sellers out there?

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My dad probably loses at least 2 hats each summer when he’s fishing/boating. We found a hat clip at Boaters World, but it was so ugly. It was a neon green shoelace coil. I know it is supposed to be functional, but you don’t have to give up looking good, too. This year I made him a hat clip to help prevent the hat from flying off into Puget Sound. This is very similar to our baby binky clip tutorial. I used plain black ribbon because he probably would like that. I saw some University of Washington ribbon at the store and this would have been really cute made up with that. I am sure there are other people out there that are not fisherman or boaters that could use a hat clip--it makes a great Father's Day gift!

Hat Clip Tutorial

What you'll need:

*Ribbon (or a strap made from fabric)
*Snaps
*Sewing machine
*Clip—I just pulled the clip part off of a name badge. The name badge was the type that they hand out at conferences and fairs. My husband goes to quite a few of these so we had a few floating around. If you don’t have access to one of these badges, you can use mitten clips found at your local craft store.

1. Cut your ribbon to about 12 inches. The actual length of the ribbon between the hat and collar should be around 7 ½ to 8 inches.

2. Install your snaps. The back of the snap box had some clear instructions. Make sure you make your loop big enough to fit around the adjustable part of the hat.



3. Thread the ribbon through the hole of the name badge clip. Sew it down.


4. Use Fray Check on all exposed ribbon edges and your done.

5. If your husband wears fitted hats that don’t have an adjustable part, you can skip the snap part and sew mitten clips to both ends of the ribbon.

6. Snap the end piece around the opening in the hat, and clip the other side to your shirt collar. That hat isn't going anywhere!

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The second half of our giveaways are over, and it's winner announcement time...again. We want to thank all of our sponsors and readers for making this second reader appreciation week very successful.

Here are the winners:

First off, Carrie Stroud of the Carrie Stroud photography giveaway was so grateful for all of your kindness, that she decided to have us pick two winners! She is also offering something for all those who commented. You can get 25% off a photo shoot with her! How awesome is that? Carrie is only going to be in the Seattle and Utah locations for a few days this year, so you need to contact her and book your session soon before she is too full. Here are the two winners:
gillespie
and
cyfarwydd of Word Panacea


The winner of the Grateful Tulip giveaway is
greedygrace


The winner of the Quilting Bee giveaway is
ParkerMama


The winner of the Christy's Craft Challenge giveaway is
The Eagers of Happy Days


The winner of the Sweet Baby Creations giveaway is
soybeanlover


The winner of the Just Because Studios giveaway is
Sarah Seitz

Congrats to all of our winners! Please contact us at littlebirdiesecrets@gmail.com so we can get you in touch with our sponsors.

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As I was pondering over what to get my hubby for Father’s Day, I came across a link to Big Huge Labs' Make Your Own Motivational Poster in my inbox. I had my Eureka! moment and quickly went to work on the perfect gift for my sweetie. A little something for him to take to the office.


Now, you may be wondering why I chose such a sassy gift. Well, if you knew my husband you would totally understand. He’s going to love this. He’s not one of those warm and fuzzy types. He’s the jokester or the tease. He gets crazy and loves it. This picture was actually taken during a ski outing with a friend (also a father). Yup, that’s my dear husband. He’s the one that found the perfect photo op—the large rock with the drop off in the back. Oh, and he couldn’t stand posing with his skis and smile either. He had to go all Superman.

I always grumble about how am I supposed to keep our children from killing themselves before they hit 13 if he does crazy things too? *gasp* I know, I know…I am such a killjoy. I’m so glad my hubby likes adventures. He’s such a great dad. He’s the one that takes them skiing every weekend or splashing through the icy cold river. I have to say I am a little less adventurous. My kids have a richer life because of their dad. He’s taught them to be brave, have fun, and enjoy life. He balances me out and I love that. So, I know a lot of you have tons of great pictures out there. Check out Big Huge Labs' free motivational poster maker. Make something fun for your man in your life. Make it sweet or sentimental or just plain silly. They’ll love it.

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My husband just left on another business trip. He seems to go on them quite a bit. Even though the kids are sad he is gone, he always brings back tons of goodies for them. It’s like Christmas all over again when he opens up his bags and doles out the pens, notepads, highlighters or whatever they were giving away at the conference. This past year he brought home something for himself. Quite a clever thing too. It's a suitcase handle cover. This little cover is so handy and helps him recognize his suitcase on the carrier. You see, like most people we know, we own black luggage. Have you seen the airport carousel lately? I am beginning to believe they only make black suitcases these days.

Even though I think this is a very useful item, I think it'is lacking in the style department, so I decided to make him a new one using his conference freebie as a template. This is such a simple and quick project. Picking out the fabric was the hardest part. I know I would like a beautiful floral cover, but since I am not using it I tried to go with a more gender neutral fabric. This would make a great Father's Day gift for the dad who travels a lot!

Luggage Handle Cover Tutorial

What you'll need:
*2 pieces of 6" x 6 ½" fabric
*1 piece thin batting 6" x 6 ½"
*5 " of sew-on Velcro
*Iron
*Sewing machine and thread

1. Lay one piece of fabric right side up and the second piece of fabric on top of it right side down.


2. Layer the piece of batting on top.


3. Using a ¼ inch seam, sew all around the three pieces. Leave a 2 inch opening for turning.


4. Trim your corners.

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