Taylor, Author at TaylorMade

A Yo Gabba Gabba Invitation

July 20, 2011 By Taylor 9 Comments

It’s a Party, It’s a Party for FINN!

It’s almost here… my little baby is turning two. I know its super cliche and everyone warned me but I literally can not believe how fast he is growing up. I can remember every detail of his birth and feel like it was just a few months ago. At the same time it is hard to remember my life before he was here. If you are a parent you know I can’t begin to explain what he has taught me. I have learned to savor every moment with my 5 month old even more now. Uh enough with the “Mom” moment… :(

On to the Par-tay!!

Please excuse the next few posts if Yo Gabba Gabba creeps you out. Finn is obsessed so naturally it is the theme for his birthday party. We are having a “friend” party the evening of his birthday and then doing family stuff separately. I finished his invitation and sent them out a few days ago.

It is actually kind of hard to find Gabba stuff. I found some clip art and made this invitation and then I ordered some napkins, plates, streamers and balloons online. I am not going super crazy because he is only two (and wont even remember this anyway – isn’t that a bummer)

Finn loves Brobee the most so I am also making him a Brobee t-shirt. (You can see his Brobee pillow here). There are also some really cute ideas on Pinterest so I started a Yo Gabba Gabba board. I am going to do the DJ Lance Rock Radio favors. I found the wording for the invitation on Gabba Friends. Its pretty simple but if you would like to personalize it I am putting the file under the “Freebies” menu or you can click HEREYou just need to fill in the name and info…

He is excited.

Chicken Pitas and Tzatziki

July 14, 2011 By Taylor 6 Comments

Once again, I have another recipe for you from Real Simple. I am pretty much obsessed with their recipes. I like the magazine but I love their recipes. We make something “Real Simple” at least once a week. And this is definitely simple. Here is the link to the recipe online:Chicken Pitas with Tzatziki I usually amend to our liking but I pretty much follow this one exactly. I do add lemon juice to the Tzatziki Sauce. And my pitas have pockets but that is about it. You will love these!

Chicken Pitas with Tzatziki:Ingredients:2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, seeded and grated (about 1 1⁄4 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 small clove garlic, finely chopped
4 flat breads or pocket-less pitas, warmed
1 small romaine heart, leaves torn if large
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
(I add lemon juice)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the cayenne, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook until cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes per side. Cut into bite-size pieces.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt, cucumber, mint, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper (and lemon).
Top the flat breads with the romaine, chicken, tomatoes, and tzatziki.

It makes a ton of Tzatziki and I always have leftover sauce so we use it as veggie dip for the next few days. So good! Last night I served our pitas with Couscous and Sauteed Garlic Zucchini. Lovely summer meal :)

Stake Your Claim Beach Towel

July 11, 2011 By Taylor 15 Comments

This “Stake Your Claim Beach Towel” just might be a genius idea. I know it is a very simple idea but how many times have you been to the beach and had to struggle to keep your beach towel down because of the wind then it gets all sandy? Here is your solution!

The Stake Your Claim beach towel is one of the most simple/useful crafts I have done all summer. I have already used it a handful of times, even in my backyard. All you need are a few supplies. I found my tent stakes ($1.50) and my beach towel ($6) at Academy.

Do you have a button hole foot on your machine? I don’t know what I would do without mine. You have to use a button in the button hole foot because that tells your machine how long to make the button hole. I chose a button slightly larger than my stakes. Just put your button in the slot and pull down.

Mark a dot on all of the four corners of your beach towel. Line the dot up with the center of the button hole foot, choose the button hole stitch and just start sewing; it does all of the work for you!

Now you have your stitched button hole. Take a seam ripper and carefully open the hole.

You now have your button holes so you can Stake Your Claim. In your backyard or at the Beach.

There you have the super simple/genius Stake Your Claim Beach Towel :) I think it would work perfect as a fun summer Birthday Gift too.

Some people have asked if grommets would work. Of course they would. To be honest, I planned with grommets and went to Hobby Lobby then they were sold out :( But a good crafter always has a back up plan. So, if you don’t have a button hole foot or don’t sew, just put your grommets in the corners and make sure they are slightly larger than your stakes.

Baby Onesie Cutoffs

July 8, 2011 By Taylor 6 Comments

When Clyde was born and I realized I had another boy in the house I thought to myself, perfect! I have a closet full of boy clothes. Well… Finn was born on August 6th and Clyde was born on February 6th. Their dates are exactly six months apart to the day. So, we got home from the hospital with Clyde, I opened the closet and BAM a closet full of sleeveless and short sleeved shirts on the only day that Houston ever had a “hard freeze”. Why didn’t I realize that all of these clothes were for the opposite season? Now once again all of Finn’s old 9 month onesies are for winter and I am about to die of a heat stroke. My poor little poopsie is hot natured just like his Mommy. Solution… Baby Cutoffs!

I did this to some pants a few weeks ago too. I am now on a Baby Cutoff Spree at my house and nothing is safe. Watch out old baby jeans… its over 100 degrees and mama’s hot. These make me hot just looking at them… (I really can’t describe my hatred for the heat enough)

I really wanted Clyde to be able to wear this shirt because it has a special meaning. When I first found out I was pregnant with Finn this was the first thing I bought, so really the first “baby thing” I ever bought in my life :)

Use a short-sleeved onesie as your pattern and mark 1/2″ past the edge of the sleeve. (Yes I use a sharpie, I don’t like tailor’s chalk)

Serge around the edge and then pin and sew two parallel lines for the seam.

Ahhh…. relief!

How cute is this little model of mine? What a Happy Boy! So, what sort of summer refashioning have you done lately? And are you now going to run through your house with scissors looking for clothes to cutoff?