DIY Diaper Cake

I was cleaning off my desk the other day and came a crossed an invitation to my friends baby shower that I had completely forgotten about.
Panic starts to set in!
Oh, holy crap!!!  What in the world am I going to do with no time or budget to pick up a great gift?
I'm always so thoughtful and creative and I feel as if I ALWAYS have to be when giving gifts and plus it's for someone that was very thoughtful at my baby shower.  I was excited about it when I first received the invitation but with lack of much needed sleep, my 1 year old running circles around me all day and trying to get all my house hold chores done it had easily slipped my mind.  What was I to do with "no notice"?  I need time to budget myself, save money, figure out what the mother to be needs and/or wants, plan what and how to present my gift, should I buy and put everything into a basket, tray, diaper bag, I GOT IT!  A DIAPER CAKE!
It's cheap, easy and fool proof!!!

I could only afford to spend $25.00.  Yikes, that doesn't seem like a lot of money when we're talking about a baby shower gift.  Everyone knows how expensive baby stuff is unless you're a smart shopping, budgeting Momma like myself.

I went to Dollar General.  Yes, I bought supplies for a baby shower gift at the dollar store.
Don't judge, be impressed!
Diaper cakes are super simple and easy.

The supplies that you'll need are:
(These are the items I bought today that were suited to the mother to be needs, but you can pretty much get whatever. Your options are endless!)

Diapers, (I used 50 diapers.) (the bigger count of diapers you buy the bigger your cake.)
Baby Wipes,
Bordeaux's Butt Paste,
Healthcare Kit, (medicine spoon, thermometer, nose cleaner, nail clippers, etc.)
Teething Ring,
Teething Tablets,
Rubber Bands, (make sure you have enough for each diaper and a few extra.)
Card Board,
Pen,
Scissors,
Card Board from a Toilet Paper Roll or Paper Towel Roll,
(paper towel roll is going to be your better option.)
Duct Tape,
Ribbon,
Curling Ribbon,
Card Stock
Gift Bag,
Tissue Paper.

Keep in mind, this isn't the "only" way to make a diaper cake, it's just the way I was able to make mine.  I used what I had around the house so I could save some pennies. 
No harm, no shame.  It's what the mother to be needs and it looks really cute, so who cares.

Instructions:

Start out by rolling up the diapers.  You'll want to lay the diaper front side down and with the top part of the diaper closest to you and roll and use a rubber band to keep them secure.  Depending on how big your rubber bands are you may have to wrap them around the diaper and couple of times.  I only needed to wrap it twice and be sure that the rubber band is in the middle of diapers.

I used 16 diapers for my top layer and 34 diapers for my bottom layer.
If you're making a cake just like mine take 16 already rolled up diapers and rubber band them all together with 1 rubber band.  The rubber band needs to lay a crossed the rubber bands on the diapers.  There's no need to wrap the rubber band twice around the layers, it should be secure enough to keep them all together.
And then do the same to the other 34 rolled up diapers.
Make sure that the outside of your layers aren't showing the ending rolled edge of the diapers.
It's easier to rubber band your rolls together and then turn any diaper rolls around. 
This way the cake will have a clean, even look to it.
(See the 5th picture down from here to see what I mean.)


You'll need a platform for the bottom layer of your cake so when you pick it up it won't fall apart.
I didn't have anything special around the house so I used a card board diaper box that my sons diapers came in.
I broke the box down at the glued areas and opened it and laid it flat.
I then took my 34 ct. bottom layer of diapers and set it on top of the box and drew a circle around the layer as close to it as I could possibly get without getting ink on the diapers.
You could use a pencil for your circle outline but I wanted to be able to clearly see my marking.

Cut out your circle outline.
You'll want to cut about 1 - 2 inches inside and all the way around your circle, that way you won't be able to see the card board when you put your bottom layer over it.

Then you'll duct tape a toilet paper or paper towel roll in the middle of your card board circle.

My toilet paper roll is actually centered, my circle is just a bit lop sided because my scissors broke and I had to use a knife to cut my platform out.

 

I used a toilet paper roll because I didn't have a paper towel roll.  Toilet paper rolls are long/short enough for 1 layer.  Since I didn't have a paper towel roll.  I cut off one of the longer flaps on the diaper box that I used to make my circle platform.  I then bent the flap long ways to try and make a rod and rubber banded both ends together.  I slipped my "card board rod" into the toilet paper roll hole, and placed the top layer of diapers over the "rod". 
Try to center the card board the best you can in the middle of your diapers.

This is where it gets really fun!
Wrap your ribbon around the middle of each layer where you have your rubber band line and tie a pretty bow.

I then put the Teething Tablets on the top front of the bottom layer and tucked the top flap part of the box under the top layer bow. (Look at the picture and you'll see what I mean.)
I also had a few tiny plastic clothes pins that a friend gave me for my baby shower, I clipped them on the box flap and the top part of the bow on the top layer so it looks like there at holding up the box.
I also clipped tiny plastic baby bottles with ribbons glued to them onto the bottom layer bow with the tiny clothes pins.
You don't have to use embellishments, I did because I had them laying around the house.

I then took the Bordeaux's Butt Paste and stuffed it down the middle of the top layer of diapers right above where my "card board rod" is and then set the Teething Ring tilted on the front of it.

Last but not least.
I made a little note card to put on the cake.
I measured out a 3"x6" Card Stock strip and folded it in half and I recently bought a fancy little Martha Stewart paper punch (on clearance and saved $10. on it at Hobby Lobby!  I love a great deal!!!) and with the card folded in half I punched along the top and bottom edges of the card.
I then punched a small hole in the side of it by the fold line with a hole punch and tied it to the top layer bow with curling ribbon.  Honestly you could use any type of ribbon or string that you have around the house.  Remember, saving pennies is a good thing...  For anyone.

That's it.  The diaper cake is finished and for the Baby Wipes and Healthcare Kit...
I didn't have enough room on the cake for them so I put them in a gift bag with tissue paper that I also had laying around the house and made a tag that looks the same as the one on the diaper cake and a pretty curling ribbon bow and put them on the gift bag..

 

I really like it when I'm able to save little things like gift bags, ribbons, party embellishments, etc. etc.  I recommend it to everyone as long as you have a place to keep it neatly organized.  If you're not organized about little things like that then when the time comes to use it you probably won't be able to find it.  So therefore, what's the point in having it if not to use?
I'm not the most organized person (lack of space) but I do keep all my party embellishments and supplies all together so I'll know exactly where I find them.
Thank God too, I would have spent more money then what my budget called for or wouldn't have been able to get my friend as much stuff as I did.

I hope this tutorial has inspired you in same way.

Mini Stocking

I was able to crochet a lot today.
I made a mini Christmas stocking all on my own.  I didn't use a pattern at all.  I just made it up as I went.  I wish I could post a picture of it but I left my camera at my parents on Thanksgiving, I need to go get that so I can share it with you all.  When David got home from work tonight he gave it to our son and he just loved it.  Of course he had the state of mind as a puppy and thought it was a chew toy but whatever floats his wee little baby boat.  It was cute though.  David was pretty impressed with the stocking.  I personally think it's cute but not perfect.  What else is new right?  There are only 2 things I'm not crazy about the first one is I should have made the heel better and the second thing is the top part of the stocking has a 2 stitch increase then the toe part.  It's not really noticeable but just knowing that there's a 2 stitch difference drives me nuts.  All in all though I think I did a really good job. especially considering I made the pattern up myself.  Yay me! :)  After I was finished with that project I was still in a crochet kinda mood so I tried starting on a Puff Stitch Hat and the yarn I picked out for it was for knitting only.  UGH!  It's 100% wool and super soft and pretty.  I was a bit upset about that.  I was in a rush when I picked it out because the store was closing and I forgot to read the label.  I tried using it anyways and it definitely didn't work out so I'm going to try and return it.  I hope they take it back.

I set up my Christmas tree this morning, it's really pretty but I wanted to string popcorn around it so I made some but some of it was burnt and the stuff that didn't burn was really small and pathetic looking so I threw it away.  Made me kind of sad because last year I had popcorn on my tree and it was gorgeous!  I need a few more ornaments so I think when I go to Hobby Lobby Tuesday I'm going to look for some.  I know I need a Baby's First Christmas ornament for sure!!!


Well that's about all I have to share this evening.

I hope you all are having a great weekend!

What I am thankful for.

I've been dreading this day because I figured it was going to be like every other holiday that my boyfriend and I spend together.  All we ever do is run, run, run, drive, drive, drive and the day starts out great and ends with a huge stressful coma.  I was up till 3:00am baking pies , making 2 batches of cranberry raspberry sauce for both families and making sure I had everything organized so it wouldn't take me forever to get myself, the baby, and the food ready to leave.  I woke up butt early and washed and dried some laundry, enjoyed cinnamon buttered toasted and a cup of coffee with David for breakfast, he got our baby ready for me while I finished prettying myself up and one thing you have to know about us is we are ALWAYS late to EVERYTHING and we arrived to my parents early, I helped my mom make a lot of the dinner, green bean casserole, 5 cup salad, and of course I brought 3 pumpkin pies and the cran/raspberry sauce.  Dinner ran late but it turned out to be really enjoyable because I got to spend a lot of time with my mom in the kitchen.  I enjoyed directing the helpers on tasks to lessen the stress on my mom and acting as my moms assistant.  It was a little nerve racking a couple of times but we kicked some ass and dinner was amazing!  My mom makes the best Thanksgiving dinner I've ever had!!!

I am thankful for my mom for going through all the stress to put on the greatest dinner ever for her family!

Since dinner ran late there David and I had to eat and run so we could make it to his Dad's place.

Arrived on time there.

We didn't go for their dinner, just stopped by to say hi and all that jazzy stuff.

I'm thankful for my beautiful, sweet, and cuddly baby boy!

We had to be at David's sisters house at 4:30pm for dinner over there.  That was his side of the families dinner.  I brought the pecan pie, pumpkin pie and cran/raspberry sauce.  I didn't eat much dinner because I was still full from my families gathering but the food was good, everyone liked what I brought and of course everyone loved Baby!  What else is new? Very enjoyable.

I am thankful for a drama free holiday.

Afterwards we talked to two of our friends that had to work tonight which I think is horrible!  But I told David that we should go pop by and surprise them at work since it was Thanksgiving, so we did.  They were surprised to see us and I made plans with my girl-friend to take her out Tuesday for her birthday.  I'm so excited for that, I can not wait!  I'm going to pick her up Tuesday morning and take her to Hobby Lobby.  We've been trying to plan and go together for MONTHS but she's always so busy with work.  It's going to be great!

I am thankful for this day and what it means and all of my friends and family that made today worth leaving the house for!  :)

Last but not least.

I'm contemplating going out to experience this Black Friday mess.  I've never done it before and I don't want to buy anything, I just want to sit and drink a coffee and people watch.  Basically just make fun of all the crazies out and about trying to score a good deal and act a fool in the process but I have a feeling I would regret it because my Love has to work a double at work tomorrow and I'll need to get my rest so I can get up early to tidy up our place and of course to take care of baby.  If I'm tired I get stressed out easily.  Not a big deal, it just makes for a long day.

My son is now 7 months old.

It sure seems like yesterday I was still pregnant with my little Cuddle Bug.  I honestly can not believe that he's 7 months old now.  Gosh...  It's crazy!  If you're a parent I'm sure you know the feeling quite well.
As I've posted recently, he now has 2 little teeth that came in this past week and I can feel more about to pop out but they still aren't visible.  Daddy's been teaching him how to say "I love Mama."  The other day he mumbled it, mumble or not it still melted my heart!  I couldn't believe he actually said it and it was completely random too which made it even more special.  Well today he melted my heart into a puddle of ice cream extra sweet and sticky hahahaa  I was holding him up as he stood in my lap and he grabbed my face with both of his hands and gave me a HUGE sloppy wet baby drool of a kiss (the best kind in my opinion lol) and as he was whipping his lips and slobber all over my face he said it again!  "I LOVE MAMA!"  It was a lot more pronounced this time too!  Oh my Goodness!  It was truly an amazing moment!  And how perfect was the timing?  I mean seriously he said it so well and gave me a kiss at the same time and he turned 7 months today.  It was a gift of my own.  I feel truly blessed to have him.
I know I'm a sappy mom.  I can't help myself though.  :)
So a few other things about Booger Butt.  (lovely nick name isn't it? lol)
He's still not crawling yet, when he's on his stomach he'll roll around both ways and he scoots backwards and tries to scoot forward.  Sometimes he'll make it forwards but not a lot.  Now we'll stand him up on the floor and let him hold our hands to support himself as he stands and he'll take steps forwards on his own.  It was either last night or the night before, it's sad how I can't remember a short time ago but anyways...  I'll say a few nights ago Daddy was in the shower and we were going to bathe baby with Dada so we didn't have to run bath water and I took his diaper off and had him walking to the bathroom all by himself.  Well, using my hands for support of course but yeah he did it.  It was so cute!  My little 2 foot something baby naked and taking tiny little baby steps and smiling while he was looking at Dada as he said "Come on nugget, you're doing so good.  That's it you got it."  My child has so many nick names I can't even count. haha
So anyways, all in all baby is doing great and Mama and Dada are as well.
I'm super stoked for Christmas still.  :)  YepppppIIIieeeeee!!!  <----(annoying I know :)

First Crochet Project Completed

I've taught myself to quilt so I figured I could teach myself how to crochet.  I probably practiced a total of 3 or 4 hours before starting my little project.  I have to say, at first I thought it was super hard because I couldn't hold my yarn firm enough around my fingers but that didn't last long.  I just finished up making a tiny pair of baby crochet mittens and they are too cute!  The only thing that I'm very disappointed in is that one of the mittens is smaller then the other.  I think I made the smaller one too tight and that's why it's not the same size.  The smaller one is also the first one that I completed and the second one turned out so wonderful. (practice makes perfect). Well, I like them anyhow...  I want to keep making them and also learn how to make cute little baby beanies to match.  I really would like to stock up on an inventory and start up a business on esty.  I would highly enjoy making a few extra bucks to help out with our household income!  So fingers crossed.

So now my hobbies included, scrap booking, quilting, crocheting...  I wonder what my next learning task will be.  ???  

My Son Is Growing So Fast

As some of you may have noticed I haven't posted anything for awhile.
Honestly, I have been a lazy bum for the past week if not more.


My son Milo is 3 months old today!  I can not believe how big he's already gotten.  You're whole life you hear parents talk about it and I never had to think about it nor care until I had Milo.  It is 100.10% true!  It was just yesterday I was laying with a needle in my back, David holding my hand and all the nurses telling me to push and it was the day before yesterday I found out I was pregnant.  I can't help but to take pictures all the time of him and write all the new things he's doing down in his baby book.  I feel like tomorrow I'm going to wake up and he's going to be going to his first day of school and then the day after that off to college and/or starting his own family.  I know I'm getting really ahead of myself but just these 3 little months have gone so fast and he's always growing and won't ever stop...  Ah!  It makes me so happy but yet breaks my heart!!!  I'm so affraid I'm going to blink and miss something special.
I already miss how small he use to be and seeing him discover voices, faces, etc. 
David and I were talking the other night and I mentioned how I want another baby...  Yes I thought it, I said it...  I want another baby! (Miss I Never Want To Go Through That EVER Again!  One Is Enough.)
But I'm not ready to move on to the next step.  I still want to be in the new baby/new Mommy stage and I feel like it's already over.

For my family members, just know that it's not set in stone.
David and I are NOT trying to get pregnant again.  I have a birthcontrol that's going to last me for 5 years and AFTER that...  David and I will go from there.
That's the plan for now anyways.

On a lighter note...

I've had the idea of starting a cooking/recipe blog.
I'm not 100% sure I want to do it or not... But, it's been a thought.
I'm guessing I'll probably end up doing it but I'm just being lazy this week.
I already have some really good ideas but another thing that's holding me back is that I'm tight on money at the moment and probably will be for another month or so... I hope that's all anyways. If I start a recipe blog then I want to take pictures of what I'm posting about. Who likes to cook something and not know what it's suppose to look like? Not me. I like to know what I'm making is turning out to be what it's suppose to be.

Oh, no! I've lost my motivation!

I recently became a new mother to a beautiful son and I've also recently decided that I'd start quilting. I got so excited because I think it would be very special that my first quilt I would ever make would be for my new baby!

I went out and spent over $100.00 on supplies including fabric and I figured out which pattern I would put together. I accomplished cutting all of my squares out and I got my sewing mechine out and set it up on my craft desk. I then crawed under my desk to plug in the mechine and realized as the moment was to late that I had no plug space!

I started thinking up ways to solve my problem and the only thing I can remotely come up with is to set my sewing mechine up on my living room coffee table.
My coffee table I'm roughly guessing is 3.5x3.5 feet wide and probably 2 feet high with a full glass center. If you can imagen my table then you're probably thinking like I am and know that's not an idealic place to spend only Lord knows how much time making this quilt that I'm so determend to make.  Goodness being hunched over is going to kill my neck, back and shoulders and I'm worried about the glass on the table.  Sewing mechines rattle and being on glass...  Seems like a very bad idea to me.

Needless to say, ever since since has happened (about 1-2 weeks ago) I have lost all motivation to complete my mission.

How can I give up on it though?
I want to learn how to quilt, it'll be my babies first quilt, and I would love to try and make this a new income for my little family.

That being said I'll explain why.

Ever since I was about 8-9 months pergnant I haven't worked. My baby is now 11 weeks old.
My boyfriend and I decided once our son is 6 months old I'll go back to work since that is the time I want to stop breast feeding him, but... I've quickly come to love the realitization of being a Home Maker, plus I really don't like the idea of going back to work and not truely being the one to raise my son. I know there are tons of parents that have to put their child/children in Daycare and there's nothing wrong with that but if I can help it I want to avoid that for my child. I hate the thought of being away from my sweet boy for 28-35 hours a week for horrible pay. It is not worth it to me and like I said before, I don't want someone else raising my child. So I figured I could start making baby quilts with matching baby throw pillows to sell online to help my boyfriend with our household income. I think it's an amazing idea that I truely believe can work. I've made out a business plan and everything.

So I really need to find some sort of super duper mojo power to get myself motivated again, I can't just give up on this idea that I've had for quite sometime now. I can't give up on the hope that I can stay home and be a Home Maker for my family.

ONLY IF I HAD AN EXTENTION CORD!
(But, I'm broke...)