Here’s how to make a fabric baby gate for the bottom of stairs or between doorways. This DIY fabric baby gate has given me a lot of piece of mind these past months. We tried store-bought safety gates at the bottom of our stairs but couldn’t figure out how to work around our awkward window …

These free printable wedding invitation and round place cards are part of the “Inspiration to Reality: My Modern Clementine” feature at Style Me Pretty in partnership with Bliss Wedding & Event Design and C STUDIOS. The chic design was inspired by 60s geometric bold patterns in black and white, clementine orange, fresh green and gold – …

Make your own oven mitt in less than one hour with my free oven mitt sewing pattern. These DIY oven gloves are just the right size — not too big and floppy — and you can choose to quilt the outside of the oven mitt or leave it nice and smooth. I’ve made them both …

Today’s photo frame craft idea is all about recycling. I used masking tape pieces to cover an old red photo frame that I almost gave away to Goodwill and voila! A whimsical, throwback photo frame for Elise’s one-year-old portrait. Anyone else out there make masking tape vases as kids at camp? At Camp Na-Wa-Kwa we …

My friend Jolyn, the Queen of Handmade Burp Cloths, taught me years ago how to turn regular white burp cloths into posh fabric-covered burp cloth sets in less than an hour. Cute, huh? And oh so useful too – my #1 baby gift criteria. Recently it seems like everyone is having babies and I have …

Here’s an original free apron sewing pattern with two built-in potholders and secret iPhone pocket. Aprons have been glued to my body ever since I started feeding Elise – I find it’s just easier to wipe my hands on my stomach than find a dish towel. I need something that would work for me as …

Try this delicious sweet potato crackers recipe! I’ve been making this sweet potato crackers recipe again and again since Thanksgiving’s sweet potato leftovers and I think it’s high time I passed along this yummy kid-friendly recipe. A sweet potato crackers recipe that kids love to eat Elise has become my official cracker-making helper and #1 …

Elise loved her 1st birthday gifts and wanted to say thanks in style! I designed pink monkey thank you cards with a ‘1st birthday’ bananas birthday party hat and yellow polka dots cards. Then I used pink and burgundy fine-point Sharpie markers to write on them. This free pink monkey 1st birthday thank you card …

Here are free printable bubble labels in yellow and pink. Just download, print, cut, and stick for easy DIY birthday party bubble favors. I made these yellow and pink free printable bubble labels to coordinate with Elise’s 1st birthday party theme – Pink Monkey and Bananas. Elise just loves bubbles – she has a little …

I made this pink monkey birthday hat for Elise to wear on her 1st birthday. She was a good sport about it and I think she looked adorable especially when she dug into her matching monkey birthday cake. It’s really easy to put together and attach the white ribbon ties. The free printable PDF below …

I made this “Happy 1st Birthday Elise” pink and yellow hanging birthday banner for Elise’s pink monkey and bananas birthday party. I hung it over our living room curtains using three kinds of ribbon – vintage yellow ric-rac, yellow solid ribbon and yellow and white polka-dot ribbon, then I added pink and yellow balloons on …

I was totally stumped trying to think of birthday party theme ideas for Elise’s 1st birthday. And then Shane suggested having a Pink Monkey and Bananas 1st birthday party theme and it just felt perfect. Elise has snuggled with her adorable Pink Monkey Security Blankie (by Angel Dear) since she was just a few months …

My DJ friend Chad creates free compilation music mixes for anyone who asks. Being the lucky recipient of many said mixes, I wanted to make Chad something to thank him for the tunes. Chad collects bird-related art and of course loves music so I thought that birds from vintage linen calendars framed by old 45 …

Here’s a woodsy pair of friends to adorn your holiday gifts. I made these free gift tags from vintage owl and deer Christmas tree ornaments that I found at a local antique store. Last year I gave these ornaments to my friend Heather to add to her collection. I shot a couple photos on my …

As a crafter like me you are probably doing one or more of the following things right about now: (1) making handmade holiday gifts for friends and family, (2) looking to buy creative and budget-friendly gifts, or (3) making your own list to give to your family. Well, the MerrimentDesign.com Crafty Holiday Guide is here …