baby gifts

Happiness is Homemade Link Party

Happiness is Homemade 534 Features

Memorial Day Centerpiece

First up is the fun Memorial Day Centerpiece from our very own Bev. Yes we do add features and sometimes they just need to be showcased, Bev, from the Eclectic Red Barn created this beautiful arrangement and made everything herself.

Walking on Sunshine has created the perfect red, white and blue Oreo Cookie Patriotic Treats! These are an easy patriotic dessert, no bake recipe that everyone is going to love for any summer event you’re hosting.

Up to 40% at the Amazon Memorial Day Sale thru May 27th!

Red, White, and Blue Sangria Recipe

This Red, White, and Blue Sangria from Ann’s Entitled Life is simple to make. Bursting with juicy fruits and delicious flavors it is the perfect drink to celebrate Independence Day, Memorial Day, or any summer holiday.

Dollar Tree DIY 4th of July Candles

These 4th of July candles from Hunny I’, Home use Dollar Tree supplies and a free patriotic SVG to create a beautiful decoration for your home or 4th of July party.

Armor All Car Wash and Cleaner Kit, Includes Cleaning Wipes for Car Interior, Cleaner Concentrate, Car Air Freshener, Microfiber Towels (8 Piece Kit)

Easy 4th Of July Metal hanging design

Steph Creates created this simple metal hanging decoration for the 4th of July. I absolutely love how it turned out.

Shark navigator vacuum with LED headlights

Sinea’s Featured Pick of the Week

Oooh, doesn’t this look yummy? I think it is just about perfect for any kind of celebration!

This Lemon Dump Cake was made by Jen from Cincy Shopper.

On to the Party!

Thank you for joining us this week whether you are a blogger sharing your latest posts OR a reader enjoying all of the inspirational shares! Don’t forget to drop by and say hello to all our hostesses, they always appreciate your visit! Here are all of our hostesses at Happiness Is Homemade!

Linda @ A Labour of Life

Sinea @ Ducks ‘n a Row Beverly @ Eclectic Red Barn Katie @ Love My Messy Messy Mess Mel @ Décor Craft Design Niki @ Life as a Leo Wife

Would you like to be a part of Happiness Is Homemade? We are looking for hostesses to join our team. If you are interested, please email any one of the Happiness Is Homemade hostesses and let them know. We would love to have you join our party.

Baby gift best seller!

How To Make A Cute Drawstring Bag for a Baby Gift Basket

How To Make a Drawstring Bag

Tools you will need: scissors, pins, sewing machine, thread, needle (for hand sewing,) iron (optional), 2 pillow cases, ribbon.

I will walk you through it detail but, in short, here are the steps:

measure the pillowcase for size
cut the pillowcase in half (for two bags, you will have leftover fabric*)
pin each pillowcase in half, lengthwise, inside out.
pin along the bottom
using a sewing machine, sew across the bottom and up one side.
STOP sewing as you get to the channel. DO NOT sew it closed.
finish the edges of the open channel, by hand.
turn the newly sewn bag rightside out.
iron it.
attach a safety pin to one end of the ribbon and feed it through the channel.
remove the safety pin.
fill it with “goodies”
done!

*Notice that I used some of the leftover fabric to make a matching bow for the outside of the gift basket.

You can get two bags out of one pillow case with ease. Since the receiving blanket and multiple diapers would take up the bulk of the room, I laid them on top of a pillowcase to get a feel for just how big they should be. You may want to do the same, assuming you know what will be stored in yours.

DIY, gift, baby shower gift idea, crafts

Tip: Lay a straight piece of paper on the fabric to use as a guide to cut the bottom of the bag in a straight line.

Cut all the way across the bottom of the pillowcase for the bottom seams of the bags.

Now, cut each side seam all the way down. You now have TWO separate pieces of fabric, each with a ready-made channel for the top where the ribbons will be run through.

Fold each bag in half, inside out, with the channels meeting each other. Remember NOT to sew that end shut. It has to be left open, edges finished off by hand, to run the drawstring ribbon through.

This is what the channel looks like.

Pin each bag and, using a sewing machine, sew across the bottom and up the side up to, but not including, the channel.

Turn the bag rightside out. Hand-sew the edges of the channel, folding the edges inside the channel, to make a nice neat piece.

Iron them.

The ribbon or cord that you will use for the drawstring should be several inches longer than the channel on each end when the bag is laying out flat. You need substantial ends to be able to pull and tie them. I decided to use a pretty blue ribbon that would be tied in a bow.

Take a safety pin and attach it to the end of your ribbon. Now, thread it through the channel, leaving some of the ribbon hanging on one side and more on the other.

Fill the bags with all the goodies!

How to make a drawstring bag from a pillowcase for a baby gift basket #crafts #sewing #babyshower Share on X

What other uses come to mind for drawstring bags?

Any thoughts on what else we can put in a mommy grab ‘n go bag?

Enjoy!

How to Gift Wrap a Big Box!

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If you have a big gift you are giving and want it to be really pretty, you need to know how to wrap a big box. It’s easy!

This blog contains Amazon affiliate links. ♥

Not long ago, I shared my story about the joy that plus toy rockers have brought to the little tykes in our family. I received four of them when I was hired by the company to write about these wonderful toys.

Well, three of the rockers went to our kiddos who live nearby but we held onto the fourth one to give to our great-grandson, Little B, on his first birthday.

Large Rolls of Wrapping Paper

This picture says it all … Little B is in love with his new plush toy rocker! His folks tell us he plays on it every day.

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A plush toy rocker is a gift to remember – perfect for baby shower gifts, birthdays, and any gift-giving occasion. But how do you wrap one? That box is BIG! There are no gift bags large enough to handle it so I did it the old-fashioned way and wrapped it in wrapping paper.

Large roll of Navy and White Striped Wrapping Paper

How To Wrap A Big Box

Supplies

Big Gift Box

Large roll of wrapping paper

Scissors

Tape

Bow or Ribbon

Card (optional)

First, put the rocker back in its plastic covering and into its box. (We had it out for the kids to play with when I wrote the previous post.)

Tape the box closed.

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How to wrap a BIG gift box - step by step! #tips #gifts Share on X

Unroll some of the wrapping paper.

Cut two pieces that fit on the ends of the box.

Tape them on each end using rolls of tape.

Roll out more paper, leaving it on the roll.

Place the box squarely onto the wrapping paper.

Gently pull the roll up an over the box.

Cut the paper off leaving some extra to overlap it.

Secure the open ends on the underside of the box with tape.

how to wrap a Rockabye Rocker #toys #baby

Now fold the ends around like an envelop and tape them.

The ends will not cover completely but your two ends already have wrapping paper on them. It will look nice!

Add a bow to the top and, if you have one, the card.

Done!

Pet Hair Emergency???

This is the best pet hair vacuum I have ever tried. It works great!

Enjoy!

Shark NV752 Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet Upright Vacuum with HEPA Filter, Large Dust Cup Capacity, LED Headlights, Upholstery Tool, Perfect Pet Power Brush & Crevice Tool

Best Pet Hair Vacuum I have ever used! Love it!

How To Make A Drawstring Bag From A Pillowcase

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Drawstring bags are a simple means of transporting and/or storing things. Pirates used them to carry their gold doubloons and other treasures- or at least they do in the movies. Cowboys and gold miners did in the Wild West, too, didn’t they? Maybe their moms made them! LOL

Whether it is a nesting place for children’s toys or a quick way to get assorted items from “here” to “there,” drawstring bags are easy to make and do come in handy.

Baby gift basket with DIY drawstring mommy grab n go bags

Babies, babies, BABIES! Of all the celebrations, I love welcoming BABIES into the world. Our family has had three babies born in the past 6 months -all boys. They are still out numbered by our little girls 4-1, though.

We had a shower recently for one of the little lads and i decided to make a baby gift basket with “mommy grab ‘n go” bags inside. They were filled with essentials that mom might need when out and about with her little ones: diapers, baby wipes, bib, receiving blanket, pacifier and a trashbag to wrap up soiled diapers and wipes while on the road.

The mommy grab n go bags are quite easy to make, even for novices. I decided to buy some vivid blue and white pillow cases to make mine – since the baby was a boy. The wide border at the top of the cases is already a channel for the ribbon or drawstring to run through. Much less work!

How To Make a Drawstring Bag

measure the pillowcase for size
cut the pillowcase in half (for two bags, you will have leftover fabric*)
pin each pillowcase in half, lengthwise, inside out.
pin along the bottom
using a sewing machine, sew across the bottom and up one side.
STOP sewing as you get to the channel. DO NOT sew it closed.
finish the edges of the open channel, by hand.
turn the newly sewn bag rightside out.
iron it.
attach a safety pin to one end of the ribbon and feed it through the channel.
remove the safety pin.
fill it with “goodies”
done!

*Notice that I used some of the leftover fabric to make a matching bow for the outside of the gift basket.

Tip: Lay a straight piece of paper on the fabric to use as a guide to cut the bottom of the bag in a straight line.

Cut all the way across the bottom of the pillowcase for the bottom seams of the bags.

Now, cut each side seam all the way down. You now have TWO separate pieces of fabric, each with a ready-made channel for the top where the ribbons will be run through.

Fold each bag in half, inside out, with the channels meeting each other. Remember NOT to sew that end shut. It has to be left open, edges finished off by hand, to run the drawstring ribbon through.

This is what the channel looks like.

Pin each bag and, using a sewing machine, sew across the bottom and up the side up to, but not including, the channel.

Turn the bag rightside out. Hand-sew the edges of the channel, folding the edges inside the channel, to make a nice neat piece.

Iron them.

Take a safety pin and attach it to the end of your ribbon. Now, thread it through the channel, leaving some of the ribbon hanging on one side and more on the other.

Fill the bags with all the goodies!

How to make a drawstring bag from a pillowcase for a baby gift basket #crafts #sewing #babyshower Share on X

What other uses can you think of for drawstring bags?

Any thoughts on what else we can put in a mommy grab ‘n go bag?

Enjoy!

This author is an Amazon Affiliate. Anything purchased from Amazon through Ducks ‘n a Row will result in a small commission for me. In advance, “thank you!” … Sinea