FINALLY! Duke & June is open for business!

COMING SOON!

Fall is here! And what better way to celebrate this beautiful season than the GRAND re-OPENING of Duke & June?! Mark your calendars for October 16th as I will be taking a limited number of custom orders AND introducing a new ready-to-ship item to my line of Daddies.

you can find #dukeandjune on instagram! 

I am SO excited to get back to sewing, hearing your daddy/husband/boyfriend stories and creating something lovely and unique for you, your kiddos, and your friends!

xoxo!

Mandi

Welcome Little Duke!

Little Duke: Born May 16th, 8lbs 15oz, 20.5 in

He is here! After waddling around with him for 41 weeks Little Duke joined my family on May 16th. He is perfect and I already have a hard time imagining our lives without him.

Big Duke is not all that interested in Little Duke yet. We did hit a mile stone earlier this week when Big tried to share his trains with Little. It did end in frustration since Little did not show the enthusiasim for trains that Big expected... but it is progress.

 Melt. My. Heart.

I have had to be a little sneaky to get pictures of the two boys together. Big does NOT like getting too close to the Little. It works for now. :)

Growing Little Duke

Hello Strangers! I know it has been too long since I last posted. I have finally made it through the final stretch of baby growing and then adjusting to having a new little one around the house...as well as all of the company that comes along with having a new Little Duke in the house. (Being an introvert makes company extra exhausting for me.)

I have tons of squishy baby pics to share later this week but I will leave you with belly pics for now....you know, just for the suspense. *wink*

Special Delivery: Sweet & Easy Party Favors

ANOTHER sweet baby boy is on the way next month! Which means another reason to eat delicious desserts and giggle with the gals. I was in charge of putting together party favors. I know I have done it once already, but these lemon cookies really are irresistible....and easy. So. Easy. 

Did I mention delicious?

You can find the original recipe here. All you need is a box of lemon cake mix, 8 oz of whiped cream, an egg and powdered sugar for coating. I made the cookies smaller (1 tsp) so that they would fit in the favor boxes. It also makes them a little less cake-y.

Other supplies:

- Favor boxes (I used 2x2" boxes)

-Washi tape 

- Kraft Tags

- Parchment for wrapping cookies (for these boxes I cut 2x9" strips)

Place parchment in the box along with four cookies.

Decorate in washi tape. The theme of this shower was Special Delivery/airplanes but this would be fun in some bright neon colors or even your basic baby blues and pinks. 

For the tags I created vintage style cargo tags with Kraft tags, washi tape and a Sharpie pen. I used the airport code for our city along with the ETA/due date.  

 

 I really love the way they turned out and the fact that I was able to get it all done while the toddler napped.

Snips & Snails

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE being the mom of a boy?

I do not just love him, I truly like him. He makes me laugh. For 2.5 he has quite the sense of humor. He thinks he is a lion...or a train...sometimes both. Soon he will be graduating from my one and only Duke to my Big Duke. A big brother. I think he is going to be great.

Hombrecito.

Today I put together a handsome little treasury for those little men out there. I am loving grey and red right now!

Find treasury Here

Custom Orders Done!

Shew! The last of the custom orders were delivered today and let me say I feel relieved! I was getting down to the wire with Baby on the way. I had a lot of fun creating these dolls for all of my LOVELY customers!

I am a little bit sad to be putting the sewing machine in the closet for awhile but I am looking forward to starting a new adventure with my growing family. I am also excited about reopening the shop late this Summer or early in the Fall with some fresh ideas!

Totally 80s Baby Shower!

Earlier this month my girlfriends threw the most perfect baby shower for me and my Little Duke.  Since Little Duke is going to be my second boy and Big Duke is only 2, I did not expect too much. But let me tell you, it was perfect, is was amazing. It was RADICAL!

I cannot tell you how excited I was when I received my invite:

A ransom note? 80s wear? A surprise? It was just right. 

After driving around a little town we arrived at an old school Town theater. I really wish I would have taken the time to take some pictures outside of the theater but I was too excited to think about that. We were having my baby shower at a movie theater! Who knew you could rent out a movie theater?!

  

We got to act like goof balls, watch Breakfast Club, eat unlimited amounts of popcorn and soda followed by the most delicious cake (that looked like popcorn!) 

It has been a couple of weeks since the shower but I am still so excited that this actually happened. It was SO much fun and SO perfect.

34 Weeks

I realize it has been for. ev. er. since I last posted. I am still trying to decide on a focus for this blog. Mommy blog? craft blog? both? neither??  So many decisions so I will go with EVERYTHING until I pull myself together.

As far as Etsy I am taking a bit of a maternity leave. This baby is supposed to be here in the next several weeks and I should start taking some time to prepare! eek!

This is what 34 weeks looks like...check out that wallpaper.

 It is ridiculous how different the first and second pregnancies are. With the first I knew the moment I conceived. I could tell you the song that was playing on the radio that moment, the song that was playing in the waiting room at my first appointment and probably my baby's progress down to the very minute. This morning I could not remember if I was 31 or 32 weeks along. After a quick check of my email I have learned that I am 34 weeks...34 weeks!! ...Oh, and baby is the size of a cantaloupe...

I do have some great custom dolls images to share once pregnancy brain gives me a break and I can remember where i stashed the camera.

Snowed In.

I woke up this morning to no snow on the ground and in a matter of an hour everything was white. I canceled plans to run errands so Big Duke and I could keep warm inside and catch up on custom orders. 

I feel so blessed to have so many lovely customers. Their excitement in ordering something special makes my heart happy. 

I am always interested in other's creative process so here is a small part of my custom doll process. 

A Momma, a little guy, and two Who's Your Daddy sketches.

 Once receiving all of the images and information for a custom doll I sit down and make a quick sketch as well as a list of details. I have not streamlined my process with a list of options like many shops because I believe there are certain details that need to be true to the person I am creating. It may sound silly but one of the details I seem to stress most about is the hairline!

The hair is what really makes a custom doll look like the subject and stand out from other dolls. :)

Big Duke's First Snow Day!

Today Big Duke and I had to take a break to make some memories in the snow. It is not his "first snow" but it is the first time he actually had a chance to play in it!

Ever since I received a coupon code for a free printed scrapbook and 50 prints from a photo printing website I have been a little obsessed with getting pictures printed and organized. It has been quite the task considering I have done absolutely nothing with the tens of thousands of pictures I have taken of Big Duke in the past 2.5 years (I swear I took at least thirty pictures a day for the first six months of his life....little. bit. ridiculous.) I am determined to get through them before Little Duke gets here in May. So. Much. Deleting.

I have also been making a point to delete the bad pictures as I take them and to get the good ones organized right away. It feels kind of good to get this little portion of my life together and to have physical pictures to look at rather than a bunch of files sitting on my computer.

Custom Couple and a Daddy Doll

I finished a few more custom dolls over the weekend; a lovely couple that is too adorable for words and a sweet daddy in his Red Sox hat.

For the couple, my customer requested I add the thick eyebrows. I am absolutely thrilled with the way they turned out! I love making custom dolls; the little details make them so special. :)

The dolls packing up and getting ready to head to their homes!

I also managed to redesign my business cards for 2013! I am really liking the simple and bright design.

NOTE:

With Little Duke on the way soon, I will be taking a hiatus from custom orders beginning March 15th, 2013. If you are wanting to order a Duke & June custom doll for Mother's Day or Father's Day be sure to order before March 15th! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day friends! Do not forget to let the people you love know they are appreciated!

Also, take a moment check out this fantastic cause and share it on your blog, twitter, and/or facebook today. There are children who need forever homes and families who need your help bringing these children home. There are many fantastic stories of adoption, parents looking to adopt and the children over at Mrs Marie Osborn's blog today.  If you have an adoption story (new or old) be sure to link up on her page as well. It is a great opportunity to connect! xoxo

#Spreadthelove: A Social Media Campaign

"#SpreadtheLove is a social media campaign & blog link-up uniting bloggers, writers, parents, photographers, story tellers, friends, in honor of orphans, desperately seeking forever families. "

Please take a moment this Valentine's Day to say a prayer, donate, or show support for those children who need love, cuddles, and a forever family. Head on over to Marie Osborn's Blog to learn about the campaign and what you can do to make a difference. 

Goose and Maverick: Two Tutorials

Monday I posted about an amazing baby shower I was privileged to be a part of. Today, I want to share the gifts I made as well as the tutorials.

Handmade snugglers, screen printed aviator onesies, trapper hats from Old Navy

I have said it once, I will say it a million times again. I love Pinterest. There are so many tutorials and crafty experiments to try. Sometimes they work…sometimes they do not. Here are two tutorials that I am super pleased with.

1.  Easy Peasy DIY Screen Printing

 I started this project expecting the worst and hoping for the best. It really seemed too cheap and easy to be true. I had most of the materials on hand and did not have much to lose so I gave it a shot and was really pleased with the end product

Materials:

• Mod Podge
• Nylon (I picked up some super cheap $0.33 stockings)
• Embroidery Hoop
• Fabric Paint (I used screen printing ink, if you do the same do NOT forget to heat set it!)
• Shirt or Onesie to screen print
• Cardboard to apply & Remove ink
• Find full tutorial at My Calico Skies

Before printing on the new onesies I did a trial run on an old piece of fabric just to make sure I did not have any mistakes in my design or leaky spots in the Mod Podge. After that I did a second layer of Mod Podge touching up a few little leaks then printed on the onesies (do NOT forget to place something in between the shirt layers to protect the back). The lines were not SUPER clean like a true screen print but I think they turned out really nice. 

I have used this "screen" four times - rinsing the ink off in warm water and hanging to dry between use - and it is still holding up really well. I know it is not meant to last for long but you can get a few uses out of it if needed :)

2. Snuggler Pattern by Lotta Jansdotter

Oh. My. Goodness. I am absolutely in LOVE with this pattern. I will be using it over and over. This pattern is SUPER easy definitely something a novice sewer will feel comfortable with. The hardest part was cutting and taping the actual pattern together (more tedious than difficult).

Materials:

• FREE printable Lotta Jansdotter Pattern from Make: CRAFT
• Scissors
• Pins
• Fabric pen/chalk
• ½ yard of Velcro (18”)
• Iron
• Thread
• Hand sewing needle
• 1 yard exterior fabric:  medium weight cotton 
• 1 yard interior fabric:  soft fabric (I used flannel)

I think these look really nice with any big bold print ( If you are using a stripe/chevron you might have to do a little math to line the stripes up from front to back if you are a stickler for that kind of thing).  I went with Riley Blake Large Chevron in orange and aqua. The original pattern calls for a micro fleece but  I went with 100% cotton flannel. I like that it is natural and much easier to use when sewing it will also be a little lighter for the warmer months. Fleece and snuggle fabrics tend to stretch and move so they do require a lot of pinning. 

I think Momma was happy with these items and hope the baby boys are just as pleased! 

Are there any tutorials that you have found on Pinterest or a blog that you would recommend?

Boy, Oh Boys! : A baby shower for twins!

Let me just say, my girlfriends can throw a party. After 11 children between us (with 6 more on the way!) they have the art of throwing baby showers and birthdays down like pros.  Last weekend we had the privilege of throwing a baby shower for one of our beautiful friends who is expecting not one but TWO baby boys next month!

It was one of the cutest baby showers IN-THE-WORLD, I am sure of it. We feasted on a bread and cheese bar, enjoyed one of the most delicious beautiful cakes,  played a fun game and made a little craft for the boys.

After all of the fun was over, we all went home with some amazing homemade sugar scrub. Fun, friends, good food, and we all got a short break from our kiddos -- all of the ingredients for an amazing afternoon.

Nursery: Rockets & Robots

I have been  s l o w l y  pulling a nursery together for my second son, Little Duke. I have to admit it is not as easy as it was with the first, when I had all of the time in the world. These days I find myself spending more time pretending I am a dinosaur, scraping PB&J off of the floor, or trying to catch Big Duke as he tries to ride his Cozy Coup down the stairs. 

In between the antics, I have started to build a little inspiration board with a rockets and robots theme. I have a few more details that I want to add to the board before it is complete. 

The walls are painted and the wood floors are down. So that feels like success so far. I went with a darker blue color for the walls. At first I was a little apprehensive on going dark but I am absolutely in love with it! It is going to be perfect.

I also had to give in and pick up the two prints shown on my inspiration board and let me tell you, they are fantastic!

With his resemblance to Number Five (Short Circut) I could NOT pass him up!

Robots are Cool Poster by twenty21onecreative on Etsy

Fly Me To the Moon Poster by twenty21onecreative on Etsy

I am really over the MOON about both of these prints. The ink is so vibrant and the quality is amazing, not mention they were shipped quickly and packaged well. I will most definitely be back to pick up some prints for Big Duke's big boy room. 

Newest Custom Daddy Dolls

A few more Daddies were sent to their homes last week. I think they are the sweetest!

Jiu Jitsu Daddy, Fireman Daddy, and a Swanky Daddy by Duke & June

You can find Custom "Who's Your Daddy" dolls at www.dukendjune.etsy.com or email dukeandjune@hotmail.com.

Atticus

Handmade Bunny by Duke & June

My life is currently filled with beautiful women expecting squishy sweet babies. Along with babies come baby showers and a good excuse for cuddly handmade items and cookies.

This time around I was in charge of party favors. Wanting to do something slightly different I stumbled upon this delicious, easy, lemon crinkle cookie recipe on Pinterest.

(Image found here)

I am not sure if I can call it a "recipe" considering there are only four ingredients and a box of cake mix is one of them. All I know is that they were easy and delicious. And lets face it, I am much more interested in eating than cooking.
Another awesome find is this customizeable printable. And it is Free...FREE = NO MONEY.

Free Custom Printable www.ontobaby.com

Yes. Atticus. As in Atticus Finch from Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus Finch also happens to be voted THE greatest hero in American Film . So, you know, this baby is already has a great start!