6
Jan

The Cottage Mama 2016

Hi there! Happy Happy 2016. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and have had a great start to the new year! I wanted to take a moment to let you know that this year I'm going to be changing things up here on the blog a bit.......not much, but a bit. Of course you'll still see your normal sewing posts as well as more of my new sewing video tutorials; however, this year I'm going to be sharing more interior design posts, before/after room and furniture makeover posts, organizing ideas and some additional recipes. A little more variety, if you will. These … continue reading

4
Jan

Lessons with Lindsay: Edge Finishing Options

In this weeks Lessons with Lindsay Video, I share with you the many different options for finishing the edges of your fabric when sewing garments. I'll also show you step-by-step how to create a lovely French seam and share several other tips and tricks for beautifully constructed children's clothing. … continue reading

2
Jan

Shoot Along 2016

Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to lots of new and exciting things here on The Cottage Mama. One goal I have for myself is to take more candid photos of the kids and our family. Daily life kind of stuff, you know? I love the pretty, modeled pictures of the kids that I get to take from time to time, but I want to make sure that I capture 'real' life as well. You didn't think my whole life was just pretty dresses, beautifully plated food and perfectly clean interior design, did you? I try my best, but no one is perfect. There are days my kids pick out their own … continue reading

31
Dec

Top Blog Posts for 2015

As 2015 comes to a close, it's always fun for me to take a look at the stats here on The Cottage Mama Blog and find out which posts you all have been enjoying the most this last year. Some of these have been favorites for years and some of these have just made their way into the Top 10 Blog Posts. If you haven't tried some of these sewing and craft projects or recipes........check them out! I think you'll really enjoy them! … continue reading

29
Dec

Book Advent Calendar

This year we introduced a new Christmas Advent Tradition into our family. I know it's after Christmas, but this was so much fun that I thought I would share the details with you in case you want to incorporate this into your family traditions next year. … continue reading

17
Dec

Pecan Pie Bark Recipe

We have company coming next week to celebrate Christmas, so I've been doing a lot of baking in preparation for their arrival. My mom's husband, Pepo, absolutely LOVES pecan pie, so I wanted to make a sweet treat that I thought he would really enjoy. I have seen a couple different variations of Pecan Pie Bark online. I read through the comment sections on a few recipes and realized that the recipes didn't seem to be turning out quite right. People had some different suggestions of things to try to get the perfect consistency and I think I've hit the jackpot with … continue reading

14
Dec

How to Embroider a Dress Bodice: Lessons with Lindsay

Machine embroidery is one of my favorite ways to add personalization to a children's garment or other project. I know not everyone has a machine capable of embroidery, but if you do......this lesson is for you!  In today's Lesson with Lindsay video tutorial, I'll be showing you exactly how to embroider a dress bodice. It's so easy! Take a look........... … continue reading

4
Dec

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Children

This post is sponsored by Cost Plus World Market, however, all ideas, opinions and suggestions are 100% mine. I'm usually really good about Christmas shopping ahead of time. I like to get everything picked out, made and ordered so that I can enjoy the holiday season. But for some reason, I always seem to forget about stockings and end up causing myself stress when Christmas is upon us. Well, this year, I decided to be SUPER organized and get my stocking stuffers picked out and ready to go. I thought I'd share some of the items I've picked out for my kids … continue reading

27
Nov

Black Friday Sale!

Just wanted to let you know that there is a Black Friday Sale going on over on The Cottage Mama Shop website and The Cottage Mama Etsy Shop. 30% off ALL Patterns (including the new ones) and the book, Sew Classic Clothes for Girls!  The sale will run through Monday and there won't be another one for quite awhile. So grab your patterns and use the code blackfriday2015 at checkout! Visit The Cottage Mama Shop Website HERE. Visit The Cottage Mama Etsy Shop HERE. Happy Sewing! … continue reading

25
Nov

Strawberry, Rhubarb, Cream Cheese and Thyme Mini Hand Pies

I love pie. Any kind of pie, really. So I figure others must feel the same. I created these simple Strawberry, Rhubarb, Cream Cheese and Thyme Mini Hand Pies for the Holiday Ornament Exchange I recently hosted. These were so easy and there are so many ways to change these up........different jams, different cheese, different herb. These really are so tasty! Give them a try, you won't be sorry! … continue reading