Great Minds Think Alike

I have seen these ADORABLE car seat covers everywhere! Maybe its a Utah thing, but I'm in love with them! The other day Jared and I were walking around the mall in Provo (trying to encourage this baby out) and I saw them for sale. I got so excited! Yes I am that much of a nerd. I started looking thru all the designs and options and none were really jumping out at me like "I am gorgeous pick me!" but I found one I was luke warm about and was about to go pay for it when I looked at the price tag. $50!!!!!! No joke! I just about cried! Its a dang blanket for goodness sakes, who would pay $50 for it? (while I was watching 2 other women purchase them) My wonderful husband, seeing how distraught I was over the price, suggested I just take a good look at the model on display then we go to JoAnns fabric and I make my own. He has such confidence in me haha So I figured why not, and if mine sucks I can always just suck it up and live without it (but lets be honest, I would go back and buy it haha)

When we got to JoAnns we found four different fabrics that we liked (2 for each cover) and it took me forever to decide because I loved them both! I finally decided on these two (much to the relief of Jared). I was in LOVE with them! I could hardly wait to get home and make a cute cover! None of the covers at the store were this cute! =>

Here is the almost finished product.
Again, one of the almost finished product. (yes I used a teddy bear my sister bought for our baby to practice the stupid complicated car seat buckle. I almost have the hang of it haha)

I am actually REALLY proud of my cover! It is almost perfect! => And I did it all without a pattern! I am so proud of me! haha

So it is still not finished, I want to put something cute on the handles like in the sample picture (like a bow or flower or something). So I googled 'car seat canopy' to see what the "pros" do for their cute touches. I almost died laughing! At one of the main sights for these canopies (supposedly the inventors of them but who really knows) there is MY cover! Check it out: Car Seat Canopy It is the same pattern and everything!! The site calls it the 'Lauren', and they sell it for $40, plus sales tax and shipping (so almost 50). This discovery really boosted my pride in my cover! Not only did I make a cover that can pass as professionally made, but I also have the same taste in fabric patterns! I feel so talented and artistic! haha I was seriously laughing so Jared came over and I showed him. We were both laughing so hard! Not only because of the fact that I unknowingly made a replica of a professional one, but because I did it for $10.38 and about 45mins of my time! Oh I scooped out of that money trap! haha And Jared pointed out they might get their fabric wholesale since they need so much, so their cost of making it would be even cheaper, and they make a lot of them, so they need less time. This is just another one of his points he uses to try and convince me to get a booth in the Quilted Bear. I don't know if I am that confident in my work, but this definitely was an ego booster! And when I finish my finishing touched on my canopy I'll have not as unique, but still oh so cute cover for this little one! (if she ever decides to come out!)