Carried Away Dollhouse

First...THANK YOU so much to all of the ladies who responded to my veggie dilemma with 

my Littlest. So many thoughtful words. So many people sharing my woes. Some awesome advice. Thank you again!

I hinted on Saturday that I had another handmade gift idea to show you. This one was for a birthday party of one of our little girly friends. I kind of brainstormed about how fun it would be to make a fold up and carry away dollhouse.

It was so much fun to create..it totally took me back to the days when I was a little girl and I would make my own dollhouses in shoe boxes, on our family piano, on my bed and nightstand, on paper...you name it I dreamed it.  This project was the combination of my 6 year old imagination and my...ehem...slightly over six year old sewing ability.

Let's introduce you all, okay...

Welcome...the bright orange door and coordinating flowers welcome any visitors.

The owners of our home are a delightful little family.

Mr. and Mrs.

Adorable girls...let's call them Nora and Jane.

One big happy family.

One big cozy home.

Bright cheery flowers, picked and put in a vase on their little table, in their little kitchen.

A cozy place to watch TV and snuggle as a family. LOVE the accent throw pillow.

The girls share a room, of course. Plain and simple. Don't forget their very own dollhouse.

Mr. and Mrs. have a lovely room too. How lucky that Mrs. has a Mr. that lets her have a pink comforter.

After a long day, and a cozy evening, it is time to settle down. Good night sweet family.

Easily packed away.

Easily folded up. Easily carried away for a fun and carefree playtime.

I kind of want my own.

I have a basic tutorial for this that I will try to put together before the big day.

Sharing here:

Making Mondays Marvelous: C.R.A.F.T

Take a Look Tuesdays: Sugar Bee

Get Your Craft on Tuesdays: Today's Creative Blog

We did it Wednesdays: Sew Much Ado

Friday Linky Party: Creation Corner

In a Nutshell: Veggie Desperation

See this handsome boy I have? He is ah.dor.able. For sure. He is sweet. He is silly. He gives the best hugs in the world. He is the cutest talker. He is adventurous. He thinks he is just as old as the bigger Little Men. He is literally our smallest Little Man...not just cause he is the youngest, but he is the smallest we have ever had before. He is stubborn. He hates vegetables...okay he hates most food...but veggies are the worst.

I am beginning to realize that the last three are completely related.

Stubborn+good for you food loathing=itty bitty Little Man


We have really just kept wishing and wishing that he would grow out of his picky phase. False. In fact, he has just gotten more stubborn. Seriously, it is ridiculous. Ridiculous and frustrating. He refuses to eat things he has tried before. He refuses to eat things we KNOW he would like if he would just try it...like watermelon...I mean really??  He absolutely refuses to eat any vegetable whatsoever. I am not exaggerating at all...I am a little ashamed that we cannot get vegetables into him, but I tell you what we have tried. Over and over again. We his worried Momma and Daddy have reached desperation.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

We are now hiding his vegetables in things. Yes, we the sneaky parents are hiding vegetables...tricking him into eating the superhero of all foods. I wish he knew how great vegetables were for him and I wish he liked them...but for now I will settle for our vegetable undercover mission.

Did you know that you can hide pureed carrots...

in macaroni and cheese?

 I am aware that I am putting a vegetable in a highly processed meal in a box...I know I could make it from scratch...but I am sure something would keep him from eating that AND I know he likes the boxed stuff...

Another favorite around our house is the spinach smoothie. We start with spinach and throw in any fresh and frozen fruit, add a splash of fruit juice...sometimes some yogurt...and POOF...veggies this boy will drink.

I still am holding out for him to wake up one day and have a food epiphany. I mean he has gotta like food sometime. I just keep telling myself...patience and consistency. As long as I am not throwing french fries, fruit snacks, and cookie crisp cereal (all things he will eat) at him whenever he is hungry or pitches a fit, he eventually will like some broccoli.

How do you get your kids to eat vegetables? Do you share my pain?

I guess for know we will just keep hiding them...secretly smiling every time he gulps down a drink of vegetables.

T-shirts and Bibs and Ties, Oh My!

I got to go to a baby shower last night...love babies...loves showers...love baby showers. I really wanted to make the presents...and finally after a sewing brain cramp, I came up with t-shirt versions of my Vinyl Bibs (I also used velcro instead of snaps).

I really LOVE how these turned out and I think there is more t-shirt bib makin' in my future. So all of you who might be inviting me to a shower...sorry to spoil the surprise.

The green one I simply cut straight from the tee itself and then backed it with coordinating flannel.

The striped one...ehem, my favorite...I made strips from flannel and from a t-shirt (orange and gray striped) of different widths. Then I sewed them together. After they were all sewn together, I cut the bib out of that and then backed it with a coordinating flannel.

LOVE.

I decided that two bibs wasn't going to cut it, so I added one of my handmade ties.

The tie was a hit...

I mean really...adorable. Can you already picture it on a extra tiny little man?

It was nice to see my sewing machine these last couple of days. I also sewed another present for a little girl...will show it off on Monday...I am pretty proud of it!

My machine will officially go into hiding on the 21st...parting will be such sweet sorrow....then it will be packed for quite a bit while we get settled into our new home. Let's see what I can bust out before then.

Have a delightful weekend!

Berry Spinach Salad w/ Strawberry Dressing

I really, really, really...I mean really...(did I make that clear enough)...LOVE salads. Say what? I know you are shocked, right...I mean it isn't like I have shared some before right...ehem...here and here oh and maybe here...wait and don't forget here.

I have a new favorite. AND i mean fav-oh-right.

I have seen any combo of spinach and berry salads floating around. I have also seen a plethora...(yes I used a big word...thanks Junior year Rhetoric English...thanks to the teacher who hated me...can't even remember his name)... of strawberry dressing recipes.

After searching and searching I came to two conclusions...THIS strawberry dressing is THE best...AND I wanted to make my own Berry Salad...unique to my tastes.

Ya' want to know what I found...this dressing plus my salad combo equals happy, happy, joy, joy...no I did not watch that show...name it if you can.


So with happiness in my mouth and joy in my belly, I give you my Berry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Dressing recipe.

Delightful.

Berry Salad with Strawberry Dressing 

Ingredients:

Salad-
1 bag baby spinach
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 - 1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 cup pecan pieces, sugared*
1/4 cups sugar, for pecans

Dressing-
adapted from Our Best Bites

1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon grated onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup strawberries
2/3 cups canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Combine vinegar, honey, sugar, garlic, onion, salt and berries in a blender. Blend until everything is completely smooth. While the blender is still on, slowly pour in oil. Then hand stir in the poppy seeds. Store in the refrigerator until ready to be served on salad.

To make salad-

*First sugar pecans, by placing them in a frying pan with the sugar over med high heat. Regularly stir the pecan/sugar mixture. Sugar will first clump a little and then melt. As it melts it will coat the pecans. Stir more constantly here until most of the sugar is liquid and has coated the pecans. When all coated, turn the pecans onto a cookie sheet and spread out with a fork. Let cool.

Combine the spinach, strawberries, and blueberries. Sprinkle with sugared pecans just before serving. Drizzle dressing over the entire salad or serve separately..

I am not kidding when I say this is my new favorite salad. I am pretty sure I had it the next day for lunch...and would have had it again for dinner if there were salad left.

Plus...isn't it just the most beautiful salad evah...

Enjoy everyone!

My Anna Skirt

A few weeks ago I saw Anna's (from Noodlehead) tutorial for this skirt over at Crafterhours for their skirt week. Instant L.O.V.E. I knew I was going to make this skirt. I pinned it immediately...heart Pinterest. At the beginning of Spring, I had declared that this Summer was going to be a skirt summer. Alas with all the moving, I had yet to make myself a single skirt I could wear.

That is until now...woohoo.

I had everything I needed to make this skirt, so I whipped it out in an afternoon. 

Since my fabric choice was this lovely patriotic stripe IKEA fabric, I made sure to get it done before our trip to the fireworks. I seriously love wearing this skirt.

I may have worn it three times since making it. I have paired it with white sandals and red-painted toes, yellow ballet flats, or my bare feet while cutely parading through my house...after all that is the only way to parade through one's home.

You really can't go wrong with this skirt. The tutorial is FREE. The tutorial is easy to follow. I love that the skirt has a flat front, yet gathered back so there is no need to put in a zipper...a woohoo. I made it out of a heavier fabric, but it would be lovely and easy breezy out of a light cotton. She even gives you tips if you want to put in pockets. That is my plan for my next skirt...

because, oh yes...

there will be another skirt. 

Thanks Anna.