Indian Party

I made these cute Indian invitations for Amelia's 4th birthday party and I finally listed them in my etsy shop along with the matching gift bags. So now anyone can host their own Indian party.

Amelia loves the Peter Pan movie and loves the Indian part of the movie, so she wanted an Indian party. I made a fun tee pee for the party. I used old sheets, fabric paint and my neighbor let me cut down 6 bamboo shoots from his backyard for the poles. I turned out so neat, we pull it out from time to time in the summer to enjoy it.

This year she wants a safari party... hmmmm what to do for that one?

Girl Scouts - April Showers

I'm so proud of my Daisy Girl Scout Troop,

we collect & sorted 1,176 items

for the April Showers personal item drive.

Good Job Girls!

Movie Review: Where the Wild things Are.

Brian and I watched "Where The Wild Things Are", last weekend and I was very bored, I could hardly keep my eyes open. I don't know if I missed the point, but the story line really dragged! After it was over I asked Brain what he though and he said almost the same thing... so it wasn't just me. We both were bored and didn't get the story. We give it a C-.

The only thing I did like were the Wild Things costumes, I though they did look really neat and I love the stick nest/houses they built. Those were really cool and I would have loved to help build those, that would have been a fun project.

This hut is so cool, I wish I could build one in the backyard!

Pagliacci Bear

Another sweetie for my etsy shop.

She is eco friendly, since she is made with 90% upcycled materials!

What we're eating - Creamy Macaroni

It's always hard to get the girls to try something new but I am always on a search for something new and different to eat. I finally found a wonderful Alfredo sauce recipe and Amelia LOVES it. It's quick, easy and so good. But what isn't good when it includes butter, cream cheese and half & half?

1/2 cup butter
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 cup half and half
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
pepper, to taste

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter.

2. Once butter is almost melted, add the package of cream cheese. It's easiest to cut it into 4 pieces so that it melts quicker.

3. Once butter and cream cheese are mixed well together, add the cup of half and half, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and then shake pepper on top. Stir all together until well mixed.

5. DONE! Pour over your favorite pasta, we use macaroni noodles.

Refashion - T-shirt to nightgown

I took a t-shirt that was too boxy for me and I really didn't like having two metallic gold flowers on my boobs! So I made it into a nightgown for Amelia. I took in the sides and cut off the sleeves. Then I took the sleeves and trimmed them down, gathered them up a bit and sewed them on. It made a cute ruffle cap sleeve. Amelia loved it!

Happy Earth Day!

Garden - Netting & Zucchini

The Zucchini is growing good! Along with a few marigold plants.

Brian put up some netting for our garden, we have a giant bunny family

who love to munch on everything in our yard!

The beans and lettuce are moving along. I planted more broccoli seeds since only three plants came up. And I only have one watermelon plant coming up from a whole package of seeds!

Girls will be Girls

I always hear from my friends who have boys how rambunctious boys are and how lucky I am to have sweet and gentle girls. But I have to say my girls love to wrestle, chase and sword fight each other quite a bit. And if I don't check on them often enough I find them doing things like this... Surfing down the stairs in their pillowcases.

Amelia-isms

Amelia wrote Brian and I this note on her message board.

If you need help reading it, it says... I love both of you!

We are lucky parents. She is such a sweetheart!

P.J. Refashion

Do what you can with what you have where you are.

-Theodore Roosevelt

Kids grow so fast so I am always looking for ways to make their clothes last a bit longer. One of the easiest ways is to cut of sleeves and long pants to make short sleeves shirts & shorts. Here I altered some of Anna's P.j.'s that I knew she would out grow before next winter.

First I cut off the sleeves and pant legs. I just folded over the shorts and hemmed them. Then I cut off the ribbed pant cuff that goes around the ankle and sewed that to the sleeve of the shirt to give it a nice professional finish. You can really see on the purple snowman shirt, it now has a pink ribbed trim. Now Anna has two more summer p.j.'s she can wear, so they might have a snowman & snowflakes on them... Christmas in July?

The green shirt is so cute but too hot for summer, so I cut off the sleeves and did a simple hem. Then I cut off the cute lettuce ruffle trim from the long sleeves and sewed them into white socks to make a cute trim... presto, matching socks.

ABC Block Pillow - Single Letter

My newest etsy item!

I know some of you think I am a bit crazy, always making something. I often get asked how do I find the time. I say how do I not find the time to do something for myself that makes me feel good and a bit de-stressed. It's a hobby just like golf, scrabble or reading. It's something I love to do!

O.K. I can get a bit obsessed... I see something and think I can make that and I have to give it a try. Or I think of a new plushy and can't wait to make it. I have a whole list of ideas waiting to be made.

My latest passion is refashion or upcycling clothing. I love to take clothes that would be sent to goodwill and find a way to make it into a new skirt for the girls, a new top for me or a cute plushy friend. I get so happy when it turns out nice, it's an achievement for me and a plus for the planet.

I have always been an artist, art feeds my soul, so I must take time for it.

Anna - isms

The other day while I was driving we were talking about allergies and how Pops and I have them with all the pollen in the air.

Amelia: I also have allergies, they make me sneeze.

Anna: I have allergies to lions.

Me: Lions?... You do, why?

Anna: I have allergies to lions because I am scared of them, they have big teeth!

It was so cute, funny and it made me laugh! 90% of the time kids are so much fun!

Beans are growing

I love spring and everyday I walk around the yard looking to see what is peaking out of the ground. I have been working hard to fill the large mulched area we have in the backyard. Planting hostas, small trees, azalea bushes, tall grasses, etc. This year it is finally looking good so far, but it does need a little bit more color... next year.

We also have a small 3" x 3" garden and the beans are growing, they seem to growing so slow or I am just impatient? I have never grown beans before, actually the whole garden thing is a new experiment for me. We'll see how it goes.

ABC Block Pillow

Here is my newest etsy item... a custom ABC block pillow. I think these would make a great baby shower gift or a birth gift or even a baptism gift.

Thanks to my neighbor Colleen for letting me borrow her kids blocks so that I could photograph them.

Easter Frock

I made both of the girls these skirts for Easter (Anna was not in the mood for photos, she was being a Grumpy Gus). Amelia posed nicely, too bad I got the neighbor's trash can in the background... oh well, they all can't be prefect photos. She looks so sweet with her new skirt and matching head scarf (or Easter Bonnet as she called it).

Here is a great skirt tutorial if you want to make your own.

Movie Review: Alice in Wonderland

A few weeks ago I went to see Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland with my friend Edna. It was my pick, it looked so magical. I enjoyed the movie but was not blown away. It was good and entertaining but it was not a movie I feel I need to purchase on DVD. The special effects were good and believable, but maybe something with the story was missing... I'm not sure, I can't put my finger on what it needed.

I really enjoyed the field mouse and the hound dog. The mouse was funny with a dry wit and the dog stole my heart with his loyal love for his family. I give it a B+.

What we're eating - Asparagus Gruyere Tart

I made this new asparagus recipe yesterday and it was very easy and very yummy. The girls didn't love it but it was a new dish. Brian & I really like it, I will make it again! I think I might like it better on a crescent type roll, the puffed pastry was a bit too crunchy for me. I found the recipe here on Martha's site.

• Flour, for work surface
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
• 5 1/2 ounces (2 cups) Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
2. Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Happy Easter!

Busy as a Bee

Here is my newest plushy friend "Sweet Bee" you can see him here in my etsy shop.