The Tiny Puppy Playset

So, yesterday I showed you the tiny puppy I made (here's the pattern).  But I couldn't stop there.  I saw this cute little fox play set on pinterest.  I thought my little guy would enjoy a puppy playset.  So, off I went to create.  And I'm pretty darn excited about it.

Food and water.

A bone and a ball for toys.  Plus a leash for walks.

There's a blanket and pillow, which can be used in and out of the box.

It all fits into the box with ease. 

Best part is the whole set was 100% totally and completely free.  It all was made from cotton or wool scraps.

My little guy is quite excited about it.  It will be a great church toy, for sure.  And you know...even if you're not a sewer, I'm guessing you have a box and some random goods around the house that you could maybe make your own little puppy playset.

 

 

 

The Tiny Puppy Softie

It's safe to say I've made my share of puppy related stuff. 
Puppy hat
Puppy crinkle toy.
Zippered puppy pouch

Can't hurt to have one more, right?  How about a miniature little puppy, mama made?  My little guy was excited.  For this little guy, I actually used a pattern from a book I have "More Softies Only a Mother Could Love" by Jess Redman and Meg Leder.  I happened to find online while searching for something else the exact pattern that was in my book free online.  Here it is.

 But...I couldn't *just* make the puppy.  Hope to have the rest of the handmades all set to blog about tomorrow. :)  Stay tuned!

And here's my little guy with his puppy and a sneak peak for tomorrow.  There's a "eesh", aka "leash" attached to that puppy. 

Quilt 54

Quilt 54 -2001- Twin size

Sorry for the not so good picture. Life before digital= never knowing what the picture looks like until the film is developed/the quilt is already given away.

Another Medly of Finds...

I think I hit the jackpot this time around.

Four little girl dresses.
Another little girl shirt/pants outfit.
An LL Bean little girl bathing suit.
Three hats for a little girl, one hat for a little boy.
(One can never have too many hats, right?!)
Two little boy t shirts that have fish on them (Wow! was the verdict).

(Seriously, how could one refuse the cuteness of summer dresses?!)

Plus Mouse's First Christmas (we seem to have a collection of these). Amazon priced $6.99.

 
Plus construction magnetic, which Amazon priced at $9.50

All of that...for a grand total of $3.50. WOW, huh?!

And because my total didn't end up to be the five bucks, I thought I'd share an old deal that I got from the same thrift store a couple of years ago.  A brand new, not even worn, pair of Born shoes (that are quite worn now)...for $2.50.  These shoes are much more pricey new.

And the great part about them is that someone thinks they are just his size.

I need to hear some of your great deals too.  Have you been thrifting lately?  What have you gotten?

Strawberry Shortcake

I play this game with my husband at restaurants.  I give him the dessert menu and we try to guess what each other would pick if we were ordering dessert.  Each time Strawberry Shortcake is listed, it's a guarantee that is what I would pick.

I used to make Bisquick because it was good and, well quick.  But...then I looked at the ingredients in Bisquick.   I couldn't even pronounce all of them!  This recipe is easy, cheap and very close to the Bisquick recipes.

 

 Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits

From BHG cookbook, somewhat adapted...I like a quicker version.

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

 1 egg

 2/3 cup milk

2 tsp. baking powder

2 cups flour

Mix butter, sugar.  Add egg.  Add milk, baking powder and flour.  Drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.

My little guy's first taste of strawberry shortcake was met with contagious enthusiasm and a resounding "mmm".  He finished this entire bowl and then asked for more.  In some ways, he's just like his mama.

 

Flowers of the Season

If you're a reader, you know how I love fresh flowers, as I talked about them here and here.  I'm particularly a fan of flowers in season...grown and picked from our yard.  You know what I find most marvelous?  That my homegrown flowers picked at peak always seem to go together.  I ought to do a series comparing the medleys I get throughout the summer from our own yard.  I find it fascinating.  The first batch has come and gone.  It always seems to be the pink and white bunch, with tiny punches of purple (such as these).  Now, it's to the purples, whites and orange flowers.  In these bouquets, there's some hosta, ajuga, Jacob's Ladder, Violets, Lily of the Valley and three types of orange flowers that I don't remember or never knew what they are (my gardens are mostly 'friendship' gardens...a hodge podge of what others have shared with me...which if you're local, I'm happy to share!). 

Together, I think they make lovely bouquets. 

 

 There's something about a collection of home grown flowers on the dining room table.  It's like bringing the summer from the outside to the inside, the fresh fragrance and the colorful blooms filling the room with warmth. 

 

Picked from a farmstand, picked from one's own garden, picked on the side of the road...it's one of life's simple pleasures I enjoy.

 

Upcycled Baby Doll

I needed a big brother gift for our little guy to bring to the hospital to give his new little sister.  So I whipped up a doll.  Seriously, I did whip her up...I tried to find a free tutorial to make a Waldorf doll and had a tricky time.  So I just guesstimated and made.  I ought to make another doll so I can slow down and make a pattern.  I guess I'll put that on my to do list.  

Here she is:

Anyway...she's made entirely with upcycled fabric:

Body:  An old T shirt.

Stuffing:  An old pillow

Hair: Old wool pants

Dress:  Old T shirt (it's a mini pillowcase dress)

Ribbon:  Was used to tie a wedding favor we received.

She was completely free and took just a couple hours to design and make.  Can't beat that.  My little guy knows who it's for and talks about giving it to her daily.  Mission accomplished.

Tails! (With Description to DIY)

My little guy has been into checking to see who does and doesn't have a tail.  Furthermore, he's been going through his knowledge inventory of who does and doesn't have a tail, for an audience and to himself when going to bed at night.   "Mama no no tail. Dada no no tail. BOG no no tail. Dog tail yes. Cat tail yes. Pap no no tail. Matt no no tail..." 

Well, I thought I'd fix this "No no tail" business, with a medley of his very own tails.

I found these for inspiration on pinterest...which incidentally were exactly what I had imagined.  They can be looped around a belt or I used the little clips we used to keep those winter mittens in place.  Directions to how I made them at the bottom.

The initial trial of the tail was quite exciting.  He couldn't wait to compare his tail to our dog's.

We also had to try it out immediately...in our jammies...by going outside. 

You know zebras run fast?

I really think the tails are the cutest thing.  Only thing is now he only wants us to wear them.  So, daddy and mama are wandering around the house with tails...  I just hope we remember to take them off before we go someplace.

How I made them (please let me know if any of this is confusing).
1) Wrap yarn around your hand until you have enough for a bushy tail.  You'll have a circular loop. Cut loop in half so there's only a pile of strips.  Wrap a 1x4 inch strip of scrap fabric around the middle of the yarn strips.  Stitch in place. 
2) Cut 12x6 inch rectangle of wild animal fabric. Fold in half long ways, right sides together. Sew long edge,1/2 inch seam.  Fold the bushy tail in half, placing the stitched part just outside the seam, the bushy part adjacent to the right sides of the animal print.  Stitch that end, 1/2 inch seam.
3) Stuff with polyfil.
4) Prepare tab.  Cut 4x4 tab.  Press top 1/4 inch down.  Press sides 1/2 inch in.  Fold in half long ways, press.  Stitch open edge.
5) Fold top edges of open end of tail in by 1/2 inch.  Place unfinished end of tab in the middle.  Top stitch in place.
6) Fold down tab and hand stitch to tack the bottom of the loop to the tail.

For the love of anamalz...

I may secretly have spent my Christmas/birthday money on a toys I really really wanted for my little guy.  I was hopeful he'd be as excited as I was about these anamalz.  I think they're the cutest little things...all eco friendly from renewable products and hand painted in Australia. For a while, he could care less about them.  But lately, he's been playing with them a lot.  And I cannot help but watch him and smile.

Sometimes they get read to.

Sometimes they need to hop a plane to see Uncle Matt.

Sometimes they're transported by a truck to who knows where.

Sometimes, they're just hungry, nothing my little guy cannot fix.

Sometimes after my little guy goes to bed, I find them stashed in random places.  Like here.

When I see where he's left them...I stop and smile.  And leave them right where they are until tomorrow. For a house really becomes a home when a little one leaves their mark.

May Basket Cover

Still on my way to making a monthly basket cover.  So good so far.  We shall see what happens once baby is here.   In this basket, there's books about spring, rain and baby animals. 

 Here's the cover from:
January

February

March

April 

Thrifting

 

A loader and a tractor book, along with a Barefoot and Pat the Bunny book (faves).
Two baby girl hats (Gap and Hanna Anderson).
Two baby girl dresses...one that's a newborn forth of July dress.  Hoping that baby will be out by the 4th of July

Grand total of five bucks.