Spiffed-up Bear

 

I didn't make the bear.  But I did spiff her up with a little outfit for a special new bundle.  I think she's pretty darn cute.

Mudroom Bench

We have had a problem with our entry for quite some time.  Shoes piled high behind our door.  Wet footsteps from the door across the room to the wicker set (an old roadside find/DIY project).  Now we keep adding little people...which a blessing, but it also means my annoyance with the mess is increasing.  

I have been looking for something that would fit perfect behind our door for quite sometime.  But, the dimensions are so specific that I haven't had any luck.  I was going to design something with the right dimensions, but to my luck, I found free plans to just what I was looking for here.  I was quite excited and shared my enthusiasm with my husband...who not so enthusiastically replied "Living with you is like living in a Lowe's commercial.  You always want to build something together".  Well, yes, I do!  He did end up helping, reluctantly. 

The pegs have been there since the 2nd year we lived here.  I was thinking of changing the color up, but you know...that would be a lot of work.  Especially since I made cushions, pillows, curtains, dog bed and have multiple things painted that color from a few years back.  I took the easy route and went the same color schema.  

I also can't decide how to finish it.  I don't know if I'll make some fabric baskets or leave it open.  I can't decide if I want to add something to the back...which I don't think I will if I add baskets, but may if I leave it open.  I'm open to suggestions. I do have most supplies to make a cushion for the bench, but I have not gotten to that yet.  

All in all, I am thrilled with how functional it will be, how it fits perfectly in that tight space and how it will hopefully be keeping our entry a bit more tidy.

And I'm also thrilled that it was a family project...as evidenced by our little helper in these pictures: 

Quilt 55

Quilt 55 -2001- Lap quilt hand quilted for my grandmother

Thrifting

 

A grab bag of books,
Melissa and Doug interlocking puzzle.
Thirsties cloth diaper cover.
Brand new Tevas for next year, that have trains on them.  You know how exciting these will be.

Grand total of five bucks.

,

Warm Weather Fun

This week, Maine weather isn't conducive to warm weather fun. But...last weekend was perfect weather for outdoor living.  Even though this weekend is rainy, it doesn't mean we can't remember and appreciate last weekend.  For those memories we made will last forever.

We enjoyed...

Pool Splashing.

 

 

Frisbee learning.

Flower planting.

 

 

Parade watching.

 

Garden planting.

 

And family time.

 

These rainy days help me slow down, remember and appreciate what we have in this little family of ours.  Life sure is grand!

Swiss Cake Roll

 

I have a bit of a food crush on Little Debbie's Swiss Cake Rolls.  Because I'm obsessive with making everything from scratch, I only buy them a couple times a year.  Which totally isn't enough.  This is the forth go around with making them from scratch...and I finally have something worthy of sharing (thanks to my baking pals who gave me some suggestions!).  It's not perfect by my tough standards...but it's pretty darn good. It may have been more perfect if I would have slowed down to do things carefully, but I couldn't wait to eat it.  The cake recipe is slightly adapted from here.  The frosting is my whoopie pie frosting.  The topping is just easy peasy what I did to hurry up and get it done.

Chocolate Sponge Cake (or Chocolate Jelly-Roll Cake) Recipe

Ingredients
yields 1 1/2 sheet pan sponge cake

4 eggs, yolks and whites in separate bowls
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1/4 t. salt
1 t. baking powder

1/3 cup flour

Directions
1) Spray half sheet pan with cooking spray.  Line the pan with wax paper and spray wax paper with cooking spray.

2) In a mixer with the whisk attachment whip the egg whites until they are at soft peaks. Set aside.

3) In separate bowl, mix egg yolks and sugar.  Add cocoa, salt, baking powder and flour. Add egg whites.

4) Pour into prepared pan, spread evenly with spatula. 

5) Bake 425 for 8 minutes.

6) Remove from oven, let set for 5 minutes.  Flip cake onto cheese cloth type towel.  Remove wax paper.  Roll into a jelly roll.  Let cool. Prepare and add filling and then topping, recipes below. 

Filling
1/3 C. Shortening
1/3 C. Butter
1 c. Confectionery Sugar
1/2 jar of marshmallow fluff
Whip it. Spread it on jelly roll.  Roll Jelly roll back up.

Topping:

1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1 T butter, both melted together.

I

Mama Made: Child's Brazilian Hammock Chair (DIY instructions)

A Brazilian Hammock Chair just the right size for my little one...to add to our farmer's porch ...that was my goal.  I set out to find a DIY instruction guide somewhere...with no luck. I found some inspiration for what I was looking for in the adult version on pinterest, but not even the adult stuff had DIY instructions.  So...I sighed a big sigh and got designing.  And here's what I came up with...

 

 And here it is on our porch...

 

Here's the instructions on how I made it.  Hey, if I did the work to design it, I can at least share what I did so you won't have to go on a while goose chase in order to make your own, huh?!

 

1) I used 46 inch width fabric (indoor/outdoor fabric).  Cut a 46 inch by 76 inch rectangle. Lay rectangle out the long way, like an business envelope.  Measure and mark 14 inches in on each side on the top.  Draw a diagonal line from the mark on the top onto the bottom corner.  Cut along diagonal line to make a trapezoid.

2) Finish all edges (serger is perfect).

3) Fold and pin every 2ish inches along the diagonal so you have 8 or 10 pleats. 

4) Pin 2 adjacent pleats together. Stitch one inch buttonhole through the two pleats (about an inch from the top of the pleat).  Repeat throughout the rest of the pleats.  You'll have 4-5 buttonholes on each side, for which you'll slit so there's a hole. 

5) Prepare the support bar. Choose a sturdy scrap wood.  This is ash that was 36 inches in width. Drill hole in each side.  Use "S" hook.  Loop "S" hook on one side through the pleats and stick the other side of the "S" hook through the support bar.

6) Attach two "O" hooks on top of the support beam.  Attach an "O" hook on the ceiling beam.  Thread chain and hang.

And then enjoy!  The nice part of it is it's easily removable and washable.  At this point, my 20 month old can either sit or lay in it.  It will last him years, likely.  I can see him curled up in his chair swing reading a chapter book someday.  Here he is trying it out.I'm clearly not talented at taking good pictures of a moving target...especially one who is too busy to pose for his mama.  But anyway, you get the drift.

 

 

I guess it's also good for peek-a-boo.