A little ol' snowman

I love snowmen as decor because you can use them all winter long.  This snowman was a cute one that took me a year and a half.  Isn't that pathetic?  My problem wasn't just the fact that I had to start over half way through the embroidery because I cut the muslin too little for a frame, but it was also the actual framing.  But once I finally got it in there, it has been one of my favorite things to put up.  Makes having a long winter a little easier when you have cute decorations you can look at.  Ha, I wish.

This little guy I found online before I got the above pattern from my mom.  He is so cute.  I love the mouth and rosy cheeks.  I have another snowman embroidery I am drawing up but I can't get it right or figure out what size I'd want it.  It's a snowman looking at the star of David.  It's been sitting around longer than I can remember.  Who knows, maybe someday.

Christmas gifts: Sugar Scrub

This past Christmas I wanted to make something fun for our neighbor gifts.  So I found a few recipes here and here for sugar scrub and thought it would be so fun and easy to make.  The recipe I used didn't require me to buy anything which is the main reason I used it but I'd love to try some other ones.

Then I realized that we also needed to give a treat to all the kids and husbands so we made pink popcorn for them.

Sweet N’ Spicy Brown Sugar Scrub

1 cup – C&H® Dark or Light Brown Sugar
1 cup – C&H® Pure Cane Sugar
¾ cup – light olive oil
2 tsp. – cinnamon, powdered
2 tsp. – ginger, powdered
2 tsp. – nutmeg, powdered
1 16 oz. – glass container with lid
Cinnamon sticks, optional

In a medium-sized bowl, combine all ingredients until thoroughly blended. Be sure to break up any lumps from the brown sugar or from the spices. Spoon into the glass container and secure with lid. Scoop a teaspoon or two of the scrub on your hands and gently massage in circular motions onto your skin. Leave on for 3 to 4 minutes before thoroughly rinsing. The scrub will tighten.

Easter dress and tie

I decided to make Easter clothes for the kids this year.  So I made a couple ties for Mister and a dress for Missy.  The ties were soooo easy.  I found a tutorial on Pinterest.

As for the dress, I actually found one that I LOVED on etsy (I fell in love with the design and the fabric and really the whole shop) and was going to buy it but the Easter cut off was over.  So I decided to attempt making it myself.  It was difficult since I didn't really have a pattern but I used one that I found for a 2T peasant dress and went from there.  I had to make it smaller and having never made clothes before, was a little lost on how to do it, but I managed to figure it out in time for Easter.  

Green!

Last year I made my little mister and shirt for St Patty's Day.  We needed some green in his wardrobe.  It's pretty great that the shirt still fits him for this year!  What luck:)

I used a freezer paper stencil tutorial.

It's a girl

My friend is having a girl and we threw her a baby shower to celebrate.  Since I have tons of girl things that I want to make and all the supplies but little motivation, I felt this baby shower would give me the kick in the pants I need to get 'er dun.

I found a really cute onesie on etsy that I wanted to recreate.  But when I bought the 6-9 month onesies, they were for my now 14 month old.  I am a total procrastinator but it doesn't stop me from still using them. 

I REALLY wanted to do a pink onesie with pink ruffles and so I dyed them in some RIT fabric dye.  Well, there's a first for everything and this one did NOT go well.  I seem to be overly confident on some things and this was one of them.  I didn't let the dye powder dissolve all the way before I put my fabric in so there are dark spots all over the 2 onesies I dyed.  Thank goodness I only did 2 because I was still able to use the other 3 from the package.  I did also throw in a strip of a blue shirt I don't wear anymore to see if it'd dye it pink or purple.  And that's what I used for the ruffles on this onesie.  It also had some dark spots but they aren't as noticeable. 

(I found a tutorial on fabric dying and would recommend it even though I screwed mine up.  It was still helpful to have more than just the directions on the box.)

Then I made a flower to go with it.  It's pretty basic.  I followed the tutorial here minus attaching it to a hat.  

This one I made with fabric scraps and it was pretty easy.  There's not a tutorial on how to make it but the idea came from this video and she gives you the basic instructions.

This one I also copied from one on etsy, I think from the same shop too.  Not too hard to figure out.  I just made sure to put fray check on it.

And the flower was found on this tutorial.  I think it's super cute.  My flower is smaller since it's for a little head.  I think I went .5 in smaller than the measurements the tutorial gives.

S'mores Dip

Made us some amazing treats the other night.  The kids gobbled it up and the rest we gave to friends because it was too good not to share.  I found the recipe on Pinterest, of course.  

• S'Mores Dip
• 1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
• 1/2 cup marshmallow creme
• 1 box (13 oz) graham cracker honey sticks
• 1) In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and condensed milk on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chips are melted. Stir to mix well. Pour into 9-inch glass pie pan, spreading evenly.

2) Drop marshmallow creme by tablespoonfuls randomly over chocolate mixture. Microwave on High about 30 seconds or until marshmallow creme is softened. Immediately with knife, make several small swirls through marshmallow and chocolate, creating a marbled appearance.

3) Serve immediately with graham sticks for dipping. (We used teddy grahams for the kids.)

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101 Reasons why I LOVE you!

It was the hub's bday and he had already bought himself a bluray player.  Now it was up to me to come up with a cheap gift for him to open ON his bday.  I took an idea I found on Pinterest and ran with it.  You can find it here at The Dating Divas.  I love their site for creative and often cheap ways to show your hubby you appreciate him.  And come to find out, one of my friends from middle and high school is a contributor.  There are a few others I recognize from high school as well.  Go Alta alumni!

Anyway, back to my gift...It only cost about $25 only because I bought Pysch S5 which was still on sale for $15.  Anyway, he loved it and it gave me a little time to reflect on how much I really love him.  He is so important to me and keeps me from going insane.