Finished Bathroom

Two weekends ago my hubby and I decided to finally finish the downstairs bathroom. Last spring when we painted the rest of the downstairs, we started the bathroom but never finished.

The before shots were taken in progress of painting the ceiling. But, it gives a good idea of what it looked liked before. My mother called this bathroom "the cave". The ceiling and walls were all painted the same deep red / burgundy color as the rest of the front room and hallway. But, with the ceiling painted too, it was very dark. The room also had one of those standard "bathroom" light fixtures that so many houses have. You know... the metal rectangle with the all the vanity bulbs in a row. Yuck!!! I very much dislike those things. And, when we removed it to install the new fixture there was a painted box around the space where the fixture was removed. The previous owners must have painted this bathroom at least 3 times before. So, my hubby had to sand down that area and re-texture. What a mess! And, I won't even get started on my massive disdain for that mirror. We have replaced that hideous mirror with a beautiful new one.

We painted the room with the same khaki color as the rest of the hallway and front room and painted the ceiling white. Then, we repainted the trim and cabinet our creamy white trim color. There were parts of the trim that the previous owners never even painted.

There are now just three more things to finish in here. #1 is to fix the light fixture. With the mirror centered over the faucet and cabinet, the light is waaaay off center. #2 is to buy and install a new towel rack for above the toilet. And, I'm putting a single hanging space right next to the sink so my girls have easy access to a towel. #3 is to accessorize. I'll hang black towels in here and maybe an accessory or two. Luckily one of my favorite pictures that I have in here pulls in the pastel pink that is our counter top.

I'm sooo glad now that it's finished. The bathroom looks so clean, bright, and updated. It's actually really inspiring me to go upstairs and finish painting the trim. I'm done babbling now... But, I'll leave with just one thought... Why would any housing building put a pastel pink counter top into a brand new home?

Inherited Craftiness

I often get asked "Where do you get your "craftiness" and creativity from?" Well... the answer to that one simple. My parents. Both of them are very talented people who have a broad range of things that they are good at. My father is a woodworker / boat repairer and maker / home remodeler / engineer. And, my mother is a seamstress / painter / drawer / decorator / metal worker / home remodeler.

Growing up my father was always building one thing or another. The fist that I can remember is a doll house that he and built for me. I don't have pictures of it. It's in the attic right now. But, it's beautiful. My mother helped with the interior decorating and it lights up. Christmas of 94' I received a beautiful "treasure" box to hold all my treasures. It's currently being used as my sewing box. Another one of his works is a large art trunk that holds my yarn and artwork. Both pieces are solid wood and have great details. My eldest already has eyes for my "treasure" box. But, she'll have to wait quite a while before it gets handed down to her.


My mother's artistic-ness is mostly geared tword sewing and painting. Now. I'll admit that I missed the painting gene. I can't hold a candle to her talent in that department. Shown are just two of her more recent works of art. One shows my family walking the beach a few summers ago. It's hanging above my bed. The colors in real life are much more vibrant and there is a lot of details that the camera just didn't pick up. Also currently on display next to the front door is a painting of my daughters walking side by side on a trail. This one catches my breath every time I look at it. It looks exactly like the photo that I had taken that day.



This Norman Rockwell embroidery work was done just before I was born for my nursery. So much detail and work went into this piece.

So, now that the question has been answered all that's left to do is say "Thanks mom and dad".

"Rapunzel" Scarf Swap

I love doing swaps. This one was called the " Rapunzel" Scarf Swap. I sent 6 (we were only required to send 5, but I wanted to send an extra) 10 foot strands of different fibers, ie: yarns, ribbons, or fabric strips to 5 different people. In return, they also sent me 5 10 foot strands or fibers. I received a few packages with more than 5 fibers, so I ended up with 38 fibers for my scarf.

To make the scarf you divide up the fibers evenly into 3 strands so you can braid them all together. I added on piece from my own stash to make 3 even strands of 13 fibers each. I divided up the fibers by color and texture so that each "strand" had some of each. I then had my daughter hold the end so I could braid the verrrry long strands together into this awesome scarf. I opted ot leave the ends long so I could see and play with all those yummy fibers. Isn't it pretty!! For my color scheme I asked for blues, greens, and plums. Those seem to be my colors lately. I LOVE this scarf.. have I mentioned that yet? I have my youngest modeling it for me. I was covered in paint (yep.. we painted that ugly downstairs bathroom yesterday) so I didn't look quite right for pictures.


I'm sure by now your starting to see how much of a fiber freak I am. I will be making more of these. I really want to use some of my handspun yarns that I have lying around... not to mention all the ribbon and acrylic yarn that I have.

Craft Room Update!

After the whole “Painting Fiasco” back in May, we finally settled on a color called “Newport Blue”. It's really pretty. The color goes from our office / art room through to the kitchen. I'm using apple green and bits of plum as my accent colors. Curtains still need to be made and I'll post pics of the rest of my art space after I finish that.

I did finish one wall of my art room. Yep. A completely finished wall!!! Yesterday my parents brought over a drafting table for me. I love this table. It has a bit of family history and to make a long story short... It's now mine! It'll make the best cutting table. Originally this wall had the doll cabinet and a storage unit that had some of my fabric in it. I broke the unit into two pieces and put it down under the table on either side. I'm hoping to find a better place for my fabrics sometime because I really like the look of “nothing” under the table. But, for now it works great.

I fussed for hours over the placement of the photos and fabric swatch thingies. I'm happy with it now. I'm really proud of the cd storage shelf that I painted. I painted it the same white as everything else in the room and then painted on a floral design that I kinda stole from a fabric that I absolutely love. The best part is that my hubby likes it!! He's usually not a floral fan. Next to the table is a window where I have Mason Jars with buttons divided by color. Under that is a two drawer dresser unit. It to has fabric and some patterns in it.

I've been so motivated the past few weeks to really clear out and finish my house. It's definitely a one step forward and one step back process. My goal for this week is to finish the curtains in the art room and kitchen and go through two more boxes that we found in the garage with “stuff” in them.

My Summer In Review

The summer officially came to a close today with the start of school. My oldest started 3rd grade today and my youngest will be starting Kindergarten on Friday. I have to admit though that I've been anxious for the start of school this year. But, today I found myself to be a bit aimless and random in my tasks. The summer has been such a blur of constant motion, events, friends, birthdays, and vacations, that I haven't really had time to look and see what has and hasn't been accomplished this summer. I have to say that overall it was a wonderful summer. The girls had a blast and we did a lot of things together as a family. But.... what happened to all that sewing that I was supposed to get done... and all the “organizing” of the house and garage that desperately needs to get done... and lets not even mention all that yard work. Sitting here as the kids go off to school all I see is backed up commissions, a messy house and yard, and an endless winter of housework.

So... what DID we do this summer?

Birthday parties for both my kids and husband.... check
Family BBQ at in-laws for summer b-days...check
4th of July dinner and fireworks... check
2 Trips to the family cabin at the beach... check
Lots of play dates with friends... check
Multiple days of playing in the slip and slide... check
Swim lessons every morning for a month... check
½ Of garage cleaned out... check
Garage sale... check
2 Camping trips with lots of sightseeing... check
Family check-ups, vision, and dental... check
Organizing the laundry room and closet... check
Trip to the Science Museum with friends... check
Lots of visits to Grandparents house... check
School clothes shopping... check
Oldest daughter gets her ears pierced... check
Trip to the local water park... check
Install new hallway and bathroom light fixtures... check
Nasty cold that went around to whole family... check
Getting the news that my parents are moving 4 hours away... not willing to check this one yet... it's still to... hard to imagine.
A successful summer filled with lots of laughter, fun, and family... priceless... hehe... just had to.



It's funny the things that stand out in your mind... usually things that are of small consequence.. but important non-the-less. Things like: I remember my youngest daughter in the “Gino Petrified Forest” museum that we visited. She knows not to touch anything... but sometimes she just can't seem to help herself. But, at the museum she put her hands in her shorts pockets and just kept them there. Neither my husband or myself told her to do this. It was just something that she did all on her own. I smiled the whole time as she walked around that museum and peered into the display cases with her hands in her pockets.

I remember last month when my oldest had a good friend over. I went upstairs to put away some laundry and I hear the two of them up in her bed just talking. Talking about how excited they were for school to start and which friends the wanted to see the most. Talking about girly things like what type of clothes they wanted for the new school year, etc. It wasn't what they were talking about that made me stop in the hallway and listen for a moment. It was the realization that my little girl was truly growing up. They weren't playing dolls, or dress up... they were just talking. Sigh....

For the closing of this rather long winded summer review I just wanted to send a “Love You!!” off to my mother. I never understood until this summer why she always looked forward to the start of a new school year. Now, I understand. Don't get me wrong... it's really nice to have the kids home all day after a long school year. But after a while you realize that it's really hard to get anything “done” when they are in the house. And, that the summer activities that revolve completely around the kids leaves you with a ton of work to do come fall. Thanks mom for all those fun summer months of my childhood. And, thanks for not going crazy come fall.

Brynn's "Almost" Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been developing this recipe for almost a year now. Slightly changing something from one batch to another. I wanted a cookie that was healthier and more "organic" for my family to be eating. These cookies have helped my kids slowely adjust to that "wheat" flavor in things. We are now eating whole wheat pasta, bread, muffins, pancakes, etc. (Pancake recipe to come) My kids LOVE these cookies, and I hope your family will love them too.


Brynn's “ Almost” Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies (photo will be added tonight)
Very Budget & Child Friendly

1 cup (two sticks) Cheap Margarine
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
¾ cup White Organic Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 ½ tsp. Vanilla
1 cup Ground Flax Seed
2 ¼ cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 bag Dk. Chocolate Chips

Soften butter. Mix in ingredients in the order given. Use a cookie cutter to for cookies OR drop large spoon fulls on your baking sheet. Bake at 350% for 7-10 minutes. This time depends on the size of cookies. Cool & Eat.

Notes about the recipe:

I make these with and without the flax seed. You may replace the flax seed with wheat flour if you wish. And, you may also use semi-sweet chocolate chips in place of the dark chocolate.

Also, I use a 1.5” and 3” round cookie cutters to make my cookies. I place the cookie cutter on my baking sheet and fill it with dough. I then lift the cookie cutter and repeat until the sheet is full. This makes for a cookie like the ones you get at the stores. No thin edges.. just a perfect plump cookie that is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Felt Foods For Sale - Photos Added

Edit: Photos of most of the items listed below have been added to this post. Please see below price list for the pictures. More photos will be added soon. Thanks.

I've had many requests for my felt foods. So, I've decided to put up a price list. Anyone who would like to order something, please send me a message/comment or email me. If you don't see an item on the list that you would like, just let me know and I will see about making that item for you. Photos of most of these items are shown on my felt foods post. Thanks everyone for your support and wonderful comments on my felt foods.

Things to note:
- Shipping is extra and based on your location.
- When ordering, please let me know which item you would like and and the amount of pieces/sets you want.
- If you want a color change just let me know and I will do what I can to accommodate you.
- All items are made with acrylic felt unless otherwise noted. I do as much machine sewing as possible to keep cost low.. so most the decorative stitching you get will be done on the machine. I use polyfill and occasionally recycled yarns to stuff my foods.
- Small items like fruit snacks and anything beaded is not recommended for children under the age of 3. Beading can be omitted for items upon request.
- Colors may vary slightly depending on what is available. Please ask if you would like a color change and I will do everything I can to find that color.

Items are prices per piece or set. The amount of each item in a set is noted.
Fruits & Veggies:

Single Color Flat Items (flat slices of things):
Banana OR Pickle (set of 3) - $1.50
Tomato's (set of 2) - $1.50
Lettuce (set of 7 different colored and shaped leaves) - $4.00
Lettuce (set of 3 - this would be good if you just want some lettuce for sandwiches and hamburgers) - $1.75
Onion pieces (set of 3) - $1.00
Half slices of lemon OR lime - $0.75 per half slice

Two Color Flat Items:
Cucumber (set of 2) - $2.00
Kiwi (this one is a ½ slice with beading) - $3.00
If you would prefer paint instead of beading - $1.50

Whole Fruits & Veggies:
Baby Carrots (set of 4) - $2.00
4-5” Whole Carrot - $2.00
3” Whole Tomato - $2.50
3” Whole Onion - $2.50
Whole Pear - $3.00
Whole Apple $2.50
Corn on the cob (with removable husks) - $8.00
Whole Mushrooms (set of 3) - $6.00
Brocolli (set of 3) - $5.00
Cauliflower (set of 3) - $5.00
Whole Eggplant - $3.00
Strawberries w/ beads (set of 3) - $9.00
w/out beads (set of 3) - $5.00
Soy Beans (set of 3) - $2.00
Lemon or Lime - $1.50

Meats:
Pepperoni slices (4 total) - $2.00
Meatballs (2) - $2.50
Hamburger Patti - $2.00
Mystery lunch meat (1 pink colored round slice) - $1.00
Lunch meat (1 cream colored “turkey” or 1 brown colored “roast beef”) $1.00 ea
Steak, Pork, Fish Filet- $6.00 ea
Meatloaf $2.00

Grains:
Sandwich bread (whole wheat or white) (1 slice) - $2.50
Incredible "Infinity" bendable wrap bread/crust - $6.00
Hamburger Bun with “seads” on top - $6.00
Bow-tie pasta (whole wheat or white Or I can mix them)(set of 12 pieces) - $3.00
Pancake - $2.00
Quesadilla with 6 slices approx. 12” around - $6.00
note: the quesadilla works great a pizza crust as well!!
Baked / Mashed Potato (will come with a creamy potato center with a removable skin) – $6.00

Misc. Items:
Fried Egg - $2.50
Whole egg - $2.00
Syrup - $0.50
Gravy $0.50
Butter slice (set of 2) - $0.75
Bacon Strips (set of two) - $4.00
Pasta Sauce glob (approx. 5” around)- $3.00
Pizza Sauce glob - looks like the photos with stuffing and extra layers of felt to look more 3D(will fit on incredible bendable wrap or quesidilla) - $4.00
OR Pizza Sauce glob - will be two pieces of flat felt with decorative swirl stitching in the middle - $1.50
Mesh Cheese for pizza - $4.00
Note: Pizza sauce OR Mesh Cheese can be cut into 6 pieces to fit onto the quesadilla pieces for an additional $1.00
Cheese Slice (white, orange or yellow) - $1.00
Cheese slice with holes (this one is pale yellow) - $1.50
Cheese & Crackers (4 crackers and 6 different colored cheese slices) $3.00
Peanut Butter & Jelly Globbs - $2.00 for both
Ketchup & Mustard Globbs (circle shape for hamburgers & sandwiches) - $2.00 for both
Bag of chips – Includes a bag and 6 chips. Your choice of cheese triangle chips or oval potato chips - $6.00
Tea bags (set of 4) - $2.00
Plain lunch sack - $7.00
Lettering added (cost is per letter) - $0.30

Sweets:
Frosted Donut - $5.00
With beads added - $6.00
Sugar cookies w/ frosting (set of 3) - $7.00
With beads added (set of 3) - $10.00

Bag of Fruit Snacks (not recommended for small children) - Includes a little felt bag and 6 felted colorful fruit snacks - $10.00 (the fruit snacks are felted and take some time to make)

Sugar Cookies (with bead sprinkles), and Fruit snacks
Pancakes, Syrup, Butter Slices, Fried Eggs, and Bacon Stripes


Quesadilla & Bow-tie Pasta, Sauce, & Meatballs
Lunch meat sandwich showing: bread, mystery meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, & pickles


Infinity Bread Uses: Pizza Crust, pizza sauce, pizza mesh cheese, pepperoni slices
Wrap bread / pita pocket, veggies or fruit inside


Examples of the fruits and veggies


Whole lemon, lime, tomato, and onion.


Meats: The steak is "raw" on one side and "grilled" on the other. Hamburger patti, meatballs, pepperoni, and bacon.


Dairy: Mesh Cheese, White, Yellow, Orange, & Swiss Cheese, Butter, and Eggs.


Condiments: Pizza & Pasta Sauce, Ketchup & Mustard Blobs, Peanut Butter & Jelly, and Syrup.


Grains: Any of these can be made as white or wheat. Quesadilla, Pancakes, Sandwich Bread, Hamburger Buns, Infinity Bendy Bread, and Bow-Tie Pasta


Example of the pizza sauce and mesh cheese cut into 6th and placed on quesadilla to form a pizza.


Potato Chips, Cheese Triangle Chips, and Tea Bags. Please note that the colors used on the chip bags will vary.