the creepy house

I really need to watch what I say.

As we were speeding around Michael's craft store last week, before this heat wave mind you, the kids spied a gingerbread haunted house kit. Of course they wanted it. 'Oh we don't need the kit, we can just make that at home' I told them. Kid's are like elephants, they never forget.

We have never made a haunted house before. They are only 3 and 5 and I definitely don't want to scare them. I thought it over for a couple of days and was reminded daily about making the house. I figured we could just make a gingerbread house and decorate it in orange and black. Safe enough, right?

Well, maybe we could just make it a little wonky, I thought. I sketched out a basic shape and then just kind of made the shapes for the different sides. Notice the gaps...not perfectly measured out. We used royal icing as our glue and for decorating our house. I used the recipe from the Joy of Cooking cookbook. It's a basic egg white and powdered sugar mixture. Super easy.

Mix one egg white in a microwavable bowl with 2/3 cup powdered sugar.

Microwave for 30-60 sec until mixture reaches temp greater then 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

Beat on high while slowly adding 2/3 cup more of powdered sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form and mixture is cool.

Done.

A little lemon juice can be added prior to mixing for taste. This icing gets hard really quick which is perfect for constructing the house, but you need to keep whatever you are not using covered or else you will be bummed.

The kids went a little crazy with the candy corn. Love it!

We couldn't make gingerbread without little gingerbread men...and women.

This is Ella's girl. She didn't want her glued with the icing to the board so she kept falling down and smashing her bow.

Julian wanted a hat on his man.

The kids had so much fun decorating and test tasting, but as soon as Andy walked in the door Julian said, "Daddy come look at our creepy house." I might have gotten a little carried away.

owl and puppy

There were quite a few estate sales this past weekend and I found a couple of things I am really excited about. The metal trays will probably end up over my sewing table. I need to make or find a bunch of cute magnets. I was in need of a nice little inspiration area and this will work nicely.

I am so excited I found the cute little puppy and the owl. Love both of them so much. I will probably have to fashion some sort of eyes for my puppy. He looks a little scary with them missing. Julian spotted the raccoon piggy bank. I almost passed him up but I am happy a little someone convinced me...he has grown on me.

I love estate sales!

Autumn?

Autumn...fall...one of my favorite seasons.

It's here according to the calender, but you would never guess it according to the sweat dripping down my back. It is over 100 degrees. Ughh!

I want the crisp mornings and the cool days.

I know it will be here soon enough so I will just think about all of the things I want to make this season.

I wanted to make these fabric pumpkins last year, but never got around to it. Danielle Thompson's tutorial makes it look really easy so I might give it a go.

Today we will be baking. I know, don't ask.

New Spaces

I have a new little sewing nook!

The usual routine when I sew: Lug the machine, sewing box, fabric and anything else needed for my project out to my dining room table, work on a project, push everything to one side of the table when it is time for dinner, spread everything out again when I continue to work on my project, push to one end for next meal, spread, work, push, eat, feel guilty about my mess, put everything back in the closet.

Those days are now over and I am so excited!

I found Heidi & Finn on etsy and I am so excited. Cute PDF patterns for the littles. I need to get over my pattern phobia, especially since I bought a bunch at JoAnne's when their $1 pattern sale was going on.
I foresee my machine working overtime in the coming months.Here is a picture of my new sewing corner right after I moved a couple of things. I have since been emptying out the cabinet next to my sewing table and filling it with fabric. I have a couple of ideas for right above the sewing table. I also still need to find a small storage unit for right in that corner. My sewing box is taking up way too much room on my table.
Side note: That's not the machine I use to sew, although that one does work. I found it at an estate sale and couldn't pass it up because it's so pretty and I love the color.

One of those days

Ella is still sick and we have been in isolation all week because there are some things we don't like to share...like a nasty cough.

So today, after 6 days of a fever and a cough that is getting worse and not better, I decided it was probably time to see our favorite doctor, Dr. Akey, and get Ella started on some antibiotics. We had an 11:00 appointment, so that left us with plenty of time to hit an estate sale. Yeah!! The estate sale was total chaos. It literally looked like the whole house had been ransacked. Turned over furniture and boxes with household items and clothes strewn all over the place leaving little room to walk. The crowd was also a little disturbing, like sharks on a feeding frenzy. It was well worth it though, as I walked away with arms full and my total was a mere $5. Score!

After we left we stopped by a playground to burn a little time before the doctor's appointment. As we were on our way back to the car Julian found the one puddle in the whole park and slipped and fell in it. Wet and covered in mud, I tried my best to clean him up with some baby wipes. We hurried into the car so that we wouldn't be late to our appointment. En route Ella had a horrible cough attack and couldn't stop coughing...until she threw into a couple of napkins I had in the car. Those measly little napkins couldn't hold much and so the front of her pants suffered some damage. When we got to the doctor's office I did clean up number two for the day. As I was in the middle of that, I realized that the strap on my sandal had busted. What next? Thankfully we didn't have to wait long to be seen and Dr Akey was sweet and caring, as usual, and helped me forget about the previous events. It was just one of those days.

Pictured above is a little bath mitt I thought the kids would be able to make with me, but it turns out I pretty much made them myself. They helped a little with the machine sewing, but majority of the sewing ended up being hand stitched. I cut up an old towel and sewed it into a mitt. Then cut up felt pieces and stitched it on. Super quick and easy and they love using them in the bath.

dates and dinosaurs

(tried a little editing to make it look like it's on old picture)

All plans were cancelled this Sunday after Ella got sick, so we had a whole day to make our own little adventure. Andy had been wanting to go out to the desert to scout something out so we decided to make a day of it. It's date season (who knew?) in the desert. I didn't think I even liked dates. I think the only dates I have ever had are the dates in some trail mixes and I usually just pick over them. Last year in one of my magazines I read a little hype about date shakes so we had to give it a try. Shield's has been around since 1924 and the shakes are beyond delicious. I am converted!
Every date product you could ever think of can be found here.

What dates look like before they are dried.

Waiting patiently for their date shakes.

Worth the wait.

Made some friends in the desert.
Fun little day in the desert.

Handmade by Ella

Ella got sick this weekend and was not feeling up to running around outside so I was trying to find a little craft she could do on her own without any supervision. Today, the 20th, is Nana's, my grandmother's, birthday so I thought she could make her a little something for her b-day. Ella wanted to make her a little necklace which was perfect because I had just acquired some beads in a little surprise grab bag.

Yes, the necklace does have a little toy pacifier on it. I tried (a little) to talk her out of that decision, but she thought it would be really funny and that Nana would laugh really really hard...she is probably right.

Can't have a handmade gift without a handmade card. This one kills me. She explained that it is a picture of Julian, in the frame with the spiky hair, and herself with big shoes on. No kidding!

Everything is now signed 'Ella K.' because there is an 'Ella P.' in her class at school.

You can't ever have too many X's and O's on a card, right? That was just the outside.

The inside was a picture of a wolf howling and some more Ella K.'s.

I love that she is developing a love for making handmade gifts. She put a lot of thought and time into this one and I'm sure Nana will love it and get a good laugh out of it. Happy Birthday Nana!!!!

We love you!!!

***they multiply***

Apparently...

This new project is now referred to as Julian's blue moto. Julian was so stoked the minute he laid eyes on this burnt-up beauty. Andy heroically pulled this from a blazing fire...no not really. This is just an inherited project cast away after a 4th of July mishap.
All this one needs is a little TLC and burn kit.

(source)

Water Guns

With Ella now in school during the day, Julian and I have been settling into our new normal and pattern of our day. The first two weeks were definitely a time of adjustment for all of us. Ella has now adjusted. She seems to have a new 'best' friend daily. I love hearing about her day. It's interesting to me what she finds important and significant enough in her day to relay to us. I am having fun giving Julian my full attention and I'm pretty sure enjoys it also...although you would think I just told him we were going to get ice cream every time I tell him that it's time to pick Ella up from school. He loves his big sis.

Julian enjoys having the 'shooter gun' all to himself.

Weekend Camping

Ahhh, I love camping!