Max and Ruby..... duh, duh, duh, duh, da dud, da duh, Ruby and Max.

Happy Birthday to Baby Girl!  Well, Sassy is turning two but she is still the baby of the family.  She doesn't get too excited about TV, but she does love Max and Ruby.  When it comes on she points and yells "RUDYYYY," yes with a D.  At this stage the boys like Elmo so this is a new one for me.  For her birthday, what else could I do but a Max and Ruby theme?  Unfortunately, this is not as popular as some characters so I had to go online to order a few party supplies.  Since Ruby wears a yellow a-line dress with orange and green crosses on it, I thought maybe I'll make Sassy a matching dress.  I started with a McCalls pattern 6303 that I had picked up on sale for $1 one week at Hobby Lobby.  I bought the pattern with no exact intention but I was glad to have it for this.  It is easy to make a pattern for an a-line dress, but I just find a professional pattern makes it easier for me.

See...  a-line dress just two easy pieces.  I cut 2 of the pattern pieces and made the dress reversible.  I usually do this because I hate sewing small seams.  Plus the fabric I choose was light yellow and it needed a lining.

I added some ric rac detail to the "reverse" side or lining side.

Pin and sew the top and bottoms to their "mate," leaving the sides open.

Turn one right side out and put it inside the other piece.  Pin sides together, leaving a gap on one side to turn.

Sew it, turn it then find the gap you left and carefully stitch the hole.

You can barely see the stitch on the side seam.  This is not a detailed tutorial, but there are tons on pinterest and youtube.

Add buttons and button holes and voila!  I used fusible webbing to make the crosses and ironed them to the dress to look like Ruby.  I think it is a pretty good match to the character.

I bought a purple t-shirt for underneath.  My model doesn't cooperate with me when I want to take a picture.

I put on a headband with rabbit ears and she's the cutest bunny ever.

The dessert table featured a yellow cake with pink vanilla frosting and sprinkles, just like the one Ruby made for her party.  I made butter cream icing frozen transfers for the Max and Ruby characters on the cake.  For variety, I made chocolate cupcakes with fudge frosting and added "worms" and "dirt," just like Max's cake.  Not pictured is the "rabbit food" veggie tray and fruit plate.  Having this party near easter made it easy to find lot of rabbit themed stuff like carrot bubble necklaces for the goody bags.  It was a fantastic party!

Hey it's Franklin!

Book character Day at school, you know because they don't allow Halloween anymore and kids like to dress up.  I can appreciate keeping things focused on learning, but that means I have to come up with costumes when there are not a zillion cheap ones available at Wally World.  Yes, I can sew pretty well but with the price of all the fabric and notions being so high, I will gladly pay for an affordable pre-made costume.  This was not an option for Franklin the turtle.  So, my search began...  I mean why reinvent the wheel when I was sure pinterest could lead me to greatness.  I found lots of ideas that weren't exactly great looking and then I found this blog The Almost Perfectionist that had a tutorial for a turtle shell that looked good and was easy.  Not just easy, but a no sew tutorial.  I basically followed her steps, with just a few modifications.

I cut a cardboard oval and a larger oval out of green fleece.  Then I cut brown fleece in a turtle shell pattern and hot glued it to the green.  I wrapped the green around the cardboard oval, leaving a section unglued for stuffing.  To be totally honest, I glued the whole oval then realized I forgot to leave a hole for stuffing...  it was late.  So, I pulled a section off the cardboard and stuffed the shell with recycled grocery bags... a lot of them to make it nice and full.  I added a scalloped "trim" piece of brown fleece around the edge to look like the edge of a shell and glued that around the edge.

You can see the scalloped trim better in this one.  Now Franklin has a very predominant plastron, or lower shell to which it is commonly referred.  Yes, I looked that up to sound smart...  hahaha.  My husband called it the chest plate.  So I took some yellow fleece and just drew the approximate shape freehand on the material.  Cut 2 pieces of fabric and then I cut 4 pieces of green ribbon.  I would recommend using something sturdier, but ribbon is what I had on hand.  Put 2 ribbons on top and one on each side.  Then sew right sides together, leaving a hole for stuffing.  Don't forget the hole!  Trim the edges and flip right side out, like you would a pillow.  I used  1" foam to stuff the chest plate so it would the shape.  Stitched up the hole and stitched a few contour lines in the front.

You can see the top ribbons better in this pic.  The other two were about waist level on each side.  To finish it up, I glued the ribbons to the cardboard part of the shell.  Then I took the second oval circle and covered all the raw edges on the cardboard to finish it.  The shell just goes over the head.  Franklin also wears a red hat and neckerchief.  So I did a paper cut out of the sun design and taped it to a red baseball hat.  I had red bandanna to tie around his neck and it was complete.  I didn't go so far as to buy a green sweatsuit, like I have seen on other blogs.  Just a green shirt we had and jeans.  He was very happy with his costume and all the kids at school thought he was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle...  sigh.  

Frozen icing transfer.

Let me apologize in advance for my long and poorly formatted post about this icing transfer.  I should share my background is in computer programming, not journalism.  I hated English/Literature class in school and it is obvious I lack creativity in that way.  Continue...

My son loves Sonic the Hedgehog.  Last year for his birthday we all wore Sonic character shirts and I made Sonic cupcakes.  I thought for sure this year he would pick something else but he wanted Sonic again.  Well, Sonic character stuff is not widely available like say Spiderman stuff.  This year his party was just family so I didn't want to spend a fortune on a sheet cake so I started searching pinterest.  I saw several posts about making a butter cream icing transfer to put on a cake and I figure I would try it.  Seemed easy enough, after all it was just tracing a picture and putting it on a cake.   Well, not so easy but I'm still going to call this a pinterest success.  I found a coloring page online and printed it out.  Then I traced the Sonic head in black sharpie.  I only did the head b/c it was a pretty simple design and I was just making an 8 inch round cake.  Tape the paper down to a small (toaster oven size) baking sheet.  Then I taped wax paper over it and I was ready to go.

I used Wilton black icing in the tube and a small round tip (#2 I think) to trace the outline.  This part went very smoothly and I was getting confident this was going to be a masterpiece.

Next was to fill in the spaces with colors.  I read one blog that said to put the outline in the freezer for 20-30 minutes so the black won't bleed or get messed up.  So, I mixed the blue icing while the outline was chillin'.  My first mistake was not mixing all the colors before starting to fill in.  I finished the blue and wasted time mixing a little bit of green and  flesh color.  The black outline was moving around as I tried to fill the other colors, so I froze it again and then finished the color fill.

You may notice I messed up the ear and filled it with blue.  I scraped most of the blue out and decided to fix that part when it was flipped on the cake.  Now I stuck this bad boy in the freezer overnight to get it good and solid for the transfer to the cake.  I also read that you can cover the entire shape with your cake color.  This gives it more stability, but also makes it a little thicker and I opted out of that step.  Maybe I should have done that though...

Here is where the not so much fun begins.  I have my round cake baked and frosted, just ready for a big Sonic head to adorn the top.  I get up the next morning and attempt the oh so easy transfer.  Well, when the blogs said work quickly, they mean FAST!  I removed the wax paper from the pan and carefully  flipped it over on the cake and began peeling away the wax paper.  Well, part of it came off fine and then the icing began to stick like gum on the bottom of a shoe.  Yes, it was becoming a mess.  So, I popped the whole cake with the transfer and wax paper back in the freezer.  I waited maybe 30 minutes and tried again...  still sticking!  I had to leave it in a few hours before trying to work on peeling the wax paper.  It still took me 3 times in and out of the freezer (which amounted to all day.)  I did eventually get all the transfer off the wax paper and on the cake with just a few breaks in the outline.  I used a wet toothpick to do some repairs.  I had also saved the left over icing from the night before and filled in some holes and gaps.  Then to smooth it all out, I dipped a small knife in hot water and went over the whole thing.  This is how it turned out.

My son LOVED this cake.  Although it took me longer than expected to make it and it isn't exactly a "masterpiece," I saved a ton of money and I know what not to do next time.  Yes, there will be a next time...  Max & Ruby party in March!  Wish me luck!

UPDATE:  Buttercream works MUCH better.  It gets so hard and doesn't stick at all.  It is actually pretty easy to make and you can make exactly as much as you need.  Plus, I bet it is better because it doesn't have anything weird in the ingredients.

Bead Board Nook

I would love for the title of this to be "Bead board mudroom," but lets face it...  I don't have room for a mud "room."  Honestly, it sounds like something else I would have to clean more than I want to anyway.  My dilemma was finding an easy and organized area for the multiple jackets, book bags and lunchboxes.  They have been left on the floor or piled on some hooks the previous owner screwed into the side of my kitchen island...  lovely.  Just the right height for a toddler to get in and right in the walkway between the island and frig.  Solution:  turn a useless nook into a storage spot for the "get out the door before we miss the bus" stuff.  Here is the before:

I saw a fabulous thing called bead board wallpaper on, where else, pinterest.  I love the bead board look without the thickness of wood.  Plus I didn't want to have to hammer anything.  I used *Riches to Rags* by Dori: Bead Board Wallpaper!!!! as my inspiration and went with a high chair rail look with wide trim.  There is a smaller trim on top to make a narrow shelf.  Add some hooks and it is looking good!

I tossed around the idea of making a built in bench with storage, but again I would need to hammer.  So, a few clicks on Amazon and I found an affordable walnut bench with beige storage cubes that fit the space perfectly.  When I say perfectly, the space is 42 inches and the bench is wedged in the door trim on either side.  It actually makes for a snug fit which means no little people can pull it out and push it over to the pantry so they can reach the snacks.

And with some of the stuff for school...

Now, I LOVE how this turned out!  It wasn't hard, but took some time.  I first prepped the area by removing all the caulk around the floor board and side trim.  Then I lightly sanded the walls.  Next, I applied the wallpaper.  A friend gave me a roll of wallpaper that was not pre-pasted, which seemed like a pain but I honestly have NEVER wallpapered before so who knows if pre-pasted is easier.  (But it sounds easier)  Next, I bought the trim and painted it and the wallpaper once.  Find the wall studs and screw in the trim and caulk the seams.  Then paint a second coat on everything and install the hooks (over the screws so you can't see the heads).  

Bathroom makeover... copy style.

I have not touched the bathroom in the hallway since we moved in.  It serves as the guest bathroom and the kids' bathroom, although the kids are usually in the master bathroom with us.  So, it just sat there, and sat there, and sat there with a bad pink/yellow paint job and builder blah components.  I finally decided I needed to do something about it and I found some energy.  I knew this would be a task taken on all by myself...  and I did all of it all by myself.  Yep, painting, plumbing, carpentry...  I did it!  This isn't a knock on the hubs, but he just is very practical about this stuff.  If the light comes on and the sink works and toilet flushes then why bother?  Definitely a function over form kinda guy.  So, that being said...  the big reveal.  I didn't take an actual "before" picture...  it is more of a "just got started pic and maybe I will take a picture so I can blog about it or put it on pinterest."  Pinterest, by the way, is where I found my inspiration bathroom.  I pretty much copied this chick's bathroom.  Ok, before (took this with my phone after I pulled down the light)

AHHHH!  The after!  Here's a run down on the changes: Painted (Behr Billowing Clouds), 3 new shelves, cabinet hardware, replaced towel bar with hooks. (Look in the reflection)  I had to patch a giant hole from the towel bars and sand and patch and sand the crap out of it.

New Faucet

New hand towel hook and framed the mirror.  This framed mirror project is all over pinterest and it really is super easy...  even by yourself.

There are still a few odds and ends, like another framed something over the hand towel and something cutesy over the robe hooks...  maybe a 1, 2, and 3.  Ultimately, I still want to tile the floor and get rid of the glass shower door.  That isn't something I can really do a piece at a time.  But it will happen!

Boys have a pee-nus.

I have been having some interesting conversations with my oldest son, mostly revolving around his private parts.  It surprised me how early baby boys become interested in their penis.  Basically as soon as they have any control over their arms and hands, they are touching themselves.  Seriously, it was difficult at times to even change a diaper.  Now he is 5 and it is still the topic of many of our little exchanges.

A few days ago I noticed him grabbing himself down there, on top of his shorts.  So I ask him if everything is ok down there.
"Yeah, my penis is just stuck to my balls."
"Ok, well fix it then leave it alone."
"How many balls are there?"
"Two"
"Two balls...  I think I had four when I was a little baby."
"I don't think you ever had four."
"Ouch."
"What now?"
"It hurts when you mash them."
"Well, don't do that then."
"Why does it hurt when you mash them?"
"I don't know.  I don't have them, you will have to ask your dad."

Then Josh chimes in:
"Daddy has a pee-nus, Alex has pee-nus and I have pee-nus.  We are boys.  Mommy doesn't have pee-nus and Ashley doesn't have pee-nus.  They are girls."
"Yes, Josh, that is correct."

At the pool Alex says "Mommy the water is cold."
Me "It is not that cold."
"Yes it is, get your penis in...  it is cold."
"I don't have a penis, you know that."
"Well, put the part that doesn't have a penis in the water.  It is cold."

Cooking with Pinterest.

So, it has been forever (November to be exact) since I posted anything.  I actually have several things I wanted to write about and post but just haven't done it.  I could give all the good excuses about having 3 kids and volunteering at VBS, but really I just don't like to write b/c I am so bad at it.  I like to give a little more than a one line blurb on Facebook though when I do make something I like.  Anywho, this morning I had nothing good to make for breakfast.  No eggs means no pancakes or homemade anything, because you know how I love to make things from scratch.  I did have a can of pillsbury biscuits and I remembered a FB post of a friend who made doughnuts out of them.  I went to handy dandy pinterest and voila...  lots of pins on how to do this.  So easy... basically cut a hole in the biscuit.  Don't have anything small and round?  Use the cap off a water bottle or 2 liter.  Heat some veggie oil in a pan to medium and fry these bad boys about a minute on each side.  (Mine look a little dark and I could have turned them earlier, but they tasted just fine.)  Let them cool, and dip them in melted butter and then a sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Delicious and extra sugary doughnuts!

Only four because Josh didn't want his dipped in sugar, so he ate his plain.  Weirdo.

 I take these pics on my phone and saw a few other things I have done recently... one not so successful.  But
the kids don't know how it is supposed to look so all is good.  Again, not having the desired lunch of corndogs, I saw some homemade ones on pinterest.  They were from Martha Stewart and my eyes glazed over before getting through the ingredients list.  Cornmeal, salt, sugar...  blah, blah, blah.  I can just use a box mix right?  No need to pile up dry ingredients and make a well in which to crack the egg and knead by hand.  Puh-leeze!  Weeeeeellllll, the box mix was runny, so I used 2 mixes but half the eggs and milk.  It still ran off the hotdog...  but in my defense, even the Martha's direction said to cook about 5 minutes and spoon the cornbread mixture back on the hotdog.  Whatever, this was becoming all too complicated.  I bet you can't wait to see how they turned out, huh?

The cornbread kind of rose around the hotdog in a bun like fashion, so really they turned out ok.  They actually tasted very good...  not chewy at all like the frozen microwaveable kind.  Josh (again with the bread obsession) ate off the cornbread and took a few bites of the hotdog.  Alex, my champion eater, ate the whole thing and asked for a second one.