caterpillar green

Still painting over here. Hope your weekend is as colorful as mine is looking :)

tie-dye

We tie-dyed shirts with some friends last night. The reveal this morning was so fun and they could not wait to wear their creations!

Even Addie got in on the action.

I could not get one good picture of all 5 kids- can you tell we've had a case of the summer grumps going though our house? They've all had it at one point or another the last few weeks and some just can't seem to get over it!

Oh, and here is my shirt.
The picture is fuzzy from using the flash in the mirror- anybody know the best way to take a picture in the mirror with out that happening?

this woman's work

Regan wanted in on the action too, so I let her paint a couple stripes.
this is what the room used to look like and here is a little peak at the "new" room. There is still lots of work to do, not sure when I will finish it but (I think) the hardest part is done... and she likes it (can you tell?)!

And here is what I've been working on today, laminating, cutting, hole punching. We are all getting pretty excited around here for CC this fall!

drum roll...

and the winner is...
Congratulations, Erica!

you are not my real mother!

That's what Regan said when she unloaded a box of Cheez-Its from the car (I went grocery shopping without the kids today). When I asked why she said that she replied "My real mom wouldn't buy Cheez-Its" What can I say- I read the label and it was not a bad as last time I looked, or maybe my label reading comprehension has slipped (along with my memory).

But then here is some more proof that I really must not be their "real mom."
I'm pretty sure I said I'd never buy these things for them... then they were $1 at Walmart and next thing I knew there were dragons, pirates, cowboys and Wonders of the World in our cart!

just a reminder

Don't forget to leave a comment on this (click on hyperlink) post to enter my giveaway. I will be announcing the winner on Saturday!

what was i thinking?

I taught Regan to play chopsticks... she taught Micah... I must have had a momentary loss of sanity!

free time

The kids are all going to VBS this week (except Addie) and I am spending my "free time" prepping for my next sewing class. This class will be a 4 week, beginning machine sewing class. Here is a little peak into our first project.
I've also finished sewing all my rows for my quilt- now to press and sew them all together. I still have to pick out my backing fabric and I want to have my machine serviced before I quilt it. I was hoping to finish before the summer ends, but now I'm not sure that will happen.
What are you working on this week?

four

Lulu turned 4 today. I do not have the words to express what a blessing she is! How quickly the time has flown by, and yet it's hard to remember a time when she was not a part of our family. Here are just a few of my favorite pics from today...

on the move

look who's almost crawling!

She's growing up too fast! Last week she started sleeping in the crib in her sister's room and now this! Sometimes I wish there was a pause button in life.

party pics and a giveaway

The party was great- games were played, presents opened, cupcakes devoured-everyone had a good time and I was ready to collapse when it was all over, all signs of a successful party :)

Regan made another one of her fabulous "pin the clothes on the (fill in the blank)" games for the party. A cute little fairy. (She made Julie, the American Girl Doll for her own party).

I am totally in love with my tissue paper pom-poms- they are still hanging in the dining room :) I will eventually move them to Tallulah's room, they match the color scheme in there perfectly.

So, now, to share a little party love with you, I will be giving away one of my fairy skirts and headbands!
This skirt should fit a 3-5 year old.
There are two ways to enter (do both and increase your chances of winning!):
1. leave a comment on this post
2. Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment here letting me know that you did.
I will announce the winner on Saturday, July 24th!

mini apple tarts

this is a fun, easy snack to make with the kids on a rainy afternoon. I adapted something I had seen in Family Fun- making it a little more healthy (they filled there's with chocolate and peanut butter chips and mini marshmallows).

All you need is:

1 package of refrigerated pie crusts
One granny smith apple diced and mixed with cinnamon sugar.
One egg beat with 1 tsp of water
Cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top
A large cookie cutter of your choice

Roll out the pie crust on a lightly flowered surface.
Cut out your shapes and lay half of them on a parchment paper lined pan
Put filling in middle, leaving 1/2 inch border around the edges (amount of filling will depend on the size of your cookie cutter)
Brush edges with egg wash
Place another pie crust shape on top, pressing the edges together to seal
I guess the picture gives me away- I filled some of my hearts with mini chocolate chips too :)

Brush tops with egg wash, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake at 375 for 12 minutes or until their edges begin to brown.

Place on a cooling rack for a few minutes and enjoy!
Even my pickiest eater at these without complaint!

oatmeal!

Addie had her first taste of solid food last week, oatmeal. I think Regan must have take 50 pictures- these are just a few of my favorite :)
In the end I think she liked it :)

what's on the menu at your house?

We're having chicken feet :)
Somehow I survived the party- it went off without a hitch and I just uploaded over 100 pictures (within them the content of at least 3 posts) but I am just too tired to post anything now. I'll be back on Monday with regular post and maybe even a giveaway sometime next week! Enjoy the rest of your weekend- I will be sleeping away the rest of mine :)

pixie skirt tutorial

Here is where I confess that I have officially lost my mind! Last Friday I went to the Dr. thinking I just had a sinus infection and found out I have Mono (Again!). So, in between naps and while I let my daughter make dinner I have been sewing and sewing and sewing! I had planned to make simple lazy day skirts for all the guests at the party- if you've made one before you know how easy it is- I could have had it all done in an hour. Then I found that fabulous floral fabric at the thrift store- but it was not enough to make 8 skirts (the number of girls invited+Lu). So, in a period of insomnia (one of the wonderful "benefits" of Mono) I dreamt up this little number and Tuesday I started to work.

I've got two different versions of my pixie skirt and I will share both with you. These are meant to fit 3-5 year old- If you want to make it for an older child you could make the longer version and add more panels to it (my 8yr old tried on the longer one- it fit, but was not very full).
Here is what you need:
10 panels if fabric 5 in x 15 in (short) or 18 in (long)
10 pieces of facing fabric 5 in x 6 in
Elastic for waist
(FYI- If you want to use my pattern layout (flower-green-flower-pink-flower...) you really need 12 panels for it to work out right- mine have two pink panels separated by a flower panel in the back)

First I cut out all my panels and the facing- here is a little trick I used- my solid colors are sheets that I picked up at the thrift store and Walmart (They sell twin sheets for $4, you can't beat that!) I used the hemmed edge of the sheet for my facing so I have a nice finished edge without the extra sewing.
To cut the curved edge find a 5 in circle to trace (I used a little tin bucket I have) or get out the compass and make yourself a 5 in circle template. For the points I folded the panels in half and cut a 45 degree angle with my rotary cutter.

Next lay your facing on the panels (right sides together), pin and sew between the pins (1/4 in seam allowance, making sure you taper to the edge at beginning and end of curve.

I tried to take a picture of my stitches, but it's had to see the white on white- sorry!
Next you clip your edges, turn and press.

I top stitched mine to give it a nice finished look.
Here is the back.
Then sew all your panels together using 3/8 in. seam allowance. You can't tell from this photo, but after sewing the panels together I pressed all the seams to one side and then top stitched (1/8 in. from the crease) to hold them flat.
Then sew the ends together, making a circle. Press under 1/4 in at the top edge and then another inch. Stitch all the way around, leaving a 2 in. gap to insert elastic. Adjust elastic to fit and sew two inch opening closed.

Then let your fairy try it on! All she needs now is wings!
If you make a pixie skirt, don't forget to upload your photos to the Little White Schoolhouse Flickr group! I can't wait to see what you make!

*Just a friendly reminder- your free to use my tutorial for personal use or for gifts, but please don't make items to sell using my tutorial(s)! Thanks!