Play Kitchen

For Christmas this year, we wanted to give our little girl a big present and I really wanted it to be something we made.  She loves pulling stuff our of the one kitchen cabinet that is purposely not baby-locked, so why not give her her own little kitchen!

After a LOT of searching Pinterest for ideas, I was determined that I was going to find a night stand or end table of some sort at a thrift store or off Craig's list that we would then transform.  My husband was determined to convince me that we should pay way too much for any number of adorable play kitchens.

So I spent a Saturday afternoon going to THREE thrift stores (with little girl in tow) and found something I thought would work.  So $15 later I brought home an end table and a plan.  It took a little creative convincing to get my husband to see my vision. Once he realized he'd get to use several power tools, he was in.

Here's the process (minus a few steps) in pictures.

All of the painting, stove front making and details happened at night and I completely forgot to take pictures of everything between the above picture and the finished kitchen.

Ikea has the most adorable pots and pans set

And kitchen utensil set

Some cut up kitchen twine makes pretty awesome spaghetti - and let me tell you, she LOVES 'making' spaghetti!

Hubby went a little crazy with the Ikea fruit and veggie baskets too.

Cutting fruit is a bit hit too.

It took her a few minutes to realize this was sitting in our rather small living room (which was made even smaller with the Christmas tree) but she eventually warmed up to it and has played with it every day since.

10 Minute Shaker

I have to plug it one more time....

I was a guest blogger for the first time 

this week at RoCa and Company.

Go check out my Easy Peasy Hair Clip Tute 

and make sure you're entered into the giveaway!! 

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My husband is a percussionist so we have all kinds of shakers and such instruments around our house.  As with most children I assume, my little Izz loves anything that makes a noise when you she shakes it.

Enter the 10 minute Shaker Project!

Gather your supplies:

~ Glue gun

~ Mod Podge (for fabric)

~ empty container (I used a recently emptied Baking Powder one)

~ rice or dried beans

~ fabric scrap

~ foam brush

First measure your container and cut your fabric slightly bigger than the hight and about 1/2" - 3/4" longer than the circumference of the container.  I cut my fabric 4" x 8 3/4"

Serge around all four sides of the fabric. 

(This is why you cut it slightly bigger - I like to make sure my serger cuts a little off the edge when I serge to make sure the stitches are even. I guess if you have a really steady hand and are more experiences with a serger you don't have to account for cutting some fabric off.)

Flip it over and with the foam brush start applying Mod Podge to the wrong side of the fabric.  A thin layer is better so it doesn't bleed through to the other side.

Leave about an inch at one end of the fabric free of Mod Podge for now.

Start laying the fabric on the container, pressing it smooth with your fingers as you go around.

 When you get to the un-Mod Podged section, put some Mod Podge on the last little bit of fabric...

 and right along the edge of the fabric that's already secured where it will over lap.

Press down the last edge.

Fill with rice or whatever you have on hand.  

I liked the sound of the rice and decided it was a sound I wouldn't be annoyed with if heard for an extended amount of time. 

Apply glue around the edge. 

Stick on the lid and you're done! 

* I would suggest letting the Mod Podge dry for 24 hours before giving it to your child.

I guess if you don't like the lid, you could Mod Podge that too but I don't mind the gold lid.

Shake away baby, shake away!                   Also makes a nice little drum!

Can you tell she likes to sit on the air vent on a hot summer day?
Why not!!

Linking here:

Giraffe Toy

This was part of my gift to a friend who is having her first baby soon.  

I was inspired by Make It and Love It.

I free-handed the giraffe (was worried it would look like a dinosaur), found some matching ribbon and used a fleece scarf for the back.  Nice and fuzzy for baby to touch.

I made the tail smaller than the tutorial and tied a knot.

Pair it with the other gifts (bib and burp cloth and crib sheet) and all ready for the baby shower!