A Sewing Project For Lisa...

A few weeks ago my sister Lisa knit a little hat for Elsie...but she said we could have it only if I would make her a bag...so I finally finished the bag for her...I used the same tutorial I used to make my cloth shopping bags found on the "wisdom of the Moon" blog. This is a very easy tutorial...it only has a few steps to make the bag...
A simple bag...some fun fabric...some chic embellishments...I hope Lisa likes her new bag! I have a feeling it won't be long and the other girls will want one as well!

Proof That We Need Spring...

Everything I have read about cloth diapers and covers says they should not be dried in the dryer...so until spring gets here we will be using the crib railings for drying diapers...I knew the crib would come in handy for something!

Our New Favorite Snack...

A few days ago Elsie and I made these tasty oatmeal raisin cookies...these are now a favorite snack!
* 1/2 cup Butter
* 2/3 cup brown sugar
* 1 egg...lightly beaten
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1 cup GF rice flour blend
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp cinnamon
* 1 tsp xanthan gum
* 1 cup GF Irish oats
* 1 cup raisins
** Cream butter and sugar together...add egg and vanilla
**sift in flour,soda, salt,xanthan gum and cinnamon
** add oats and raisins-mix just enough to blend into batter
** drop by level TBSP on lightly greased cookie sheets
** bake 10-12 min at 350'-- cool 2 min than take off pan
For a non-gluten-free version just add wheat flour and omit the xanthan gum.
~Enjoy...

More New Diapers...

Today we got more diapers in the mail! Love all the neat colours! These are some all-in-one diapers...my Mom assures me cloth diapers today are far to confusing and more work that they used to be when she just used pins and rubber pants! I refuse to use pins and rubber pants...sorry mom! There are certainly lots of choices when it comes to cloth diapers...so now we have several different brands and styles to try...so far we like them all!

Corners of my Cottage...

I have busy doing lots of sewing projects so this pin cushion has permanent residence on the dining room table...
The candle center piece on the table...

The little Easter egg tree on the black dresser in the dining room...

A little bunny...

A little gnome hidden on the edge of the plant in the kitchen...I think is about our only St. Patricks decoration...

The spring Welcome sign...the winter one had to go in hopes that spring will be here soon...

Another Little Sewing Project...

Today I finished sewing another little summer shirt for Elsie...She loves this shirt! I am so happy she is always so excited and can't wait to try on the things I make for her!
It is a little big around the shoulders so hopefully it will fit perfectly by the time summer is here...

I love the soft pink fabric with the white ric rac...I think the style is so sweet and timeless...almost a vintage feel to the style...now I need to get some fabric to make a little pair of capris to match...

One Good Dinner...

Elsie is a fruits and veggie kind of girl...one of her favorites is squash! Last night we have a tasty dinner of homegrown chicken, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes and squash...the squash and sweet potatoes were Elsie's favorite! She went a little crazy with her bowl of squash...
She was slurping it out with the bowl over her face!

It was straight into the tub after dinner!

Today...

Today Elsie learned how to scoot down the steps...and it scares me to watch her! Today when I went downstairs to do the laundry Elsie started climbing back up the steps...which she normally does...but half ways up the steps and sat down and scooted back down! I was waiting for for her to fall head first down the steps...it looked rather dangerous! She is always learning something new!
Tonight Elsie had a tough night...I think she is working on her back molars...so she was only happy when things were going her way!

She was happiest when Jon was playing with her...her new favorite thing is to have someone chase her! She will scream and run and laugh...she is such a funny girl!

Valentine Party...

Yesterday we had a little Valentine party at my parents house...we had to cancel the party last week because all the kids had the flu...so we celebrated a week late...better late then never! We have a lovely dinner of tacos...then exchanged Valentines! Because Elsie doesn't eat candy my parents gave her a can of mandarin oranges...her favorite!
Elsie even got some knit food (a cupcake and ice-cream cone) from her aunties...

A hand-made Valentine...love the soft muted colours...

After a full day of playing with all her aunties, Elsie finally fell asleep in Jessica's arms around 5 o'clock for a nap! We had a fun day...the kids played, the girls talked and the guys were outside on the 4-wheelers and building a bonfire...simple family memories...

Dreaming of Spring...

This weekend Jon was pouring over all the seed catalogs...trying to decide what to plant and where to order it from and when he should start them indoors...
We are planning on ordering most of our seeds from the "Seed Savers" catalog...they are not hybrids...and we can save the seeds from the produce and re-plant them next year. Our goal is to grow as much of our food as possible so it is organic and super healthy! Jon is very excited about doing a garden this year...we is always calling me over to the windows overlooking the back yard so he can try to explain his new plan for a garden! I am so happy he is so excited about gardening...now if only spring would hurry up and come!

Something New...

We have decided to try something new...cloth diapers! I have wanted to try cloth diapers for quite awhile...but Jon was not interested...but I finally talked him into trying them! Elsie has very sensitive skin and often broke out in a rash from disposable...so hopefully the cloth will help her sensitive skin! We have several covers we are using with prefolds for the insert...I just ordered some all-in-one diapers also...so we will be trying out several kinds to see what we like the best. I would like to eventually make some of our own diaper covers...tonight I was working on sewing some inserts. So far we have been using cloth for about one week and enjoying them...it feels so good to know we are using something healthy for Elsie...and environmentally healthy too!

A New Shirt...

This week I made Elsie this cute little shirt for summer...She loves the shirt and cried when we had to take it off for bedtime! This was actually a pattern for a dress but I shortened it to make a long shirt so she can wear it with some capri pants this summer. I think it flares out too much on the sides..so I still have to re-sew the sides so it fits a little closer to her body. Yesterday I bought a new pattern and some fabric to make her more summer clothes...
Note that she was trying on the shirt over her jammie's...I normally do not dress her like this! She was happy though!

Hair Bows...

Yesterday when Elsie I went shopping we found this lovely little barrett holder! I have looking for something for awhile to keep all the little barretts in order...and this works perfect! This morning we hung it up on the inside of the of the closet door in the bathroom...I hung it at a low level so Elsie can reach the barretts by herself...it sounded like a good idea at the time but I now find barretts all over!
After taking these picture I had an idea for the inside of the closet...I am going to paint it a lovely shade of green...I think it would be so lovely to open the closet door and see a pop of colour! So now I have a new project to work on!

Corners of my Cottage...

This is what the Corners of my Cottage looks like this week...I have been working on taking down all the Valentine and winter decorations and putting up some of the Easter and spring decor. Hopefully by next week the holiday tote of misc. decor will be put away and the house will be all decorated for the upcoming seasons...

Love the Dining Room...

All day we have been enjoying having our dining room back together...while I worked on some decorating things in the dining room...Elsie crafted with markers and crayons on her little table...

For dinner we were finally able to eat in the dining room...a tasty dinner of pork loin, squash and baked potatoes...Elsie and Jon sat at the table and visited as I cleaned up the kitchen...

This is my favorite picture of today...the little table is a mess from crafting all day...and Jon and Elsie spending time together in the background...the dining room is the center of all our activities...

A Felt Donut...

Next year for Christmas Jon is hoping to make Elsie a little kitchen like in the "nova" toy catalog...and I am going to make some felt food to put in her little kitchen. Last week I worked on this adorable little donut...I followed an online tutorial from the "Escape Artist" website.
For now the donut is being stored away downstairs in the gift box...can't wait till next Christmas!

A Felt Necklace...

This afternoon Elsie and I made a little felt necklace...it turned out more like a lei...but she likes it! We started by cutting lots of little squares out of many colours of felt...than we used a big blunt tip needle to string them all together.
We put all the small squares of felt in a little basket and Elsie handed them to me as I strung them on the thread...

A lovely felt necklace for Elsie's dress up box...

Today's Projects...

Today Jon and I rented a carpet cleaner from the hardware store and cleaned the dining room and living room carpets. Jon did the dining room and I did the living room...and Elsie played wherever she could trying not to be in the way!
After the floors dried we were finally able to put the dining room back together! Jon hung the light up again...put the table and chairs back...put the black dresser and bookshelf back...it feels so nice to walk in the kitchen and see the completed dining room! We do still need to get trim put up in the room and put hardwood floor down by the pantry...but I don't care...I am just thrilled to get the table back!

Jon and I were busy all day with little projects...this week I get to work on putting out all the room decor...now I will have to go to town to look for fabric for curtains...

Laundry Soap...

Yesterday afternoon I made some laundry soap! I have been wanting do this for quite some time...so I am so thrilled I finally go around to doing so! I found the recipe on the Dugger family web site...I did use a different soap then they recommend and it turned out fine. Elsie has super sensitive skin so we are not able to use any store bought laundry soap because of the dyes and perfumes...we used a gluten, fragrance and dye free bar of soap to make the laundry soap...so hopefully this will work well for her!
Jon grated the bar of soap and I melted it with water in a large pan over the stove...

This recipe makes 10 gallons of soap at a time...here is the bucket half full of water as we added the borax, washing soda and melted soap...we had to let the soap sit over night...today I washed the first load using our homemade soap! This was super easy to make...it look about 20 min...now we will have plenty of soap for at least the next year...if anyone needs laundry soap we have plenty to share!

Valentine's Day!

Yesterday we had a nice Valentine's day...Grandma B. and Patrick came over for a visit in the afternoon. Elsie is such a show-off for them! They brought Elsie a little valentine bag filled with a few little gifts...which she was thrilled with!
After breakfast Jon and I gave Elsie a little gift from us...we do have some gluten and sugar free suckers for her but we figured she would enjoy ripping open a gift more! note that Jon wrapped the gift...he must not have noticed the plain purple and pink wrapping paper!

She even got 2 singing cards! One from Jon and I and one from her great grandparents...I think the singing cards were Elsie's favorite part of the day! She has still been playing with them all day today! What a happy Valentine's day!