everyday is a rainbow...

DieselDaddy and I were trying to help DieselBaby understand when things were going to happen - like church, swimming, treats. Unfortunately, toddlers can't really understand "you will go swimming on Sunday/4 days". So we came up with a chart so he could visually see when he would be able to do something.

I originally had the numbers 1-5 (the days he goes to school), but I found it easier to say "you have 3 more school days until...."

Now, we say "Today is Tuesday, Orange day. That means you will go swimming on Sunday. Pink day. How many days until swimming?" The visual has also helped cut down on the whining. "I want a treat" We tell him to go look at his calendar and tell us how many more days until he can have a treat.

After doing it for a few weeks, I actually found myself dressing him in the colors of the day. It doesn't always work that way, but....

Best of all...I used things I had on hand :)

remnant skirt

There is a hoity toity fabric store on the walk to DieselBaby's school. The fabric is waaay out of my price range. Why do I stop by? Because the have an awesome remnant bin.

The fabric has threads stitched in the geometric pattern. Nice color combo for fall. I have a mauve/rose nail polish that matches :)

I used a (H&M $10 linen, drawstring) skirt that I liked to draft a pattern.

I took the top of the skirt measurement x2 to make sure it was at least the same length as my waist circumference. Then I added 2 inches for seams and comfort.

For the length, I measured the lenth of my H&M skirt. Then added 1.5inches (1.25 inch hem and 1/4 inch for folding at top).

For the width of the skirt, I measured my H&M skirt and added an 1 or so for some flare. I like the A-line look so I wanted to make sure my hem was a bit wider than my waist.

I connected the waist line and the hem line and ...voila...my pattern.

Turn right sides together and stitch up the sides and hem.

wow that looks really LONG

I folded the top edge over a smidge, then about 1/8-1/4 inch (using the thread lines as my guide). I like to enclose the raw edges so they won't fray. Then I zigzagged the elastic on the top (pulling the elastic gently as I stitched). I wore the skirt to work today with a tuxedo top from H&M. I got heaps of compliments on it :) I was almost embarassed to say how easy it was to make. I think the drafting of the pattern took me longer than the actual sewing....

(gotta love how formatting is either smooshed together or spaced far apart...)

Bowling anyone?

Reduce, REUSE, recycle

Been saving up 2L Diet Coke bottles for a bit.

Ok, not really saving, I just hadn't gotten to the recycler for a while. (and sadly it did not take me long to get this many bottles. i love Diet Coke) I need to get a Soda Stream...

This weekend, I lined the bottles up and.....STRIKE! We bowled.
I originally thought tennis balls would be best, but our soccer ball had the best knocking power.

I've thought about spray painting these. I should also rinse them out (made evident by the above picture) and glue on the caps. Nice little choking hazards...

Sorry...no action shots. We were having a blast bowling. I did more setting of the "pins" than actual bowling, but fun none-the-less.

preview

Just a little preview of some upcoming posts.

(don't judge the cereal. We were desperate for cereal one nite and the only thing open was the market downstairs. We paid thru the nose for our yummy nutty cereal.)

Love this fabric. It actually a home decor fabric but I had a vision

...

deodorant - revisited

A little over a year ago, I raved about the crystal deodorant. Since then, we moved to an area that sees 40+C/100+F summers. I brought a "conventional" deodorant/anti-perspirant "just in case". I am happy to report that I have not needed to break it out. I have survived the extreme heat, walking to and from work/daycare (some days carrying DieselBaby) using just the crystal.

A few months back, I dropped my crystal. It shattered. I took the big pieces and saved them thinking I could rub them on my pits. Um..no. Sharp edges. Sensitive skin. Salt stick. Ouch. So, I went looking for a new crystal. $7 for the crystal? I bought mine for $1.30. I couldn't pay $7. Never mind the stick lasts me several years.

So I went to the Body Shop to try their $16 new deodorant. It does not work. Break-thru stink by mid-morning. Time to take matters into my own hands...

I took those chunks of crystal and dissolved them in a cup of water. Boiled it for a bit to make it concentrated. Then I poured it into the roll-on bottle that the Body Shop deodorant came in. Success!! I roll it on the pits (it drips, but it's water and salt). After the water evaporate' I can see the glisten of salt crystals my skin. And NO STINK!! I have since used all that dissolved solution up and bought the $7 crystal. (only to have DieselBaby drop it and shatter it). So I dissolved the chunks. Again.

Mission Organization - shoes

One of my daily blog reads, iHeart Organizing, is having a purge-a-thon. Since we recently moved halfway around the world and only took 7 suitcases worth of stuff, I didn't think I'd have much to "purge".

It's true...I don't. I only brought two pairs of work shoes, and trainers (I did bring back my beach shoes when we were home in January). Since I rotate my work shoes each day, can't get rid of those. And my trainers...what if I actually decided to work out. Gotta keep the beach shoes bc I don't want sand in my trainers or work shoes.

What I can do is organize our shoes. We have a little "nook" under the kitchen island as you walk into the apt. We always just chuck off the shoes, turning them into one big shoe pile. I see it as a learning tool - DieselBaby has to find a PAIR of shoes each morning. See...he's learning!

But seriously, the space needs some organization.


I had picked up some big foam letters and various wooden pictures when we were state-side. I put the foam letters up over the area DieselBaby would put his shoes. I added a little helicopter ("hell-i-doctor") and a hook for his school bag/hat.


For DieselDaddy and my shoes, I just lined them up. We'll see how long that lasts....


Oh...and I totally miss my shoe collection. I had 2 Ikea shoe organizers that I had filled with a rainbow's color of shoes. I loved my shoes. My pink shoes. My red shoes. My green shoes . But sadly, they didn't all make the cut to get their passport stamped...

Little Bunny Foo-Foo

Originally when I made my Peeps garland, I planned on sewing right sides together, turning and top stitching. Halfway thru bunny #1 I realized that would take me for freakin' ever. Nevermind that I was so engrossed in thought that I forgot to leave space to actually turn the bunny right-side out.

On to bunny #2. This time I left enough room to turn, but didn't have the energy to go press the bunny then top-stitch x 9 (well 8 at this point). So I abandoned the turned and top-stitch idea. I decided just to sew the two layers together and leave the fraying edges.

Bunny #2 has now become a hand puppet for DieselBaby. He loves playing with it. Hopping all over. He wanted to take it for "show and tell" but I'm not sure Bunny #2 would stand up to all those kiddos....

Mr. Green Jeans

Time to use all that fabric I bought yesterday. Making the flat front pants from Celebrate the Boy (as had been my plan with the blue fabric). Adding my own ideas...of course...

Gotta have the shirt to match his rockin' new pants.

Linked in at:

searching for wabbits...or eggs....

Busy day planned for my "day off". After I dropped DieselBaby off at school, I headed to Lincraft. I perused the aisles for what seemed like eons. I ended up buying tons of fabric. Lots of projects rolling around my brain...

I want to make an Easter bunting (time to actually decorate our little abode). I was thinking this bunting from Made, but of course adding my spin. Maybe doing Easter eggs instead and embellishing with buttons, ribbons and scraps. Plus, Lincraft had an atrocious felt selection (like same primary colors and and super thin). So I thought I try to dye muslin.

Holy moly turmeric really makes fabric YELLOW!!! So...

DieselBaby walked in and immediately saw them. "Somebody brought bunnies!" (don't ya love the view)

I still have the aqua and the pink. They are all cut out, just need some more ribbon to string them on.

Makin' muffins

When I was little, my dad would make bran muffins for breakfast. I've started the tradition with DieselBaby. He's started waking up asking to make "cupcakes". I usually have him line up the muffin cups and sort them by color. He also likes to mix. We add chocolate chips and peanut butter. They are delish! Recipe from All Bran box, with adaptations...

Ingredients

2 cups Kellogg's All-Bran cereal

1 ¼ cups milk

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 egg

¼ cup vegetable oil (or coconut oil or applesauce)

cooking spray

chocolate chips, raisin, etc.

cinnamon and sugar

Instructions

In large mixing bowl, combine Kellogg's All-Bran cereal and milk. Let stand until cereal softens (about 5 minutes). Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs and oil to cereal/milk mixture. Beat well. Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined. [This is where I add the chocolate chips (~1/4 cup)] Pour batter into muffin cups coated with cooking spray (makes 12 regular or 6 jumbo sized muffins). Top with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400 F about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.