Goose has been going through a spell lately where she refuses to pick up her toys at the end of the day. I make sure that it isn't too overwhelming by helping her with the teeny stuff, directing her, etc. She did well for quite a while, but it's been a struggle lately. So I made a new rule that if she refused to pick up and mama had to do it, that stuff would get put away.
At first, it was just gone until the next day, and I didn't have to take things away every day. Then I started making her go two days until she got it back, and she got worse at picking up her toys. So I switched it up to keeping them until she decides to help pick up, then the next morning she gets one item or group of things back. Yesterday was her first day getting something back, today was her second. Tonight, I had to take away both those things plus some random stuffed animals. Wow, three is a good time.
Let's talk about things that won't make us gnash our teeth.
MAKE
So easy even I could do it :>) - Circle Skirt Tutorial at MADE.
no big dill shows us how to make a CD or DVD Envelope when you want to give them as gifts or just pretty them up.
I'm still a sucker for quiet books, and this one at Oopsey Daisy is no exception.
At first I wasn't sure about these Pipe Cleaner Covers from Pony Tails & Fish Scales, but they are really quickly growing on me. Lots of possibilities!
Rhythm of the Home has a quick and easy tutorial on turning a Sweater into a Scarf - wow!
Very cute - this Mini Purse and Toddler Wallet at seven thirty three is a very fun idea.
Pondered in My Heart has a tutorial on How To Make a Lace Chapel Veil.
Martha Stewart makes me twitchy, but these Pipe Cleaner Creatures are awfully cute.
I'm still cracking up over this Super Easy Monster Hand Puppet at Frugal Family Fun Blog. [My subtitle: This is what happens when a little one sneaks into craft supplies.]
EAT
I haven't poked around much, but the theory itself is interesting: Make 5 Dinners in 1 Hour. (It's a subscription thing, but you can check it out.)
Cheap, healthy, and delicious. Why don't I eat more of this stuff? Katie at Kitchen Stewardship is encouraging us to Try Some Squash.
Natural Health Goodies is talking about Water Kefir. I'm intrigued and afraid, especially since an IRL friend recently told me about how hers crashed and burned and resulted in everything in an entire cupboard being thrown out. Eew.
While I don't mind kneading bread, I like to have tips like this in my arsenal - How To Shape a Baguette/No Knead Bread Hack at the kitchn.
I'm glad we're still getting tomatoes out of the garden because I forgot I had this recipe for Candied Tomatoes from The Splendid Table.
Oh, mercy, can you imagine slices of this Parmesan Reggiano Bread from A Kat's Life with a delicious plate of spaghetti?
I wouldn't know fennel if it walked up to me and punched me in the nose, but these Roasted Winter Vegetables from Kitchen Stewardship sound yummy.
I wasn't so sure about this Roasted Vegetable Minestrone from The Pioneer Woman; by the end, I knew what I'll be doing with the rind of Parmesan cheese I have in the freezer right now.
Ooh, English muffins are definitely on my list of things to try making, and these Sourdough English Muffins at GNOWFGLINS.
We were not a fan of black bean brownies (Hubs said "uh, are these organic or something?") but holy wow the rest of these Special Brownies at A Whisk and A Prayer.
Two ingredients. "The Bread". The Pioneer Woman.
Yet another bread recipe, this time No Knead Dinner Rolls from Salt and Chocolate.
I think Hubs would be a big fan of this Honey Cake from Delshad Duo.
Chilly weather is just around the corner, and I'm going to give this Slow Cooker Lentil Brown Rice Casserole a try.
DO
Here is the latest installment of Alphabet Coloring Pages at Pondered in My Heart. I've linked to previous ones before - I will be using these with Goose's preschooling; they are awesome!
Keeper of the Home tells us how to Preserve Summer's Bounty by canning, dehydrating, freezing, lacto-fermentation and more.
Yard sale season is nearly over here, so I'm tucking away the ideas from Teach Mama's What You Need From Your Local Yard Sales.
PRAY & PONDER
Lots of food for thought in Seeking Simplicity - Child's Play is a Job Well Done at Kitchen Stewardship.
Whew - if I can get just ONE more roundup in this week, I'll be caught up. Whoo! Happy clicking, friends!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Beauty Shop in a Box
Although this was a birthday gift for one of my nieces, I'm including it in Abbi's Handmade Christmas Roundup. Click through to see handmade gifts by others. And OK, this is more "homemade" than "handmade" but I put it together with my own two hands and that must count for something.
The idea came from Chasing Cheerios; I certainly can't take the credit for it. Instead of using a box, I found a hard-sided suitcase at our awesome thrift shop for fifty cents. I scrubbed it well on the outside, and tried to paint [Niece's name]'s Beauty Shop on it. The paint flaked off. So I scraped it all off and just used a sharpie.
There are two pockets on the top part of the suitcase, and in those are clips, combs, picks (no brushes - especially no round brushes! - as those are more likely to pull hair and/or get stuck), and a couple of small mirrors. There is one comb sitting below the pockets that has a small spray bottle built in - I figured they could either pretend or as their mom to put water in there.
In the main part of the suitcase, I have a set of hot rollers to which the pins are lost - they can use the clippies to hold them in more or less, a hair dryer, a hand mirror, curling irons in two sizes, and a straightening iron.
*** Please note that I cut the cords off the electrical appliances so that little ones wouldn't be tempted to plug them in, they won't get hot, and they also won't be in the way (or a tripping hazard, or heaven forbid, a strangulation hazard!).
I tried to find a crimping iron but didn't have any luck. Sadly I sent mine off to Goodwill several years ago. Regardless, this was a huge hit! My niece's party was in the party room of a pizza shop, and they actually had a little girl come over from the main part to join in the fun. Most everyone has has their hair styled and there have only been a few mishaps. Grandma and Grandpa (nope, he doesn't have much hair but it's been styled, too!) reported that the straightening iron really pulled, so they asked the girls not to use it on their hair.
This would be an awesome gift with Mess Free Play Makeup for sure! [Update - this makeup set has been sold; I'll get another listed later today, I hope. You can leave a comment if you're interested in a set and I'll let you know when I get it done.] Unless you are one of my sisters-in-law, you can see what I'm doing for handmade Christmas presents here. I'm also linking up to Frugal Fridays at Life As Mom.
The idea came from Chasing Cheerios; I certainly can't take the credit for it. Instead of using a box, I found a hard-sided suitcase at our awesome thrift shop for fifty cents. I scrubbed it well on the outside, and tried to paint [Niece's name]'s Beauty Shop on it. The paint flaked off. So I scraped it all off and just used a sharpie.
There are two pockets on the top part of the suitcase, and in those are clips, combs, picks (no brushes - especially no round brushes! - as those are more likely to pull hair and/or get stuck), and a couple of small mirrors. There is one comb sitting below the pockets that has a small spray bottle built in - I figured they could either pretend or as their mom to put water in there.
In the main part of the suitcase, I have a set of hot rollers to which the pins are lost - they can use the clippies to hold them in more or less, a hair dryer, a hand mirror, curling irons in two sizes, and a straightening iron.
*** Please note that I cut the cords off the electrical appliances so that little ones wouldn't be tempted to plug them in, they won't get hot, and they also won't be in the way (or a tripping hazard, or heaven forbid, a strangulation hazard!).
I tried to find a crimping iron but didn't have any luck. Sadly I sent mine off to Goodwill several years ago. Regardless, this was a huge hit! My niece's party was in the party room of a pizza shop, and they actually had a little girl come over from the main part to join in the fun. Most everyone has has their hair styled and there have only been a few mishaps. Grandma and Grandpa (nope, he doesn't have much hair but it's been styled, too!) reported that the straightening iron really pulled, so they asked the girls not to use it on their hair.
This would be an awesome gift with Mess Free Play Makeup for sure! [Update - this makeup set has been sold; I'll get another listed later today, I hope. You can leave a comment if you're interested in a set and I'll let you know when I get it done.] Unless you are one of my sisters-in-law, you can see what I'm doing for handmade Christmas presents here. I'm also linking up to Frugal Fridays at Life As Mom.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Link Roundup - 125th Anniversary Edition
No, not the 125th anniversary of my blog, or even 125 posts (I blew past that long ago...). Our parish is celebrating its 125th anniversary. I have had a lot of fun helping out with the celebration and am looking forward to a fun time tomorrow. As noted yesterday, I have lots of links to post, so without further ado...
MAKE
This DIY Pencil Sketches by Naptime Crafter guest posting at Blue Cricket Design is pretty easy for a neat result.
Frugal Family Fun Blog goodies: Autumn Window Display and Around The Web - Pumpkin Crafts.
I love this Snow White - New Take on an Old Favorite at Crafterhours. (and I love the blog name!) I'm hanging onto this for when the thrifted dress-up version of Snow White I found for a couple bucks falls apart in five minutes...
This How To Crochet Ric Rac at Foxs Lane is making me want to get out my crochet hooks!
EAT
Not your typical "eat" link, I have some dried elder berries en route to me to make some Elderberry Syrup, as seen at heartland Renaissance. (You can read about it at Naturally Knocked Up, too.) (And at Passionate Homemaking's Natural Medicine Cabinet Essentials.)
Goose and I can both personally verify that this Critter Crunch, found at Bless Us O Lord, is amazingly delicious. It's very versatile since you can swap out whatever you have for critters, cereals, etc.
Basic Jerky - Not So Tough at GNOWFGLINS sounds yummy, and I'm not even that big of a fan of meat. :>)
Life As Mom is talking Breakfast Freezer Cooking.
Got apples? Amy at The Finer Things has LOTS of Apple Recipes for you.
You know how I gain five pounds just reading some recipes? This is one of them: Oreo Cheesecake Slow Cooker Recipe at A Year of Slow Cooking. (and it's gluten free for those of you who need such things; just use regular oreos if your family doesn't need to go that way.)
Along those lines, Katie at Kitchen Stewardship has compiled some FAQs on the Grain Free Lifestyle that has done wonders for digestive problems in her family.
Cardamom's Pod has a yummy sounding 10 Step Homemade Granola With Soaked Oats that is making my tummy rumble.
I'm liking the looks of this Sourdough Whole Grain Flatbread from riddlelove.
Yup, I'm still searching for a good bread recipe (it would help if I'd get to trying them more often... I'm thinking this winter when it's cold outside is a good time to get moving!) another one to try is Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread from Foodwhirl.
Another recipe that is not going to be good for my (ahem) bottom line - Homemade Marshmallow Cream with NO Corn Syrup at From Apples to Zucchini.
DO
Clover Lane posted about Waxing Leaves - very pretty!
Chasing Cheerios put together a easy and fun On The Go Nature Collage, and I also like this Catching A Rainbow Science Experiment there.
This Taco Seasoning Recipe at Christian Home Keeper has a great tip on how to make your own dried minced onion, onion powder, and garlic powder.
I love these 7 "Secret" Home Remedies at How Does She? They sound awesome for helping your little one feel better in a more natural way.
While Life As Mom tells us about 3 Classic Board Games To Love, there are also many suggestions in the comments for board game nuts like me.
Goose is a bit big for many of these, but for those of you with toddlers, check out Teeny Tiny Tot School at Confessions of a Homeschooler. It has a TON of info! (And, by the way, I'm looking hard at the ABCs and 123s for Goose, along with a handful of other sites.)
How fun is this Stroller Scavenger Hunt at Fowl Single File???
PRAY & PONDER
Jen at Conversion Diary is encouraging us to find out What Does God Want Me To Pray For? Jen also gives great perspective in Fancy Meeting You Here!, a post that starts with "A priest friend of a friend once commented, `I could be a saint if it weren’t for the people!'" Hee hee.
Thinking about homeschooling? Read Simcha Fisher's Simple School at Faith & Family Live.
Happy clicking!
MAKE
This DIY Pencil Sketches by Naptime Crafter guest posting at Blue Cricket Design is pretty easy for a neat result.
Frugal Family Fun Blog goodies: Autumn Window Display and Around The Web - Pumpkin Crafts.
I love this Snow White - New Take on an Old Favorite at Crafterhours. (and I love the blog name!) I'm hanging onto this for when the thrifted dress-up version of Snow White I found for a couple bucks falls apart in five minutes...
This How To Crochet Ric Rac at Foxs Lane is making me want to get out my crochet hooks!
EAT
Not your typical "eat" link, I have some dried elder berries en route to me to make some Elderberry Syrup, as seen at heartland Renaissance. (You can read about it at Naturally Knocked Up, too.) (And at Passionate Homemaking's Natural Medicine Cabinet Essentials.)
Goose and I can both personally verify that this Critter Crunch, found at Bless Us O Lord, is amazingly delicious. It's very versatile since you can swap out whatever you have for critters, cereals, etc.
Basic Jerky - Not So Tough at GNOWFGLINS sounds yummy, and I'm not even that big of a fan of meat. :>)
Life As Mom is talking Breakfast Freezer Cooking.
Got apples? Amy at The Finer Things has LOTS of Apple Recipes for you.
You know how I gain five pounds just reading some recipes? This is one of them: Oreo Cheesecake Slow Cooker Recipe at A Year of Slow Cooking. (and it's gluten free for those of you who need such things; just use regular oreos if your family doesn't need to go that way.)
Along those lines, Katie at Kitchen Stewardship has compiled some FAQs on the Grain Free Lifestyle that has done wonders for digestive problems in her family.
Cardamom's Pod has a yummy sounding 10 Step Homemade Granola With Soaked Oats that is making my tummy rumble.
I'm liking the looks of this Sourdough Whole Grain Flatbread from riddlelove.
Yup, I'm still searching for a good bread recipe (it would help if I'd get to trying them more often... I'm thinking this winter when it's cold outside is a good time to get moving!) another one to try is Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread from Foodwhirl.
Another recipe that is not going to be good for my (ahem) bottom line - Homemade Marshmallow Cream with NO Corn Syrup at From Apples to Zucchini.
DO
Clover Lane posted about Waxing Leaves - very pretty!
Chasing Cheerios put together a easy and fun On The Go Nature Collage, and I also like this Catching A Rainbow Science Experiment there.
This Taco Seasoning Recipe at Christian Home Keeper has a great tip on how to make your own dried minced onion, onion powder, and garlic powder.
I love these 7 "Secret" Home Remedies at How Does She? They sound awesome for helping your little one feel better in a more natural way.
While Life As Mom tells us about 3 Classic Board Games To Love, there are also many suggestions in the comments for board game nuts like me.
Goose is a bit big for many of these, but for those of you with toddlers, check out Teeny Tiny Tot School at Confessions of a Homeschooler. It has a TON of info! (And, by the way, I'm looking hard at the ABCs and 123s for Goose, along with a handful of other sites.)
How fun is this Stroller Scavenger Hunt at Fowl Single File???
PRAY & PONDER
Jen at Conversion Diary is encouraging us to find out What Does God Want Me To Pray For? Jen also gives great perspective in Fancy Meeting You Here!, a post that starts with "A priest friend of a friend once commented, `I could be a saint if it weren’t for the people!'" Hee hee.
Thinking about homeschooling? Read Simcha Fisher's Simple School at Faith & Family Live.
Happy clicking!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Link Roundup - Blink Edition
Man, time is flying. Harvest is in full swing here, Goose is enjoying preschool, I've added another part-time job, and the links are piling up. :>) Let's get to them!
MAKE
Decorating on the cheap - one of my favorite things! This time, it's Glazed Wall Art at Every Crafty Endeavor.
Another favorite thing, recycled crafts - Recycled Napkin Rings From Saran Wrap Tubes from Merriment Design.
I'm loving this homemade Chalk Paint from Mom's Crafty Space.
You know I still love Frugal Family Fun Blog, here are some of the reasons why: Outdoor Streamers, Painting...With Feet!, Pretend Car Wash, and Quick Craft - Leaf Necklace.
Skip to My Lou tells us how to make Recycled Pillow Box Favors.
This Rocket Mobile Chandelier from How Does She? is adorable in its own right, but you could change it up to any theme that tickles your child's fancy.
Hold On To Your Headbands - at Salty Pineapple, you can see this cool headband holder tutorial.
Also at Salty Pineapple, learn how to finger knit a Yarn Lei.
So many great ideas - Se7en Things To Do With a Pillow Case at Se7en.
Oh, mercy, I don't know if my fingers can take this much clicking - The Ultimate Handmade Holidays Master List 2009, with links to 2008 and 2007, too. (Want to see what I'm making? Check out my Handmade Christmas 2010... unless you are one of my sisters-in-law!)
We'll need to start working on learning how to tell time sooner or later, and I'm loving this Tick Tock I Made a Clock post at Two Shades of Pink.
Tipnut has a great roundup on Homemade Goodies for Baby.
EAT
I'm still on the hunt for a good and quick pizza crust recipe, and The Train To Crazy might have it with Pizza. Yum. (By the way, have you seen the new Pizza Crust Yeast? Apparently there are dough relaxers involved. Though I don't know what those are exactly...)
These Breakfast Rounds sound DELICIOUS, but please, please, please use butter instead of margarine! (from AllRecipies.com)
This is seriously making me hungry - Homemade Whole Wheat Pasta from Heavenly Homemakers.
DO
This year's garden is still limping along, but I'm still interested in How To Plant Just About Everything For Next Year at Kitchen Stewardship.
Lots of fun (and educational) Play Dough Activities at No Time For Flash Cards.
Oh, this could come in handy, especially with Christmas coming up - a reader tip on Money Saving Mom tells us how to Track Product Prices on Amazon.com.
Very fun idea, Someday Crafts! I love this Carnival Birthday Party.
I was really interested in this article at The Simple Dollar on Cultivating Domain Knowledge and Hobbies for Fun and Profit. The comments on ethics are also interesting.
So we all know that baking soda and vinegar make a volcano. But, Chasing Cheerios' Volcano Fun adds color and location (including sand).
I'm really interested in but kind of scared about growing garlic, though this post on Growing and Storing a Year of Garlic at A Way To Garden.
Speaking of gardens, lots of great Tomato Sauce Tips at Home Joys. I'll admit, though, I'm curious to know how much flavor (if any) is lost in that water. But really, I love being able to break food storage processing into a few days worth of work.
PRAY & PONDER
Like many parents, I struggle with finding the proper balance of discipline for Goose. She's a great kid, but she's still a kid and needs training to stay on the proper path. I need to spend more time reading about these Positive Discipline Cards from Single Dad Brad.
I'm on the thumbs down side, but there are lots of opinions on trampolines at Faith & Family Live's Go Ahead and Jump?
I'm not sure that this is my problem with being so crazy WARM at night, but I was really interested in this How To Cure Hypothyroidism Naturally at The Health Wyze Report.
Awesome. Only 91 left to go...
MAKE
Decorating on the cheap - one of my favorite things! This time, it's Glazed Wall Art at Every Crafty Endeavor.
Another favorite thing, recycled crafts - Recycled Napkin Rings From Saran Wrap Tubes from Merriment Design.
I'm loving this homemade Chalk Paint from Mom's Crafty Space.
You know I still love Frugal Family Fun Blog, here are some of the reasons why: Outdoor Streamers, Painting...With Feet!, Pretend Car Wash, and Quick Craft - Leaf Necklace.
Skip to My Lou tells us how to make Recycled Pillow Box Favors.
This Rocket Mobile Chandelier from How Does She? is adorable in its own right, but you could change it up to any theme that tickles your child's fancy.
Hold On To Your Headbands - at Salty Pineapple, you can see this cool headband holder tutorial.
Also at Salty Pineapple, learn how to finger knit a Yarn Lei.
So many great ideas - Se7en Things To Do With a Pillow Case at Se7en.
Oh, mercy, I don't know if my fingers can take this much clicking - The Ultimate Handmade Holidays Master List 2009, with links to 2008 and 2007, too. (Want to see what I'm making? Check out my Handmade Christmas 2010... unless you are one of my sisters-in-law!)
We'll need to start working on learning how to tell time sooner or later, and I'm loving this Tick Tock I Made a Clock post at Two Shades of Pink.
Tipnut has a great roundup on Homemade Goodies for Baby.
EAT
I'm still on the hunt for a good and quick pizza crust recipe, and The Train To Crazy might have it with Pizza. Yum. (By the way, have you seen the new Pizza Crust Yeast? Apparently there are dough relaxers involved. Though I don't know what those are exactly...)
These Breakfast Rounds sound DELICIOUS, but please, please, please use butter instead of margarine! (from AllRecipies.com)
This is seriously making me hungry - Homemade Whole Wheat Pasta from Heavenly Homemakers.
DO
This year's garden is still limping along, but I'm still interested in How To Plant Just About Everything For Next Year at Kitchen Stewardship.
Lots of fun (and educational) Play Dough Activities at No Time For Flash Cards.
Oh, this could come in handy, especially with Christmas coming up - a reader tip on Money Saving Mom tells us how to Track Product Prices on Amazon.com.
Very fun idea, Someday Crafts! I love this Carnival Birthday Party.
I was really interested in this article at The Simple Dollar on Cultivating Domain Knowledge and Hobbies for Fun and Profit. The comments on ethics are also interesting.
So we all know that baking soda and vinegar make a volcano. But, Chasing Cheerios' Volcano Fun adds color and location (including sand).
I'm really interested in but kind of scared about growing garlic, though this post on Growing and Storing a Year of Garlic at A Way To Garden.
Speaking of gardens, lots of great Tomato Sauce Tips at Home Joys. I'll admit, though, I'm curious to know how much flavor (if any) is lost in that water. But really, I love being able to break food storage processing into a few days worth of work.
PRAY & PONDER
Like many parents, I struggle with finding the proper balance of discipline for Goose. She's a great kid, but she's still a kid and needs training to stay on the proper path. I need to spend more time reading about these Positive Discipline Cards from Single Dad Brad.
I'm on the thumbs down side, but there are lots of opinions on trampolines at Faith & Family Live's Go Ahead and Jump?
I'm not sure that this is my problem with being so crazy WARM at night, but I was really interested in this How To Cure Hypothyroidism Naturally at The Health Wyze Report.
Awesome. Only 91 left to go...
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