Monday, March 31, 2014

Felt Peeps Finger Puppet Tutorial

Peeps.  They aren't just for Easter anymore. 

Learn to make these colorful felt Peeps finger puppets with this easy to follow tutorial.  Throw them in an Easter basket or make them just for fun. 


Grab some Peep colored felts.  Stick with the standard yellow or branch out with some fun colors.


Using this Peep pattern (found below):
Cut 2 Peeps per each 1 finger puppet you want to make.


Find coordinating colored thread and a needle (or use glue if you want to attempt a no-sew option)


And sew the two Peep sections together.  Remember to leave the base of your Peep unsewn.




Get some brown paint (any kind will do) and a pencil with an eraser. 


Dab your eraser into the brown paint and then dab onto the front of your Peeps to make the eyes and nose.


Once dried, enjoy your new Peeps finger puppet.


The question is, to Peep or not to Peep...I think it's obvious what the answer should be.


To Peep, of course.

If you liked these finger puppets, you might also like these gnome finger puppets...

or these felt ninja finger puppets...


Or this DIY finger puppet stand tutorial.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Grace's Gallery Wall

The gallery wall is finished and the house is still standing.  The joys  hanging anything in plaster walls.


This wall makes me smile.  It's filled with frugal finds and homemade creations.

One of the only things I specifically bought for Grace's big girl room was this print that reads:  She Lives Life In Her Own Little Fairytale


This describes Grace perfectly.  My sweet little girl has a brilliant imagination and has happily created her own fairytale.

What's more fitting to display beneath a fairytale print but a frog just waiting for a kiss to be transformed into a prince.


Fluttering around, beautiful pink stained glass butterflies made by Grace's grandpa (my talented father in-law).


In case she ever forgets her name, she has this wood GRACE plaque, again made by her grandpa.


Also, included in the gallery wall, ornate frames collected from Goodwill.  Each frame cost no more than $1.99.  I'd love suggestions for what to display in the smaller white frames, with the pink centers.


On the shelf, button artwork made by Grace herself and a Lalaloospy peacock.


This gallery wall is proudly displayed, just over her new big girl bed.


And, Grace's little dress is still proudly displayed it was just moved to a larger wall.


I should mention, in the fairytale Grace lives in, I feel like Cinderella...I'm off to clean her room so I can finally show off pictures of her transformed big girl room in entirety.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Gallery Wall

Grace's big girl room continues to evolve.


Though, I love this 3 dimensional display of Grace's first Christmas dress, the real reason it's hung here...on this wall...


is because, originally, GRACE was spelled out here in individual wood letters.  This frame was the only thing big enough to hid the 11 holes we had in this wall.  11 holes!


So, we finally patched the holes, repainted the wall and decided to hang a gallery display here instead.


We have plaster walls.  Wish us luck getting everything hung. 

And, yes, I find it ironic that we just patched 11 holes (!) in this wall only to put more holes into this same wall.


Monday, March 17, 2014

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!


We celebrated like true Chicagoan this year...no, not by drinking green beer and passing out in the streets but rather by watching the St. Patrick's Day parade and witnessing the Chicago River being dyed green.


Don't forget to wear green today or you're likely to get pinched (as Grace continues to remind me - she'll go to school dressed head to toe in green for fear of being pinched).


Thakfully, the Art Institute Lions are safe, since they are already green.

Erin go bragh!

Friday, March 14, 2014

Once Upon a Walk...

I decided to take my people (dog included) on a walk yesterday afternoon. 



It turned out to be much colder than I had expected but still we persisted in our walk. 

I spotted Eli...a boy Grace thinks is 'hilarious', who is in her class at school.  I convince Grace we should walk by his house and say 'hi'.  She tries playing coy, saying she doesn't want to, but she is easily convinced. 


When we near his house, a game of tag he's playing takes him into his back yard.  I insist Grace shout out 'Hi Eli'...which, she surprisingly agrees to do. 

We decide to continue our walk, in hopes of walking by another friend's house.  When across the street (from Eli's house), a beautiful Weimaraner spots Riley. 



For some reason, Riley elevates the crazy in other dogs.  The Weimaraner, spots Riley, becomes crazed, lurches forward sending a sweet little blonde girl tumbling into a snow bank and charges across the street to Riley. 
Not Actual Little Blonde Girl
I quickly grab the Weimaraner's leash and return it to the little girl, asking if she is OK.  The little girl is covered in snow and seems overwhelmed, to say the least. 

We decide, after our dog snafu, to turn and walk back to our house.  The crazed Weimaraner, again pulls at her mini sized owner, escaping yet again! 


This time, the elusive, crazed dog is much harder to catch.  The dog runs circles around me and Riley.  Riley, who is no longer acting crazy is now put off that another dog has trumped her crazy level.  Riley is barking, in a high pitched bark, anytime the Weimaraner comes close to her...causing the Weimaraner's crazy level to elevate even more. 


At this point, the little girl decides to go home to retrieve her mom.  I'm left to try and manage the crazy Weimaraner.  Neighbors have started to notice.  The neighbor of Eli's comes out, asking if the crazy Weimaraner on the loose is mine.   We both try and catch the dog, who is incredible fast and cagey.  A neighbor across the street comes out, claiming to be the backyard neighbor of the dog and attempts to catch the dog.  All of the kids from the game of tag, including Eli, and Grace are watching the melee.

The owner's dog pulls up, on the opposite side of the street, calling to her dog, who then runs into the street, requiring the neighbor to stop traffic for her dog. 

The crazed Weimaraner is at first lured to the car and then runs back toward me, Riley, the neighbors and all the kids, leaping over snow mounds, running in circles...running back into the street. 

Kids are shouting, I don't want to see a dog get killed today...as a car nearly hits the crazed Weimaraner.  The owner, utterly frustrated, proclaims she doesn't care at this point if the dog does get hit by a car. 

Another neighbor comes over, with his dog, trying to entice the Weimaraner, failing in all attempts.

Finally, backyard neighbor, lunges at the crazed dog, retrieves the leash and leads crazed Weimaraner back to the car. 

We quickly walked home...completely frozen, hoping not to entice any more dogs as we proceeded home.


Riley, obviously, brings out the worst in dogs.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Just Add Flowers

One of the things I enjoy the most about having a little girl, is doing her hair.  Those long blonde locks have been braided, curled, pigtailed, pony tailed, knotted and bunned.


 Those blond locks are usually accessorized with barrettes or bows. 


This time, though, those blonde locks were accessorized with flowers.


Hair in a bun.  Bun surrounded by flowers.


So, next time you decide to dress up your locks remember...


to just add flowers.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

SWAPS

SWAPS.

Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere.

If you have a Girl Scout, you've probably already heard of SWAPS.  Being new to the world of Girl Scouts, I had NO idea what SWAPS were.  Oh, how quickly we learn things.

Basically SWAPS are pins that you make to trade with other girls at Girl Scout functions. 

The first official Girl Scout function Grace was invited to participate in was a father and daughter luau.  The theme was cute, despite the fact that it was about -6 degrees outside.


The SWAPS Grace's Daisy troop made, were beach themed. 


They were easy to make and turned out adorable. She made a total of 12.


Grace came home, having successfully SWAPed, with a bag full of pins.  Though hers were my favorite, these grass skirt pins were a close second.


Have you ever SWAPed? 

Monday, March 10, 2014

Personalized Onesies

What do you get for a mom to be that has everything?  Personalized onesies. 

Using Transfer Paper, you can easily personalize onesies in some fun and unique ways.

The ever popular birth date onesie is a fun photo prop for any newborn.


The detail tutorial can be found here, if you want to make a birth date onesie of your own.

 

Depending on if you give this as a gift before the baby arrives or after the baby arrives, the birth date can be circled when you create the calendar month OR you can throw in a Sharpie for the date to be circled after the baby arrives.


The second onesie I personalized, used a similar technique. 


I edited the baby shower invitation, taking the very cute and colorful baby equation and, again, was able to transfer it onto a onesie.


 I used this same technique here, transferring the logo of the father to be's band onto a onesie. 


The hardest thing, in making these personalized onesies, remembering to print the mirrored image. 


Personalized onesies, the perfect one of a kind gift to give someone that has everything.
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