Recycled Crayons

This past week we were reviewing our shapes and colors unit for Homeschool. And I thought the girls would enjoy this Project that my momma used to make these with her daycare kiddos. It's super easy and so much fun! The girls and I had lot's of broken crayons we had been collecting in anticipation for this.

 First we peeled all the crayons and then sorted them by color into mason jars, this took a long time, and the girls got a little bored of peeling, so I continued to peel while they sorted.

 To make the solid color stars we simply put them into the star molds, breaking any larger pieces, as we went along.

 Then we melted them in the oven at 200, and kept checking on their progress, until they were completely liquified. And then we cooled them on the back porch.

 We made the rainbow layer stars, much like you make layered jello. First me melted the separate colored crayons in the mason jars and poured them into the molds allowing each layer to cool before adding the next color. And a little tip for getting any kind of wax out of a container, is to put it in the freezer for a few minutes, and it will pop right out.

* Adult Supervision Required of course and the wax is obviously quite hot, so use common sense and be careful ;)

And most of all Happy Crafting!

My 3 Little Monkeys

Last fall just around the time that I found out that I was expecting baby #3, I started searching for something special that I could make for the girls and the new baby, and while visiting one of my favorite crafty blogs I stumbled upon the most adorable and free pattern on mmmcrafts for "Molly Monkeys" . It was the perfect gift. The pattern was very easy to follow. Finding the time to work on them, however, proved to be quite difficult! But I managed to finish them just in time for Chloe's arrival ;)

I made them with the leftover material from the quilt I am also making for the girls.

Click here to see it.Their eyes match my girls eyes ;)I think these monkeys are up to something! My 3 little monkeys, just love their Molly Monkeys ;) Thank you Larissa for sharing your creative genius, and for helping to make 3 little girls very happy!

For the Love of Lavender

Lavender is my favorite flower, and smell. Last year I started 100 seedlings indoors and planted them along my walkway. They look so full and beautiful this year. I have been cutting bunches, and tying them and into bundles with scraps of ribbon, to give them to friends and also to hang around the cottage to dry and fill the air with their clean floral scent.

Scrappy Decoupage Pots & Pom Pom Bunnies

My mom (aka~Gamma) is so crafty and has so many ideas from doing childcare and running a certified preschool program for over 20 years. She came out for a visit a few weeks ago and made some pom pom bunnies and decorated these pots with the girls to celebrate spring, using leftover fabric from the quilt I've been working on. How I wish we all lived closer. My mom, my sister, my girls and I, would have so much fun crafting together all the time.
Eden's Bunny is MIA around the house somewhere. She wanted to sleep with it, and now it's gone. I'm just hoping Hailey our pooch didn't eat it.

Happy Birthday Phoebe!

Sorry Miss Molly spelled your name wrong, but I hope you like your apron ;)Thanks for inviting us all to your party, it was so much fun.

I think Mr. Kevin had the most fun of all ;)

Painting @ the Picnic Table

I am so happy spring is here and we can enjoy more time outside as a family. I love to serve the Girls lunch and do crafts with them outside on the picnic table. Clean up is easy and it saves my kitchen from becoming a disaster area. Today we had some fun painting with Daddy. Lily chose to paint mostly letters and numbers and stayed very clean. Mommy and Daddy painted landscapes, While Eden did more "free spirited paintings" and got covered from head to toe ;)

A Quilt for Lily and Eden

Quilt top sneak peak (Inspiration Photo -Pottery Barn Kids)

I mentioned in an earlier post that I've been trying to clean out my sewing stash and organize my craft room. I purchased this fabric, with my mother about 4 years ago, in hopes of making a log cabin quilt for Lily. Well it obviously never happened, so I decided to find a simpler pattern, one I could finish quickly. Preferably stripes and something that would showcase the larger floral prints well. I love Pottery Barn Kids, but definitely don't have the finances to be splurging right now, and I never like buying things I can sew myself. I liked this quilt idea, because it was just a mixture of thick and thin stripes, something I could whip up in a few days. I know it's not exactly the same, but I didn't want it to be.

Batik Dresses

I made the girls some simple dresses this week, from Fabric I had picked up long ago. I am trying to clean out my sewing stash and use up what I already have, before going out and spending more money. The girls were thrilled they have insisted on wearing them 3 days in a row. ;) Looks like I'll have to make some more.

Birch Candle Holders

For Valentines day, my Dad sent me some Birch candle holders that he made. I had seen the ones he made for my Mom, when I went out for a visit @ Christmas, and I drooled over them. I was so excited to get these in the mail the other day. Home made gifts are my favorite ;) I put them on the shelf in our front entry. There had been an empty space between my sand dollar vase and ship clock that was waiting for the perfect fill in. I wanted something natural and neutral. The candle holders worked out perfectly.

A Quilt for my Mom

I started this quilt Yeeeaars ago, right before Kevin and I got married. And like all my quilt projects I get bored, and soon after I am inspired by new fabric and start a new quilt only to abandon that one also and start yet another. ;) Well I am determined to finish this before my Mom's birthday this spring, so I better get cracking. I finally finished all the blocks, as you can see above, and I am ready to join them together. I plan on joining them by strips of natural linen around each block. And binding the edge of the finished quilt with a cranberry colored border.
Here are a few of the blocks close up.

Aprons

I made some Aprons for a few of my Friends and Family members for Christmas. I wanted to wait till they had received them in the mail before I posted pictures.

Since I made all the patterns myself, I am still working out the kinks and trying new things with each one I sew.
I can't wait to make more and even one for myself would be nice, but finding the time to sew has been tough lately. I am quite busy with the girls between homeschooling and all the regular day to day stuff of having a young growing family.

Some of these photos were taken at night so the colors are a bit off.3 photos of Apron # 1 above

Apron #2 above

Apron #3 above And finaly the Children's Apron

apron # 4 above