Diy cloth doubler

I recently made the switch to cloth diapers. After many attempts at potty training boy number one I wanted to make boy number two easier. And I had read different studies about how using cloth diapers make the transition easier. That and the initial up front cost is steep, you can quickly get your months worth out of them. I got my diapers from Sunbaby diapers, worked out to about five bucks per diaper. And they are great, but the need a little extra for the night time. After reading a few blogs I decided to make a doubler. 

It's really very simple. You need microfiber cloths ( I got these from Walmart six of them for Five bucks.) You will also need some scrap fabric. The fabric I used was from the flannel receiving blankets I have never really used. They are much too small for the size of baby we tend to have in this house. 

You will take the micro cloths and fold them into thirds, laying them down on to the flannel, with the loose side against the flannel. Pin them into place and cut to size. 

Then all you need to do is sew them together. Sewing down the center first. You can just do 5 individual lines, or you can sew so you have one line. Sew down the center then with your needle down and your foot up rotate the fabric clockwise. And sew again, when ever you get to a corner simple pivot and keep going. You will end up with two sets of loose strings instead of ten. 

Be sure to keep the flannel side next to your baby. The microfiber will dry their butt up. I did these four in 30 min or so, not the best quality sewing but I figure they won't see the light of day much, and if all they are going to do is catch poop why spend a lot of time and energy making them look amazing? 

Shhhhh... It's a family secret....

Every Christmas and July I make what I like to call my "Christmas Birthday bread" and I might add a few more days in there so that I can make it more. My father made this every Christmas for as long as I can remember. And my parents had these at there wedding. 

My brother recently got married and they had more of a brunch then a lunch so I made several batches of this bread. Five to be exact and each batch can be rolled out into four loves. I did eight so they were smaller loaves. The picture below is the cream cheese mixture for inside the roll. As you can see their wedding colors are purple and blue.

Here is the recipe for the bread:

Cream Cheese Braids

1c. sour cream

1/2 c. sugar

1 tea Salt

1/2 c. melted butter

2 pkgs dry yeast

1/2 c. warm water

2 eggs, beaten

4 c. plain flour

-cream cheese filling

-glaze (optional)

Heat sour cream over low heat, stir in sugar, salt and butter; cool to lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl, stirring until yeast is dissolves. add sour cream mixture, eggs, and flour. Mix well, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. 

The next day pull out the bread and then make the cream cheese mixture. Once the mixture is done start with the dough. Divide dough into 4 equal parts; roll out each part on a well floured board into a 12x8 in rectangle. Spread the mixture on the rectangle and then roll up jelly roll fashion, beginning at the long sides. pinch edges together and fold ends under slightly. Place the rolls seam side down on greased baking sheets, slit each roll at 1in intervals about 2/3 of the way through  dough to resemble a braid. Cover and allow to raise till double (about an hour) bake at 375* for 12-15 min, until it's slightly golden brown. 

Cream Cheese filling

2 oz cream cheese (softened)

3/4 c. sugar

1 egg beaten

1/8 (pinch) teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the cream cheese and sugar until well blended, mix in rest and mix well.

Here is the finished product.This is a beloved family tradition for me, and I hope that it can hold the same place for you as well! Happy baking! 

DIY coffee table

Well, we are in a small apartment and which makes having space almost impossible. And while I have a wonderful coffee table that I adore I don't really have the space for it. We will soon have a crawling baby and I wanted the extra space for that coming moment.
The coffee table I have is large, sturdy and very helpful. The top pulls apart to reveal a compartment to stash things. I enjoy it enough I don't wanna get rid of it, so when my little brother got married and they needed a coffee table I thought perfect they can use it!
So I told my brother and his new wife that they could take the coffee table, paint it stain it, they were just not allowed to get rid of it.
So I set out to make myself a new one. I had recently found some old spools in my parents back houses. So I got one and spray painted it. In the future I will do a base coat. I painted it grey, and it's a darker dull grey, where I would have loved a brighter crisp grey. Oh well live an learn. Also another freebie for you, buy the nicer spray paint it's worth the cost.
After I finished the spray painting, minus the top and bottom, I brought it home to my place (I was painting it at my parents place) I covered it with some batting and fabric, using a staple gun I secured the batting and fabric to the table, and tada!
I have a wonderful stable and small coffee table. All for about 10-15 bucks! Score!

Matchy Matchy!

Why buy, when you can DIY? I love being a mother of my two boys. I look forward to the tree forts, the canal searching, bug catching and over all boy-ness, and guess what? I will be right there in the thick of it. Lord be with our little girls, if we have any. I grew up as a tom-boy. I never enjoyed the barbie dolls and teapartys, honestly I avoided them at all cost. I was out in the dirt and mud, climbing trees, chasing animals. That was my childhood, so to have boys is like a chance to relive that all over. And I'm stoked.
One thing that I do not like about having baby boys, the femininity that we have infused into all things boy. I'm sorry when I dress my little 7 month old and still get the questions, "Boy? Or Girl?" Really? There is something wrong here.
So, I have the cute pastel bed sheets, because that is all they had at the store. Well recently I was wondering how hard it would be to make some sheets. I wanted to make a little super hero themed room. You can not have a super hero themed room with pastel sheets. That little super hero would be made fun of by all the other more manly super hero's that have non-pastel sheets.
So off to the internet I went. The tutorial was easy. I had this "ReaLLY?!?!?  That's It?!??!" Moment and Off the the store I went.
I picked out three types. I made a matching set for the boys room that has little whales on it. Its Fun, there were other ones that I liked more for little boys, but none of them were cheap enough for my "experiment." There other set that I got was one super man and one batman. I am going to make them for Christmas. Pretty excited about that.
Well, I cut the first set up, sewed, hemmed and sewed on elastic in one night, took me maybe an hour or two, not long at all. I was pretty excited.
And honestly? It was so very easy, I'm ashamed I did not try this two years ago with my first child. Granted, fabric in the little town I lived in was an easy double of what it is here, and why should I go buy fabric, when I was given sheets?
But I have made them, they are fun, they were easy and if you have access to a sewing machine and the basic sewing skills from your jr high home ec class- your golden!
For the how to Check out http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2010/05/crib-toddler-bed-sheet-tutorial-with.html

Here is the fun fabric! 

after I had added the corners and the hem

Now with the elastic 

Here is the toddler bed in use

and the crib sheet! 

To Die for Cookies

I have a love for all things sweet. But something that I adore, cookies! I love cookies, especially since a dear friend of mine, introduced me to chocolate chip cookies with chocolate AND white chocolate chips. Mmmm, so very very good.
I'll admit it I eat more then my far share of cookies. Usually using my go to recipe in Betty Crocker cookbook. But move over Betty, there's a new recipe in town. It will be my go too now! Sorry
I was at my parents tonight and there was a storm (so it was cooler then the triple digits have allowed it to be) and I voice out loud that I would be making cookies that night. My father upon hearing me said "make them here!" you can see where I get my sweet tooth from!
It goes with out saying, but I made cookies at my parents place- bringing some home with me in a washed out butter tub. They are thick and chewy and fantastic!
Here is the amazing recipe
3/4 c. Unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. Brown sugar
1/4 c. Sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. Flour
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. Chocolate chips
Mix them together, but be careful not to over mix them. If you do, don't worry too much about it, just stick them in the fridge to cool down.
And bake at 350* for 8-10 min
Pull out, cool and prepare treat some bliss! Enjoy!
Thank you to Apple A Day! This was so Amazing!
http://kelseysappleaday.blogspot.com/2011/08/best-ever-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Apartment Sized fire pit

I'm a bit of a pyro. But I promise I only burn responsibly, most of the time anyways. And being a pyro I love fires, there is something so relaxing and fascinating about some simple contained flames.
Before we moved I was planning on putting a fire pit in our back yard, we worked with youth and I thought it would be so fun to have a fire with them late a night. Something I could put our kid to bed grab the baby mounter and go out to hang out. Well plans changed, but my desire for a fire pit did not.
Sadly though we live in an apartment complex and have a small balcony, I think my land lords would frown upon me digging a pit in the grassy area near by. So I gave up my fire pit dream, and filed it away for "when I have a house."
But that was before I found a how to make your own grill, and it struck me, if you can make a grill- why not a fire pit? So I set out to do just that.
Bit, low and behold, another pit fall. Do you know how pricey ceramic pots are? It was another buzz kill. I had hope to make a fire pit for cheap, if I wanted to spend upwards of 30 bucks I would buy one.
So I waited.
And my waiting finally paid off, I was shopping and found a whole bunch of pots for cheap, I picked up a nice sized one in black, with vines across the sides, for get this 12 bucks. Yep that's right 12 bucks. Score!
So the rest of it is easy, you only need sand and of course the burning objects.
I placed a piece of cardboard on the bottom along with a piece of newspaper, to keep the sand in the pot. Then thanks to a local sand pit, filled it to about three inches from the top with sand, for frrrrrrreeeeeeeee!
Then I got newspaper from my parents place along with the kindling from the floor of their wood chopping area.
I'm thinking my landlords will still not be thrilled, but don't worry too much I'll always do as Smokey says "burn responsibly."

And Lacey shorts!

After I finished the shirt project I still had lace. What to do, what to do? Where did all this lace come from well, I had gotten a dress that had lace on it, adjusting it to a cute white summer dress. Still needs a few tweaks, but over all it works. But it gave me lots of left over lace! Yah! So I decided to lengthen some shorts that I have.
This project is so easy it's crazy. You start at one edge, my shorts have a little slit so I started sewing at the slit. You simply sew the lace on one leg, trim and see on lace on the other leg.
In a matter of moments you have a cute pair of shorts, that are longer then the "see my butt?" shorts. Those are so great.