can we talk about how my kid can't get over christmas?

i feel like i am in the middle of the movie santa clause, you know the one with tim allen, right after charlie finds out his dad is...you, know, the big guy and he is playing sleigh in his room in august or something?
that is rowan - she draws him, sings about him, talks about him, waits by the window for him, literally wants to grow up and be santa (ok, that hasn't come up yet, but...). it is equal parts hilarious, endearing, and totally frightening. ok, it is a little annoying too - constantly hearing about next christmas when i am just ready for it to be over forty degrees out.
is this a normal four year old shinanagin? zoe never was like this, this is new territory for me. i am not literally worried, but i can't help but laugh!

valentines day: window craft

thanks again martha for the idea - rowan and i had so much fun making this guy last weekend, and it looks absolutely gorgeous in our front window!

supplies:
wax paper
crayons
pencil/crayon sharpener
an iron
kraft or parchment paper
strudy sticks in any size, shape, or form
fishing line
glue

you start out by choosing the color/s you want your hearts to be, then get to work sharpening them down into a pile of shavings (thin and small!) - you don't really need a ton as you spread them out and they go a long way.
i did two different sheets in the two color mixtures - i pulled out a good length of my wax paper and the folded it in half 'hamburger', i spread out my first color/s of shavings then sandwiched my folded wax paper between the kraft paper (for protection from the wax on your iron).
I was brave and went with a pretty high setting to ensure a good quality melting, this worked pretty good and i would periodically lift my paper to make sure there weren't any lumps.
once i had a nice sheet of the melted art, i got to work cutting out my hearts - i pre made a template to trace so they were all the same size, but you can do whatever!
(i had sent tim and the girls out on a dual task earlier in the day - to collect sticks and wear the girls out for naptime! they did a great job finding me some good options)
when my hearts were all cut out i ran a strip of glue along the backs and attached my fishing line at the desired length. then i tied them to the branch, hung a piece of line for hanging and picked our window!
let me know if you try it out!

you, know...

when your kid randomly says at dinner, 'oh, sorry mommy - i accidently pushed the red button on the left.' then goes back to her business and all you can do is blank stare at your husband trying to mind read what she could possibly be talking about.

jessica

don't stare to closely, but this is jessica, on a whim i made her for rowan this week - after throwing away three terrible, totally wrong in some spot or another doll skins, this ok one was produced. ha - i think i like to fool myself into thinking i am some amazing sewer when i jump into these projects, but alas i guess i am not. maybe it is that i move to fast and then jessica number one's left arm is only half attached and spilling rice everywhere or i bought too thick and too hard to turn right side out canvas so i tried to pass a arm less jessica number two over to stella.
either way i am going to keep working on it and get a perfect one! i have visions of making them aprons, mary-janes, and capes for the girls to dress them up with. i even bookmarked some 'tattoo' fabric on etsy, thinking how adorable would that be if their arms were tattooed? i was dyeing when i found that hounds-tooth fabric for their legs - so cute and it came in tons of colors which i made note of for future dolls - you know, that aren't missing or dangling limbs.
I made this one with rice in the legs and arms - which did not work for me since and was spilling into my sewing line causing all sorts of problems. lesson learned.


here is the pattern and tutorial i used.

the video is helpful and i ended up copying my pattern a bit larger so the doll would be bigger. i wouldn't suggest getting real stiff canvas for the face and arms, mine totally fell apart or absolutely refused to turn right side out. i also some some awesome options for iron on doll faces or other things you could use to make these dolls one of a kind - i had gotten some fun bright pink dangly fuzzy ball decor for stella's armless doll but i am sure you can picture how that turned out for me, haha.

she isn't perfect, but you know what, rowan LOVES her and that is all that really matters.