Lazy boy for my lazy boy.

 So I found this little leather recliner for three bucks. It was dirt cheap because it had what looked like scratches and snags all along the front. I bought it, assuming I could reupholster it. And because I know that it would be upward of fifty bucks to buy one in perfect condition. Not that I wouldn't pay that for my boy, but why not try to restore this one, when it only had minor damage and an ugly color.

 So I went on the hunt for a fabric to use, and struck gold when I found one I liked in a silvery gray for only a dollar a yard. So for the chair and fabric together weren't even ten bucks. How could I say no? These are the kind of things I do.

 So I started stripping it down. And I think right about here, is where I stopped, stood back and thought... "What am I doing? I ruined it!" But after a few minutes of freak out, I started on it again, deciding I wouldn't let it defeat me. I ended up doing it over the course of two days, but not without a few battle wounds from the tools. But it was fun and practically free, so it was worth it. It's still a little lumpy, but that will smooth out the more he breaks it in. And I like that it was in a color of my choosing, so I didn't have to settle for the choices in-store. But now, Nick is ready to strangle me, because this is becoming a habit. I  now have a very comfy but ugly rocking ottoman to do the same to. :)

No no spot.

I haven't been documenting much of anything lately, we've been so busy. Although we have been playing around with some fun things. We've made soap mud, window clings, paint prints, a black sparkle play dough, and several things out of all the cardboard we have lying around with moving soon, including what seemed like a life-size train, play house, and guitars. Hoping to start jotting things down again.

 Anyway, I found this beat up little retro chair sitting near a dumpster. I brought it home, scrubbed and scrubbed it, and then looked at it, thinking I really didn't need it, my kid has so many chairs and doesn't sit in them. But I couldn't help myself. I'm all about refurbishing what others think is junk.

Light bulb. Why not a time out chair. Now luckily, I have a very well behaved little boy, but i'm sure we're about to enter a phase where he will develop a little temper, and might need more discipline. I don't feel like i'm much of a "spanker", but then again, I feel bad after squishing bugs. So since I have this, why not try it out? I sanded it down, and repainted it. Then added my own little twist. I can't say he'll like it, but I suppose that's kind of the point. Or, we may not use it at all, but hey, it was free, and I had fun with it.

"Boys will be boys, or so they say.

But i'm raising my boy to be a man some day.

Shouting isn't nice, and kicking really hurts.

Nobody likes their faces rubbed in dirt.

So boys that fight, kick, and shout...

Will spend some time thinking in time out.

Time to ponder all the things that you do.

But please just remember, that I love you!"

Blankie owl.

 While going through the boxes and boxes of baby stuff in Parker's closet, I came across this blue and brown striped baby blanket. I used it A LOT when he was itty bitty, so it had it's wear and tear. Since I have another one identical to it that was barely used and in perfect shape, I thought i'd save the good part of the bad one to make something with.

 I had no idea what to make him until he was watching cartoons the other morning and couldn't stop hysterically laughing at this funny little owl. So Wa-la. An owl it was. I cut out the shapes, and sewed them together by hand. I really really need to invest in a sewing machine, but I feel like it's that, then the mini-van, and a few cats, then poof. OLD LADY.

He had fun watching me do it, and making a mess out of my materials as usual. :)

WHO? We call him "Scrappy".



Smell like a princess.

 A friend's daughter came up to me while I was visiting, and our conversation went like this...

"Auntie Jen, daddy gave me these pretty roses. See!"

"Wow, those are pretty, that was nice of him."

"Yeah, but he says they will die. I want to keep them forever."

"Well, your daddy's right, they will die. That's just how it works."

"But I want to keep them. I love them, they smell so pretty. Can you fix them?"

"I'm sorry honey, I can't. But if you want, I can make you some perfume out of them."

"Ok! Yeah yeah!!!"

"But they won't be flowers anymore. You won't be able to see them, just smell them."

"That's ok! I love perfume. I'll smell pretty like my pretty mommy."

So after a little while, and after saying goodbye to her pretty red roses, we made it into some perfume. Which was as easy as plucking off all the petals, and putting them in a glass jar. We filled the jar with enough water to submerge the petals.

She then had a messy blast squishing and stirring it. After a little while, I told her that it needed to set, so we put the lid on and watched a movie. (It would smell so much stronger if it set overnight, but with an impatient little girl, we couldn't wait.)

We found a vase, and strained the water into it, taking out the petals. I added a little red food coloring to give it a "rosy red" color, and labeled it for her.

She loves it, and the fact that she can smell like her pretty roses from daddy.

And it's safe for her. I have no doubt it will end up on her dollies, and who knows  where else, but her mommy let me. ;)

I wish I would have done it at home, because I have better jars and things to decorate with, but we made due with what we had, and she could care less.

I love getting the change to do something girly. How could I say no to this face??

Recycled pirate booty.

 I have SO many diaper boxes lying around, so I took two and made a treasure chest during our little storm the other day.

I cut off the flaps from the top except one of the longer back sides. I then cut out two semi-circularish shapes from the other box, and stuck them to either end of the flap using tape like crazy. They stayed up pretty well.

 I then cut out a lid using thinner cardboard from cereal boxes so that it would bend over to make the rounded top.

A little tricky, but I finally got it all taped down.

Then I covered the entire thing in white paper, ready to decorate.

 It's not very pretty. Partly because I didn't feel like pulling out the paint mess and doing a much better job like I could have. I knew it would get destroyed. :)

So instead, Parker and I just took to it with markers and crayons.

I stuffed the inside with some left over shiny wrapping paper and tinsel, and a few chocolate gold coins.

Then went on a treasure hunt to find fun things to fill it with. Which in Parker's opinion, were things like, dvd's, stuffed animals, blocks, and cooking utensils. :)

"Here is the treasure chest.

What does it hold?

Rubies and emeralds,

silver and gold.

Sparkling diamonds,

Spanish doubloons.

Perfect to play with,

On grey afternoons."

Gingerbread Play Dough.

 In the spirit of Christmas, we've been having some holiday fun. Making sweets, ornaments, and this.

My homemade play dough in a "gingerbread". Pretty much the same as always, just tweaked a little.

It was near impossible to get photos, because it seemed like seconds after they were decorated, the "men" became blobs. :)

The ingredients I used:

2 cups of flour

1 cup of salt

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 1/2 cups of hot/boiling water

1 tablespoon of ginger

2 tablespoons of cinnamon

I just mixed all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, added the oil, and then stirred in the water and allowed it to cool a bit.

After that, kneaded it into a dough with my hands, (with a little help from baby hands) and after a few minutes of that, it's soft and smooth. It shouldn't be sticky, but if it is, I add a little flour one tablespoon at a time until it's just right.

Finally a use for all the junk buttons.

So fun, and it smelt yummy! Although, like with all the play dough, it doesn't taste too good, says his face. :)

Moldable Sand.

We did this a couple months ago, but I've been slacking on posting...

 This was super easy. Since we make SO much salt dough and play dough, I wanted to make something totally different in texture for him, and came up with this.

Sand!

And since we moved far away from the beaches, this was kind of fun and nostalgic for me too. :) 

 5 cups of flour and 1 cup of baby oil. That's it! Mix and play. It's got a really soft feel and shapes and molds like damp sand. He had a great time squishing it and making a royal mess for me to clean!

And Wa-La. I made a sandcastle...