Homemade Play Dough

My sister is the leader on this little project but I thought I would take pictures and feature it on here.
She has been staying with us for a while now with their transition to move back to Houston, so we have had a house full of toddlers. We decided today that it would be fun to make our own play dough. I ran out of the store bought stuff since they let it sit out a few days ago and it all dried up. That stuff was never that great anyways, since it dries out fast and crumbles all over the place.
She found this recipe a while back and tested it out and really liked it, so that is what we used.
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 Tablespoons Cream of Tartar
1 Tablespoon oil
1 cup water
food coloring

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a sauce pan and whisk together.

Add food color of your choice and enough to make it as dark as you want.

Cook over medium low heat stirring continuously with a metal spoon until it just starts to come together into a dough ball.

Immediately take it out of the pot and onto a plate. At this point the dough should still be pretty sticky but still able to be picked up into a ball. knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball with the consistency of normal play dough.

Put it into a tupperware with the lid on to cool. I actually put the dough into a tupperware and left the lid off, thinking that the condensation would be bad and needed to cool without the lid, but Emily said that if you leave the lid off it will dry your dough out. You want to keep all of the moisture with in the container!
After it cools, it’s time to play! We made pink and blue (2 batches) but you can obviously do as much as you want and as many colors as you want. I am out of cream of tartar so once I can get some more, I will be making lots of other colors!

The best parts of this play dough is that it doesn’t dry out fast, doesn’t crumble, and the colors do not rub off on their hands!
PS. I love that my breakfast table is perfect for things like this! I don’t have to be paranoid the whole time about them scratching it up and making messes (to a certain extent, of course). I look forward to the day it can be refinished to be beautiful again, but for now, it gets lots of toddler “love” :)

New antique heirloom

I mentioned before that I am spending a few days at my grandmother's house this week. I was outside with the kids when I spotted a beautiful piece of furniture sitting in her garage. (Excuse the horrible pics from my phone. They don't do it justice).



I asked her about it and she said it was her grandmother's, so my great great grandmothers. She also said that no one wants it and it has been sitting there for years. I am appalled that this is just sitting outside rotting when it has so much potential! My mom checked with my aunt and she said they both didn't mind if I took it so hopefully I can find a way to get it home one day. Yippee!! I am normally not an antique person but I love family pieces that have a personal history. I really hope I can give it some love and make it beautiful again! Here's a few (really bad) close up shots of the details.

Beautiful turned legs


Looks like it used to be red then painted white.


Wood etchings


The stretcher and details under the hutch.



I want to do some research on what year this was possibly made. Had to of been the late 1800s!
Can't wait to do this refinish job!

Norah’s Toddler Room Reveal

I am finally finished!!
Her grey and pink room turned out very pretty and simple and I think it is something that she can easily grow up with.
I am so incredibly happy with the way the bedding turned out. I made it into more of a duvet cover than a quilt, but I think it is beautiful and I wish it was mine! lol  I included some close ups of the rosettes I gave the tutorial on. Unfortunately I have to keep it turned down since it is too heavy for her right now, so I have a think grey blanket on there. At least that gets to show the pretty back fabric.
The bedrails kind of throw off my groove, but they are too hard to take on and off the bed, so that’s just the way it is!
The bed frame that I found started out as a grey distressed finish but there was just something “off” about it and there was just too much grey so everything was blending together. I needed it to pop like my original plan of the iron bed would have. So, I got brave and painted it black. I know some people may think I am crazy for doing that but I really like it and it makes the bedding pop and gives some contrast against the grey walls and furniture.
The walls are kind of a blue, green, grey color. very soft and pretty.
I got the white plaster pieces from Target. I love the texture and they give a little femininity without being too “girly”
Her name block was cut out by my father in law when she was born and I just happened to paint it pink and white at the time. Another one of those times when a past project happens to work out later.
I have had the pink lamp since Avery’s first nursery. Another perfect reused piece!
The shelves were in the room already, I just moved them. The long one is holding my collection of music boxes from when I was younger. The small one has a few night time books and has some piece glass knobs that I use to hang her bath time hooded towel on. (she LOVES that towel!)
Her favorite teddy bear and blankey are on the bed.
I got a small iron bird cage at Hobby Lobby (intending to match the iron bed, but I think it still goes). I found the small ceramic bird there, too for $4 and spray painted it pink to match.
She has her baptism certificate hanging up with a  cross that was given to her at her baptism that I have been meaning to hang since she got baptized as a baby.
The “boys have cooties” sign was given to me at my first baby shower and I think it is adorable and hilarious. I hope she remembers that! ;)
The jewelry box was given to her by her daddy when she was born. He got Avery one too so I guess he needs to work on filling them up now! lol
The classic Pooh and Piglet are just some stuffed animals that we have had that I thought were sweet in there.
I found the curtains at JCPenney for only $30! I love that the shape in them mimics the shape of the night stand legs but part of me thinks pink curtains would have been better. hmmm too late now, not changing them. The rod was the one I had hanging in there already and since I didn’t want to throw out a good rod I just spray painted it to a black color.
The pink oval mirror I found at a furniture resale store for only $45! It had a gold frame so all it needed was some pink spray paint and hangers on the back.
Hope you like it!

Hope to blog soon!

I have had every intention of blogging the past several nights but mommy hood has been crazy so I hope to very soon. I'm laying in bed with both girls at my grandmothers house; I had hoped to play on my blog and photoshop after they went to sleep, but new surroundings for little ones can be scary so bedtime is not so easy. Wouldn't trade it for a corporate job or the world!
I want to reveal Norah's room; I have a new art style obsession I am dying to learn how to do; talk grocery budget/shopping tips and techniques. Lots of stuff on my mind and future projects on my list.
Be back when life slows down a bit! :)

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Linen Closet: before and after

Not a lot of projects going on around here but we have been very busy. Between being out of town and having visitors, I haven't gotten any fun projects done but one thing's for sure, nesting is in full gear! I have about 7ish weeks left (I lost count at the moment) so I am READY to be done and hold my baby.
Have I mentioned I tend to get obsessed when I start a project? It drives Jeff crazy lol. I started going through Jackson's closet to start organizing it which led to going through baby blankets, which led to going through our blanket chests, which then led to our hall linen closet. Help me!
Just for fun, and because I wanted to post something tonight, here are the linen closet before and after pictures:

Before:

After:

Now, back to work on Jacksons closet lol. 

Have a good night and hump day tomorrow!

Baby Boy Photo Props

One of the perks of having a boy soon is that I get to order some new photo props. Believe it or not, I have yet to take newborn pictures of a boy!  My photography "business" (I put that in quotes because it is so part time that I can't claim it as a true business just yet) is picking up but still not very busy. Something that I hope to keep doing but I don't plan to get real busy with until all my kids are in school.
Anyways, I am super excited about these items I ordered on etsy. SLOWLY but surely I would like to beef up my props and backdrops as jobs come in.

Gotta have a crown for the king of the house!

Bow tie. I LOVE the preppy baby look :)

Cowboy hat and boots. This one can go both boy or girl.

Football beanie

Chaos!

My craft room needs some serious help!! I have been putting off organizing it but I don't think I can take it any more! Partly cuz I share this room with my husband's beer brewing hobby and toddler crafts, it is always a disaster! Somethings gotta give, though.  After all, chaos in your environment creates chaos in your mind!