Star Wars in September - Yoda sign

As Fender is heading into 1st grade, I really wanted to update his bedroom.  Until now it has been a hodgepodge of Cars and jungle animals leftover from his baby days.  We were looking at this blog here and he fell in love with the idea of a Star Wars themed bedroom (and so did I to be honest!) 
We've been working on our own little projects here and there ever since!

Over the next 4 Sundays in September, I am going to share our Star Wars themed projects as we transform his bedroom! 

 

Let's start it off with none other than Yoda.
 

 

I started with a piece of particle board that I had gotten some time ago at Home Depot for another project that never panned out.  After protecting the floor, I brushed a thin layer of white paint over the entire surface of the board. 

 

 

The particle board is like a sponge, but I actually like the way the paint dried thicker in some spots and thinner in others.

 

 

Next I cut out an image of Yoda and covered the back of him with double sided tape so that I could trace his silhouette onto the board.

 

 

 

 

Then of course I painted his image green

 

 

I chose my favorite Yoda quote and stenciled the words onto the board.

I filled in each letter with a grey sharpie.

 

 

Here's the finished project!  I can't wait to show you how it looks in his room...but that will be for another Sunday!  See you then!

 

I'm linking to:

Fender's 6th Party!

My little man, born 2 months early, weighing in at a whopping 4 pounds- turned 6 this week.  He wanted a mustache party, so that's just what we did! 

Lots of goodies - lots of friends - lots of mustaches! 

And a rousing game of Pin the Mustache on 70's Burt Reynolds!

Happy Birthday Buggy!!!

Photos by aC Jester and me!

Linking here...

Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich

Soooooooo, I got really excited by the idea of a Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich!  I saw a commercial for it from Jack in the Box - had to try it.  BOY, was I disappointed!!!  It was soggy, greasy, flavorless - and to put it lightly disgusting!

This concept seemed so easy to make, so that's just what I did the next evening for dinner!  I thought I'd share how easy it is with you!  Grab a shopping cart, here's your list:

Grocery Shopping List:

 

boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

sourdough bread

creamy Caesar dressing

tomatoes

romaine lettuce

Parmesan cheese

1 lemon

cloves of garlic

olive oil

salt and pepper

 

The number of breasts you need depends on how many people you are feeding!

 

 Start with a few tablespoons of olive oil in a pan on medium heat.  Saute a few smashed garlic cloves in the oil to infuse it with their flavor.  Remove before they brown or burn!

 

Pound out your chicken breasts (or slice them in half horizontally).  You basically want a thin breast that will cook evenly and sit on you bread nicely!  Fry the breasts in the garlic olive oil seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.  Squeeze half a lemon onto both sides of the breast while cooking.  It adds such a delicious zing to otherwise boring chicken!

 

I found these super cute mini lemons that are only about 2 inches long! 
Is it weird that I think food is cute?

Toast your bread and slather it with the creamy Caesar dressing.  Top it with the warm chicken, Parmesan cheese, sliced tomatoes and the romaine lettuce.  Add a side of your favorite kettle style chips - and dinner is served!

Fender said it got 10 fingers up!

Hope you get to try it soon!

I'm linking to Monday Funday
 





It's Sew Sunday--Sweater Mittens

For Christmas dC got me a new sewing machine!  I have been in a sewing slump since my old machine was acting up - having a new one meant that I could get back to having some fabric fun.

I'm not proclaiming to be good at it, I just like to follow patterns, sew straight lines and fix things!  I've made all of the curtains in our house (straight lines) but now that I have this fancy new machine, I'm going to dive into some different types of projects and maybe some not so straight lines!

Today I am making Sweater Mittens.  They are sooo fast to make.  I had an old wool sweater in my closet that I no longer wore due to a hole.  I had grandiose ideas of felting it and making it into a pillow, but as Fender and I were walking home from school, I felt his little hands as we crossed the street and they were freezing!  He had lost one of his mittens and it was time for a new pair! 

If you'd like to make them too, here's what you'll need:

An old sweater (Thrifting for this would be fun!)

pencil

scissors

freezer paper (my new best friend)

iron

sewing machine

matching thread

the hands you'd like to mitt

Begin by laying out a piece of freezer paper and trace the hand in a mitten pattern onto it.  Leave a good 1/2 inch seam allowance around it and make sure to leave an inch allowance at the wrist.  Aren't Fender's little fingers cute?

Cut out the pattern and place on the sweater.  I used the bottom edge of the sweater since it had a naturally knitted pattern I thought would be cute for the wrist of the mitten.  Using a dry setting, iron the freezer paper pattern shiny side down onto the sweater.  The plastic on the shiny side creates a temporary bond to most fabric.  Fender added a little decoration to his pattern!

Cut out the pattern through both layers of the sweater.  Remove the freezer paper re-iron onto another area of the sweater and cut out the second mitten.  Cutting through both layers saves a lot of time, since you'll need 4 patterns for 2 mittens.

Putting right sides together pin the mittens with pin heads facing out for easy removal while sewing.

Then starting at the bottom edge sew a straight stitch around the perimeter of the mitten.  Slow down around the thumb and raise and lower the presser foot turning the mitten each time to create a smooth, round corner.  Be sure to lock your stitches at the edges when you begin and end.

I went around the mitten twice just to ensure the sweater stitches were locked and wouldn't fray.  Cut any extra seam allowance off to remove the bulk.  Repeat for the second mitten!

PS~I would normally use matching thread, but I used contrasting so you can see the stitches (curvy and imperfect for sure!)

Turn right side out and press the seams to finish the mittens!  They are as warm as the sweater you made them from!

I'm linking up to Funday Monday!  Check it out on the link above!

Happy Sewing!



Welcoming Fall

We went apple picking this weekend and had a little local family fun.  Last year we went to Chelan, but unfortunately with the wildfires blazing there, we didn't want to take that chance.  We visited a little farm in Sedro Wooley about an hour north of us called Jones Creek Farms.   My hubby even made me an apple crate for our table centerpiece out of an old pallet.

We were first greeted by a protective puppy watching over his hen who had just laid an egg. 

 

 

There was also a small playground for the kids to goof around on including the coveted tire swing and homemade teeter totter.

 

 There were pears, apples and the beginnings of pumpkins growing - but we were there for the apples.  This year we only brought home 12 pounds.  I know it sounds like a lot, but I have major baking plans - and we might fall short!

After a full day of playing, I heated up some apple cider - but put them in special apple cups (I used a melon baller to scoop out the insides of our recently picked apples).

I always love to get a Fall picture of the kids.  Here's "the one" from this year...but my favorite is from 2009:

They've changed so much!!!

1st Day of Kindergarten

Today is Fender's first day of Kindergarten and boy is he excited!  We have met his teacher, taken a tour of the school and now it is time for me to let go of his hand as he walks towards his classroom alone...

I wanted to start the tradition of 1st day of school photos to watch him grow and mature each year.  There are so many cute ways to capture this moment, but he really liked the idea of a chalkboard.  And with so much paint left over from last year's project, I decided to make my own!

 

 I started with a piece of plywood that I had dC rough up the edges on, chalkboard paint, and an art sponge.

 

 

Then I taped off a boarder with painters tape and with my trusty chalkboard paint and sponge set to painting in the chalkboard.  It was really hot outside so the paint dried quickly - within an hour it was done!  I think it turmed out pretty cute, but even cuter is his face in these photos!!!

 

 

 

What he wants to be when he grows up: "A guy who drives the fire truck"
What he is most excited about in Kindergarten: "The computers"
What he wanted in his lunch: "A peanut butter and jelly sandwich"

Simple Strawberry Jam

We went strawberry picking this last weekend and with so many berries, I couldn't resist the idea of making jam!  Fender and I used this kid friendly recipe and the results were delicious!

The best little helper

Quality control!

Then I made a strwaberry rhubarb pie, and some strawberry cheesecake ice cream.  Both were delicious and recipes that I will use over and over again!