From this book...

 
Stored in the fridge...

 
Risen a bit in the pan...

Thank you to everyone for your lovely comments.  The Random Number Generator chose Holly, Comment No. 14! 

The Quilt-It Kit will be on its way to Holly very soon, while the rest of us should work together to get a handle on this quilting thing.  And, for those of you needing your own copy of the Quilt-It Kit, as Sarah points out, they are/were in the bargain section at Borders.  I bought mine several months ago, though, (when I thought I needed a new hobby) so not sure if they're still available!

The apron is on its way. I've deviated from the original Ben Franklin version, and I'm working on adapting a Martha version. It's going to be worth the wait, I promise. 

But for now, familial obligations have called me away from sewing for the rest of the week.  Instead, for this week's Win-It Wednesday, I give you:

Your very own, new (okay, I took the wrapper off because I had to see the inside!), never used Quilt-It Kit by Denyse Schmidt.

I know we have a lot of quilting readers, because I read your blogs, but this would be great for anyone who wants to experiment with small projects or even patchwork. It's awesome.

Fifteen different projects, and it could be yours! Leave a comment on this post by next Wednesday, and you'll be entered into a random drawing to win-it!

I'm on a bit of a Green kick the last few days.  It all started this weekend when Husband and I were bemoaning the amount of clover in our front yard. Despite our Weed and Feed session this spring (which I now know was not a good idea, please, no lectures), the clover is thriving.  I set about to do some research to figure out how we could safely get rid of the stuff.  A few articles later and I was ready to embrace my clover, regardless of how my neighbors might feel. 

In short, clover is good because it helps the grass grow (something about nitrogen), earthworms love it and earthworms are good, it provides lots of nectar for bees and things, and rabbits like it:

I'm quite pleased with our little bunny population this year (I think that's Mama Bunny, above).  They seem to be leaving my flowers alone, while peacefully nibbling on the clover and grass in the yard. Better yet, they eat their meals in full view of our windows, which keeps the girls entertained for awhile (until they bang on the windows, scaring the bunnies away, then walk around for several minutes wondering why the bunnies left).  So, I'm leaving the clover for the bunnies, earthworms and honey bees, and for us, because the stuff to kill the clover sounds pretty deadly to people, too.

Then, I picked up this book at the library the other day:

Inside are tons of great ideas for getting rid of household chemicals and other nasty things.

I'll spare you the before and after photos, but tonight I cleaned the toilet using castile soap, baking soda and vinegar.  It sparkles.  The expensive toilet bowl cleaners with all of their toxic substances have nothing on baking soda.  Incidentally, I've been using baking soda to scrub the stains from my white enamel kitchen sink for the last few years, and it does wonders. I usually squeeze a lemon into the sink for that fizzy baking soda action and because I like the smell.

I'm avoiding the chapter on how awful makeup is, because I just can't give the stuff up (I don't have the patience to search for a natural alternative that works for me).  Ignorance is bliss.  I am, however, committed to switching our handsoap away from the antibacterial, chemical stuff to something natural. I'm also considering a shampoo switch, a lotion switch and some homemade antibacterial spray. Oh, and there's a recipe for a coconut sugar scrub. I will report back on that.

I'm also doing a little repurposing. I used to really like this skirt, but it's been hanging in my closet untouched for about three years now. I've begun cutting on it and nearly have it made into a dress for the five year old.  So far I can't get the straps just right, but it will make a great sundress when it's finished.  Look for the finished dress later this week.

And finally, a big welcome to everyone stopping by from Sew, Mama, Sew. It's so nice to meet so many other people who love that blog, and I'm flattered by all of your comments!  Don't forget, the clock is ticking for Win-It Wednesday.  I'll probably cut-off entries at noon central time tomorrow.

Most families receive an extra $300 in stimulus money per child.  Isn't it only fair that a little bit of that money go toward something for the kids?

How cute are these little play date sets from Rosanna? They'd be great for serving soup and sandwiches for lunch or hot cocoa and powdered donuts for snack.  Rosanna also makes an adorable tea set, which would be perfect for serving these:

I love felt food. I think I love it even more than my girls love it. Can you imagine a whole set of cookies and cupcakes to play with? This particular food is from Sugar Chic Baby.  I purchased our felt food from Sweet Confections, and I can't say enough good things about it. We bought a cookie jar full of cookies and they are adorable.  Sweet Confections is winding down her shop for the summer, but she'll be back in the fall with new creations.

"Bunny Likes Tea"  I've been loving Sara Jane Studios, and I think this print is adorable.   

Zen Shorts is great. It's so clever and tells three Zen tales in a really fun way.  We've also enjoyed Zen Ties, also by Jon J. Muth. It introduces the character of Koo as Stillater greets him with, "Hi, Koo".  Not surprisingly, Koo speaks in Haiku form.  Muth's books are clever enough to entertain adults, while teaching valuable traits to children.  Each book contains an explanation of the virtues and symbolism in the story, which is great for explaining the meaning of the story to older children.

I just can't seem to make it work. Martha and I have a difficult relationship. She (her staff) comes up with wonderful ideas, her photographers make it all look so beautiful, and her writers make it sound delicious.  Because I lack the staff, I end up with this:

 
Not nearly as beautiful as Martha's, but they came out delicious.  I used three mini marshmallows on each one (instead of half of a regular marshmallow), and they tasted great. Very cakey and chocolatey.  Two of my favorite things.

Before the Surprise Cookies, I tried making the Peanut Butter Brownies.  They were not as successful:

First, I misplaced my 9 inch square pan. No idea where it went. But the batter was ready and waiting at that point, so I pulled out the 9 inch cake pan. I didn't think there'd be a difference.  But once I poured in the batter, I realized the cake pan is not nearly as deep as my square pan. So...I couldn't use all of the peanut butter swirl. The ratio of peanut butter to chocolate was off.  

But both batters tasted great, so I still had faith it would work out.  Incidentally, given that the cake pan was not as thick as a square pan, I should have reduced the cooking time and/or the oven temperature. I did neither. So, the brownies turned out dry and crumbly instead of "rich and dense."  By the second day, they were practically inedible.

And, though I've yet to find a peanut butter recipe that mentions this, baking with natural peanut butter is NOT THE SAME as baking with regular peanut butter.  Comon sense to some, I'm sure, but I keep forgetting.  But it does make sense, because the natural stuff doesn't have the hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, etc. that gives other peanut butter that smooth texture and sweet taste.  So, these brownies are now the second or third baked good that I've caused to go awry with my Trader Joe's Organic Peanut Butter.  (Great for making sandwiches, though!)

Next time, Martha, I promise to do better. 

I think boredom is an opportunity.  Without fail, at every restaurant, I see children playing handheld video games instead of talking to their families.  In this overscheduled world where children move from one structured activity to the next, watching a quick movie in the car on the way, it is seemingly impossible for them to get bored.

As a parent, I feel the pressure to find something for my children to do. Something to stop the boredom. I admit, it's mostly laziness on my part. With the first ten minutes of boredom comes whining. Lots of whining. To make it stop, I'm tempted to turn on a movie or let them play on the computer.  But lately, I've tried to encourage boredom, so my kids can learn to entertain themselves. To make up games, to play with dolls, to use their imaginations.

The Creative Family has an entire section on play, and it's all creative. Some of the ideas are wonderful, like family drawing time, and some are classic, like dress up play. 

A great dress-up box can have just about anything in it, but I think a beautiful tutu is a necessity. This one is from Kennedy and Friends' Etsy shop. There's a huge variety of colors and even some special birthday tutus with confetti and pompoms mixed in.

Butterfly wings are also a fun addition to the dress-up box.  I had a friend whose youngest daughter ran errands one day in a pink leotard with construction paper wings pinned to the back. She was an extremely happy little butterfly with her impromptu wings.

Tiaras are also pretty standard princess garb, as are crowns, but I'm a big fan of flowers. It's something a little different and more natural than the plastic faux jeweled tiara.  

There are a million other things that are great in the dress up box. I was reminded recently that, when I was young, some of my favorite dress-up items were my grandma's shoes and old handbags.  I raided my own closet, and my "to donate" box, and came up with great scarves, glittery belts and old purses for my daughters to play with.  I've also set aside some old shoes that will be princess-worthy once they have a fresh coat of shimmery spray paint.