For monkey pants' 6th birthday I decided on a gingerbread house sort of theme since she was dressing up as Gretel for Halloween. We made it a fairy tale costume party. I tried to keep the cake as simple as possible. I figured a nine inch round with a fondant bow around it and a gingerbread house on top made with a kit wouldn't be too much work. The only thing was that I couldn't find any gingerbread house kits. Finally on the day before the party I found some Halloween kits that I had resolved to get and redecorate. But on a last minute trip to Costco (my favorite store) I was saved by this well priced ($10.00) gingerbread house kit that was already assembled! It's a Christmas one but I just added some fondant details to make it a little more Hansel and Gretel like. I have to admit, I was going for speed while decorating the gingerbread house and while I thought it was fabulous that the white icing was included in the kit I could not make anything neat look...

Crafting has been slow the past few months and I must admit I searched high and low for Hansel and Gretel costumes online and couldn't find any so alas, I was forced to make them myself. Yes, it's true I didn't want to do it. But here they are, and of course after they were done I was so glad I made them myself. I was a little concerned no one would be able to tell who they were dressed up as, but everyone recognized them as Hansel and Gretel right away. I used M6187 Misses'/Children's/Girls' Storybook Costumes pattern from McCall's view D. Can I just say how ridiculous the retail price is on these patterns now a days! $18.95! I did get at the "normal" 40% off price at the local chain sewing store, but that is still $11.37. Two days later, all McCall's patterns were on sale for $1.00 but of course this one was gone in the kid's sizes. I did buy the misses size at the dollar price in case I decided to make myself a costume late...

My little boy's favorite show is Super Why on PBS. His options are somewhat limited and very guided ; )  Trying to keep it simple.  Fondant, 2-tier cake with simple cut out decorations and printed Super Why figures on toothpicks.

When I saw this particular selection of fabrics ( Flora and Fauna by Patty Young -the nicest person ever) for the Kyoko dress pattern, I knew I had to make it. And not for monkey pants either. For my little niece who just turned four and because she has this same cute hair. And I have no shame in being a complete copy-catter.  I'm also excited that some of this fabric will be/is available in knits.  I know the green flower print is one of them and that's my favorite. This dress was really simple to make: no button holes, no zipper, no collar, no cuffs. Just mostly straight stitching, some gathering, and binding. And you know I love making that binding with my little binding tool. I also felt the need to make a little tag for it mostly to identify the size of the garment in case it eventually becomes a hand-me-down or something.  I used the June Taylor Fabric Sheets for Inkjet Printers folding in the outer edges and folding the entire tag in half.  It's a...

Actually, the real reason I haven't made anything is because I was going to make the Kyoko dress by Modkid and I cut the pattern out on my fabric, I have the pattern pieces, but I can't find the instruction booklet!  What the hell did I do with it.  I swear, when things get lost within the perimeter of my own house and I can't find them it makes me want to drive myself to the loony house. So, I've narrowed down the possibilities of where it can be: 1) It got lost in the shuffle of one of my purses as I am constantly switching the contents of one purse to another in a futile effort to be fashionable; 2) one of the house midgets took it and used it for a craft project, coloring on it, glue-ing it, and cutting it into a million pieces, 3) it is exactly where it should be; I just can't see it as my eyes are stupefied and blinded at the site of organization. What to do!?  I need it.  It's for my niece's fourth birthday next week.  I have no Plan B.  ...

OK, the reason I haven't made anything lately is because I've been wasting all my time entering Internet give-aways.  Just kidding.  No actually it's true.  Tea collection recently had a whole weeks worth of giveaways on Facebook for their 8th anniversary, yesterday another for See Kai Run shoes.  Cedarworks playsets had some a while back including a fund raising raffle for a school.  I even suffered through a terrible live web meet for a homeschooling core curriculum (I've been considering home schooling) last Tuesday.  So, I haven't won anything yet.  Nevertheless, I will persevere in this time-wasting endeavor.  A nd , if you would like to do the same with your time, here's a giveaway from GummyLump toys for three mini Automoblox cars.  You can kind of see a regular size car in my " Old Nursery " post on the wall shelf if you use a really strong magnifying glass.