Diaper baby shower bassinet

This is another cute baby shower decoration or could be a gift, a bassinet made of diapers. Another pretty easy to make once you know how, just have fun decorating it. 
Once again these are my first ones I will do a tutorial later on both the cake and bassinet as soon as I get some more ribbon and diapers. Gonna try size 2 next time. Also I am going to use Pampers since they don't have the design on them which I found for the diaper across the top that showed up more..

Side view of the bassinet I didn't put any wheels on mine some people do thinking theirs are  strollers maybe?

This is the very front of it just a little bow since it is a small space and I used two ribbons because I used two rubber bands around the diapers it was trying to flare out around the bottom. I also need more rubber bands need to make a list..

Front side sorry about the crooked pictures.. I have a onesie for the blanket and a matching bib rolled up for the pillow these were thicker since they came from Penny's so they took a little more room but in person it looks really cute.

Side view this is where you can see the print on the Huggie diaper it is ok but Micky and Minnie are upside down. lol

Top view of the bassinet you can see the shirt or onesie a bit better here this is what I had in the house have a friend who is having a baby, she will be getting these.

Here are the two together kind of went with a Noah's ark/jungle theme I hope she likes them. I will do step by steps of each on the next ones.

Diaper Cake for a Baby Shower

I have been wanting to try making a diaper cake for awhile now I looked for directions on line found several different ones you can Google them or I  searched for diaper cakes on Pinterest and found the directions.  I then did it my own way in the end but aren't directions there to get us started? Plus they really are pretty simple to make. Rubber bands or not which seems to be the biggest debate about these.. I didn't use rubber bands mainly because I didn't have any but I didn't need them either.
 
These are not real complected  to make and don't take a lot of time however the ribbon gets kind of expensive and the little baby things can also. If anyone knows a good place to buy ribbon please let me know.

The first thing I learned while making my first diaper cake is to buy pampers as they do NOT have a design on them. The design on my Huggies ended up not showing up anyway but I had to make sure to use enough ribbon to cover it. To make a fuller cake you can use size 2 diapers but then the new Mom can't use them right away. I would probably want the cake to sit in the nursery for awhile myself. I used the size 1 so she could use them right away..

I bought some white foam board at Dollar tree and traced around a tray which was about an inch larger than my largest cake pan I would be using. It didn't take much time with a craft knife also bought at the Dollar tree to cut the circle out and I could get at least three maybe more out of it.

I then cut some Noahs ark fabric I happen to have in a circle and hot glued that to the board Just turn it under and glue. Cut off excess fabric if you cut it too large I didn't and had to stretch mine a bit which worked out well. You don't need to do this as it hardly shows up but I did glue that small blue ribbon around the board after I covered it.

There are several different ways to do this and I will be posting my how too soon. Some people roll the diapers and put rubber bands on them to hold them in place, I didn't. I folded the diapers in half and used three Wilton cake pans to lay then in. Put something in the middle I used for the largest pan a large can of Spaghetti sauce it just keeps the diapers for moving all around once you get the diapers in place, you remove the can and roll diapers to fill the middle where the can was at. I also saw one lady had used a paper towel cardboard roll I think this is an awesome idea but I saw that after I was almost finished with mine so next time going to do that in the middle would hold the cake together also.

Once you get all of your diapers in your pan rather you have rolled or folded them tie a thin ribbon around them. Just to hold them in place and then you move on and do the next two layers in my case. The pans worked great for holding the diapers and if this hadn't been my first one I am sure it would have gone pretty fast.

Once you have all the cake layers done and on the top one because it was so small I did roll the diapers. I kind of combined a couple of ways cause well that's what I do.

When you have all your layers finished in my case it was three. Figure out how you want your ribbons. I just guessed when I was shopping at what I would need. You definitely need wide ribbon  to help hold the diapers securely. They don't need to be super tight but snug if you are going to be adding things inside like I ended up doing. I used my hot glue gun to glue the ends of the ribbon together.

I wanted my stuff animal to stay on my top layer so I tied a ribbon on him and ran it down the center of that layer and then tied it to an empty ribbon spool I removed a couple of diapers in the middle layer and place the ribbon spool inside that connects those two layers which you don't have to do and can still be easily taken apart again.

I picked up some small baby shampoo, lotion and baby wash next time I will get 2 of each so that they go all the way around. You can place those inside your larger ribbon. I also got those really cute stuff rattles from Walmart Love those and they fit in so perfectly. I also got some soft Velcro sports balls I use to hang things like these on the shopping cart to keep my youngest entertained while I shopped. I got two nuk pacifiers they are tied on the top layer the ribbon is tied to the giraffe.  I make a bow with the left over ribbon and tied that to his neck. I also bought a brush and comb which and placed into the middle layers ribbon. Just make sure you secure the ribbons.

So here it is my first diaper cake now which one of the three expecting mothers is going to get this one? Two are having boys which is why I went with the boy theme. I am really wanting to do a girlie one next. I think I am hooked!!


Next time I will take pictures of the process so you get a better understanding of how these are done. I don't know who came up with this idea but I love it. There is also a stroller will be trying that one soon as well!!

How to get shoes clean

I was sorting through clothes and toys today, trying to get something ready for a garage sale.
I came across a pair of white Reebok shoes I have bought for my middle son they had been sitting in a closet and were looking pretty worn out but just the right size for his younger brother. My Mother in law had told me years ago to use soft scrub to clean shoes.. Well it worked back then and it worked today.
I did have to use an old toothbrush as my boys really like playing in the mud and dirt it tends to follow them where ever they go..

one pair of dirty shoes and some soft scrub

liberally squeeze some on the shoe and since these were so bad I used an old toothbrush and swirled it around. This has bleach in it but it didn't bother the red and blue trim on the shoes.

Wipe off with a wet cloth and looking good!

They look almost new again and at least will give us an extra pair of shoes for the summer.

Easy bridal shower cake decorating

Finished cake at my daughter's bridal shower

The Cake is an essential element for any celebration! You don't have to pay a lot of money or put in a lot of time, however adding some creative details and decorations to even the simplest of cakes can really make it special and unique as the bride herself.

When my daughter got engaged she wanted the two of us to make her cake. I did a cake for her sisters wedding a said I would never do another one but never say never.. We did the wedding cake together which was a lot of fun!

She and her husband had an outdoor wedding in the what is called the Calendar Garden which is full of flowers so we wanted to put flowers on the cake itself.

My daughter came up with most of this design for the flowers on top and how to keep them out of the frosting we did both play around with it until we got what we both liked. 

You will need the circle of cardboard cake plates one smaller size than what your cake will be sitting on, for the topper. Wire cutters, glue gun, wax paper and lots of flowers!

Using the hot glue gun, glue the leaves around the outer edge sticking out just a bit to cover the white cardboard. The leaves are pretty easy to cut off the stems of the flowers you will be using later.

Just keep going in a circular pattern pretty easy and doesn't really take that long I did this whole cake in a day.

 Next glue on another row of leaves and then the the middle leaves just like you did the first row.

 Start gluing down your flowers I left part of the stem on and glued that part down sometimes you have to glue the flower itself too.

Just keep layering the flowers around your circle just like you did the leaves.

 

Once it is full it should look like a bouquet.

Use another one of the same size circle and trace out on wax or parchment paper and cut out the circle you need to glue this to the cardboard so it wont stick in the icing..

When you put the two layers of cake on the card board you want to also put a circle the same size of wax paper on that also.

I used a damp washcloth and gently wiped off all of the leaves and flowers before I decorated with them.

Set your leaves in first all the way around I did two sticking out from each flower

Push the flower stem under the wax paper that way when they are taken out and the cake is cut there aren't any stems in the cake itself.

This is the cake without the topper All you have to do is center it up on the top of the cake and lay it easily right on top. This one came up very easily with the wax paper but I think parchment would do even better. The wedding cake stuck just a little bit in the frosting.

Cake all put together with Topping took me a couple of hours not counting baking the cake to do this. It is really very simple and looks beautiful.

This is the bridal shower cake very simple and easy once you get the idea. I will blog the wedding cake a bit later. Have some baking tips also I learned after doing a few of these now. :)
Thanks for reading and if you have any questions feel free to ask!!
Happy baking and cake decorating!!

Easter dress for Emma our little princess/Diva

I wanted to make my grand-daughters Easter dresses this year, this is the one I made for Emma. She loves pretty things and is our little princess ~ Diva. 

Emma hunting eggs, I got her this little denim jacket and I thought it was kind of cute with the dress wasn't the plan but it worked.

The top and waist. I just took the sheer fabric in Purple and gathered it into two spots and sewed the two bows on the waist. The over skirt is done with the same sheer fabric only in pink. I also made two small bows and put them on the shoulder I was thrilled with my seams..

Emma hunting Easter eggs, she loved her dress and hunting eggs at Nana's house!

I bought a simply patter and then just added my own things like the bows, the over skirt and the belt out of sheer fabric. If anyone would like the pattern number I would be happy to share it.

Eating better and getting healthier!

My 2nd time cooking Almond chicken it was awesome!

Almond Chicken - I saw this recipe on Dr.OZ http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/almond-crusted-chicken-sweet-potatoes-and-asparagus
This is the original recipe from DR. Oz website. I did it with the asparagus the first time, I don't think I roasted that part long enough but everything else was great!!!

Ingredients
Serves 2


1/2 cup whole almonds, finely chopped
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, preferably pasture raised
1/2 lb fresh asparagus with the ends trimmed
1 large sweet potato
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 450° F, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small food processor, add the whole almonds and chop fine. Lay a piece of parchment on a flat surface. Sprinkle chopped almonds on top of parchment. Lay chicken on parchment paper. Coat each piece of chicken with the mustard and dredge in the almonds. Place coated chicken breasts on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Lay asparagus next to the chicken breasts. Slice the sweet potato into thin circles and lay next to asparagus. Lightly spray chicken, potatoes and asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cookie sheet in the oven. Bake for 10-13 minutes until chicken feels firm to the touch and is cooked through.

Recipe courtesy of Laurie Erickson

These are pictures of my second Almond chicken venture both were good but I learned that I need a food processor for those almonds.. Hammer and ziplock bag in a kitchen towel worked well. I love the taste of the mustard too I ran out of almonds and just dipped a couple of pieces in the mustard and cooked them like that.

I decided to make this one with fresh spinach and some tomatoes for a salad. I use fat free french my kids like ranch on theirs.. I also roasted the baby carrots right along with the sweet potatoes.

Add caption

I have a family of 5 so I cooked a LOT more chicken took up large cookie sheet alone and then did the sweet potatoes and baby carrots on another cookie sheet. I sprayed them with butter flavored cooking spray it gives them a little of buttery flavor and they look better.. I just didn't have any olive oil left.

I am determined to get healthy and will be posted other recipes and how they tasted soon.
I have lost only 5 lbs so far but just really kicked into high gear since Easter will see how it goes!!

My rating for this Almond chicken is an A++ I will be cooking it again really soon my entire family loves it!!!

Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter

 Holy week is the week leading up to Easter day. Starting with Palm Sunday when Jesus rode on a donkey and the people waved palm leaves and asked him to save them. Then there is "spy Wednesday",as a reference to the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot, followed by Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Great Saturday and ending with Easter day. 


Palm Sunday ~Is traditionally celebrated on the Sunday before Easter, in our church we pass out palm branches, some churches only give them to the children who walk in waving them in celebration of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, and the celebrating people there lay down their cloaks in front of him, and also lay down small branches of trees.

Spy Wednesday - (Which I just learned about )A reference to the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot.

Maundy Thursday, also called Holy Thursday Great and Holy Thursday Thursday of Mysteries Covenant Thursday and Sheer Thursday.
The word “Maundy” is derived from the Latin word for “command.” The “Maundy” in Maundy Thursday refers to the command Jesus gave to the disciples at the Last Supper, that they should love and serve one another.

"The Lord's Supper points to Jesus Christ, whose body was given for us and whose shed blood established the new covenant.  In sharing the bread and cup, each believer remembers the death of Jesus and God's act of deliverance in raising Jesus from the dead. As we relive this event with a common meal, we give thanks for all God's acts of deliverance in the past and present, for the forgiveness of sins, and for God's continuing grace in our lives."

In our church which is Mennonite, the lights are dim a short message remembering what lead up to the death of Jesus and a prayer. There is then a small meal usually of consisting of a soup. Foot washing and Communion.

John 13:14-17, He instructs them, 14 "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet." 15 "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." 16 "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him." 17 "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."

Good Friday -Many Christian churches celebrate Good Friday with a solemn service, usually in the evening, the lights are turned down low in some services. Christ’s death is remembered with solemn hymns, prayers of thanksgiving, a message centered on Jesus suffering to save all of us from our sins. As Christians, the events of that day should be ever on our minds because the death of Christ on the cross is the paramount event of the Christian faith.

Holy Saturday - Is the Saturday before Easter, the last day of Lent and the day when Christ's body lay in His Tomb. In the early church Holy Saturday was a day of fasting and preparation for the Easter Vigil. In the early church this was always the time to baptize or 'christen' new Christian converts . They were then ready to take their first communion on Easter Sunday, the day of Resurrection. Christian baptisms symbolism death and resurrection and so it is very fitting for them to take place at this time of year. Most churches do not have a service on this day.

EASTER - Easter, which celebrates Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead, is Christianity's most important holiday. Christians celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year for Christian churches.
Christians believe, according to Scripture, that Jesus came back to life, or was raised from the dead, three days after his death on the cross.
It has been called a moveable feast because it doesn't fall on a set date every year, as most holidays do. Instead, Christian churches in the West celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21. Therefore, Easter is observed anywhere between March 22 and April 25 every year.

We as Christians celebrate our new lives in Christ. He died for our sins on the cross and was raised again after three days. I found a wonderful children's books called What is Easter by Michelle Medlock Adams. This is for younger children and I love the easy way it explains things. Easter is not about eggs or candy it is about the gift God gave to all of us, his son!

Thanks for reading!! God bless you and may you have a wonderful and blessed Holy week and a happy Resurrection or Easter!!


resources: http://www.mennolink.org/doc/cof/art.13.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maundy_Thursday
http://christianity.about.com/od/holidaytips/qt/whatisgoodfrida.htm


My own experiences