Kitchen Helper

Little Peachy received a very special Christmas gift from her grandpa. I have been wanting a way for Peachy to safely help me out in the kitchen. We have learned that she is not to be trusted standing, or sitting, on chairs. She will  bail off on a whim usually learning well the effects of gravity. I saw kitchen towers in several children's catalogs but really didn't like the price that was attached. I figured that my father would be able to replicate the commercial towers for us. I sent him a few links and away he went. It is such a blessing to have a someone who has the time, talent and tools for such things. :o) (You may remember that he also made Peachy's crib.) We couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

Peachy enjoying her kitchen helper.

Not such a good shot of Peachy, but a good shot of the entire kitchen helper.

You can't tell by the pictures, but I also asked that my dad make the tower able to fold up for storage. The platform can be folded up and the sides hinge in. Have I mentioned how much we love it??

Mitten Shirt

I can't say where I originally got the idea for this shirt. I want to say that I saw it last year at Gap, but after searching, I couldn't find it there anymore. I know that I have seen it a few places since then and each time I saw it, I was reminded of how cute and simple the idea was. I ended up whipping this up for the Little Peachster before our playgroup Christmas party. I really like that even though Christmas is over, she can still wear it all winter. I am always kind of bummed when I make a season specific shirt and then when that holiday is over I have to put it away. You know a turkey shirt in April just looks odd.
I purchased the shirt from Wal-Mart. I have had relatively good luck finding plain shirts in the Granimal department for very reasonable prices. I found a mitten outline through Google images and traced it onto the Heat and Bond Lite that I would iron on to the stripped fabric for the mittens. After cutting out the mittens, I placed 1/8 inch red ribbon at the top of one mitten on the shirt. I sewed around the mitten and then continued on to the ribbon up and around the back of the neck. I ended the ribbon where the other mitten would be placed and sewed around it as well. Fairly easy for such a cute outcome!

Merry Christmas 2010!!

Tasty Thursday (aka Foodie Friday a day early): Cinnamon Rolls

Christmas is definitely upon us. I have presents wrapped and under the tree. The stockings have been stuffed. Cookies are baked. Since we will be celebrating Christmas as a family today I also got up early to make cinnamon rolls. Right now they are rising, but soon the house will be filled with the delicious aroma of bread, sugar, and cinnamon. Mmm, what a great way to start the day!! My current favorite recipe is from allrecipes.com called Clone of a Cinnabon. To me it is the perfect ooey, gooey numminess that a cinnamon roll should be. And just when you think that it can't get any better, mix up a batch of the cream cheese frosting to top it all off. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup margarine, melted
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
•  
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
•  
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• Directions:
• 1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
  2. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  4. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.
• Since our bread machine is currently out of commission, I made the rolls today with my mixer the old fashioned way. :o) Just combine the warm milk and yeast, add in your sugar, margarine, salt and eggs. Mix in flour. Knead the dough into a ball. Place dough into a bowl, cover and let rise for about one hour. Then continue with the rolling out of the dough.
• 
  
• Have a merry and delicious Christmas!

Tutorial Tuesday: Felt Flowers

I spy with my little eye a Peachy finger!

I am totally addicted to these little lovelies! I started making them as soon as I saw them on the Tatertots and Jello site and haven't been able to stop myself from making more and more and more. I think that the count is up to 20 or more at this point.

And be warned, the addiction doesn't stop at making them. I have been adding them to everything from outfits, to bags, to my hair, presents, and trees. I have even started adding them to my friends. They are just so fun!

Lovely assistant, Lisa!

Beautiful Tara!

And the shy, but oh so gorgeous, Lori!