Crafty Kids

One of our Christmas gifts took a long time to create....
the girls went to a local ceramics shop and picked out just the right pieces that they wanted to work on. The hardest part about this whole process was the wait time. First they picked their pieces and had to wait until they were fired.
(We went in in mid November hoping to have it finished in time for Christmas, unfortunately we just missed a load to be fired and had to wait until mid January.)

They each decided they'd like to decorate a mug for Auntie Viki. Because she's our earthy friend the girls picked a blue and green glaze.

Once they saw how much fun sponging on glaze could be they moved on to a larger bowl (also for Auntie Viki).

AND a few pieces for themselves.

More waiting ....





Two more months!!!!

It's ready!!!

Look at how gorgeous the finished art is!!!:

And how proud my little artists are!

To make the piece even more personal, the girls added their hand prints inside in a very subtle grey colour.



I mentioned to Moto-Moto how much fun it was and then asked him if we could get a kiln so we could create all the time because a box of clay is cheap!!
He promptly told us NO!

Lucky for us a new pottery shop is due to open this month!!
The best part is that all pieces are already bisque and ready to glaze!!
We are already planning ahead to a Christmas craft party for the girls and their friends. (Psst, save the date for sometime early in November. This means you MKM, B, F, S and S!!)

Play Kitchen

This has been the biggest hit ....
we built CD a play kitchen for Christmas!

She had one of the plastic kitchens but it just wasn't giving her enough workspace to make all her cupcakes and treats (nor store all her ingredients, food, dishes and bake ware.)


We started collecting all the necessary pieces in the summer.
Supply list:

• entertainment stand =free on kijiji

This is what it started out looking like just after Moto-Moto cut out the top & sanded it all down for priming:

• extra cupboard doors = free on kijiji
• blinds = garage sale $1
• landscape photo for view from kitchen window = free recycled from an old frame
• fridge and stove handles and knobs = free from metal recycling depot
• burner = free from old bbq
  
• sink faucet = free (saved from reno)
• "sink" bowl = free from Mommy's cupboard
• pot holders & towels = $4 $rama
• primer = $10 needed something good to cover the old laminated furniture
• pink paint = $10 oops paint from Rona

Grand Total = $25
plus time it took for Moto-Moto to work on it.


We moved it downstairs just after it was primed and told her it was for Mommy's craft storage... both girls didn't question it even when Moto-Moto painted it pink.
Christmas Eve he put all the extras on to make it look like a kitchen.

We had a lot of tips and hints by looking at this one.

She played with it late into the evening on Christmas Day and most every day since!
I'm still on the look out for an old thin wall mounted phone (pink preferably) and maybe on the far left end of it adding a chalk board for her menu or grocery list... or maybe a framed poster of her favourite cupcake recipe!



We wanted to teach them that Christmas is more about making memories than receiving gifts.
This year we also cut down on buying and focused on 4 gifts (that we first saw here):

• something they want
• something they need
• something to wear
  

(The need and wear gift was a two in one.)

• something to read

and
a special ornament

Plus Santa brought them some little treats in their stocking.

Let it snow, let it snow,
let it snow!!

As soon as the girls got home today they jumped in the backyard to play in ALL the snow we got! I sure would have declared it a "snow day" but those are few and far between around here. I think we've had 2 in the last 20 years!!!

Winter is here!

First Day

The girls were so excited to pick out their outfits and
pack their bags for their first day!

CD was so happy to finally be going to daycare.

All summer she's been asking to go!
We are so lucky to have the same wonderful lady that took care of CJ also watch CD while we are at work!! I know that CD is well taken care of, having so much fun that it makes it a little easier to be back at work full-time. (Thanks C!!)

I cannot believe that CJ is in grade two already!

How'd that happen?!

Everyone had a good but very busy first week...
so looking forward to spending
3 days at home with my family!
Hopefully we`ll be able to take in the
fireworks festival this long weekend!!

Hope your week went well.
What are your plans this weekend?

Fairy Houses

Welcome Fairies!

We spent the morning making mud bricks ...

Enjoyed a great picnic lunch with a fabulous friend then the girls went around the yard gathering items to construct fairy homes. We saw the idea here
and have been waiting for a hot (dry) day to try it.

CJ found just the right items to size to make a chair, table and a little bed. I love the middle of a daisy that she used for the pillow. CJ spent a long time working her little fairy house.

CD reminded me of the Little Pig who built his house out of straw... get it done quick ~ go play in the sandbox and water table, slide, run around, play in the water, wash her wagon, swing, play on the monkey bars....

I wonder when the fairies will move in?!

Big Girl Party

Announcing Potty Princess

Today was Big Girl Day for CD. She is officially potty trained so we went all out celebrating today!
First she delivered all her pull-ups to Baby S.
She doesn't need them now that she's a Potty Princess!!

Some rides at the park gave her time to work on her royal wave.

One of CD's favorite people made her the sweetest cupcakes in the most adorable inspiration-filled-personalized cupcake box. We read some of the hopes, wishes and advice on the way home. (She really could write a book! It was beautiful, kind and very touching!!) Thank you special lady!
CD could hardly wait to get home to see what the cupcakes looked like.

An excited and breathtaking "WOW"!

We are so very proud of you Big Girl!
You are indeed our Princess!!
xoxoxo

(The announcement at the top is the little card she handed out to everyone today as she announced her arrival to all... "Announcing the Potty Princess, CD!"

Character Dining

We treated the girls to a few Character Dining experiences while on our trip. Moto-Moto's favorite meal was at Chefs de France at Epcot. We didn't tell the girls who would be visiting our table so they were greatly surprised when a cart came to our table, the waiter lifted the lid and there was Remy from Ratatouille!



CD thought he was so cute and loved how he squeaked back to her and nodded his head.

Check out how she is waving at him!


This is one of the few shots on our trip that CD is actually looking at the camera!


CJ enjoyed visiting with Remy too! He spent lots of time at our table (mostly because I blocked him in! We were seated at a corner and to get a good shot of CD interacting with him I pulled out a chair, put it right in front of the cart and had CD stand on it. Teehee)

CJ's other favourite was discovering that we love Creme Brulee!! We hadn't tried it before but since we were in "France" we thought we should. CJ and I nearly devoured the whole thing while Moto-Moto took CD to the washroom.


We had such fun on our holiday! I am so glad that I have over 1700 pictures to help us remember! Plus over 300 photos on our PhotoPass cd, that should be arriving this week! Plans are to go back in 4 or 5 years. Moto-Moto wants to drive to Florida!!

Kisses for Cupcakes

Little Cakes a la Saucy!

The girls were once again treated to little cakes from Saucy.
CD has Saucy curled around her little finger & is happy to exchange kisses for cupcakes!
Sassy & I agree it'd be a cute teeshirt!

These beautiful little treasures are what
we enjoyed after supper ~
one for each of us.

I tucked the girls into bed tonight, told them to have sweet dreams and think up names for each of the Little Cakes we enjoyed. They really are mini works of art!

We love your little cakes Saucy!
Anytime you want us to taste test them our Mommy will drive us over!

Thank you for my Little Cakes Saucy!

Christmas Projects at Studio 13

The girls and I were so fortunate to spend some creating time with
Sassy & the Sprout at Studio 13.
The girls created so many wonderful pieces out of clay!!

CD made many little ornaments that are now hanging on our tree, a few magnets and a one of a kind piece of artwork that I'll cherish forever! She went to work with a piece of clay and every little tool that Sassy handed her!

Sassy showed CJ how to make the cutest little bowls!
These little masterpieces are going to make a lot of people happy on Christmas morning!

Thanks again for sharing your time and studio with us!
We created a couple of special gifts in our own workshop for
Sassy & the Sprout that we delivered today!
Pop on over to Sassy's blog to check out what we made.

Little Cakes!!

The other night my darling 2 year old
wheeled out her luggage and said,

"Bye Mommy. Saucy's house. Make me little cakes!"

Now, I've made me some cupcakes around here and learned from the best but I guess they just aren't as good as Saucy's!! We ran into Saucy and the Fan on the weekend at the
fancy schmancy garden store downtown
while browsing for Christmas decorating ideas and I told them the story.... well just look what was delivered today!!

Little Cakes!!

She knew right away who they were from and was THRILLED!

What a lucky little girl!!
She definitely loves her LITTLE CAKES from SAUCY!

Thanks again for such a
sweet treat for our little lady!