Happy National Reading Out Loud Day

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She calls it the Castle Box

 I call it the cardboard castle.
She calls it the catle box.
This was our first attempt at a diaper box renovation.
We made cardboard beds and combed through magazines to "furnish" our castle.

 Friends of all shapes and sizes are welcome at this castle. It's a peaceful kingdom with a gentle, happy Queen.  Can you tell we had left over stickers from Valentine's Day?

Well, hello you!

We simply cut the diaper box out, covered with this stone scrapbook paper, and added some accessories.  I think Nate Berkus would approve. :)  Well, this 2 yr old does.  Yes, that is Linny from the Wonder Pets visiting a McDonald's Happy Meal Toy Madame Alexander Red Riding Hood doll.  Like I said, all are welcome at the Caslte Box.

Snowman in March

A snowman in March?
Yep.
Welcome to Ohio.
The commute  this morning was a little white-knuckled but well worth it to make this crazy-haired, pickled-smiled guy.
Happy Wednesday!

Snow White's Cottage

 We had an empty diaper box and I asked, "What should we make?"  The response came quickly.  "Snow White's Cottage!".  So I began cutting away...
then we added paper to the exterior...
painted the interior...
and added "timbers" aka sticks from yesterday's walk.

 It took some paper, markers, hot glue, stciks, and time.

 The walls are pale pale yellow and the floors are turquoise.  Nice and sunny, right?

 Snow White even has a loft.

 Yes, that's a real oyster shell sink :)

 We need linens but it's almost done.

 I could only find 6 of my 7 dwarfs, so I made peg ones.

I think they work hard in the mines and sometimes bring their work home with them.

They are each other's cheerleaders

My girls are close.
I mean, so close.
They are different as night and dark but...they are each other's cheerleaders.
And THAT makes this momma proud.

Big Bag of Gems

 What do you do with a big bag of gems?  Well...you decorate a castle and...

 do patterning and...
(this would be great for a princess or pirate theme day at preschool)

 Sort by color and...

 Some of these gems are HUGE.

 It's a 1lb bag that I found at Michael's store.  The bag was $14.99 but I used a coupon.

 You can put them in the sensory table and "dig for treasure".
This container is the perfect toddler size sensory bin.

 The princesses have brought the gems home with them.

 The Lego castle was decorated with gems.

and the "castle box" was decorated too.

Steelers T-Shirt Quilt

 So...my brother in-law is a HUGE Steelers fan (that's is an understatement) and his birthday is tomorrow.  A couple weeks ago, my sister in-law asked me to make a t-shirt quilt.  "Sure!" I said.  Ask me today and I will say, "Never again."

 25 t-shirts later.
7 yards of black broadcloth.
2 1/3 yards of wool blanket batting.
14 hours.
2 boobins.
250+ pins.

 My first sign that this was not going to be an easy task was my mother (the woman who has made wedding dresses and prom dresses and princess dresses) said to me, "good luck with that." Ugh

 T-shirt fabric is difficult to work with.  It stretches.  It rolls up.  It does not play well with others. :)  Once we got the layout of the quilt, I began cutting.  I felt a pang of guilt for cutting into these expensive t-shirts.  My guilt turned to frustration because the fabric was not cooperating.  But, in the end, it all came together.

It measures 78 inches wide by 84 inches long.  It weighs about 10 lbs.  I hope he likes it.  Happy Birthday, Keven.
Mel