Itch to Stitch: Dress 3

My blogger pal, Sue, is doing a skirt a month this year and is posting the last Monday of the month, which is today.  See her skirt here.
I decided to join her.   I'm aiming to make a dress a month for the next 12 months for my little girl.  I do love a gorgeous little dress, especially a mama made one, on my little girl.  So, that's the plan.
Dress one: Here.
Dress two: Here.

And here's this month's.

 And here she is in it. It's a McCalls pattern and I made it a bit big so it will hopefully last. I was hopeful for spring.  Or perhaps I say I am still hopeful for spring. It looks a bit like a nightgown I said to my husband, but he told me not to worry. Anyway, she's clutching a mama made doll. :)

 

I think it's even mighty cute when she's in trouble too. (She's still 'hiding', so we cant' find her, when she's in trouble. She finds the best spots to hide.)

Dress 3 down.

What shall next month bring? I have no idea, but I did promise another dress.  

Those chicks...

One thing for sure,

 if these eggs actually hatch, they will have a higher IQ than any other chick out there.

That's for certain.

And when they are such that he can hold them, you better bet there will be a number of similar activities on their agenda their first couple months of life.

 

 Oh, I'm excited to have another year of baby chicks with my littles. And hopefully this year, sweet girl can be in more pictures (last year she tried to decapitate if left unsupervised for a nanosecond. Needless to say, she is not in very many baby chick photos from last year.)  Feathered fun.  Nothing beats it.

There was an old woman...

"Mama, is that the shoe?"
The boot?
"No mama, the shoe the old woman lived in. The one who had so many children she didn't know what to do."

 Not exactly little one, but if you care to imagine as such, I will not convince you otherwise.

This weekend, may you see that which you have seen a gazillion times before from a new angle.

 May you squeeze the hand of that person you love best.

 And in the middle of what could feel/appear chaotic, may you carve out just a bit of time for you-to read, do a little art or color a bird.

It's the weekend, friends. Make the most out of it.

Thrifted. Updates. Randoms.

1) Thrifted.

I hit the motherload of wool, I tell you.  Actually I saw it all, went home and said to myself I didn't need it. I thought about it all night and went back the next day. All of this picture above: 100% wool and angora, for $17.00.  Just one skein has a price tag higher than that.  I'm not much of a knitter, but I do enjoy doll making. So that's what I have in mind for all this.  It's beautiful stuff, I tell you.

And another load...

 A lobster strainer (which I used in our barn play zone for child sized rakes), a couple of doilies for my cousin's wedding, a wooden leaf bowl, a salad dressing jar/bud vase and a latching container (which I am loving these).  $5.50.

And in case you find her stuck in the lobster pot,

 Know that it might be the perfect spot for reading books.

 Updates.

I painted the kitchen. Again. It's a darker color this time around.

My husband has been off of work and has been really helpful with the animals.  Which is great, but I miss being their sole caretaker sometimes.  But then I remember it's cold out there, so I'm thankful.

Our incubator has eggs in it, but there have been two mishaps and I'm pretty confident they won't come out. That's okay, we'll try again.

I bought a fifty pound bag of barley and have ideas.  We shall see how far I get with said ideas.

We've had quite the construction crew around these parts lately, thankful for them.

I have more animals to share with you (that's right, plural), so I really ought to get taking pictures.

And I have a dress made that you'll see on Monday for sweet girl.

Did I say we're itching for spring? Well, we are. Make no mistake about that.

3) Randoms.

He's 3 1/2, but still wants to be a 'roo' (kangaroo) here and there. I don't refuse those requests, let me tell you. Nothing like a baby close to his mama...even if said baby talks in paragraphs and is barely fitting in said carrier.  He doesn't seem to mind and quite frankly, neither do I.

Oh winter...

Oh winter.  I'm tired of you. I'm usually not, but right now, I am.  30-40 mph winds paired with below freezing temps means my pipes will likely fall into the below freezing zone as well if we're not careful. 18 times I've thawed pipes this winter. I'd like to not make it 19 thank.you.very.much.

Alas, we have more winter.  And when there's a momentous break of the gusting winds, we try very hard to get out there, even for a few moments.

Believe it or not, it's been winter forever, and we found something new to do in our yard.  The glorious part of cross country skis and sleds paired with a slight bit of decline on snow that more resembles ice=speed.

So...there you have it.  The one last thing we figured out that was fun about winter that we just couldn't miss.  We did it all now-we've done all winter has to offer time and time again.  And now, it's time for the sap to start running, our boots to get muddy and to uncover the strawberries from hibernation, rototill the garden and to pull  weeds from the flower beds.  Spring, we're ready to spring into you, full throttle.

Chocolate Chip Coconut Graham Bars

So the cookie cake , as you know, as been one of my *in a jiffy* desserts that I make when I need something quick. (Dessert is a 'need', isn't it?).  Well, I have another super duper quick recipe that I have used since I was in high school as a quick emergency dessert. It's different than the cookie cake yes, but it has the same marvelous appeal in my house.  I posted this recipe when I first started blogging (in 2011), when only my BFFs were reading the blog. Now my readers have expanded exponentially and I think you newer readers deserve this goodness too. 

They're adapted from a graham cracker box recipe that I found in high school.  Don't remember which brand.  Everyone loves them and they are a great quick recipe to whip together. Enjoy!

Chocolate Coconut Graham Bars

1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/8 cup milk
1 sleeve of crushed graham crackers
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut

Mix butter, bwn sugar, egg and milk.  Add graham crackers, stir until all crackers are moist.  Add chocolate chips and coconut.  Press into greased 9x9 pan (I usually use the bottom of my measuring cup). Bake 350 for 1/2 hour.