challenge accepted.

Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) would be proud. :)

Operation birthday present is underway.
After we tackled our kitchen project, well it was on to another big project for our little peanut.

Todd setup a large workspace for me.

 

and every day I wander down to my workshop for about 3 hours of work time on the secret project.  That's right my girl, 3 hours every day, so let's plan on this being one of those fun gifts that you keep forever and pass on down to your own children and grandchildren. ;)



 

 

Jokes aside, I love fun new projects.  Todd and I are both crafty.  And I love a new challenge.

So, challenge accepted.

Can't wait for the big birthday reveal. :)

valentine crafts.

As soon as the Christmas decor came down, the very next day Quinn and I spent an entire afternoon filling some of the now empty space after quickly deciding to decorate a little for Valentine's Day this year. :)
I called in my favorite artist...

 

and had her get to work right away on a new canvas masterpiece.

 



 

 

 

By the end of the day Quinn and I had added several valentine touches to our home. :) 

1.  Quinn's LOVE canvas.

2.  XO cardboard letters wrapped in yarn.

3.  a yarn and felt hearts banner.

4. a few valentine prints replacing Christmas ones.

 



 

 

You may remember this from my Christmas crafting, well I decided I didn't want to take it down quite yet, so we replaced the two prints and simply added two red felt hearts to the wreath to change it from our Christmas decor to Valentine. :)

 



 



new year's eve.

The first new year's eve in our four years together that we didn't spend at home. :) We dressed up, put our baby girl to bed, and headed out for a night of fun. (Leaving Quinny home under the care of grandma and grandpa.) We celebrated ringing in the new year with a surprise 30th birthday for our dear friend Kristin.
A fun-filled way to start a new year. 
To a wonderful, simply fun 2013.

first and second.

Quinn's first Christmas in our old home and second in our new home. :)

the next great baker.

yes, that is a Cake Boss reference.

and yes...this is the cutest little baker you ever did see.

For Quinn's Christmas this year we wanted to give her something extra special.  Every time we play at someone else's house the play kitchen draws her in and she is there for as long as she can be.  We knew a play kitchen was on her wishlist.  And because her mommy and daddy like to be crafty, we decided to build a play kitchen from scratch for her.  A little extra special when mommy and daddy put so much love and care into building it themselves... plus it was just fun for us to do too. :)

I drew up a sketch and did all the measurements.
Todd gathered any materials we already had that could be used.
We started a list of things to buy that we didn't already have.
Todd got to work on the construction/building portion of it.

We shared the duty of painting it with several coats of "feeling blue", the just right shade of blue/grey I was looking for.

Then came all the hinges for the doors, hooks for hanging things, a bowl for a sink and the old sink faucet we took out of the new house when we replaced it.
Slapped up some clearance backsplash, some leftover beadboard and trim from our downstairs bathroom project, hung up a picture frame, painted a new little chalkboard, a cookie sheet to play with magnets, a ruffle curtain made by grandma, added a heart light fixture (from the $1 store)...and it all just started to come together to when Quinn found this under (near) the Christmas tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cookies anyone?

 

to a joyful new year.