Diaper Cakes

I have had several friends that have had their first babies recently and I have made diaper cakes for them.  I start with a small bag of of diapers that I roll up and hold with rubberbands.  I roll up one diaper and then roll another around it and continue to layer them.  I make one round larger than the other for the different layers of the "cake".  I then wrap a receiving blanket around the outside.  I also custom embroider cloth diapers for burp cloths and I drap them over so the image is visible on the side of the cake.  I stack the layers and top it with a toy.  It is a fairly simple gift that always impresses, plus no wrapping necessary!

 

Simple Centerpieces

Here are a few different centerpieces I have made that are quick and easy to make.  The flowers can be placed in bud vases, mini clay pots or glass salt & pepper shakers from the dollar store.

Felt Flowers

Fold over a strip of felt and cut even slits throught he folded edge but not all the way through the width of the felt.  Roll the strip up from one end to the other and secure with floral wire.  Fluff the felt petals and place in vase.  You can layer differnt colors too for different looks.  You can also use them for other things like taping them to a pen and arranging the pens in a jar.  Then you have pens at hand but they look like pretty flowers.

Tissue Paper Flowers

Several layers of tissue paper and a little wire and you have a pretty flower.  The step by step directions can be found over at Hey Let's Make Stuff.

Plaster Flowers

Dip inexpensive fabric flowers from the dollar store into a thin plaster of paris mixture and you have porceline like flowers.  They can be placed in vases or perched on top of glass candle stick holders.

Baby Doll Crochet Dress

The baby doll in our church's nursery needed some new clothes.  I found this pattern called Sweetly for 10" dolls.  It was a quick and easy pattern and I am pleased with the results.

Airplane Baby Shower Favors

I helped with the decorations for a friend's baby shower recently.  She knew she was having a baby boy and they decorated the nursery in an airplane theme so we used an airplane theme for the shower too.  I found the idea for these cute favors on Craft Gawker and tweaked and personalized them for the shower.  With a few simple supplies and a little time these cute planes were quick and fun to make.  They take Smarties, Life Savers, a stick of gum and a rubberband.  I added a personalized wrapper to the stick of gum to make them extra special.  I think these would be a fun idea for a birthday party too or any airplane themed party for that matter.

Biennial Haircut Donation

My hair grows fairly quickly and is pretty healthy  so for the past 10 or so years I have been donating my hair to Locks of Love.  Locks of Love uses the hair to make wigs for children that have health problems that cause them to need wigs.  My hair usually grow fast enough to cut it every other year.  I let it grow an extra year this time.  My hair was long enough to reach my waist when pulled straight.  After it was cut I had 15 inches of curly hair or 18 inches when pulled straight.

Canning Frenzy

Throughout the summer and fall, as fruits come into season I prep them and freeze them.  Then I have a big canning day when I make jams, jellies, butters, sauces and marmalades.  After a very full day of canning, I had over seven and half dozen jars of various sizes filled with all sorts of yummy treats.  I usually try a couple new recipes each year and there are some tried-and-true recipes that I make each year.  This year, I made marmalade for the first time and look forward to making it again next year.  I also made apple peel jelly for the second or third time but this time I added mulling spices to give it a unique flavor.  I look forward to enjoying them and sharing them in the year ahead.

When life gives you lemons... make lemonade!

Following the old adage about lemons, when the Lord provided carrots I made Sunny Carrot Salad, Carrot Fritters and Carrot Pineapple Bread.  I needed a side to bring for a church activity and just in time the Lord provided a large bag of grated carrots.  I went searching for some recipes online and made 3 different recipes.  I enjoyed the combination of carrots, pineapple and raisins in the salad and the bread was good too.  The carrot fritters tasted fine but it was an unusual flavor combination for me.  It was a fried batter with sweet carrot pieces flavor.  I think they needed a sauce but I don't know what kind.  I didn't take the fritters to the church activity but I think everyone liked the bread and salad.

From Taste of Home's website