The Best Bubbles Ever!

Oh, man...I have been meaning to post this for awhile but I kept on getting side-tracked by other things, rats for that!! Good thing you still have 2 months of summer left to get some use out of this post (and trust me you will!)

Okay, so the kidlets and I have really been enjoying our bubbles this summer. Noah and Penelope are both a great age for it plus it's the perfect activity for this momma to do while I sit on my butt in the heat and humidity :) Yay, for that!! Kids run around burning off all their energy and momma sits...yup, I'll take that kind of activity any day!!

Not sure if any of you have ever made your own homemade bubble solution before but if you haven't let me tell you...it's soooo easy!! And cheap!! You only need a few ingredients to make these rockin' bubbles and they are seriously the best bubbles I've ever had the pleasure of blowing or waving around with a wand...LOVE them!!

What did I tell you...these Bubbles rock!!

Have you ever enjoyed such an awesome bubble like this...and with homemade solution at that!?!

Ok, so this recipe is super easy, here is what you need:

The Best Bubbles Ever

6 cups water

2 cups Dawn dishwashing liquid

3/4 cup light corn syrup

Mix all ingredients together in a LARGE container of sorts...an empty water bottle, milk jug, etc. Shake everything up and let sit for a few hours. Pour into empty bubbles containers or dishes and go wild with your bubble wands!!

Yup, seriously...these 3 ingredients make the BEST BUBBLES EVER!!!

Pour all your ingredients into an empty containter, shake it up, and let it sit for a few hours!

Easy Peasy, right?

Now you are ready for some Bubble-Poppin' fun!

Go ahead, chase them down...

The faster you run, the more you can *POP*POP*POP*

Or grab a bucket and try to catch 'em in there...

I got this one!

Yeah, these are the Best Bubbles...

EVER!!!

Vinyl Tablecloth Changing Mat

Ok, so you all know my love for vinyl tablecloths lately, right? Well, here is yet another idea for all those fun tablecloths you are finding out there this summer...a changing mat for your little babe! So nice cause you can just wipe them clean if they get any yuck on them...and we all know they get some yuck on them! :)

And, since I have no clue if we are having a boy or a girl I have to use some of my baby crafting and sewing energy on my friends who are having/just had babies. Don't you love this blue and orange fish design!?!

The little mat, all folded up nice and pretty!

...and now it's ready for a dirty bum to clean!

So, what do ya think? Interested in making one? They are really easy...you need very little to put one of these puppies together! Alright, it's time to get to it!

Vinyl Tablecloth Changing Pad

1 vinyl tablecloth (any size)

piece of felt (I cut mine to 14 x 22 inches!)

rotary cutter and mat

1 package extra wide double fold bias tape in coordinating color

2 pieces of 12 inch long 7/8 inch ribbon in coordinating color

thread

sewing machine

So, here is my vinyl tablecloth...on clearance at Target for only $3.48...WOOT WOOT!

Ok, first cut 2 pieces of your tablecloth and 1 piece of felt to the dimensions you like, I cut all three of mine to measure 14 inches x 22 inches.

Then, place all three layers of material together so that you have a felt sandwich (vinyl tablecloth pieces on the outside) making sure the right sides of your tablecloth are facing out!

Go and find a bowl...or a CD...and place it at one corner of your stacked material. Cut around the bowl to make a nice curved edge.

Then, what I did was just fold the 3 layers in half and used the first corner I cut as a template for the other corners...comprendo? You could easily just use the bowl on all 4 corners but I wanted to make sure my corners were all the same cause I never seem to put the bowl in the same place every time!

See, four pretty (and equal) corners!

Ok, here is a peek at the felt sandwich...vinyl tablecloth, felt and vinyl tablecloth...with the right sides of the vinyl tablecloth facing out!

Next, take your bias tape and open it up so that you are placing the felt sandwich into the crease in the middle of your bias tape. Then, just sew your bias tape around the edges of your 3 layers of material. Make sure to sew nice and slowly so you are catching both sides of your bias tape!!

Then, at one of the short (14 inch) sides of your changing mat you will tuck in the two pieces of ribbon in between the bias tape and the vinyl tablecloth (do one ribbon per side and sew at the same time) placing it about 3 inches from the long (22 inch) edge. You can't see it here but the other piece of ribbon is directly underneath the ribbon you see in the picture...but on the other side in between the bias tape and the other vinyl tablecloth.

Ok, can you see here how I put a piece of ribbon on each side of the changing mat? And, do you see how it is on the short edge about 3 inches in from the long edge? This way you can fold the mat in half along the short edge and then in fourths lengthwise before you tie it up. Let me know if this is confusing, I'm feeling a bit wordy today.

Well, that is it folks...once you finish sewing your bias tape around the edge you can fold it up and tie it in a bow, like so...

So cute!

Now just get your diapers and wipes...

unfold this baby...

...and you are ready to diaper a cute little tush!

Now, tell me, who has an adorable baby's bum to wipe?

In style, that is!

Deceptively Delicious Winners!!

Yay! So it's My Birthday..uh huh, it's My Birthday...Woo Hoo!!

So, thank you so very much, really from the bottom of my heart, for all the Birthday Wishes, I'm feeling so warm and fuzzy all over :)

Today is even looking like a good day already, the sun is out, the hubs made breakfast and (GASP!) even decorated the house! I even have some love-ly presents to open up...hmmm, I wonder what they are!?!

And, oh yeah, other things happening today...the winners of the Deceptively Delicious cookbooks have been chosen via the Random Number Generator!!! So exciting...I love a good Give Away :)

Ok, so the winners are:

#6 HanaJean who said:

HanaJean said...

I have been a longtime lurker, a recent follower, and a first time commenter. Happy Birthday! I love it here.

JUNE 23, 2010 7:40 AM

and #83 the Jamison Family who said

Jamison Family said...

#1 Happy almost birthday to you!

#2 Pick me, pick me, PICK ME! Please :)

JUNE 23, 2010 12:12 PM

YAY you guys!!!

Ok, so please email me at SmashedPeasandCarrots(at)gmail.com and send me your addresses so I can get this awesome cookbook out to you ASAP!

Much Love and Happy Day to you all!!!

BBQ Beef Sandwiches...Crockpot Style!

Some days I just totally dig me some good 'ol BBQ beef. It's so yummy and saucy :) There's just something about summer that screams BBQ...am I right or am I right? The greatest thing is that I have a recipe for you that not only tastes great but is also made in the crockpot so it's super easy to make, especially if you are entertaining a crowd, and it's summertime, and you are pregnant, and it's freakin' humid outside.

This recipe takes the barbecue (grill-wise) out of BBQ and makes entertaining a snap...

Yee Haw!

Delish!

Ok, so here is how the recipe goes down:

Crockpot BBQ Beef Sandwiches

3-4 lbs Rump Roast, Chuck Roast or the like

1 12 oz bottle of root beer

1 18 oz bottle of barbecue sauce (I like to use Famous Dave's or Sweet Baby Ray's)

Place your side of beef in the crockpot and pour the bottle of root beer over top of it. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. About an hour before it's go time, pull the beef out of the crockpot and shred it up. Pour the root beer out of the crockpot. Place the shredded beef back in the crockpot and pour the bottle of barbecue sauce over it. Stir together and let simmer for about an hour. Serve on buns and enjoy a stress-free barbecue...Me Likey! :)

Ok, so there's my frozen rump roast and my bottle of root beer. In case your wondering the rootbeer gives the beef a nice sweet flavor to compliment the tang in the barbecue sauce...really good!! You could also use a can of coca-cola too but I think there is just something about the root beer!

Here is my beef all shredded up and ready for the barbecue sauce...the root beer is down the kitchen sink drain at this point.

I like to serve these sandwiches with these yummy pickle chips, Famous Dave's Signature Spicy kind. They are like a cross between a bread n' butter pickle (which I find absolutely yucky) and a spicy pickle...a waaay good combination if you can believe it!

Alright, I think it's time to eat!

Enjoy an easy weekend BBQ on me!

YUMMERS!

Giveaway: Deceptively Delicious Cookbooks!!

Soooo, yeah...have you guys heard of this book...

...Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. It's one of my favorite cookbooks. Especially handy if you puree or pureed baby food for your little one and have any leftovers in the freezer or if you just like to keep pureed foods on hand. There are so many yummy recipes in here as well as just all around great ideas for doing your own thing.

Anyways, my birthday is coming up on Saturday...yup, another year older and hopefully wiser :) So, I personally went out and bought two, count 'em two, of these books to give away to two of you to celebrate getting older and, of course, to thank you for coming by and reading my blog and following my crazy life and all my crazy projects. So...ya interested!?! Just click HERE to enter the Give Away!!

{The Elastic Band} Empire Waist Dress

So, I've been dying to make myself something fun to wear lately but being pregnant makes it hard to justify especially with only 5 weeks to go. But, this weekend I finally bit the bullet and made myself this little puppy:

Oh-So-Darling!

I figured it was the perfect thing to make because it could easily be worn after the baby comes and look just as cute cause of the empire waist. No fleeting last minute maternity wardrobe additions for me!!

Even better is the fact that I just used a tank top I had on hand that had some grease stains from me not wearing any aprons in the kitchen while I cook. Does this happen to anyone else? I swear I ruin waaay too many shirts with butter or EVOO splashes...so annoying!! Well, here is a great use for saving one from the throw-away pile!

Annnd what's even better is that I had a super cute dress to wear on Father's Day...yay for something cute to wear in the 90 degree humidity we have been "enjoying" this summer!

So whether your pregnant...

or not...

an Elastic Empire Waist Dress is so easy to sew you just have to make one for yourself!!

Or you can even make a smaller version for your little lady...

The instructions are the same just scaled down for your Mini Me!

A-dorable!!

Are ya ready?

Ok, here we go!

{The Elastic Band} Empire Waist Dress

1 tank top

2-inch wide elastic cut to the size of your measurement under your bust line (for your mini-me use 1 1/2 inch wide elastic)

fabric of your choice (1 and 1/2 x the length of your waist measurement for the width and cut it however long you would like it to be...I made mine hit at just above the knee)

rotary cutter and mat

sewing machine and coordinating thread

The goods...easy sewing project here we come!!

See, what did I say...grease spots!!

Ok, so first put your tank top on and mark where it would fall under your bust line. If you are serging the cut edge add about a 1/4 inch to your length. If you are using a regular sewing machine add about 1/2 inch so you can fold it under about 1/4 inch twice and hem.

Then, place the elastic band under your bust and add about an inch to the measurement. I know my elastic is white here but I had a change of color choice at the last minute!!

Then, zig zag stitch the elastic band into a tube overlapping the edges by about 1/2 inch. I zig zagged mine a few times for strength!!

Then, take your fabric and either hem (folding the fabric over 1/4 inch two times) or serge the top edge...where the elastic band will meet it.

Next, you are going to make a gathering stitch right under the hem (or serged edge). To make a gathering stitch you are going to use the longest and widest straight stitch and you are going to sew a straight line all the way across your fabric (at the width you measured at 1 1/2 x your under bust measurement). Do not backstitch at either end and leave long threads at both ends!

Then, pull the bottom thread (or the bobbin thread) and make nice gathers throughout the fabric until the length measures your elastic band.

Now, at this point I sewed my fabric into a tube but your could easily do this step right before your gathering step...it really makes no difference.

Then, just pin the skirt fabric, right side facing the elastic band, to the bottom of the elastic band and zig sag stitch it in place. Make sure your skirt seam and your elastic band seam are matched up too!

Then, pin your tank top, wrong side out, at the upper portion of the elastic band and zig zag into place too. Making sure your tank top side seam is matching the elastic band/skirt seam too!!

Lastly, flip your dress right side out and try it on to see where you would like the bottom hem to fall. Then just cut your fabric and hem it in place and you my friend are all done!

Woo Hoo!!

You just made yourself an Elastic Band Empire Waist Dress!!!

Sooo Pretty!

...and Stylish!!!!

Or, make one for your little lady!!

**FYI: Penny's elastic band measurement was 20 inches and her fabric width was 30 inches...she is 22 months old!**

Now, your Mini Me can stop and smell the flowers looking Oh-So-Cute!

Yup, now that's sweet!!

LOVE IT!