Second Birthday Party Project #5 ~ Gift

Here is the fifth and final project for The Boss' Second Birthday Party! (Thought I better post it before she turns three...jk).

One of my biggest pet peeves are houses that look like Toys R Us threw up in their living room.  There are a few reasons for this but the biggest is that the space no longer belongs to the family but the children and linked to this are all knids of other issues such as greed, entitlement ect.  Since The Boss is spoiled by family and friends Mr. D and I try to focus on one main gift rather than buying her everything in sight.  Don't get me wrong, we spoil her all the time (she loves Starbucks as much as her Mommy) but we are trying to teach her to enjoy what she has.

Last year it was her kitchen seen here, she LOVED it.  This year I really wanted to add a table for her to server her "guests".  While it took a little convincing Mr. D eventually saw the benefit in it and since then we have enjoyed many "romantic dinners" of coffee and soup served by an all too eager two year old waitress!

I purchased this table on Kijiji for $25.  We sanded and painted it to co-ordinate with The Boss' room.

We sanded and primed it first since it had a varnish on it.

I took The Boss to her room to get dressed and Mr. D brought out her table...she instantly knew what to do.  I think it was love at first sight.    She wasted no time at all.

We then took the table to her bedroom where she hosted her first tea party...and Mr. D again found himself wrapped right around her finger.  He swore he would NEVER sit at a little table drinking tea...

Looks pretty comfortable here to me.  Dad of the year, and the happiest two year old in town!

Linking up here:

Sugar and Dots
Domestically Speaking

Christmas Shopping for a Toddler Girl...

Christmas is my MOST favourite time of year.  

I love it even more than Fall!  

I think its because, unlike any other time of year, we make time to spend time with family, friends and co-workers to celebrate the season.  

Even though The Hubby is American, and it is against his inner core to start celebrating before Thanksgiving weekend, I have softened him a little so we start Christmas music and Christmas shopping as soon as Halloween is over.  

He even lets me decorate the weekend before Thanksgiving.  

What a guy!

All year long I have seen things I want to buy for the girl but have been holding out for Christmas.

It makes it more fun right?

I know thinking of ideas can sometimes be tricky so I thought I would share some of the beautiful things I am thinking of for the girl.

She will likely not be getting all of them but here is a starting point.

Happy Shopping!

1. A baby stroller for her to push her babies in. Pottery Barn Kids $79.00

2. Minnie Mouse Ears for everyday play. The Disney Store

3. Could these moccasins be any cuter? I would wear them inside and out. Target $14.99

4. Hand stamped silver baby bracelet. Julie the Fish Designs $54.00

5. Toddler size back pac for her stuff when we are on the plane. Skip* Hop $19.00
6. I absolutely adore this jumper.  Add bright tights and a long sleeved-t. Baby Gap $39.95
7. Every girl with growing hair needs some clips to keep it out of their eyes. Target $2.49
8. Baby Stella has magnetic accessories that attach to her mouth. Manhattan Toys $32.00
9. Child size table for crafts or tea parties. Ikea Table $39.99, Chair $19.99
10. Stylish yet cute to keep her warm in our cold weather. Target $10.00

Linking up here:

First Birthday Party Project #6- THE GIFT

This is it folks...the last post about The Boss' First Birthday Party.  It seems only appropriate as it was more than a month ago but, work is really getting in the way of my hobbies these days!  Don't worry if you missed anything, you can find all my projects here.

The final post is about her present, and let me tell you this was the most work, but the most fun and rewarding DIY for the party.  I decided to make her a play kitchen since one of my pet peeves/ fears about becoming a mother is that my house would turn into a Toys R Us.  While some of the toy/baby junk collecting is inevitable, I thought why not make her a play kitchen that way it can look pretty too!  I was inspired by a few I had seen others make, but first saw the idea on Dwellings By DeVore here and here.

This is what I started with...

and Finished with this...

Like I said before this took a long time.  I collected pieces for about 4 months before I got started, not because it would take you that long but because I was excited and enjoyed the process.  When my Nana decided to re-do her bedroom I jumped at the opportunity for a free side table.  I then collected from Anthropology (my splurge pieces- the drawer knobs and the apron hook), IKEA, Home Depot, The ReStore, Zellers (our Target), my favourite fabric store and my favourite thrift store.  I got my carpenter friend to cut the hole in the top of the side table for the "sink" (a serving bowl) and the "facet".  Once the holes were cut I sanded everything and my hubby attached the back.  We used a piece of MDF for the back, this made it heavy but it worked well.  

Here's a picture of The Boss (and her stuffed "Douglas") at Home Depot getting the MDF cut...she was probably about 8 months old here.  This is the picture on my phone because I love it so much! 

Once the back was attached I primed the entire piece and sprayed it PINK!  I did a few coats and let it dry then I sprayed the entire piece with polyurethane to keep it from chipping.  I then tapped off the area for the chalkboard and used chalkboard paint, once this dried I used wood glue to attach the frame.  My hubby then attached the "sink" and "facet" with a silicone adhesive, and attached my hook for the apron and the "towel bar" (a cupboard handle from IKEA).  The burners are a small floating shelf from IKEA that was hanging in The Boss' bedroom, I simply painted the burners on with black paint and attached two knobs with silicone adhesive. 

I found these great accessories at IKEA.  How perfect are these plush vegetables and this set of pots? 

I also made the Girl an apron...totally free hand.  It's not perfect but it does the job and looked so cute on her!  Maybe one day I will write a tutorial about it (email me if you really want to know!).

Baby Girl working hard in her Kitchen...

I'm linking to these parties:

Ladybug Blessings

Finding Fabulous 

Tatertots and Jello

The Trendy Treehouse

It's So Very Cheri

Hope Studios

Today's Creative Blog

Sugar and Dots

Domestically Speaking

The 36th Avenue

A Special Baby Girl {Part 2}

The other day I mentioned that my best friend was having a baby and I posted about one of my gifts for her here.  Along with the blanket I also made her some baby girl headbands.  That's right...don't invite me to a shower for a baby girl and think I am going to show up without a headband.  Don't worry baby...Auntie Chelsey has you covered!

Anyway, my best friend is working on her baby girl's nursery (I'll get her to guest post when she's finished) but right now she is struggling with the final touches.  She has a beautiful chandelier that I am envious of.  It is gorgeous glam for her baby girls room. The walls are light, the furniture is dark and the chandelier adds some glam.  She invited me and our other Besty over to help with a curtain crisis, once we worked out the drapes we were trying to figure out how to bring the room together.   It was decided that we needed some glass elements to add the girlie glam.  While I was at my local thrift store I noticed these GORGEOUS mason jars.  So I wrapped them up and gave them to my girl at her baby shower with the blanket.  I know, totally random!  Here's my thought...I put the baby girl bands on these and thought she could display them on a shelf.  The glass would pick up the crystals on the chandelier and be functional in holding baby girl bands.  I told her to give it a try on her shelf and see how it looked.  I am secretly hoping she returns them to me...look how nice they look on my dresser.

*Unfortunately I didn't get a shot of the jars with the headbands on them (Ugh I know)...but they were the perfect size to display them, they were pretty cute!

Baby Girl Tutu {made by a reader}

When I posted about The Boss' birthday outfit here, my sister emailed me right away for more details.  One of her close friends just adopted a beautiful little two year old girl.  My sister was attending her "Two Year Old" shower for these new parents and knew their Princess needed a Tutu.   Here is her finished project.  Good job Big Sis, I love the colour combo of this tutu!  My sister said it was so easy she is going to have to make one for her own Princess!

*If you make a project based on one of my tutorials I would love to see it.  Please email me at cheekydinheels@gmail.com