Pippa turns 3

I can't believe my little girl is 3 today. With a baby boy due any second now we weren't sure how to celebrate her birthday. My friend Michelle has been fixing up this adorable little vintage camper for a while now and I had the idea to take Pip and let her celebrate with her favorite stuffed animals in this camper. Pippa thought this was the coolest thing ever (I do too!). Michelle has put ALOT of hard work into making it so beautiful. It kinda changed my whole perspective on camping in the best way.  If you see me camping it will probably be like this!

This girl loves cupcakes....

 

We love you Pippa Lou! And we are so proud of you. 

Little Girl Maxi Dress

We are weeks away from meeting our little boy and I think I've about cleaned everything in our house twice. Nesting mode has come. Yesterday I needed something non strenuous but just fun to work on. If you know me very well you know that I hate sewing. I love the idea of it but almost every time I go to start a project something happens with my machine that makes me turn into the hulk. My sister can agree with me on this one. If I sew it's gotta be quick, cute and SIMPLE...like really simple.

 

Weeks ago I had seen a photo floating around on Pinterest of a little toddler maxi dress listed on etsy for a whoppin $42! Uhm no thank you. But it looked easy enough for me to try.

My little girl is turning 3 in May (the week we are due!) and I decided with no pattern to figure out her size. Here's what I did.

1. Went to hobby lobby with my 40% off coupon of course and picked out a yard of cute jersey knit fabric.

2. Went to Walmart and found a $3 coordinating tank top (could use a plain shirt). I'm sure you can find them in clearance now that I know what I'm looking for if I see them marked down.

3. Went home and wrapped my fabric around her itty bitty waist and then doubled it so I would have room to add a few pleats. The girl needs to be able to walk in it! I left the dress super long (which she preferred "like elsa mom"). At the end you can cut desired length. NO HEMMING yes!

4. Sewed the side together.

5. Cut the tank top off at where I I wanted the fabric bottom part to start and then turned it inside out, pinned my fabric to it making little pleats and sewed together.

6. She tried it on, danced and I trimmed the bottom where I wanted it.

That's it. And since I used no pattern I think I can continue to make these over and over as she grows.

$6 bucks. No hitting the sewing machine. No hemming. Easy. Cute. My kind of project!

Pippa's Dollhouse

Ever since I found out I was having a girl, almost 3 years ago, I dreamed of making a dollhouse for her. I looked for a second hand dollhouse on craiglist and yardsales but just didn't see anything. So my kind father in law made me exactly what I had in mind. It turned out perfect! 

I'm working on this while I wait for our baby boy scheduled to arrive in May. It's given me something to do while I grow and am stuck inside during these winter months and yes I know life will soon get very busy caring for our little guy but I'm soaking up every last bit of rest and recreation time I can before he comes. 

    27 weeks 

I started by painting the entire house white.

I then decopauged scrapbook paper to the backs of the rooms for "wallpaper".  

Some of the furniture was found on eBay, some I purchased bits at a time from Hobby Lobby using my 40% off coupon they always have up on their website. 

A lot of the prints came from HGTV magazines. 

All my fabric was scraps I had and all the little tiny pieces were from a bag a lady in our church gave me.

 Some things came from around my house that I would find and make into something. 

Never underestimate a toothpaste cap and the power of spray paint to make a stool for the bedroom. 

This is one of the most fun projects I have gotten to play with, I mean "design" 😊.  I've been working on it room by room over a few months and it is so much fun to watch Pippa see it room by room and get all excited. 

I only have two more rooms left, the living room and an office. I will add photos once it's complete and I can let go of it.  :)