A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week

                       14 weeks 

A daughter is a bundle of firsts that excite and delight, giggles that come from deep inside and are always contagious, everything wonderful and precious and your love for her knows no bounds.
              -- Barbara Cage

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week

13 weeks

A baby girl...one of the most beautiful miracles in life, one of the greatest joys we can ever know, and one of the reasons why there is a little extra sunshine, laughter and happiness in your world today. 

-- Author Unknown 

Her smile melts my heart

Her (not so) little yawns are the best

Decoupage and Peacock feather....PINTASTIC OR PINTASTROPHE

PINTASTIC!

Our bedroom is done if jeweled tones with Peacock accents....(from past posted, you know how much I LOVE the Peacock).  I don't want to GIRLY our room, so I've made sure that the peacock is done in subtle ways.  When I came across this picture on Pinterest, I knew I just HAD to attempt it.

Supplies I used-
a white canvas
paint brush
acrylic paint ( I mixed purple and black to get an eggplant color)
Peacock feathers
scissors
hot glue
newspaper (to lay the canvas on)

I painted the whole canvas, including the sides with the color I mixed to match my room (purple and black)...It took 4 coats before I liked out dark it was.

The original project called for either elmer's glue or modge-podge to attach the feathers...well...Me being me (means SUPER impatient when it comes to new projects) I decided to attach the feathers to the canvas with wet paint.  Two reasons (1) I didn't have the glue or the modge-podge on hand (2) I wanted to feather to keep their texture.  

I patted down the top of the feathers so that they folded down over the side of the canvas.

After I had attached the three feathers, I used a tiny bit of hot glue to attach the bottom of the stems to the canvas.  Then with the scissors I trimmed the stems to line up with the canvas. 

HERE is the original post for this project.

Mommy & Baby Blog Hop....GUEST HOST

Join us for Mommy & Baby blog hop, week 4! Link up with us below to share your mommy, baby or pregnancy related blog post and to explore new blogs.

Last weeks most viewed post...

Alyssa from,At Home with Avery

Check out her first Mother's Day Post, sharing her special day with her beautiful daughter, Avery.

The Rules
1. Follow the two hosts
2. Follow our weekly guest host
3. Link up your blog post!

Follow the Hosts

Follow along with Angela at Harper, Home and Happiness

Follow along with Katie at My Blossoming Bud

Follow our weekly guest host(s)
This week we have two!

Welcome Hollie, from Timing is Everything

Stop by her blog and say hello!

 She's got a great baby blog! Documenting her experience as a new mom to baby girl, Aubrie. and LOTS of baby DIY projects :)

Our other guest host...

Sara from, Newlyweds in New Jersey

Sarah also had the most viewed post in last weeks blog hop! If you didn't check her blog out last week, do it :) She's a first time mom to sweet baby girl, Londyn.

 Linking up is a great way to meet other bloggers, gain new followers, share ideas, stories and life experiences.

If you want to guest host one week, contact Angela at

angelamelsey{at}gmail{dot}com 

We'd love to feature your blog!

Lets Link Up!
Just click on the "add link" button below

     

3 Months old

Monday was Lil Miss' 3 month Birthday

I have officially decided that I have "goggles" on when it comes to seeing how big she's getting...I swear she still wears newborn.  I can't tell you how many times I've picked up an outfit and said "this is still too big, but I'll put it on her since we are just at home today"....and come to find out IT FITS (see the last picture I posted)....<insert sad face>.  Then there are times that I see those cute little rolls on her legs and the start of a double chin and I think... sha bebe, you REALLY are growing every day. 

Height-  24 1/2"

Weight- dad got on the scale to weigh you and you are 12.4lbs

Your sleeping patterns- Lil Miss, you LOVE to sleep...and I thank the Lord you do.  This momma is so rested.  THANK YOU.  You go to bed around 10 and sleep till 9 most days, with two feedings during that stretch. 

Your feeding schedule- You have a very good appetite...I'm still exclusively breastfeeding you, so you eat every 1 1/2-2 hours during the day. 

Some sounds and motions you make are- You are smiling and laughing so much.  You have found your hands and you LOVE to suck on that fist.  In the mornings you are so much fun... you talk and talk to as we get ready for the day.  You have started cooing a lot too.  

This month, you really like- You are finally started to like your stroller (YAY) and beginning to enjoy your bouncing chair (I said starting to....right now you only sit in it for about 15-20 minutes while I start dinner).

Your dislikes- Your carseat at night....Lordy-lordy...you have some vocals on you when you are pissed. 

Your favorite toys and games are- You LOVE your Sophie the Giraffe and the lil sheep on your swing mobile and when we sing or make funny noises at you. 

Her Sophie

My sleeping beauty

Enjoying the beautiful weather we've been having.

(outfit I was FOR SURE did not fit....)

DIY Lil Girl Onesie Bikini.......PINTASTIC OR PINTASTROPHE?

PINTASTROPHE!

Big FAT boo......

I can across this PIN about a week ago and I knew I just HAD to attempt it.  We have a birthday pool party to attend at the end of May, and personally....I just am not a fan of lil babes in bikinis...I just can't do it.  PLUS....babes don't need to be exposed to that much sun anyways.  SO.... there's my justification for making her her first bathing suit (dad doesn't like the work "BIKINI" used with his daughter...HAHA)

Supplies used:

1 white onesie from Target
Fuschia fabric paint
Sponge paint brushes
Masking tape
Ribbon
Needle/ thread

Lets get started.....

I stuffed a magazine inside to protect the back of the onesie

Using the masking tape I taped off the outline of the "Bikini"

Using my sponge paint brush I sponged the paint to create the bottoms and the triangle top.

After I was done, I let the onesie dry for 24 hours before handling removing the tape.

After the tape was removed, I had to try it on my lil model!  I was so excited!  I knew I had to wash the onesie before I started attaching the ruffle ribbon the the top and the bottom because it was a little stiff.

And here is where the FAIL came in... after washing it in cold water the paint bled and created this crappy tie-tied look.  I'm so disappointed....

I still have 3 more onesie that came in this pack....I may go and find another type of paint and try again.  I'll let you know it I get different results. 

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week.

12 weeks

You will never have this day with your children again.

Today is a gift.

Breath and notice.

Study their little feet.

Relish the charms of the present.

Enjoy today mama, it will be gone before you know it.

~Jan Hatmaker

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week.

11 WEEKS

My little angel eyes

What I want to be when I grow up.....

For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to be a Pinup....to me nothing is more classy than a Pinup.  A lady that always has her hair and makeup done...PERFECTION.  And....let's be honest...they are super sexy.   So if I had my way, and by way I mean the time and the money....I would empty out my closet and only wear vintage clothes and live like one every single day.

Here is my Pinup look for the day.... Lil Miss and I are fixing to go run some errands before we go out to dinner tonight with the Hubs and some friends.

Here is Lil Miss ready to ROLL......

Company Crawfish Boil

Saturday was the hubs annual company crawfish boil.  The weather was amazing....high 70's with a nice breeze.  Every year they hold it at the Bennett House, which is an old plantation home that used to belong to a very well known doctor.....it's absolutely beautiful.

Alston won a $50 gift card to Academy...one of his favorite stores. 

Lunch is served!

They were amazing...although I didn't personally get to enjoy any (they hurt lil Miss' stomach)

I absolutely love the Chantilly cake from Whole foods.... HEAVEN!!!

Of course Lil Miss had to eat since everyone else was.   Nothing compares to when she looks up at me with those eyes and that little smile.   MY CUP RUNNETH OVER!

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week.

10 weeks

DIY LAUNDRY SOAP.....PINTASTIC or PINTASTROPHE?

PINTASTIC!!

Can I get a WOOT-WOOT!?!! 

Yes, I'm super excited about how well this turned out, I have about 12lbs of laundry soap (1/2 has fragrance in it for us, 1/2 is for Aubrie's cloth diapers without the fragrance)....from the original instructions, if I do 6 loads of laundry a week this should last 14-16 months.  Since I divided my batch in half I'm assuming I'll get 7-8 months out of each batch...we'll see.  The total I spent at WalMart to get everything (including the 2-5gallon buckets) was $36, the buckets were $3 each....so the cost of the actual soap was $30.  Two reasons I chose this recipe was because we have a high efficiency 'he' washer and I it can be used on cloth diapers (minus one ingredient).

Shopping list/ingredients-

1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax- Found in the detergent aisle

1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda- Found in the detergent aisle

1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean- Found in the detergent aisle. (This is optional but I love using is in my laundry)

2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Zote Soap- Found in the detergent aisle (we did one pink and one white...there was only one pink bar at the store.  The original recipe said you can also use Fels Naptha)

1 (4 lb) Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda- Found in the detergent aisle and the cooking aisle (You could also get two 2 lb box)

1-2 (55 oz) Bottle of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener- Found in the detergent aisle.  I imagine you can use any fabric softener as long as its in a solid form (not a liquid) like the new  Downy Unstopables.

1 5 gallon bucket with lid- or any container that is large enough to store all the extra soap. 

LETS GET STARTED....YAY!!

First thing you have to do is turn the Zote bars into a crumble.  For this part you have a couple different options (1) use the small side of a cheese grater (2) Use a food processor (3) cut the bars into 4 equal parts and place in the microwave {this is what I did, so I explain more}.  I don't have a food processor, but I'd bet this is the fastest and easiest way to crumble the soap, and looking back, Alston said he would have rather used the cheese grater.  The most time consuming part is prepping this soap, once that's done you are basically done.  From start to finish is took us (poor Alston had to help with this project too...Lil Miss got hungry mid-way through) about 1 hour. 

I cut each bar into 4 parts and placed on a dinner plate

I have a "30 sec" button on my microwave, which is what I used for this part.  When you place the soap in the microwave it grows into the cotton candy looking mass...very cool looking, but EXTREMELY HOT! Make sure to use a pot holder when handling the plate.Going in 30 sec intervals it took about 3 minutes to get all the soap to turn into the fluffy stuff. 

Use a spatula to scrap the fluffy mound into another bowl (since I had two buckets, I put the fluffy stuff in the other bucket).  It has to be completely cooled before you start handling it...remember... it's HOT.

Not all of the soap "fluffed" the first time, so I scraped off the fluff and smashed the bars down (it looked like mashed potatoes  and put it back into the microwave, again going in 30 sec intervals.  I did this back and forth till all the soap fluffed. 

Now's the fun part....CRUMBLING.  If you have any little helpers, they would love this part!!  I initially started out using my hands, but I found it was a lot easier to use my Pampered Chef Mix n Chop....yay for Pampered Chef.   If you have a food processor, I totally use it again for this part.  

Once the soap is all crumbled (it's okay if there is some small clusters, they will dissolve in the water) its time to add everything else.   Following the original instructions, she suggested alternating each ingredient then mixing/stirring them because once everything is in once bucket it is VERY hard to mix everything (again...having 2, 5 gallon buckets came in handy again.  We dumped the soap back and forth between the two buckets to further mix everything).

 I put that Mix n Chop to good use for this project. 

My lil helper

Since I'm also going to be using this soap for Aubrie's cloth diapers I had to split the batches up before I added the fabric softener/fragrance.   Here's our soap with the Purex Crystals in it (I saved the bottle the crystals came in and the tub the Oxi-clean was in)

Final product all mixed up and ready to be used...and it smelled SO good.  A little candy like. 

I don't plan on keeping 2 5-gallon buckets next to the washer, so I'm recycling a few of the bottles.  For our soap I used the Purex Crystals bottle. 

The instructions for using the soap is that is takes 1 Tablespoon for a small load of clothes and 2 Tablespoons for a large load...how freaking AWESOME is that?!!?  So to make it easier on me, I put 1 TBSP in the cap and marked the level with a Sharpie, then added another TBSP and marked the 2 TBSP line.

I did the same thing with the Oxi-Clean scoop for Aubrie's soap. 

My final product in small containers that I can keep right next to the washer. 

Here is the extra that will be stored away for "Refills".....

The very first load of laundry with the new soap.....had Alstons work clothes in it.  I figured if it can pass the "Husband Test", it's got to be a success. I texted him this morning and asked what he thought of the new soap.  He said "I can't tell a difference, so I'd say that's a good thing".  SCORE!!!

Alston said that people are going to start thinking we are "tree huggers".... homemade soap, cloth diapers.  I laughed at him and said "No...your wife is just very money conscious".  

 HERE is the original recipe I found on Pinterest.