Crafty Corner: It's in the Bag

I was in the middle of putting a little gift together for a friend yesterday and didn't want to just do the typical "gift bag with tissue" thing that I normally do.

My inner crafty self then told me to go look in my craft supply Tupperware bin and figure out something better. Here's what I came up with (note: once I learn how to use my fancy new sewing machine, my options will be endless. Until then, I shall improvise):

A piece of felt, needle and thread, scissors, ribbon.

I found an object if similar size to the gift, (I am a preschool teacher...I used some toy maracas I had laying around, what?) folded the felt in half and cut it to size.

Next, sewed up both sides leaving about an inch at the top.

Flipped it inside out.

Cut 2 pieces of ribbon (1 for each side of the opening on the top), then cut 8 small slits across the top on both sides for the ribbon to slide through (vertical cuts, evenly spaced).

Next weaved the ribbon through the slits and tied the ends on both sides.

Finally, just a quick melting of the ribbon ends to prevent fray (nobody wants that), and brought the top together with the ribbon ends and a little knot of ribbon delightfulness.

Super easy and more fun than the usual wrapping options....personalize or embellish with buttons, pins, more felt, whatever!

Sequins & Sofas: Duluth Shopping!

Every time I head home to Duluth, my Aunt and I always make a point to check out the many cute shops and boutiques down by the lakefront. We travel the same 'loop' every time and most often come away with a little treasure or two (mostly we shop the sale racks and search for good deals....but when i was home this last weekend, I found a lovely infinity scarf that just had to be mine...not on sale, totally worth it):

I thought I would share 'the loop' with you in case you found yourself in Duluth with a burning desire to buy really cute stuff! We start out at:

Address: 394 S Lake Ave

There are a bunch of shops in this building...food, sweet treats, toys, trinkets. But 2 of our favorites are:

Next, we head across Lake Street to:

Address: 395 S Lake Ave #2

Waters is a beautiful store. Art pieces, home decor, jewelry, clothing. We usually head straight back to the clothing sale rack...you either find a gem or you don't. Everything else is pretty expensive, but it's worth a peek.

From here, we walk thru the art gallery in the back of the store, head to the right thru the double doors, take a right in the hallway and visit:

Same building as Waters, equally as cute stuff. Art, home decor, shoes, jewelry, clothing. There is a little room towards the back of the clothing section to the right. That's where we find the deals (sometimes)!

Ok hop back in the car, head on lake street away from the bridge. Take a right at the stop light, a left at the next, a right onto Superior St....(you will see The Electric Fetus on the right...sometimes we stop there if there is convenient parking, cool store) continue straight to:

Address: 600 E Superior St.

This is a great place to shop! A variety of stores- kitchen, outdoor, clothing, pet supplies, home decor, books...and more. A few of our favorites:

Phew....are you exhausted from all of the fun we have been having on 'the loop'? Almost done! There is just one more shop to check out. Also on Superior St. just a little further down the road:

Address: 230 E Superior St.

This store is a boutique shopper's paradise! Clothing, jewelry, trinkets, crazy cute stuff...it also has a sister store just across the street with repurposed home decor. Be sure to check it out!

I hope you have enjoyed my little tour of 'the loop' and have a chance to experience it the next time you are in Duluth!

Bonus photos- My trip home last weekend was spent in the company of some delightful friends...such fun:

Oh Happy Day!

I realized yesterday morning right after publishing my post that it was not yet Wednesday! Oops...

So today (which actually IS Wednesday) you get a bonus post!

This past weekend I celebrated my birthday with a few lovely ladies! My pal 'D' and I traveled to the lovely town of Mountain Lake to visit our pal 'A'...who I have the pleasure of sharing the same birthday with.....BIRTHDAY TWINSIES!

I started off my day with some sleeping in, some breakfast (raspberry toaster strudel, yum!) and a magical visit to Tiffany's. I bought myself a diamond....a really, really tiny diamond:

The girls and I had a lovely weekend. A trip to the vinyard:

Which included some fantastic 'Senior Photos'....there was a red barn, we just had to:

A delicious home made dinner accompanied by chick flicks and snacks:

A gift from 'A'....love:

And a gift from a gaggle of great girls...total surprise and such a blessing. Watch out world! As soon as I learn how to use this thing, I may never stop making creations in fabric:

Here's to year 35!!

Toddler Talk: Eat it up!

Toddlers are cool little people. I like them a lot. That being said, sometimes they can be a bit of a challenge when it comes to the matter of EATING! I am sure that if you are an owner of a toddler or have spent any amount of time with one during a meal, you have picked up on some of their quirky tendencies..... eating/demanding the same food for weeks at a time, taking a spoonful of Tater Tot Hot Dish and magically rejecting only the peas while still enjoying and chewing the rest, unreciprocated 'cafeteria food fights', and the ever frustrating refusal to try anything new!

I certainly do not have one magical answer to solve all of your toddler eating dilemmas, but I can offer you some helpful tips from my own experience to make your future mealtimes a little more enjoyable:

1. Toddlers are notorious for not appearing to be great eaters. But, they will not starve themselves. If your kiddo seems to not eat much for a few days, do not panic! Look at their eating patterns a week at a time rather than on a daily basis. They will eat if they are hungry.

2. You are not a short order cook! Free yourself from your child's reigns by preparing a meal for the family and setting an expectation that what is before them is what is being served! You may think, 'But all they will eat is hot dogs.....they have to eat something!' I would say, yes. They have to eat something and that something is the meal you have prepared. It may take a few meals for your child to understand the expectation, but if you stick to your guns they will learn! If they reject the meal, then they have a chance to eat at the next meal....no extra snacks later when they say they are hungry! The 'I don't like this food and will not try it' strike is usually short lived and they will survive until the next meal is served...promise!

3. If your little one really likes one part of the meal, they can for sure have more! But it will require them to try out something else on their plate that maybe is not their favorite. We use this a lot in my classroom to attempt to expose the toddlers to new foods. It goes like this:
'More fruit please'
'Ok, you can have some more fruit but first I want you to try a green bean. What does it taste like?'
'No'
'If you want more fruit, you can show me how you try a green bean. I will wait for you.'
(Angry face...dirty looks)
'Are you ready to try one?'
(Long pause, more dirty looks. Finally one bean tried...a bit reluctantly to say the least)
'Thanks for trying one. Did you like it? Here is some more fruit.'

The key is that each request that comes thereafter will require a bit more than just one bite....'If you would like more fruit again, you can eat 6 green beans or 3 bites of mashed potatoes this time'.....the more times they try a food, the more they will acquire a taste for it in the future. Lets challenge their taste buds (and strong wills)!

4. Meal time is not crazy kid time! Establish a few non-negotiable rules that work for your family (no singing or yelling, we all sit until mom/dad say its time to be done, etc..). If your child is breaking the rules, move their plate out of the way or remove their food from their high chair tray and continue your meal with little eye contact and discussion. After a bit you can ask them if they are ready to try again....if they say 'NO' (which they love to do), it's their choice and their plate/food stays put. If they say, 'Yes', then return their plate/food and continue with your meal. Again consistency is key...set an expectation and stick to it!

5. Ok enough with the negative behaviors...mealtime is fun too and a great opportunity for a chat and some quality family bonding! Conversation is encouraged at the table...talk about your day, about the weather, about your favorite animal, about anything!!

6. Involve your kiddo in some of the food prep! If they are a part of creating what is served, they may be more invested in trying it. Ask them to help choose a few things ('Should we make corn or peas?') Ask them for help....even if its little stuff like pouring the pasta into the water (with supervision of course), helping to toss the salad, or carrying the ketchup bottle to the table! Everyone can be a helper and an active participant!

7. Give them some fun stuff to eat off of and to eat with (I found these at the Bibelot...but you can find fun and inexpensive dish ware at Target and the like. Doesn't have to be fancy, just fun!)

I hope these tips will be a springboard for delightful mealtimes for the whole
family and help your toddler people to learn healthy habits for being successful in all their eating adventures!

Sequins & Sofas: 5 Things

Little things that bring me joy:

1. Pampered Chef mini whisk. Perfect for my scrambled eggs at breakfast time. Good construction, easy to hold, reasonably priced ($10), gets the small jobs done....amazing!

2. Trader Joe's Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds- Just buy them and eat them.

3. My window fan. Not sure of the brand, pretty certain I got it at Target for under $40. It cools down my little abode in moments and gets the fresh air flowing. It allows me to not install the old window air conditioner until mid summer and I love it.

4. Essie Nail Polishes- Last super long on my tootsies and there are so many pretty colors to choose from! Not too expensive....love!

5. www.bodenusa.com- Best clothing website EVER. I will admit that each current season of clothes are a little pricy. But, they have clearance sales twice a year that are really, really quite delightful. I always wait for the sale email and promptly order a few dresses....ok, more than a few!