Upcycled kitchen center

Our family of 5 (plus 3 dogs) reside in a home that is around 1,500 sq feet. It is our first bought starter home 11 years ago. Its small, but it is our place in the world! However space is at a high commodity :)  R, who is 2 years old, *needed* her own kitchen play center but for now, she co-sleeps with me and the hubs (yup attachment parenting all the way) and all her toys reside in an orderly manner in the living room hallway. So.. back to the kitchen center *need* :) + space and the commercially bought kitchens are huge and not too realistic and rather pricey (things that dont make sense for me to buy into) decided to make our own version. I saw the concept on Etsy and vowed to make it as recycled as possible. After 6 months of collecting items intended for the trash...and assembling it as best possible...we have a realistic, upcycled kitchen play center! Not bad, eh ;) 

......and sorry about the need to head tilt to view the picture. Still new to the blogging, first uploaded picture that worked and I have *no* clue at how to flip to the left. ;)

"Skirting the Issue"

Despite the ideal that this blog has had less than 40 views in the past 2 weeks (and half are probably me trying to figure out how to log in :) I am going to paste this information here! The ladies at Simple Simon and Company sewing blog are partnering with this launch of providing for foster care girls through the art of sewing. For more information and guidelines, jump on over to their blog. On their site you can upload your skirt(s) to share and can be eligible for a contest as well they are offering.

What is "Skirting the Issue?"

Skirting the Issue is an event that has been planned for the month of July to make and donate handmade skirts to girls in Foster Care.  We have teamed up with our local Foster Care Agency, Utah Foster Care Foundation,  in our local efforts, but we have been assured that there are plenty of local Foster Care Agencies across the nation (and world ) and that there is plenty of need for skirts!

As part of the event we have asked over 40 celebrity sewing bloggers to participate and share simple handmade skirt tutorials that we can all use to make and donate skirts to our local agencies (or mail to us if you would like to!)

We have set a goal for 100 skirts to be donated by the first week in August---and we REALLY need your help to make our goal!

Is there an address I can mail skirts to if I can't find a local organiztion?

YES!!! YES!! and YES!!!

There are two local agencies that we have been working directly with to donate skirts in our area.  If you would like to mail skirts, here are two addresses that you can use.  If you will label the boxes "Skirting the Issue" somewhere on them that would be most helpful!

Utah , Wester Region

274 West Center Street
Orem, UT 84057


Utah, Salt Lake Region
5296 South Commerce Drive, #400
Murray, UT 84107


Is there a need for certain sizes over others?

The agency assures us that there are girls of all ages in Foster care (both locally and nationally) and any and all skirts will be greatly loved and appreciated.

Our local agency has specifically said that they have a need for tween and teenage girls skirts.  So, while we are definately making some little girls' skirts, we will definately remember those older girls too! 

Behind the Trends Ruffle Romper

Last year I started pining for one of those toddler ruffle rompers. At a price of $40 an outfit, I can do this! Simple. After scoring the fabric at a heavily discounted price the trendy ruffle romper was going to be made. My toddler would be trendy, thanks to me :) After 2 failed attempts to sew this ruffle slippery fabric, I wadded it up and declared internally the rompers were too trendy, *every* toddler is wearing them and being overly posed in photo shoots. We don't want to be followers that way.....A few weeks ago I sorted out my fabric stash (after discovering our giant dog has been using my fabric stash as his make shift bed) and stumbled across all this ruffly fabric. Late last night, I resolved, I will tackle this and it will be successful! With a few minor flaws it worked! I will add, it took less than an hour to whip up. I can say that although it took a year to reach this point, I am quite pleased that it worked out.

Basic how to-  cut/stitch a long rectangle tube of ruffle knit (or any 2 way knit), leaving a few inches open at the bottom for a leg inseam, stitch it up and add an elastic casing at the top.

A perfectly (late) ruffle romper! I have seen them added with belts, straps and flowers however by 2 am my goal had been reached; all creativity at this point was gone! In the morning, R was delighted by her newest outfit, woke up big sister C to show off her new ruffles!

Life Long Learner

I have always loved the pursuit of knowledge. I only obtain a high diploma and have not been able to attend college. College would be ideal. However, higher classroom education has not been in the cards for me up to this point. I have been surrounded by people that (like myself) are not college educated yet have gone on into the professional world to become an Engineer, Electrical Engineer and Construction Vice President. Just armed with a goal and the pursuit of knowledge and how to obtain this. While in my world, I own no pristine title from a university, I have many skills I have been able to successfully train myself in, through my own burning desire to never quit learning. While 'trapped' in a 2 bedroom apartment during the *glorious* military days with a toddler, no family or friends within 500 miles of me, I managed to teach myself the art of hand quilting. With no money to spend on a hobby, I disassembled old toddler clothing and receiving blankets and went to work to produce a quilt. One that is still intact today I might add <grin>. When we decided to home school our children 8 years ago, I poured myself into all things child psychology and learning disorders. And currently, I make clothing. No professional training but rather the application of knowing where to find the information to educate myself and how to apply it through trial and error. My wish for my children, obviously college is in the forefront, however I am training them to understand how to find information. How vital it is to ask questions and how to locate the answers.  Is this not the most productive way to hit home the goal of placing education at the top of the pile? So, as I jump from one unknown 'project' to the next, thoroughly learning as I go, I am hoping the spin off will prove to serve my children well...no matter which direction they may go.