project

Planning Kai’s Montessori Bedroom

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Kai’s bedroom has been an on going project since we moved into the new house. It was the first room to be painted, and it was such an improvement that I haven’t done much in there beyond shelf set up since we moved in. Now that I’ve conquered some other pressing projects around the house, I’m planning on coming back to Kai’s room. This post covers what it looks like now, and what is and isn’t working for us. Hopefully, in a couple of months I can come back and show you the finished product.

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Happily, both Kai and I still love the paint job. I also think that the wooden cube shelves are working well in the space. Pretty much everything else needs a little help. I want her to have a space where she can be independent and an environment that engages her.

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Summer Capsule Wardrobe for a Toddler #1

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Here’s a peek at how the sewing for Kai’s Summer Capsule Wardrobe is going. I made a Twig + Tale Evergreen Bonnet and Pixie Shorts from a 100% wool blazer. The blazer was a great thrift find. It was a size 16 so there was lots of material and it was Pendleton wool so it was great quality.

I did felt the wool before cutting (an extra long hot cycle in the washer and a fully dry hot cycle in the dryer). This was my first time sewing clothing with a sewing machine and I think it went really well. The Twig + Tale patterns were really easy to follow and had embedded video for some of the tricker things incase you were confused.

I think it’s off to great start!

Project: Sew a Summer Toddler Capsule Wardrobe

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Don’t you hate it when you know your kid has plenty of clothing but you can’t find the one shirt that they want? I do, a lot.

As you all have probably seen, we’re doing the Buy Nothing challenge. One of the things I’m not buying is clothing for Kai. I could just thrift the stuff she needs for summer, but where’s the fun in that? (Also our thrift stores never have kid clothes. I think people sell to Once Upon A Child and trash the rest). So I am sewing Kai a summer capsule wardrobe.

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A Dream Kitchen For Kai

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We’ve been having a long, sad month here in the Craftsman house. Everyone needed a distraction and after a couple days of using Pinterest as my distraction, I gave myself a kick in the pants and started planning out my next project. A project makes everybody feel better right?

Kai is getting a play kitchen. She loved her cousin’s and she been hiding her blocks in cabinets every chance she gets. I think I’ve looked at every play kitchen on the market and most of the DIY ones, too. I’ve been picking out features I like and going back and forth on paint colors. I even bought a Kreg Jig to do a little fancy cabinetry work. 

We’re headed out to buy wood Sunday, and I can’t wait. I suspect you’ll all be hearing a lot about this kitchen the next couple weeks. In the mean time, what are your favorite play kitchen features?

Beeswax Ornaments 

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One of the changes we’ve made in our lives is to embrace handmade, especially handmade at home. Christmas just amplified this feeling this year, which was wonderful because I was the tiniest bit worried we would miss the commercial trappings of the holiday. Instead, we’ve been busy making, and so when my husband mentioned he was missing our artificial and disposable decorations from years past I suggested making some beeswax ornaments to hang in our windows.

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