Laundry Detergent

I make my own laundry detergent.

This recipe is usually enough for 128 loads..

but it depends on how heavily soiled my husbands work clothes are.

It washes really well and best of all costs very little :D

Sugar Candy

My mom made rooster and fish shaped lollipops for us when we lived in Russia. 

And making these today brought back lots of sweet childhood memories.
 

Wanna make some?
You know you do!

Restyle | Skirt to Dress

When I first laid eyes on this skirt,

I knew I was going to turn it into a dress.

The colors just popped,

the print was lovely and it was silk.
And it was a size 10... way to big for me..
 

Ok, here we go...

Rags to Riches | Fun Chairs

I bought these chairs as a set of two from Goodwill a few years ago.
They were brand new (still in the box)
and I think I paid like $12 for them.

They're nice as is, but I just recently discovered mod podge :)
 

Roast Duck

(this is NOT my duck)
(keep reading to see MY duck)
 

Doll attempt #2

Soon after my
failed attempt at making a doll,
I gave it another shot...

I drew again a body, neck and head, then arms and legs.
This time I gave her a shorter neck,
longer-ish arms
and more tapered thighs.

Doll attempt #1

I have been seeing these dolls in magazines and the Internet
and think they're the cutest dolls ever!

Now I know I don't have a daughter to make a doll for,
but who says I still can't make one?

So I decided to give it try.

Ruffle Clutch

After making my cute purse I got the itch to make another one... 

I browsed the Internet and saw so many cute purses and clutches...

And then I saw this white clutch with orange ruffles...

I had to make one!

Sweet Nuts

Орешки [Oreshki] Sweet Nuts
This little buttery and nutty dessert is a favorite for weddings, holidays, and birthdays.
 

Restyle | Flowery Dress

I bought this dress at Unique Thrift Store for  $4.50.

I like the flowers,
but the dress had shoulder pads,

a neither-here-nor-there length
and the sleeves and arm pit area were too big.

Natural Fibers vs. Synthetic

A few reason I try to stay with natural fibers...

• My oldest son developed an allergic reaction to polyester when he was a baby... well I don't know if it was an allergic reaction, but he cried and was extra fussy whenever polyester was against his skin. There must be a reason he didn't react so well to it, and since then we pretty much stayed away from polyester for our children.
• My mother-in-law, who knows her stuff, has told me once and again that people should wear only natural fibers. She has more experience than me, so I trust her.
• In case of a fire, polyester can melt onto your skin… YIKES!! ... which increases the severity of your injuries.
• I don't know if there was a study done, but I have heard that arthritis is linked to polyester.

Happy Thrifting

When I go thrift shopping, there are a few things that I look for:

First, I look for colors and patterns that catch my eye.

Then I look to see if it's made of natural fibers:
cotton, wool, silk, bamboo, etc.

Vegetable Pie

I would tell you the original recipe that was in the cookbook,

but I added, took away, and replaced so many ingredients,

that I'm just going to tell you what I did.

Sewing

      I have been sewing since my mom (whom I thank to this day for this) gave me a needle, a spool of thread and some scraps of fabric. I was 8 years old. And for the next 2 and a half years I made countless of dresses, skirts, shirts, hats, socks, and yes even underwear for my dolls and teddy bears. Something I wish we could have brought with us when we moved from Moldova to the United States of America. Or at least had photos of.

Diaper Cake for Vicky

A few weeks ago I made a cute
diaper cake for my sister-in-law.
Not following any directions or tutorials,
I looked at a few photos
and just started making it.
At the time I didn't even think to keep track of how.
Trust me though, there are plenty of other people who have,
all you have to do is search.

Spring has Sprung!

I have done it! I have completed a big(ish) project in just 3 days!

My baby can now stare off into nature while dosing off for his naps.

On the first day I drew out in pencil an outline
of the tree trunk, branches and the owl.
It's hard to see the tree outline because the photo got compressed,
but you can kind of see the owl.