How to add Hidden Pockets to your Shorts (FREE Tutorial + Pattern)

 I'm sure by now you've all heard of the Sunny Day Shorts pattern by Oliver + S.  

They are so fabulous.  So far this summer I have made 5.  Kinda addicted, eh?

Well, I decided to try these shorts out with some hidden pockets that you add into the seam.  

They work really great.  So great, in fact, that the last 4 pairs I've made I've included the pockets in them.

Here's some cute little cheesers for you this afternoon.  

These are all their summer PJs-- hence the rather crazy fabric.

The boys are also wearing their BYU shirts which I talked about Here and Here.

 Click HERE for the full Free Tutorial + Pattern

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

I kinda wanted to give this post the subject, "Something Old and Something New... a taste experiment with recipes" ...Or something  that made since better express my thoughts on this fun treat.

Last fall I traveled across the country with my baby to spend a week seeing my family.  While staying with my mother one night I asked if I could go through her large recipe box (almost all hand-written recipes on index cards).

I went through and grabbed tons that I had remembered, felt nostalgic about, looked easy, or seemed tastey and typed them up for my own collection.

Among them, I grabbed this recipe for Banana Cake.

This one I grabbed because it looked so easy, plus it looked so cute and old fashion and I totally remember my Mother making it.

BANANA CAKE

1/2 c. Crisco

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 c. mashed bananas

4 TBS. milk

1 tsp. baking soda in 1/2 c. warm water

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

350* for 30 minutes.  Mix first 5 items well.  Alternate warm soda water and flour.  Last 1 tsp. baking powder, mix well.

Isn't that a cute old fashioned recipe?  Where's the butter?  Where's the spices? But the thing that really appealed to me-- simple, mix it all in one bowl.  It seems like all the new recipes I try out all ask me to dirty 3 bowls in the process?  Not my favorite.

So, I had this recipe from my Mom, but I didn't seem to have any frosting that I had written down to go with it.  I'm sure she had some go-to that she used.

So a quick search around, landed me at this one from Our Best Bites.  This one seemed so modern.  Definitely my Something new.

The cream cheese to powdered sugar ratio was intriguing so I just had to try it.  Result? It was really delicious, but definitely tasted like cheese cake.  It was thick and impressive.

Pair this old recipe with this new one?  Wow, it was so fantastic.  The cake was a little plain, the frosting was a little intense-- that combo was perfect.  

Add the fresh fruit on top?  And you're just talking Crazy town Delicious!

A Look at our Girl's Camp Crafts

So we did it.  We can all check Go To Girl's Camp off our Summer to-do list!

As you may remember I was in charge of the crafts this year.

We made Luminaries and headbands.  

They really turned out fantastic!!

I wanted to share a bit of the photos from the Big day(s)!  Technically I ended up going up there twice, but only busted the camera out the second day.  The first day I was running around like a crazy woman trying to help everyone.

First, here's a look at the youth finishing off their Luminaries.  

Day one, everyone pretty much got their stencils drawn, cut out, and sprayed the gloss on their jars.  Quite a few of the girls learned that if you put too heavy a coat it looks goopy.  Two light coats are better than one thick one!

Day two, everyone peeled off the stencils and added the wire.  Which, I might add is no small task.  Team work was often the key here.

But the girls knew a good place for help. 

 (below) He alone probably made half the girl's handles.

Here I am, below struggling along.  I made about four handles and worked up quite the sweat each time.

I had to laugh as one of the girl's sat down and just went to town and made her handle in like 30 seconds flat.  I marveled and told her, "Wow, you must have experience working with wire."

She shrugged and said, "Not really.  But I do build fences and work a lot with barbwire."

Ha, ha, no wonder she was a natural!

Here are some of the Luminaries all done.  Aren't they great!

I wasn't there for testimony, but I heard all the girls brought theirs and it was fantastic looking!

The headbands were really self directed.  I had print outs of all the directions and the girls just came and helped their selves and made some really cute headbands!

Here they are chatting and working.  Isn't that the best way to do crafts?

I have only a couple finished projects.  Here's a headband made into a bracelet.

And two cute headbands.

 Girl's camp was So fun! 

 It's such a special place and I'm so glad I was able to be a part of it this year!

Happy 4th of July

I LOVE the 4th of July. 

 I love this day where I can celebrate my free country, enjoy time with my family and friends, eat good food, then top it all off with a firework show.

We got together with friends this morning for breakfast at a park, then decorated our bikes and had our own parade.  It was so lovely.

Tonight we'll check off grilling meat, treats, and fireworks.  

YAY!

I found inspiration for my chalkboard design HERE. 

How to Make 5 Minute Play Dough

I've been having a lot of fun this summer doing "Mommy School" with the kids.  My kids are getting a little older and it's really fun to sit down together each day and work on different fun schooly things together.  I used to be an elementary teacher, so these kind of things appeal to me.

I only have school for about two hours a day. I like to have the kids practice writing, doing some math, then we work on some fun project together, they have "recess" aka play outside, then we have lunch together. And that's it.  Fun right?

Well yesterday our "fun project" was making play dough together.

As a kid we used to make play dough all the time and I just loved it.  So it's always fun to do it with my kids as well.

Here's the recipe we followed:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c. salt

1 c. flour

2 tbs. cream of tartar

1 Tbs. oil

1 c. water

food coloring

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the salt, flour, cream of tartar, and oil in a pan.  Mix in water and stir well with wire whisk.  Place pan on stove and cook 2 - 3 minutes on medium heat.  Stir constantly.  When the mixture becomes thick and no longer mixes with wire whisk, remove from heat.  Knead the dough.  

When desired texture is achieved, divide dough up and add food coloring.  Mix well with hands.  Enjoy!  

Then I just let the kids play!

They had lots of fun.

And no, nobody ate any-- just pretending here.

I sat down and played with the kids, too.

Once you're done, wrap these up in baggies and stored in the fridge for another day of fun.

Also, I will note I usually always make my kids do play dough on top of cookie sheets, so there's a lot less clean up after-- but apparently I lost my mind and forgot to make them this time.  I remembered once I started cleaning up-- why I always make them play on cookie sheets.

Italian-Style Spaghetti Squash Bake

I haven't done a 

in a while.  

Try as I might, I'm just not as passionate about cooking as I am about sewing and other crafty things.

But, unfortunately for me...three meals must be made every day-- whether I want to bother or not.

So when I make a fun GF + DF meal, I'll try to do a better job with sharing it.

Kinda last minute last night I changed my recipe to this meal by Lexi's Clean Kitchen.

I had my spaghetti squash cooking and plans for a different meal when I noticed this one pinned on my pinterest board that I hadn't tried yet.

I had everything on hand already, so decided to go for it.

I wasn't sure what to serve with it.  I felt weird serving it with vegetables, since the whole thing is made of vegetables.  I almost did a salad, but we've been eating so much lately we needed a break.

So, last minute I served it with some white corn tortillas, topped with cheddar cheese.  My Wisconsin-born husband has taken a lot of things out of his diet these past two years and did a long time of no cheese-- but after reintroducing it lately has found that just eating a bit here and there is fine.  Cheese makes him happy-- as do new healthy meals.

This meal was really easy and very delicious.  All the kids really loved it.  My baby gobbled up three helpings.  It's definitely something we'll have often again.

Click here for the original post.

Click here for the printable recipe.

June is Made for Kids Month (Round up ONE)

Did you know June is Made for Kids Month?  'Tis true.

I've decied to casually play along-- when the kids are already wearing something I've made-- I try to snap a picture.  Usually on my instagram account and hashtag it #madeforkidsmonth.

Here's my first round up of some of the things my kids have been wearing.

We started on Saturday, with the kids wearing a bow tie and two dresses to their brother's baptism.

The my mother saw my post about Oliver + S' Sunny Day Shorts and made two cute pairs for my daughters.  These shorts are the best!

I'm counting this shirt since I "made"/painted it into a BYU shirt. 

Here's my daughter wearing her Little Miss Dress $1.50 pattern by Me.

 I made it size 2t, but somehow it still fits this almost 4 year old.

My daughters below are again wearing their Sunny Day shorts, as we got one of our Father's day gifts ready (more on that later).

This picture is from Father's Day and it really makes me smile.  Everyone is wearing something I sewed for them.

Dad and one of my sons is wearing a Gentleman's Bow tie.

My other son is wearing a School Boy Vest by Sew Much Ado.

My oldest daughter is wearing a Sally Dress by Very Shannon.

And my baby is wearing The Charlotte Dress by Mama Stellato.

Well, I enjoyed this round up-- how about you?  We're half way through the month, so there's more to come.