Reversible 40's Inspired Sun Cap with Free Pattern

I just got this gorgeous Kei Japanese import Bark Cloth from Fabricworm (get it here) and was inspired to make up a little forties-ish cap-type sunhat.  I hope you like it as much as Miss Niko did!

We have the free Forties Inspired Sun Cap Pattern and full tutorial after the jump!...
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Farm-tastic First Birthday: Flower Pot Favors

Just when you thought I might be finished... here's more Farm-tastic First Birthday!

Our little planting station was a huge hit at the party, get the DIY scoop after the jump.

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Giveaway: Gingiber Print Set for Mom & Child!

Are these prints to-die-for or what? Our new sponsor has THE MOST amazing etsy shop filled with whimsical prints that I want to hang in every room of my house! First let's meet the artist:

Hello! My name is Stacie and I have a little shop called Gingiber. I find myself most happy when I am doodling. My shop is filled with cute & quirky doodles that would be charming additions to any child's room! Feel free to drop by my personal blog, GingiberSnap, and say hello!

Sooo...since May is all about Mother's Day, Gingiber and Prudent Baby are hosting a mother/child giveaway! The winning mom will get to call this "Those Darling Buds of May" print her own, and her kiddo will be learning ABCs with a "Turquoise Owl Alphabet" poster!  And all of our readers are winners, because whenever you order anything from Gingiber and mention Prudent Baby you'll get free shipping!

To enter this giveaway, head on over to Stacie's Gingiber Shop, then come back and leave a comment telling us which print reminds you of your mom and why. For me it's this one, and I think that's self explanatory, HA! (love you mom!)

Come back every day for a new entry, and twitter or share the giveaway and leave comments letting us know for an additional entry each day. Entries will close at midnight on May 7th, a winner will be selected via random.org, and your print will arrive a few weeks later for a post-mother's day treat! Isn't this a great giveaway? SO excited to share it with you, our stylish friends! Now go enter, go, go, go!

Farm-tastic First Birthday: The Menu

With all that time I spent making Hay Cones and Door Bows for Quinn's Party, I had to cut corners somewhere and where is that you might ask? Oh, the only thing that people really care about when they come to a party... the FOOD! But hear me out because I've never had so many people tell me how great the food was at a party.

Here's what I whipped up (and outsourced) FAST, EASY and CHEAP!
 
A big spiral ham. We fed 45 people on $20!
My mom's delicious cole slaw. It's no-lie the best. Let me know if you want the recipe, I'll hook you up.
Rick's pinto beans. This is a great item to slow cook overnight.
Jacinda's store-bought potato salad. Kinda trashy but so delicious.
and a big fruit salad in a watermelon basket, old school!

Plus lots of soft rolls and a giant jar of dill pickles.

For drinks we did a 2 big vats of iced tea and lemonade and regularly replenished glass pitchers on a self-serve table. We added scraps of fabric to these mason jars so folks wouldn't misplace their glass. And of course there was lots of beer, and juice and water for the kiddos.

Everything could be cooked in advance and served room-temp/warm. It was so low maintenance that I actually had fun at my own party, I mean Quinn's party, you know what I mean.

Farm-tastic First Birthday: DIY Happy Birthday Sign

I have wanted to create wall art by stretching large-patterned fabrics on canvas frames for a while but just haven't gotten around to it. Quinn's birthday party seemed like the perfect opportunity to try out the technique and make a big impact. This Anna Maria Horner Little Folks Voile fabric pattern is too small to work with a frame this large for wall art but with the letters on top it somehow works. This fabric is an almost sheer voile but with a cotton or canvas you could easily use just stretcher bars, available in bins at any art supply store, rather than a stretched canvas and save some $$.

Get the easy DIY for the DIY Happy Birthday Sign after the jump.
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Farm-tastic First Birthday: DIY "First Place" Door Bow

My color palette inspiration for Quinn's party was a piece Anna Maria Horner Little Folks Voile Coloring Garden - Dusk. In fact, I made everything that uses this print from a single yard of fabric, including this "First Place" Door Bow. You know you're in Texas when you show your husband a 3 foot tall Door Bow and he exclaims... "HOW IS SHE GOING TO WEAR THAT??" Love it.

After the party, this will be used as a hair clip holder in Quinn's room!

Get the DIY "First Place" Door Bow/Hair Clip Holder/GIANT CORSAGE after the jump.

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Where did you get that fabric? Part 2!

Sweet Shirred Summer Dress: Anna Maria Horner Little Folks Dobby Voile Pastry Line in Coral (stock up on this ladies, it's AMAZING and they're discontinuing it!)

DIY Crib Sheet: Alexander Henry Granville in Pink

Pillowcase Dresses: Heather Ross Far Far Away Unicorns in Blush

Ric Rac Placemats: Alexander Henry Natura Birdsong in Pink

Mom & Daughter Aprons: Alexander Henry Juicy Lemon

DIY Doll Stroller Liner: Paula Press Chevron in Aqua

Checkbook Cover: Alexander Henry Canyon Flutter in Pink

DIY Simple Snuggly Baby Blanket: Echino by Etsuko Furuya Double Gauze Lions in Grey

Lazy Days Skirt: Joel Dewberry Tossed Flowers in Raspberry

All of these and so much more at our dear sponsor Fabricworm, we love you so!

Farm-tastic First Birthday: Sweets Table Details

1. An overview of the sweets table. The tablecloth is 3 yards of Anna Maria Horner Little Folks Dobby Voile Pastry Line Lilac. It makes a pricey tablecloth but since we just trimmed the very edge of the cut ends with pinking shears, the fabric will live a second life.
 2. A late-night buttercream catastrophe left us with no pretty flowers for Miss Quinn's cake. I went to bed feeling defeated but woke up with an idea! One of the cute hairclips we had made on a lollipop stick added just the touch it needed!
3. A classic glass milk bottle, borrowed from my sister-in-law.
4. Apothecary jars filled with Milk Duds, Rock Candy lollipops and whoppers. Get the DIY for the "Sweets" jar here.
5. Country Store Old Fashion Taffy was a perfect 5&dime touch.
6. A little wooden sign (less than $1 at Michaels) which I sprayed with chalkboard paint invited guests to fill a bag of goodies.
7. Cupcake liners held leftover molded farm animal chocolates that didn't make the cake. I have some pretty great tips for making molded chocolate. Should I share them as a DIY?
8. Mini cupcakes featured more molded chocolate animals. This might be my new go-to dessert for birthday parties. Insanely easy and so theme-friendly!
9. A full-body shot of THAT cake again. How about tips on building a tiered cake? interested?
10. And lastly the big debut of the Mod Podge Vase that we shared last week. New favorite project. Has anyone tried one yet?

Farm-tastic First Birthday: Petting Zoo and DIY Hay cones

As promised, here is a little more of a look at Quinn's Farm-tastic First Birthday.

A month back I took the girls to the Dallas Arboretum (or "ah-BORE-etum" as my brother calls it,) where they enjoyed a little petting zoo. I grabbed a business card and my wheels started spinning. Jaime and I had recently discussed party themes in need of a makeover and the "farm" theme made the top of her list. Yes, these are the things that Jaime and I talk about on the phone, and that is why we are craft-nerd soul mates. So I pitched the idea to Rick and he surprisingly agreed. I mean who agrees to a petting zoo for a first birthday party? That's just nuts. I may have also promised that I would get half of it paid through gift contributions. Thanks Mom! (I just want to add that Country Critters Farm is an insured and licensed petting zoo. The animals live on a idyllic farm that you can actually visit and seem to have a very happy life with nurturing caretakers)

I whipped up these easy little hay cones and a crate-style stand for them. The kids (and the kids, ugh sorry!) loved them. Get the DIY after the jump.

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Apple Cream Cheese Muffins

Oh i love Jacinda's Rick's Rich Jam Muffins so much that I want to fill all muffins with creamy and/or gooey centers from now until eternity. Last Sunday morning I had a craving for apples and cream cheese so I whipped up these apple muffins with cream cheese centers and streusel topping - totally worth the extra steps.

Get the full Cream Cheese Filled Apple Muffins recipe after the jump...
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Quinn's Farm-tastic First Birthday!

We are spending the day recovering from a marathon of party planning and crafting for Quinn's Farm-tastic First Birthday Party. Thankfully my poor unsuspecting (and conveniently crafty) mom flew in for the event and was immediately put to work. Here's a peek at the festivities and some of the DIYs that we will share this week including "How to convince your husband that a petting zoo is necessary for a first birthday party: Rated G" and "Learning to laugh at yourself (and improvise) at 2AM when your birthday cake looks nothing like what you had planned" It'll be fun! Stick around.

Toy Storage Tips: Nooks & Crannies

We are very lucky to live in a wonderful home that we adore, and Scarlet is very lucky to be the recipient of so many toys, but making the toys fit in the home is always a bit of a challenge. I thought I'd share our tricks for keeping the toys under control. I hope you'll share some in the comments!

Above is one of our favorite solutions: Scarlet's own bookshelf in the living room right at floor level, I love watching her pick out her own bedtime stories.
This Skip Hop Fabric Storage Bin fits perfectly under the end table:

A breakfast tray (actually a Halloween item from Pottery Barn with a skull on it) serves as puzzle storage:

A basket on the bottom shelf of this armoire allows her easy access to her arts & crafts supplies, with coloring books and sketchpads arranged beside.

Some Liberty of London fabric bins hold random toys and doo-dads in the entertainment unit where you'd normally put DVDs and other things you don't want toddlers to grab:

Outside we re-purpose a giant tub (designed to hold drinks for all the parties we don't throw anymore) as toy storage (right next to her DIY $10 sandbox):

And to prove I need your tips, here is what the living room looks like from the front door:

And when you get a little closer:


Help!