DIY Play Kitchen.

This is going to be one of my favorite posts. A project that I've dreamt about for years, waiting for my daughter to be big enough to appreciate it. The day finally came and we finally got to shop for her play kitchen that mommy planned in her head.

I'm pretty proud of my frugality on this one. I couldn't bear paying over $150 for a wood toy kitchen. Plus I know I'm resourseful, crafty, etc. I knew I could make one myself on the cheap!

Caraline helped me shop for the perfect cabinet at our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and then it was my job to make my mental concept a reality. The best part of this whole thing is how much money I DIDN'T spend. The entire unit cost me less than $25 to make (not including the stain I purchased at Lowe's to replace a dark stain that I ran out of - $10).

Cabinet: $10
Faucet, fixtures, chain, knobs: $10
"Backsplash" - $5
Legs: scrap from old footboard (free)
Wood: on hand (free)
Paint: on hand (free)
Nails/Screws: on hand (free)

 
I'll share in photos the final product as I did not take any progress photos (my apologies).

The wood I used for the countertops is wood that was just laying around our garage, some from pallets, others scraps from my dad's barn wood (that I used on an earlier storage project in our garage). So, basically it was FREE.

The sink was the trickiest part - finding a bowl the right size and shape for the space I had to work with... and figuring out a way to secure the knobs and faucet into the wood. But thanks to my dad and a HUGE drill bit, we solved the problem and wedged those babies in there nice and secure.

The moment I knew she loved her new kitchen? When we brought it into the house from the garage where it had been living for a couple weeks and she went "Oooooh!" and ran to her room to grab her play food and silverware/plates.

She began "washing" her hands and putting it to good use immediately.

When we started fixing our current home up (see: making it look less "builder grade" and more personal) I removed the towel bars from both bathrooms and replaced with hooks. All I did for the play kitchen towel bar was cut the old one down and screw it to the new play kitchen. BOOM.

I hope you love it. I do! My husband is impressed. And my daughter has played with it quite a bit in just the 24 hours it's been in place in our dining room. I call that a success!

Happy DIY'ing!

10 Simple Toddler Hairstyles.

Raise your hand if you have a busy, wiggly, adorable toddler! [raising my hand]

Raise your hand if your busy, wiggly, adorable toddler refuses to sit long enough for you to style her  hair. [raising both my hands]

I have some advice. And it's what has worked for us. Here it goes:

1. Turn on cartoons.
2. Be quick.

Really. My daughter's best hair day is a day that cartoons are playing, I'm fulling prepared (spray bottle of water, comb, hair ties a plenty, etc.) and I flip, twist, part and tie like I'm racing the clock. Which I sort of am.

My daughter will be 2 next month and I started doing her hair early. Granted, she came out of the womb with a mop that made John Stamos jealous, BUT she had a headband on her head from day 2. Literally.

Also, as soon as her hair was long enough for a ponytail you bet I was using baby-safe hair ties and working that sprout. My girl is no stranger to her mama torturing her tugging on her locks every morning. So, that has a lot to do with it, I'm sure.

I've taken pics the last few months and gathered my top 10 favorite go-to hairstyles I have fashioned for Miss C. They're all quick, simple and using the rules above should produce cute "keep that hair outta your face, last all day until naptime" hairstyles for any toddler with enough hair.

Please excuse a couple that are blurry. She sits still for the styling, but I can only ask so much of her when I need to document. 

10 Simple Toddler Hairstyles

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10. 

And... BONUS!

11. When all else fails, there's always the Alfalfa. My personal favorite during bath time. #momscanenjoybathtimetoo

Happy Styling!