Spring Cleaning

There is a change in the air. Spring is arriving! Yesterday, we drove through the Skagit Valley and we saw fields and fields full of bright yellow daffodils.

And, with it I feel the need to simplify and refine our home. To purge the things that are  no longer fulfilling our needs and beautify the things that will remain.  

I began the day by taking some photos of my clothing I am planning to sell. We decided that today, we would polish our wood toys with beeswax. Sienna always enjoys this activity. I also wiped down the play kitchen with some beeswax for the first time. I love the way the wood looks after a fresh polishing and it smells yummy, too! 

Unfortunately, two of our nesting wood bowls were cracked and broken from neglect. We have to remember to care for our wood toys more often!

With more creating and crafting going on, I needed to reorganize some of our shelves in the living room and dining room. I use our dining table for all of these activities and it drives me crazy when it is cluttered during meal times.  

Our family picture wall is coming along nicely with the two thrifted frames from this weekend. Of course, we need more frames. I framed one of Sienna's family pictures she made. We are fairies again!

Sienna made her own playscape using her play silks as water and grass. All of the toys on this table were made for her by Daddy! We love him and the things he makes and does for us!  

This Week's Finds

Today after Sienna's dance class we headed over to a flea market. We found a few things right away.

A little Swedish Dalecarlian horse (Dala horse) - $3.00 

A chickadee tile on a frame made of barn wood - $5.00 

After the flea market, we headed over to a (new to us) Thrift Shoppe. The prices at this shop were very good and we will definitely be back again!

Two Easter Egg candles - $0.25 for both 

A bunny candle - $0.10

New pipe cleaners for art projects - $0.25 

 Two Pine picture frames - $1.50 each

The best find! Sienna loved this train and started playing with it when we arrived at the thrift shoppe. The sides slide open and the bunnies, eggs, and flowers were inside the train cars. She has been playing with it since we came home.

 Easter train with little wooden pieces - $2.50

And, David made pickled eggs today! They have to marinate in jars for two days.

Oh, I also forgot that we found two handmade Easter placemats ($0.50). They are already in the laundry to be washed. I will share them soon. 

The Garden Apartment: Sienna's Bedroom

Welcome to Sienna's bedroom! 

Sienna loves all things feminine and fairy tale like. She loves castles and princesses, but also fairies and enchanted forests.

The first thing you see when you come to her bedroom is her dance bag hanging on her door. Her ballet slippers, tap shoes and a silky tutu are inside of it. 

Then you see her sweet, pine bed fit for a little princess and her creamy white dresser. The pink quilt my Grandma Ann made for me is on her bed. 

At the foot of her bed is her dollhouse from Santa Claus, a rocking chair, and two pink toy buckets.

On the opposite wall are her barn and fairy house. I love her wood toys! Can you guess what the Easter Bunny will bring to the wee ones?

Above them is her magnetic bulletin board.

Next to that, is a small, white bookshelf.

On the other side is a sweet fairy peg shelf with her handmade by Daddy fairy house below. The fairy house is sitting on a little, pine heart-shaped table.

Lastly, we have her closet. (She only uses half of it.) Her dresses and coats are above. The shelf holds board games, puzzles, coloring books, a few china tea sets, headbands and hair clips.

I hope that you enjoyed sharing a peek into Sienna's bedroom. Don't worry, it's not always so organized! I just noticed how orderly it was this morning and skipped over our (messy) kitchen to share it with you.

Homemade and Handmade with Love

This Valentine's Day, our little family shared a cozy evening at home with a homemade heart shaped pizza and homemade vanilla pudding for dessert. 

David surprised me with some flowers and a vase he made from wood, since we didn't have any flowers to pick from a garden. I made the love bird mobile for Sienna a few days before Valentine's Day.

And, Daddy surprised Sienna with a sweet fairy house he made for her. Sienna added some hand drawn bushes to the front.

The roof lifts off, so she can play in it and get it all cozy to capture a real fairy. She added some furniture from her fairy lodge.

I hand sewed her a blanket for her fairy bed and pillow with some fabric I had in my stash. Next, she requested pillows for the fairy sofa.

She even added some miniature pictures to the walls for the fairies.

It was a sweet homemade and handmade day!

The Little House: Cozy Spots

Sienna's much-loved kitchen, located in a "cozy little spot" of the dining room.

Complete with her name, mixing bowls, and a patchwork hoot owl!