Design Drool

I have been on hiatus for a while now.  So sorry.  Blogger wasn't working and every time I tried posting something, it would go ca put.  It seems to be fixed now (and speedier than ever).

Since I've been away for so long I just want to post a few things that I'm currently drooling over and then I'll be back next week.  These are kid focused, because my boys have a Birthday next month:

Wood Mobiel
Never ending options for building fun for kids. 
I think my toddler is a bit young for this right now, but it is right up his alley as he's obsessed with Lego's.  Maybe I should buy this for my husband instead; he's never gotten over his obsession with tinkering and custom building.  The other day he rigged up a system out of our laptop, microphone, and Lego's to accurately determine the speed of individual Hot Wheels cars.  (The burgandy car was the winner)

Haba Arranging Game
Haba has quality toys and their games are fun without temporary cardboard pieces.  You know that when you buy Haba, it will last forever. 
I particularly like this game because it reminds me of Tetris, but with blocks.  You can play the game or just use the blocks to build with.  It can grow with the kids' development!

Happy Bungalow

Elephants on Parade

I have a talented friend that has recently started up an Etsy shop called Happy Bungalow.  He makes an assortment of wood crafts that are for sale at his shop and many are kid friendly and durable for little kids.  He will be adding new merchandise on a regular basis, so don't forget to check it out often.  I think hand crafted items are the perfect gift for Christmas because individual attention and love has gone into making them!

Dollhouse Bookends

On Safari

He has a few different locations where you can browse his goods or keep updated on the latest Happy Bungalow news:

etsy shop:  www.etsy.com/shop/happybungalow

website:  www.happybungalow.com

facebook:  www.facebook.com/HappyBungalow

twitter:  twitter.com/#!/@AHappyBungalow

flickr:  www.flickr.com/photos/happybungalow/

Crib Sheets Galore!

I must be in serious nesting mode, because over the course of the last few days I have managed to knock out another Pinterest DIY project by making, not one, but two crib sheets for the nursery.

After browsing on the internet for months to find crib sheets that would complement the teal wall color in the nursery (you can see the sneak peek above).  I, finally, gave up and discovered this easy to follow tutorial on Pinterest.  Click on the image below to learn how to make your own crib sheets.

via Pinterest/dana-made-it.com

 I purchased 2 different fabrics and elastic at Walmart for a total of $16.  That means my cost per sheet was only $8 which easily beats all but the most basic crib sheets out there.  I decided to choose colors that would compliment the teal walls and a pattern that would be a bit more fun and less cutesy than teddy bears and puppy dogs.  I did measure my mattress before cutting any fabric and discovered that I needed to add about an inch to the length of my sheets after looking at the tutorial.The first sheet took me 1 1/2 hours to create because I had a bit of a sewing machine issue (easily fixed once I knew what the heck was going on).  The second sheet took me only an hour to complete with the longest portion of the process being the threading of the elastic through the perimeter of the sheet. 

The aqua sheet is completed and ready for washing next to my sewing machine.  You can see my, not so neat, work space above that is located in our large storage room over the garage.  It is in definite need of a makeover.  The walls have never even been painted!