Friday I’m in Love: Books for 4 Year Olds

Best gift for 4 year oldLast week we celebrated Quinn’s 4th birthday with a zoo day, a mother-daughter date to Twisted Root, and a healthy stack of delightful gifties. Of course there was some pink plastic to make her squeal but we also slipped in a few great books to add to the family library. We are thoroughly enjoying all our picks. What’s your latest favorite children’s book?

Best gift for 4 year old

Pantone Colors
Prudent Baby Assistant Editor Extraordinaire Amber, found this gorgeous color book which she fully disclosed was actually for me rather than Quinn. Yes, please! Since Quinn is always asking the names of slight variations of colors, we will now be able to give a proper example of the difference between strawberry red and lobster red. My Graphic Designer heart swoons.

Best gift for 4 year old Best gift for 4 year old

My Very Own World Adventure
We are long-time fans of I SEE ME personalized books and the latest is the best yet. Introduce your sweet little traveler to children of the world and their cultures and traditions. A beautiful illustration represents a place that begins with the same letter as each letter in your child’s name. The illustrations are created by artists from around the world.

Best gift for 4 year oldBest gift for 4 year old

In my house, we are huge Oliver Jeffers fans. On the surface his books are fun, clever and beautiful but they often also come with a deeper message that older children and adults will also appreciate.

Best gift for 4 year old

The Heart and the Bottle is a beautiful cautionary tale about the dangers of over-protecting a broken heart and missing out on wonderful life experiences. Or at least I think that’ what it’s about. Pretty deep stuff but also enjoyable at surface value.

Best gift for 4 year old Best gift for 4 year old

STUCK is a more playful work from Jeffers that your kids will love. Very imaginative and fun to read.

Best gift for 4 year old Best gift for 4 year old

Jon Klassen is a long-time favorite of ours for I Want My Hat Back and Extra Yarn but we finally picked up a copy of his Caldicott Award Winner, This Is Not My Hat. Message: You might think you can get away with bad behavior, but probably, you won’t.

Best gift for 4 year old

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Advice Please: Which Fabrics for My Patio?


Ladies, it’s a new season here on my patio, and I’ve updated the linens on my DIY Pallet Daybed by dyeing them a fresh shade of blue. Now I’d like to make some pillows to complement the new look (as well as some new blue tassels for my fabric tassel garland that has held up so well for two years!). Here are some options I’ve pulled together. Which do you like? Let me know in the comments!

Here we’ve got a subtle blue/natural look going on with Premier Prints Home Decor Carnival Village in blue/natural on the large pillow and Jacinda’s beautiful design, Texas Modern Feather Wind in charcoal, on the small one.

For a bright, yet earthy look there’s Premier Prints Home Decor Zoom Zoom in village/natural, with Robert Kaufman Essex Linen in lime.

And for straight up bright summer fun here’s Alexander Henry Home Decor Sofia in tea/orange paired with Anna Maria Horner’s yellow voile.

So what do you think? Which should I get to sewing?

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Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs with Coleslaw

Thanks to Marzetti for sponsoring this post and inspiring our recipe with their delicious salad dressings.
Ahh, the bacon wrapped hot dog. ‘Tis an LA street-food specialty, to be bought from a cart after clubbing all night, dripping with delicious hangover busting grease and savored bite by bite. I may have aged out of 2 a.m. post-clubbing street food, but I still love the bacon wrapped hot dog for summer BBQ’s.

Another delicious trick I’ve picked up is to put coleslaw directly on your hot dog. I am not usually a fan of coleslaw, but since my husband’s twin brother moved to Nashville, married my awesome sister in law, and had a couple babies, we’ve been visiting quite a bit. I always make sure to stop by Noshville, since my BIL introduced me to their “Francheesy,” which is basically a hot dog with cheese and coleslaw on it. There is something magical that happens when you combine a hot dog and coleslaw. I can’t explain it, you just have to try it. And once you wrap your hot dog in bacon, then top with delicious coleslaw, well, it’s heaven in your mouth.

The coleslaw-topped bacon-wrapped hot dog is pretty much the simplest way to make your BBQ guests swoon over your mad grill-skills, especially with the addition of Marzetti Light Slaw Salad Dressing. Let me show you how simple it is to grill a bacon-wrapped hot dog and top it with slaw. And you can also enter to win this gift set giveaway from Marzetti, including:
· 5 Marzetti coupons to purchase Classics dressings
· Marzetti branded stainless knife set with cutting board
· Acacia wood salad platter and plates (3 10″ plates and 3 5″ plates)
· $35 Visa gift card for grocery shopping
· Marzetti branded apron

Get my coleslaw-topped, bacon-wrapped hot dog recipe after the jump… (more…)

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How to Sew a Jersey Knit Dress 2 Ways (Free Pattern)


I mean, really? Could these be any cuter? Vanessa, from LBG Studio, sewed up these comfy jersey knit dresses for her daughter and is here today to show you how. Her version of a jersey knit dress comes with two different variations – with pockets, and with a tiered skirt (like our Layer Cake Skirt). The free pattern is a big help too.

For more sewing inspiration, check out Vanessa’s Party Dress Remix. We have a project in store with the same fabric! Sew a divided basket to keep your sewing supplies in order, and an idea pouch to keep your thoughts in line. These would also make wonderful Mother’s Day gifts.


Here is the tiered dress version.


And the jersey dress with pockets.

Don’t shy away from jersey knit if you haven’t worked with it before. Start with a rundown of Sewing with Jersey 101 and check out the Beginner’s Jersey Dress.

Learn How to Sew a Jersey Knit Dress 2 Ways after the jump…

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Friday I’m in Love…with New Orleans


A little over a month ago I left the comfort of my California home for Texas BBQ and the Louisiana bayou. I shared my Austin, Texas adventure in Friday I’m in Love…with SXSW. Since I had been to Austin before I had an idea what I was getting myself into. New Orleans, however, was a brand new experience all together…


As soon as I exited the car I was greeted with the sounds of saxophones belting out jazz tunes, upright basses keeping time, and the chitter-chatter of conversations at every corner. My apartment (found off Airbnb) was in the heart of the French Quarter. It hadn’t yet been renovated, which meant the balcony sloped down towards the street and it oozed with the air of New Orleans voodoo.


The Quarter Stitch – just down the street from my apartment – was a rainbow explosion of high-quality yarn and handmade goods. This little pup standing guard was an added bonus.


No trip to New Orleans is complete without a Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour. After a small drive out of the French Quarter I hopped on a boat and floated down the swamp to see 11-foot alligators and sunbathing turtles.  You could even hold a baby alligator!

The Witches Brew Tour was a ghost, witch, vampire, and voodoo tour that I took at night. The tour guides new every nook and cranny of the French Quarter. I highly recommend this so you get a sense of the spooky spirits that haunt the streets around you (muahahah).


Did I mention this was the first place I stopped at upon entering New Orleans?


Napoleon House Bar & Cafe has been there since 1797 and makes the most delicious Italian muffuletta.


Stop by Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop to have a drink at the oldest bar in the country, since 1722. Try to make it there on a night when Mike Hood is playing piano. You won’t be dissapointed, I promise. Keep your eye out for Jean Lafitte’s ghost in the flames of the fireplace.


I became obsessed with photographing doors and balconies in this historical town.


Begin and end your trip with beignets and Cafe Au Lait at Cafe Du Monde, and the originals bananas foster at Brennan’s. Thank you, New Orleans. I’ll surely be back soon.

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Hot Air Balloon Baby Shower


Classic hot air balloons are definitely a favorite of ours, so much that I have a hot air balloon tattoo, Jaime has gorgeous vintage hot air balloon paintings in her home, and Jacinda has an awesome hot air balloon cake mold from the 80s. When we saw Mandy’s beautiful Hot Air Balloon baby shower on her site, Fabric Paper Glue, we fell head over heels for it. If you’re crushing on this shower too, you can complete the party theme with the Hot Air Balloon Invitations tutorial and our Hot Air Balloon Mobile (with free pattern).


Check out the tutorial for these cute Hot Air Balloons on Mandy’s site.


The cutest table spread and baby booties made with frosting.

See the entire Hot Air Balloon Baby Shower after the jump…

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1 Minute Bacon Mug Brownie Recipe

Welcome to this week’s edition of Jaime’s Lazy Late Night Cooking Corner, the show where I whip up last-minute single serve microwave treats every Thursday while wearing my robe. Today we are combining two of our favorite foods, brownies and BACON to make a one-minute bacon mug brownie. So salty, so sweet, so mmmmmeaty.

In previous episodes we’ve made 4 Minute Microwave Potato Chips, 4 Minute Microwave Carrot Cake, Bye Bye Bunny Microwave Peep S’mores, Single Serve Microwave Rice Krispy Treats, Microwave Blueberry Cobbler in a Cup, Microwave Strawberry Shortcake for Two, a Microwave Lemon Bar, Two-Minute Microwave Cheesecake in a Cup, 3-minute Microwave Guinness Chocolate Cake, and even a Microwave Cinnamon Roll.

Still hungry? Try our famous recipes for One Minute Cup of Coffee Cake, Single Microwave Cookie in a Minute, 2-Minute Chocolate Nutella Cake or French Toast in A Cup.

Learn how to make a Bacon Mug Brownie in our video above and get the ingredients after the jump… (more…)

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Two T-Shirt Nightgown Tutorial


The name says it all for this adorable nightgown tutorial. We’ve made nightgowns out of pillowcases before, but a two T-shirt nightgown will be a first. Kristin, from Skirt as Top, came up with these snuggly sleepers and is here to tell you how to make them yourself. I think next I’m going to have to tackle her Fruit Stripe Skirt and Sunshine Dress, and then the Pleated Bundt Pillows for my new home makeover.

Grab your supplies and let’s get started…
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