Need

I'm wanting to brighten up my living room just a bit. I think I need these pillows.

My New Adventure

After Audrey's birthday party last month, I decided I didn't want to make the party decor fun to end – so I'm doing freelance and created an Etsy shop.

So, here's what I've been up to this last month...

A MINNIE MOUSE PARTY

Birthday banner:

Minnie banner:

A SUPERHERO PARTY

Birthday banner:

Superhero banner:

A VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR PARTY

Banner:

I also did a penguin banner, and am working on an entire Curious George birthday party...and have a Thomas the Train party I'm doing for my nephew this May.

Right now, I'm pretty much just building up my shop as I go along, but I am having so much fun. I've always loved party decor, so it makes sense for me to take this next step.

A tiny house tour

I won't lie, when Audrey fell in love with Calico Critters, I did a happy dance.

Not only do I have the nostalgia of playing with them as a girl myself, but they might officially be the cutest thing ever. While the brand can be a pricey interest, the quality and attention to detail in every item is just amazing. And it's those details that Audrey seems to appreciate most (because who wants to play with a oven that doesn't open)? 

So of course, she needed a house for her Calico Critters! I did look at the Calico Critters ones for a bit, but they had two things going against them – price and room size. I already knew I'd be spending a considerable amount of furniture, I didn't want to add $100+ for a house on that. And the room sizes were just small, some of which were even difficult to access. I just didn't feel they were very 3-year-old appropriate.

So, we decided to build:

Supplies were roughly $35. I had the paint. And then I spent maybe $8 on wallpaper (scrapbook paper).

Audrey has had her doll house for 3 weeks now, and I can easily say she's played with it daily. I love watching her play with this house – her imagination at work is so much fun to watch.

And now, on to the tour:

The living room:

The kitchen:

The master: 

(If patient, you can find this set on eBay for a fraction on the price).

The bathroom:

The "big girl" bedroom:

The kids room:

The nursery:

And for those curious, the "connecting" tree house:

While the house never really looks like this (Audrey likes all the beds in one room...the toilet in the kitchen...the car in the living room), it's been such a fun process. She now has a doll house that her daddy built her, and the start of a wonderful toy collection that will be around for generations.