How to make a Barbie dream house

I've been bursting to show off some of my DIY Christmas gifts, but had to wait until after the big day so I wouldn't spoil any surprises. I did quite a few homemade, or custom created gifts this year. This one is a collaboration with my friend, Kim.

She wanted to give her 5-year-old twins a Barbie dream-house for Christmas, but didn't want to break the bank on something that might break easily. With four kids, she knows delicate a plastic dollhouse wouldn't last long. So we embarked on a shopping adventure to find the right tools to build our own, sturdier version.

Originally, I was thinking we would make over a bookshelf, but then we found this storage cube shelf and it was already pink! Normally, $50-$60 for one of these bad boys, we walked on a $20 sale at Fred Meyer. Plus we had an extra 15 percent off coupon for housewares. [They had blue too, and I'm still kicking myself for not buying a couple when they were so cheap.]

The whole thing was pink, so we lined the shelves with wood-grain contact paper to give the house wood floors before assembling the shelf.

We bought a variety pack of scrapbook paper at the craft store and covered the back panels with the "wall paper" using clear contact paper to adhere it and give them a protective coating.

 I found a few unfinished wood jewelry/notions boxes at JoAnn's fabrics that made excellent furniture with a little acrylic paint.

For area rugs we cut circles and rectangles out of a bathroom rug from the Fred Meyer home section.

We painted balsa wood strips mint green and glued them to the corners to create molding to give the rooms a finished look.

Santa somehow knew the girls were getting a Barbie dream house and brought the girls furniture sets like this bathroom set complete with a flat-screen TV mounted to the towel rack. Barbie is apparently one classy gal.

 For a roof, we used a flag case from Michael's craft store.

They seemed to like it.

First big photo shoot

Saturday I took pictures of the very beautiful Zepeda family on Chester Creek Trail. They were so much fun. With a 7-year-old, 5-year-old twins and the youngest is weeks from her third birthday, things are never dull. Like me, their families live far from Alaska, so they wanted to capture a little of their surroundings in the shoot. This is my first big shoot, so any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

I am thankful

Happy Thanksgiving! I thought I would celebrate this year with a pictography of people places and things that make me thankful today. This is just a sample, because if I were all-inclusive, I'd be here until next year!

First and foremost, this guy, who not only gave the greatest compliment in life by marrying me this summer, but is an amazing cook, walk partner and friend. I'm also so very proud of him, because he's embarked on a new career this month in advertising sales for the Anchorage Daily News. Always up for a new challenge and thinking of ways to improve the lives of his family, he amazes me every day.

 This beautiful and harsh place I live. I love/hate it's weather, daylight swings and distance from the Lower 48. It's been my most faithful subject in my study of amateur photography.

 My parents, who have loved, supported and inspired me through everything. Especially my mom who taught me to follow my dreams, where ever they lie, and can take her own advice. She too, is embarking on a new adventure this year at the Seattle Red Cross. This lady is my role model. My dad for encouraging all of us, his patience and stories.

 My boy, who brings love and laughter to our home everyday. Aspiring guitarist and comedian, this guy probably teaches me more about family and what's truly important in life than anyone.

 Sister and Boy Kitty, because everyone needs a little unconditional love. And these guys have lots of it. Especially at 4:30 a.m. when I'm trying to sleep.

 My big brother and his lady. He just got promoted to to head bigshot at his engineering firm, but none of us are surprised.

 

My girlfriends for being the amazing, beautiful people they are. And for all the big and little woes and joys we share.

 My new friend Kim and her beautiful little family who have made Alaska feel so much more like home in the last few months.

My sweet in-laws who have welcomed me into their family as one of their own.

Cotton candy, giant cabbage and the gravitron

The Alaska State Fair is know for it's giant cabbage competition with a record of 127 from our intense growing season. But Thursday night, we went to the event in Palmer for the rides and the food. Above is a view of the grounds from the Ferris wheel. We ran into Davin's friend from school and her dad and hung out with them at the rides.

Here, missy got told she was just barely too short to make the cut for the Apollo, a ride none of us adults were brave enough to try.

 

So instead I braved the Gravitron with the kids and my stomach -- and equilibruim -- was angry with that decision. So was Davin's. But his friend was so non-phased she was riding upside down.

However, it was nothing a little over-price cotton candy couldn't cure.

Fireworks, food and friends

Happy Fourth of July! We celebrated with barbecue chicken (well, a portobello for me), lots of homemade salads including my first mayo-free potato salad (it was delicious), sweets and our friends Tony and Alisa. We watched a movie and played Apples to Apples while waiting for the fireworks at midnight -- which lucky for us, happen to be set off from the ball fields across the street. We get to sit on the balcony and snicker at the hundreds trying to park and camp out on blankets to watch the show. Just don't plan on running out for anything when the America's birthday party is happening across street.

The Fourth is also a special day for Joshua and I because it marks the day we met. I can't believe how the years have flown by, but I also can't image life without my boys. It's also apropos we celebrate with Tony and Alisa since they are to blame for our meeting that Fourth of July in Boise.

Miss Rowe's wedding

Davin's teacher, Miss Rowe got married this summer, and our family was one of a handful from her class honored with an invitation. She moved to Alaska from California to teach at the beginning of the past school year and she's moving from fourth to fifth grade with her class in the fall. She met her husband at a speed dating event last fall, after nearly chickening out to go shopping at the last minute. She's glad she decided to go, because they've spent nearly every day together since. He's an engineer and she has her masters in teaching. They are a sweet couple and had a lovely event.

They had an anniversary dance there they got all the married couples on the dance floor. Then the deejay said, "If you've been married (X amount of time), please leave the dance floor." It's usually done in increments of years. Instead he announced "less than three and a half hours" for the couple and next up "35 days." Someone must have done the math to send us off with a laugh.

Wedding photos!

Here is a link to our professional wedding images on Photobucket.

Faces at the rehearsal dinner

 

We had a really casual rehearsal dinner and it was wonderful. Campfire, chicken dinner, guitar strums and meeting and greeting. Above, Dan Henderson.

 

Jane Henderson last wore this lovely outfit at a wedding in India.

 

My Aunt Carol, Aunt Cecily, Uncle Dave and cousin Jessica. 

Joshua's dad, Kevin and family friend Chuck.

 

Davin winces from campfire smoke. We told him smoke follows beauty.

 

My sweet new mother-in-law, Sherrie at the campfire.

Tai, friend, wedding officiant and extraordinary person.