Girls Ruffle Dress from Pillowcase

Well as you know at the moment my crafting has been put on a major hold. I keep telling my wonderful hubby that surely I could sit at the table and make things for our precious Angel (whom by the way is a little girl!)but he is just not letting me move from the bed unless it is to go and lay on the couch or the couch unless it is to go to bed. I am grateful his work is letting him work from home during this difficult time but Im getting BORED!! I need to sort out some needle crafts and quick.

In the meantime I am looking up so much fun stuff on other websites and I have decided that I will just share some of my fantastic finds with each of you as I find them. So look what I found this morning:



I have seen so many pillowcase dresses but I think this is by far my favorit. Plus major bonus is you only need 4 materials:

•A large pillowcase (40 x 20 inches) or same amount of fabric (40 x 40 inches)
•Matching thread
•2 inch matching ribbon
•A button

So cheap and so Easy. To look at the fantastic Tutorial have a look here

I also wanted to thank everyone for their prayers and kind words. I have a lot of faith. I know that all is up to the Lord. Yesterday the Nurse told me she couldnt belive that I have made it to 22 weeks (I will be tomorrow) because when waters break before 20 weeks, and mine went at 19, it is unlikely to make it this far let alone to 24. Our baby is already a fighter and a miracle! Thanks again to everyone. I appreciate it more than you know!

Tough Times Prayers Needed

As I am in need of as many prayers as possible I wanted share a post with you all that my Husband has written this evening.

When Alisha and I were married we dreamed about having our own little family one day. Alisha is the oldest of seven children and I’m the oldest of four, we liked the idea of having maybe four or five children ourselves. We realise that doing so would probably put us in a position where we’d sometimes struggle to find the money to support our family but we were certain that a big family was right for us.
Kaylee was born to us in December 2003. She was born six weeks early and was in the hospital for ten days. Alisha endured around eighty hours of labour before requiring an emergency caesarian.
A couple of years later we were delighted to hear that we were going to have another child. But there were problems. Alisha’s waters broke at 22 weeks and she was kept in hospital to avoid her getting an infection. She was kept in hospital for two weeks before the doctors decided it was pointless for her to be there. She came home and a couple of weeks later I had a call asking me to come home from work as her contractions were very close. Spencer was born later that day at a gestation of 26 weeks. It took the doctors 20 minutes to get him to breathe on his own before they took him away. One of them even fainted at the sight of him. His body was the size of an adult’s hand.
Spencer progressed steadily until we had a phone call one morning asking us to come to the hospital. Spencer’s lungs had collapsed and they were certain that he was going to die. They called us in to say our goodbyes. Thankfully Spencer was defiant and proved the doctors wrong.
He’s given us scares from time to time, had a couple of surgeries, been in hospital for other reasons, and so on. To look at him now you’d never believe that he was 3-4 months premature. We know that it is a miracle that he is with us today.
This brings us to our current predicament.
Alisha is 19 weeks pregnant. On Thursday she noticed something was wrong. After a scan it was found that she has a small tear in the amniotic sack and that liquid was leaking. This was bad news.
The doctors have told Alisha that they expect her to deliver in the next couple of weeks and that the baby will die shortly thereafter. I refuse to believe it. Having experience everything that we did with Spencer I know that miracles can happen. I’m not prepared to accept this eventuality until it happens. We’re doing everything possible to ensure that Alisha makes it to 24 weeks. That way, at least, the doctors will be required to do everything they can to assist the child.
I can’t imagine what will happen if Alisha gives birth to this perfectly healthy child and then have to watch it die. Right now my head just isn’t in the game. Please remember Alisha and our baby in your prayers. I’m sure that, with everyone’s help, there is a miracle waiting to happen.
I want the doctors to be dumbfounded. I want them to shake their heads in disbelief and to go and tell their colleagues that they can’t understand how this was all possible. Sadly though my wants and desires are secondary to those of God. I place my wife and child in his hands and just hope he answers the prayers offered on our behalf.

I am asking everyone who has faith in any God please pray for us. My husband keeps saying he knows there is a miracle waiting to happen and I am praying this is the case. I know the Lords will is what will be done. I just keep praying that his will and my will are one in the same.

Homemade Take 5 Bars

Super easy and yummy, that's why I like them!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of square shaped pretzels
• 1 bag of Rolo's

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Put one pretzel with a Rolo on top onto baking tray
3. Cook until Rolo is soft (not melted) about 7 minutes
4. Take out and smush another Rolo on top
5. Put on plate to cool
6. Eat till you're sick!

Broccoli Salad

As anyone who has read our blog before will know I love spring / summer time. One thing that I love is summer time salads. One of my favorite salads is a Broccoli Salad. My sister made this for me last April when I was visiting her in the states and since then I have been hooked. I make it every time we have a BBQ or when we are just getting together with friends. Sometimes I make it as the main course in our dinner with some nice bread. It is just fantastic! Since so many people ask me for the recipe I decided I had better put it on here then I can just refer others to my blog to have find the recipe. So here it is. I hope you and yours enjoy it as much as me and mine do!!

Broccoli Salad:

2 Fresh Raw Bunches of Broccoli
1 cup slivered or flaked almonds
1/2 cup grated cheese
1 cup craisins (you can use raisins if you want be we LOVE craisins)
1/2 small red onion finely chopped
4 - 5 rashers of bacon cooked and crumbled (streaky bacon for anyone in the UK)

Dressing:
1/2 cup of Mayo (I use light and it works fine)
1/4 cup sugar (I use splenda and it works fine)
1Tbsp white vinegar.

Directions:
Cut all stems off Raw broccoli and cut into bite size pieces. mix in Almonds, Craisins, Bacon, Onion and Cheese. Once those are all mixed in another bowl mix the mayo, sugar and vinegar. Pour the dressing over the top of the Broccoli mix and enjoy. I do like mine chilled so I always make it a few hours before hand and put it in the fridge.

People always look at it and say Oh I dont like broccoli so no thank you but I say just try one bite and that is it. They are then hooked for life! Someone said to me it needs a different name then broccoli salad because broccoli puts people off. Trust me though you cant be put off once you have tasted it!!

Painting Aprons

A few years ago I was babysitting a friend of mines little boy around Mothers Day and decided I wanted to do something really nice for her and fun for her little boy and my little girl. I bought some plain white Aprons and had the children, using felt paints, paint their handprints on the Apron it was lovely. I still have mine and love using it.

I think these make fantastic Mothers Day gifts for any fathers out there reading our blog!!

Giveaway Sponsors

Hello everyone. I would really like to do some give aways here on Homemaking Honeys. In order to do that I am looking for people who would be willing to Sponsor the giveaways by offering our readers something to win. If you have made something or would be willing to give something away to our readers please contact me at alisha@homemakinghoneys.com Of course your blog would be listed here for all of our readers to view and I would do all the advertising about the giveaway and your website. Please let me know if you are interested!

Its Spring Time!!

Which means the Strawberries are cheap!! What better way to serve them then hand dippped in Milk Chocolate and then drizzled with white chocolate? I did this with my 6 year old after school this afternoon and even though she and my 3 year old were covered in Chocolate their smiles and the beautiful sunshine and of course the knowledge that we will soon be eatting Chocolate Covered Strawberries made it so much fun!! Anyway I just thought I would remind you of one of my favorite things about Spring and Summer.

Easter Story Cookies

I love this and it has become a tradition each Easter in our home. I feel it is a great way to teach little children the true meaning of Easter. Plus in the end they have a yummy cookie on Easter morning!


Easter Story Cookies

To be made the evening before Easter

1cup whole pecans
1tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important, don't wait till you're half done with the recipe!)

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was Beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1tsp vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

YOU MAY WANT TO ADJUST/ADAPT THIS TO SUIT YOUR OWN BELIEF.

Washcloth Easter Bunny

I just realised that I have never posted this tutorial on here and I think it is really cute, easy and effective for Easter. It makes great gifts for friends just to say I am thinking of you!!

Supplies:

washcloth - a large baby washcloth is ideal
rubber band


Instructions:

Lay the washcloth on a table. Roll one corner, diagonally, into the middle. Roll the opposite corner in the same way, so that both rolls meet in the middle.

Fold the rolled washcloth in half.

Hold the two sides together and fold the two ends backwards, over the top. Fasten a rubber band around the front area to form the head. Fluff out the two ends to make bunny ears.

That is it really. If you wanted to you could decorate it with eyes and ribbon. But essentially that is all there is to it. If you have more questions let me know and I will do a tutorial with pictures! So easy, effective and cute!!

How to Lace Dye Easter Eggs

I found out how to do this last year by reading Martha Stewarts website. It was so easy to do I couldnt believe I had never done it before. Here are the easy to follow steps:


1. Cut lace into strips long enough to wrap around eggs and still have extra to form a sash for holding.

2. Wrap eggs, securing lace with rubber bands. Dye eggs according to dye package instructions. Lift out, cut off rubber bands, and unwrap lace. Let dry on foam board fitted with flathead pins.

It is so easy and they look so effective to. This is really a no fail craft tip. I dont want to say that no one would mess this up. But I am pretty sure that most of us can do there.

The pictures have been taken from the post on Martha Stewarts site and make the instructions even easier to follow!!