rainbow connection : the tea towel

crafting

Louise from Mima and Moo also writes a weekly craft post for the blog of the lovely American children's fashion magazine Babiekins. We are so happy to be part of this blog. Below are the posts we have done so far:
Fake Plastic Painted Animals

Rosette Picture Frame

Floral Headband

paint dipped branches

I have seen so many things dipped in bright paint making interiors look fabulous lately. I have had this vase of branches in a corner of my lounge which I really like, but while I was busy spray painting animals for the Babiekins blog I thought why not add some turquoise to these branches. They are not technically dipped but spray painted, the effect is the same and so much easier. I really like them.

cardboard box: doll's bed

I'd been thinking about getting bed for Moo's doll when I realised I had the prefect sized box. so why not make one?

Moo and I carefully removed all the regular packing tape and replaced with gummed tape so that it matched the box and would be possible for moo to decorate or paint if she wanted too. I remembered about gummed tape from my childhood, it looks like brown paper but has an adhesive side and gums up when water is applied (you can get it at art shops).

We then cut the bed head and ends with slots,  we chose to make it look similar to Moo's bed, but you could cut any decorative shape

Cut away the sides off the box and use these to cut out the legs of the bed. We cut small slits in the bed base  for the legs to slot into. taped to secure. 

Then I finished it off by making a little doll size crochet blanket. 

Moo says "ssshh.... Red Riding Hood is sleeping."

loaf : soda bread

I have just started making bread. The idea of making my own bread has developed since Mima was born and a desire to make as much as possible of what she eats, so I know the ingredient and where they came from. I tried using a bread maker with decidedly average results, the loaf didn't rise much, looked horrible and tasted very yeasty. So I thought I would try soda bread. I had a recipe from the River Cottage Baby and Toddler Cookbook so tried that first. We were very happy with the result, it tasted lovely and looked fantastic. Soda bread is so quick and easy to make that it is now part of my weekly routine, I make two small loaves.
I will update you on any better recipes I find in the future, actually if you know any please email them to me! Also if I give it all up and start buying bread at the supermarket!
The recipe in the River Cottage Baby and Toddler Cookbook is for double this amount. I like to make this smaller size.

INGREDIENTS
125g plain white flour
125g wholemeal OR spelt flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
pinch of salt
150ml plain, full fat yogurt
100ml whole milk

METHOD
Pre heat oven to 200C.
1. Put flour, bicarbonate soda and salt in a bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine.
2. Stir yogurt and milk together, then add to dry ingredients and mix well. This will make a sticky dough, which results in a lovely moist loaf that keeps well.
3. Scrap on to a baking tray lined with baking paper, forming a large mound, I like to leave the surface nice and textured.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Leave to cool.
I slice and freeze what we don't eat that day.

rainbow connection: three

RAINBOW PASTA 

I was browsing kids craft blogs for an indoor activity to do with Moo and her little friend on a wet day and I came across this easy way to dye pasta for making crafts.

The colours are so intense, we all made necklaces and a pasta rainbow with all the leftover pieces.

What you'll need 
dried pasta in different shapes ones with holes are best for threading 
string - we just used regular cotton kitchen string
hand sanitiser
food colouring
snaplock plastic bags

Method

1. Divide uncooked pasta into a snaplock bags.

2. Put a few squirts of hand sanitiser into the bag.

3. Put a few drops of food dye into the bag.

4. Seal bag and shake until dye has taken evenly. Moo loves doing this part.

5. Empty onto tray lined in baking paper, dry in the sun or if it's pouring with rain outside (like here) dry in oven at 100c for about 15 mins.

This also works for dyeing rice, so we'll be trying that soon I'm sure.

cardboard box : sorting box

Since Mima was born we have been getting our fruit and vegetables delivered by a company called Ooooby (Out Of Our Own Back Yard). They provide boxes of seasonal fruit and vegetables straight from the grower to you at a reasonable price. You receive details of where everything was grown, whether it is organic and recipe suggestions. It has been brilliant with a young baby to look after and now  feeding.
With all these boxes, I was inspired by Moo's castle and wondered what could I make for a one year old? I thought a sorting/posting box, with cut out shapes to match her toys would be cool and I was right she loves it! I think the fact that she can post her toys which she knows and loves makes this even more appealing.

I started with the rectangular Ooooby box.

Traced the outline of some of her toys and cut the shapes out.

I painted the edges of these cut outs in bright colours to accentuate them and make the box look fun.