Our Little Secret ...

For Libby's Birthday I got real crafty & thrifty. Thrifty only because I hit the thrift stores to look for teacups & saucers .... little did I know I was going to strike GOLD with plenty of other things. And crafty, well, because that's just how I operate. The results are that you get "something for nothing". Or many things for nothing.

Here are just a couple of those things in a bit more detail. {But keep it all on the down-low. Soon you'll know why.}

Libby's pinafore cost me $1.50 + probably 20¢ for new fabric I used. The ducky pinafore was in perfect condition. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the perfect shade of blue with the white eyelet trim. Had to get it even though it had ducks. I went to the craft store to get some fabric & played around with the combinations. I finally settled on the black & white motif {LOVE} & some sweet scrap fabric I have had forever {from a bandana I made as a "new puppy gift" for a friend}. :) ha ha I cut the strip with the flowers to use as a little trim ... and made a little pouch for Libby's pinafore to cover up the duckies. I thought it turned out really sweet ... and is as "Alice" as I could get with my limited sewing skills. :)

Libby LOVES babies, kittens & puppies. So when I found the high chair & cradle, I had to get them for her. They were $4 a piece at the thrift store. {<-- Click here to see before photos} A little spray paint & they look like new. I also added an already painted wooden cat from the craft store [60¢] & used wood glue [with a bottle of apple juice on top for weight] to attach it. Then it was still missing something, so I sewed up a little pillow with some scrap fabric. Finally, I went up to Libby's dresser [old changing table] & grabbed a cute little nursery rhyme themed receiving blanket we used with all 3 kids. I knew it had "the cat & the fiddle" on it, so I thought it would look precious in the cradle with the little "kitten" theme I had going on. It did.

But when Libby opened her presents ... she did not appreciate the re-gift. Not one bit. She pinched the blanket with her fingers, lifted it up with a look of disgust & announced "DIS. Is NOT. A "pweasent bwanket". DIS. Is OUR bwanket. It is not my pweasent." Oh. I did fess up that I knew it was ours, but thought it looked cute in there. {???} She still wasn't over it at bed time ... when I sat on her bed & recapped her fun Birthday with her, I asked her what her favorite thing was that she got & she said with a big smile on her face, "the chib" {crib}. But then took the opportunity to give me an earful about the regifted baby blanket yet again. She just wanted it made clear that it wasn't a present. Got it. Apologized again. {eye roll for the drama queen / birthday diva ... I didn't think I'd be doing this at 3.}

Something tells me she would not be a fan of knowing her cradle & highchair came from a thrift store. Or her "Alice" pinafore. So ... let's just keep that cat in the bag. :) Zip it.