DIY adjustable pet bed
We’re expecting a fuzzy bundle of puppy love later this month, so of course we’ve all been excitedly preparing for her arrival.
The kids and I decided to make a pet bed rather than buy one. We wanted an adjustable bed that would grow as our pup grows, so we decided on a simple little pattern that turned out really well. All you need is a sewing machine, a bit of stuffing or batting and two meters of cozy fleece fabric, like this gorgeous pink and white buffalo check from Atlantic Fabrics.
Start by folding the fleece in half on the floor, right sides together. You want to cut through both layers to make two huge circles. I put a round platter in the center and used it as a guide so I could draw a much larger circle (about 95 centimeters in diameter) with a washable marker.
The kids love pinning, so they got to work pinning both circles together around the edges. Then it was time to start sewing!
First up was a quick seam all the way around the edges to join the circles together, right sides touching. I left a gap so I could turn it right-side out, and then I had what looked like a circle-shaped pillowcase.
The next step was sewing my two inner circles to create a nice padded bottom and squishy padded sides. Using a fade-away fabric marker, I drew another circle about 5cm inside the original circle — forming a pocket that would hold a cord — and another circle 25cm inside — forming the bottom of the bed.
The main thing to remember is not to seal up those circles entirely! Leave a gap in each circle, all lined up, so you can still reach your hand through all of the sections.
Once the circles were sewn, I stuffed a bit of batting inside the inner circle (hmmm, this sounds like some kind of weird social hierarchy) and then sewed that circle closed. I also sewed a few lines across it, almost like pizza slices, to keep the batting in place.
Then it was time to stuff the sides of the bed. More stuffing, all the way around the circle, and then I sewed that circle shut.
The final step was adding the pull-cord so the bed could be ruched together. I already had the pocket — made when I sewed 5cm away from the edge of the bed — so I just used a safety pin to string a long string of fleece inside. Done!
If I pull the strings a bit, the sides of the bed tuck in and make a cozy little nest.
If I pull even tighter, the bed gets smaller with higher sides — perfect for little puppies who want to feel secure.
I can also leave the bed completely flat, like a cushioned mat, which would be a good fit for large pets.
When I have it exactly how I want it, I just tie the ends of the fleece string into a little bow.
This pet bed is really easy to make and it will fit nicely inside a kennel, on a backseat or on a couch to protect it from pet hair. It’s also very popular with my four-year-old and six-year-old, so it looks like I might be making two more …
Don’t forget to pin this project so it helps out another dog-owner or cat-owner!
Make-ahead Chicken Broccoli Divan
I don’t post a lot of recipes on here because I don’t cook very adventurous meals. In fact, it seems most of my recipes are desserts or bread-related items (that’s where I tend to shine).
But I’ve been meaning to share this one because it’s one of my favourites. My mother-in-law made this many times and I loved, loved, loved it but never thought I’d be able to make it myself — despite her insistence that it was easy. When I finally tried it, I realized she was right. IT IS EASY. Easy enough that I can make it, and that says a lot.
What I really love about it is that you can make the whole thing in advance and stick it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it. I am ALL ABOUT making dinner early and then not having to do much at 4 p.m. when I’m still drowning in work and everyone is cranky (mainly me).
So here we go …
Make-ahead Chicken Broccoli Divan
Start by dumping a bunch of steamed broccoli (and cauliflower, if you’d like) into a casserole dish sprayed with oil. (All classy recipes include the word “dumping,” right?)
Add a bunch of cooked boneless chicken chunks. (The recipe calls for three breasts, but I have used more and I have used less. I’m not so good with the recipe-following.)
Pour “the sauce” over the top, which is the following all mixed together …
- 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup of chicken broth (this is roughly half the can, so I’ll freeze the remaining half in a baggie to use the next time I make this)
- 1 tsp. curry powder (this recipe = the only reason I own curry because I’m lame)
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
Cover the top with 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Cover the whole shebang in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it, or …
Bake it uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. (Really, you’re just warming it up and melting the cheese because the chicken and the veggies are already cooked.)
It’s super delicious served over rice, and then you’ve got a complete meal — meat, veggies, carbs — in no time at all. Plus CHEESE, which makes everything better.
Let me know if you try it!
xo
Non-dinner, carb-heavy recipes you might like …
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| Best-ever banana chocolate-chip muffins |
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| No-knead, four-ingredient bread |
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| Chocolate brownies + frosting |
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| Insanely good vanilla buttercream frosting |
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| Our go-to pancake recipe |
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| Homemade chocolate crack candy |
The day we had a tea party
The following is sponsored conversation with Put Me In The Story. All opinions and dusty dishware, as always, are my own.
***
Bonjour, my lovely readers! You are cordially invited to my very fancy tea party today on zee blog …
Yes, this is the cutest book ever. I know, I say that every time. But really — this one might just be the cutest.
To celebrate our newest Put Me In The Story book, Fancy Nancy Tea Parties (for Fancy Charlotte Rose), my little lady dressed up in my old First Communion dress (!!!) and two necklaces and we threw ourselves a très elegant tea party.
I’ve never used my fancy teacups with the kids, but you know what? Nothing broke and we all really enjoyed ourselves. Gosh darnit, we’re going to do this more often!
(Also, everything tastes better off a fancy toothpick. Nancy taught me that.)
Let’s get down to business: the book, and how it’s going to make your tea parties 4000% better than before …
There are fun recipes that kids can follow, like Delectable Fruit Kebabs and a yummy-sounding drink called an Orange Fizzeroo.
There are decoration ideas, little craft projects, and keep-’em-busy suggestions EVERYWHERE.
There’s also a ton of French instruction, and the former French Immersion student in me really got a kick out of that. The kids have been fascinated lately by asking me to say things in French, so they loved this.
I burst out laughing at D’s expression when he sipped his “tea” (pink lemonade). He was hella suspicious of this tea party, but had a fine time in the end.
Nothing like curls, pearls and sepia tone to make a little girl + a tea set look EVEN MORE ADORABLE.
Now who’s ready for a personalized ultra-glamorous copy of Fancny Nancy Tea Parties? I thought so!
Enter below to win a Fancy Nancy Tea Party Kit that includes …
- A personalized copy of Fancy Nancy Tea Parties
- A personalized tutu basket
- A way-cool feather boa
- A really cute children’s tea set
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I hate camping … but here’s why I go
My husband, son and daughter all love camping, but I’m a cranky camper — I fully admit it.
Camping just sets me on edge. I dislike feeling grubby and sweaty and itchy from all of my swollen bug bites. I dislike waking up in a humid sweatbox of a tent trailer that smells like pee. I dislike spending day after day outdoors, with little reprieve from the elements. I dislike trying to cook on a camp stove and wash dishes under a rusty spigot.
We just returned from an annual camping trip with good friends to Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park. Our friends have a spectacular nearly-new camper with air-conditioning, a huge fridge and freezer, a stove, a microwave and — most importantly — a bathroom with a toilet, sink and tub/shower.
Us? We’re the ones rocking the tan and brown Jayco tent trailer circa 1990 — the exact one I camped in as a child, since my dad handed it down to me four years ago. It’s certainly better than sleeping on an air mattress on the ground, and … well, there’s power so I can charge my phone. That’s about it.
All weekend long, my dear husband pestered me about upgrading to a luxurious camper like the one our friends have …
Continue reading in my weekly parenting column, The Mom Scene …
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This is how it feels
He noticed the tears and I told him it was just allergies. He’s carefully printing me a Get Well Mommy card right now with his Crayola markers.
It was, partially. Stupid sinuses.
The sun is shining and it’s a beautiful August day, but I can’t see it. Not really, anyway. Other families are probably packing lunches for the beach or rounding up towels for the pool. Maybe going to the park or just playing in the backyard.
Our windows are still closed and the kids are watching too much TV while I cradle a huge mug of tea and try to shake my trance. They are happy and they have no idea I’m being a crap mother today.
I’m angry. I’m frustrated. I’m overwhelmed. I’m sad. I’m anxious. I’m irritated. I don’t know if I want to run out the door and never come back, or find the nearest closet and barricade myself inside.
I fight with my husband before he leaves. It’s the continuation of yesterday’s squabbles, mostly, with some new stuff thrown in for kicks. The gross leftovers he never took out of the fridge. The heap of cardboard he’s been building next to the recycling bins. The fact that he’s skipping breakfast. He can do nothing right and I hate myself but it’s just what my brain is telling me.
I may have missed a Zoloft or two in the camping chaos, but even if I did, I don’t know if that makes a difference. Was it enough to shift something in my brain? Sometimes these days hit, whether I take my meds or not. They’re not the worst days — no, far from it. They’re the annoying in-between days when I remember how bad it can get without actually getting there.
I force myself to make scrambled eggs because I know they are good for me, when really I want a huge bowl of the Froot Loops we have leftover from camping. Starting the day with that much sugar would be a terrible idea. It would send me racing for the kids’ Halloween candy from Fake Campground Halloween. It would leave me crankier.
I force myself to get dressed in my Zumba clothes so I get to the 5:30 class tonight. It feels like an eternity away, but when I catch a glimpse of the bright colours in the mirror I feel a tiny boost. I know it will be good for me to go.
I force myself to sit down at the desk and work. The panic of putting off work is much worse than sitting down and just doing it, with every ping of a new email feeling like an ice-cold water balloon between my shoulder blades. I know checking off tasks and sending in assignments will help to calm me down.
I force myself not to care that the kids will be watching TV or playing computer games while I work, because I couldn’t bring myself to get them to morning day camp. I used to spend my summers watching Days of Our Lives and the OJ trial. Surely a bit of Super Why is better than that.
In a few hours, it might be a lot better. Or maybe not — today could be a write-off. Tomorrow, though, I might wake up feeling a million times better. I know that and it’s what keeps me going. I know this is a blip and that all I can do it fight my way through it.
And so I do.
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