Recipe for a Delightful Evening

It's nearing the end of the day.

Take one part tired-but-resolved Mama*, one part perky five-year-old who has been excited all day at said tired Mama's promise for an evening surprise, one part printable dollhouse furniture, and mix them all together.

What follows will be, I promise you, a lovely evening.

We decided to start our decorating with a couple of rugs, an antique map, and an old-fashioned radio.

Spur of the moment, we decided to dress up the antique map a little bit with some painted popsicle sticks. (Princess sleeves must be tucked up for this task.)

While the frame dried, we began to cut out our accessories and furniture. Princess sleeves may be untucked, and candlelight is a happy must.

We spied this tiny frame in Eliana's bedroom and decided to stamp a picture to be displayed in the girl's room of her dollhouse.

Lots of glue, lots of giggles as fingers got covered with glue, and now here's our finished work and a (very)reserved Eliana. (Don't let her fool you- she just wants to start the decorating process.)

And here's the boys' playroom in the attic- they love their new map! (The treasure chest was made the day before by Mama, as a practice run.) And Eliana wants you to know that she's tried combing Joseph's hair, but he likes it that way.

Mama has escaped to the attic as well, to listen to her favorite inspirational speaker on the old-fashioned radio. She really needs her Quiet Time.

Here's a quick peek into the nursery- no new accessories here, but there's the Queen, sitting with her babies, Gideon and Alice. They're twins.

And the girls' room! *sigh* It's Eliana's favorite, of course- Lily and Rose are currently playing with two dollhouses that were also made by Mama the day before, on the beautiful rug Eliana cut out, the room brightened still more by a new mermaid picture on the dresser. The girls are very pleased.

And the living room, with its new rug. Everyone is happily ensconced in their favorite rooms, though, so it's awfully quiet in here.

This was such an easy project with really happy results! A quick printoff of a few new pieces and accessories for the dollhouse, some scissors and glue, paints and candlelight... it was just really, really fun.

*I am finally learning that I will never regret giving up some me time to draw nearer to my children. It definitely helps, though, to be purposeful about it well in advance- my husband knew I was weary and urged me to start shutting down for the evening, but I told him I had promised her, and I must follow through because it would be so good.

And it was.