DIY Changing Pad Cover

Go figure, right after we announce our new blog schedule I actually have a free minute to work on this project! Anyway, I was so excited about this project I just had to share it with you all! 

This project was overall pretty easy. 

I used the tutorial from Pretty Prudent, so be sure to refer back to their post for more more detailed instructions and "how to" pictures. 

For this project I used two pieces of fabric.

Main Fabric--> 30.5'' x 32"

Accent Fabric--> 17.5" x 32"

-  Lay your fabrics together along the 32″ sides with right sides facing and sew them together

-Fold it in half lengthwise and then widthwise and then cut out an 8″ square at the outside corner (the one with no folds).

-Bring the two sides of a square together, right sides facing and sew them together. 

-Repeat on all four corners

-Next, create a tube for the elastic.  On the inside edge that is raw, fold over 1/2″ or so and iron, all the way around.  Then fold it another inch, iron and pin in place.

Starting next to a corner, sew it in place at the edge of the seam, leaving a hole at the corner to feed your elastic through, backstitching at beginning and end:

Cut a 36″ piece of elastic, 5/8″ thickness or smaller (i used 3/8″):

Attach a safety pin to one side of the elastic and attach the other side to the changing pad cover with a pin and feed the elastic through the tube: When you pull it out, sew the two sides together –I sewed a box with an X in the middle. And then sew the hole closed and that’s it! You are done!  It should look like this from the bottom:

Now I just had to see if it worked...and it did! It fits perfect. 

 Thanks for stopping by! What do you think? Are you currently working on any nursery or other sewing projects? I'd love to hear about it. If you have any questions, leave a comment below and I will do my best to help answer it! This project was pretty fun and I am planning on making a matching crib sheet to go with this too. I hope you all have a fabulous Monday. I will be back on Wednesday for our WWEW Link Party and to share a tasty recipe of my own with you. 

Linking this post to these parties HERE!

Temporary New Blog Schedule + What's Going On?

Hello everyone! I'm so sorry that we've been MIA the last couple of days. We have been taking some time to discuss a new blog schedule. We've been finding it hard to get our posts done in a timely manner with a brand new newborn, and a newborn soon to be here. Instead of stressing over another project and post, we've decided to cut down the number of posts we do each week. This guarantees that our projects and posts are the best quality they can be- which you guys deserve.

So, instead of posting Tuesday through Friday, we will be posting (at a minimum) on Wednesdays and Saturdays. We will also be throwing some random posts in there throughout the week. We'd like to take some extra time promoting our posts and interacting with our followers and people we follow, too.

All that being said, we are NOT going anywhere! If anything, you may hear more from us as we're responding to more comments, emails, and commenting on your blogs. :)

We hope you are all amazing and that summer is treating you well! Have a great rest of your weekend, and we will be back with a recipe and our Link Party on Wednesday!

Lots of love,
Kayla & Kenzie

WWEW: Link Party & Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders!

Time for another link party & delicious recipe! I didn't get too creative this week for my recipe, I just followed a recipe I found on pinterest that looked especially tasty! Let's just say... this recipe is one for the books, people! And I even left out (accidentally) one of the main ingredients!

I followed a recipe from The Seasoned Mom for Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders. For ingredients and such, go check it out on her blog. Basically, it's an ooey gooey cheesy mini turkey/bacon sandwich with pimentos (I actually used a mix of pimentos and green olives). So, so delicious and would be perfect for a party or get together. I paired it with some pan fried yams, mainly because that's what we had!

For this week's feature recipe, I chose Canning Rhubarb from Little House Living! I have a whole bunch of cherries I want to can, so I've got canning on the mind. I'd love to have some canned rhubarb for desserts and such during the winter! Thanks for submitting this helpful post!

Now onto the Link Party. Link up your recipes from the week, don't be shy! Link up a few if you'd like. Also, check out our co-host Alexis over at Laugh, Eat, Learn!

An InLinkz Link-up

All Things 4th of July

Hi guys! I hope the start of your week is going well. Its almost July 4th! What are your plans? Do you blast off a bunch of fireworks, or just stay home and watch the ones around you? The last few years we've gone to a family friends house and had a bbq and they usually have a ton of fireworks. There are so many delicious treats and the fireworks, although a bit scary (they lite them off really close), are awesome! Anyway, here are a few 4th of July inspirations for you. I know there are a million 4th of July things floating around on Pinterest right now, but here a few you probably haven't seen. Enjoy :)
4th of July Strawberry and Marshmallow Treats

4th of July Outfit Inspiration

Patriotic Glitter Candles from A Pumpkin and a Princess

4th of July Party Ideas

Patriotic Bingo Printables by Blooming Homestead

Patriotic Photo Shoot Idea by Jolie Moore Photography

4th of July Home Decor by The Golden Sycamore

I hope you are now patriotically inspired! Thank you for stopping by our little ol blog, we hope you'll come back soon. Have a wonderful week.

Linking at these parties listed HERE!

Simon: One Month Update

Simon will officially be one month old tomorrow (In case you missed it, you can see his birth story HERE!) I can't believe it. It seems like I had him about 2 weeks ago. Although, all my days/nights are running together at this point, don't cha know, as it is with all new mommies and daddy's. Anyway, I thought I would share a few photos of Simon and give an update on how things are going / what he's been up to. 

Brother/Sister: Addie has been LOVING her little brother. Whenever he cries she runs over to him, saying, "aw, aw, aw" pointing at his face. Simon doesn't pay any attention to her at this point, unless she is practicing body parts and accidentally pokes him in the eyeball. I am excited to see them grow up together, they'll be good pals.

 Food: Nothing too exciting right now. We are breastfeeding, and so far that is all he has had. It has been going really well! Which has been amazing, since it was such a struggle with Adeline and her being a preemie and not being able to latch on. Simon is all about it, and does great. He eats every 3 hours during the day with an occasional 2 1/2 hour in the evenings.  I have been able to pump, as well, which allows Daniel to feed Simon during the night a couple times a week - life saver! Also, it is great for Daddy/son bonding :)

 Naps/Sleep: Still just cat napping throughout the day with no set schedule. Can't wait til we can get back on a schedule, I'm all about that. Night time has been about the same since we brought him home. The last feed is about 9:30 and he falls asleep around 10:30 and we put him to bed. He will sleep anywhere from 3 to 5 hours, then feed again. Last night he slept for 5 1/2. He'll go back to sleep and then feed again about 3 hours later.

Milestones: He is getting stronger and does pretty well with trying to hold his head up. Simon has actually done well with "tummy time", too. Not much else, yet.

That's all for now. I think I will continue to do monthly updates for the first year. It will be fun to look back on them as he gets older. Thanks for stopping by :)

Linking to these parties HERE!

Thrifty Thursday: Hang Small Canvas with Plate Hangers

Hey guys, how are you all doing? I'm just waiting out another painfully slow day. It seems like every day since I hit 36 weeks has been going SUPER slow. Oy.

I have a really quick tip for you guys today. I once was given a small painting by my grandmother that already had a plate hanger attached to it for hanging. I didn't really think much of it at the time, but have used that trick a few different times now. For example, I used it in Benjamin's Nursery.

Obviously, it will be cheaper than buying frames. You can find these for a dollar at some places. And it makes for super easy hanging (I just use a thumbtack, or a command hook). If you're curious, the top canvas just has a fat quarter of fox fabric wrapped around it. I just have it taped, so I can easily remove it and use it for other things later down the line. The bottom is a painting I did special for the nursery.

And that's it! Nothing to it today. I hope you all are well. It's supposed to be getting pretty hot around here again and I am SO not looking forward to it. 39 weeks pregnant and 90+ degree heat does not mix... at least not very attractively. :) 

WWEW: Link Party & Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Good Morning and welcome to the party, we're so glad you're here! Check out this easy Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe and then link up YOUR new or old recipe down below. Don't forget to share our party button (right sidebar) or share this link with your readers, the more the merrier! :)

Be sure to check us out and "like" us on facebook where  you can stay up to date on the latest Orchard Girls happenings!

Chicken Cordon Bleu is so delicious - even though the name sounds fancy,

it is actually pretty easy to make - here is what I did.

What you'll need:

-4 Chicken Breasts

-1 can chicken broth

-1 stick of butter

-garlic salt

-breadcrumbs

-sliced cheese 

-ham slices (thin)

*extras* - bacon bits, veggies, shredded cheese

-toothpicks

Directions: (preheat oven to 375)
1. Melt butter and mix with chicken broth and add garlic salt/powder (to taste) - set aside
2. Cut chicken breasts in half (like thinning the breast)
3. Place a slice of ham and slice of cheese on top of chicken breast
4. Roll chicken up and use toothpicks to secure
5. Dip the rolled chicken into the chicken broth mixture then cover with breadcrumbs / covering completely.
6. Place chicken in sprayed cooking pan / dump extra butter/broth mix into the pan. Sprinkle chicken with bacon bits and shredded cheese, add veggies if desired.
7. Cook for 45 minutes at 375 degrees or until chicken is completed cooked.
*recipe adapted from my sister Lindsey* :)

Now I am excited to share with you the featured recipe from last week's party. Drum roll please.........I chose Saved By Grace's Deep Dish Low Sugar Apple Pie. I'll have to try this out come apple season :) Thanks for sharing.

Now its your turn to link up! Be sure to check out our co-host Alexis, at Laugh Eat Learn, to see her recipe, as well as the recipe she featured - it could be YOU! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking to these parties HERE!

June Birchbox vs. Ipsy

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I received my Birchbox and Ipsy in the mail in the last few days and thought I would share with you all what I got! In case you don't know, both are monthly subscription services. They're $10 a month. You can read more about them here. Let's start with Birchbox:

I'm actually pretty pleased with Birchbox this month. I have been the last few months! Here's what I got:

1. Perlier Body Cream in Shea Almond. I really like this stuff! I've been keeping it in my purse to use on my hands and elbows. I've also used it on my stretch marks and like the way it made my skin feel. It's a pretty nice sized sample, and I'm sure I will get a lot of use out of it if I keep it in my purse.

2. Dr. Hauschka Body Wash in Lemongrass. I'm excited to try this. I will probably get 2 uses out of it. Maybe I will put this into my hospital bag instead of the generic one that's in there! It smells really nice.

3. LAQA & Co Lip Lube in Menatour (aka PURPLE!). I like the consistency and the sheer color of this. I do NOT like the purple. I put it on when I got it and my husband asked if the color was called "hypothermia." Haha!

4. Cythia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner in Silver. This is also really nice. I've used it once since I got it, and was pleased. I don't have any silver eyeliners, so I was happy to get this.

5. Nyakio Coffee Body Products. These are just little foil packet samples. A face polish, body scrub, and oil. I don't like the smell of coffee (I know, weird) so I don't think I will be able to use these, but will give them to someone who would use them.

Now, onto Ipsy!

First off, the little cosmetic bag this month is pretty cute. It's designed well and feels like good quality.

1. Be a Bombshell black mascara. I wish this was a good product, as it's full sized. But this stuff literally stinks. I opened it and my eyes started watering from the smell. I can't even imagine having it on my eyelashes.

2. Marc Anthony Beach Spray. I believe you're supposed to use this like a sea salt spray on your hair. It will accentuate waves. I've used it, and I really liked it. Smelled like coconut!

3. NYX Butter Gloss in Apple Strudel. I LOVE THIS! I've had it in my purse and have been wearing it non stop. The consistency of these are amazing. I will have to go buy some more.

4. Nickak Shimmer Eyeliner in Green. This is pretty cool. I would never buy it, but I'm sure I will use it to mix it up!

5. Skinn by Dimitri James Olive & Enzyme Cleanser. I used this last night, I really liked it. It smells like lemon sugar cookies! It got all of my makeup off, and apparently you can use it as a face mask, too.

That's it! I'm super happy with both boxes this month. If you don't get either of these, now you have an idea of what kinds of things you would receive. 

I hope you guys have a great day! Talk to you all soon.

Oh P.S. No baby yet! Here is my 38 week bump picture. I'm feeling quite front heavy!

Benjamin's Nursery Reveal

I am so excited to share today's post! This little room has been such a labor of love. It has kept me quite occupied the last several months, and I think I can finally say that it's done! I absolutely love it and wish that I could move in there, too!

This will be a picture heavy post, but I will be linking several posts for individual projects I've done. All of those links will be at the end.

I would describe the theme of this room as rustic/woodsy/whimsy. I've incorporated several different themes, because I don't really like sticking to just one. I pretty much just used what I liked!

Also, you can see that I have revealed our baby boy's first name! I figured it was time, as there are some items in his room that have his name on them. :)

I'm sorry that I couldn't get more full pictures of the room. This room is tiny! Hopefully you get the idea of the layout.

Links to projects I've done:

-DIY Crib Skirt

-Woodland Baby Mobile

-Baby Fox Soother/Blankie

-Wooden Frames Hung with Burlap

-Burlap Woodland Bunting

-Walmart Scarf Curtains

-Wood Blocks

Other nursery posts:

-Thrifty Nursery Finds

-Dollar Store/Thrift Store Nursery Organization

-Nursery Moodboards

If you would like to know where something is from, just ask. I will reply as quickly as possible. I'd list everything in the room, but that seems like it might be a waste of time unless there is something specific someone is looking for!

I hope you all enjoyed and that you're having a great Friday! Have an awesome weekend :)

Linking to these parties.