New and Improved Chicken Coop

Back in March, our local feed shop got in LOTS of baby chicks!  And I HAD to have em!  So cute and fluffy and screaming that it's Spring.  So we took home five.  Two Buff Orpingtons, two Production Reds, and one Easter Egger*.  Adding these to our existing flock meant it was time for a bigger coop.  Our old one was great.  Suited the others just fine, but a little tight with just the four of them (now three)  So we needed a coop to accommodate our flock of eight!  :)  We looked at just adding on to our existing coop but that would cost just as much as building a new one.  So hubby worked on drafting up new building plans to just make a new one.  Then, I found one online that would work out just great for us!

We were able to complete this coop just under budget.  Which is always a bonus and made a few modifications from the original plan.  I love it!  And with the storm coming tonight, it will be great for the big ladies and the little girls are moving from their brood box in the kitchen to the small coop in the garage!  Win win for all!

  

It has PLENTY of ventilation which can be open or shut as needed.  As well as the roof on a hinge for easy cleaning.  And the fact that it's red just makes my heart super happy.  It will be so cute next to our flower garden.  Currently a work in progress but it will get there!  :)  The decoy eggs worked like a charm!  Daisy (one of our Wyandottes, went in to check it all out and layed an egg right away on top of those)  

It's been quite the project but great!  We love how it turned out.  Now if only I was strong enough to help hubby move it into the chicken area.......

*What's the difference between Ameraucana, Araucana and Easter Egger?  Read about it here.

Marie Mae

I purchased the cutest book MONTHS ago. It's called Storybook Toys and you can find it here.  I have been dying to make a doll out of this book and finally got the chance. My best friend's daughter is turning two, so I made her a dolly. :) I have never made any kind of toy before so this was very fun! Here she is all finished.

The pattern was really easy to follow and the directions were great. The author of the book has a blog that I follow. So for a little extra help with the hair, I used her tutorial. It has more pictures than the book and a little more detail so it was very helpful. I drafted the pattern for the dress myself. The button holes are always tricky for me, especially on tiny clothes but they came out alright. (Just don't look too closely at them B. ;))

Her name is Marie Mae, she decided. I hope she gets loved on for years to come. In the meantime, my oldest daughter has requested TWO and my sister in law requested one for my nieces birthday. I better get on it!