Jack and Izzy

Hey Mama

2011-05-02T20:20:00.003-04:00

We have been long-time Mat Kearney fans around here. So we're super excited about his new album, Young Love, coming soon. We've been bopping around the house to this little preview all evening -- check out Hey Mama here. This year he will be touring with Owl City which I think is pretty cool.

Easter Weekend

2011-04-26T16:03:00.033-04:00

Hi, friends! Just popping in to share some Easter pictures with you. We had a fun-filled weekend, celebrating our Saviour and His Resurrection. And even though the weather didn't cooperate, it was still wonderful spending time together as a family. We moved our Easter egg hunt indoors this year because of the rain, and it was so cute to watch the kiddos scurry about. Final tally: Jack ended up with eleven eggs and Noah found one. :)

We made these Resurrection Rolls for breakfast on Easter morning -- they were a big hit!

My handsome little men in their Easter duds

Sorry I've been completely neglecting this little blog lately. Life has been rather full, and I've been one very busy mama ... When that happens, this space always takes the back burner to everything else. Jack is turning FOUR this weekend (hard to believe)! There is a Candy Land party in the works ... more details about that soon. Later this week, I'll try to post some pictures of the cute invitations we sent out.

Bunny Bookplates

2011-04-11T10:06:00.003-04:00

Last week, I had a customer order some personalized bunny bookplates to put in her daughter's Easter basket. I thought that was the cutest idea, so I'm going to offer a little promotion in my shop. From now until Easter, you can get free shipping on any order of bookplates. Simply enter the code "easterbunny11" at checkout. (And you don't necessarily have to choose the bunny illustration ... you can pick from any of the options.)

Etsy Love: KruBooks

2011-04-04T21:42:00.002-04:00

I've mentioned my sister, Katie, a few times here on my blog. She is extremely talented and fabulously wonderful. :) She designs custom photo books, but she also has an Etsy shop where she sells some really cool subway signs. She just expanded her artwork line by adding a "Favorite Things Collection." Her new line includes favorite quotes, lyrics, songs, and verses. I really love them all. And not just because she's my sister. :) Anyway, Katie is hosting her very first blog giveaway, and one lucky winner will receive a free art print of their choice. I just had to help spread the word. Check it out the details here. And check out her Etsy shop here.

Fresh Air

2011-03-18T16:15:00.009-04:00

Wahooo!!! Anyone else excited that this Sunday is officially the first day of spring?! I am giddy. Yesterday we enjoyed the spring-like weather and headed to the park for a picnic lunch after Jack's preschool. Blue skies, sunshine, and fresh air ... it does a body good. :) Here's a few pics from our afternoon.

Easter on Etsy

2011-03-06T22:38:00.013-05:00

Anyone else experiencing major spring fever (not to mention cabin fever)? I am so ready for warm weather, and I've been having daydreams about green grass, yellow daffodils, and picnics at the park.

To further fuel my anticipation, I spent a little time last night browsing Etsy for some fun, handmade Easter goodies. I thought I'd share a few of my favorite discoveries:

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Top Row: sewing pattern from Retro Mama, homemade peeps from Bake Me Pretty, bunny softie from Retro Mama

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Second Row: vintage Peter Rabbit book from Vintage Twice As Nice, treat bag patterns from Winter Peach, fondant cupcake topper from Two Sugar Babies

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Third Row: bunny rattle from Lovey's Favorite Things, wooden teethers from Pretty Dreamer, upcycled crayons from Ivy Lane Designs

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Bottom Row: handcarved bunny from Pretty Dreamer, wool bunny Tilly from Lori Nichols, gingham bunny from Worthwhile Mercantile Company

The Tea Party

2011-02-20T13:57:00.049-05:00

As I mentioned before, my sweet mama bear gave me the most precious of gifts for my 30th birthday. She held a tea party in my honor and gathered all the dear women in my life to help me celebrate. It was delightful. I was beaming the entire afternoon, soaking it all in. My mom planned the perfect party -- from the mouth-watering menu to the beautiful table settings to the fun games and the charming atmosphere. It was the picturesque tea party that women dream about -- the kind of tea party where you want to stay and linger all day long. And there's no way I can even begin to do it justice in this little blog post. But I will try to capture some of the highlights for you.

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After everyone arrived, the first game we played was called, "If Teacups Could Talk." When my mom sent out the invitations, she included some instructions for this game. She asked everyone to, "Please bring a teacup that has a story to tell. Wrap the teacup carefully and place it in a box. Write down why your teacup is special. Put your note in the box with the teacup. Put the box in a bag so no one will know it is yours. When you arrive, give your bag to Margaret."

We all gathered our chairs in a circle. My mom placed all the boxes on the floor in the middle of our circle. One by one, we went around the room, and each person selected a box, held up the teacup for everyone to see, and read the note tucked inside. Then that person had to guess who's teacup it was. At the end of the game, we all shared who's teacup really belonged to who. It was SO MUCH FUN! And everyone got really creative with their descriptions. Here were a few of my favorites:

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"I may be plain, but I know I am also beautiful. I have been passed down from grandmother to granddaughter. In my former home, I knew I was loved because I was used everyday -- sometimes multiple times a day. In my new home, I'm still pretty sure I am loved but it's harder to tell because I've been wrapped up in newspaper and put in the closet for months. But used or unused, wrapped or unwrapped, I am a simple, beautiful teacup."

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"This teacup sat on a shelf in my bedroom when I was a little girl. I was never allowed to touch it. It was also displayed in my mother's room when she was a little girl. She wasn't allowed to touch it either."

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"This teacup was part of my childhood tea set ... circa 1985."

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"I may not be fancy, but I am useful. I spend more nights huddled fireside with close friends, enjoying intimate conversations than I do at fancy tea parties. I know all your secrets."

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"I do not have a special teacup. And this is not a special teapot. It sits on my kitchen counter, and I collect my change in it." (that one was from my hilarious Aunt Mary Jean)

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Next, we played a little trivia game. My mom typed up a short narrative on the history of tea parties (including tidbits about the Red Hat Society), and she also had a section that outlined the different kinds of tea. She read the pages out loud, and the rest of us tried to remember all the details. After lunch, she asked ten questions about the passage, and we all had to write down our answers. My sister, Amy, has a brilliant memory and she answered every single question correctly! We were all amazed.

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The third game we played was after the soup course during lunch. My mom had eight different herb plants that we had to try and identify, working in teams of two. I did pretty well ... I guessed six out of eight correctly. :) She had several easy ones like basil and rosemary, but she also threw in a couple tricky ones like marjoram. And the wonderful thing about this game was that the plants also doubled as centerpieces. She wrapped each pot in a white doily and mixed in some African Violets. The table looked lovely. She said she was going for a "winter table decor with the hope of spring." :) Perfect for a January tea party. She also incorporated some snowflake tea candles to add a bit of twinkle.

The one thing my friends are still talking about is the delicious food. My mom put together the most incredible menu -- a leisurely four-course meal that stretched late into the afternoon as we all savored each and every bite.

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This is what we had for lunch:

First Course

Warm Pineapple Scones with Devonshire Cream

Honey Vanilla Chamomile Tea

Second Course

Tomato Basil Bisque Soup

Rosemary Wafers and Babybel Cheese Rounds

Peachy Iced Tea

Third Course

Black Forrest Ham Quiche

Smoked Turkey and Blue Cheese Herb Mustard on Rye

Sweet Potato Puffs

Zucchini Tea Bread

Chocolate Dried Fruit Medley

Dill Cucumbers and Mini Pearl Tomatoes

Cranberry Broccoli Salad

Fourth Course

Creme de Cacao Angel Food Cake

Chai Latte

I can't even imagine how much time it must have taken her to make all that food. She is an amazing woman. And here are a few more table shots. My mom set up two different tables -- one smaller card table in the living room and the larger table in the dining room.

All the beautiful dishes were from my grandmother's wedding china.

And look these adorable table linens! This table cloth was hand-sewn by my grandma, and the little teapot pocket held a matching hand-embroidered napkin. So pretty!

My mom wanted to create a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, so instead of a formal attire, she encouraged everyone to dress casually, wearing their own little bit of "'fancy" such as accessories, jewelry, or scarves.

I love this woman. I love her to the clear blue moon. I am a blessed, blessed girl to have such an incredible, loving, thoughtful mama.

A nod to all things girly, dainty, and pretty ... it was the perfect afternoon. And the perfect way to celebrate my 30th birthday. Thanks, mom!

Etsy Love: Gnome Sweeeet Gnome

2011-02-16T22:31:00.005-05:00

How fantastic are these whale tissue holders I just spotted on Etsy?! A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E! I love the tissue blowhole. And they're available in seven irresistible colors. See them all here.

Happy Heart Day!

2011-02-14T16:29:00.007-05:00

Wishing you lots of LOVE!

Vintage Valentines

2011-02-07T17:02:00.030-05:00

Truth be told, the white cupcake stands I used for Noah's birthday party have been sitting on my kitchen counter ever since. And the morning I finally had the motivation to put them away, I found myself looking at them and thinking, "I bet I could make a really cute Valentine's Day decoration using one of these!" So I got to work, and soon my little cupcake holder was looking very festive indeed. So simple and so cheap, I think the whole project cost me around $15.

First, I got some 2.5" round styrofoam balls from Michaels. They come in a pack of 6. Then, I picked out three different colors of yarn ... I scored big time on these because the yarn just happened to be on sale that week for $1.25 each. When I got home, I wrapped the balls with yarn until they were all completely covered. Next, I filled some cupcake liners with Valentine peanut M&Ms. Lastly, I did a Google search for "Vintage Valentines," and I found lots of cute images that I printed out and trimmed with scissors. I arranged everything in my cupcake stand, and I just love the way it turned out.

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There were tons of Vintage Valentines out there, but this site and this site were two of my favorite sources for great freebies.

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I love that the smallest things make kids so giddy and excited. Every morning at breakfast, Jack picks a new "favorite" valentine, and he loves talking about all the different pictures. And the M&Ms have come in very handy sitting in the middle of our table, too. It's all the motivation Jacks needs to finish his vegetables at dinner each night. :) He knows that if he does, he gets to pick out three pieces of candy for dessert!

And here's a few more Valentine's Day decorations that are making our home feel extra cozy this week:

And I promise the Tea Party pictures are still coming! I just wanted to get these Valentine pictures up before it got too late. :)

On turning 30...

2011-01-31T16:11:00.006-05:00

image credit

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This weekend marked a HUGE milestone for me. I turned the big 3-0. I can't even believe that I'm currently in my thirties! Yikes. I've been dreading this birthday since I turned 25. There's just something about turning 30 ... saying goodbye to your 20's and realizing that you are indeed aging. It's a hard pill to swallow. However, my mom told me that her 30's were the best years of her life -- her favorite decade hands down. So, cheers to that. Garret and I proclaimed the song "Good Life" by One Republic to be the official soundtrack of my 30th birthday, and we had it blasting on repeat all weekend long. :) I must have heard that song 50 dozen times! And I love it!

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There's nothing like a big milestone birthday to get you thinking about the brevity of life. It's hard to fathom that I've been alive for 30 years already. In another blink, 30 more years will have passed by. It's good motivation to pause and think ... to ask myself some tough questions. Am I making the most of this one wild and precious life God has given me? Am I living a life of purpose? I was reading Psalm 39 yesterday, and it says,

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"Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span on my years is nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you."

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I want to live a life of meaning -- not bustling about in vain. I want to pursue the Lord wholeheartedly. I want to love my family and my friends deeply and enjoy the people in my life with every ounce of my being. I want to make the most of every valuable moment God has given me.

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So, I've decided to embrace my thirties and drink up the blessings of each and every day. And speaking of blessings, my mom gave me the most memorable of blessings on Saturday. She hosted an unbelievable tea party in my honor. And she pulled out all the stops .. a delicious, four course menu, a beautiful table, and all my favorite women surrounding me. She's incredible. I'm one lucky girl to have such a wonderful, loving mama. I'll be sure to post pictures from the party later this week, so stay tuned! Yay for being 30!!!! :)

Noah's First Birthday

2011-01-26T15:42:00.044-05:00

What a wonderful day! Just perfect, really. We had such a good time celebrating Noah's first birthday. His party was everything I hoped it would be ... small, intimate, meaningful, memorable, and really focused on Noah and the joy he's brought to our family these past twelve months ... a proper ending to such a milestone year. :)
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I let the invitations set the tone for the party. I didn't want it to be overly "themey" because, in my humble opinion, when you turn ONE, that is the theme! :) Noah is such a happy, smiley little guy, so my goal for the decorating was to play up vibrant shades of sunshine yellow. But I also wanted to add in some bright punches of cobalt blue to reflect his "all boy" personality. The inside of the invites read, "Our sunshine baby is turning one! Please join us to celebrate Noah's first birthday."

Perhaps my favorite thing about his party were the cupcake toppers I made. What better way to highlight his first year than to have pictures of him from each lovable stage?! I did three dozen toppers - so there were three different pictures from each month.

And they all looked so adorable together, sitting in the white cupcake stands.

The month was labeled on the back of each picture.

These were the cutlery wraps I put together. First, I tucked some disposable wooden spoons and forks into the glassine sleeves. I trimmed the tops of the sleeves with some scallop scissors. Then I folded the white paper napkins, laid the glassine sleeves on top, and wrapped them together with the same striped yellow patterned paper from the invitations. And I finished them off with some pretty blue twine.

Cookie favors for the adults - butter waffle crisps packaged in glassine bags

The drink station

How fun are those blue straws?

These were the name stickers I made for the drink cups

Animal cookie favor boxes for the kiddos

LOVED the felt garlands and the yellow bunting I purchased from two great Etsy gals! So very festive.

Noah's little cupcake

Brothers! :)

Digging in! Yum, yum!

Happy Birthday, baby boy! Don't grow up too fast, okay?

We have a one year old!

2011-01-13T15:37:00.019-05:00

Yesterday was a big day in our neck of the woods. Noah Andrew turned ONE! I still cannot believe it. First birthdays are bittersweet ... extremely joyful because turning one is a very big deal and it's a huge cause for celebration ... but kind of sad, too, ... accepting that the "baby chapter" is drawing to an end and the "toddler chapter" is upon us. It's days like yesterday when I can't help but feel that gentle tugging at my heart ... those small, quiet pleas for time to stand still and those silent longings for my boys to stay little forever.

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Nonetheless, yesterday was a very good day. A day marked with thankfulness and happy celebration. I realize that Noah had absolutely no idea that yesterday was different than any other day. However, Garret, Jack and I were all very aware of this gigantic milestone, and we set out to make Noah's little, big day a special one.

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Here are a few peeks from our day:

Noah woke up to the "birthday bunting" strung on his door -- a fun tradition I started for the boys. He noticed it right away.

LOVE his expression on this one. So very Noah.

Jack's present for Noah. He was so proud of it. He realized halfway through the morning that he didn't have a birthday gift for his brother, so he found one of Noah's old books in his toy box and wrapped it up all by himself. Precious!

Our birthday dinner.

We decorated Noah's highchair with balloons. He had so much fun batting at them while he ate.

Adorable mini cupcakes I whipped up at the very last minute. They turned out quite yummy. I found the recipe in this cookbook.

Happy Birthday, my little man!

Catching Up ...

2011-01-07T16:26:00.035-05:00

Hello! And happy January to you! My, what a busy few weeks we've had. The week before Christmas, we went on a week long Caribbean cruise with Garret's entire extended family. The highlight for me was stopping in Grand Cayman and getting to see my sister and brother-in-law in their new home away from home. It was fantastic. We got back on the 23rd and then had a wonderful, full week of Christmas celebrations. We were all SICK, SICK, SICK while ringing in the new year, and now we're getting ready for Noah's first birthday party. Phew! Like I said ... busy, busy, busy! :)

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I've been so behind on life lately, and I feel like I'm finally starting to get caught up on laundry and other odds and ends. The suitcases are now fully unpacked, the Christmas decorations have all been taken down, and our house is mostly back together after the crazy holiday whirlwind that hit. :)

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Now we're looking forward to next week and all the fun festivities surrounding Noah's first birthday! So hard to believe that our little sunshine baby will be turning ONE! Goodness, how this year has flown by.

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Preparations are in full swing around these parts as we gear up for the party next weekend. There is much to do, so I'm thinking I'll probably keep the shop closed down for another week, so I have more time to devote to all the merriment. :)

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I'll leave you with a few random pictures from our trip and a couple of favorites from Christmas. Hope you are enjoying the new year!

December Craft Night

2010-12-15T16:21:00.013-05:00

Anyone else scrambling to stay ahead of their "Christmas To-Do" lists? What a busy month! Sometimes a tidal wave of exhaustion sweeps over me and a feeling of 'Oh. My. Goodness. It will never all get done!' plagues me. But I am trying really hard to rein in my task-oriented brain. Instead, I'm choosing to enjoy all the small, beautiful moments this season brings and not let the almighty to-do list swallow me up ... while I'm decorating Christmas cookies with Jack, while I'm wrapping pretty packages and listing to my Casting Crowns Christmas CD, while I'm working on handmade Christmas gifts for my sisters, while I'm watching Noah play with his Little People Nativity Set, or while I'm sipping hot chocolate with some great girlfriends. Living in the moment is a wonderful thing, and I'm trying to be better at it.

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With all that said, I'm a bit behind in the blogging world, but I'm okay with that. :) So, without further ado, here's some pictures of the craft project we worked on earlier this month at our December mama's gathering.

We decorated some little truffle boxes for holiday gift-giving. Didn't they turn out sweet? Four truffles fit perfectly inside each box, using these mini cupcake liners. And here's a copy of my favorite chocolate truffle recipe. These are SO simple to make -- only two ingredients!

P.S. We used Manila file folders, white computer paper, and a few Martha Stewart punches to create all these boxes. And the felt circles were from here.

Noah's Shower on Bump Smitten

2010-12-06T15:22:00.006-05:00

Remember the sweet Baby Blessings Shower my sister, Katie, threw for me right before Noah was born? I just got word that it was featured on Bump Smitten earlier this week. Check it out!

Ordering Deadline for Christmas

2010-12-05T22:49:00.004-05:00

Just a quick announcement that my shop will be closing up for the holidays on Thursday morning, December 9th. Please be sure to place all your Christmas orders in time. We'll be back in January with some new products and fun surprises. Thanks for a great year!

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photo credit

Holiday Cards

2010-11-30T21:21:00.007-05:00

So, for the first time ever, I've decided to order my Christmas cards this year. {Insert gasp!} Every other year, I've designed them myself, but this year I thought I'd save myself some valuable time and energy, and let someone else do the work for me! :)

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I've really debated, but I think I'm going to go with Shutterfly's flat stationery cards. Being a "paper person," the quality is really important to me. I love that Shutterfly's cards are printed on ultra thick, premium cardstock and not glossy photo paper. I'm also liking the fact that most of their designs have coordinating address labels. Here's a couple of my favorite cards:

If you'll be ordering holiday cards this year, you can get 50 free by going to the Shutterfly site and signing up to write a blog post like I did. What a deal! My Christmas budget is doing a little happy dance. :)

Sale Announcement

2010-11-28T14:01:00.005-05:00

Stop by the shop on Monday, November 29th and enjoy 25% off your entire purchase.

Just enter the code CYBERMONDAY10 at checkout. Happy Holidays from Jack and Izzy!

Pajamas, Pies, and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

2010-11-24T15:36:00.007-05:00

It's cold and rainy outside. So, we've had a wonderful, low-key "pajama day" indoors, consuming lots of hot chocolate, baking a few pies for tomorrow, and watching this Chicka Chicka Boom Boom video we got from the library about a dozen times. No joke -- at least a dozen times. It's a catchy little tune, and Jack is obsessed with it. As soon as the song ends, he asks me to "play it again." Needless to say, it's now stuck in my head. :)

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I also made these adorable mini pumpkin pies last week for Jack's teachers. I got the idea from Brittany over at One Charming Party. They turned out great -- the perfect little, bite-sized treat to go with a cup of coffee.

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! xoxo

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*photo by Sarah Westbrook

Baby's First Christmas

2010-11-23T22:55:00.008-05:00

Since this will be Noah's very first Christmas, I've been scouring Etsy for a unique "Baby's First Christmas" ornament to get for him. I just love handmade! So much better than something generic you could pick up at a retail chain. Here's a couple of my personal favorites:

Personalized Baby Ornament with Rabbit by Paloma's Nest - So unbelievably sweet; what a gorgeous heirloom piece

Personalized Star Ornament by Just Hatched - These can be customized with the baby's name on the front and the birth date on the back. And they're also available in a natural wood color.

Felt Ball Garland

2010-11-19T16:36:00.005-05:00

How festive are these happy, little felt ball garlands from Anthropologie?! But $68 is definitely not in my budget, so I am determined to create my own variation using some pre-made felt balls I found on Etsy.

Wouldn't a bright, cheery garland like this be perfect in a playroom or child's bedroom?

via Oh Happy Day

Another Noah's Nursery

2010-11-18T10:35:00.017-05:00

You know those times when you follow one link to another link to another link? Suddenly, you have no idea how you landed on a particular blog ... you couldn't retrace your steps if your life depended on it, but you're so very happy that you found it? That's how I felt when I stumbled upon Casey's blog and flickr pages earlier this week. What a treat! I just love thrifty, crafty mamas. Mamas who seem to live simply, who lean into their creative side, and who embrace the little details of life that make the everyday so beautiful and meaningful. Mamas who love their babies, enjoy their homes, and are so thankful for their lives and their blessings.

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All that being said, it's ironic how you can look at a total stranger's pictures and feel like you know them. Feel connected to them somehow. And feel completely inspired. I was tickled to find out that Casey has a little boy named Noah, too. And I found myself swooning over the lovely photos of his vintage nursery. So much goodness. I love that it's decorated to suit a baby, but yet it doesn't scream baby. It's a great room for him to grow into. Here's few of my favorite pics, but you can find lots more here.

And look at these super sweet birth announcements she gocco printed after Noah's arrival:

Also, be sure to check out Casey's Etsy shop, Paper + Twine. I'm especially fond of her tooth fairy kits and inspiration logs.

November Craft Night

2010-11-06T16:47:00.032-04:00

I can't believe I just wrote November! How on earth is it already November? Oh, my! This year is whizzing by way too quickly. At any rate, the November gathering for our monthly mama's group was last week, and I wanted to share a few pictures of the fun project we worked on.

We got in the Christmas spirit a little early and made some lovely snowflake paper ornaments. I'm so happy with the way they turned out. I'll try to post a tutorial later this week, for those of you interested in making some for yourself. Believe me, they're a lot easier than they look! :)

And here are a few shots of the craft kits I packaged up the girls:

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T13:17:00.002-04:00

Jack got a kick out of these pumpkin pancakes I made for breakfast this morning. We're counting down the hours until trick-or-treating over here! I can't wait to pull my giraffe and my little lobster around the neighborhood in our wagon tonight . :)

Another crafty mama

2010-10-26T15:00:00.016-04:00

Soon after I started my little mommy group, I came across the blog of another crafty mama, Danyelle. She is amazing, and last month she hosted a community craft night with her friend, Lindsay. They called it "Project: craft," and it was held at a local organics shop. They did a beautiful job, and no detail was overlooked. I thought you would find these photos as inspiring as I did. Take a peek:

Hop on over to the dandee blog, and check out more details and photos from the evening here, here, here and here.

And also check out Danyelle's Etsy shop where you can score a craft kit of your very own .

Halloween Teacher Gifts

2010-10-25T17:12:00.007-04:00

Since this is my first child's first year in school, I am a bit enthusiastic about the whole holiday scene to say the least. :) The day Jack got his teacher assignment in the mail, I was already dreaming up what kind of fabulous, creative valentines we could make for his classmates.

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But truly, what could be more fun than preschool holiday parties? On Thursday, Jack's class is going to have their Halloween party, and all the kids get to wear their costumes to school. I signed up to be one of the room moms to help with the party, and I'm giddy with excitement.

Last week, I made these Halloween gifts for Jack's teachers, and they were a big hit. I painted two small flower pots to look like candy corn, filled them with bright yellow mums, and packaged them up with some ribbon and hang tags. Too cute!
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Are you planning any Halloween crafting this week?

Yo-Yo Tutorial

2010-10-22T10:15:00.027-04:00

As promised, here's my tutorial on how to make these irresistible yo-yos. First you'll need to make your circle pattern. It should be twice as big as your intended yo-yo size plus about a half inch for seam allowances. So, if you want your finished yo-yo to be two inches wide, you'll want to make your circle pattern 4.5 inches wide. I used my design program to make the circle pattern, and I printed it out on some heavy card stock. Then I cut my pattern out with scissors. But you could also trace a cup, a bowl, a Tupperware lid, or whatever you have on hand.

On the wrong side of your fabric, trace around the pattern. Following your traced line, cut out your fabric circle.

With the wrong side still facing up, fold 1/2 inch edge around the circle. Crease the fold with your fingers. The easiest way I found to do this was to have a second circle pattern that was 1/2 inch smaller than my original pattern. I laid it in the center of my fabric circle and creased around it.

See how it made a nice little guide line?

Thread a hand-sewing needle and knot the end. Use strong thread and make sure it's long enough to go around the full circumference of the circle. (This part is very important -- a couple of my girl friends did not start with a long enough piece of thread. They got halfway around their circle and realized they weren't going to have enough thread left, so they had to cut the end, pull the thread out, and start over.)

Sew a running stitch around the yo-yo, stitching through the folded margin. This is the view from the front.

Here's the view from the back. Later, I found out that shorter stitches create a larger, more open center on your yo-yo -- longer stitches make a tighter yo-yo center.

Once you've stitched around the entire perimeter of the fabric circle, don't cut your thread.

Gently pull your thread until the edges gather to the center. A little pouch will form.

Make sure the right side of the fabric is facing out. (I had to turn mine inside out)

Pull the thread tightly to finish your gather and close the little pouch.

Flatten the pouch to make a disk with the gathers centered in the middle.

Make a couple of stitches to secure the gathers, then knot and trim your thread. Ta-da! All finished. See, that wasn't so bad! :)

When I was in Michael's yesterday, searching for some embroidery hoops, I happened to glance up, and these little beauties caught my eye. They're yo-yo makers! You still follow the same basic technique for making yo-yos, but with these you place the fabric between the the two disks, then cut around the circle. You stitch following the holes in the top disk. Then you remove the disks and pull on your thread. You can certainly make yo-yos without these, but they do make the job a bit easier. Plus they guarantee a perfect yo-yo every time because the evenly spaced stitches create beautiful gathers. They come in about five different sizes.

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Or, if you'd rather bypass the work altogether and just buy some pre-made yo-yos, there are all kinds of them on Etsy. Here's couple of my favorites from Humbleboy.

Alright, I'm signing off to go enjoy a beautiful fall weekend with my family. Happy Friday!

Crafty Mamas

2010-10-21T16:03:00.014-04:00

A few months ago, I had a light bulb moment. I needed more girl time. I longed for more creative time. Why not put the two together and launch a mommy group of sorts? It would be a monthly girls night out -- away from the kids, away from the hubby, away from the kitchen, away from the nighttime routines -- a chance to recharge with a small group of close friends -- a time that I could look forward to once a month. I wanted it to be a time of encouragement, fun, crafty merry-making, good food, and great conversations.

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My heart longed for it ... I love this season of life -- I love staying at home with my two boys, and I cherish my role as wife, mother, and homemaker -- but I needed to carve out some extra "me" time. And sometimes I really miss the social life I had before children. :)

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I got to thinking that if I felt this way, chances are that some of my other mommy friends might have similar desires. I sent out an email, and right away I heard back from several ladies. We decided to meet the first Thursday of each month, and it has been such a blessing! We've been getting together for two months now, I'm so pumped about our little group!

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Each month, I plan a simple craft project for us to work on together. It might involve paper-crafting, sewing, jewelry-making, cookie decorating, or a number of other things, but every month it will be different. For our first meeting, we did a "Favorite Things" gift exchange in place of a craft. But last month, we made these adorable tote bags.

Well, we didn't actually make the bags. We made the super cute, old-fashioned yo-yo's that we attached to the pre-made bags. (I scored the canvas tote bags from here for less than $3 each! Aren't those contrasting red handles awesome?!)

I made a kit for each girl with all the supplies they would need.

And then we got to work. It was so therapeutic to sit and sew with no distractions ... nibbling on yummy baked goods, sipping apple cider, and chatting it up with some of my dearest friends. I highly recommend it! :)

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I am now a tad bit yo-yo crazy ... I've been dreaming up other fun uses for them ... especially with Christmas right around the corner. They'd be a cute way to jazz up a plain apron, or you could make one into a fun pin that you could wear on your favorite cardigan. The possibilities are endless! :)

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Check back soon -- I'll post a yo-yo tutorial in the next few days for anyone who doesn't know how to make them. They are so easy!

Bon Voyage, Brent & Katie!

2010-10-18T15:45:00.024-04:00

My dear sister, Katie, and her sweet hubby, Brent, left today for the Cayman Islands. Brent was offered a position abroad there with his company, and it was an opportunity of a lifetime that they could not pass up. I'm really proud of them for going for it. They had to rent their house, sell both their cars, and put all their belongings in storage until they return. They will be in the Caymans for two years, and words cannot even begin to express how much I'm going to miss them. Saying goodbye last night was tremendously hard. But, at the same time, I'm excited for them and their new adventure together. And I know that God is going to use this experience to bless their marriage in so many ways.
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So, two weeks ago, my mom and I threw a Bon Voyage Party in honor of Brent and Katie. These were the invitations I designed for their special night. (I cropped out the part with my mom's address and phone number).

Pulling from the invitations, we decorated with a tropical orange theme -- using shades of bright poppy and vibrant papaya -- and we carried out the little hibiscus motif on all the paper goods.

For the desserts, we made coconut cupcakes, banana whips, apricot thumbprint cookies, lemon squares, raspberry truffle brownies with chocolate shavings, and a fruit tray. At the tropical drink bar, we served orange julius, sangria, hurricanes, and a "cayman cooler."

My sister, Joy, helped me with these Cayman Island Trivia quizzes. She researched fun facts about the Caymans, and I designed multiple choice trivia sheets for everyone to fill out.

And what Bon Voyage party would be complete without some festive flair? We had plenty of tropical leis on hand for each guest to wear. And look at my cute, little, beach baby -- all jammied up and partied out.
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We miss you already, Aunt Kiki and Uncle Brenty! Have a GRAND time in the Grand Caymans. xoxo

Shop News!

2010-10-11T15:57:00.012-04:00

Hooray! This weekend, my Etsy shop celebrated its 500th sale!
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I must admit that since Noah's birth, I haven't fully given my time or energy to my little business. I've kept myself busy filling orders, but I have done zero marketing and I haven't launched a single new product this entire year. And I actually kept my shop closed for the first half of the year while I was on maternity leave. But despite all that, my shop has continued to propel itself onward and forward, even without much assistance from me. :)
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I've been thinking a LOT about my business lately ... my plans for the future ... my goals ... I feel like much has changed for me personally since launching Jack and Izzy back in February of 2009. And because my business is an extension of ME, I'm thinking that all this change is bound to pull Jack and Izzy gently in a new direction... but I'm not really sure what that means yet. I'm pausing to reflect before moving into the next season with my business.
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But I'm incredibly blessed to have so many of you along for the journey. Thanks for all the encouragement and support you've shown me during these last 18 months!

More Pretty Packaging...

2010-09-15T16:02:00.013-04:00

Can you tell I've been on a packaging kick lately? Well actually, truth be told, I'm always on a packaging kick ... because pretty packages are one of my passions. They just make me happy.
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After tucking the boys into bed last night, I was enjoying some quiet "me" time -- sipping my favorite hot tea and browsing the DIY tutorials on How About Orange. I was so inspired, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite ideas ... a pretty packaging round-up, if you will.

These wall flowers look great in Dana's living room, but they'd also be a stunning way to embellish wrapped packages ... same basic technique as tissue paper poms, but by using paper napkins instead of tissue paper, the flowers have a more structured hold, and they look almost like fabric.

Also check out Dana's no-sew flowers. She displayed hers in a vase, but they would look equally cute slipped under some ribbon to spruce up a gift box.
These paper medallions are also a brilliant way to to jazz up a package, and they are so simple to make.

Skip the ribbon and make your own colorful twist ties instead using Japanese masking tape. A great way to spruce up baked goods or anything packaged in a cello bag.

And another creative use of Japanese masking tape -- make your own gift bags! These little gift sacks are made using an envelope, a roll of decorative tape, and a pair of scissors. That's all! Wouldn't they make awesome goodie bags?
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Hope you're as inspired as I am! Happy wrapping!

So lovely...

2010-09-03T14:29:00.008-04:00

I'm so taken with these beautiful origami boxes created by Lorajean. Can you believe they're made from old wallpaper that she found at a thrift store?! And I just LOVE the way she decorated the packages so creatively.

I think the same idea would work great using card stock, too. You'd just get smaller boxes. You can find a helpful video tutorial on how to make them here. And while you're over there, take a peek at some of her other inspiring ideas...

...like chalkboard paint on her dining room table or her recycled birthday party decor

...and her DIY rosette cardigan

And so it begins ...

2010-08-30T16:06:00.021-04:00

... Jack's first official season of back-to-school!!! I can hardly believe that my little man is starting preschool in just a few short weeks! Sob, sob, cry, cry. Even though he will only be in school for 2.5 hours, two days a week, I'm going to miss him like crazy. And this first, small taste of sending him out into the world has gotten me into a bit of a sentimental tizzy. When we got his teacher letter and school supply list (yes -- I said school supply list) in the mail last week, I nearly collapsed into a ball of tears. :) But truly, I am SO excited for him, and I just know that Jack is going to have a blast in preschool.

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So, you all know that I am a big fan of traditions, and this new chapter in Jack's life seems like the perfect opportunity to begin some new back-to-school traditions for our family. When I was in school, my mom had a fun tradition she did with me and my sisters during the last week of summer break. We all packed into the minivan and drove to Long's Donuts (the BEST homemade donuts in Cincinnati...). We got some lunch "to-go," and we each picked out a favorite donut or two, and then we took our food to Stonelick Lake. We spread out a big blanket on the shore, and we all enjoyed our last picnic of the season together. Such fond memories.

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I've been brainstorming some other possible back-to-school traditions we might adopt, and here's a few I came up with.

Adorable "school treat cones" from Lisa Pearson. Lisa made this one for her daughter who is going away to college, so she filled it with washcloths, soaps, Post-It notes, gift cards, stamps, and chapstick. But these would be equally perfect for smaller children if they were filled with art supplies, erasers, pencils, sweet treats, etc. I'm thinking a treat cone like this would be a nice surprise on Jack's breakfast plate his first morning of preschool.

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While you're over there, be sure to check out the beautiful picnic Lisa planned for her college-bound daughter. Talk about your back-to-school picnics! Wow! Lisa pulled out all the stops with her gorgeous vintage details, right down to the paper and string she used to wrap the sandwiches. That's my kind of girl! :)

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Also, I'm loving this idea from the ladies over at Blonde Designs. Each year, they make a little sign for the first day of school with their child's grade, the year, and teacher's name. The picture makes a darling little memento. Cute, cute!

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Finally, I think Nie has the right idea when it comes to traditions. Her "Back-to-School Family Feast" is a ritual I'd like to adopt. (seen here and here)

Each year she chooses a different theme (this year it was "To Learn with Joy"), and she makes the celebration extremely special. She creates a crown for each child to wear. She sets a fancy table, decides on a delicious menu, and cooks up a storm. After dinner, her husband prays a blessing for each child for strength and courage to begin a new year. They also have an annual fashion show where the kids get to display their new school clothes.
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Do you have any back-to-school traditions you'd like to share? I'd love to her them!

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*Photo credit: colored pencils

Pillowcase Aprons

2010-08-17T16:25:00.016-04:00

As I've admitted before, I have no skill when it comes to sewing machines. (Although one of these days, I am determined to figure mine out!) :) But in the meantime, I think even a novice like myself could handle this simple sewing project -- hello, Ten Minute Pillowcase Apron.

View the step-by-step tutorial, courtesy of Betz White, here.
And find several other helpful tutorials here, here, and here.
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I've been thinking about making several of these as Christmas gifts this year. Talk about an inexpensive, handmade, heartfelt gift! You can often score some fabulous, vintage pillowcases at your local thrift store for around $1 each. And I just love aprons -- one can never have too many! The first step in any recipe should be to tie on an apron. My grandma used to tie one on every morning as she dressed for the day, and I think there's something so lovely and domestic about that.

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Or, If you're not the DIY kind of girl, check out the collection of pillowcase aprons I found on Etsy from A Wednesday Girl:

How sweet and feminine are those soft ruffles?

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Enjoy your kitchen and enjoy your food! :)

Family Trees

2010-08-09T15:03:00.009-04:00

The passing of a loved one is such a good reminder to focus on the important things in life. Family is the most important thing in my life, and I have been blessed with a pretty incredible one. After my grandpa's funeral, I started thinking about the story of his life, and how I wanted to know more about the details of his childhood and his early years -- the years before I knew him as my "Paw-Paw." These past few weeks have led me to a deeper appreciation of family history and a renewed excitement about my family roots. So, the other day I started browsing Etsy in search of some cool family trees that I could display in our home. Here's a few of my favorites:

I wasn't able to find many that included several generations, so if you know of any good ones, on Etsy or elsewhere, please share! :)

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The Smith Family Tree by Erin Jane

The Marshall Family Tree by West Willow Designs

Brian and Nici Tree by Lovli Day

Alix and Colin Tree by Cozy Blue

Meet the real Jack and Izzy

2010-08-05T16:22:00.006-04:00

My beloved grandpa, Jack Bongey, was called home to heaven at the end of July. It was the hardest goodbye I've ever had to say. As I wept into his snowy white hair, my heart was filled with love and gratitude for my precious "Paw-Paw" who blessed my life in so many ways. He was a remarkable man, and he passed on such a legacy to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

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And my dear grandma Isabel, "Maw-Maw," was such a beautiful example to me of true love and devotion. Faithful to the end, she was the perfect picture of an adoring wife who knew the sacred promise of the wedding vows she took 56 years ago and was committed "till death do us part." The same young wife who took her husband's hand at the alter, bravely sat by his bedside and held his hand through his final hours of life on this earth. It brings me to tears even now to recount their rich, full lives together and to know that someday, I will be that same faithful wife, sitting by my husband's bedside. It was extremely touching to watch my grandma stroke his cheek, pat his hand, and tenderly run her wrinkled fingers through his hair and sweep them across his forehead, all the while whispering, "Isn't he beautiful ... Isn't he handsome?" But perhaps the sweetest moment of all was hearing her sing their love song into his ear (Always).

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"I'll be lovin' you, always

With a love that's true, always ...

Not for just an hour, not just a day

Not for just one year but always"

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Paw-Paw, you are so deeply loved and so deeply missed.

Favorite Things

2010-07-19T21:36:00.003-04:00

I'm totally digging Brooke's idea of a "Favorite Things" party. I think I might just have to copy her and plan one of my own. :) This stitched ribbon is currently one of my favorite things. What are some of your favorite things right now?

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*photo from Olive Manna

The Farm Chicks

2010-07-16T15:37:00.011-04:00

I have two secret desires. One is to be a "Southern Bell" -- living in Savannah, Georgia or Mobile, Alabama -- sipping on Mint Juleps, going to garden tea parties, and skipping around town in a big, floppy hat. My second desire is to live on an old farmstead -- tucked away in the beautiful, rolling countryside. I would live in a charming, old farmhouse with a cozy front porch and creaking screen door. There would be a big, red barn and an orchard full of fruit trees. I would wear bright, floral aprons, bake everything from scratch, and collect speckled brown eggs each morning from my hen house.

So, yesterday, when I came across the The Farm Chicks, I was in daydream heaven because Serena seems to have the best of both worlds. She does "county living" right! :) Perhaps it's because she is also a contributing editor for Country Living Magazine. Anyway, on her blog, she dishes out some yummy family recipes, shares some inspiring decorating ideas, and offers a small glimpse into her beautiful farm life.

And it gets better! Serena has a delightful, little cookbook that instantly went to the top of my wishlist. She co-authored it with her best friend, Teri Edwards. It tells their inspiring story, serves up some of their all-time favorite recipes, and also shares a few simple craft projects to bring "Farm Chick Style" to your kitchen.

AND it gets even better! Serena's second book will be available in September.

The cover alone makes me swoon. Christmas in July, anyone? :)
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*All photos via The Farm Chicks

Dollar Store Tiered Party Trays

2010-07-13T16:40:00.007-04:00

Okay, seriously ... how fun are these colorful, tiered party trays?! And guess what else -- they only cost about $6 each to make!!! Can you believe it?!

All the materials used to create these little lovelies were found at the Dollar Tree. With a few cans of spray paint and a tube of super glue, you can transform some cheapo trays and candlesticks into gorgeous serving pieces! And here's a more formal-looking variation:

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Thank you so much to Joy's Hope and The Cottage Home for sharing this brilliant idea! You can find a full tutorial courtesy of Joy's Hope here.

"Enjoying the Small Things" - My Summer List

2010-07-06T17:02:00.014-04:00

Ahhh, summertime! Is there anything sweeter?! I just love the carefree, happy, sunshine days of summer. And I love all the fun, summer memories that families make together. So far, our little family of four has been soaking up every juicy bit of this fabulous summer.
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At the beginning of June, I was totally inspired by Kelle Hampton to create my very own Summer To-Do List. In her words, "In summer we make lists. We make lists of all the things we will do and whether or not we actually do them, the process of making these lists and talking about them is exciting. Like watching a trailer for a really good movie ..."
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And so I took pen to paper, and my list went a little something like this:
1. Make homemade strawberry jam
2. Saturday morning pj's and pancakes on the patio
3. Slip-and-slide races in the backyard
4. Weekend camping trips
5. Evening firepit s'mores
6. Backyard sprinklers on hot afternoons
7. Paint happy nail polish colors on my sandaled tootsies
8. Host a dinner party
9. Anniversary getaway weekend with Gar
10. Picnics at the park
11. Eat a Drumstick ice cream cone
12. Berry picking
13. Visit the farmer's market
14. Go to a carnival and eat a funnel cake
15. Work on baby books! (I'm so behind!) :)
16. Float around the pool
17. Wagon walks with Jack around the neighborhood
18. Make a pitcher of fresh-squeezed lemonade
19. Sparklers in the driveway
20. Cherish nighttime wake-ups and snuggles with Noah
21. Let my house get messy
22. Popsicles on the front porch with Jack while we watch for daddy to come home
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I can't believe that June has come and gone so quickly. But I'm happy to report that we've already done a number of things from our summer list! What are some of the items on your summer list? :)
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By the way, if you're new to Kelle's blog, I strongly suggest you start by reading the birth story of her daughter, Nella. You will be hooked! :)
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*Pictures taken by my amazingly talented friend, Mandi

Happy 4th!

2010-07-01T16:41:00.035-04:00

I have been a very bad blogger. Sorry for completely disappearing for a few weeks there. :) We had a wonderful vacation and an amazing week in Williamsburg. Soon after we got back, a virus took over our computer and it totally died on us -- we're talking blue screen of death and not even turning on. Yikes! So, we spent about a week scrambling to salvage important files and precious photos from our old computer and researching the best deal on a new computer. (Lesson learned -- ALWAYS stay up to date on backing up your documents! What a headache...) :)

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After over a week of being without a computer or any access to the Internet (except for a quick trip to the library here and there to check email), I began to see just how wonderful and freeing it is to be completely unplugged from the world wide web. Ha! I got SO MUCH done during those few days when hopping on the computer wasn't an option. And I began to realized just how much precious and valuable time I waste on a daily basis tinkering around on the computer. It was a real eye-opener, so I am grateful for the experience. Anyway, I did miss all my blogging friends, and it is nice to be up and running again.

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So first things first -- I need to draw a winner for the fabulous thank you post cards. Drum roll please ...

... Lucky number 12! Yay! Domenica, please contact me so we can get your post cards underway.

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Next order of business, let's chat about the upcoming holiday weekend! I am pumped! Our plans for the weekend include a festive Fourth of July barbecue, a romantic anniversary get-away with my hubby of eight years, and Jack's first fireworks show ... Oh, it's gonna be good!

I thought I'd share a couple of fun freebies to get you in the red-white-and-blue spirit. :)
I'm digging these retro cupcake toppers, courtesy of Two Pooch Paperie. I think Jack and I will spend the evening baking some yummy red velvet cupcakes to put these babies to good use. Download yours here.

Or wouldn't they also look terrific as little label wraps on cookie packaging like this? My girlfriend and my sister created these cute favors for my baby shower when I was pregnant with Jack. All you need are some inexpensive CD sleeves that you can purchase at any office supply store.

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Do you remember this pioneer party I posted about several months ago from Brittany Egbert, the talented owner behind One Charming Party? I have been following her blog ever since, and I am totally addicted. She is amazingly creative. She just launched a new party school newsletter that I signed up to receive.

When I opened up my first issue the other night, I grinned from ear to ear! Oh. My. Goodness. Isn't it so very ... charming?

She is full of fabulous ideas, and her first newsletter focused on how to transform a plain white cake. But I also thought it would be a great way to decorate a Fourth of July cake. Aren't those red and blue fondant polka dots sweet? I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. Sign up here to get a copy of your very own!

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Happy Independence Day! Hope your weekend is wonderful!

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bicycle photo from Martha

Vacation!

2010-06-03T23:31:00.008-04:00

Tomorrow we leave for a fun, family vacation in Colonial Williamsburg, and I am so pumped! This will be our first vacation with Noah, and I'm super excited for all the memories to be made. I'm also looking forward to a nice, relaxing week staying at the Ford's Colony Manor Club. Don't the pictures look dreamy?! :)

The shop will remain open while we're gone, but all orders placed from Friday, June 4th through Saturday, June 12th won't ship out until Thursday, June 17th. I plan to completely unplug for the week ... no checking emails or anything ... wahoo!!! :) Adios, friends!

Thank You Postcards

2010-06-03T09:41:00.010-04:00

I just had to gush on the amazing thank you postcards that my sister, Katie, designed for Jack. I sent them out as the thank you notes after his party, and they were so fantastic. The front had a cute picture of Jack and the back had a starter note with fill-in lines.

I can't tell you how easy and effortless it made writing thank yous! I sat down during naptime one day with a pen and a stack of cards, and I got them all finished in a snap. They're the perfect solution for a busy mama like myself who still wants to express heartfelt appreciation. And since they're postcards, I even saved some money on postage. Katie just started selling these cards in her Etsy shop, and she has graciously offered to give away a free set to one of my blog readers. Check out her selection, and leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite design and how you'd put them to good use. I'll draw a winner on Monday, June 14th. Good luck! :)

Jack's Party in the Park - Part Four

2010-06-01T12:05:00.012-04:00

To close out all these party posts, I thought I'd end with the favor bags we made for Jack's little buddies. I wanted the take home goodies to follow our Party in the Park theme, so I tried to come up with some fun, inexpensive "outdoorsy" items to put in the bags.

When it comes to gift-giving, I love to re-package ordinary, store bought items and make them seem more special and unique. Adding a personalized label or a colorful cello bag topper makes a huge difference and transforms the simplest gifts into something more charming and heartfelt.
For Jack's party favors, I re-packaged sidewalk chalk and water guns -- two summer classics. I bought a HUGE box of sidewalk chalk from Target and divided the pieces into cellophane bags. I topped each one with a striped label that I created to coordinate with all the other party items.

I did the same thing with some squirt guns that I also found at Target for $1 each.

Lastly, I added a personalized sticker to the front of some cute, little water bottles I found at Michael's in the dollar bin.

So, altogether, the favor bags ended up costing less than $2.50 each ... and the kiddos couldn't have been happier.
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Other posts from Jack's Party in the Park:
Frisbee Invitations
Part One
Part Two
Part Three

Jack's Party in the Park - Part Three

2010-05-26T09:34:00.021-04:00

I think the party games were the highlight of the day for Jack and the rest of the kiddos. The first game we played was a water balloon toss.

We had all the little munchkins stand behind a line of rope.

We didn't want the kids throwing the balloons at each other, so instead we brought along a hula hoop that we used as a target.

We handed each child a water balloon, and on the count of three, everyone threw their balloons and tried to get them to land inside the circle.

We did about ten rounds of this until all the water balloons were gone.

The game was a HUGE hit, and it was the perfect activity for two and three year olds.

Next, we got out the parachute, and everyone's eyes lit up when they saw it.

The parachute was so big, we had all the adults get in on the action, too. :)

To refresh my memory on all the fun things you could do with a parachute from my grade school days, I did a Google search for "parachute games" and I found all kinds of fun ideas. Remember the "Mushroom" where everyone raises the chute high over their heads and then crouches down and pulls the parachute tightly behind them?! So great!

But mostly, we just let the kids run underneath it because that seemed to be their favorite thing to do. :)

Our little family! (minus Noah)

The parachute was a blast, and I'm so grateful that our church let us borrow it for the party.

Mommy and the birthday boy
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Other posts from Jack's Party in the Park:

Jack's Party in the Park - Part Two

2010-05-22T17:15:00.018-04:00

I wanted to keep the food really simple this year since we would be transporting everything to the park. I decided to make individual boxed lunches, and it worked out really well. The boxes held fruit salad, pasta salad, pretzels, a napkin and utensils. The picnic shelter came equipped with a charcoal grill, so we had a hot dog buffet for the main course ... easy, inexpensive, and kid-friendly.

To cover the picnic tables, I used a big roll of white packaging paper (found at Staples), and we secured it to the under side of the tables using duct tape. I got sheets of 12x12 inch red card stock to use as place mats at each place setting. And each person got a boxed lunch and a bottled water. I also had juice boxes available for the kids. The boxes were white cake boxes that I purchased from here.

I wanted to do something fun for the table centerpieces that went with our outdoor "park" theme. I came up with the idea of planting wheat grass in some flower pots that I had spray painted blue. We used little seed packets that I got from Lowes, and Jack had the best time helping me with this project. We scooped the potting soil into the pots, planted the seeds, and watched with excitement as the grass started to grow a couple days later. And it was Jack's job to help me water the pots everyday. He loved it! As a finishing touch, I made three flags to stick down in each pot.

I also made coordinating wraps to dress up all the bottled waters.

And I created circle labels for the boxed lunches to mimic the design from the frisbee invitations we sent out.

The birthday boy enjoying his cupcake :)f

Next up, I'll be posting some pictures of the games we played ...

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Other posts from Jack's Party in the Park:

Jack's Party In the Park - Part One

2010-05-19T15:43:00.023-04:00

THREE! It's just so hard to believe that my baby boy is three! There are so many fun pictures and details I want to share from Jack's party, and I thought it would be easiest if I did it in segments. I questioned whether or not I would be able to pull off a big shin-dig this year with a wee one in the house. But the day Jack was born -- the day he entered our world and captured our hearts -- that was a big deal, and I wanted to celebrate it in a big way. So I started early ... weeks and weeks ago. I did little bits here and tiny bits there. I worked at a snail's pace, but slow and steady wins the race. And in this case, slow and steady allowed me to get everything done without stressing myself out. :) His special day was picture perfect. God blessed us with blue skies, sunshine, and beautiful weather. Our picnic shelter was filled with friends, family, love, and laughter. And our Party in the Park will be a very sweet memory that I will hold dear for a very long time. That's what's birthdays are all about -- a celebration of special moments and a celebration of life.

I think the dessert table was one of my favorite things about his party. I made two different banners for it. First, I made the bunting to hang above the table. The color scheme I tried to stick with for everything was red, aqua, grey, and white. For the bunting, I just cut triangles out of card stock and strung them on red baker's twine. I also did a banner for the front of the table using letter circles to spell out "Jack is Three." I printed out the individual circles on white card stock and cut them out freehand. I strung those on baker's twine as well.

The dessert table held the cupcake tower, some giant marshmallow pops, and the favor bags for the kiddos.

I was super excited to find my new cupcake stand from Cupcaketree. I got the Petite Square size, and it was just perfect for our party - it held three dozen cupcakes. In years past, I've had the hardest time finding a stand that holds 36 cupcakes. Most cupcake stands only hold 24, and I searched high and low for something that would accommodate more. The ones from Cupcaketree are constructed of corrugated, sturdy cardboard. What I love about them is that you can easily cover the pieces in decorative paper and trim them with ribbon, and when the party is over, you just peel everything off and the stand is ready to reuse again. Plus it collapses flat for easy storage.

The fondant cupcake toppers were one of the only things I didn't make myself. I got them from Two Sugar Babies -- one of my new favorite Etsy shops. Charynn is exceptionally talented, super sweet, and a real gem to work with. I just loved the way they turned out - so cute!

My dear sister, Katie, helped me make these adorable marshmallow pops. They were a big hit at the party. I got some GIANT marshmallows from here (we're talking REALLY big ... like 3x3 inches). We put them on lollipop sticks and dipped them in melted white chocolate that we tinted blue. Then we sprinkled them with red jimmies. Once the chocolate hardened, we put each one in a cellophane bag and tied it with a ribbon. I cut a piece of styrofoam to fit in the bottom of the white dishes, and that's what anchored the finished pops. Then I covered the styrofoam with red cherry ball candies.

I'll devote another post to what went inside the favor bags, but for now, here's some pictures of the outside. I made circle stickers personalized with each child's name to stick on the front of the bags and tied them up with some red grosgrain ribbon I had left over from Christmas. :)

Stay tuned for more ... :)

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Other posts from Jack's Party in the Park:

Jack's Party

2010-05-18T11:01:00.003-04:00

Jack's party was spectacular ... a perfect day! We had beautiful weather and a wonderful time. Lots more to come later this week -- I'm trying to get all the pictures edited, but here's a little preview for you. :)

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-07T18:09:00.009-04:00

Do you ever have one of those emotionally charged days as a mother ... a day when normal, routine occurrences seem to have an incredibly profound meaning and your heart seems so much softer and so much fuller? Yesterday was one of those days for me. I looked at my children and I saw them through different lenses. It was so lovely to drink them in and fully appreciate some quiet moments with them -- moments that make this adventure in motherhood so worthwhile.

Jack came to find me while I was working in the kitchen and exclaimed with excitement in his voice, "Mama, I have something to show you!" He proudly led me into the living room and pointed to the couch where he had built a huge "nest" using every blanket in our house.

Later, when we were having lunch, Jack told me, "Mama, I have a secret to tell you." I bent down to his level, and he whispered in my ear with his charming, three-year-old voice, "I finished all my peanut butter. Can I have a cookie?" :)

I had just laid Noah down for a nap, and when I came out to join Jack playing on the floor, he asked, "Mama hold you?" (his was of asking "Will you hold me?"), and he climbed into my lap. Oh, I'm going to miss those snuggles and hugs in a few years when he is no longer wanting to be kissed and cuddled by his mama.

I was rocking Noah in his dark, quiet nursery last night at bedtime. He had just finished nursing, and he was starting to doze off in my arms. He was nuzzled in so close, and his little hand was resting on my chest. In the moonlight, I could see the outline of his peaceful face and I could hear his heavy breathing. I patted his bottom with a solid, steady rhythm and softly sang him a lullaby.

Happy Mama's Day to all you mommies out there! I hope your weekend is full of small, precious moments like these. Here's some pictures from our Mother's Day festivities last year. Garret always does a great job of making my day truly special. From breakfast in bed and love notes to pampering and some time to myself, he shows me just how loved and cherished I am.

It was this weekend last year that we found out we were pregnant with Noah. Such a wonderful Mother's Day surprise! The way we told our family the big news was by having Jack watercolor a picture of his new little brother or sister. We wrapped up his artwork and had my mom open it as her Mother's Day present.

How miraculous to think that the tiny, microscopic life beginning to grow inside me this time last year is now the amazing little person I hold in my arms -- our sweet baby Noah.

Sneak Peek: Jack's "Party in the Park"

2010-05-02T17:18:00.015-04:00

I have been a busy little bee, working on some fun projects to get ready for Jack's birthday party. The big day is only two weeks away, and every afternoon when my kids go down for their naps, I switch into "go mode" and get as much party prep done as I can. :) I thought I would give you a little sneak peek by showing the fun invitations we sent out.

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It took us forever to settle on a theme this year. When I asked Jack what kind of party he wanted to have, his response was of course, "CARS!" But since we just did a car party last year, I really didn't want to do the same thing again. So I tried to steer him in another direction. We considered a train party, since he also loves his Thomas the Train set, and we also thought about doing a pancake party. But in the end, we settled on a "Party in the Park" theme, and we are both really excited about it.

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About the same time we finalized our theme, I saw this idea via ohdeedoh, and the inspiration for his invitations was born. How perfect to send out frisbees as the invitations to his "Party in the Park?!" Who doesn't love a three-dimensional invitation?! So, I started researching inexpensive frisbees. We had fourteen invitations to send out, and I wanted to do it as economically as possible. :) I ended up going with some white frisbees from Oriental Trading, and they worked out perfectly.

I got to work designing some circle labels to stick on the front and back of the frisbees. The sticker on the front had all the party information, and the sticker for the back had the directions to the park.

Next, I wrapped each frisbee in white tissue paper and tied it with red and white baker's twine.

Finally, I packaged each frisbee in a white padded mailer with a coordinating address sticker.

I was so happy with the way everything turned out, and I think the frisbees were a really fun way to get everyone excited about the party.

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Other Posts from Jack's Party In the Park:

Good Luck Bear

2010-04-25T19:09:00.019-04:00

Now that Jack is starting to move beyond board books, bedtime stories at our house have gotten a lot more fun! Snuggling under the covers with him and reading together is one of my favorite things to do, and years down the road, I'm sure I will remember those moments as some of my sweetest memories with him. Because a good children's book is one of my weaknesses, Jack is beginning to accumulate quite a little library. :) I thought it might be fun to share a few of our favorites with you from time to time on this blog. Plus, even if you don't have children of your own, I think books make the best baby shower gifts or birthday presents for kids. I like to include a set of my personalized bookplates with the books as well to make the gift even more meaningful.

One of our current faves is Good Luck Bear. I'm not sure who enjoys this book more -- me or Jack! :) The story opens with a charming, little bear who happily discovers a three-leaf clover. His friend Mouse tells him that "If you find one with four leaves, it means that you're lucky." So Bear sets out in search of one, and along the way, he meets a number of other animal critters who comment on his quest.

The book is wonderfully illustrated in such a simple, unique way. Bear's expressions are precious, and the characters are wonderfully appealing. I love the simplicity of the story line, too. It's a very sweet, heart-warming picture book, and it really captures Jack's attention.

It's so much fun to see the way books encourage Jack's imagination. He spent the longest time in the backyard the other day trying to find a four-leaf clover of his very own.

I highly recommend Greg Foley's other two books as well: Thank You Bear and Don't Worry Bear. We have all three, and we love them all.

Shop Announcement

2010-04-24T15:20:00.010-04:00

I haven't talked "shop" on this blog for a little while now. :) I'm not sure if anyone has been keeping track, but I keep pushing back the reopening date on my shop page.

Initially, I was planning to reopen at the beginning of March ... Wow, that was a lofty goal! :) At that time, I was still surviving off of tiny bits of sleep, and I was very much in the "walking zombie" phase of having a newborn. I was doing good to get a shower everyday and to get enough laundry washed so that everyone in the house could have clean underwear. Ha! Needless to say, I was in no shape to be filling Etsy orders. So I pushed back my reopening until April.

Once April rolled around, I was still so busy savoring Noah's "itty-bittyness" that in my heart, I didn't feel quite ready to move my attention away from him and back onto my business. So I pushed back my reopening again, thinking I would start selling items at the end of April. Then my dear husband, who knows me extremely well, and is very aware of my tendency to stress myself out by putting too much on my plate, gently cautioned me to take things slow.

Jack's third birthday is in May, and there are so many fun, crafty projects I wanted to get done for his party. With a new baby in the mix, Garret knew it wasn't realistic for me to juggle all the party preparations and fill Etsy orders, too. Since my free time is at a minimum these days, he didn't want me to take on more than I could handle. Such a smart hubby I have! :)

So, with all that said, I am pushing back my reopening date one final time. Jack's party is on May 15th, and I plan to reopen the shop on Monday, May 17th. A big thanks to so many of you who have emailed me with order inquiries. I hate to disappoint people, and it makes me sad to turn away customers, but I appreciate everyone's understanding. I'm so glad that my business allows me to be a wife and a mother first and foremost, because that truly is the desire of my heart. But I LOVE all my loyal customers, too, and I have gotten to know some of the sweetest people through my Etsy shop. I'm blessed to have the best of both worlds.

Birthday Traditions

2010-04-15T15:47:00.026-04:00

The preparations are underway for Jack's birthday bash (more details to come on that later ...). But as we approach his big day, I've been spending a lot of time thinking about birthday traditions. Growing up, my mom always made a BIG DEAL about birthdays, and the birthday person felt incredibly loved and honored on their special day. This is the first year that Jack really understands the concept of birthdays, and he is really excited about turning three. So I thought it was the perfect year to start some family traditions of our own. I've been brainstorming ideas and browsing Etsy for inspiration. Here's a few things I've come up with so far:

Birthday banner/bunting to hang over his bedroom doorway
My sophomore year of college, when I was living in the dorms, my RD did this for each person's birthday. It was so fun to wake up in the morning, open your door, and find the festive banner greeting you. And I thought it would be sweetly sentimental to use the same bunting year after year -- even when my kids become teenagers.
(Bunting from Knotted Nest)

Decorate his breakfast chair with balloons
Another small way to celebrate first thing in the morning
(Balloon print from Paper Fingers)

Special birthday breakfast
I love the idea of "name pancakes" where each letter of their name is a little pancake.
(Mixed Berry Pancake Mix from Kitchen Stories)

Special Birthday plate
And what better way to serve their pancakes than on this "happy birthday" plate?
(Cake plate from Zinnia Designs)

My mom used to have a "special day" plate that said "You are loved." Anytime we celebrated a special occasion like a birthday, ballet recital, graduation, etc. that plate would be at our place at the dinner table. I love this Emelia Bird personalized special day plate by Aedriel Originals. And their personalized birthday plate is equally adorable.

Birthday crown
What kid doesn't like to get into costume and dress the part? I'm sure Jack would get a kick out of wearing a special birthday crown around the house on his big day.
(Blue felt crown from Two Little Bluebirds)
(Star crowns by Dream Child Studio)
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There are so many birthday traditions my mom still carries out even today. For instance, we get to request a special dinner menu that she makes for us -- anything we want. After dinner, between opening presents and eating birthday cake, we always have some kind of fun birthday activity. It's different every year. For example, last year, each person had to bring a list of things they love about the birthday person. The list had to have as many bullet points as the birthday person's new age. I turned 28 last year, so each person had to read their list of "28 things they love about Sarah." This year, we played birthday Pictionary. Instead of using the prompt cards that come with the game, each person had to write something about the birthday person on a scrap of paper and that's what we drew from. I love that my sisters and I are all in our twenties now, but my mom still makes a big deal about our birthdays. And she does the same thing for our husbands, too! :)
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So ... I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! What are some of your favorite birthday traditions? Do you have any other good ideas you'd like to share ?
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(First image from Storia Home )

Easter Weekend

2010-04-07T17:51:00.012-04:00

I had so much fun dressing Jack and Noah up in matching seersucker outfits this year for Easter. Aren't they the cutest?! :) I just adore those two little guys ... and it's so sweet to observe their brotherly love. We had a wonderful Easter weekend, and I hope you did, too -- lots of egg hunting, lots of candy eating, and lots of family time.

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But Easter eggs weren't the only thing Jack hunted for over the weekend. I just had to share this great resource I found. It's the Curly Birds Scavenger Hunt. It's a chart of nine simple items found in nature that you can download and print out. Then, have your kids document their findings using stickers.

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My husband LOVES backpacking trips and nature hikes, so he was all over this! On Friday night, while he was putting Jack to bed, Garret told him that they were going on a fun scavenger hike in the woods after breakfast on Saturday. He laid out Jack's little backpack and told him that they would pack it full of fun supplies in the morning. Jack was super excited. :)

On Saturday, Jack carefully selected the items to pack in his bag for their big adventure (this is hilarious -- here were the contents of his backpack: five matchbox cars, a wad of toilet paper, a flashlight, some pretzel sticks, water, and a box of raisins.) With chart and stickers in hand, he and daddy headed out.

They were gone for quite a while, and when they got home, Jack was happy to report that they found all but two things from their chart. And as an added bonus, they found four frogs. :) Thanks, Curly Birds, for sharing such a fun freebie with us!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-02T12:45:00.020-04:00

Easter is my very favorite holiday. I love everything about it ... soft pastel colors, fuzzy yellow chicks, cute little bunny tails, daffodils peeking up out of the ground, warm sunshine, green grass ... newness! And of course the real reason for celebrating Easter ... our newness in Christ.

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We have been very busy with some fun Easter crafting at our house this week -- from egg dying to making some sweet treats for friends and family. Here's a peek at what we've been up to:

This was my *favorite* little Easter egg ... the one Jack wrote his name on.

Aren't these "peep pops" the cutest things ever?!! They're so simple to make -- just put a bunny peep on a candy stick (found at Michael's) and dip it in melted chocolate.

Here's a link to the Etsy shop where I found the image for the hang tags. I just cropped out the "Easter Greetings" and added each person's name instead.

And here's Mr. Noah looking very festive in his t-shirt. :)
Hope you have a joyous Easter weekend!

Just Stay Little

2010-03-29T12:58:00.006-04:00

There are a handful of moments each day when I find myself extremely sentimental and wishing that I had the superhuman ability to freeze time. It's hard to believe my sweet Noah is eleven weeks old now -- almost three months! He's already grown so much. And as we get closer and closer to Jack's third birthday, I sit here pondering how on earth it's possible that my baby is going to be three! Then I turn and look at Noah and remember like yesterday when Jack was that age and that size. And a tidal wave of emotions wash over me. I hear my heart pleading to my two little men, "Please, please don't get any bigger!" I cherish these days so much. I cherish this precious time with them. I'm so grateful to God for blessing me with these beautiful boys and for giving me the privilege and the joy of raising them. Every day truly is a gift.

Baby Blessings Shower

2010-03-16T17:59:00.051-04:00

I've been meaning to post these pictures since January, and time has gotten away from me. Right before Noah was born, my sweet sister threw the most amazing shower for me. It was a "Baby Blessings Shower" -- an intimate gathering of my closest girlfriends and family. Since this was my second little boy, I really didn't need a traditional baby shower, but Katie still wanted to do something special to honor me and baby Noah. So, the purpose of this get-together was to shower us with prayers and blessings. It was such a touching celebration ... quite possibly one of the best days of my pregnancy ... and the memory of that afternoon is something I will treasure in my heart forever.

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Katie really pulled out all the stops ... from the food, to the decorations, to all the thoughtful details that made the day so memorable. One of the many little things Katie did to make the shower extra meaningful was to include a "Notes to Noah" notecard when she mailed out the invitations. Each guest was asked to write a small note to Noah and bring it with them to the shower. Katie collected all the cards and put them into a keepsake album for me.

The food was spectacular! Everything was so delicious ... black bean tartlets, chicken salad mini rolls, pumpkin mousse cups, raspberry jam bars ... I could go on and on ... :)

Instead of a gift, Katie asked everyone to bring their favorite children's book to the shower to help build baby Noah's library. She printed out bookplates so each person could write a personalized message and stick it inside their book.

And after I unwrapped each book, she asked the "giver" to say one reason they thought that I was a good mom. She took notes and recorded what everyone said, and later she sent me an encouragement page titled "Little Things that Make Sarah a Great Mom" for me to pull out and read whenever I'm having a hard day with the boys. Isn't that a fantastic idea?!

And knowing that I'm such a paper diva, she made coordinating food tent cards, favor tags, and cupcake flags that all matched the beautiful invitations she sent out. I LOVE those kind of small touches!

Me and my three sisters (and Jack)

Potty Talk

2010-03-13T09:08:00.008-05:00

So, this is going to be a very big weekend at our house. We're embarking on the adventure of potty training Jack. He's shown signs of readiness since the beginning of January, but we didn't want to do anything about it then since we were so close to having Noah. However, now that everyone is well-adjusted, we think it's time.

Items needed:

Big boy underwear -- check!

A variety of juice boxes -- check!

Lots of treats and rewards -- check!

And one very excited two-year-old -- double check!

Wish us luck!

Jack's Big Boy Room

2010-03-09T14:22:00.022-05:00

I have received so many emails and messages from people requesting pictures of Jack's big boy room! Sorry to keep you all waiting in suspense ... being a mama of two boys is keeping me on my toes ... each day seems so full. I crash into bed at night totally exhausted but yet completely fulfilled. Life is good. :) I cherish my role as a wife and a mother. And I'm so enamored by my two little men.
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However, I am super excited to share Jack's room with you. I think it's probably my favorite room in our house right now! I am over the moon with how it turned out. So without any further delay, here it is – one special, little room for one special, little boy.

(the view from the door)

I got that awesome, yellow chandelier from Pottery Barn Teen on clearance for $40 (regularly $200) ... what a steal! :)

I just love this corner of Jack's room. If you'll remember from when his bedroom used to be my office, these fabric covered bulletin boards were above my desk. Garret told me that I was going to have to plan Jack's bedroom around them because they weren't going anywhere. It would have involved way too much work to take them down. When Garret installed them five years ago, he did a heck of a job making them a "permanent" fixture, and he was quite sure that removing the wood frame from the wall would require some major drywall patching.

So I decided that if they had to stay, they would be the perfect way to display pictures and some of Jack's artwork. I removed the green fabric and recovered the bulletin boards with some seersucker fabric that matches Jack's bedding. And I made the blue and yellow number flashcards myself.

I was giddy when I did the measurements and realized that the Expedit shelving unit from Ikea would fit the space under the existing bulletin boards exactly. And it's the perfect storage shelf for all of Jack's toys and books.

I scored these vintage pantry storage jars from Etsy, and I spray painted the lids yellow to match the room. They're great for holding smaller toys like Jack's animals and puzzle pieces.

If you'll remember from Jack's car party, my son is completely obsessed with cars. Since he loves them so much, I wanted to do something that incorporated cars into his bedroom in a fun, tasteful way. These car prints from Lad and Lass are so ADORABLE, and as soon as I saw them, I knew they would do the trick.

I try to be really selective about the toys I buy for our kids. I'm not a big fan of plastic blinking toys that talk and beep at you. And because we have a smaller home, space is limited, so I like to keep everything organized and contained.

My mom gave us this dresser -- it used to be in my bedroom when I was a baby!

Jack's bedding was my ONE splurge in our budget. It's from Serena and Lily, and I think it just makes the space. I wanted a sweet looking duvet cover that was still boyish but not "themey" (like trains or robots or something). I LOVE this one because Jack will be able to use it well into his school years. Oh, and the headboard was a $25 find from Craigslist.

To outweigh the cost of the bedding, I knew I had to be super thrifty when it came to curtains and a bedskirt. I got the white bedskirt on sale from Kohl's for $12 and I got the white curtains from Ikea for $15. I pulled out my trusty hot glue gun (unfortunately, a seamstress I am not), and added the yellow ribbon as an inexpensive trim to both pieces.

SNOW!

2010-02-22T15:38:00.008-05:00

Hi, everyone! I tried my best to take some pictures of Jack's big boy room over the weekend, but the sunshine was not cooperating with me. We've had some pretty grey winter days around here lately, and it does not make for very good picture lighting. As soon as the sun peeks out for a bit, I'll get Jack's room posted for you. Until then, enjoy these nice pictures of the blizzard we've been digging out of for the past two weeks. I think we've gotten nearly two feet of snow in all!

Garret and Jack spent the better part of Saturday afternoon playing outside and building a snow fort complete with "magic ice crystals."

Look how BIG they are!!!

Noah and I have been hibernating the winter away inside our warm, cozy house -- lots of blankets, lots of snuggling, and lots of Eskimo kisses! :)

Noah's Nursery

2010-02-18T09:10:00.013-05:00

I've been promising these since December, and I'm finally, finally getting around to posting some pictures of my boys' finished bedrooms. First up is Noah's nursery. I'll share Jack's big boy room later this weekend. Enjoy!

The view of the room from the doorway

I got the chandelier from Ikea for $35 and spray painted it brown. The Jenny Lind crib was a Goodwill treasure we found when we had Jack; my mother-in-law got it for $25, and it was still new in the plastic!

My hubby painstakingly painted all those stripes on the walls. It took a LOT of blue painter's tape :)

My favorite thing about Noah's room is this awesome piece of furniture. I got it for practically nothing from a local stationery boutique that was going out of business. It had been a sherbet orange color, and I painted it white. I love how much additional storage it provides.

A place for everything and everything in it's place. :) The Sabrina Baskets and Scalloped Liners are from Pottery Barn Kids. We registered for them when we had Jack.

I ordered this adorable wall print from Sarah and Abraham. It coordinated with the brown scalloped bedding so perfectly, and I'm a huge sucker for anything personalized.

A sweet, little baby gift from some dear friends.

We found the rocking chair on Craigslist for $20 and gave it a fresh coat of paint. The antique dresser came from a second hand furniture store, and we spruced it up with some new hardware.

That little silver cup belonged to my father when he was a baby.

We are forever refilling our diaper caddy! :)

This cute sock monkey was a Christmas present from my parents. I'm pretty sure my mom got it from Target.

The beauty of having two boys is being able to re-use things. This was the same crib bedding we purchased for Jack. It was also from Pottery Barn Kids.

Doesn't this yellow bird just make you happy? It's actually a creamer dish I got on clearance from Anthropologie for $4.

Happy Hearts

2010-02-17T19:53:00.017-05:00

My goodness! Could my heart be any more full?! Valentines Day this year was the perfect opportunity to reflect on how happy my heart is these days and how in love I am with my amazing hubby and my two beautiful boys. Motherhood has a way of expanding your heart. Before Noah was born, sometimes I questioned whether there would be enough love to go around. But it's been incredible to watch first-hand how the love within our family has multiplied beyond what I could have ever imagined these last few weeks. The love between Garret and I has been strengthened as we welcomed our second son into the world and witnessed the miracle of life. Our love for sweet baby Noah has grown with each passing day. And it has been so incredible to witness the love between two brothers already starting to blossom and grow.

Sorry to have completely deserted this blog over the past several weeks, but it has been really nice to totally unplug and focus on the three most important people in my world. This season of life is so precious -- I want to savor every morsel of it. I can't believe how much Noah has already grown. I wish I could bottle up his newborn smell and preserve those delicious baby cheeks forever! I get all sentimental and emotional each night as I lay him down because I don't want him to get any bigger or any older. :) Isn't he just the cutest little guy?!

I'll leave you with a few pictures of the valentines Jack made for his grandmas and his aunties this year. I debated whether I should post these or not since Valentine's Day is over, but it was such a fun craft to do with him, I wanted to pass it on. You could really adapt it for any holiday by changing the heart shape to something else.

Jack LOVES using glue, so I tried to come up with something that would give us an excuse to break out the Elmer's. He squirted the glue onto some white card stock and used a q-tip to spread a thin layer all over. Then, I showed him how to tear off pieces of tissue paper and press them down onto the glue.

After his masterpieces had a chance to dry, I cut heart-shaped windows out of these scalloped note cards, and positioned his artwork behind them. Then I printed off a Valentine's Day greeting onto a second scalloped note card and adhered it to the back. Jack proudly "signed" each one.

He's Here!

2010-01-24T20:49:00.006-05:00

Noah Andrew

January 12th, 2010

7 pounds, 1 ounce

20.5 inches long

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Oh, I am so in LOVE! I just can't get enough of my new little guy! I could sit and stare at him all day long. Noah is such a sweet, happy baby. I am thoroughly enjoying these lazy days at home ... holding him, smelling him, kissing on his cheeks, and nibbling his tiny fingers and toes.

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His arrival was pretty eventful! My labor went super fast -- two hours total from my first contraction at 1:00am to the moment he was born at 3:03am. We just barely made it to the hospital in time. Garret was sweating the whole way there, worrying that he was going to have to deliver his son on the side of the highway! :) Needless to say, there was no time for an epidural, and I had an unplanned "natural" delivery. But everything went smoothly, and God was so good to us. We could see His hand in every little detail.

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Thanks for checking in! I'll update more later, but right now I'm off to catch a little snooze between feedings.

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xoxo Sarah

Baby Time!

2009-12-27T20:51:00.005-05:00

Hello! Yes -- I'm still here! I know, I know ... you're probably thinking to yourself, "Well it's about time you made an appearance on your own blog!" If anyone out there is still reading this due to my recent lack of postings, thanks for checking in. :) As you can see, my belly has gotten rather round, and thank heavens it's not just all those Christmas cookies I've been eating.

Our family had a wonderful Christmas, and now we've switched gears to all-consuming baby mode. I have a pretty good feeling our little one will be making his debut any day now. It's looking more and more like he may end up being a December baby rather than a January baby, but we will see. Our hospital bags are packed and ready to go, and all of our "on-call" people are sleeping with their cell phone by their pillows!

I have been feeling pretty crummy these last few days, so I can't promise to be any better at posting this week, but my goal is to finally reveal our new bedrooms ... starting with a tour of Jack's new big boy room. Everything is finished and ready to show you! Stay tuned ...

xoxo

Sweet Success!

2009-12-12T09:49:00.008-05:00

Last night was a pretty big deal in our house -- it was Jack's first night sleeping in his new "big boy" bed. We've been talking it up for weeks, trying to get him used to the idea and excited for the big change. I must admit that I got a little choked up yesterday afternoon when I put him down for his nap and tucked him into his crib for the very last time.

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I am really happy to report that his first night was a huge success. :) Garret and I laid on the floor next to his bed for about a half hour to an hour so he wouldn't be afraid, but once he fell asleep, he slept through the night just fine and he called out for us at 9:00 this morning when he was ready to get up. I opened his door with a big smile on my face, clapping and praising him and telling him what a big boy he is. He was pretty proud of himself, and I was very relieved that the whole ordeal went much smoother than I had imagined.

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I promise to post LOTS more pictures of his big boy room soon. I am so eager to show it off! It's turning out incredibly cute. I just have a few finishing touches left, and I hope to knock them out in the coming week. (Now that I will have more down time with my Etsy shop closing up for the holidays)

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Have a happy weekend!

Holiday Schedule and Maternity Leave

2009-11-30T16:14:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to announce my holiday schedule to ensure that everyone can get their orders in on time. I will be closing up shop beginning December 13th so I can enjoy the Christmas season with my family. We're expecting our new baby boy to arrive sometime early January, so my plan is to keep the shop closed for a bit after the holidays are over. I will be taking maternity leave for the month of January and probably for part of February as well. But I'll continue posting here on my blog, so keep checking back for updates. Thanks for all your support!

xo Sarah

New Note Sets

2009-11-23T21:39:00.005-05:00

I just added these new note sets to the shop today. I also hope to add some monogram note cards by the end of the week as well. My favorite feature about these new sets is the hand-lined envelopes. Take a peek for yourself! :)

Paper n Stitch

2009-11-23T10:20:00.009-05:00

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Have you discovered Paper n Stitch yet? I just found out about this incredible site a few weeks ago, thanks to the lovely Sarah Jane. It's a similar feel to Etsy, but it showcases only the best of the best in handmade. Each month, shop owners have to submit their work and apply to be an exhibitor on Paper n Stitch. Space is limited, so as a buyer, you are sure to find only the highest quality in handmade goodness -- hence their tagline: hand-picked. handmade.

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This month, I'm a participating exhibitor on Paper n Stitch. My shop items are the same, but it's just another medium for folks to find me. Buzz on over and check it out.

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I am super excited to have this awesome resource at my fingertips this holiday season because I plan to do the majority of my Christmas shopping online this year (the thought of waddling through over-crowded malls with my 8-month pregnant belly is not appealing in the slightest! ) :)

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Also, be sure to read the blog!

Nesting: One Last Look - My Old Studio

2009-11-17T10:58:00.016-05:00

I'm so sorry for the spotty posting around here lately. But my hubby and I have been hard at work on house projects to get everything ready for baby. We're doing some major room re-arranging. We have a three bedroom home, and previously, Jack had one room, Garret and I had one room, and my studio occupied the third bedroom. But we've been in the process of moving my studio into our bedroom (which has proven to be quite challenging!), creating a "big boy" room for Jack in my old studio, and getting the nursery ready for baby number two.

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This weekend, we cleared all the furniture out of the studio and started painting. But I managed to snap a few pictures of my old space before the transformation began. My goodness, I am really going to miss that little room! It was the perfect, cozy home office. And it's where all the "magic" happened as I started on my Jack and Izzy business venture a year ago. But it's been a blast planning out Jack's new "big boy" room, and we're all really thrilled to be making space in our hearts and in our home for the new little member of our family joining us in January.

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So enjoy this last look at my old studio. More pictures of our bedroom renovations are coming soon!

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P.S. It is rare for this room to look so clean and tidy! :)

Warming Up

2009-11-12T11:31:00.004-05:00

Jack and I have been warming up for all the holiday baking and feasting that's right around the corner. On a cold, rainy afternoon last week, he helped me make some pumpkin bread. He was quite the little kitchen assistant ... I was really amazed. He was cracking eggs and running the electric hand mixer all by himself! Maybe this year, he'll be the one preparing the turkey. :)

Personalized Rubber Stamp Party Favors

2009-11-11T14:56:00.011-05:00

I {heart} this adorable, little party that Suann Song of Simplesong Designs put together for her son, Ike's, third birthday. The party had an Election Day theme of "I Like Ike"-- developed around Eisenhower's presidential campaign in the 1960's.

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There are lots of great pictures you can check out on the Simplesong blog, and the party was also featured on Real Simple. But my favorite idea was the homemade favors she created for all the kids: custom rubber stamps. She had one made for each child, stamped their name on a cotton bag, and paired it with a mini stamp pad. Love it, love it!

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And you must check out all the lovely goodies in Suann's Etsy shop. She has such a beautiful, clean style. I've had some of her products tagged as "favorites" since my first days on Etsy. :)

Jack and Izzy Party Goods Featured on Hostess with the Mostess

2009-11-05T16:55:00.002-05:00

Great news! This morning I received a tip that some of my party items were recently featured on Hostess with the Mostess (again!). Remember Isla's first birthday party that I shared with you about a month ago? Well, her pinwheel party made an appearance on HWTM, and so did my invitations and party stickers. How fun!

Etsy Love: Cupcakes

2009-11-03T09:43:00.018-05:00

It's no wonder the world is all about cupcakes these days! They're cute, they're delicious, and they just make you feel happy. Here are some of my favorite cupcake finds on Etsy:

Letterpress cupcake boxes from Simplesong Designs

Letterpress recipe cards and gift tags from Dingbat Press

Build your own cupcake kits from Saint Cupcake

Also check out their website

All this cupcake goodness inspired me to create some cupcake products of my own! A long time ago, I posted about a cupcake illustration I had designed for a customer. I incorporated this image into a new line of personalized gift labels which I think are the perfect addition to kid's birthday presents. These will be offered as a color variety pack -- you get 4 each of 6 different colors -- so 24 labels in all. Here's my only question: Should I make them hang tags (printed on card stock) or stickers (printed on adhesive stock)? What's your vote?

Happy Halloween

2009-10-30T14:53:00.009-04:00

Hope everyone has a great weekend and a Happy Halloween! We've been practicing the "trick or treat" concept with Jack all week. I'm very curious to see how it goes tomorrow night! :)

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I found these adorable Papier-Mache Treat Balls on the Martha Stewart website, and I thought I'd share them with you. A similar idea would work well for any holiday -- Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, or Thanksgiving. Just switch out the colors and the artwork, and you're good to go. For the complete How-To, click here.
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And here are some little Halloween treats that Jack and I sent out to all his buddies this year. I think it's fun for kids to find something in the mailbox with their name on it. Jack had a great time sorting all the M&M colors and putting them in the plastic cups. And I made matching mailing labels to go on the front of all the packages. I think they turned out pretty cute.

The Perfect Fall Weekend

2009-10-27T22:55:00.009-04:00

I'm a bit behind. I had hoped to get this post up Sunday night, but here it is, late Tuesday night, and I'm finally getting around to writing about our delightful weekend. It was two full days of ultimate family time and plenty of sweet memories.

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Like I had mentioned previously, on Saturday we had our annual Fall Outing, and we visited Shaw's Pumpkin Farm and Rouster's Apple Orchard. Jack had a BLAST! And we had a blast watching him and witnessing his excitement and energy. My how thrilling the world is from a two-year-old's point of view! Through his eyes, Garret and I see things in a whole new light.

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On Sunday, we had a relaxing, lazy day at home. We cooked and ate ALL DAY long -- and we did a little pumpkin carving, too. Here's some of the yummy things we made: my sister's infamous German Pancakes, toasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin dip with molasses cookies, white bean chicken chili with homemade cornbread, and decorate-your-own caramel apples. Ahhhh ... that kind of smorgasbord is a pregnant lady's dream come true! :) I'm going to leave you with a couple of our favorite recipes from the weekend:

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German Pancakes

4 Tbsp. butter (half a stick)
6 eggs
1 c. milk

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. flour

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut up the butter in a 9x13 inch baking dish and place in the oven until melted. In the meantime, combine the eggs, milk, sugar, salt and vanilla in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Slowly add the flour and blend well. Pour the batter over the melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. Serve with powdered sugar.

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Pumpkin Dip

8 oz. package cream cheese

(2) 7 oz. jars marshmallow creme

15 oz. can pumpkin

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and marshmallow creme until smooth. Fold in the pumpkin, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Delicious with molasses cookies for dipping. (Note: We halved this recipe, and it still made a TON of dip! Also, you can add a bit of powdered sugar if the dip isn't sweet enough for your taste)

Fall Outing

2009-10-23T18:16:00.010-04:00

Garret, Jack, and I are going to have our annual fall outing this weekend. It's one of my favorite family traditions. We will be hitting up Shaw's Pumpkin Farm and Rouster's Apple Orchard. Then, we're coming home to carve pumpkins and make caramel apples.

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Jack at Shaw's in 2007

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I found this great idea for mini caramel apples that I think we will try. And here's another mini caramel apple recipe from Family Fun magazine. I'll let you know how they turn out. Enjoy your weekend!

Holiday Card Winner

2009-10-20T10:02:00.003-04:00

mjbeeswax:

"Love, Love, Love the cards! Katie, you do a great job. I would love to win."

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Congratulations! Please contact Katie (krubooks@hotmail.com) to claim your prize.

Fallapalooza

2009-10-19T17:15:00.009-04:00

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Three years ago, my mom's extended family started a huge fall tradition we aptly named "FALLAPALOOZA." It's a weekend camping trip that we take every October on my aunt's property in the country. And it couldn't be more fun!
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We spend lots of time sitting around the campfire (mainly to keep warm!), there is plenty of good food, we do some kind of fall craft, and we play games (pumpkin races, the "witches" game, night scavenger hunts on "skeleton trail"), and we consume lots of hot apple cider, and roast plenty of s'mores.

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Although this past weekend was c-c-c-cold, a great time was still had by all. What are some of your family’s fall traditions?

Giveaway Winners!

2009-10-16T15:57:00.009-04:00

It's my great pleasure to announce all the big winners of Fall Premiere Week:
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Lunch Box Notes

Katherine
"These are so cute! And - I love your enthusiasm and build-up for 'Premiere Week.' I'm excited to see all your goodies - these are a GREAT start!"

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Calling Cards

Julie L.
"These would be so helpful at my son's preschool!!"

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DIY Party Pack

Kim J.
"Wonderful idea! You've done the hard part!"

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Onesie

Katie
"I am absolutely in love with these. I hope I win! I know a lot of pregnant girls who would love this!"

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Congratulations, ladies! Please contact me to claim your prizes (jackandizzy@ymail.com).

And don't forget to to check back on Tuesday for the Holiday Card winner.

Day 5: Fall Premiere Week

2009-10-16T00:56:00.006-04:00

Today is the fifth and final day of Fall Premiere Week. And what a week it has been! Thanks to everyone who has been faithfully checking in each day. I really appreciate your support and enthusiasm. It has been such a blast sharing all my new products with you. This morning I have one final reveal to share with you. But today's spotlight is going to be a little different than I had originally planned.

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Initially, what I had on the schedule for today was introducing the 2009 Jack and Izzy Holiday Line. However, my goal had been to get everything designed and ready to print before leaving for vacation, and that didn't quite happen. :) And while we were on vacation, I had a soul-searching moment one quiet afternoon, and I realized how silly it was for me to be putting all this unnecessary pressure on myself. It dawned on me that creating this Holiday Line was something I felt like I had to be doing but not necessarily something I wanted to be doing. In years to come, there will be plenty of other opportunities for me to go all out designing and photographing my holiday lines. But I just didn't feel like it was in the cards for me this year.

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I am now into my third trimester and the countdown has officially begun for how many weeks we have left until our baby boy arrives. And I don't want to spend the last few weeks of my pregnancy all stressed out and filling holiday orders. In my very pregnant state, I'll be doing good to get our Christmas shopping done on time this year! Plus, I'd much rather relax and take in all the joys and excitement of the Christmas Season with my family.

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So, since I won't be offering any holiday cards this year, I wanted to give you my highest recommendation of where you can find some incredible designs. Today I'd like to point you in the direction of my extremely talented sister, Katie, who just opened her brand new Etsy shop this week! And it is stocked FULL of some gorgeous holiday photo cards that you are going to love. Here are a few of my personal favorites:

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And there are so many more options! You really must go take a peek at her full holiday line in all its glory. I may be a little biased since she is my sister, but Katie does amazing work, and her designs are top-notch. Plus, she has set up her listings in such a clever way. She gives you two choices. You may either purchase the custom designed files and print them yourself, or you can elect to have her do the designing and take care of the printing for you. If you choose to order your prints from Katie, the cards are produced on a state-of-the-art digital printing press and include envelopes.

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Katie has graciously offered to design a FREE custom holiday card (digital file) for one of my blog readers in honor of Fall Premiere Week. Leave a comment on this post, and you could be the lucky recipient. I'll announce the winner on Tuesday morning, October 2oth. Thanks, Katie! And good luck, everybody!

Day 4: Fall Premiere Week

2009-10-15T11:05:00.005-04:00

Woot, woot! I have to admit that today's product is the one I've been MOST excited to share with you. It's my personal favorite new product of fall premiere week, and I've been counting down the days for this grand unveiling. Perhaps it's because I've been in the baby mindset lately with a new little guy on the way. But I'm pretty sure that anyone would find these irresistible. Plus, this product is extra special because it's my very first non-paper good item to be sold in the shop. So with all that said, I'm very pleased to introduce you to Jack and Izzy's newest line of ...

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PERSONALIZED BABY ONESIES

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Oh my goodness! Could they be any sweeter?! I just love the way they turned out. And how cute is that matching gift tin?!

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Little onesies, big style. Our tastefully designed baby onesies make adorable baby gifts and are always a big hit at showers. You can even add a coordinating gift tin, so no wrapping is required.
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Each short-sleeve, custom onesie is lovingly created especially for baby! Simply select your favorite design and color combination, then choose your lettering style and tell us the baby’s name. It’s that simple!
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Our high quality baby onesies are made of 100% interlock cotton, so they are 100% cozy for your itty bitty babe. We searched high and low for the softest fabric around. Onesies are double stitched for extra durability and designed with an envelope neckline for easy on-and-off and. Graphics are professionally heat transferred using a commercial-grade heat press, so wash after wash, the images won’t fade or stretch out.
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Each onesie is carefully packaged in a cello bag. Or, for an additional $3, you may select our gift-wrap option and your onesie will arrive in our signature tea tin complete with a matching label on the front. Care instructions are included with each order.
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AVAILABLE SIZES:
0-6 month (weight: 7-15 pounds; length: 17-24 inches)
6-12 month (weight: 16-22 pounds; length: 25-28 inches)
12-18 month (weight: 23-27 pounds; length: 29-31 inches)

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So what do you think? Do you love them as much as I do?! :) Leave a comment on this post and you could win a FREE personalized onesie of your very own. I'll announce the winner on Friday afternoon.

A little more on the DIY Party Packs

2009-10-14T21:53:00.002-04:00

Thanks so much for all your feedback so far. I have really enjoyed reading everyone's comments on my new DIY Party Packs.
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I just wanted to clarify that in my Etsy postings for these items I do supply a list of additional items you will need:
- 1.5” circle punch
- 1” circle punch
- 8.5 x 11” card stock or label stock
- Color printer
- Adobe Reader to open the PDF file, which is a free download at adobe.com
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I much prefer using a circle punch over cutting out all those pieces by hand! :) It goes a lot faster that way and you get a higher quality and better results.
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And Kalleigh, I loved your suggestion to provide a list of recommended products and resources. I am definitely going to include that when customers place an order!

Day 3: Fall Premiere Week

2009-10-14T01:03:00.011-04:00

Welcome back to Fall Premiere Week! :) The product that I'll be showcasing today is actually my most popular selling item with a brand new twist. My party packs have gotten such an enthusiastic response since I opened my shop back in February. Everyone seems to love them. And even more popular has been the "a la carte" option -- hands down, the cupcake flags and stickers have been my number one sellers.

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So you may be wondering why I would want to change things up ... why mess with a good thing, right? Well, I'll tell you. Come January, we are going to have a brand new addition to our family. And as much as I enjoy creating beautiful party packages for my customers, I just know that I'm going to need extra time and attention to focus on more important matters -- like kissing on tiny, little baby toes, and nuzzling a sweet, little baby bundle. And in my soon-to-be-sleep-deprived-state, I'm sure the last thing I'm going to want to do at 11:00 at night is assemble cupcake flags. Even though my current party packs are my most popular sellers, they are also the most time-consuming orders to turn around. So I started brainstorming how I could streamline the production of these.

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And that's how I arrived at the conclusion to change things up. So with all that said, I'm delighted to introduce you to my brand new ...

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DIY PRINTABLE PARTY PACKS

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Yippee Skippee! I'm thrilled at the chance to continue providing my customers with adorable party decorations, but now I won't be the one doing all the work! :) And these printable PDF sheets are going to offer my customers incredible savings. My old party party packs used to cost $62 plus shipping and handling for a limited quantity of items. My new DIY party packs will only cost $12 and you can print as many copies as you like. What a deal! Let me tell you a bit more about how these new party packs will work.

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The DIY Printable Party Packs will include two custom, high-resolution PDF files that customers will receive via email. One PDF file has 1.5” round party piece images and one PDF file has 1” round party piece images. These PDF files will be customized just for you -- as always, you choose your favorite design and preferred color combination.
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Simply download the files, print as many copies as you like, punch them out, and use them for all your party decorating. You can print them out on regular card stock, or you can print them on label stock to create your own stickers.
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Possible uses include: cupcake toppers, favor packaging, cello bag toppers, napkin rings, water bottle wraps, cup stickers, thank you notes, party hats, place cards, menu cards, hang tags, and much more!

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These are designed to coordinate with my custom-printed invitations, which I will continue to offer in the shop.

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So, what do you think?! I'd love to hear your feedback on this exciting new idea. Leave a comment on this post, and I'll draw one lucky winner who will receive a FREE printable party pack along with 12 FREE invitations! Hip, Hip Hurray! (Winner will be announced on Friday)

Day 2: Fall Premiere Week

2009-10-13T01:02:00.009-04:00

Are you ready for big reveal number two?! Today’s new product has been in the works for quite awhile. I’ve had more customer requests for this item than I can count. And I’ve actually had these concepts designed on my computer since the spring, but I never got around to photographing my samples or posting them in the shop until now. So, without further ado, I give you …
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MOMMY CALLING CARDS!
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Keep these personalized calling cards on hand to share your contact information in style! No more jotting down your phone number on a random piece of scrap paper found at the bottom of your purse. Our calling cards are ideal for exchanging information easily and effortlessly. And as an added bonus, our cards come packaged in a cute little tin so you can tote them around in your diaper bag without anything happening to them.
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These cards have so many great, practical uses:
- setting up play dates or car pooling arrangements
- leaving with babysitters
- giving to chaperones when you drop your kids off at birthday parties
- alerting childcare givers to any allergies your child might have
- sharing your family’s blog address with friends or loved ones to keep in touch
- thoughtful gift idea for a new mommy
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Don't have kids, but love the cards? They can also serve as social calling cards (especially the monogram style), and they’re great for networking.
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Now, here’s the fun part – leave a comment on this post, and you could win a set of Calling Cards for FREE! I’ll announce the winner on Friday morning. Three cheers for Fall Premiere Week! :)

Day 1: Fall Premiere Week

2009-10-12T00:02:00.009-04:00

Drum roll, please! I'm so excited, I can hardly stand it! :) Fall Premiere Week is finally here! So, are you ready for the first big reveal? The brand new product that I'll be featuring today is ...

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LUNCH BOX NOTES!

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Aren't they the cutest?! My mom always used to include a hand-written message when she packed my lunch each morning, and reading her note was certainly a highlight of my school day. And that's where the inspiration for this new product came from.

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These mini notes are an easy way to encourage your children and brighten their day. Remind your kids that they are loved by slipping one of these into their lunch box or backpack. You could wish them "good luck" on their spelling test, write a simple "I love you," include a joke or a quote, or tell them that you're looking forward to the moment they step off the school bus.

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Another clever use -- let your hubby know you’re thinking of him by leaving a note in his lunch, gym bag, briefcase, coat pocket, or on his pillow. And this set can also be used as gift enclosures.

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Printed on premium quality card stock, each folded card measures 2.5”x 2.5,” and the inside is blank for your personal greeting. Matching white square envelopes are also included. Available in the shop beginning today.

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Now for the best part of all -- you could win a FREE set of your very own lunch box notes! Just leave a comment on this post and I will announce the winner on Friday morning. Good luck!

We're Back!

2009-10-11T20:06:00.004-04:00

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What a week! That was positively heavenly. One of those vacations you just don't want to come home from. Here's a few highlights from our time in Hilton Head:

- a family bike ride through the Sea Pines plantation

- many sand castles built and LOTS of time spent playing on the beach

- catching butterflies in Jack's net

- an afternoon in Harbour Town

- a date night out with my hubby eating some amazing sea food

- beautiful, warm and sunny weather (high 70's and low 80's all week long)

- my sister, Katie's, delicious German pancakes for breakfast (and eating them on our balcony overlooking the ocean)

- night walks along the beach (Jack's favorite part was holding the flashlight)

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But now that we're back, I'm incredibly excited to kick off Fall Premiere Week tomorrow morning. It's sure to be a party as I introduce my first of five new products. See you then! Can't wait!

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Oh, and if you'll notice, my blog and my Etsy shop got a little face lift in honor of this grand celebration. ;)

Off to the Beach!

2009-10-01T16:07:00.005-04:00

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We are off to spend eight glorious days on Hilton Head Island. I'm really excited about some good quality family time, and I'm looking forward to lots of "R&R."

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I'll be back on Monday morning, October 12th for the BIG launch of Jack and Izzy's Fall Premiere Week. Be sure to check back then. You won't want to miss it! The shop will remain closed until the 12th as well. Have a lovely week!

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photo credit

Customer Parties: Isla's Pinwheel Birthday

2009-09-30T11:44:00.007-04:00

One of my sweet customers, Anne, just sent me some photos from her daughter's first birthday party. She choose a pinwheel theme because Isla loves watching the pinwheels in their neighbor's backyard spin around. Anne asked me to do the invitations and coordinating stickers for the big day.

Happy Birthday, Miss Isla! It looks like you had a great party! Thanks for sharing your photos, Anne.

Ice Cream Parlour Soda Bottles

2009-09-29T10:16:00.008-04:00

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I am a HUGE fan of transforming an ordinary item into something extraordinary by simple packaging embellishments or transformations. This is especially true when I'm decorating for a party or a shower. (As evidenced by the drink labels I created for our baby gender party or the water bottle wraps I did for Jack's car party) For me, small, handmade touches make any celebration that much more special and memorable.

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I just can't get enough of these beautiful Ice Cream Soda Bottles created by Amy of Eat Drink Chick. She bought some inexpensive soda bottles, peeled off the original labels, and re-labeled them with her own retro-inspired designs. And guess what the best part is?! She has made her pdf files available for FREE! Go here to download yours and read Amy's full tutorial.

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Also be sure to check out her famous DIY Ice Cream Parlour Party! It's AMAZING!

Make your own pennant stamp!

2009-09-23T22:56:00.011-04:00

I came across this amazing idea and just had to share it! I have a secret crush on anything related to pennant flags, so this little DIY project is right up my alley! All you need is a seam roller from the hardware store, a rubber band, and an Xacto knife. Easy peasy! Hmmm ... what will I stamp first? ...

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More pictures and full instructions can be found here. Thanks for the tutorial, Cathe!

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All these pennant flags remind me of the invitation I made for Jack's first birthday party. Here, take a look:

(I blurred out our phone number and return address)