Patriotic Wreath

via All You



YOU'LL NEED:

• 18" green Styrofoam wreath
• 4 yards of 1 1/2" wide ribbon
• 12" x 12" sheets of scrapbook paper
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Bone folder or metal ruler
• Double-sided tape
• Assorted star stickers
• Hot-glue gun

1. Cut a sheet of paper into 6 pieces, each measuring 4" x 6", for large medallions. (To create a medium-size one, use 3" x 6" sheets, and for the small size, use a 2 1/2" x 3 1/4" sheet.)
2. Fold each piece of paper widthwise in 3/8" wide accordion-style pleats. Use a bone folder or the edge of a metal ruler to sharpen creases.
3. Fold each pleated piece of paper in half and tape inner edges together. Gently spread pleats apart. Arrange three fanned pieces together to form a circle, and join with tape. Add a star sticker to center. You will need approximately 40 of these medallions to create the wreath.
4. Wrap wreath in ribbon until completely covered. Tie ends to secure. Starting with largest medallion, hot-glue each to wreath. Continue with medium and small sizes until wreath is covered. Finish by gluing ornaments in place.

 

Thank You Thursday - Baby Love

Welcome Baby Oliver

We are so excited that Baby Oliver's arrival is soon upon us!  Last weekend
 we had a fun celebration for our cute mom-to-be, Kayley.  

Kayley's friend, Lisa, has this amazing house that is centrally located 
and offered it for us to have Kayley's Baby Shower.  

It was so fun planning and preparing for the shower and we couldn't be happier with how everything went.  
Marci is the "esteemed cook" in our family.  Her menu blog is my favorite reference when I need a recipe.  
She came up with ideas for food and prepared and  coordinated with some of 
Kayley's friends that wanted to help out. 

Kayley's sweet mother-in-law Lorna offered to take care of the dessert.  

 We decided cupcakes would be fun.  

Lorna shopped around 

and decided on the most amazing cupcakes.  She got them

HERE.

They were delicious~

She brought three flavors and I really couldn't pick a favorite.  

Vanilla, Lemon and Peanut Butter Chocolate. 

Kayley designed amazing invitations, some banner letters, cupcake toppers 
and tags and labels for the food and favors.  

Cupcake Table

My mom addressed and mailed the invitations for us.  
She loves hand addressed letters. 

 I adored my assignment.  I got to take care of decorations and favors.

I had so much fun sewing circle banners.  It became addictive and before I knew it 

I had a mile of them.  As it turned out it was the perfect amount when 
 we went to set them up in Lisa's beautiful house the day before the shower.

They looked so pretty in the four front windows .

Kayley painted the "B is for Baby" sign when she was in High School.

I love using it for Baby Boy Showers.

Kayley e-mailed a file to show me the cupcake toppers she was designing.  I thought 

they were adorable and printed one not realizing it hadn't yet been re-sized. 

It was a 5 1/2 inch circle! It was so funny but I loved it 
and couldn’t bare to just toss it 

so I decided to incorporate it into a banner for the beverage bar. 

 I love this old window. It is so fun for holidays and parties. I found it 

on Etsy last year and it was perfect to feature the important announcement.  

There have been so many cute showers and parties where 

mason jars were used for drinking glasses and 

they were a nice size  for the "must have" striped straws.

The “Welcome Baby Oliver” banner Kayley designed was adorable.  
 After I printed it and cut it out I decided to add some pennants 
behind her letters to better show them off.

A couple of years ago I made advice and prediction cards for a friend’s baby shower.
I thought it would be fun for Kayley and Scott.

The food was divine.

For the favors I decided to make Rice Krispie Treat pops.

Something  simple and gluten free for Marci and Hope.  

I think they’re ready now ♥

A big thanks to Marci and Kayley's friend, Kalina for all of the wonderful pictures!

Addie Cat

Miss Addie Cat is 5 !

Marci took these sweet pictures of Addie 

in the little dress I made for her.

So cute how much she loves SweetHeart.

Zombie Pumpkins

Zombie Pumpkins

via Martha Stewart

Don’t you Just love these guys!

How to Make the Zombie Pumpkins

The Repurposed Skirt

When its time to organize and declutter, I  fill bags to donate for charities or pass down to friends with younger kids.  
I have one separate bag where I place those items that have something about them I just can't part with.  Sometimes it might be for sentimental reasons or sometimes there is just something unique or appealing about it and it seems to sing out, 
"please repurpose me!" 
While sifting through one such bag looking for project ideas I came across an old (really old) skirt of Kayley's and immediately thought Ella would love these colors.  

When she was here for her "Nana Sleepover"
(our summer tradition) 

I showed it to her and asked if she'd like me to make a skirt for her out of it. 

Ella eagerly answered "yes"

so I couldn't wait to get started.

I loved the little pintucks in the original skirt.
(probably the reason it made it to the "special bag")  

I just made a casing for an elastic waist band 

and a tulle under slip for an extra layer underneath to hang just below the hemline giving the skirt a little fullness.

I found a white tee to embellish. 

 I added some lace and rolled roses and sewed a couple of rows of elastic thread at the waist to give a new look.

 Now she'll have an outfit.

… and  she would need a hair clip too .... of course.

and here's the little cutie wearing it.

Sweet Ella

She's growing up!