Category — DIY

I am getting started on Declan’s first year photo book before procrastination sets in.

Editing photos of my new cards. It’s amazing how a lens can make cards look so pretty.

The shop should be updated soon!

With the family party behind us it was time to start planning party number two, the friend party! Declan has six or seven daycare buddies ranging in age from almost two years to three months and  we also have other school friends that are a little bit older (pre-school to second grade or so). Keeping kids in that wide of an age range entertained with the same activities is nearly impossible so we decided to do a super low-key play date at a local park this upcoming Saturday. I wanted to do a cute invite but was low on time so I put to use some of the extra striped straws and some of my washi tape to make little flag invites. These were taken as I put them together on my pump breaks at work on Friday. When I picked the little man up from daycare that afternoon I placed a little flag on each child’s clipboard for their parents to find Monday morning. Easy, fun and free!

I took the type from his family party invitations and re-worded it for this party. I created a little pennant template with four to a page and printed them on card stock.

I used double sided tape to adhere the flag and cut the ends.

Green striped washi tape was added to the edges to help hold it together (and add some cuteness, of course).

And viola! Little flag invitations.

With round one of Declan’s first birthday celebrations behind me I am feeling pretty good! The family party went well and I will have all of the pictures from it tomorrow! Today I wanted to share the invitations I created. This first party was a family party which meant I was only sending out about ten invitations. This allowed me to be a little more creative and include the candle on the outside, with the entire thing going inside a bubble mailer.

If you follow the Pinterest board I created for Declan’s birthday you saw all of the Noah’s ark pins. I really wanted to go in that direction but just didn’t have the time. Instead I focused on the colors green, blue and yellow, party hats and crepe paper. Since Christmas was less than a month ago I let guests know that they didn’t need to bring a gift, but that if they did to bring a favorite book or movie.

I am very pleased with how they came out!

Declan’s first birthday party (round one: family) is this weekend. Here is a peek at the preparations going on over here.

Now that all of your shopping is done (wait, it isn’t? you better get on that) it’s time to wrap! I made this tag download last year and hope you will find it useful!!

I attribute all of my craftiness to my mom. She was always creating things. Whether sewing us dresses, painting bird houses, making wreathes, sewing halloween costumes, drawing summer calendars… whatever it was she hand made it. I am proud to say that she has recently started her own line of cross stitch patterns and kits! My parents camp. A lot. So my mom has turned her love for camping and her love for creating into a business. Please check out her etsy store! These patterns and kits are perfect as stocking stuffers for the crafty camper in your life! She is adding new ones every week (a Yosemite one is in the works!) so be sure to check back.

And speaking of etsy stores, stop by mine and pick up a set of vintage fabric cards! Perfect for a Thanksgiving Hostess thank you note.

We didn’t carve pumpkins this year since Declan is still too young for it, however there is a pumpkin contest at my work tomorrow so I decided to create something that I pinned!

Gauzy pumpkin

I had Bryan pick up a pumpkin while at the grocery store and I put to use the rest of the white sheet from my DIY crib skirt. I ripped a few strips and packed up my glue gun and some felt and headed to my parents for Sunday dinner. While waiting for dinner to be ready I glued glued glued and ended up with a not-too-shabby mummy pumpkin!

I was going through all of my bookmarks recently and came across Booster Seat Fabrics. Love love love. Want want want.

Now if I only had projects for each of these I could justify buying them! Have a wonderful weekend!

I went to a friend’s baby shower last weekend and since this is her third child (she has a boy and a girl and will not be finding out the gender this time) she requested diapers only. I had meant to go pick some up at Target all week but somehow it never happened. Luckily I had a shipment of diapers coming from Amazon Mom so I just grabbed a few packages from my diaper drawer. I grabbed a package of wipes and I was all set. For the wrapping I used a large cellophane bag that I had on hand and I put some blue, yellow and pink paint chips to use! It came out pretty crafty looking but it was original, quick, and free!