It's been a while...

I know, I'm lame. I didn't finish the Advent project for my sister. So no more promises...I'm just going to post when I can and stop stressing about it. Here is the latest family project I have completed:

I thought it would be fun to turn one of our favorite photos into a fun silhouette. Using Photoshop  I was able to create a fun piece of art. There is still so much for me to learn about the program but at least I feel like I can do some basic things now.

Have you used photoshop to create an original piece of art?

Advent 2

Kieran's hand ornament! 

This was so much fun to make and super easy. Here is a quick tutorial with a bunch of pictures. 

1. Trace your little ones hand on a piece of cardstock.

2. Tidy up your hand. Kids are squirmy, take a look at your little hand to see if it needs a bit of tidying up.

3. Cut out the hand following your revised lines.

Awe...so little

4. Choose fabric for both sides of your ornament and grab some double sided iron on interfacing.

5. Iron the interfacing to the wrong side of one piece of fabric. Be sure to iron both sides of the fabric to insure a strong bond. (Following product directions.)

6. Peel off paper backing.

7. Iron on the second piece of fabric. 

8. Trace hand onto one side of bonded fabric.

9. Cut out just inside your lines. (Unless you used disappearing ink...)

10. Punch a hole in the palm of the hand. This will be what you thread your ribbon through.

11. Use a large punch to create a color coordinating paper disc.

12. Label disc with year and child's name.

13. LAST STEP! Thread a piece of ribbon through the hand and disc. I though it would be cute to add a jingle bell too.

I think this is a nice way to track an important little person's growth from year to year. It will definitely bring a smile to our faces in the future years when we dress our trees with this little whimsy hand. I hope it makes Auntie smile this year.

**Kieran received a handmade (of course!) cloth nativity scene in his Advent calendar (from Auntie Louisa) today.**

Advent 1

 Mini bunting! I think it's pretty cute, do you?

This is a quick and easy project. Just cut out a bunch of little triangles using scrapbook paper (or fabric, but use pinking sheers in this case). I made a template to trace out of cardboard.

Stitch the triangles together using 2 spools of thread in your machine.

And that's it! Pretty simple for a cute bunting that could be used in all sorts of places...Christmas tree, mantel or in a window. I think it would look nice pinned onto my sister's bulletin board maybe. 

Kieran enjoyed helping me package this teeny tiny gift.

**Kieran received a sweet Christmas book in our Advent Calendar from his Auntie.** 

We got a tree!

We couldn't pass up a tree this year after all! We decided to go with a little tree perched high enough to be out of Kieran's reach. The tree procurement was actually quite funny. We bundled up, strapped Kieran into the the stroller, soon to be tree sled, and walked to the closest tree stand.

Doesn't this little trailer make you smile? It cracked me up, the guys selling the trees were equally entertaining. So after giggling about the "Charlie Brown" trees we chose a little one that was the least "Charlie Brown-esque" as possible. We popped that tree under the stroller and we were on our way. Kieran didn't find the ordeal as humorous as his Mom and Dad did. He sat in his stroller with a serious face on the entire time. Little does he know, that tree is the very tree that his presents will sit under one day soon.

 

So off we went, with our tree in tow through the city, getting lots of smiles along the way.

I love decorating the tree as a family each year. We listen to Christmas carols and make a big deal of it. Growing up we always had very personal trees. Almost every ornament had a story. Some were generations old. Year after year my sister and I each received an ornament which would be ours to take when we grew up and moved away. I'm so grateful for that tradition. Now, my hubby and I pick up an ornament whenever we travel. It's such a nice way to remember time we have spent together as a family. I look forward to carrying on this tradition for our little boy.

So cute, right?

We brought this star home from Italy!

Daddy, can I help?

Felted ball ornament made by Auntie Louisa. Copper heart found on our honeymoon in Italy.

This is all of the decorating we have done so far, not a bad start. What decorating have you done? I would love to hear about it, maybe even borrow your ideas : )

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well, at least at the mall! I know, I know, it's not even Thanksgiving yet! In our house, we do very little Thanksgiving decorating. It seems like a lot of work to be done just to take down the day after the turkey-fest and let's and let's face it...Christmas decorating is so much more fun! This year we have a little one running (and climbing) around and are opting not to do a traditional "big" tree that we have done in the past. So I got to thinking...what the heck is going to give us the same Christmasy vibe? So off to The Mall, well, the VIRTUAL mall I went to find some inspiration...

Restoration Hardware

I think posting a "wish" above our front door could be lovely. I would likely use cardboard letters, because they are inexpensive, and paint them or cover them with festive fabric.
 

Restoration Hardware

Last year while touring the mansions in Newport Rhode Island, I fell in love with "kissing balls". The modern clean line of a sphere with the traditional greens makes me swoon. Is it just me? 

Anthropologie

These felt balls make me smile! My sister, Auntie Louisa, makes felt balls and strings them vertically to make ornaments. I like this variation, sweet.

Pottery Barn

Good reminder to hang a grosgrain ribbon and paper clip holiday cards right on!

Pottery Barn

There's this Advent calendar (above)...

Auntie Louisa

Then there's THIS ADVENT CALENDAR! (Above) I can not wait to hang this festive Advent calendar that my sister made for our family. It is going to bring a smile to my face every time I see it. Who knows what it will be filled with?! 

Crate and Barrel

Christmas pillows are a really easy (and safe) way to add a little holiday pizzaz to a home!

Bleubird

This is so sweet! (I'll probably skip the fawn.) This is on my MUST MAKE list. I love that it could be used from year to year. The only problem, I think most of my yarn in is storage...I'll get to the bottom of that and show you my version. Stay tuned.

Restoration Hardware

Candles. They're beautiful, Christmas or not. 


So...what are you doing in your house to decorate this year? Do you have the same babyproofing issues that we have?

I'm baaaack!

Sorry for being M.I.A. I have been busy, tired and a little lazy on top of it all.  So, I'm making the effort and getting back in the saddle so to speak.  Before my unplanned hiatus I promised some birthday pictures and house pictures.  Today we will do birthday...

Birthday Bunting

Kieran's first birthday party could not have been better!  Mom was happy because:
1. Baby was happy, so incredibly happy.
2. My Mom, Dad and Sister (you know her as Auntie) all got to be there!!!
3. It all came together and looked oh so cool.

There were many many other reasons to be happy, but those three topped my list.  My in-laws very graciously hosted the party at their lovely home.  My Mom reminded me before the party that the important thing is to create a party that the kids have fun at.  Thanks Mom, good advice.  Now here are some of the party details.  Mom took over in the photography department so I could keep track of the Birthday Boy, again, thank you.

Yummy yummy in my tummy

We filled glass hurricanes with sweet and salty treats.  The cotton candy cones are stuck into a paper covered box with holes cut into the top.  For the cone, cut a circle out of fun cardstock, cut that in half and roll into a cone.  Tape, and you're ready to add your cotton candy.  We used the cotton candy that comes n a foil bag from the grocery store.  Easy peasy.

Centerpiece 

Use a colorful stuffed animal to decorate your table.  Make a few little boxes (or cover some pre-made boxes) and tie with a bow.  Easy peasy.

Pumpkin decorating, carving was just a little too scary for me...

This was fun...instead of carving pumpkins, thinkin 16 little kids don't really need to be running around with knives...we colored!  We bought one little sugar pumpkin for each child and put out permanent markers in bold colors (we did this activity on the porch, just in case) to decorate them with.  A few of the kids gave their pumpkins to Kieran...very sweet.

Cookie favor bags.

These bags were filled with frosted sugar cookies in the shape of the number 1.  The bags were purchased at Michael's.  I used a paper cutter to cut the contrasting toppers into rectangles that my sister and I folded over the top of each bag securing with a punched piece of paper (we used a glue stick).  Time consuming but easy peasy.

What a difference a year can make!

A sweet little monkey sat on the mantel next to the Birthday Boy's birth announcement.

The Prince's Throne

 Highchair buntings are really easy.  Just cut a bunch of brightly colored fabric into small triangles using  pinking sheers.  Use a ribbon or binding to string them together.  I used a sewing machine but you could easily use iron on hem tape I bet.  Easy peasy.

The cake and decorations

I made a simple yellow cake recipe and filled it with buttercream.  I used pre-made fondant for the outside of the cake because it gives a clean and polished look.  I simply added food coloring and rolled out the fondant, cutting with a circle cookie cutter and popped 'em onto the cake using a bit of water.  For the word ONE, I printed out the word using the font and size I liked, cut out each letter, then used the tip of a knife to trace and cut the letters out of fondant.  Easy peasy.

 

Kieran had his own smash cake.  Piece of advice: have it ready! We didn't and we had an unhappy boy after he blew out the candle on the big cake when he wasn't allowed to eat it.  Turns out, Kieran loves cake, who doesn't, right?!

FUN! Gotta love a ball pit!

 We used a blow up pool and filled it with balls for a fun play space for the kiddos.  This was the hit of the party!  Ease peasy.

Present opening.

 It was fun opening the presents because all the kids helped little Kieran out.  Luckily, Kieran is still pretty cool with sharing!

It's exhausting being one!

We had a wonderful day celebrating our little boy.  He had a blast and slept hard when it was all over.  Yes, it was a lot of work to get all those homemade party details done and it was over before we knew it, but it was worth every second.  The kids had fun, the grown-ups had fun, and most of all it was a great excuse to get a big happy family together.

Have you been planning a party?  How's it going?