Halloween

*****I coudn't get blogger to corporate on picture spacing, so I apologize for large gaps between pictures*****

One of the best things (among many!) about having children and being a mommy is surprising them with holiday decorations! So this year I decided that we would do a little more decorating for Halloween. In the past all I've really done is bring out some simple fall pumpkins and scarecrows. After getting addicted to Pinterest and seeing all the fun spooky ideas my wheels started spinning. My main plan was not to spend alot of money and gave myself a budget of $25! First I scoured my house for finds I already had..... empty wine bottles in the recycle bin, tall/short glass candle holders, black candle sticks, battery operated candles, orange pumpkin, spray paint, frames and scrapbook paper/card stock. Whewww, off to a great start!! Next I headed to the dollar store where I hit the jackpot!! I found two foam pumpkins, a large skull head, a scarecrow, a RIP foam headstone, a smaller RIP headstone, and a skull necklace. $7 dollars damage later headed to Hobby Lobby! There I splurged on cream and black cotton damask normally $6.99 a yard but it was on sale for 30% off. I got an yard and a half. Then in the bargain bin I found orange and black giraffe cotton for $1.38 (3/8 of a yard). I also found green ultra fine glitter in the clearance section for .50cents! The only thing they didn't have was mini skulls so of COURSE I had to hit up Michaels too. They had exactly what I wanted and would take my 40% off coupon from Hobby Lobby. Did you know Michaels and Joann's will take any competitor coupon but Hobby Lobby won't? Later on Pinterest I found FREE 2 subway art printables that I had printed at Walgreens. I used Ebates and got 40% off that, 3.5% interest back to me and shipped to my house for $1.25. Sweet! I added up my receipts and I spent approx $22.00!!! Not bad at all!! I bought myself a latte later with the change, lol! :)


When I got home I set out to sew runners for my buffet and Victrola. I love how they turned out!! The 1 1/2 inch ruffles were the perfect touch!

Buffet:



Victrola:




Since my hubby is the king of spray paint he painted the orange pumpkins and the skull head for me (I had some dark grey glitter I added to the eyes), the green glitter to the foam RIP board, found some printable bottle labels on Pinterest, framed the Subway Art and Voila DONE!! I love how it turned out!!! At night I turn on the battery powdered candles (I've got some smaller ones hidden behind the bottles which lights them up a little) and it gets spooky around here, lol!

Victrola:

Another subway print printed for 6 cents and framed (used some scrapbook paper to back it)

The skull necklace found a home here:

I want to give credit where credit is due. So if you want to have a set of printables for your own, here are the websites I used.....

Large Halloween Subway Art (she has it set up to print as big at 16x20)

Small Halloween Subway Art (she has it set up to print 4x6, 5x7 & 8x10)

Printable Bottle Labels

If you want some different printables check out http://www.pinterest.com/ and enter Halloween Subway (or Halloween Bottle labels) into their search bar. ENJOY your search!!!

Swan Lake!

My sweet little girl got to dance her first ballet recital at Ballet Camp!! She was a beautiful Odette (Swan Lake!)

I made her these necklaces (out of clay!) for her to give as a surprise to the other girls!!

Fancy Nancy Party

The Royal Weddings!!

As soon as Kate and Will's got engaged my friend Christina and I started planning a watching get together for their wedding. We both remember as little girls watching the wedding of Princess Diana with our moms. Now it was finally our chance to watch a royal wedding with our own daughters. Our watching party quickly grew from just us two to four more friends! I didn't get to take any pictures of the guests but here is a fast picture show of our fun party! We even had a champagne toast to the bride and groom!

I kept my little girl home from school. I made her tshirt for the occasion!

Official Royal cakes from Central Market! They were so delish!

Fritatta!

Bird Theme Babyshower

Bird Theme Babyshower!







Lemon Coconut Cream Cupcakes (hard to see but the tail feather is lavendar lace)


Marshmellow "cupcakes"








Custom clay eggs

Chocolate Coconut birds nests (favors)

Baby games

Hairbow tree

A Baby Shower

I have been a very busy bee around here! My best childhood friend is having her first baby in June. So when her aunt asked me to co-host her shower I jumped at the chance to help make this day super special for her! The three of us all had a different task... Amy was in charge of food, her aunt was in charge of getting the petit fours/decorated cookies/napkins/cutlery/etc. I am in charge of DECORATING, favors, a candy "bar" and some cupcakes !!! My favorite thing to do in the whole wide world! Since she is on facebook, I can't really share all the wonderful fun things I am making without ruining the surprise for her. Thank goodness for this blog because I am dying to share everything! A little preface: her last name is Byrd and she is doing the nursery in a bird theme. Hence the theme for the shower! The colors are turquoise, yellows, oranges, purples, pinks and greens!

This is a flower arrange for the coffee table (behind that is a metal tree that will be used to make the "hairbow tree")


Favor tags. The favors themselves will be nests made of coconut and chocolate with a white yogurt covered raisin for an egg.


I love to make baby shoes....these are a gift for her.

Another pair of shoes :)

Hairbands for the bowtree

The house we are having it has a large granite kitchen island and this sign will mingle around the food.

Another sign!

I made these letters to hang as a banner. The plan is to have ecru colored lace trim strung. I painted clothes pins turquoise and then "shabby chic'd" them with some sandpaper. The signs will hang on the lace with the pins.

A flower arrangement to add height to the dessert table!

I found this canvas little art piece at Michaels for .50cents. I then took some fabric and ironed the babies initial onto the canvas using wonder under. I LOVE it!

A little bird corsage for the mom to be

I bought this really cute 3-12mth baby tutu at Marshalls for $5.00. It had ugly felt flowers on it. I took those off and made my own satin rosettes with green rosettes in it. The hairband had the same ugly flowers and I reworked it too. A little Amy Butler fabric, onesie and a sewing machine complete the outfit!

Chipboard bow hanger for all those bows she will get! :) Made from chipboard that was on sale at Hobby Lobby, some scrapbook paper, mod podge, ribbon and some varnish!

I haven't attached the picks yet, but these are the cupcake picks. Hard to see in the picture but I used lavender lace for the tail feathers.

I made a ton of little birds for decoration

This isn't for the party but these are some infant headbands I made for a friend at my pedi's office. :)

The shower is next weekend and I will be sure to post pictures once everything is set up! I'm so excited about the party! Yay for babies!