Happy Birthday Grandma!

This card is on it's way to you...

Today is my Grandma's birthday (I think she is 83!). Unfortunately, she lives in New York and I am in Oregon...so I don't get to see her very often. The last time we were able to visit was in the spring of 2003. I have been dropping hints to my husband that I would like to go back next year, so let's hope it all works out!

My grandma and I have been pen pals ever since I learned how to write, but now I am able to keep in touch with photos as well on our family blog.

This was a fun card to make and I wouldn't normally think to pair brown with green, but I love how it turned out. I sponged the flower with cocoa ink so it stands out more against the cream colored lace paper.

Paper Confections

Birthday season is about to begin around here and I've been a busy girl.

Here is my daughter's 7th birthday party invitation...a lollipop. The swirl is made with glittery pink card stock cut out with a Sizzix die. On the back of the lollipop, it reads: "Sugar and Spice and all things nice...that's what little girls are made of."

A bouquet of yummy treats!

On the back of this tag are the party details.

Bon-bons anyone?

Ooo La, La!

While shopping in NW Portland, I came across this beauty...and wanted so much to jump right in. Besides the plush feather bed and duvet, the bed was dressed in the most luxurious silk bedding. How come my bed at home never looks this great? Could it be the constant flow of laundry that surrounds it? Naaa, maybe it's the fact that we have a King sized matelasse comforter on a California King sized bed...At any rate I am really antsy to redecorate my bedroom and am totally inspired by this arrangement.

Thanksgiving Tables

When my side of the family comes over, there are 16 of us, kids included! This year I decided I wanted to make some fun turkey place mats for the kid's table like the ones I saw at Pottery Barn a few years ago.

I've had the pattern for a couple weeks. Then on Monday, it dawned on me that I still needed fabric! I spent a few hours on Tuesday cutting them out, then on Wednesday I assembled them. I almost threw my hand-me-down sewing machine out the window a few times, but I took a break and later that night it started working fine again.

Here is how they looked at the kid's table.

My favorite thing about these place mats is the little pockets for the silverware...not that my kids actually USE their silverware!!!

This is how the grown-up's table turned out!

Serious Enabler Alert: Victoria's Secret

Earlier today I posted some great bargains I got at Sizzix.com, but then I found this great bargain from Victoria's Secret (I know, not craft related, but stay with me here!) Click on the link and it will take you to a bargain hunter-type page. Here's the deal...Buy any sweater at Victoria's Secret and get (for free) a hat, scarf and gloves set, a free lip gloss, another lip gloss set of 4, plus free shipping (if this is your first online order). My order came to $15.95!!!

Look what came in the mail today!

Enabler Alert!

For the past few months the Sizzix website has been discontinuing and clearancing their older dies. So I got all of these for at least 70% off. Right now they are all 77% off, but the selection is decreasing as they are being bought up.

Inspiration

What inspires you?

With my daughter's 7th birthday less than a month away, I thought I would share some of the fun plans I have going for the big day.

A few months ago as I was searching on the Doodlebug website, when I came across the above photo which does a fantastic job of creatively displaying their products. A little light bulb went off and I came up with the "Candy Shoppe" idea for this year's theme.

We have already done the princess parties and the dress-up tea parties and I was looking for a fun new idea that was still really girlie...and sweet!

Since her birthday in is December it has been fairly easy to find candy themed decorations. I have been out searching for the yummiest, glittery decorations and I hit the jackpot last Friday at Target. There before me was a wealth of candy cuteness. Here is what I got:

The great thing about these decorations is they double as Christmas decorations for the tree!

For her party I found tall acrylic ice cream sundae dishes on 75% off summer clearance. Each guest will fill them with their choice of candy...as a party favor. I also found pink m&ms (breast cancer awareness edition) and bought those to use for the favors. We will be decorating gingerbread men/women and making lip gloss for activities. This year Natalie wanted a late night party, so after all the games and activities, everyone will get in their pjs to watch a movie, maybe Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Then after the movie all the guests will go home! Stay tuned next month for all the fun party pictures.

Disney Princesses on Ice

Last night I surprised my daughter and took her and her friend to see the Princesses on Ice.

Here is Cinderella as she arrived at the ball in her beautiful pumpkin coach.

Before leaving for the show, I made these to surprise the girls...shhh! I found some lip gloss and an Ariel towel (the kind that expand into a washcloth when you add water to them) at the dollar store. I packaged them up with a princess lollipop in some tulle along with this tiara card signed by her favorite princess...Ariel!

At intermission Natalie looked down and noticed this package on the floor beside her. She really thinks it's from Ariel...and totally bought my story that Tinkerbell magically delivered it.

Here are Ariel and Flounder!

Ya wanna make a 6 year-old cry? No? me neither, but if you keep them up past their bed time to go trick-or-treating then the next night take them to a late princess show and have the nerve not to purchase the overpriced merchandise at the souvenir stands, it's possible that they might cry...at least Natalie might...Just a warning for you!

Trick or Treat

Here are my kiddos...Cinderella, Sheriff Woody and Mickey Mouse!

I have been saving my Starbucks Frappuccino bottles all month so I could make these cute candy jars to pass out to teachers, friends and neighbors. The cute candy corn paper is by Heidi Grace, scallop and circle punches are from Stampin' Up!

Halloween goodies

This is what I served for lunch yesterday. My 2 year-old couldn't believe I was putting candy on his sandwich. He kept looking at it like it was too good to be true!

I wrapped up a little treat for my first grader to surprise her at lunchtime...

She got a cute jack-o-lantern pin, nestled in some fall leaf confetti.

Mummy Wraps
Before going out trick-or-treating, we planned to take our kids out to see a matinee showing of Ratatouille. We wouldn't have much time to stop and eat before going out trick-or-treating, so I made these Mummy wraps (chicken in a blanket style). I started with a triangle from those Pillsbury crescent rolls. Then I cut slits along the sides, formed a head, filled with chicken salad mix and wrapped it all up, alternating sides (kind of like you do when you are braiding hair.) I used cloves for eyes, which should be removed before eating. (I forgot to tell my husband and he bit into one!) I think these mummies baked for about 12-13 minutes on 375. It worked pretty well...I wrapped them in napkins and put them into snack size ziplock bags. My husband snuck them in his coat pocket and we ate them while we watched the movie