Avery's 1st Birthday ....Finally

I have really wanted to do personalized birthday bibs, shirts or hats for a while. I just wanted to know that I could. It was less fun that I thought but not as hard as I imagined.  I had intended to make the matching bib, just didn't get around to it with moving the same weekend as the party. 

Fondant owl toppers and paper cupcake toppers I created.  Love love love the fondant owls made by KidsCakes on etsy.

Avery dove right in to her mini cake.  She is the first of the kids to really attack their birthday cake.  Priceless.

I loved the way the old wooden shelf and my grandmas old lace table completed the milk and cookies station it was sweet and perfect.

The kids loved decorating their birdhouses.  They were so cute how much effort they put into them.

Paper straws...love.

My baby and my love...I can't believe she is ONE.  Where does time go?

32 things you might not know about me...

1. My middle name is Rose (after my God mother) Anne (after my mom)
2. I was an only child and hatted it
3. I love things that come in 3's it's an OCD thing
4.  I constantly count and spell things over and over in my head
5. I was Miss Lakewood USA
6. I spent 2 1/2 years studying Criminal Justice and Psychology to become a Profiler for Serial Killers (my dream career) and no I am not a pro-filer now.
7. I was about to join the United States Air Force when I met Scott, and I chose Scott 
8. I competed in Miss California USA and placed in the top 12
9.  I love planning parties
10. I am very logical but also irrational
11. I lived in Paris, France as an exchange student only because my family said NO to the archeological dig in Africa
12. If my mom wasn't sick I would have NEVER come home from Paris....and she knows that.
13. I alphabatize my kid names(C,B,A) and I have 2 more ideas....just in case.
14.  I love mexican food, burritos to be exact
15.  I am a Christian ...a REAL Christian
16. I worked with kids with Autism for 5 years, in education for 10.
17.  I was in Jobs daughters and held the office of Grand Bethel Jr. Princess (look it up)
18.  I attempted modeling (a corrupt business) and was picked for a Colgate commercial when I was 17. 
19.  I love John Grisham books
20. I love photography
21. I use to listen to house music...and hung out with Mark Ferina
22.  Scott and I disagree about how to school our kids
23. I think a lot of TV is inappropriate
24. I only buy novels in hard back so they will line up nicely, but I can't stand to have them out
25. I color organize my clothes (as in ROYGBIV)
26. I won't wear socks if they get too dirty looking
27.I could eat chips and salsa everyday
28. I am VERY shy, Scott has brought out the talker in me
29. I worked for Davidson, CENDANT, and Sierra Software...bring it on War Craft nerds.
30. I learned to drive in a '67 Mustang
31. I have tried for years to be published in Creating Keepsakes magazine
32.  I give Scott a hard time A LOT, but I am beamingly ( I know, not a word! But still) proud of my husband the author, and sometimes jealous.

There you are 32 years, 32 things you may or may not know about me!!!!

GOT craft scraps? Valentine decor idea

I love decorating for LOVE Day, after Christmas the Valentine decorations go up. I made this little framed heart collage a few years back and I still LOVE it.  It was so simple; all you need is a heart shape punch from the craft store and some scraps of scrapbooking paper.  After you have all of the hearts punched simply glue them to a 'base' scrapbook paper. I used a frame I already had so it matched my living room decor. 

Try to make your LOVE Day collage today.  Not into the symmetry? Try mixing it up with different size punches or place them randomly around the page, or why not add heart shaped photos of your loved ones.

 

POTD (Picture of the Day)

 I have been working on a new project, a new way of documenting our family's story.  Project Life, or as some view it,  Project 365.  However you look at it, it is revolutionary.  I have seen scrapbookers blogging about this easy, simple way of scrapbooking and people are happy.  I jumped on the bandwagon and I too am HAPPY.  Thrilled actually.  Camryn has joined suit and I have been working with her and Project 365.  I was so excited to share this passion with her and let her creativity go wild.  She really is embarrassing it....as much as a 4 year old can.   Ave's put a halt to Cam's project when she dropped her camera in the dog bowl.  I am hopping to get her a new camera soon.  She is such a great little photographer.

These are a few of Camryn's POTD's (picture of the day).  I don't think I will edit her photos at all because I want to look back and see images that were ALL Camryn.  These photos are raw and unedited.

Sweet Love

Although Valentine's Day is not about sweets, it IS about love and a little sweetness doesn't hurt either.  Here are two oh-so-simple ideas to share your love.  The first is a candy bar wrap. I simply placed sticker paper in my printer and printed these little cuties, cut and wrapped. The suckers were purchased at Walmart.  I created a little design in Adobe, printed multiple images on a sheet (again on sticker paper) and used a big square punch to create a sticker the perfect size for the front of the sucker.  So simple and the kids had fun helping.  We had a little assembly line going. I'd just peruse Pinterest for some superbly sweet and FREE downloads. 

Valentine Sweets for Preschool

Valentines Day is just around the corner and it will be here before you know it.  Need a cute treat for your kids class?  You really can't go wrong with a sugar cookie.  What says love more than conversation hearts? I gave each kid one large cookie, two small cookies and a sprinkle of conversation hearts all tied up in a clear cellophane baggie with a tulle bow.  Super easy and the kids LOVE sugar cookies.  The only more fun would be allowing the kids to bake them themselves.