Momma Kits/Stations

I have been spending so much time on Pinterest lately, it's a little ridiculous. Wait, what am I saying?! There is no such things as too much time on Pinterest. =) I have the nesting feeling but I'm not at the point where I'm acting on it impulsively, hence Pinterest. I currently feel the need to pack our hospital bags and make tons of kits or stations for after the baby is born. I will be updating this post as I actually create the kits/stations.

Here is the to do list I have made:

• Hospital/Diaper Bags (whole separate post coming)
• Breastfeeding Snack Station
• Breastfeeding Living Room Kit
• Diaper Changing Kit
• Momma Bathroom Kit
• Baby Medicine Kit (tacklebox)
• Baby Car Kit
• Postpartum Kit
• New Daddy Kit

All of these, I have found and pinned on my Pregnancy or Baby boards on Pinterest. I cannot wait to get started. Is that sad? I don't think so either. =)

The Breastfeeding Snack Station is on the blog Unskinny Boppy under a post called The Gift that Keeps on Giving. The author originally gave it as a gift to a friend who had just had a baby. I think it would be a great gift to give myself. =) Also, it's a really easy way for J to know what I need when I'm breastfeeding. I know he really wants to bond with the baby but he is being super supportive of my desire to breastfeed as long as I can. He also has a servant's heart and I'm sure he would be able to restock this station easily without having to ask for my opinion.

The Breastfeeding Living Room Kit, Diaper Changing Kit and Momma Bathroom Kit were all found on a blog called Healthy Tipping Point. The post was called New Mom Survival Stations. I will definitely be creating these small kits.

The Baby Medicine Kit is found in 2 posts on All Four Love's blog. The first post is just called Baby Tackle Box. The second post is called Restocking Baby Tackle Box. She goes into more detail on what is in the box since she is restocking it for her 2nd child. She breaks it down by types of medicines you will need for 0-12 months. So excited to make this!!

The Baby Car Kit is something that I've been wanting to do before I even found it on Pinterest. I'm just so glad I don't have to reinvent the wheel! This is in addition to the diaper bag but it ALWAYS stays in the car. Two Twenty One wrote a post on the Baby Car Kit. Loving this idea.

I also think a Postpartum Kit is a great idea. I mean, I will have just brought another human into the world. =) I found this idea from Tall Mom Tiny Baby. The Ultimate Post-Partum Recovery Kit shares what she gave to a friend who had just had a baby. 

The last kit I want to make is for J. Most of the gifts we have been getting are for the baby or me. I want him to feel included and loved. I found the New Daddy Kit on a blog called Life with My Littles. It was part of her blog post I love called 25 Things to Do before Your Baby Is Born. I can't wait to make this for my beloved and see his face when I give it to him!

I would love to hear of any ideas you have to put in the kits or any other kinds of kits you think would be a good idea. I hope to update you soon on the progress of these kits!

Family Established Art

I made this! I am beyond proud of myself. I even got it done BEFORE our 4th anniversary (July 12)!!

Every time I'm on Pinterest, I see something like this. I really had to play with how I wanted this to look because of the length of our last name and the short numbers in our anniversary date. Did I want 7-12-08? 07-12-08? July 12, 2008? Did I want a square to say "Est."? Vertical or horizontal? Color or black & white? This is something you will have to determine for yourself.

Once you decide the look & what it will say, the hard part begins. I'm not kidding. I used Leo Reynolds' Flicker account to pick the images I wanted. He has graciously allowed people to download his pictures for free. Here is the link to just his Letter Collection. Click on it. Do you see why I said the hard part is just beginning?! He has sooo many choices. Here is a link to his Numbers Collection 1. Yes, there is more than one number collection but the one I have linked has what you need for this project. I searched the rest of his Flicker account to find the heart & medallion. I used a medallion to separate our last name & the date, pretty much a space filler.

Once I had picked the images I wanted, I opened up a Word document in the publishing view. I then placed the images where I wanted them, resizing them to 1.64" square (except the hearts). In publishing view, you can make sure that all of your images are lined up & equally spaced out a lot easier. I made the document an 8x10. This way, when I printed it from my computer, I could cut the 8.5x11 piece of cardstock to size and and none of the images would be cut off or off center.

Here is what it looks like in a frame.

I hope this inspires you to make one of your own! Let me know if you do!

4th of July

It's one week from today!
And I have ZERO decorations for it!!!
It's time to start printing/creating...tonight. But while I'm on the internet, I will patrol Pinterest and maybe go look at my own pins on my Summer/4th of July board. Let me know which things you think I should make. I'm thinking of a wreath, a few printables, some tabletop decor, and maybe a recipe or 2.

Here are a few ideas I have found.
I love these letters & the idea from BHG.

This mantel is cute! I found it on the Landeelu blog. This link will take you to her post where she talks about this mantel and the pieces on it.

I love the simplicity of the mantel below from the blog (eighteen25), that I love soooo much!! They have a tutorial for those stars, everything. Here is a link to their "Past Projects: 4th of July" post. It has links to their tutorials for everything you see in the picture below!

They just make you want to be creative, don't they?! Ok, I'm off to plan for craftiness!

Decor: Peeps Vase

Do you remember this vase from my Thanksgiving display?

I knew I would end up using these vases for multiple things. So I bought 3. Ha! 

This new project was an Easter vase using themed candies and flowers.

You will need:

• 2 vases, one being able to fit inside the other
• jelly beans - I got only orange...to match the flowers.
• peeps (the bunnies are better) - I got yellow bunnies.
• flowers - I went with orange tulips.

I found a drinking glass that fit inside of the vase. I would recommend (because mine didn't) a glass that is NOT wider at the top of the glass. When we get to the next step, you'll see why.

I emptied out the popcorn kernels, put the glass inside the vase, and put the jelly beans between the vase and the glass. It was hard because my glass was wider at the top, leaving a small space to pour jelly beans into and not getting any in the glass.

Next, I took my Peeps. This picture is to prove to my mom that yellow bunny Peeps DO exists!

Again, I wish my glass was skinner at the top. It took a lot of maneuvering to get the Peeps to fit between the vase and glass without completely mushing them. I was proud that they almost covered the top of the glass!

 I found these gorgeous, blooming, orange tulips at Kroger! For $9.99!!!! Aren't they gorgeous?!

As you can tell, I'm still learning and exploring picture angles and lighting with my new camera. What do you think of the last picture of the tulips?

The last step in making the vase was to put water in the glass ONLY and trimming the tulips to fit!

 Am I just bias or is this fun & gorgeous or what?!

 Here they are in my Easter display. Go here to see where to get the details on that display.

Printables: Easter Display

This Easter ended up being more low key than normal. Everyone came to the ranch that normally comes. But, everyone left by Friday afternoon. Odd right? I was able to throw together a quick display. 

 How cute! Right?

The eggs are real ostrich eggs that my mom has hand painted. Isn't she great?!

Do you see the vase on the right? With the tulips, peeps and jelly beans? It's so easy! Go here to see how easy.

I found this printable at Eighteen25.

I found this printable at A Night Owl Blog. She has it in multiple color options!

This is one of the first printables I found when I started Pinterest. I honestly have no idea where the text came from any more. If you recognize it, let me know. I printed it on a piece of scrapbook paper I already had.

Simple and cute. Enjoy!

DIY: Menu Board

So, I'm lame. I hardly update on here, choosing to veg after work instead of letting you know about all the fun things I've been doing.

I'm behind on posting. So behind that I actually made this before the new year so that I could start using it on January 1st. Well, after using my menu board for 2 1/2 months, I can say that I LOVE IT!!!!!!

This was my inspiration found here.

Robin was amazing and even sent me all of her recipe cards and menu labels. Once I bought my calendar, I realized that it was smaller than the inspiration one. I had to cut down all of the menu labels in order for them to fit in each day's box. Also due to my smaller calendar, I couldn't put the desserts and the color code labels on the calendar. I decided I just "had" to make a cute cork board to go with my menu board. Twist my arm about it why don't you! =)

I found a piece of cork, with built in hangers on the back, that was as tall as my calendar. So, this picture shows the cork going side to side not up & down.

Sad picture I know but I wanted you to see the empty cork board.

The first thing I did was pick my ribbon for the border around the cork board. I decided to go for the obvious and make it Oklahoma State colors, officially my favorites now. Haha. Actually, I already had these ribbons for that reason, the colors and patterns. The black and white gingham was leftover from my BOO Jars. The white polka dots on orange ribbon was purchased on a whim because of the wonderful colors and pattern. =)

I bought these at Hobby Lobby.

I took the gingham and used it to frame the cork board. I used a hot glue gun to make sure that it would never move. I wrapped the ribbon over the sides to hide the cork all the way around. I did this on all the sides except for the top. I'll explain in a second.

Wrapped around the edge.

Once I did the short ends, I wrapped the long sides. I just put the gingham on top and just kept gluing.

The corner.

Ok, now why I didn't wrap the top over the edge. I wanted the full width of the gingham ribbon so that I could layer the polka dot ribbon on top. If I wrapped it over the edge, you wouldn't have been able to see the gingham at all. I centered the orange ribbon in the middle of the gingham and used hot glue to secure it.

Don't they work so well together?

I then created a bow out of the orange ribbon. I learned this trick making a college-themed light box as a Christmas present for my brother's girlfriend. (tutorial coming - will include the bow)

I forgot the picture until it was all done. Oops!

I then added the color code menu labels onto my completed cork board. I also put the two desserts that I wanted to make first onto the board.

Yes, I'm slightly OCD. But I love the colors fading into each other like that.

This is a picture of my menu board. I printed all of the things Robin sent me. I printed them on card stock according to the color code in the above picture. I then randomly (as random as I could with my slight OCD) placed recipes on the board. The push pins at the bottom are where the recipes would hang (sorted by recipe type/color) if I was going to hang the board on the wall.

Dark Blue (Scrounge Night) is Leftover Night.

This is how my board looks right now. Since I'm still at my parents house, Mom doesn't hang much up on  walls. Mom is a little scared of bright colors so this is sitting on the built-in desk next to the kitchen. It works really well for us, which kind of surprised me. I know what to go shopping for every weekend. Mom (and everyone for that matter) knows what's for dinner and that we have everything already to make it. Sometimes, Mom even has dinner started or prepped when we get home from work. That's one of the perks of living with your parents and you do the part they don't like, grocery shopping!

I hope you guys find this helpful!

Food Craft: Marshmallow Pops

Inspiration & Directions

What are you thinking when you see this picture? I was so inspired and decided, "I will make those." And I did for the baby shower!

Here's what you need:

Marshmallows

Pink Candy Melts (or whatever color you need/want)

White sprinkles (preferably round)

Lollipop sticks

Pink M&Ms (again, or whatever color you need/want)

A container for the base

Styrofoam that fits in the base

Scrapbook paper (something to hide the styrofoam)

 I put the styrofoam in the bottom of the box and covered it 

with a scrapbook paper that matched the diaper cake I made.

I did pre punch some holes with a wooden skewer so that 

nothing would fall off my Marshmallow Pops when I added them.

I "skewered" 25 marshmallows with lollipop sticks.

No science here. I just pushed the stick into the marshmallow.

I had these pearl sprinkles leftover from throwing 

my parents a surprise 50th birthday party.

These are the Candy Melts I used.

Yes, they were heart shaped. 

What? All the Valentines stuff is out at Michael's.

 These are the Candy Melts after they have been melted in the microwave.

 

This was my sprinkles & M&Ms set up and ready to go.

Dip the marshmallow about half way into the Candy Melt. 

Roll the sides on the sprinkles.

 

Add the M&M to the top!

 That's it! Just repeat!

These are what mine looked like in the container! Cute right?

PS. I added some extra pearl sprinkles on the scrapbook 

paper to fill in some extra holes I punched. They didn't fall off.

DIY: My First Diaper Cake

Hosting that baby shower last week was stressful. Only because I love the mommy-to-be with all my heart and wanted everything to be perfect. I saw this gorgeous cake on Pinterest and used it as my inspiration.

Found on The Hostess Blog

Here is the shopping list given for this gorgeous cake.
Set of 3 DwellStudio receiving blanket (from Target)
Size 2 Pamper swaddlers
chocolate brown grossgrain ribbon
Pink shabby rose trim (sold by the yard at Hobby Lobby)
chocolate brown ric rac
Pink & Brown scrapbook papers – used to create the “vase” at the top of the cake and then cut into 1.5″ circles for the “candles”
Scrapbook embelishments
Faux flowers – from Michaels

Unfortunately, I could not find the swaddling blankets that were featured on this cake. So, I made due with the ones that I was able to find. Here is my step-by-step process in making the diaper cake (featured here) with my mom.

Step 1: Buy all of your supplies! =) I bought size 2 diapers as recommended. Babies are born in many sizes and grow at different rates. It's not a guarantee how long they will stay in newborn diapers very long, or at all! My niece was born at just over 9 pounds. There was little time for small diapers. =)

Some of the ribbon pictured was not used. 

Step 2: Find/Create the base for your cake. I originally planned on just putting an extra layer of diapers in each level but then found an almost empty wine bottle. I dumped the contents and washed out the bottle. It was a great anchor in the middle of the cake as well as a vase for the flowers!

Yes, that's a wine bottle. No, it is empty.

Step 3: Start rolllin'! Stack 2 diapers on top of each other and start rolling them from the hip to the middle. Try and keep one end even and flat so that it can become a base. Wrap the roll with a NEW rubber band. Trust me, even new ones break.

Rolling 2 diapers.

Tight rubber band.

Step 4: Start layering. I used a post recommended by The Hostess Blog. It is from Alpha Mom. I mostly used her just to get the ideas for rolling and layering. If you notice her cake, she flattens out some diapers to fill in empty space around the bottle. I didn't and later, I will tell you why. Ok, this step (and all the rolling) is where having my mom helping me was amaze-balls! After we had enough to make one layer around the bottle, she held the diapers in place while I stretched a rubber band over the top of the bottle and around the diapers to hold them in place. We did this one more time but thankful my dad walked by to help hold all the diaper rolls!

Bottom tier, layer 1. We added one more circle around but I didn't get a pic!

Step 5: Cover tier. I took one of the 40"x40" swaddling blankets, kept it folded in half lengthwise, wrapped it around the 2 layers of rolled diapers, and tucked in the excess between the bottle and the inner circle of diapers. This is why I didn't do the flattened diapers around the bottle. These blankets will have enough excess to fill in the gaps.

Swaddled diapers.

Step 6: Ribbon base. I bought a satin-like chocolate brown ribbon to cover any imperfections or gaps at the base of each tier.

We just taped the seam together. Cover up coming!

Step 7: Repeat steps 3-6 for the middle tier. This tier only had one circle of diapers. The swaddling blanket had more excess since the tier was smaller than the previous. Make sure that you try and line up the seams at the end of the swaddling blankets. This helps for covering the tape, pins or whatever you use to secure the ribbon and blankets.

I put the swaddling instructions around the bottle too! (See it?)

Step 8: Repeat steps 3-6 for the top tier. This tier had so much excess blanket that there was no way there were any gaps.

I love how I forgot some crucial pics but at
least there is one for every step.

Step 9: Bouquet topper. I bought 3 fake, pink hydrangea and 1 fun, pink and brown polka dot gerber daisy. My mom helped me bend them to where they covered the space from the top of the tier to the top of the bottle. We left the stems pretty long. The cap of the wine bottle was removed and the stems were put into the bottle. Even after being cut, the stems still reached the bottom of the bottle. This gave them great stability!

Such a fun gerber!

Step 10: Ribbon decor. I added a pink rose ribbon around the top of the bottom tier and pink rick rack (wavy ribbon) at the top of the middle tier. Mom had the clever idea of taking ribbon down the seam in the back to cover it up. We used the chocolate brown with pink polka dot ribbon. My mom used a safety pin to secure the ribbon on top of the top tier (but under the flowers). We then just tucked it under each their using the end of some scissors. We did this 2 more times to give the "cascading ribbon" balance around the cake (split it into thirds).

Wow! This picture makes it look lopsided!
It really wasn't!

Step 11: Making the name "candles." I used my Cricut for this part. I found a scrapbook paper in one of my packs that had pink, green and brown.

2 inch circle

I had to cut - well my Cricut had to cut - 9 for Emma Grace.

I hot-glued lollipop sticks to the back of each circle.
The lollipop sticks were leftover from the Marshmallow Pops.

All 9 "candles"!

All I did was tuck the "candles" behind both types
of ribbon on the bottom 2 tiers for stability.

The completed cake!

The end! I hope this was super helpful and you think it turned out as cute as my mom & I did. And maybe the guests too. =)