Look Whoo's Turning One!

My little niece, Brooklyn, is turning 1 in less than a month - I cannot believe it!!  When my sister came to visit, she asked me if I could design a photo invitation that she could send out to get printed herself.  She wants to do an owl theme (Look Whoo's Turning One)!  I was more than happy to design it for her - I do love owls!! 

She found an adorable pink and orange owl hat to take a picture of the baby in.  I loved the colors so we decided on pink, orange and brown for the party color scheme.  I'm happy with the way the invites turned out, but seriously, how cute is this baby???

I will be adding this invite to my Etsy shop as a printable.  Heck, I think I may design a whole party around it.  Cupcake toppers, water bottle labels, hmm.  My sister may be making out big on this deal!  There are definite perks to being my guinea pig!

XOXO

Get Back On The Horse

I haven't failed at my challenge.  I missed yesterday, but I will pick up right where I left off and finish my 30 days.  Weekends are so crazy - before I knew it yesterday, I woke up on the couch at midnight (after sleeping for two hours) and realized that I had never written a post.  I had every intention of doing so, but unfortunately, sleep won. 

We got a lot done around the house and yard today.  I finally re-painted my wrought iron patio set - it looks like new!  We even had some time to sit in the backyard watching Addie and her cousin playing in the little blow up pool.  I should have taken pictures of them - they were so cute!  I still have loads of laundry to do, but sometimes you just have to stop and enjoy the day.  Sunday's are good like that...

Friday I'm In Love with This and That

Friday In Love is back again, today with a bit of a twist.  Usually I featured projects from fellow bloggers, but to be honest, I haven't had much time to blog surf lately.  BUT, I am kind of in love with some stuff right now.

FIRST - is my diaper bag.  I just got it a week ago, and it's freakin' awesome.  I ordered it from All Modern, and it's made by Timi and Leslie.  I love this bag for many reasons, starting with the fact that it looks like a purse.  When I'm done using it for Morgan, this can totally double as a laptop bag or tote.  It has these awesome straps that come with it so you can secure it to the front of the stroller (leaving way more room in the bottom of the stroller for your shopping bags).  It also comes with a diaper changing pad, insulated bottle holder, and zip up dirty clothes bag.  I chose it in Taupe, but it comes in other colors as well.  LOVE!!

I. LOVE. THIS. BLOG.  Yes I do.  If there is one blog I visit on a more-than-regular-basis, it's The Daybook.  Sydney has an amazing style.  I found her via Pinterest about 8 months ago when I starting looking for some maternity wear inspiration.  I was hooked...instantly.  I love reading about her life, new baby Everett, and of course can't wait to see what she wears next!  Sydney actually inspired me to do this new 30-Day writing challenge.  I found myself so interested in the personal things she posted as well as the style tips, that I suddenly had an epiphany.  I need to write more about myself!  Syd, if you're out there, keep up the good work girl.  You're awesome!

And, finally - you can't have the diaper bag without the...you guessed it - DIAPERS!  I tried out the Target brand diapers this week, and they are wonderful!  I have always been a Pampers Swaddler girl, but after trying these out, at $4 less than the Pampers, I'm sold! 

That's it for my favorites this week.  Go pay Sydney a visit over at The Daybook - you won't be disappointed! 

XOXO 

 

It's Been "One of Those Days" - Day 3

I need to warn you that I am about to get really honest here.  Most of you may feel that it's TMI - but everyone who knows me, knows that I am not one to hold back, like, at all.  What's mine is yours, including the dirty details of my life.

Today has been one of those crazy days, literally starting from the minute I woke up this morning and realized that I overslept by 30 minutes.  I had a big quarterly meeting today for work, and had to travel 45 minutes to an hour to get there.

The meeting started at 8:45am, and I had planned to actually wash my hair this morning.  I won't even tell you how long it's been since I washed my hair - just know that it's so dirty I fear it may literally walk off my head.  Every day I wake Addie up at 6:30am for school, so when I woke up at 6:15 and realized that I had no time for a hair washing, I was not-a-happy.  I thought, well just maybe I can squeeze it in, and then Morgan woke up screaming to eat.  So goes that fleeting thought.  I managed to shower in that 15 minutes, so at least I didn't stink like sour milk, but the hair, not so much.

I woke up hubby, who fed the baby as I got Addison ready.  There I am, standing in the kitchen, fresh out of the shower giving Addison breakfast and making up her snack for the day.  I managed to get rid of the towel, but I was standing there in those articles of clothing that only get washed on the delicate cycle (not a pretty sight).  I was sobbing.  "Why is it that I do EVERYTHING for everyone else, and I don't even get to wash my hair?"  I had not had my coffee yet.  Looking back now, this was the funniest part of my day - woe is me...comical.

I kissed Addie good bye and did a "Tag, You're It" with hubby and left him to his own devices to get her on the bus.  I managed to slap on my makeup, throw the hair in a dirty bun on top of my head, and rummage through my closet to try on clothes that still don't fit.  Depressing.  I had planned to wear a shift dress that I love, thinking that maybe God decided to remove 10 lbs from my rear overnight.  Fat chance.  That zipper didn't come anywhere close to zipping.  I ended up in early maternity pants (the ones that button in front and have elastic in the back), a ruffled shirt and a cardigan and decided that I looked "good enough".  I did have on some cute peep toes (but please do not look at my toenails, they are horrid).

I had 20 minutes left to pump (sorry for the details), give hubby instructions on what to put in the diaper bag, grab a Nutra Grain bar, kiss the baby, suck down the rest of my coffee and bolt out the door.  I actually left on time.

That was how my day started...I made it to the meeting with no time to spare...but my hair is still filthy.

XOXO

Oh The Things You Forget - Day 2

I was ready for another baby.  For years after Addie was born, we kept hemming and hawing over when to have a second.  It never seemed to be the right time - is it ever?  Last year after visiting my sister with her new daughter, I came back from Jersey ready.  "Let's Do This" was what I said to hubby.  After 5 years, I was ready.  Ready to snuggle a newborn in my arms.  Ready to start all over again.

What I forgot about were the little things that come along with an infant...

1.  Where does all of this crap come from?

Swings, bouncy seats, tummy time mats, bottles, pumps, you name it - it's all over my house!  It really makes no sense to put it all away just to drag it back out after naptime.  So there it sits...on my floors, countertops - everywhere!  Those who know me, know that I am not the most organized person in the world.  In fact, some may say I'm a bit of a slob.  I make piles, shove papers everywhere, and forget about my closet (that's a whole other post).  So to have more crap strewn across the house, on top of the tornadic messes that Addison makes...well you can imagine what my house looks like on a daily basis.  Note to friends - if you come here, and the house is spotless, chances are I have spent the last 48 hours of my life scrubbing!

2.  Oh, nice...

I love it when I am walking out the door and look down to see a spit up starting at the shoulder of my shirt, down my chest, with it's final resting place down my thigh.  Nice.  I could go change my clothes.  Stop everything, put down the crying baby in the carseat, tell Addie to chill for a minute without making more messes.  Or, I can grab a wet paper towel, wipe down what I can and run out the door.  I choose B.  Great, now I have a sopping wet shoulder - oh well, it'll dry.

3.  For a little guy, you sure do poop alot...

Don't you love it when you discover that either the diaper has failed, or your little bundle of joy can seriously blow one out?  'Nuf said.

4.  I need a Calgon Moment...

Why won't you stop crying little guy??  You're fed, changed, dry, burped - yet you still won't STOP CRYING!!!  I'm gonna lose it.  After 2 hours of screaming, what more can you do but put the baby down, go outside, take a deep breath and SCREAM!  OK - back to tame the beast.  I would kill for a massage and half day at the spa (Mother's Day is coming...hint hint hubby)!

5.  Little Kisses

Morgan is only 7 weeks old, so I know that he doesn't know how to kiss yet.  There is something to be said though for when I kiss his chubby, soft, squishy cheeks, kiss his little rosebud mouth, and he turns and lays a sloppy, wet, open mouthed kiss on my chin.  I know he probably thinks my chin is lunch, but I can't help love those moments any less.

There are still times when I can't believe we have a baby in the house.  I went through nine months of pregnancy and almost two months of life - but the concept is still new to me.  I love all of it.  The messes, spit up - all of it.  He just smells so darn good!!

XOXO

My New 30 Day Challenge!

When I first started this blog a little over a year ago, I challenged myself to make a new craft every day for 30 days.  I wanted to do it to hold myself accountable to complete new projects as well as to document it here.  I was successful, but now, crafting everyday - well that's just a might bit ambitious for me (I am no longer unemployed, and factor that infant thing in).  BUT - I think I can challenge myself to write something every day.  It might not be a fun craft, but to be honest, I have been wanting to write about more than just crafts anyway.  I feel like all of my entries are about "Lookey what I made" - which can be fun, but definitely not all I have going on in my life. 

I may lose some followers, and you may find my life to be totally and utterly boring, but this blog needs a boost, I need to give you more of myself.  I need to write.  Period.  Novel idea, no?

Consider this Day 1 - look at that.  I am already one day in! 

XOXO

Gatefold Wedding Invitations

So, the weekend before Morgan arrived, I spent my time (alot of it) finishing up a huge wedding invitation order for my friend Kerri.  You may remember the Save The Dates I posted awhile back - these were the coordinating invites.  When we sat down to brainstorm ideas for the invites, we came up with the wedding color scheme (found on Pinterest of course). 

SOURCE

From there, the couple decided on the style.  They wanted something non-fussy that reflected their personality. We ended up with a gate-fold invitation and response cards in their colors.  The stars aligned for them as a couple (and they both have star tattoos), so that became the overlaying theme of the design.

I am a bridesmaid in the wedding - I cannot wait to celebrate their big day!!  Kerri is one of my dearest friends - I am so happy for her!

XOXO

My Piece of the World

Oh boy, what's it been, weeks?  Here's what's been going on in my little piece of the world.

I love my little man.  He's getting so big already I can't believe it!! He's 6 1/2 weeks old now, and believe it or not I took some 1 month photos that I wanted to post (and never did).  But, no time like the present, right?  These photos were hard - he wanted NOTHING to do with them.  So, I did my best...

Of course, after I was done he relaxed laying on my chest in the cutest pose ever, sigh...

Last week, my mom, sis and niece came to visit from NJ.  I love visiting with them - I miss them so much!!  I cry every time they leave (so does Addison).  It stinks living so far away... but we had a great visit!

I started back to work this week.  It's an adjustment.  I love being back (my job is awesome), but adding that piece to my already crazy life has required some strength with an average of 4-5 hours of very broken sleep every night.  Thank god for coffee!  I think I'm drinking close to a pot a day!!

Don't start feeling sorry for me just yet - the lack of sleep is just as much my fault as it is my little man.  Because I'm insane, I took a very large stationery order.  I couldn't help it - it was a great opportunity!  My friend works for Coke, and she is on a committee to throw a large conference next week.  She asked me if I would design some (ok, 100) "Meet and Greet" books that would go on every place setting the first night of the conference.  How could I turn that down?  I couldn't, 'nuff said.  So, every night, between 10pm and 1:30am for the last week, I have been working on this order.  More about this later.

I love waking up every morning staring at Morgan's face.  I love kissing his squishy cheeks.  I love seeing the way Addie interacts with her baby brother - so sweet.  Life is good.  Life is busy.  I wouldn't have it any other way - I just need to find some more hours in the day.  Any suggestions?

XOXO

In my "Spare" Time

In the midst of the craziness that has now become my life, I have been lucky to still be receiving some orders via my Etsy Shop.  I'm 100% serious when I say lucky - I need to find solace amongst the bustle of baby, and stationery design is about all of have had time for lately.  It is giving me a push to continue to design and craft - and I love every minute I get to spend on it (which is literally in any "spare" moment I can find during nap time).

A customer requested some personalized wedding thank you cards, and I was more than happy to do them for her.  Once I got designing, I was on a roll and ended up sending her 4 different designs to choose from, two of which have now ended up in my shop for purchase.

She contacted me asking for something in aqua and lime green (her wedding colors), and told me that her wedding was beach themed.  I came up with these four design options.  She chose the first (which is now for sale in my shop).

I really liked the look of the Monogrammed card, but decided to remove the "Thank You" and sell them just as personalized stationery.  I have been dying to do something in the 2012 Pantone Color of the year, Tangerine Tango - so I combined it with navy and loved the color scheme!

 So, that's what I've been up to!  I also have been working on Morgan's baby announcements, which I will share soon, as well as some other stationery projects (wedding invitations and some more fun stuff). 

My plan is to post some Friday I'm In Love favorites tomorrow, but we'll see how my day unfolds.  Last week it was impossible, but I'm hoping tomorrow will be a bit better.

XOXO