DIY Baby Shower

My sweet friend and neighbor was pregnant with her first baby, so two of her dear friends and I decided to throw a bash to celebrate her and the soon-to-be baby!

Scrabble pieces added to a spring

wreath announce the theme of the party

We put touches of 'baby' all around the areas that guests 

would mingle

 Baby blocks spell out the theme.  Frames filled with baby pictures of the

mom and dad-to-be made this party perfectly personalized.

  It's sweet to imagine what baby might look like

editor's note: I am a blog fail...the baby is way born and SHE IS WAY CUTE.

Vintage baby clothes that once hung above my daughter's bed,

were strung on twine and clipped with small clothespins.

 My sweet Logi wanted to add to the festivities

 Paper pinwheels and flowers.  Very simple,

DIY, decorations for this celebration.

Here's how I made the pinwheels:

I had a lot of scrapbook paper sitting around.

I do not imagine I could scrapbook to save my life, 

but I do love the color options and use the paper often.

When I started thinking about decorations for this party, I 

decided I could probably use the same technique 

I use to make puff pastry pinwheels, out of craft paper.   

 I only had single sided paper paper on hand.

I would imagine (but don't quote me) that

one can purchase these squares of paper

with patterns on both sides.

Since I was working with paper on hand,

I used a glue stick to glue the backs of 

2 pieces of decorative paper together.

I mixed and matched the papers looking

for funky contrast.  

After the glue fully set I cut from the 4 corners

of the paper square leaving about the size of

a half dollar coin in the middle.  The square

turned into 4 triangles of paper, attached at the center. 

I put a dot of hot glue in the center and quickly

folded the right side of each triangle to the center.

How cute are they!! So fun and funky and

OH SO EASY!!!  To cover up the gluey mess

I used random buttons, and an additional dot

of hot glue to secure the button.

 

How adorable would these be hanging in

a nursery?

 I used a paper punch in one corner of one of the

protruding triangles, then used fish line to hang

them above the dining table and outside on the

porch to help welcome guests to the celebration.

 DIY floral arrangements.  Use what is seasonal, and

just pop them in jars or buckets you have on hand.

Spray roses in spring neutrals and button mums were my go-to 

favorite all spring, so it was a no brainer for this party.  I placed

them in a vintage milk bottle crate.

 The mom-to-be opening presents.  Her sweet

mom (and a couple of aunties were able to fly in

for the celebration)

 

Mom-to-be with her mama.

 I bought this felt banner in the $3 bin at Target.  It was just the felt 

letters on ribbon, so I dolled it up and with little rounds of burlap and fabric 

(a few layers, held together with a decorative brad).  

I then glued the circles on the store bought banner.

 We of course threw it down with the delcious

spread of food.  I will blog that at a later date...

goal: before baby turns 1

 xo

Manitou Springs, Colorado

The hubs and I have not had a break in parenting for a long bit (which, I guess you sign up for when having kids, but after the months we have had, we needed a tiny b.r.e.a.k.!) so I got a sitter for 24 hours, so we could clock out and go have some fun!  We decided to head south from Golden (as we most often head west) and decided on Manitou Springs. Here's a small photo dump of some treasures I captured on my phone on our short sneak away. 

We didn't take the highway that leads from Denver to Colorado Springs, instead we left Golden and drove mountain roads the whole way down.  It was great.  We had no timeline, so it didn't matter that this was not the most direct route (but actually, now that I think about it, the drive time was probably about the same, as we didn't encounter the traffic the highway brings). Along the way we went through several little towns, one of which reminded me of Big Bear in California, so I instantly called my brother, as we went skiing in Big Bear when he was living in LA and I went to visit him for my spring break. It was super nostalgic.

 After two hours of scenic driving through the moutains, we arrived in

 Manitou Springs.  What a quirky town. I can only describe it as 

1 part mountain town, 1 part eclectic artist paradise,

1 part Atlantic coast boardwalk town (see photo above)

 and 2 parts hippie haven!  Definitely a town where deoderant often

goes to die.

 Really cool sculptures throughout the little bustling historic town 

at the base of Pikes Peak.

My husband tried to school me a bit and shared

that Mr. Pike (clearly I was only half listening as

I have forgotten his name a week later) was the

explorer who named the Beaver Islands in 

St. Cloud, Minnesota (our hometown).

How cool is that!

I am always excited to find old Episcopal 

churches in cool little towns!  

 

This vintage Coke machine, built in!

 Fountains are scattered throughout the little town, kicking up the 

spring water that is rushing below. Historically people would flock to

these natural flowing springs for the springs healing powers.

Another fountain

 We cut across the springs to walk through a park and was excited to 

notice the little treasure stone mosaic goat, which of course

reminded me of the story of Billy Goats Gruff.

Someday I will own this very impractical light.  Those Edison bulbs 

sure don't produce a great light source, but this ridiculously cute lamp

(notice the water faucet handle for turning it on?) was made local and

 needs to be seen local, on my front table. I took the picture so Zac would 

be able to buy it for me. I am so good to him, I don't mess around

 with hints, just call me a straight shooter.  Haaaa.

Darn it, was too full from dinner for ice cream, but 

looooved the signage!

 I can't wait for the snow to clear, so we can go back 

with the kids to ride the rail up Pikes Peak.  Benny will

be in heaven!

How cool are structures, supported over the springs below. 

We explored Manitou Springs late into the evening and then

headed to downtown Colorado Springs for our hotel.  Of

course I took a totally rando pic of the wall of our room 

because I get a case of the shakes over old exposed brick.

The hotel was called the Mining Exchange and was gorgeous.  

It was a 10 minute drive from Manitou Springs, and then gave us a

 chance to check out downtown Colorado Springs at night.

 Two doors down from the hotel was a great little ice cream

shop called Josh & John's with a line out the door. Overpriced 

but delicious. Thankfully at this late hour we had room in 

our bellies to try some of the tasty flavors.

After a good sleep in sesh, we checked out of the hotel and 

was excited to see a Dutch Bros. Coffee 2 blocks from our hotel.  

We had this shop in our town in Oregon and I am so excited

 they are clearly moving east! 

I have missed this goodness in my life.

 On our way out of town we explored Garden of the God's. 

Breathtaking!

 When I was snapping this pic there were tourists from all over the 

country surrounding me and I felt like I was in a scene from the 80s

classic film,  National Lampoons Vacation.  Clearly didn't remember

that it is high time for tourists!

We left Garden of the Gods and back tracked through 

the mountains to home.  We stopped for lunch in Pine, CO

and had the most legit burgers EVER at Zoka!  We sat

on the big wrap around porch and enjoyed the lovely 

mountain breeze and ate burgers. The pic above is Kobe beef

burger on ciabatta topped with carmelized onions, sweet

bacon and melty brie.  It was outrageous.  Z ordered

a burger topped with a bacon and rhubarb jam that

was equally out of this world.  Who really thinks to go

crazy over burgers, but these were seriously the two 

best I have ever tried.

 

I told Z we shouldbuy a cabin in Pine for 

a) mountain biking and b) burgers

 

Serious!

 

 

 Pine was hosting the town's Rhubarb Festival, so after burgers

we popped over to see and THIS WAS THE ONLY RHUBARB

WE SAW...on the sign! What the heck?  Rhubarb is our jam 

(and now bacon rhubarb jam is for reals our jam) and they had nothing

 rhubarb. Crazy.  It was fun to see a weird little cover band, and 

search for rhubarb...but I won't put the festival on my list for next year

Well, it was a great 24 hours, and I guess we parents (who don't have 

family around that sporadically take kids for the weekend) need

to remember that a 24 hour babysitter is worth every single penny!

Now, get to Manitou Springs.  

xo

Logi's 5th Birthday Party!!!!!

Let me start by saying I am so excited I get to share these photos, as we thought we would never recover the photos from the camera!  Long and boring story, but the end results of photo recovery were pure victory!

My sweet baby girl turned 5 this month and she wanted to have a party in the park behind our house.  Her only requests were sports, face paint, pinata, tie dye and cheese balls.  Such easy requests to fulfill!!!

All about the goodies!  Vanilla cupcakes topped with 

my no fail frosting and strawberry hats joined a heaping 

pile of rice crispy treats, sea salt chocolate chip cookies a few

 other goodies ready for the little and big kids!

A bowl of cuties certainly balances out the load

of cakes and candies!

 Cheese balls!  They were a must on Logi's short 

list of requests.  The bowl they are sitting in is the large

bowl in a set of 4 melamine nesting bowls (with lids!)

that I picked up at Costco.  They have a lovely, vintage

look to them, with all the practicality of melamine!

 

My past life in event planning and catering always 

comes through on the treats table!!

I topped the chocolate cupcakes with m&m candies,

logo side down.  Logi really wanted 'tie dye' at her 

'sports party' so I tried to pull in color, wherever 

I could.  This was a quick and cute way to doll

up the cupcakes (and distinguish them from the 

vanilla cupcakes.)

Side note: the polka dot cake stand was a gift I

received from the sweet woman from Zac's office

in Oklahoma, who planned a baby shower for us when 

I was pregnant with Logi. Extra special to pull out on this day!

Even though we were gathering in the park, I wanted

to elevate the feel of the party (let's be real, I could have 

just opened a few bags of chips...).  Popping goodies into/onto

bowls and platters instantly kicks it up a notch.  Creating 

a table with dimension is quick and easy, if you have a couple

white table clothes (or white flat bed sheets) on hand.

Place sturdy boxes under the cloth and allow the folds

of the cloth to build a base (table with varying heights)

to then add in bowls, platters, cake stands, vessels, etc.

It is oh so easy, just takes a bit of planning...give it a whirl for your

next shindig.  Whether you are hosting in your home or in the park.

 

 I placed piles of sidewalk chalk around, but wrote up a big

reminder of why we were all gathering!  Can time slow down,

please.  Just looking at this makes me tear up!

 The sweet little birthday girl!  Tie dye on tie dye works, 

when that is the theme...our sweet babysitter made her the 

"birthday crown" out of pipe cleaners.  My sweet Logan is so kind, 

happy, funny, active and loving. Her personality is one of the 

best I have ever been blessed to know.

 Before friends arrived Logi took some imaginary

swings at the pinata, while Benny sat in the chalk.

I was quite surprised that Logi picked the Hello

Kitty pinata, as it really isn't her thing...until she

explained that it was the biggest and could hold

the most candy.  Clever girl. 

Sweet Benny!  I could just gobble him up!  I realized, long after

the party wrapped, that he was shoved into a 6/12 month shirt. 

Poor buddy looked a hot mess most of the evening.  

Kathy and her grand daughter Mady, of Jester's Entertainment.  They

are always at the Golden Farmer's Market and Logi was so excited

to have them be a part of her party.  They are incredible.  Kathy does

airbrush art on the kids, which is ridiculously amazing!  Check them out!

Logi has the hardest time deciding what to get, when we are at the

farmer's market.  Good thing she got to pick a few, at the party!

A sparkly car!  How amazing is that!  Kathy cuts all the stencils.

How cute is this! 

Pure happiness!

 Real snakes = no good.
Balloon snakes = nearly the cutest.

 In lieu of presents, we asked friends to please bring donations for
the Golden Backpack Program.  I was thrilled with the amount of
donations collected for this wonderful organization!

Goodness, I love her!

Her buddy, who is teaching her how to skateboard...she adores him.

 Sister Sister!  Two of my favorite little kids and such
sweet friends to Logan.

 These two sugars melt my heart!  Second generation friends!

Like a postcard!  You can't fake that excitement!

These to did preschool and preK together.  Total partners in crime!

It isn't a party until bags of beans are tossed!

 Pregame excitement!  I have never seen such a big pile of crazy,
over a pinata!  Crazy...but oh so cute.

 Benny.  Delivering the heat!

Bringing the heat!


Well folks, that's a wrap on Logi's 5th birthday party!
Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate!

xo.