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

Deck the Halls...

Hodge Podge cuteness, if you ask me! 

It all started with some bulbs...I bought loads of shatter proof bulbs

at Target after last Christmas.  Great deals and I just knew I would

find a tree-free purpose for them, this holiday.  New (deeply discounted) 

bulbs, a few old bulbs, fish line...and I was off.

This old dresser (a fantastic mid-century Craigslist find) usually is

the base for family photos, some family art and the candles (as seen).

I pulled the photos and art and moved in some holiday cheer.

My mom gave me the Twinkle sign years ago and it is still a holiday favorite 

and looks cutie with the (once again,a cheapy find at Target) felted trees.  

I pulled out my trifle dish, filled it with bulbs and balanced it with a holiday postcard 

that I plopped in a frame (the postcard looks vintage, which I totally love).

Simply plopping the glitter bulbs on top of the well used 

candles adds quick and instant holiday pizazz.  To add a bit 

 more dimension, I threw the remaining bulbs (that were housed in 

a tube, 8 bulbs total, in the $1 section at Target...which I 

 proudly paid 50 cents for) in a vintage mason jar.  

The BE MERRY sign was also sourced from the 

$1 section at Target (again, a 50 cent score!)

I just picked the table runner up at Home Goods (because, as they 

say, Home Goods makes you happy) and pulled out a rad enamel bowl

that I picked up years ago at a garage sale (for $1...for reals) and filled it

with several of my favorite, oversize bulbs.  I filled a vintage mason jar with the

 garland beads I usually string from a cut tree.  I topped my favorite little cake

stand with a glass dome (filled with bulbs).  Major props to that cute little

dome.  I picked it up at Goodwill (it was the topper of a wooden cheese board).

I just bought the topper, for $1.  Keep watch for them, as they seem to be plentiful 

on the shelves of thrift stores, and make a wonderful statement for a birthday cupcake,

stack of cookies or...a pile of Christmas bulbs. 

I want to live in this potpourri of colorful holiday cheer!

Seriously, how fab is this bowl?  I am mildly obsessed with it's beat up beauty!

I went fish line crazy with the table lighting.  Super random, yet balanced.

Logi has stood on the table no less than 10 times and asked me,

 is it snowing? while she bangs these around.  Lawdy!

Super simple, quick and wicked cheap holiday creation!!!

I purchased a few packages of faux greenery 

garland (last winter, after season sale, of course)

knowing that I wanted to doll up the stairs.

Using fish line I bundled random bulbs and 

tied to the posts.

Bundle of bulbs!

I tucked this gorgeous winter picture of my nieces

on my metro rack of crazy.  It looks perfect.

In other news...

Logi is ready to take on winter!

Cutie Containers, on the Cheap!

Trips to Target just aren't what they used to be.  B.C. (that would be Before Children) I would go up and down every single aisle (Zac would usually call to check in, making sure I hadn't been mugged...that's how long I would be gone), even though I only needed milk and bananas (and probably a skirt, because let's be real, you can't go to Target without swinging by the clothes...it's like in the handbook).  Well, now that I have a 3 year old and 6 month old I take a deep breath and try to run through the store, in hopes that no one cries, has to use the bathroom, yada yada.  The other day though, I sneaked out with just my tiny guy and he was such a little honey, he let me relive the old days as we serpentined through every aisle.  It was a token of heaven, especially when I came across a wonderful little end cap in the kitchen section that was loaded with these adorbsy little lidded containers! 

Now, I am not embarrased to admit that I am a total sucker for a lidded container...especially ones that are on sale (this week, so hurry...not because the original price of $1.99/each was outrageous, but they are so dang cute I imagine them flying off the shelves as I type)

I am kind of obsessed with the vintage feel of

 the basket weave pattern. 

Perfect size for fresh berries on the go, and the

lid snaps super secure, so I just popped this

container in my bag today!  

 or homemade, frozen baby food.  I just

take the prepared portions out of the freezer 

the night before, and breakfast for the park is set to go!

or a snack for mama!

These containers remind me of some small melamine bowls that West Elm rolled out a

 few years ago.  They also remind me of the dishes I am always drawn to when walking 

through Anthropologie. But, at a price I feel dang good about.  Thank you, Target!