Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Birthday Bash

First Birthday Cake.  Yummy Mess.
This Saturday we had a birthday party for Nolan turning one.  It was really fun and entertaining for my husband and me.  I hope the family enjoyed it as well.  Here are some photo's that my sis-in-law took while everything was going on.  Thanks Kendra!



Sock monkey handmade by memaw
Vintage rocking horse from Aunt Kendra and Uncle Justin
Swing from Grandma and Grandpa Williams
Sock monkey hat from G.Aunt D and G.Uncle Skip
Mama, Daddy and Nolan
Papa and Memaw Flippin
Grandma and Grandpa Williams






mantel arrangement
        
My terrarium I made with moss from a creek and the gnome and mushrooms that I made from Model Magic Clay.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

DIY sunburst mirror

I have been wanting a sunburst mirror for a long time.  So, finally I got up the motivation to figure out how to make one of my own.  Here's how I did it. 




Materials:
hot glue gun and of course glue sticks
cardboard or plywood
dowel rods (I used four different sizes) 
ruler 
writing utensil
mirror (I used the mirror that you put candles on from Walmart)
upholstery trim (about 1/4 yard)
gorilla glue

Step one:
A) Begin by tracing the mirror onto the cardboard or plywood.  Repeat this step. This will give you something to glue to dowel rods to other that the mirror itself.  
B) Proceed by cutting out the circle
C) Create a pie grid onto one side of the circle.  Mark your center point and draw 4 straight lines that go all the way through the middle dot directly to the opposite side you that you started on.  These line should all be equal distance apart from one another.  The lines are to help you get a basic start on where to place longer or shorter rods.



Step two:
A) Cut the rods into different lengths with some type of saw.  I used my husbands table-saw.  
B) Begin experimenting with the rods placing them directly beside one another.  Decide it you want them in an order or random.  I placed my 4 longest pieces on each of the lines extending from the center dot. Hot glue each stick on and then go back over all of it to secure them more thoroughly. 



Step 3:
A) Place the other circle on top of the rods 
B) Spray paint the color of your choice!!! Yeah! almost done.

Step 4
A) Use gorilla glue and glue on mirror once the rods are dry.  
B) Hot glue the trim around the mirror and you are finished.  I notched a sliver out of the back to hand it from a nail and it has worked fine for me.


Final product




Monday, March 14, 2011

All about the Boy


Things I Love
for toddler boys








bobinette
These last three outfits are from www.bobinette.com
These tights..yes tights for boys are from www.agoo4u.com
www.samba.com
The last two shoes are www.robeez.com


When it comes to feeding kids I found some unique yet very useful items out there.

 
Think Baby
beaba
Zoli
And of course some fun, vintage and modern toys!!

fisherprice
Fisher-price
Fisher-price
Green Toys recycle truck
Hape International toys

Lots of fun looking

Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27
(A wonderful word for the week)
 
     Artwork from Divine Design Art Studio

1Do not boast about tomorrow,
  for you do not know what a day may bring.
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
  a stranger, and not your own lips.
A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
  but a fool's provocation is heavier than both.
Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,
  but who can stand before jealousy?
Better is open rebuke
  than hidden love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
  profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
One who is full loathes honey,
  but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
Like a bird that strays from its nest
  is a man who strays from his home.
Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
  and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. [1]
10 Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend,
  and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity.
  Better is a neighbor who is near
  than a brother who is far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
  that I may answer him who reproaches me.
12 The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
  but the simple go on and suffer for it.
13 Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
   and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress. [2]
14 Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
  rising early in the morning,
  will be counted as cursing.
15 A continual dripping on a rainy day
  and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
16 to restrain her is to restrain the wind
  or to grasp [3] oil in one's right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
  and one man sharpens another. [4]
18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
  and he who guards his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
  so the heart of man reflects the man.
20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
  and never satisfied are the eyes of man.
21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
  and a man is tested by his praise.
22 Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
  along with crushed grain,
  yet his folly will not depart from him.  
23 Know well the condition of your flocks,
  and give attention to your herds,
24 for riches do not last forever;
  and does a crown endure to all generations?
25 When the grass is gone and the new growth appears
  and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,
26 the lambs will provide your clothing,
  and the goats the price of a field.
27 There will be enough goats' milk for your food,
  for the food of your household
  and maintenance for your girls.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Ideas for Nolan's 1st Birthday bash

I am so excited for Nolan to turn one.  We aren't having a very big party or anything, just family.  However  our extended family can get some what larger.  My husband is the oldest of 6 children.  It will only get larger as time goes on, which is a good thing.  For me, I have one brother and he is married with two beautiful children of his own.  Nolan is the third grandchild on my side of the family and the first on my husbands.  Pretty fun either way.
I plan on having a little get together in about a week and I wanted to do some planning and decorating to make it memorable for basically everyone over the age of 10 (haha).  We are fully aware that Nolan will only see pictures from this event and will not recollect anything. We are also aware that if we have any other children they will be jealous of all the attention Nolan received at the early age of one. So there you have it...we try not to spoil him, but he probably will and currently is receiving more attention because we only have one kid so far.
  Here is a simple yet creative idea for friends and family to get a picture with the birthday boy.  This is an adorable photo booth idea from ohdeedoh.


 
                  






Birthday invitation....sorry couldn't figure out how to flip around
I like the idea of draping fabric remnants.
I may try and drape some over our mantel almost like a circus tent.


cake topper

I thought this and a fawn similar from the picture below would be darling on top of the bunting cake.
I would have to make them out of fondent.
I love the shape of this little fawn.  

I hope to get back with you in a week or so with the final products from our bash!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Acts 16:31

  Just recently I have been feeling very anxious about what God has in store for our future home.  I have not been content at all with what we have already been blessed with.  My husband and I bought our home knowing it was a starter home for us and gave us a wonderful chance to work together and fix up a house.  It has been a lot of fun; however a pain in the neck and/or wallet at times too.  At church this past Sunday our sermon was on being content and allowing God to work in your lives the way God see's fitting.  I have not been doing this because I have been to anxious to put our house on the market and begin looking at new homes before we have even finished the one we're in.  In my mind, I thought we would sell last summer, God had a different plan and I am beginning to grasp that I am not the decision maker; God is in complete control.  Yesterday I went out to some thrift store's to look for a few things in particular.  I came across some cute frames and I started making one into another chalkboard yesterday and today I finished.  I have three already, but this one has a verse on it that helped give me perspective on life and my reasons for being alive and raising a family.  I hope this verse is as uplifting to you today as it was for me.  I have a wonderful home and my husband and I choose to praise the Lord.

Acts 16:31
And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

It's a very simple reminder.


I paired the chalkboard with a vintage mirror to add character and a nice visual appeal.



Monday, March 7, 2011

Ski Trip

This is the top of Mary Jane, my husband Derek took this photo with his iphone.  I was unable to take photos bc I didn't want to risk breaking my camera.  Whatever you went up on the lift with....you we're responsible for skiing down with it yourself. Being my first time skiing, I did not trust myself!!
Derek and I
Derek took this picture of me on the ski lift as he dropped his pole from the lift.  Whoops.  He was alright though bc he decided to go down the green slopes with me until he got it back. 
Friend (Carrie) and I.  Striped suit behind us is some little kid that just made me look like a fool.  There were kids around 5 years old skiing with no fear down the slopes and making me feel pretty crummy about my abilities.  However, it was fun and I enjoyed the green slopes and watching the 5 year olds make there way gracefully down the blacks.