Wednesday, January 28, 2009

...it feels like forever..

Moved ...AGAIN.
Happy to be moved out of our old place,
but I HATE to pack and unpack.
and to top it off.
McKenzie was sick at the beginning of our week to move,
I got sick the morning we needed to start packing up
and then David got sick a few days after.
Not fun.

Needless to say, when i've had the chance to use internet, which we don't have in our place right now...I've either felt to bad to type (or have had little to no time to write).

Tomorrow we'll have internet! Thank goodness, I'm having withdraw!
And then I'll be back to posting new pieces and giving a picture story of my daughter's first birthday.

till then...

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Happy Birthday!


Happy 1st Birthday to my precious baby girl, 
McKenzie Hope!

images copyright of Sarah W.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Remember the star wands...?




They are part of the invitations to McKenzie's party, 
which started out looking like this:



Then after my sweet hubby wasted the 10th piece of cardstock... we decided it would take months and a cart load of cardstock to make all 30+ boxes this way. 
So we instead purchased a few white 'gift boxes' and gave that a go. 
They were cute. But money is tight. So we searched for yet another way to give the invites out.
So the final product for many of the guests went out as this:


Paper source was my inspiration here. 
But, buying their envelopes that are done this way, would have been as expensive as the boxes..or more.  
So...
I just folded a piece of cardstock in half, cut it down to slightly larger than my invitation
glued the bottom and the one unfolded side 
cut a half moon shape and VIOLA!  
To mail, I just wrapped them in kraft paper and sent them on their way.

......Not as great as a box...but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Grosgrain...Kathleen's back, and at it again!

Grosgrain: The Lunch Date Blouse GIVEAWAY!!!!

Amazing, simple, beautiful....


....maybe, just maybe, I will be lucky enough to win this time :)
Use the link at the beginning of this post for your chance to win!

Monday, January 12, 2009

.... still so busy

I'm still busy.
Still all consumed with 1st birthday party plans.
I'm trying to complete new pieces for the shop, but it's super slow at this point.

Did a photo shoot of McKenzie today with my lovely friend Erin.
She was so kind to offer to come help me...
so I didn't have to settle for some small portrait studio I don't want to use.
(money is tight)

It went so much better than expected.
There were balloons and laughter.
And the photos turned out super cute...
if I do say so myself.

This is from the end of the shoot, walking back to the car...
it's all that I can show due to family and friends reading my blog
I don't want to spoil any cuteness (full outfit or pictures) before the party.
...all my favorites will be posted next week.



I've gotta finish up favors and other such things.
And later on this week, 
friend Jessica is offering up her creativity  
and helping me with McKenzie's cake.

I leave you with the adorable cake she made 
for her sister's baby shower this past weekend....




Tuesday, January 6, 2009

So busy...

I've been super busy lately.
Getting new pieces done for the shop.
Last minute invitation crafting.
Party prep.
And of course trying to soak up and enjoy the remaining weeks of my daughter's first year.

I'm a mushy person, and an even sappier mother.
I've been brought to tears by party preparation, thoughts of party day, moments of remembering her birth and those first weeks, and just watching her and the way her 'play' and interaction with us and others has changed.  
She's just growing so fast!


.... Friday Feature will resume next month, and maybe another giveaway too!

Friday, January 2, 2009

Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009!


Just hours before the New Year:


2008 had some bumps and bruises along the road. 
Some very rough times for us.
BUT...
2008 began with the BIGGEST blessing of our lives, Miss McKenzie Hope.
And that beats out the tough stuff any day!

and this month, our baby girl turns 1. Wow!
Invitations went out to most of the family during our Christmas visits, 
but many have not been finished or sent out. oops.
and I've got her shirt to make for her to wear with her fantastic tutu.
...plus a bib.
And desserts and snack foods to plan for....
I got all the supplies early 
but somehow putting all the ideas into action didn't happen as quickly as I had planned. Must get on it.


I leave you with a new bracelet. Find it here.