Create at Home

Color combinations for family photos

2013-11-10T15:04:00.001-08:00

'Tis the season for Christmas cards and we all know what that means... family photo shoots! I've recently photographed a few families and have been asked about how to choose outfits in different color schemes.

I pulled together a few outfit options from some of my favorite retailers (Carter's, Gymboree, Old Navy and Gap). You'll see examples of a Red + Brown and Pink + Navy. You can find sources to all these wardrobe pieces after I share some photo tips.

Here are a few of tips for group photos:

If it's intimidating for you to choose colors, limit your palette to two dominant colors. Most holiday cards out there will let you customize colors to match, or complement, the colors in your outfits. I think two colors maximizes the visual impact of the photographs, especially if you'll be using a collage of pictures in your holiday card design. The eye prefers the ease of scanning over just a couple repeating colors rather than a full rainbow of colors.
Aim for a balance of color saturation near the face of each person. What I mean by this is to avoid dressing family members in super contrast of colors, for example if someone is wearing a solid black shirt and another person is wearing solid white. It's not that it can't ever work (think bride and groom), but for balanced exposure it's helpful to have each subject wear similar shades or saturations of color so that no one looks washed out or even stands out too much. Overall, I prefer rich colors because I think the vividness evokes a celebratory holiday feel.
Avoid too many large patterns. I'm all about mixing and matching patterns. I think it gives the photographs a more textured, interesting look. However, you should aim for smaller prints, like pinstripes or gingham or small polkadots or florals rather than big, loud patterns that could give more visual weight to one family member over another. Statement pieces have their place, of course. For instance, a woman could choose a solid blouse with one dramatic jewelry item like a necklace or earrings. Or a man could opt for a solid sweater but wrap a scarf around his neck that has more of a pattern to it. Same thing goes for children (think accessories like headbands, hats and ties). Consider subduing a patterned top with a solid jacket or sweater vest. You still get the pop but it's a bit tamer than going all out. The goal is for the whole family to photograph evenly.

Red and brown

[consider with holiday card shown: Joyful Wreath from Shutterfly]

Dad: Old Navy men’s slim-fit oxford shirt in toasty ($29.95); Gap 1969 five-pocket cords in gray ($59.95); Old Navy men’s webbed-canvas red belt ($20)
Mom: Old Navy women's sequined fit & flare sweater dress in fawn heather ($42.94); Old Navy women’s rib-knit sweater red tights ($14.94); Old Navy sueded pumps in mouse house ($29.94); Gap mixed houndstooth scarf ($29.95)
Girl: Gap red knit dress ($39.95); Gymboree leopard rosette headband ($9); Old Navy girls tan studded ballet flats ($19.99); Gymboree Glitter Eiffel Tower tights ($14.95)
Boy: Gymboree tattersall shirt ($26.95) with Gymboree corduroy vest ($32.95); Gap loose jeans ($24.95); and Gap wool hi-top sneakers $29.95

Pink and navy

[consider with holiday card shown: Neon Mistletoe from Minted]

Dad: Old Navy blue dobby slim-fit shirt ($29.94); Old Navy classic fit khakis in pumice ($29.50); Old Navy men’s canvas sneakers in volcanic ash ($24.94)
Mom: Old Navy embroidered chiffon blouse ($29.94); Old Navy Sweetheart skinny jeans ($29.50); Gap suede booties in syrup ($89.95)
Girl: Carter’s chambray dot tunic ($10); Carter’s stretch jersey leggings in navy ($10); Old Navy girls studded ballet flats in pink ($19.94); Gymboree bow hair clip ($6)
Boy: Carter’s chino-style pants $21; Old Navy long-sleeved waffle tee ($8.94); Old Navy canvas laceless sneakers ($14.94)

Christmas gift bags

2012-12-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

Paper waste ought not to be a holiday tradition. So, in an attempt to do a little better in that department, I made some Christmas gift bags to reuse year after year.

I made a couple of different versions. The one above is basically how you'd make a pillowcase, but on a smaller scale and with the fabric doubled over for reinforcement. The handles are sturdy ribbon.

This was a simple one. Just spiffy up a presewn canvas tote using a coordinating strip of fabric or ribbon. I found red and natural canvas totes in various sizes at Hobby Lobby.

Less trash, more style. That sounds like a pretty good deal to me!

Art and puzzle table

2012-09-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

Our little play corner was begging for some TLC. I really wanted to have a space for the kids to sit comfortably to create art and work on puzzles--ideally something with some toy storage.

Look no further than IKEA for the basics, I say!

For under $60, I snagged a couple of ottomans, coffee table, wall lamp and some craft supply storage.

IKEA 365 44oz jar with lid (three for $2.99 each)

We keep the jars in a basket tucked away with paper and other art supplies in the adjacent cabinet.

LACK coffee table ($19.99) with Target's Sterilite Guacamole Green Plastic Basket (3 for $2.99 each)

SOLSTA PÄLLBO footstool (two footstools for $14.99 each). These have removable, washable slipcovers--perfect for cleaning up art messes.

SNÖIG wall lamp (green color was on sale for $7.99 in store; white and pink lamps are $19.99)

Budget
Stools = $29.98
Containers = $17.94
Table = $19.99
Wall lamp = $17.99
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TOTAL = $57.96 + tax

Recycled city

2012-07-13T20:49:00.002-07:00

Anyone looking for a rainy day activity? It's been stormy for nearly a week, so we've spent many hours indoors. One of my kids' favorite activities so far was building a city from recyclables.

Cardboard tubes, yogurt containers, parmesan shaker, coffee tin, egg carton... we just grabbed everything from our recycling bin and started creating buildings.

We covered the containers in construction paper. The children were the architects, stacking bottles and boxes and then I taped them all together.

"What kinds of buildings does a city need?" I asked my daughter. She decided we needed a library, a school and a grocery store.

She drew lines on the streets and designed where the street would go, taping it to the table. She reserved much of the road for a parking lot in front of the library.

A rubber duck from the bath tub gets relocated to our Duck Lake.

As soon as we added play cars to the cityscape, little brother became very interested.

Our egg carton converts into a car ramp.

A toilet paper tube and some green construction paper make a simple tree.

It took us longer to build it than actually play with it, but it was a fun morning nonetheless!

Adventures in vegetable gardening (pt 3 of 3)

2012-05-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

The garden is still producing, namely cantaloupe and bell peppers. Here's a recap of the bounty we received and some plans for the future.

Week 4 (04/16/12)

Week 6 (05/01/12)

My little garden helper picks our first two mature squash of the season!

Week 9 (05/18/12)

Harvested most of the lettuce. The leaves were becoming bitter, so I pulled up 2/3 of it to make more room for the encroaching cantaloupe.

Cantaloupe runners are spilling over into the yard. Do your thing, melons. Do your thing!

The bell pepper plants are budding.

And the squash will be goners soon. I didn't treat them for powdery mildew in time. I was unsure on what kind of spray to use, especially since I wanted to avoid chemicals. Someone told me baking soda and water would help, but I never tried it. Still, we harvested nearly 30 squash and zucchini before we lost the plants; not bad!

Short carrots could've been left in the ground a week longer, but my daughter and I were anxious to pick them.

Fruit tree: Mr. Mac Satsuma
Just in the nick of time, we planted a citrus tree before the summer heat hit.

The tree is pretty small right now, but will eventually have a canopy of 10 ft, which may eventually cause problems with adequate sunlight over the raised bed. But, that's several years from now, so I may change things by then anyway!

Future plans for our "backyard farm"

See the random places I planted squash and cantaloupe? I just couldn't bear to just compost them when I thinned the plants, so I gave the seedlings a shot in unamended soil alongside the house and in bare patches in the lawn. They didn't really produce, but at least I gave them a chance. In the future, I'd like to amend the soil along the house to plant lettuce (I think they were overexposed in the full sun.)

Next season, I'd love to remove the dead tree in the corner and make room for two more raised beds to plant some veggies on rotation. Maybe add another fruit tree and invest in some blueberry shrubs along the fence. A girl can dream!

My more short-term goal is to replace the failing squash plants with tomatoes for the remainder of the summer.

Read the archives:
Part 1
Part 2

Princess tea party

2012-05-02T12:26:00.021-07:00

Can a preschool-age girl avoid the princess obsession? I mean, twirly skirts and tiaras just seem to be a rite of passage these days!

Our daughter requested a princess birthday party, which then evolved into a princess tea party.

We welcomed our guests at the front door with a framed invitation mounted on white cardstock.

The kids got started on an activity while we waited for everyone to arrive. Coloring the castle, which the girls later dubbed the "Princess Club."

Now, the tables are ready. Simple white tablecloths. Folding chairs with tulle tied on back. Vases with lantana blossoms. Borrowed china cups and saucers.

Our guests sipped their "tea" (raspberry lemonade.) See the child wearing the crown above? That was another time-filler craft using faux gems and stickers.

While the kids enjoyed their tea, parents went inside to grab plates of food for themselves and to serve the princes and princesses. In the photo just above, we created "tea cups" using plastic Easter eggs and buttons (see the blog, Creativity in Progress, for instructions). Filled them up with pastel M&Ms.

Opening gifts was a hoot, especially when our son tried to steal the show with his adorable antics.

A few details on these decorations. I changed out the decorative items on these shelves in our dining room to fit the theme a bit--kinda minor, but I think it helped with cohesion. Strips of scrap fabric tied to twine made for a pretty bunting to drape from the window above the food table.

And the highlight of the party--THE CAKE! I baked a three-layer Baby Vanilla Bean Cake and my dear sister (who has taken a Wilton's decorating class) did this frosting technique. The topper for the cake was a tea cup and saucer that my daughter and I made in a pottery studio when she was 2 years old, so very sentimental. Much like this photo of us where she rested her head on my shoulder while we sang to her. *mommy's contented sigh*

Guests grabbed a favor bag on their way out the door. Basically, I cut a square of tulle, filled it with goodies like a ring, a flute, stickers, a crazy straw and some candy. Tied it with some yarn and handstamped the child's name on a piece of cardstock cut to mimic the shape of a tea bag.

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For my social butterfly of a daughter, a big birthday party is the best gift we could give her. It was a whirlwind afternoon, but oh-so-fun.

Please also see my Pinterest idea board for the party.

Adventures in vegetable gardening (pt 2 of 3)

2012-04-09T19:34:00.000-07:00

Planting Day (03/16/12)
I ordered seed packets from Park Seed:

Lettuce summer glory blend (5185)
Squash summer medley hybrid (5700)
Zinnia (4966)
Basil dwarf bush (0309)
Organic Italian Oregano (5878)*
Cilantro santo (0602)
Strawberry spinach (5471)*

*Didn't germinate; replaced with seedlings

Then I used a free garden design tool from Gardener's Supply Company to map out how I would plan the bed. I liked that the website also gave some tips for growing and harvesting.

Week 1 (03/23/12)

Basil sprouts. Had to thin these down to only one plant because I expect it to get large.

Cantaloupe grew quickly. Thinned to two plants.

A look at the whole garden.

Lettuce coming up strong.

Summer squash really thrives too!

My little helpers love to water (and stomp in the mud).

Week 2 (03/30/12)

I decided to try tomato cages to support some of the cantaloupe and summer squash.

Carrots seem delicate, but are getting sturdier as they grow.

Largest plants so far are lettuce and summer squash.

Another view of the whole garden. I've lost some of the zinnias along the back row to hungry birds! :(

Week 3 (04/06/12)

I planted the following varieties on April 1 to replace seeds that didn't germinate or young seedlings that were eaten by birds.

Green bell pepper
Red bell pepper
Orange bell pepper
Yellow bell pepper
Oregano
Pineapple sage

Carrots are getting taller.

One of the new bell peppers.

Lettuce varieties.

New pineapple sage plant.

More growth!

See also:
Part 1
Part 3

Adventures in vegetable gardening (pt 1 of 3)

2012-03-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

As you can see, last summer's drought killed much of the St. Augustine in our side yard. Rather than re-sodding this sad little sunny spot, I was inspired to start a veggie garden. It should be a better investment since we will (hopefully!) reap a bountiful harvest of fresh produce instead of watering an inevitably thirsty patch of grass over and over.

"Oh no," my husband groaned. "Another project."

But he was soon on board, like a real trooper, shoveling out the weeds and dead sod to make room for installing a raised bed. Our daughter was on earthworm patrol, pointing out all the creepy crawlies for us.

Just because I was taking photos doesn't mean I didn't put in my own sweat equity. Here's the cleared space.

We bought two raised bed kits from Home Depot. At $29.97 each, the Greenes 4-foot-by-4-foot Dovetail Cedar Raised Garden Kit was simple to assemble, with hardware included.

Along the way, we checked to make sure it was level, but with the overall grading of the soil still tilting away from the house and toward the fence for drainage purposes.

Another little helper pitches in after his nap. :)

Originally, we configured the kits in two separate 4x4 ft. beds. That's before I had the "duh" moment that it would have been smarter to make one large rectangle (4x12 ft), essentially adding 33% more planting space.

The next day, I got out there with the drill to reconfigure the beds.

Ah, progress.

Now, on to the soil. I used 4 bags of Miracle-Gro Expand 'n Gro on the bottom, followed by 3 bags of Miracle-Gro 2 cu. ft. Garden Soil for Flowers and Vegetables and 4 bags of .75 cu. ft. generic top soil.

The Expand 'n Grow soil is condensed and dehydrated, so you add water after pouring it.

It's supposed to increase in density up to 3 times out of the bag. For me, it doubled in size after I added water.

Here's the finished result after I got all three soil varieties mixed in, six inches deep. Stay tuned for planting day details! :)

Total project time from start to finish: 6 hours.

Time for a trim

2012-02-28T19:20:00.001-08:00

We all love some before-and-after shots, right? Especially when it documents proof of your progress after a project takes longer than you expected (read 2 hours) and gives you an extremely sore back. Well, I hope the results are worth it.

Here is our backyard. I just recently did some work on the edge of the grass that was creeping into the "alley" or whatever that gap is....ahhh, inheritance of landscaping from previous homeowners. And I also trimmed up the climbing Carolina jessamine at the back left.

But the project of the day was tackling that horribly shredded and yellowed mass of foliage at the base of the tree near the center. I affectionately call it "the tree tutu."

Last summer's drought really ravaged the poor plant (can anyone identify what it is, anyway?), but I was determined to try and rescue it.

So, here you are folks. All those deep green leaves were hiding beneath.

It was a real chore to individually trim out all the dead leaves. But, I keep staring out the window at the vast improvement it's made.

Now for some color in the backyard other than brown and green. More on those adventures later!

Chalk It Up to Love Valentine

2012-02-14T13:28:00.003-08:00

Don't know about you, but isn't there enough chocolate and candy to go around on Valentine's Day? Do the other moms a favor and give the kids this alternative instead.

Supplies

Zippered snack baggies (6.5 in x 3.25 in)
Strips of scrapbook paper or wrapping paper in Valentines-y print (6.5 x 4 in, folded to 6.5 x 2 in)
Stapler
White paper to print messages on
Glue stick
Bucket of sidewalk chalk

Instructions

Take a plastic zippered snack baggie and place one sidewalk chalk inside and seal.
Fold over a strip of scrapbook paper to cover the zippered top and staple at the two ends.
Print off your message, sign it, trim to size and glue it to the strip.

Easy peasy! Here's the printable message page (8.5 x 11 in, lettersize) with room for your child to sign his or her own name.

Travel cosmetic roll

2012-01-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

I'm finally learning how to sew (gasp!). For one of my first projects, I had success in using Nested's pattern for a crayon pouch. The next step was adapting the pattern into a travel cosmetic roll, which wasn't awfully challenging.

Here's the one I made for my sister's birthday. The overall dimensions are 7.5 in x 13.5 in (floral fabric), with the compartment section (solid pink felt) at 4.5 in x 13.5 in. The width for the individual makeup compartments range from 1–2 inches in width. You can just guesstimate the sizes as you go, or measure the items you're planning on inserting and do some customizing that way.

You can see that my stitching is far from perfect, but it gets the job done. I'm figuring out my sewing machine on my own after a short lesson from my aunt, and it's a process! I think I may have had the tension too tight for this project. See how the whole thing puckers?

Another way I adapted the original Nested pattern was that instead of having the ribbon tie, I opted to sew on some Velcro on the righthand edge of the pouch and about halfway on the opposite side.

This pink ribbon is purely decorative. After all, it's a gift, right?! :) The roll is actually secured by the Velcro. I figured tying and untying the ribbon after each use would get annoying.

Happy crafting, everyone!

Organized craft closet

2011-10-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

I suppose most people have catch-all closets, which is what became of this closet, originally intended for craft and sewing supplies. Crammed with clutter (although the perfect hide-and-seek spot for my kids), this closet was begging to be organized!

And, voila! Not a really dramatic change, but oh so much more functional. All I did was shift everything around into zones using existing drawers, boxes and other organizational tools.

SEWING ZONE: Color-coded fabric in an organizer right next to my sewing machine.

SEWING ZONE: Three drawers stash small sewing supplies like thread and needles, cross stitching miscellany and scrap fabrics.

GIFT AND CARD ZONE: A simple slotted rack on the wall displays greeting cards to choose from more easily than if stored stacked in boxes. I can also see, at a glance, which occasion I need to restock (anniversary, birthday, get well).

GIFT AND CARD ZONE: Rolls of wrapping paper and gift bags are stowed in a corner, along with tape and tissue paper.

GIFT AND CARD ZONE: Extra envelopes, address labels, standard thank you cards and stamps are tucked away on the wall adjacent.

IN PROGRESS ZONE: I tacked up some corkboard tiles on which to pin projects in progress, as well as magazine clippings and ideas. A tray on the desktop just below holds bulkier unfinished projects.

FILING ZONE: A row of magazine files are labeled according to my most frequent filing needs.

ART SUPPLY ZONE: I reserved the top middle shelf for miscellaneous art and craft supplies. Labels on the outside of clear drawers cut down on wasted time spent digging for stencils, stamps, scrapbook paper, etc.

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It's nice that everything has a "home" now, so I'm much less tempted to just pile things on the desk or shove them into a corner on the floor. I can walk in and find what I need quickly and have more motivation to put things back where they belong when I'm through.

How do you sort and organize a closet? Does "zoning" work well for you?

Embellished tote bag

2011-09-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

Inspired by this Prudent Baby tutorial, I adapted the French pouf design by using some scrap fabric I had on hand.

I added some beads to the center of the poufs and safety pinned them to the canvas bag (although I could have hand sewn them, I kind of like that they're removable and I could reposition them later, if needed).

The project was complete after I added some ribbon as trim to the top and then used fabric paint to write the word "Ballet." (I must admit that I should have matched the pinks better, but it still turned out pretty sweet.)

My daughter now totes her beautified bag to ballet/tap class! This would make a cute gift, don't you think?

Lemon and lime party

2011-08-29T14:36:00.000-07:00

With the tremendous help of my dear family at Rambellwood, I threw a summer citrus-themed party to celebrate my son's first birthday and the arrival of my niece. Double the fun!

Invitation | Lemons and limes set the theme (and color scheme). No custom design this time around--I just found a seasonal invitation, from Shutterfly.com.

Decorations | A homemade pennant banner using lime green polka dot print and an alternating solid yellow. Three paper lanterns float above the food table. Miniature chalk boards painted in green and yellow display the names of the two guests of honor: Henry and Lily.

Food and Drinks | What's better than homemade ice cream AND lemonade!? Sweet and tart combo...so delicious.

Food and Drinks | Work your way through the chicken salad sandwiches, pineapple and spinach salad. Then, indulge in these key lime tarts topped with zest!

Games | My creative cousins came up with a fun game for partygoers, old and young! Each guest was given a lime or lemon pin to wear, essentially dividing them into teams for games. The Limes and Lemons battled at Pin the Lemon/Lime on the Tree (see photo), a songwriting challenge and pictionary to boot!

Happy birthday, little man!

Photos courtesy of Johanna Ramsey.

Painted canvas wall art

2011-08-06T06:43:00.000-07:00

I picked up a canvas print from PierOne last season, attracted to the bold graphic hibiscus. The bright orange didn't fit my color scheme, but it occurred to me that I could take some craft paint and mix up a custom color to paint over the canvas.

Using the lines of the flower graphic, I just used a small paintbrush to guide the new paint over the existing. See progress in photo above. No prep needed!

Voila! New wall art in a custom blue shade.

OLIVIA party :: Budget and where to buy

2011-06-06T14:03:00.001-07:00

This is the fourth and final blog post about the now infamous Olivia party! :) I thought you readers out there might like to see a list of where I bought supplies and such. Where you see "free" that means I already owned the product.

FOOD & SERVEWARE

Cherrybrook chocolate cupcake mix (36 ct)... $10, Kroger
Strawberries... $6, Kroger
Watermelon... $5, Kroger
Popcorn... $3, Kroger
Mini-pepperoni pizza... $8, Kroger
Chips and salsa... $6, Kroger
Beverages... $12, Kroger
White Beverage Napkins (50 ct)... $2.49, Oriental Trading
Baking Cups & Picks (100 ct)... $4.99, Oriental Trading
Polka Dot Napkins (40 ct)... $2.29, Target
Square Red Plates (36 ct)... $3, Walmart
Reusable Red Kids Cups (12 ct)... $4, Target
Reusable White Adult Cups (12 ct)... FREE
Red & White Straws... FREE

DECORATIONS

Red Balloons... $10 for one dozen, Kroger
Red and White Polka Dot Ribbon... $2, Hobby Lobby
Foamcore for Lifesize Olivia... $5, Hobby Lobby
Red Pennant Banner... $7.99, Oriental Trading
Paint and brushes for art project... FREE
Exacto knife... FREE

ACTIVITIES

Egg Olivia Craft... $3 for Easter eggs, Target
Olivia Coloring Pages... FREE
Dress-Up With Red Mirror... FREE
Basketball, tee-ball, croquet... FREE

FAVORS

Red Pails (12 ct)... $8.99, Oriental Trading
Red and White Swirl Lollypops (24 ct)... $9.99, Oriental Trading

MISC PARTY SUPPLIES

Invitations (20 ct)... $7.60, Target
Postage (18 ct)... $7.92, USPS
Red Polka Dot and Black Damask Gift Wrap... $2, Target
Black cardstock for thank you cards... $3, Walmart

TOTAL= $147

We had 12 children and 16 adults (28 guests total), so I thought the party was fairly affordable to feed and entertain a crew of that size! To get all the Olivia party posts, click on the tag, "olivia" below.

OLIVIA party :: Crafts and activities

2011-06-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

By far, the biggest hit of the party was wagon rides around the backyard. They never tired of it! For the older kids, we had croquet set up in the side yard.

At the craft table, the kids enjoyed coloring sheets from NickJr.com.

We put together a cute Olivia egg craft from NickJr.com, too. It was great to use clearanced Easter eggs from earlier in the month. Note that it's best to use tacky glue for the craft as regular school glue didn't work too well for us.

Tucked away in the corner of the yard, we had a dress-up station with an open suitcase, props and a mirror. The sign on the suitcase reads: "Rule of Life #7: Whatever the question, costumes are always a good answer."

To get all the Olivia party posts, click on the tag, "olivia" below.

OLIVIA party :: Food and favors

2011-05-23T18:53:00.001-07:00

According to Olivia's Rule of Life #100, "Red is the very best color for absolutely, positively everything!" It wasn't difficult finding party-friendly red foods. We served sliced watermelon, cherry tomatoes, chips and salsa, white chocolate dipped strawberries and bagel pizzas with mini pepperoni as a kid-sized topping.

Chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting towered above the assortment of red foods. It was my mom's idea to add red hots to some of them. I loved how they turned out! I took a shortcut and got organic chocolate cake mix that was on close-out at the grocery store and then just made the frosting from scratch at home. I baked the cupcakes the night before the party and then frosted them the day of. The damask-patterned baking cups and picks came from Oriental Trading, and the black and white candles were from Hobby Lobby.

Again, taking a cue from Olivia's Rules of Life, I framed this saying, "Never miss a very important party." Along with the frame, I staggered our little red pail favors on a white tray and filled them with red swirl lollipops and Olivia stickers.

Our guests liked picking these up on their way out the door, and there was enough room in the pails to put the kids' crafts. My next post will give you the scoop on the crafts and other party activities!

To get all the Olivia party posts, click on the tag, "olivia" below.

OLIVIA party :: Decorations, invites and thank you cards

2011-05-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the Olivia children's books and Nick Jr. TV show, we threw a party last weekend for our 3-year-old, Natalie. This was a major undertaking, so I'm splitting up the details over several installments! :) Be on the lookout for these upcoming topics...

Food and favors
Crafts and activities
How I spent my $150 budget

Decorations: Olivia Cutout
OK, so you're probably wondering about that first photo with the adorable girl who happens to be hugging her favorite pig role model. Although my husband and I hold the patent for how to create that adorable girl, I can disclose how we created the "life-size" Olivia cutout!

It took the largest piece of white foam core I could find at Hobby Lobby, a handy 40% off coupon, and some paint and brushes already stocked in my craft closet. Oh yeah, and a utility knife that my husband begrudgingly used to cut around Olivia so the party guests could pose with her.

I started with this image of Olivia in her signature red and white stripes. I used a pencil to freehand sketch my approximation onto the foam core. Then, I used three basic paint colors--red, pink and black--and custom mixed to get some variations for the shadows and highlights. For example, tint the pink with some black to achieve the right color for the inside of Olivia's ears and her nose.

Alternatively, if painting isn't your forte, you can make an enlargement at a print shop and glue it onto the foam core. (See another Olivia party for directions on that project.)

Decorations: Paper Lanterns & Window/Wall Hanging
By now, you've probably noticed that our colors were red, white and black. As the centerpiece of the party, I hung red and black paper lanterns from the curtain rod over the food table and then suspended a frame, all using fishing line.

In a pinch, you can spray paint your paper lanterns to match the colors you're using. I happened to have a brown lantern just sitting unused in my garage (see center) and a can of black spray paint, so I repurposed it for this party.

Some of you may recognize the white frame from a previous post. My mom helped me with this project by lining the back of the frame with black damask gift wrap paper, then hot-glueing two black ribbons along the width of paper to disguise the paper seams. I cut out the initial "N" from some scrap red cardstock and glued it over the top. Very simple, very inexpensive. I liked how the paper almost looks like fabric; the way it filtered the window light was really nice, too.

Decorations: Signage
Using more gift wrap (this time red and white polkadots), we covered a yard sign and glued on a print-out of Olivia welcoming our guests. We tied a red balloon to the sign and stuck it in the front yard.

Another sign in the back yard read "Don't be a messy pig! Please recycle here." Again, I covered another sign with cardstock, wrapped some grosgrain ribbon around it and attached a print-out and a balloon.

Invitations
My idea for the party truly began when I found these red, black and white invitations at Target on clearance. I originally thought I'd use pink in the color scheme (you know, piggy pink), but I really liked the more grown-up appeal of the red, white and black--not so cutesy.

Thank You Cards
Our homemade thank you cards only took some leftover damask gift wrap glued to black cardstock and a printed sticker that matched the other party details. FYI, the typeface I used is called "Daniel." The birthday girl scribbled on some index cards that I glued to the inside of the cards along with a note of thanks for her gifts. At least I'm teaching her some old-fashioned manners in the midst of all this crafting! ;)

That's it for now, folks! Stay tuned for the rest of the party details soon. To get all the Olivia party posts, click on the tag, "olivia" below.

Rainbow Art Collage

2011-02-15T19:36:00.000-08:00

Looking for a rainy day activity with quick set-up and toddler/preschooler appeal?

I recently did an impromptu art project with my toddler using magazine clippings in all the colors of the rainbow. I drew the outline of the rainbow with the color names on the left and set out a pile of magazine clippings. My toddler sorted the clippings by color and used a glue stick to arrange them on the arc that matched the color.

Although she ran out of clippings to complete the rainbow, we hung it up anyway and have been working on it in stages as I have time to clip more magazines. By the way, the colors we used were: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple (a simplified version of Roy G. Biv).

Bee Mine Valentine

2011-02-09T19:15:00.000-08:00

Here's your step-by-step for some adorable valentines that you can make with your toddler or preschooler.

1) You'll need a pack of medium tags and pink dye ink pad from a craft store (these are from JoAnn's Fabrics).

2) Have your child use their fingerprint to make a single mark on each tag. Disclaimer: this ink can be messy, so supervise your child closely.

3) Repeat, repeat! :)

4) Now, it's Mom's turn. Draw details on the bees using a thin-tipped black marker and write your "BEE MINE" message in pink. Tie to a small Juicy Juice box as a gift for classmates. Choose the Juicy Juice punch flavor for the pink packaging to match your sweet bees.

Retrofitted Baby Changing Stations

2011-01-23T06:56:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of just using what you've got, whenever possible. You can creatively repurpose almost anything; it saves money, reduces waste and just makes sense.

When you have a baby, there's a big push (no pun intended) to buy all new furniture, including a changing table. I really didn't want a matching nursery set anyway, so I looked around the house for what would work for a changing station. Virtually any sturdy piece of furniture that is about waist-height can be retrofitted for that purpose.

For our firstborn, I ended up using an antique table I had in storage. I painted it white and situated a changing pad on top. To allow easy access to diapers and other necessities, I purchased a stand-alone cabinet with shelving and hung it above the changing table.

For the second iteration of the changing station with Baby #2, I updated the cabinet with some discounted paint. I used my grandmother's sewing machine cabinet, changing out the hardware for a more contemporary look. I like the extra storage that the drawers provide. A new changing pad and a wall lamp complete the ensemble.

Always look for ways that you can repurpose existing furniture. Do you have any ideas or links to share of projects you've pulled off?

Colorful Christmas Menu

2010-12-25T14:03:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share my Christmas menu and some preparation tips with you! Our spread was so colorful and the flavors balanced well.

One of my favorite cooking shows is Food Network's "Cooking for Real" with Sunny Anderson. I used two of her recipes this year: Turkey with Pan Gravy and Garlic Green Beans. I didn't have any sage for the turkey, so I just substituted thyme and more rosemary. It was the juiciest turkey meat I've ever had--well worth the time it took to brine it in the fridge. And the seasoned rub and olive oil basting gave the whole bird such a lovely golden finish. The Garlic Green Beans were tasty and fresh; I found them less heavy than the traditional goopy green bean casserole.

Not wanting the turkey neck and giblets to go to waste, my husband made Cornbread Dressing, a Southern Living recipe (see top photo, far left). I have to commend him for being resourceful, even when we didn't have all the ingredients on hand. He made do, and it turned out great.

For me, another go-to resource for recipes is Better Homes and Gardens. I tried their Sweet Potatoes with Toasted Pecans and Creamed Corn Casserole. I liked the creaminess of the sweet potatoes along with the crunch of toasted pecans on top. Also, both these recipes lent themselves well to pre-holiday prep. The corn casserole took up no oven space by cooking in the CrockPot throughout the morning, and I whipped up the sweet potatoes the day before and had them stashed in the fridge awaiting the oven.

Forget the canned sludge! I made fresh cranberry relish for the first time, using this recipe from the Closet Cooking blog. I might not include the orange peel next time (it was a little bitter for my liking), but I loved the texture of the relish and the brilliant color.

Lastly, for dessert, I opted for the classic pumpkin and pecan pies. I used Whole Food Market's Old Fashioned Pecan Pie and the simple recipe from the back of Libby's canned pumpkin. Admittedly, I made a shortcut by using Pillsbury pre-made crusts, but I needed all the timesavers I could get with a 4-month-old and 2-year-old underfoot and a long list of other to-dos! :) The pecan pie was good but different than one made from Karo syrup. It used honey and maple syrup instead, so it was healthier and not as sugary.

COOKING TIMELINE (to eat by 12:30 pm, Christmas Day)

Dec. 21:

Go grocery shopping

Dec. 22:
Brine the fresh (not frozen) turkey and leave in fridge for up to 3 days

Dec. 24:

- Bake pies

- Make cranberry relish

- Prepare sweet potatoes to refrigerate overnight

- Assemble spices for the turkey rub and leave on counter

- Set out all your other ingredients in stations, along with serving dishes

- Set the table in advance

Dec. 25:

- 7:00 am: Pull turkey out of the fridge and do prep for roasting, allow to rest at room temp

- 8:00 am: Assemble creamed corn casserole and turn on slow cooker, set to 4 hrs on high

- 8:30 am: Put turkey in the oven

- 10:45 am: Turkey comes out of oven

- 10:50 am: Toast pecans for sweet potato casserole (10 min)

- 11:00 am: Put cornbread dressing in oven, side by side with sweet potato casserole

- 11:30 am: Make green beans

- Noon: Make pan gravy from turkey drippings; cornbread dressing comes out of oven; add marshmallows to sweet potato casserole

- 12:15 pm: Take out s.p. casserole; carve the turkey

- 12:30 pm: Call everyone to the table, say a prayer of blessing and serve one tasty meal!

GENERAL TIPS

Whenever possible, use a food processor to do your prepwork for you. I despise chopping onions and never get them finely diced because tears are streaming down my face by that point. A food processor takes care of this job for me and takes a fraction of the time.
Make a habit of growing herbs in your flower garden, windowsill or the like. It's such a cost-saver and handy in a pinch when you have to make a substitution.
Don't throw away the turkey carcass/bones. Put them in a dutch oven, fill with water and simmer for one hour to make turkey broth to freeze for later use. No need to buy broth at the store!

Whew! I'm done, folks. Hope this helps you out for next year. Merry Christmas to all...and to all a good night!

No-Sew Advent Calendar

2010-12-01T09:35:00.000-08:00

Repeat after me: "Tacky glue is my best friend." Seriously, I got this entire project completed with just one bottle of that adhesive awesomeness. I own a sewing machine but (tsk, tsk) I haven't learned to use it, so I rely on glue and iron-on tape to get the job done on most of my crafts.

Supplies/Instructions:

1 - 22x34-inch fabric of your choice (I chose one with polka dots which made for less guesswork and tedious measuring on the rows for the calendar and when folding over the edges to glue to the back! Just follow the row of polka dots. Could work the same way with a striped fabric.)
1 - 9x12-inch light blue felt and scrap felt pieces cut for the manger scene (forest green for hills, brown for barn structure)
25 - 3x3-inch felt squares for the pockets (5 rows of 5)
Stencil-cut numbers for Advent pockets (1 through 25)
1 - dowel rod trimmed to 22 inches
Ribbon to tie on each end of dowel rod for hanging
Tacky glue
Fabulous Foam Self-Adhesive Nativity Shapes (500-pc from Oriental Trading; $7.99) There are two sizes of nativity shapes that come in this pack. I sorted them and, using the larger ones, I will have enough pieces now for eight years! Sheep, stars and palm trees all made double or triple appearances in the Advent calendar to have enough to fill up 25 pockets.

A foam sticker peeks out of one of the pockets. Tip: Use a stencil flipped over to trace the numbers in reverse on the felt. When you go to cut them out, any pen marks on the back will be hidden.

Tip: Using 9x12 sheets of pre-cut felt, you'll have enough 3x3 pieces cut out from 3 sheets to make 24 pieces. Use some excess felt of another color to make your pocket for Day 25...Christmas!

Here's what it looks like hanging from a door using a wreath hanger.

It's All in the Crust

2010-11-11T17:22:00.000-08:00

It happens every holiday season. With all the tempting recipes out there, I get on these baking sprees. I even relish the long process of making homemade crusts. Here are my "kitchen notes:"

Pear-Plum Pie from Better Homes and Gardens
This is the most fabulous pastry crust I've ever tasted. Definitely a winner to keep in your recipe files!

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake from Kraft Foods

Be careful not to bake this too long. Recipe says 1 hr 20 min, but I'd check it at 1 hr to make sure the crust isn't getting too dark. It was a little overdone, but still yummy.