The Elephant of Surprise

My Recipe Go-Tos: Cucumber Limeade Slush

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I decided to start a new little series here on the blog of go-to recipes. Since I don't consider myself a cook by any stretch of the imagination, it will probably be a very little series. To make it into the series the recipe has to be something I make often, a recipe I often get asked for, and EASY. Most of them are ones you can repeat from memory.

Since the first official day of summer is this Friday, I thought we'd start with this easy summery drink. My good dental school friend introduced me to this delicious concoction, and it has become my official party beverage.

Ingredients:

1 can frozen limeade concentrate

2-2 liter bottles Sprite or 7 Up

1 cucumber, sliced

pebble ice

(I get a bag at Sonic for a couple bucks. Some grocery stores will carry it also.)

Mix your limeade concentrate and soda in a punch bowl. Add as much ice to the bowl as you like (I like tons--like a slushy), and throw in your sliced cucumber. DONE. It is so easy, but honestly so delicious. The cucumber makes it so cool and refreshing--you'll feel like you're drinking something fancy.

Hope you love it.

Babyhood

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This little pickle turned 11 months yesterday.

Can't believe that in one more, he will officially leave babyhood behind. Where does the time go?

I got a new fancy camera for my birthday last month. Those of you photographers out there can probably tell I don't have a clue what I'm doing with it. But even still, I'm kind of in love with these shots of my baby. I'm excited to take more.

I'm curious--what do you do during the first 12 months to memorialize your child's babyhood? Do you keep a traditional baby book? Scrapbook? Do you do a monthly photo session? Video?

Every once in a while I start panicking that time is slipping away too fast and I haven't documented well enough. I try to take the same picture of my little one every month and then add the milestones from the month in text. Like so.

My, how he's grown.

I tried a full blown scrapbook with my first baby, but kind of gave up after 4 months. This was a little more practical, and I kept on top of it a lot better. I'd really love to hear the fun things you do.

OUR HOUSE: Kitchen Before and After

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

There are so many things I love about this home we live in. My in-laws own this house, and we are so blessed to call it home while my husband is in dental school. When they first bought it, however, there were a few areas that needed some sprucing up.

One year when I was a little girl, I got the Barbie motor home for Christmas. Of course it was 100% pink, as most of Barbie's world is, and I saw nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, I thought it ROCKED. Fast forward to adulthood, and now I just can't imagine a time in real life when it was cool to have baby pink counter tops. But here is the proof in photos.

I had to search for these before photos online because I never took any, so they aren't great. But you get the picture. This kitchen was pink. And the lights were neon boxes. And practically grazed the top of your head. And you can't see this, but the cabinets were grimy. And the appliances were scary. And the faucet sprayed you when you turned it on. That's all.

But NOW it is BEAUTIFUL.

At least I absolutely love it.

My in-laws did every last bit of improvement you see here themselves with the exception of placing the granite. That included painting the cabinets and adding the hardware, molding, and bead board. Replacing the sink, fixtures, and all other appliances. Raising the CEILING! , moving the pantry (not pictured), installing new can lights and a tile backsplash. I'm just so grateful they have this talent/hobby!

I've loved making this beautiful house our home, and adding elements that reflect our style and personality. With three hungry boys in the house, I spend a lot of time in this room.

In a few short weeks, a few other rooms of our home will be featured on the blog, Life Made Lovely. I'll keep you posted as it gets closer so you can check it out. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Party Hop Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I hope you all have enjoyed the party this week. I had a blast! Getting to collaborate with some amazingly talented bloggers was so awesome for me. Thank you, Sara at Confetti Sunshine for asking me to be a part of this fun event, and to all of you readers who participated in all the "hopping around." I hope you were inspired by all the star gazing goodness.

As promised, we have a TRULY fabulous giveaway to end this party with a bang!!

11 prizes 11 winners

Check out one of these prizes you could win!

Simply enter the form below for your chance to win!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Another huge shout out to the bloggers who participated in the party! Be sure to follow their blogs and follow them on Facebook so you don't miss any of their brilliant work.

The Elephant of Surprise

Shiny Happy Sprinkles

Confetti Sunshine

DIY Galaxy Pillowcases--and Links to MORE Out-of-This-World Projects

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I'm so excited to finally share my DIY project for the Star Gazing Party! It has been a blast to share all the other fun projects with you this week--I hope you've received plenty of inspiration. I sure have.

These Galaxy pillowcases are so easy! And since you're bound to have pillows and blankets strewn about a star gazing party, you might as well have them go with the theme!

To make these pillowcases, you will need the following:

-black pillowcases (I purchased a two pack at Walmart for a little over $5.00)

-bleach

-spray bottle

-white craft paint

-glow-in-the-dark craft paint

-fabric medium (pictured, but probably not really necessary. I think it just makes the paint a little softer on your fabric.)

-paintbrushes and toothbrush

-gloves and plastic table cloth (if you like to be careful and whatnot)

Step 1: Twist your pillow case. Step 2: Randomly spray bleach all over (less tends to be more with this project). Step 3: Turn over and repeat on the other side. Let bleach "process" for a few minutes and then WASH WITH DETERGENT IMMEDIATELY.

Step 4: After you've dried your pillowcases, use the "toothbrush spraying method" to distribute both your glow in the dark and white paints (I like using both because glow-in-the-dark obviously ROCKS in the dark, but the white looks better in the light). Step 5: Use your paintbrush to paint on dots (stars, planets, moons) of various size. Step 6. Let dry and repeat on the other side.

AND VOILA!!

Kind of trippy how you can just stare into it for hours like the real night sky, huh? Okay, maybe not hours . . .

Thanks so much for stopping by, and another huge thanks to Sara at Confetti Sunshine for organizing this most splendid party hop!

And please stop by these blogs today for tutorials on the following AMAZING projects:

See you back here tomorrow to wrap up the party, and with info on a SPECTACULAR giveaway!

Star Gazing Party: More Fab Details and Treats!

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I hope you were able to visit all the blogs that were featured in yesterday's post. Weren't the projects so fun? We have a handful more to showcase today, along with a few treats (what's a party without them, right?). Remember to visit each individual blog for the tutorial, and leave them a sweet comment!

These DIY coasters help add that extra touch. Check out Assemble Shop for the how-to.

Add some cute ambiance lighting with these tissue lanterns by Confetti Sunshine.

I am such a sucker for mason jars. Check out these delicious looking drinks at Kate Landers Events.

These star-shaped treats are adorable and look so yummy. Check out the DIY for these at Lulu the Baker.

And finally, you can get all your party food to coordinate beautifully with these little star food picks. Head on over to My Paper Pinwheel for instructions on these.

I'm having so much fun with this party. I hope you're loving it too. Remember to come back tomorrow for our last round of DIY tutorials. Mine will be included! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Star Gazing Party: Tutorials

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I hope everyone is loving this Star Gazing Party as much as I am! Today you'll find links to the first round of projects, so you can create this party yourself.

Every good party starts with an adorable invite . . . Head over to Confetti Sunshine for this printable:

Next up, you'll want to add some beautiful centerpieces. Frog Prince Paperie has got you covered with instructions on these:

I think a cute garland is a must for any party. This 3D Star Garland is one you could use time and time again. See the tutorial for this over at Creative Juice.

Another party essential: cute cupcake toppers. Find out more about these over at See Vanessa Craft.

And last but not least--this cool galaxy backdrop will really set the tone for a night under the stars! Find out how you can make your own at Shiny Happy Sprinkles.

I'm looking forward to learning how to make all these projects just like you are! Be sure to visit each of these blogs and give them some love in the comments!

Also, keep coming back each day this week for more cool projects (my project is set for Thursday), and of course the chance to win a prize on Friday!

Thanks for reading.

The Party Hop Presents: Star Gazing Party

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Summer is swiftly drawing near, and I am THRILLED about it. If you have summer birthdays in your house, or just want to celebrate that school's out, this Star Gazing Party is the perfect way to celebrate!

Sara at Confetti Sunshine organized this fabulous party, and invited me and some pretty amazing bloggers to each create a project for it. It turned out beautiful didn't it? This is such a fun backyard party that you don't even need a reason to host it. All the decor, treats, and party favors are DIY projects that you can do. All this week we will be featuring the details of the party, and the tutorials for all the projects you see here. These are the AMAZING bloggers participating:

The Elephant of Surprise

Shiny Happy Sprinkles

Confetti Sunshine

And if you're not excited yet, here are a few other photos of what's to come:

We also want to give a big shout out to a few sponsors who helped to make this party fabulous:

Trophy Cupcakes - www.trophycupcakes.com

@trophycupcakes on twitter

https://www.facebook.com/trophy.cupcakes on Facebook

Posting on instagram? You can find them at instagram.com/trophycupcakes or tag photos #trophycupcakes

pinterest http://pinterest.com/trophycupcakes/

Splendid Sweet Shoppe - https://www.etsy.com/shop/SplendidSweetShoppe?ref=pr_shop_more

Vintage Ambiance - http://www.vintageambiance.com/

Check back here every day this week for more beautiful pictures and details. I will also be sure to give you the link to the tutorials of your favorite projects.

And since no party is complete without something fun to take home, there will also be a sweet giveaway when we wrap up on Friday. Don't miss it!

See you back here tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Photo Packaging Ideas by Leslie Leavitt Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Fri, 31 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

My talented sister, Leslie, from Leslie Leavitt Photography is guest posting today! Since she is always sending out photos to clients, she's kind of an expert on how to package them up cute and special. You will love these photos, and hopefully they will inspire you to package up some of your own to give away!

What I love about my business (besides taking photos) is packaging. I love getting all of my prints and products ready for my clients to see them and I always hope that they are as excited as I am when they see them!

I am always giving photos as gifts, for birthdays, mother's day, christmas and every holiday in between. Everybody loves photos and it really does make the best gift for any occasion. But no matter what, it can always look really fun and extra special with just a few easy embellishments.

Making sure I tell my clients how much I appreciate them is very important to me. This is a thank you card I made with just scrapbook paper and a stamp. Very simple, but very cute!

Some of the things I use to wrap up my photos are cute paper bags, doilies, bakers twine, tags, and washi tape.

I like to have the packaging consistent with my brand. I use the colors black, turquoise, and red, and throw in hearts whenever I can.

Hopefully this gives you a little gift wrapping inspiration, and also inspires you to give some special photos away. Thanks!

Thanks Leslie, for the lovely ideas! Be sure to check out Leslie's blog leslieleavittphotography.com to see more of her awesome photos!

I {HEART} Seattle Photos

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Mon, 27 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I hope you're enjoying your Memorial Day weekend! I spent the first part celebrating my first-born's 3rd birthday, and I have to say . . . it was pretty amazing. If you'd have asked me a few years ago how amazing Thomas the Train rides, Cars cakes, and garbage trucks could be, I wouldn't have said very much, but there we have it. AMAZING.

Anyway, on to today: In my dining room, I have these beautiful photos of Seattle's Pikes Place Market displayed. I love these because it reminds me of home and where I'm from, and because my sister, Leslie took them. Is there anything better in the home than those one-of-a-kind, personal touches? I don't think so.

She's currently home visiting, and just took even more stunning Pike's Place photos that I will need to add to my collection. Go check out her post, and see how Seattle is looking this spring.

And while we're on the topic of beautiful photos (can we ever get enough photos in our lives??), Leslie is going to be guest posting later here this week on the very subject. She's going to be sharing ideas on how to gift those precious photos we love so much. If you have beautiful photos hiding out in Costco photo lab envelopes, you will want to read that post. Set them free!! Because, I am here to tell you, there is nothing better than receiving beautiful photos as a gift (thank, Les!).

Mark Your Calendar!

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I have a few things lined up this summer that I'm really excited about. The first one is coming up in just a couple weeks, and you're going to love it!

My talented friend, Sara over at Confetti Sunshine has planned an AMAZING party hop, and she was kind enough to invite me to be a part of it. What's a party hop, you ask? Here's the nitty gritty: 14 bloggers individually created a project--a party favor, decoration, or treat--all centered around the theme, Star Gazing (awesome, right?). We sent our finished projects to Sara who is (probably at this very moment) staging a beautiful party for you all to see!

The party goes live June 3 and lasts all week. You can catch every bit of the party here (as well as on the other 13 blogs), but in order to get the tutorials for each project you see, you'll have to check out the blog of the person who made it. I hope this all makes sense! It's going to be a blast! I'd love to tell you about my project, but I want you to be surprised. In the meantime, check out the EXTREMELY talented other bloggers who are participating, and get even more excited!

Confetti Sunshine

Love The Day

Creative Juice

Shiny Happy Sprinkles

See Vanessa Craft

Kate Landers Events

Assemble Shop & Studio

Rainy Day Fishing

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

We've been experiencing some spring rain around these parts. I don't mind it a single bit, except that my little ones are kind of already in outdoor mode. Our neighborhood walks and backyard play times are officially back into the daily routine. When it rains, we need something to fill those slots in the lineup.

I made this fishing set for my oldest little babe on a whim one day, and it is the perfect little activity to break up the play time norm. I keep it stored out of sight, so he kind of forgets about it, and thus gets excited when I bring it out on rare occasion.

I don't have tutorial pics, but it was the easiest project on the planet. You know those foam sheets they sell at the craft store in a myriad of colors for, like, 40 cents a piece? Pick up a bunch of those, a couple wooden dowels, some paper clips, round magnets, string, and hot glue, and you're half way there.

Cut fish shapes out of the foam sheets and stick a paper clip through each (or safety pin, or whatever metal doodad you have that would work). Say you want to go above and beyond, and want to make this educational. Use a sharpie to write numbers on each fish. Now you can ask your child the color and number of each fish caught. You can have them line up their fish numerically. To each numbered fish, you can assign prizes, or tasks to complete, or songs to sing. What an over-achiever you are!

For the fishing pole, cut a piece of string to the desired length. Hot glue one end of the string to the end of your dowel, and hot glue the other end to your magnet. If you try and get fancy with thumb tacks or something you will regret it. Stick with the hot glue. We have a sunken family room, and so my son likes to fish from above, on the other side of the railing. You know, it gives that legit dock feeling.

My personal favorite part of the whole fishing set (and the least important, that my son could care less about) is the little draw string bag I store all the fishies in. This will take a little longer to explain, so maybe one of these days I'll whip up a tutorial for them. In the mean time, there are dozens of how-tos on Pinterest. Just search, "fabric drawstring bags." They are super easy.

Do you have a go-to rainy day activity? I'd love to hear about it!

All Photos by Leslie Leavitt Photography

13.1

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

On May 4th I completed my second ever half marathon! I made a goal after my first son was born to run a half marathon before each of my babies' 1st birthday. So far, I am 2 for 2! To commemorate another 13.1 miles down, I thought I would compile a little list-- 13 THINGS EVERY HALF MARATHONER SHOULD DO from my race and training. To go along with the list are some epic/cringeworthy photos from race day--courtesy of my supportive and talented friend, Suzy Holman.

At my expense, enjoy.

1. Bust out your very best running form as you cross the finish line. This is where the most pictures are taken, so you definitely don't want to look stupid.

2. Have a victory song playing on your ipod.

3. Group hug.

4. Strut your stuff. You just ran 13.1 freaking miles.

5. High-five your babies. Nothing better THE ENTIRE day than seeing those sweet faces on the side lines cheering you on.

6. Have no shame in taking each and every treat they hand out at the finish line. You just burned about a bajillion calories, right?

7. Wear neon team uniforms.

8. Capture the details.

9. Share the joy (and treats) with your fans. I LOVE these people and couldn't have run a single step without them.

10. Find the world's greatest group of bffs in dental school to motivate you to sign up, train in the pouring rain, wake up at 4:30 on race day, and make it to the finish line.

11. Wear matching headbands.

12. Have another AMAZING friend who is also an amazing photographer surprise you all at the finish line.

13. Celebrate together. One of my favorite things about race day is running alongside so many different people. The ones you knew before, and the strangers alike all feel like friends. There's such a great energy around when so many people are working to achieve a goal. As you're running, think about all the obstacles people may have had to overcome to be there that day. Think about how hard you've worked. Think about what a wonderful gift your body is.

All Photos by Simply Suzy Photography

Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I have a button now! Neat. See it over there in the sidebar and take one if you'd like.

I'm definitely not the techiest lady on the planet, so I have to do a little subtle fist-pumping when something like this goes my way. If you need a good tutorial on creating a little button for your blog, I HIGHLY recommend this one. This Code it Pretty lady has smarts and style to boot.

Grant's Room

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

There are a few funny things I've realized about myself and getting my rooms photographed. One, I never can quite claim the room is "complete." And two, even after all the work and projects I have completed, I step back and it still feels so EMPTY. So what I'm saying is, if you feel like you are seeing the same three things over and over again in these pictures, fear not that you are going crazy. That's all there is to see here!

I love me a good collage wall. For this one I give credit to my sister and the sea. I think the mix of frames, and the mix of photos and objects strikes a nice balance.

Since we have a play room where most of the toys are kept, all that's really left to the bedrooms besides beds, are books. Seriously. I even took the dresser out because I found it being used as a prop during nap-time adventures. I'm lucky I got it out before my crazy kid got squashed flat as a pancake. Now all his clothes are hung or in a small, lightweight cubby unit inside the closet. Anyway, it's just books now, and we store them in these rain gutter book shelves.

Gotta love a handmade mobile. Click here for instructions on how this one was made.

Back to the other corner of the room.

Although there isn't much substance to this room (less to make a mess with, right?), I wanted their to be plenty for my son to look at. In the corner above his bed there is a little hanging seagull (a once colorful, cardboard one I just painted white), and some vinyl cutouts I made on my Cricut. I honestly don't think the silhouette bird shape would be hard to mimic by hand, though.

Maybe my favorite thing in the whole room (we'll call it the crown jewel), is the headboard. It was so simple to make that it makes me love it that much more. When we moved into this house, there was a dilapidated little wood shed in the backyard we tore down immediately. But rest assured its spirit lives on in the form of many, many projects in my home. I LOVE reclaimed wood.

To make it, I painted the boards with watered down paint. A little sanding here and a little sanding there. My husband then sawed the boards to my annoyingly specified lengths (it takes work to achieve that truly random look, as you know.) He then drilled them onto two 2x4s that run perpendicular--just like a fence. AND . . . it was finished. We stuck that little beachy fence behind my son's IKEA toddler bed, and wedged between it and the wall it doesn't budge a bit.

The orange and brown striped pillow I made (for his nursery long ago) by using iron on adhesive on the back of satin ribbon and ironing it on the pillow case. The pretty blue one I bought at IKEA. The quilt was his baby quilt made by my mother-in-law.

And there you have the sparse, but beachy toddler room. Surf's up!

All Photos by Leslie Leavitt Photography

Mother's Day Silhouette Gift Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Aimee) — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I am slightly obsessed with silhouettes lately. And I'm even slightly more obsessed with my wee babes. Within the past few months their sweet little profiles have appeared all over my house, my neck, and in gifts to their grandparents (who are the only others who may rival my obsession with these cute boys).

I thought I'd share these projects with you as a little Mother's Day gift inspiration. I realize this is a little late coming, but keep in mind these projects are super simple, and really fast. Or you can just tuck these ideas away for another day.

Before I talk about the individual projects, let me talk about actually creating the silhouette image. There are great professional resources for creating these images, but I like FREE, so I made mine myself. Here's how:

1. I sat my sons sideways in front of a white curtain where lots of light was shining through and took their picture on my camera with NO flash.

2. The image was already pretty defined and dark, but with a "contrast" setting on my camera phone, I increased the contrast between my son's face and the white curtain. Since every phone is different you will have to play around with this part.

3. I uploaded the photo to Microsoft Word and used the image contrast feature there to make it totally solid black and white. I cropped it so only the head and bust remained, and copied and pasted it multiple times on the document in various sizes. Now I have a bunch of templates in various sizes to use for a myriad of projects.

After creating my silhouette images, I basically copied this tutorial for the pendants. I love how mine turned out and wear this necklace ALL the time.

These framed images were my first project. I cut out a printed silhouette from Microsoft Word in the exact size I wanted. I traced it onto black paper, and cut again. Then I made the mats from scrapbook paper, glued the silhouettes on, and framed them.

A few months later I took my oldest son's framed silhouette down, removed it, traced it onto fabric, and then filled it in with black paint. Then I sewed that little painted piece of fabric right onto a little pillow for his little chair. He was so excited about "sitting on his face."

If you have kids, think how much your mother or mother-in-law would love a little silhouette of her grandbabies. They look so cute all framed together. Or if you're thinking you'd like your own necklace this Mother's Day, send a link to this post over to your husband. I'm sure there's nothing in the world he'd love better than to make this!

Thanks for reading.

photos by Leslie Leavitt Photography

Mother's Day Cards

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Happy Monday! I had such a wonderful weekend--the highlight being my half marathon, which I will cover later in the week. I hope you enjoyed your weekend, too. We are in the final days before Mother's Day, and I am scrambling (as usual) to get my Mother's Day project completed. If you are in the same procrastinators boat as me, you may find today's post useful. I asked my sweet sister-in-law to help me out with this one.

Lauren LOVES to make cards. She always makes a special one for each family member on their birthday or special day. Today she is going to show us how to whip up a couple cute Mother's Day cards. Take it away, Lauren!

Home Is Where Your Mom Is

I found this saying on pinterest and thought it perfect for my own mother who has recently moved into a home. Although it's beautiful, I have often complained that it wasn't "home" because I didn't grow up there or what not. Anyway, home is so much more than that and I wanted to use the saying as a basis for a card.

I started with color choices - I'm on a gray/turquoise kick right now and wanted a little splash of bright color. I chose yellow because it looked good and my parent's new house has a yellow door.

I chose a base layer paper and paper colors for the "house".

I sewed on a yellow ribbon with a sewing machine, but you can do it by hand too.

Place the house paper where you want it and glue. Then lay out the letters. You could do anything with the fonts - stickers, print, cut outs or manually. I used stickers for "home" and "mom" and did free-hand cursive.

#1 Mom Card

I always start with an envelope. I pick the size and color first. Then I make my card from card stock and a simple measurement so it fits the envelope.

For this card, it's all about layers.

I have one base layer, a strip of brown cut to look like a banner, and a strip of grey below. I wanted to keep the background colors simple so that the blue ribbon would stand out.

To make the ribbon, take a small piece of paper in a rectangular shape and scored it. Then you'll fold it into an accordion style piece of paper, pinch in the center and make the sides meet each other. When gluing the sides together, you'll have to hold it for a minute while it dries.

I glued the ribbon strips down first (after all the paper was attached to the card) and then placed the accordion "ribbon" on top. Then I topped it with a small circle that reads "#1 Mom"

So, so, simple and could be used for any occasion really (father's day, graduation, birthday etc)

Thanks, Lauren!! These are so fun and cute. If you want to see more of Lauren's cute cards, she posts pictures on her blog. Please go take a peak!

Sneak Peak: Grant's Room

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This is a picture of a bunch of pictures. And my sister took them all. (okay, minus the one with the van--I will have to search for that source.) This fun gallery is in my little guy's beachy room, and I LOVE it. My sister took these photos while her husband was doing summer sales in Hawaii and they were living there (sounds rough, doesn't it?). Do you have fun or meaningful photos you could use as art in your home? It's one of my favorite things to do.

Tune in next week for photos of the rest of the room, and a recap of my HALF MARATHON which I run with my girls tomorrow!! Whoop, whoop.

Photo by Leslie Leavitt Photography

Our Little Nursery

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I hope to share more photos of our home in the coming weeks and months, but today I thought I'd start with our little nursery. I loved prepping this space for my baby, little by little as we awaited his arrival. I love the bold colors in here, and I love that so much of it is handmade.

The changing table was a black roll-top desk in its past life--a garage sale find we bought for five bucks! My husband and I did this little makeover on it. We cut the rails that the top once rolled on as well as some cottage-y looking molding, and added a couple shelves in the open space where your desk chair would go. We painted it bright green and I LOVE it! I made the changing pad cover and basket liner from a body pillow case from Target. The curtains--now two panels--were made from a shower curtain, also from Target. You can get so much material for your money when you repurpose this way.

My little shadowboxes were a pinterest-inspired project. I love that these keepsakes from my boys' newborn days are preserved where I can see them everyday. Even though my older son is in a different room, I think these displays are a fun way to give this room a true nursery vibe.

That minky quilt is soooo cozy. It's the first quilt I've ever made! Don't ask me to do it again though, because I sewed every stitch under the complete supervision and instruction of a sweet friend. I probably couldn't do it again without her!

The beautiful quilt in the crib was made by my talented mother-in-law.

The octopus wall art is a little funky, but I had this old Van Gogh "Starry Night" print from the thrift store hanging around the house, and it needed to be put to good use. I cut the octopus body and legs out of vinyl (free handed--not using the cricut or anything) and stuck it right on the canvas. Then I rolled over it with white paint and removed the vinyl promptly. SO Easy!

I am a huge fan of mobiles. I think everyone should have a mobile hanging over their bed. I don't, but the more I think on the subject, the more I'm convinced that it would be so therapeutic. That all being said--I am pretty picky about their appearance. I didn't want anything mass-produced or store bought, but buying a fancy handmade one online somewhere can cost a fortune. Some fabric strips tied to a cross-stitch hoop did the trick for pennies.

I know babies don't really care what their room looks like, as long as they are safe and loved, but for me this is one tangible expression of my love besides nursing and diaper changes. I love having a cozy space to rock, sing, and read together. The details symbolize to me how special and anticipated the arrival of a new baby is. Thanks for reading and peeking in on this little room!

all photos by Leslie Leavitt Photography

Gift Wrap Baby Shower Decor

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I love Target. The other day I got this cute roll of wrapping paper there for only a couple bucks on sale. I had no plans for it, but it was cute and cheap. When I brought it home and went to put it away, I realized that I had the tissue paper from the same line. I had forgotten I had used it for my kids' Easter baskets. I sat there and stared at these cute colors and prints and wondered what I might do with them (besides the obvious, wrap and give a gift). Then I started pulling other matching craft supplies from my stash so I could make a cute little pile of inspiration. Then lo and behold, I found the MATCHING GIFT BAG! NO LIE! Someone had given it to me last summer when my baby was born. So, there I had myself a little complete set of baby wrapping supplies. And I got to thinking, "Don't you ever wish you could transfer all the cuteness of your wrapping paper/tissue/bags into something that won't just get scrunched up and thrown away?"

And of course, you know you can! So, I threw together a few baby shower ideas with these here little wrapping items.

I used the wrapping paper to line the back of a book shelf. If you don't have a piece of furniture this would work on, go ahead and place the paper right on your table or serving area.

I used the tissue paper to make this tassel garland. I won't go into the details because there are loads of tutorials online for these. Like this. And that gift bag? I just stuck it right in a picture frame. It fit perfectly. Then I searched my stash for another one that matched and did the same.

The giraffe art I had leftover from my first baby's nursery. I made an elephant one to match. I used scrapbook paper for these, but wrapping paper would have worked just as well. For the silhouette, you can just google 'free animal silhouette', print, trace onto the colored paper of your choice, and cut.

Easy. What do you think?

Sneak Peak: Gift Wrap Baby Shower Decor

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Tomorrow, these cute gift wrap supplies will get up-cycled to baby shower decorations. Don't miss it!

Thrifted Photo Board

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Since my husband is a dental student and I'm a stay-at-home-mom, our decor budget is pretty much zilch (adj. zero; amounting to nothing; nil). But no worries-- we're having the time of our lives, and turning nothing into something has actually become one of my favorite hobbies.

So, enter one of my latest thrift-store finds:

Now maybe somebody out there knows something I don't about this car (it was in the "collectibles" section of the store). But for 5 bucks, I beg your pardon little vintage vehicle, I have no problem karate kicking you right out of that sturdy, huge, red frame for my decorating purposes. As my almost 3-year-old stated, "Mommy, that's a crazy jeep. It has 3 wheels." Well, I guess that made it unanimous.

Out went the old car, and in went some chicken wire. I have been wanting a big photo board for this particular wall, and now I have one! The frame is about 1x2 feet--perfect size for the wall, and it will fit lots of pictures of my little sweet cheeks.

Also, it already matched my kitchen (though I am still debating painting it white . . .), and it was just banged up enough to look at home in my house.

And here are a couple of my other thrift-store finds from that trip:

You can't tell from this picture, but those mason jars are LARGE. I colored them blue the very next day. And that pitcher! That was my favorite $2 of the trip. My favorite. Back story on the daffodil plate: So, right beneath that shelf is where my baby's high chair lives. He can't reach it when he is in the chair, but a few days back when I was putting him in, he grabbed my hair at just the right moment so I couldn't see or move and he swiped the old plate right to the ground. He executed that like he had been planning it for days. Well as it turns out, this little fifty cent, daffodil plate is actually even more perfect for this spot than the original. One of the photos displayed on that wall is of daffodils! Take that, baby.

Thanks for looking at my little post about my little treasures. Check back in a few days for full coverage on my babe's nursery.

Backyard Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This weekend my husband pulled out the lawnmower for the first time this season. Daffodils and tulips are popping up around the neighborhood. And even though it was preeeettty chilly, we went for a walk tonight around the block. I LOVE seeing the first leaves and blossoms on the trees. I look forward to seeing these signs of life for weeks. And once I see them I start dreaming of outdoor living.

I dream of backyard parties that basically look exactly like this . . .

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and sitting by a bonfire after the kids are asleep . . .

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Pushing my baby in a swing . . .

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Building this for my boys!

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I. Can't. Wait.

The Birth of a Baby, and the Rebirth of a Blog

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

So as it turns out, I am not much of a multi-tasker. Oh, I dream of being showered and dressed with breakfast on the table before the rest of the house is up. I dream of my kids playing quietly and independently--doing some well-thought out and meaningful activity while I fold laundry. And I dream of a two hour block of time during the afternoon during which both children are snuggled in their beds quietly napping while I blog or craft away. Alas, my dreams elude me. I sincerely hope that it doesn't take me another 9 months to pull together a blog post because I truly have so much to share! I have had lots of quiet, late hours to mull over the direction of this little blog. And even though that independent, quiet, meaningful play time is rare, I have managed to complete a few creative projects here and there. Please stick around as my blog comes back to life. Here's a tiny peak at what I've been doing the last few months.

My husband and I re purposed this desk to be used as a changing table when I was still expecting. My sister @leslieleavittphotography.com took this and many other awesome photos of my house. Stay tuned for more of the nursery and a few other rooms in the coming weeks.

And let us not forget the ongoing project of raising up a wee babe into a precious now-9 month-old. Sheesh the time flies.

{Gift Idea} Berry Baskets+Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (The Elephant of Surprise) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I have been in love with these berry baskets from the moment I saw them. I got these from Bake it Pretty with no purpose beforehand--they are just adorable, aren't they? Of course you could fill them with your basic berry, but I thought I'd search for a little creative pairing that still went with the whole berry theme.

I found this DELICIOUS recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cookies from Martha Stewart, and if you head over to the site now you will see it officially proclaimed "Strawberry Season." Yesss. Don't you just think these little cookies make the baskets even cuter??

Pick up some berry baskets, add your cookies and a little ribbon, and go wish your neighbors a happy strawberry season.