Hello, Lil’Luna readers! My name is Angelina and you can find me blogging over at,

JoJo & Eloise.

I am so excited to be here today! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, Kristyn as I am sure many of you do as well and I can’t Congratulate her and her family enough on their newest Blessing! Baby Wesley, who is just the about the Cutest thing ever.

So with all that said,how about we get started with this fun DIY porject!

I will be sharing a very simple, easy and quick tutorial on how too bring new life to an Old pair of shoes.

I know it’s not the prettiest of tutorials but I promise it will be one that is well worth it, not too mention money saving also and I know we all LOVE to save money.

My daughter had these sparkly, Once Shiny and White shoes that she has practically worn the life out of.

If you follow my blog you probably already know, that I do a lot of picture taking. Most often the pictures are of Sewing Projects, which sometimes require FOOT shots!

Which can easily add up to me needing a wide variety of shoes (for my kids). I must admit I LOVE shoes like any other person, but have the hardest time spending LOTS of money on Kids shoes, when they are just going to grow out of them just about as quick as you can Blink!!

So, even though these worn out shoes have seen better days, they still have some hope left for a new life.

Here’s what I did:

I used a damped cloth to get all the loose dust and dirt off the main body of the shoe. I choose some basic Acrylic Paint by Martha Stewart. I was needing RED shoes, but feel free to use any color needed! (I have a feeling these shoes will one day be another color). {*Wink*}

Once my surface was clean and dry, I painted the entire shoe with a generous coat of paint and allowed them to fully dry.

Once they were fully dry, they were busy at work.

We have already gotten lots of wear out of them.

I used them in an upcoming Sewing Project pictured below.

We also used them for the Zig Zag blog tour I just recently did.

As well as in this DIY Stencil Shirt tutorial.

These shoes still have a couple more projects left in the RED, but I have a feeling they will be a new color here, VERY soon.

So what do you think?

Not too bad for a worn out, old pair shoes!

I hope you will take a look at what shoes you have lying around the house, that look as though they have seen better days and get some paint out and give them a Brand New Meaning to life.

A BIG thank you to Kristyn for allowing me too come over and visit with you, I would LOVE for you to stop by JoJo & Eloise and say Hello!

Hope too See you soon!

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How great are these DIY Painted Shoes?! So smart!!

Thanks for being here today, Angelina.

Be sure to check out her site because it is amazing and her photos are SO pretty!!!

In case you’re looking for more fun Shoe ideas, be sure to check out this fun round-up:

{Mod Podge Shoes}

ENJOY!

I’m the momma to one precious girly girl and she has a LOT of bows! This holder made the perfect addition to her aqua, pink and orange bird-themed nursery. But, I also love this project because it would make for a darling and affordable baby gift. I love handmade gifts, don’t you? (I don’t think baby Wesley has any bows, or I would send this to you, Kristyn!)

Bow Holder with Monogram & Chalkboard

This was a super easy project to complete and I love how it turned out! It’s practical and pretty.

If you’re interested in seeing more projects from my daughter’s nursery, check out the links below!

Come visit me sometime at 52 Mantels!

52 Mantels is a blog about all things home including occasional mantel makeovers, easy DIY projects, seasonal crafts and simple recipes! I’m blessed to be the stay-at-home mother to one adorable little girl and the lucky wife to an ever-supportive hubby (who puts up with my endless projects!).

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A few months ago, my family moved from Las Vegas to Lincoln, Nebraska so… I know just how Kristyn is feeling right now. However… I didn’t have to pull this all together AND have a baby at the same time. Let’s just say she is Super Woman!

I have a fun baby gift to share with you guys today.  Not too long ago my best friend adopted a baby and then gave birth to her own baby three and a half months later. It was such a special time in their life and I was thrilled to be able to share that time with them. I threw a fun baby shower for her with a bug theme. Not the traditional bug theme… just check it out.

Yea, I went with a VW Bug theme for the shower and everyone just LOVED it. We had our Love Bug and our Cuddle Bug as the shower center piece. The cute little onezies were so easy to make and are a fun baby gift!

I now make them for all my friends who are having a new little bug. It’s so fun to come up with all the great words that will go with BUG. Here are a couple that I made for my little nephew…

I made them using my Silhouette CAMEO and the Designer Edition software. I used this image of an old VW bug and then just added the text that I wanted in the Silhouette software.

You can download the svg file that you will need when using your Silhouette from the box below…

Once you bring your image into your Silhouette Studio Edition software you can add  your word and then make sure you mirror the image before you cut the Heat Transfer Material. Select your images and then right click and you will see the command “flip image horizontally.” Select that and your image will them flip and will be ready to cut.

You will then take your Silhouette Heat Transfer Material and place it in your CAMEO or Portrait and cut according to the package directions.

Once your images are cut, you will need to “weed” the image to remove all of the extra heat transfer material…

Next, follow the directions on the Heat Transfer Material package and iron on the image onto your onezie. It’s really quite slick!  I love this stuff. That’s all it takes and you now have some creative baby gifts for all your friends!

Aren’t they cute? Here’s another fun baby gift that your friends will love…

It’s a portable growth chart that you can take with you from home to home. It’s lovely and also super easy to make!

It’s been fabulous hanging out with you guys today. Make sure you come on over to WhipperBerry and say hello, you can follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram & Twitter… I just LOVE making new friends! Good luck Kristyn, I know you are going to do great!  I can’t wait to hear about all of your adventures!

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Is this not the most darling Baby Shower theme EVER?!

Seriously, Heather is brilliant and her pictures are AH-MAZING!!!

Be sure to go to her blog and get ready to be amazed!

If you’re looking for Baby Shower ideas and need a fun game to play, be sure to check out these free prints for:

The Price is Right Baby Shower Game

ENJOY!

I’m a mom/photographer/blogger/author from Austin, Texas sharing how I capture the joy in life from family recipes, decorating with pictures, fancy parties, photo tips to sharing some life stories. Kristyn is actually moving to the big state of Texas to be closer to me…I’m sure of it;)

Today I wanted to share with all of you my top 5 newborn moments you will want to capture.

1. Photograph the birth of your baby–I love the look on people’s face when I say I have photographed a birth or had my birth photographed. Everyone is thinking the nitty gritty. Let me clear it up for you–it’s all PG rated! I like to think of it as the fly on the wall off to the side of the room. It is SO fabulous to have those images captured! I have 4 children and only have this for my last, and it is truly a treasure. To see my face, my husbands face, the drama in the room, and the first moments of my sweet baby. I had an amazing photographer friend in the room with me, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be your mom, sister, a nurse, or a dear friend in the corner with your phone. But those moments are priceless. You may not think so at the time, but later you will be grateful.

Here is my baby just after she was born:

Here is one I photographed of my friend (see more of these images here). I love the sweet look on dad’s face as mom embraces her baby for the fist time.

2. Photograph the moment your older siblings meet the newest addition–of course this doesn’t work for first borns, but honestly, I absolutely adore the images I have of the moment of my older kids meeting their new sister. The big kids were so in awe, there was such a reverence, such a sweetness. I was fortunate enough to have a friend visiting me at the time who stood in the corner and just snapped away!

{If you want to see the before of this picture and how I cleaned up the distractions, check out that link to the left here.}

3. Photograph mom and dad with baby–Your little one will appreciate it so much when they get older. Although mom may not feel happy with the extra weight, or tired, or in pain, take the time to slap on a little eye make up and brush your hair in that first week home. Most moms shy away from being in pictures with their newborns, but I urge them to get in, if only to be a “backdrop” for the baby. I suggest dark long sleeved shirts so the emphasis is on the baby, and mom/dad’s hands or face in as well.

4. Photograph Baby alone with a solid background–Yes those images with the baby in a cocoon or propping their chin on their fist are pretty cool, but not altogether necessary. I like to lay a blanket over a Boppy pillow or a bouncy seat and crop in close for a great shot. Use hats and props, but not for everything. A little flesh, or just a simple white onesie will allow you to see the freshness of the baby best.

5. Candid newborn photographs-I like to capture the baby in their nursery, or on a simple solid backdrop. I like to be close up on the toes, the ears, the eyes…some awake…some asleep….some crying. Don’t always have the people holding the baby look up at the camera, grab those candid moments of life happening. My favorite pictures of me with my newborns are the candid moments (that I had to train my husband to take) especially since I felt I had swollen new mom face with a big cheeser smile! , I love this mother/baby sweet moment below, click to see more of this newborn session.

If you’d like to see more, here are more of my newborn images.

I hope I opened your eyes to some new perspectives when thinking about newborn photography. It is such a beautiful time in the life of a family! Anyone have any other newborn photography tips not to be missed??

Thanks for having me today! Though I started out blogging as a photographer sharing photo tips, I now love sharing so many other things!

Decorating with Pictures/Recipes/DIY Projects/Parties/Life as I know It

If you have a fancy camera and aren’t completely happy with the results you get, check out my book, Say NO to Auto to learn in 3 simple steps how to shoot in manual mode. If you are already shooting in manual, my intermediate book, Get Focused might be more up your alley.

I’m all over social media, and would love to hear from you! You can find me on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest/Twitter/Google+

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I LOVE this post… I’m just mad I didn’t see it until I after I had my baby!

Be sure to bookmark this for your next little bundle to arrive, and be sure to check out the rest of the great photography tips and projects from Kristen’s site.

She is amazing!

I’m in love!

Wesley was born two weeks ago on April 30 at 6:58 PM, weighing 7 lbs. 9 ounces. He arrived 16 days early, and came out after only 2 pushes. I am SO grateful that he is here with us safe in our arms, and I cannot even express in words the joy he has brought us.

Most of you know that this little guy comes at a crazy time in our life, but I really couldn’t be more happy and thankful for his sweet arrival. We truly feel beyond blessed and are so grateful for this little man that we love so dearly.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all the well wishes and for allowing me to enjoy this time with him as well as move out of state this month. You guys are the best!

Now… let’s get to the party!!

LAST WEEK’S MOST VIEWED LINK WAS:

How to Earn Money from Blogging from Moms Make Money

Be sure to check out this informative post and pin it too!!

For the rest of this week’s features be sure to go HERE.

LINK PARTY RULES:

1. Link to a specific post that you HAVE NOT LINKED UP BEFORE for something YOU have created – craft, recipe, idea (and not to your main blog page). If you have a round-up post, please use a graphic as your image and not someone else’s creation.

2. No ads for shops, giveaways, etc. please

3. Be sure to spread the love and visit other posts and leave them a comment!

4. Help promote others – go to the original post and PIN the most viewed link.

5. Grab the Linkin’ with Lil’ Luna Button and link back here:

<a href="http://lilluna.com" title="Lil\'Luna"><img src="http://lilluna.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/lilluna_linking_up.jpg" alt="Lil\'Luna" title="Lil\'Luna" style="border:none;" /></a>

There were so many great links from last week’s party, and I can’t wait to share with you my favorites!

LAST WEEK’S FAVORITE LINKS:

Felt Flower Hair Clips from The Crafted Sparrow

Dollar Decor Pretty Pillows from Just a Girl and Her Blog

Front Porch Makeover from Echoes of Laughter

Homemade Lemon Soap from A Pumpkin and a Princess

Tortilla Chip Crusted Chicken Salad from Half-Baked Harvest

Write Teacher for Me Gift from Simply This and That

DIY Thrifted Wall Frame from Tatertots & Jello

Handmade Drumsticks from Sweet Rose Studio

Playroom Makeover from Love Grows Wild

Apple Pie Shakes from Lady Behind the Curtain

Jewelry Organizer from Girl Loves Glam

DIY Farmhouse Table from The Turquoise Home

In Our Classroom Print from Happy Go Lucky

Vintage Crate Centerpiece from Sweet Little Gals

Nutella Swirl Brownies from Shaken Together

No Sew Fabric Key Fob from Wait Til Your Father Gets Home

Glass Glitter Cupcake Toppers from Make It, Give It

DIY Flower Earrings and Print from Hubby Made Me

As usual, I have gone and pinned all of these features and can’t wait to see more.

Be sure to come back later today to link up your latest creations as well as checked out the most viewed link. Also, be sure to grab a featured button!

<a href="http://lilluna.com" title="Lil\'Luna"><img src="http://lilluna.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/lilluna_feature_button.jpg" alt="Lil\'Luna" title="Lil\'Luna" style="border:none;" /></a>

ENJOY!

Before we get started, let me introduce myself real quick! My name is Linda and I blog at Craftaholics Anonymous®. I am a bit of a craft addict and share all kinds of craft tutorials and DIY projects!

Name that POOPY Diaper!

This is a sort of gross, but very hilarious game! I’ve played this several times and its always a hit! {ok, so its my fave baby shower game hehe}

Supplies: 6 diapers, 6 different types of candy bars, black marker, paper, pencils

Prepare: write down all the names of the different candy bars and number them. Then microwave the candy bars in separate bowls for 30-45 seconds each or until the chocolate is really soft.Then scrape the soft chocolate bars into a diaper and smoosh it a little. Write the coordinating candy bar number on the outside of the diaper so you can keep track of what diaper had what candy bar in it. {I used 2 fun size candy bars for each diaper. ex: I put 2 fun size Hershey’s candy bars in the diaper shown above}

Play: Give each guest a pencil and a small piece of paper and pass around all the diapers. Guests can smell, touch, or taste the “poop” to guess what kind of candy bar is in each diaper!

More Shower Games

• How Well do you know the Mommy-to-be? We got a list of features/traits {ex: eyes, nose, dancing skills} and we had to guess whether Jen {the momma} wanted the baby to get that feature from her or her husband, Perry. {ex: Jen wanted the baby to get Jen’s dancing skills}
• Finish the Nursery Rhyme. We had to fill in the blank for classic baby rhymes. {which was harder than you’d think!}
• How Big is that Baby Bump? We cut off lengths of yarn to guess how big Jen’s baby bump was. Then we had Jen cut a piece of yarn that fit around her bump and the person with the closest yarn length won. {i am always bad at this game!}

Baby Shower Game Prizes

I made little “M&M babies” complete with bows and white felt diapers as prizes. Then I used a turquoise paper crate, crinkle paper, cellophane, and polka dot ribbon to package the prizes. All 4 winners of the baby shower games above got one of these.

Looking for more Baby Crafts and Ideas?

• Free Printable Pregnancy Announcement
• DIY baby shower invitations
• Easiest Burp Cloth Tutorial

It was so fun to be here on Lil Luna today! I love Kristyn! She’s such a cutie.

If you enjoy crafting, be sure to stop by Craftaholics Anonymous® and check out the hundreds of craft tutorials I’ve posted! Or follow along on Pinterest for loads of crafting inspiration. You can even post your craft related questions on my Facebook page.

happy crafting,

Linda

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This is one of my FAVORITE Baby Shower games!!

Thanks for sharing it, Linda!!
Be sure to check out the rest of Linda’s awesome-ness at her blog. The girl is BEYOND talented!

For more Baby Shower Game ideas, be sure to check out:

Baby Shower How Sweet It Is Game:

ENJOY!

Hello again! It’s Natalie from Life Made Simple and I’m here to share a really fun recipe with you! Eclairs have always been the one thing I’ve been dying to master- and guess what? They’re pretty easy! I originally learned how to make them at work, but I thought that I’d try making them at home for my husband. They were a huge success and he absolutely LOVED them! Here’s what I did:

I started off with a traditional Pâte â Choux  (also known as “shoe paste”) which is not only used for eclairs but for cream puffs too. For the filling I made a really easy vanilla bean pastry cream. Instead of steeping vanilla beans, I used a heaping tablespoon of that gorgeous vanilla bean paste that you can find at most cooking stores. It helped cut down the cook time and gave it more of an intense flavor which I really loved! You could also fill these with raspberry jam or homemade whipped cream. Lastly, I coated the tops with a simple semi-sweet chocolate/cream glaze.

One of the things that I love the most about this recipe is that you can prep the filling and glaze while the pastry shells bake. Then it’s just a matter of assembly and letting the glaze set up! You’ll have elegant eclairs in no time and people will be so impressed that you made them! Happy baking!!!

Homemade Eclairs with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
Pâte â Choux:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter
4 eggs
1 c. water
¼ tsp. salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream:
¼ c. + 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. butter
3 egg yolks
1½ c. whole milk
1 tbsp. vanilla bean paste

Chocolate Glaze:
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
½ c. heavy whipping cream, plus more if needed
pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
2. To make the pâte â choux, place a medium size saucepan over low heat. Add butter, sugar, water and salt, stirring frequently. Turn heat up to a low boil, remove from head and add in flour. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a thick paste and no flour pockets remain. Place over medium heat and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly to prevent burning (a thin film might form on the bottom of your pan).
3. Place hot paste into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until it becomes slightly cooler. Then add the eggs one at a time until incorporated. The mixture will look shiny and will stick to the sides of the bowl. Beat for an additional 2 minutes on medium. Scoop dough into a large piping bag fitted with a large tip (a ½” in diameter). Pipe 4″-5″ logs onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing each two inches apart to prevent spreading and baking into each other. Using a pastry brush, gently and lightly coat each log with the beaten egg wash.
4. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, open the oven, rotate the pan and reduce the heat to 350˚F, bake for an additional 20 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 300˚F and bake for 20 more minutes to allow the pastry shells to dry out. That makes a total of 60 minutes or 1 hour at three separate temperatures. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile to make the pastry cream, in a large mixing bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar, whisking until combined. Pour milk into a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring to a low boil then add the flour. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg/sugar mixture to temper it, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Return the mixture to the saucepan set over medium heat, add vanilla bean paste and butter, cook the mixture until it becomes very thick. Pour through a mesh sieve and set over an ice bath to cool (whisk for about 5 minutes or so). Store in the refrigerator until needed.
6. When the pastry shells have cooled, poke three holes into their bottoms. Place pastry cream into a large piping bag fitted with a small round tip and fill each hole. Once the shells are filled, heat the heavy whipping cream for the glaze in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in semi-sweet chocolate and salt. Dip each pastry into the chocolate glaze swirling to remove any excess chocolate. Set on the baking sheet and place in the refrigerator to set for about 30 minutes.
Recipe adapted from The Art and Soul of Baking, by Cindy Mushet

Thanks again Kristyn for having me!

You can find more recipes & craft ideas here:

Life Made Simple | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

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Be sure to go to Life Made Simple  for more fun projects from Natalie, and

for more information about her please go HERE.

ENJOY!

Who here loves Crate&Barrel?

I think it’s pretty safe to say that they carry some of the most fun, unique, and colorful furniture and decor you can find anywhere. Am I right?!

Recently, Crate&Barrel partnered with husband-and-wife design duo Robert & Cortney Novogratz on the brasil collection which debuted May 2nd. This collection was inspired by their vacation home in Brazil.

Here are some of my favorite pieces from the CB2 and Novogratz Collection:

LOVE the stripes and fun colors of this chair! And look how you can build it into a sectional with the other colors…

botao stripe armless sectional chair

I’m thinking a few of these would look great in my future craft room at the new house!

breaker chair

And this table would go perfect in the girls’ room.

rouge coffee table

And this lamp is just so fun – perfect for the kids’ play room!

luli table lamp

There really are SO many great pieces in this collection!

Along with debuting these fun, new pieces, Crate&Barrel has announced the CB2 and Novogratz Brasil Sweepstakes.

For this giveaway, you and 3 friends can win a one week stay at the vacation home of CB2 collaborators, Bob and Courtney Novogratz in Trancoso, Brazil. 10 other winners will receive a CB2 $100 gift card with a personally signed copy of the book “Home by Novogratz.”

Enter by going HERE. Giveaway ends June 2nd.

For more information be sure to follow CB2 on Facebook.

GOOD LUCK!