Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Elmo birthday up cake stand - wrapping paper trays

I wanted to have cupcakes at the part but finding a display tray was hard. And of coarse I didn't want to spend any more money. So, I used some leftover cake circles from my baking days and some cans. Voila! A cupcake tower for an elmo birthday party!!






Elmo birthday t-shirt - Sesame Street- etsy inspired project

I loved the elmo t-shirt I found on etsy. It looked so easy to make I couldn't resist making one. The patch was purchased on ebay about a month earlier, it came from China and shipping can take over a month. So, buying a patch early was crucial!!
I love the way it came out and I love that total cost was $8 :)


Ikea RAM picture frame makeover - love the way it looks !!

We've been getting the house ready for the birthday party. I have to admit, some projects aren't a necessity but I love the motivation ! I had these old ikea picture frames in the garage, just waiting to be painted. So, after years of waiting they are finally put to good use :)




Summary of steps:
1. Painted the frame and the cardboard insert to match my son's room. 
2. Used artwork my cousin did when she was a small child. Cut artwork to fit.
3. Hanged on the walls

So easy, I wish I would have done it sooner.


Before:
After:

Elmo birthday banner - Sesame Street - tutorial

Another project for my son's birthday party was this banner. I have to admit it took less time than I imagined. I also did it all with leftover construction paper. I love the way it looks !! Easy project :)



Elmo birthday cupcake topper- Sesame Street - etsy inspired project

I designed all of these cupcake toppers using Photoshop CS2 and Publisher.

The Elmo clip art I found online and modified it on photoshop. Each design is 1.5" in circumference and is printed on sticker paper.

I did two different methods to see which one I liked best. I also used lollipop sticks instead if toothpicks because of the kids.

Overall a great way to decorate cupcakes!



Front ( method 1 & method 2 comparison)




Back ( method 1 & method 2 comparison) : 



Monday, October 28, 2013

Elmo Birthday Party Gift Bags Tutorial

Party gift bags are done !! Hooray !!
Just looking for some filler items to add but so far so good :)

Inside: 
Coloring book
24 crayon box
Sheet of stickers
Ball
Snack

Project was easy. I would recomend purchasing the red bags at michaels not the dollar store if you have a 40% coupon (more cost effective).

Also, Elmo's nose goes on top of the eyes... Oops!

Friday, October 25, 2013

Life lessons, my MacBook crashed. My son's pictures and videos could be lost forever

Today, was a day of hard life lessons. I never imagined I would write about this but here it goes. My MacBook crashed. I can't tell you the sleepless night I spent. It's barely 2 years old and this happens. I never owned a MacBook before but I bought it because I wanted something to store my son's childhood in. There are no documents or ther programs. Just my son's childhood picture and videos. I backed up maybe 4-6 months ago. In baby years that's a lot of data to loose. I made an appointment at the Genius Bar at my local apple store the second everything happened ( thank goodness for iPhones). I ended up leaving the laptop at the apple store and praying for it to be repaired quickly. 
So, where did I go wrong ?
First, I never had a designated desk to keep my laptop, it always floated around the house with me. 
Second, I should have taken those few minutes to back up regularly
Third, had I kept up with my son's shutterfly books. My computer crashing would not be a major issue. Except for videos which are priceless but something is better than nothing. 
I cried several times at the apple store. The guy was nice but he wasn't too reassuring :/
Right now, I have only my iPhone and an old PC I purchase over 6 years ago. 

Did I learn my lesson? Yes, I'm going through all my PC documents and pictures this week. Organizing and getting shutterfly books ready to go. That way all of life's memories are saved.

Learn from my mistakes, take the time to back up data and print the most precious memories before it's too much to handle. 

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Life reflection, what I wish I would have learned when I was younger

I remember being in college and taking easy classes if I needed to fill up my schedule or just to try something new. 
Reflecting back on that time, I wish I would have taken a photography class. Although I know the cost of it at the time was overwhelming. Some classes you need to take for the future. I have kids now and to be honest the cost of taking the photography class and buying a good camera is nothing compared to what you pay for a family photographer on a regular basis. I think of taking a class now but with a toddler it seems impossible. Getting out of the house would be a triumph.
Other activities I also wish I would have learned: knitting and crochet. Yes, I could still learn but with kids, the freedom to spend hours practicing, researching and learning are minimal. 
There are some classes, I don't know if they exist but it would be nice to know what activities would effectively educate my child. For example, there is that 17 month old who knows how to read. Her parents are speech therapist. They practice activities they do with their own patients with their child. What activities were they ? What techniques could I learn to teach my child. It would be valuable information to know.

Friday, October 18, 2013

12 Volt dirt racer - monster trax

For my son's second birthday, I wanted something special. Some of my friends bought their little ones a power wheels scooter. We decide to purchase a monster trax since we have dirt trails nearby. While we love the item, my son is still too small to reach the pedal. Trying to figure out what to do to fix this proble since there is an 88lb limit. Although, I would easily fit, I weigh more than that! We currently hold the pedal down and he moves forward a little bit. He loves it and asks for more. Too cute! 

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

The floating bookshelves are finally done !!

Its been months since we started this project. First, we didn't know what we were doing so we only made 2 shelves. Now, we've added the last 2. I plan on putting art work at the very top. I'm working on a you tube video on how we made and installed the bookshelves. Hope to finish it soon :) here are some pictures of the finished product.






Sunday, October 6, 2013

Snazaroo face paints - Review

I've been getting ready for Halloween. So, I went ahead and purchased the : Snazaroo Face Painting Kit at Michaels.


Here is my shopping experience: 
1- Open up and check all the boxes ! Some we're missing colors!
2- Make sure the colors you need are included in the kit.
I'm doing a tiger face so I needed orange,yellow, black and white. 
3. Take your 40% coupon to Michael's, Hobby Lobby or Joanne Crafts. I spent 9.71 instead of $14.99+ tax.
4. Store the box horizontally not vertically! The paints will fall off easily. So, it's best to keep the box lying down :)

My son is almost 2 so I decided to start early in practicing his tiger face. Here are a few tips.

1.The sponge is too large to do such a small face. You will need to purchase a smaller sponge to be able to get more color details.
2. Barely moisten the sponge, too much water and the color is too diluted !
3. It comes with one brush, I would recomend more brushes if you need to do multiple colors. 
4. Working with a toddler is hard, you need to be quick and be prepared to correct mistakes when they move. Try to put a video on to keep them focused on something (I know, what a time not to have tv in the house, thank goodness for iPhones). 
5. Just keep q-tips or baby wipes handy to clean up mistakes.
6. Look on youtube or Pinterest for some great tutorials.


Overall, for the cost, this was a great purchase. My son loves to have me paint on him, he always asks for more. We ended up using them for a birthday party too. Really a great item to have at home with toddlers, especially on a rainy day when keeping them busy is a challenge.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Life after the placenta previa news

This week is a lot calmer than last week. I'm at home taking it as easy as possible with a toddler and getting things done around the house.
The thought of early delivery or a c-section scare me. I need to be prepared just in case. That means getting things done this month. I need I have this house so organized that my husband won't be asking me every 2 seconds where to find something; should he have to stay home with me.
How am I taking it easy and getting organized? One day at a time, here is what I need to accomplish by Wednesday.

•computer work: get birthday invitations done-partially done 
•finances
•Christmas list done. This means going through everything we purchased through the year. Assigning the gift to a person. Making a list of who still needs a gift. 
•Christmas cards - maybe ??
•Dusting and laying out artwork for my husband to hang in living room.
•selling stuff of eBay 
•you tube videos 
•preparing for Halloween
•organize laundry room 
•organize office supplies 
•finish garage sale signs

It's a long list but most if it is sitting work so it should be fine :)
Making the best of this home stay. I am glad to be getting things done at home.