A Honey Bee Birthday for a Most Bee-utiful Little Miss....EPIC

Ah, would the phrase, "Better late than never" be appropriate here? Indeed! A full week + a HALF after the little princess's "bee-day" soiree I am finally getting the post on this lovely event, well...posted! Hence the EPIC-NESS warning...I've got lots to catch up on people! But read on, because it's worth it...and there are many a link for all of my shopping adventures for said party. So with that, we will begin at the begining; what could be a more lovely way for a little girl to begin her birthday than with flowers from her daddy?... I'm not sure exactly what the deal is, but it seems that when it comes to throwing a party, no matter how much time I think I have, I always end up running a bit behind! I was left to defer to my Mister to be the photographer...only to realize now that he missed one or two shots from the party that I would have liked to have shared with you! One such photo would have been a still life of the entire kitchen/ great room area; the island decor made complete with sheer sparkle material {in pale yellow from Jo-Ann Fabrics} for a table cloth + center piece doctored up from last year's fairie party. It really was quite lovely. But moving on to what we were able to capture, let's begin with the Buzzy Bee Headbands! I have found that headbands make wonderful "costuming" for at home parties + excellent party favors for guests to take home! Let's say that I have a WHOLE NEW APPRECIATION for the clay work done by geniuses like Tim Burton after making all of these bees from crayola molding clay { which is super light when dry, so it was perfect for the headbands}. The wings were made from bits of faux flowers hot glued to jewelry wire...the same wire, incidentally, that we used to secure the suspended bee to the headband {After, I wrapped the wire with floral tape}. Headbands were purchases here on Etsy.I think special lollipops are such a nice alternative to favor bags filled with random sugary candy...so I made these! Just google chocolate/ candy/ lollipop mold and loads of options should pop up! Yeah, I know. My Mum just shook her head and said, "oh, to be SO OCD", while she watched as I painted each color of chocolate into the molds so that my bees looked like bees...slightly demented, but SO PRETTY!And what was on the menu you ask? Champagne Sangria {MAKE THIS!!...you can thank me later!}, mini quiche + an endive, artichoke + edamame salad for the grown up folk. For the bee-utiful little girls...strawberries + blueberries with pistachio dip and a variety of finger sandwiches: P-Nut Butter, Cheese + Cream Cheese with Lemon Conserve. They were quite the hit...and I'm guessing that using these Bee Hive + Honey Bee cookie cutters {Amazon.com} didn't hurt!What would a party be without balloons and plenty of treats? Since I went a little egg + cheese happy with the food, I kept the dessert on the Vegan side: Lemon Bee Hive Cake {Mold + Little Sugar Bees}, Banana Mini Muffins with Vegan Chocolate drizzle and these Coconut Lime Mini Cupcakes. {Cards, letter stamps, bee stickers + cupcake wrappers courtesy of Michael's Crafts}.And a party should have an activity, correct? So this year we made little bracelets! Here was the one I made the day before the party as a reference for the kiddos. My Mum + I had presorted the beads into these adorable paper dishes {from Michael's- found in the baking section! These were the most similar they offered online, still very cute!} When it was time to get our craft on, each child was given a dish of beads {purchased from Michael's}, a honey bee charm, a bee hive charm found here and the pre measured wire with toggle clasp already attached. All of this prep made the craft run rather smoothly, allowing us to move right along to cake eating!Oh, it is so unfair how quickly those little knuckle dimples start to disappear... and what a heart-breakingly beautiful little lady she has become! I might say that I am slightly relieved that she has 2 brothers + a daddy with many a tattoo to keep any boy suiters in check when she is older...but no need, she is as tough as she is beautiful...that's my girl!Brining us to the end of the party... it seems a rather smart custom that rather than attempting to have a group of very small children sit patiently + watch the birthday little open their gifts; that now, gift opening is saved for after the party has ended...leaving much more time for chatting + PLAYING!! On behalf of the Fif, I have to thank everyone for comming over to celebrate her special day with us + for giving her such thoughtful gifts! Here are just a couple that kept with the bee theme that I wanted to post the links for: The bee backpack from my Mum was a huge hit: perfect for carrying around all of the Fif's new art supplies, Littlest Petshop + Calico Critter toys her friends gave her! And the Bee Wheely Bug was actually a 1st Bee-Day gift! We now have 2 of these Wheely Bugs in both the large + small sizes and I can;t tell you how much all 3 of my littles enjoy riding them around! And this last gift {photo above} was for me! Ok, the lovely little Anthro cupcake apron was for the Fif, but the gardening journal was for Mama from a fellow gardening enthusiast girlfriend of mine! I think this is tradition we should all encourage: that the mama's should get the presents on the kids birthdays! What a wonderful idea! Don't you agree? I've been spending lots of time thinking about + watching our front yard farm grow like crazy these last few weeks, so this book will be put to good use as I have a good amount to journal...and many a photo to share here as well! Thanks for being patient with me until I pulled my act together...or rather, tied-myself-to-one-place-long-enough to get this post written! It can be hard to find a still moment when the weather warms up + you have 3 little folk on the move! I'm glad I was finally able to steal a moment...I DO hope you have all been as busy enjoying the spring season as we have!
xo.

My Mister is on vacation this week...I'm thinking a random tuesday sounds like an exceptionally perfect day for a Champagne Sangria!

Stitch Nation Yarn...

I've been thoroughly enjoying this Stitch Nation yarn by Debbie Stoller. I happened accross it in the local big chain craft store near us and was instantly smitten! The colors are so vibrant + vintage like! As you know from my other knitting type posts, I'm a novice knitter at best. So it is not often that I will go into the ONE higher end yarn shoppe nearby to spend the bigger bucks on yarn when I'm not certain what it will be used for.

I've been bummed out when it has come to buying yarn, since it seems like these specialty yarn shoppes are the only place to find really fun yarns + patterns...but no longer! I'm loving up this Stitch Nation, especially the Alpaca Love + Bamboo Ewe yarns {the also have a Full 'O Sheep wool yarn if that's what you're into}. And you have to check out the free knit and crochet patterns on their site linked above. The price is so reasonable + I really hit the jack pot a couple of weeks ago when I found a schlew of this yarn in a clearance bin for just $2 a skein! {Thank you big chain craft store!} I'm still going back + forth over what I'd like to try knit first...however, even just walking past these great colors in the basket has me super excited to begin a project!

Happy Wednesday!

xo.

A Wee Vacation...

I am pleased to say that as of today, I am a free woman! Yes, the spring semester at the college is over. I have submitted all of my grades + I don't have any classes to teach until autumn. Woohoo! I'm usually not a hot weather person, but this year, I am so excited for a summer vacation!I have to admit that I am one of those really fortunate individuals who loves their work; I love the classroom, I love the discipline of psychology + I love that the students are there trying to make their lives better through earning a college degree. And I guess that is why I regularly think about how I can be better at what I do. I want my students to love psychology as much as I do + not be discouraged by the new material or focus solely on how overwhelming the coursework can be. Sometimes having a bit of a les a fair make up policy {for exams + papers }can end up biting me in the a**. {Like when I end up grading a bunch of papers turned in on the last day of class} But even then, I feel like the extra work I put in is worth it if it helps the students stick it out through each semester; perhaps learning something new + enjoying themselves more than they thought? As I reflect on my first year back to work {albeit part time work}, as a mama of 3, I think it went pretty well. Sure it was tough {...more like "slightly inconvenient"} to balance work + home-life from time to time,{ ...epecially since most of the work I had to do needed to be done from home}but on the whole, the year was a success. And becasue I really enjoy what I do so much...and have been royally spoiled while working {having the opportunity to use my brain in another capacity away from little folk}, I know before long I will be wishing it was September. So what is a mama to do with all of this, ahem, free time? Well, you know how I LOVE making lists What do you have on your Summer To Do List?
xo.

Knitting Hats...Sort Of

Today I awoke to a beautiful sunny spring morning. Of all of the things I could have thought of; rather randomly, kintting came to mind. You see, I had a truly wonderful night's sleep last evening. After a full day of activity yesterday, finished off with a family walk/run/bike ride at one of our favorite bits of woods where we live...well, I slept like bricks! I'm not usually a "sleepin' in" kinda girl usually...but I could have been today! As I lay in bed this a.m., looking foward to another full day {+ hopefully another stellar night's sleep}, I suppose I began thinking of one of my other favorite night time rituals that I have been enjoying winding down with lately: knitting. A while back, when I had been feeling not-so-well, I put my time on the couch to good use; finally mastering the ever befuddling circular knitting needles! Oh, I had tried to figure them out before, but had put them aside several times in total frustration. Once I got the hang of it, I wondered why I had not been able to use them all along! First I knitted this little sprout looking green hat for my tiniest babe. It is not seamless...but lucky for me it didn't need to be for the look I was going for. Next, a white hat for me! Again, I didn't make it seamless {I really need to buy a pattern book to figure out how to finish off hats!}, but I have a plan to finish it off with a sewn knittied + coiled chain. I think it will be just amazing when it is done! The last time I posted about any of my knitting adventures, I mentioned this Milo vest pattern. The bottom of it was not all that different from the rolled bottoms of these hats I had made. So I started from the bottom up on what is to be a vest for the Fif. I have yet to actually purchase the pattern + at the moment, I'm toying with the idea of leaving the body knitt and sewing fabric sleeves + embellishments on later? So many choices

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My semester teaching at the college is comming to an end for the year. While I still have stacks of papers read, finals to give + grades to submit; I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have never looked foward to a summer break so much + am feeling completely smitten with all things relaxing + go with the flow...knitting being one of them! So until all of these loose ends are tied up at the college for the year, I thought I would share some of what I had been up to making earlier this spring...and what I am looking so foward to spending more time on during my summer vacation. Wishing you all things relaxing...sweet dreams...and a lovely Tuesday.

xo.

Stitching Bunnies... x3

I recently purchased a new sewing machine {more on that in a later post!} However, before I get to that, I have a related confession to make: I can't STAND stuffed animals. They vary in quality {material wise} and can be cheap + ever too easy for people to buy...and buy... and BUY! That being said, I didn't always loathe plushies, but you can imagine how many have come {and GONE} through these doors over the years with 3 little folk! In my ever so humble opinion, if you really don't like a certain mama...give her kiddo a stuffed animal as a present...that or Moon Sand! ...ahem, so back to the original topic at hand... I recently purchased a sewing machine! And just so you don't think I am a total Bah-humbug when it comes to stuffed animals + the like...I realized that it wouldn't be a proper Easter without something new + squishy for my littles to hug + love. I decided that I would make something extra special for them with my new machine...What you ask? Bunnies, ofcourse! Three of them for my 3 little folk.

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However, you should know that in the more recent past, some of my sewing ventures have gone poorly when I would try to sew in multiples. For example, a couple of years back when I had decided to mass produce reusable snack bags or sew several pairs of baby elastic waist pants at once for an Etsy- Shoppe- Pipe -Dream...not so much. All the same, I did some internet browsing for inspiration. I loved this design here, but decided since I was making 3 bunnies, something more simplistic would suit me better. In the end, I decided I would design, draw + cut a template for my little bunnies, using a paper bag. I sound really cool, right? Truth be told, sadly, I don't have a printer up + working at home for such simple downloads {doing most of my printing at work at the college}. Inconvenient? Sure, but at times it forces me to be slightly more creative than I might have dared to be otherwise! I cut 1 Body, 1 Ear + 1 Bottom Template {Cut paper bag photographed above}.
Body: 1 solid + 2 Print {3 total pcs.} Ears: 2 of each solid + print faric {4 total pcs.}
Bottom:1 solid fabric {1 total pc.}

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Day 1: Sewing the Ears: front sides of 1 print + 1 solid with a zigzag stitch, then turn right side in + pressing with an iron. 6 double sided ears later... Day 2: The Bodies: 1 print + 1 solid, front sides together, zizagi stitched. Only this time, as I pinned the fabrics, I included one of the 2 ears between the two prior to stitching. The solid fabric is to be the front of the bunny {with the face}, so I positioned the ears as if the 2 ears together would cross the face {solid body} forming an X {when inside out}. I chose to have the printed sides of the ears facing fowards for this. Day 3: Face. With the back open + unsewn, I embroidered simple faces on the bunnies. Day 4: Bottom. Turn the bunny inside out, pin the 2 prints together at the back + zigzag stitch. Next, add the bottom round piece, pinning and zigzag stitching with the right sides in, leaving a small space for turning right side out + stuffing. Once stuffed, stitch on your pom-pom tail, then sew the small open area shut by hand.I am so pleased that I managed to finish these up AND keep them a special Easter surprise!Cutting your own patterns is really a fun thing to do... Any imperfections have more to do with rushed sewing than they do with the pattern. When sewing in multiples, I found it was easier for me to complete "a stage" x3, then put the project aside for another day {vs. doing each bunny from start to finish seperately, 3x}. I used corduroy as the solid fabric for 2 of the bunnies, but I absolutely adore the one bunny where I used yellow fleece...I will surely use that material exclusively for the front in the future! Most importantly though, these little bowling pin bunnies are much loved by all 3 of my kiddos; bitten by the babe, cradled by the Fif + snuggled by the Monks {I LOVE that at 7yrs old, this big boy of mine still loves his babies}. Well worth every bit of effort, if this mama says so herself!

xo.

An Egg Hunt + the Religious Citizens of the Universe

This past weekend was the Little Folk's Easter Egg Hunt at my Mum's church. Technically it is our church too...ahem, or one of them, since at present we are members of a few churches. You see, as far as religion goes, our family believes in God, but considers ourselves to be more, um...religious citizens of the universe when it comes to the number of ways in which one can love + pray to God. Life can give us alot to make sense of at times, but when it comes to God, I enojoy the opportunity to be humble + not know all the answers. Regardless of where we are {whether it be a religious place or everyday life}, it seems to me that the core of most religions have the same message: Love God, Love + Be Good to Each Other. So with that, my littles, Mimi + I happily bopped off to church on this cool, gray Saturday for a morning of crafts, planting, songs, snacks...and ofcourse, Easter Eggs! Ah, there is no mistaking us for being anywhere else but inside a church {or Catholic school} when you catch a glimpse of those brown tables + speckled floors! 1,100 Easter Eggs were hunted just before the weather turned rainy + raw...large amounts of candy were consumed + I swear to you that there was not one moment of quiet the entire day until bedtime. {Yup, that slightly spastic photo of me above with the frizz quality to the hair was very telling of what the day was like!} But as many a mama will say, "that's the holidays with little folk for you!" Perhaps having been in church kept me from eating said little folk before their father came home from work that night? LOL. As we embark on the kiddos "Spring Break" from school {everyone is home, TOGETHER for the entire week!}...I can only hope that they had a wonderful time this weekend...and pray that they don't find where I hid their candy.

xo.

A Springtime Tree

I am so very fond of little {...or perhaps NOT so little} "trees" that are made from fallen tree branches. They can be such a big + bold centerpiece, yet they are quite delicate. And they cost next to nothing to make; compared with what one might spend in a shop for such a large peice of home decor! I also love being able to give them a seasonal theme...like our Halloween Tree + our more recent Winter Tree. I had grown quite attached to our Winter Tree. So much so that when the time came to take it down, I packed away the crystals + silver walnuts but left the vase + empty branches right where they were. There had to be something fun, yet classy that I could do with this "tree" that would take us through the Spring/ Easter season? Alas there was something! And I am ever so pleased with how this turned out!I found a jar of these great little flowers {in assorted sizes} on sale in the craft store. They looked as if they had been made from old newspapers...very fun, yet also kind of neutral. I have a fetish for mixing things that seem more natural/organic with elements that are on the flashy side. Even when it comes to clothes, I love wearing jeans + a vintage CBGB's t-shirt...with a fablous cardigan complete with jeweled buttons. Know what I mean? It just works for me...and so that is what I decided I'd do here too... I could have used blown eggs for this project, but that can be messy...and I really liked the idea of having different sized eggs on the tree. {After all, nothing says Spring! or Easter! like eggs.} Instead I opted for a package of 6 standard sized papermache eggs and some smaller faux eggs I happened accross in Marshalls {I have no idea what they are made of, but they are light weight.} FYI: I attempted spray painting some of the eggs, but wouldn't avise it unless it was only meant as a basecoat before your glue + glitter. The paint might {DOES!} react strangely based on what your are spraying it on...trust me, I tried it! I stuck to using Modge Podge glue to paint the eggs with, then I sprinked...no, I COATED them in some silver Martha Stewart mini-super-fine-glitter. I left them to dry over night. I had bought a branch of faux green hydrangea in the floral section of the craft sore and proceeded to pick apart the flowers so they were only fabric pieces. I used hot glue to layer them at the bottom of the egg so they almost looked as if the little eggs were blooming from tiny cabbages. I used some leftover scrapbooking type flowers {I had from the Fif's Bday party craft last spring} which I used at the top of the egg to help conceal the bit of white thread I glued to hang my eggs from. Later, after flowers were hot glued to the branches + the glittery eggs were hung, I decided to add a few mini ceramic teacups + saucers that I happened to have. The yellow color really complimented the one pre-made little easter-banner-ornament I bought at the craft store. It had chicks on it, I couldn't resist! I really like that the tiny cups serve as more of a cause for a double-take than anything else as they might not be something you'd expect to see perched on the branches of a Springtime Tree. However, when I think of spring; all life hatching + growing, flowers budding + little tea party picnics out-of-doors...well, perhaps they are rather apropos after all!

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

xo.

Tutorial: Upcycled Magazine Flowers

This past weekend was my Mum's Birthday! I said to myself, "Self, this is the perfect time to make something beautiful + crafty with the little folk that they can give to Mimi!" And so with that, we made a big bouquet of these flowers from the pages of magazines. Upcycled items seem to be everywhere these days; there are coasters + vases made from old magazines, bracelets made from soda can tops, even purses made from gum wrappers. I happen to think these flowers are just as nice as these other recycled/ upcycled items, and since we were having so much fun making them, we decided to make a bouquet of flowers for our kitchen table as well. Here's how we did it: Begin by choosing + tearing our some pages of magazines. I used pages from old Martha Stewart magazines that I just cannot bring myself to part with. The colors of the photographs are beautiful for this kind of project + I really like the larger sized page. Step ONE: Fold your page in half vertically {if you have a preference for the image/color on one side of your page, fold so that the favorite is on the inside, like my silver here.}

Step TWO: Then repeat, folding your page in half yet again. Step THREE: At this point, trim the torn edge of your page, then fold it in half horizontally.

Step FOUR: Now you want to cut small slits along the side of your folded page that has the open edges {be sure not to cut the side that is completely folded shut...and don't cut all the way through or the flower will fall apart!} Step FIVE: Now open up your folded + cut magazine page...it should look like this... Step SIX: Lay the page flat, smooth it a bit, then flip over + gently make the same folds you had make in the begining, just in the opposite direction. {Just "pooch" the little loops so the fold lines are more rounded} ...Your not making any new fold lines, just use what was there already and you should get something that looks like this...

Step SEVEN: Now wrap your little loopy, serpintine looking magazine page around your pointer finger.

Step EIGHT: When you get to the end, just use some clear tape to hold the flower in place.

Step NINE: Use a green pipe cleaner to make a stem by wrapping the pipe cleaner around the area you had just taped off. When we made these to give as a gift, I decided to take it up a notch by then covering the pipe cleaner with green floral tape to give it a more "professional look"...but when working with little folk, the pipe cleaners alone are just great!

And voila! A beautiful gift anyone would be thrilled to receive...Mimi certainly was! And imagine how pretty these would look if we skipped adding the stems and instead placed these flowers around a wreath, or strung them as a garland? Any of these would make a lovely spring project, Mama's Day gift, or Earth Day craft...Good times indeed!

Happy Flower Making!

xo.