Decorating Onesies Shower

My Mom and Sisters did a cute shower on for my sister Mir. I have heard of decorating onesies at showers...but I loved how they did them.

They cut out patterns using silouettes of animals, fish, airplanes...they found them in animal encyclopedias! Patterns may have consisted of multiple pieces and were together in plastic bags labeled by what they were.

They had a stack of adorable fabrics that Mir had chosen. They had all different sizes of onesies, some dyed different colors with RIT dye. The guests picked their patterns and away they worked cutting, ironing and placing.
Miranda will have to do the final stitching at home.

And for the food...

stacks of panini sandwiches: caprese, turkey, brie & pear, and ham, cheddar & apple

They had the panini grill hot so guests could grill their sandwich.

They also had a berry salad and green salad.

And cute sugarcookies for dessert & favors. The "m" is for Milo (the chosen name for the baby)

I cant wait to do a shower like it!!!

Easy Pinkalicious dessert party

This year Elle's Birthday had to be simple. With a pregnant mommy at Christmas, I had to make it cute but EASY!

We did a joint party with her little friend who turns 2 a week before Elle. The invitations were really simple. I used the scallop edger by "stamp it up" and the flower punch by them too. I usually dont buy from them, but I could not find these anywhere else!

We did an openhouse with 6-7 families. We served pink punch (raspberry sherbet and sprite) cake and peppermint icecream, pink frosted doughnuts and cupcakes. Sugar high!

These tissue balls are super easy to make (though I have never made one! I borrowed these from a friend who had just had a party!) You accordian fold tissue paper together, cut the edge in either a point or a scallop, wrap wire around the middle, and then pull it all apart!

I found this table cloth on sale at William Sonoma. . It was fun to be pink, but not ALL pink!

I used the "great cupcake" pan by WS.

Ordered strawberry frosted doughnuts from Shipleys, and then made a bunch more cupcakes for the little ones.

I did 2 cakes for the 2 little girls...then they could both blow out candles!

This was an easy way to do a little birthday banner. I just used my punch and stuck the letters on old fashioned candy sticks...and stuck those in pebbles in buckets.

Then I gave away the old fashioned candy sticks as favors. I ordered them from "Lehi Valley," but I found a ton of places online. I think they had the most reasonable shipping!

And there it was...a little pink openhouse!!!

Neighbor gifts...

For the past four years I have made caramel and chocolate covered pretzel gifts for neighbors...so I thought Id better continue the tradition!

You will need: pretzels rods, kraft caramel squares, white chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips.

I add a little water to the caramel and then melt it in the microwave, and dip the rods in caramel. I use the back of a spoon to roll the caramel off and leave a thin layer. I lay them down on parchment paper and stick them in the fridge.

I dont add anything to the chocolate before I melt it, I put it in for 1 minute and then add 15 seconds if it needs it. I dip the rods in the chocolate just as I do with the caramel, using the same technique with the back of the spoon.

After they harden I drizzle the opposite color on them and then, WA LA!

I also made PEACE blocks...cause lucky for me, not a lot of people know about vinyl here!

And for Robbie's teachers, I made Spanish Christmas trees.

Neighbor gifts...Check!

My new favorite: the gift tag punch!

This year I bought a gift tag hole punch at Michaels. I didnt know if I would ever use it, but thought it would be fun to have. WHAT? I have used it tirelessly since I got it! One day last week, Robbie came down with a stack of gift cards he had punched out with all of my patterned scrapbook paper...what a novel idea! So now, I can print on the one side and have a cute pattern on the other! Amazing!

decorating...its worth it!

I am so glad Kathy and I made all of those blocks last year...I have found places for most of them!

Even just to hide a mess!

I have not figured out my "dream ornaments" yet...so this year we did the costco special. And guess what, they are SHATTERPROOF!

I found a place for a kid tree. Robbie had SO much fun decorating it. Unwrapping the ornaments was like a little Christmas in itself.

It's nice because Rob loves coming home to "Christmas Land." With a little music and mulling spices, we enjoy the Christmas Spirit right from the living room.

It took an entire day to put up and will take an entire day to take down...but in the meantime, I will love it love it love it!

Decorating...its worth it!

Since we are always gone for Christmas, we never decorate...but this year since I have to stay home...I pulled out ALL of the bins!

I love this ornament tree from Urban Outfitters. It is my first time using it and all the russian ornaments on it!

What is the use of collecting nativity sets when you dont put them out, I got out all 20 of them (but not my Russian one cause I would cry to have one of the kids break it...give me a couple more years) Here are the foreign ones. The "replaceable" ones are in the other room!

So Im starting to collect stockings too...not so smart. I only put out 2 sets this year and I think i am just going to have to hold back on buying more until I can figure out what you do with them!

Gift wrap for little girls...

Make the wrap part of the present! I made these bows for Elle's little friends and clipped them on top of their gifts. They were fun to make and top off the gifts quite well!