Pumpkin Petunia

ART CAMP 2011 - DAY TWO SYMMETRY

2011-08-11T05:26:00.000-07:00

After a very busy Day One with the printing press project, I decided to go with a more laid back approach for day two. As Petunia reminded me - "Not everyone is used to your pace!" Ha! Out of the mouths of babes. So I decided to use some less ambitious "filler" projects I had in mind, link them with a common theme and enjoy a slower-paced day with the girls.

The first project we took on was a butterfly suncatcher. I did not get a great shot of these but you can see the girls holding them in the pic above. We had talked a bit the day before about how nothing in nature is perfect (as the girls stressed about free-handing their sea creatures), so I took the opportunity to link that discussion to the butterflies. While nothing in nature is perfect, some things are symmetrical! The girls were encouraged to paint their suncatchers in a symmetrical pattern although, it was not mandatory as I did not want to stifle anyone's creativity. It is summer, after all!

We then used the same gel paint with it's beautiful iridescent quality to paint one-half of a butterfly free-hand. We folded a large paper in half, using the middle seam as the middle of the butterfly body and the girls painted the butterfly however they wished. I realized that children must not do a lot of free-hand drawing and painting in school because they were very intimidated to just put paint brush to paper. I was happy to encourage them to just go for it because the results were magnificent! Once they completed half the butterfly, they unfolded the paper and folded it over again to make an impression of the paint on the other side. The girls were thrilled when they pulled back the paper and saw the results!

These two projects brought us right to lunch time so after lunch, I thought we'd have a little fun! I brought out a huge bucket of chalk, had the girls line up down the driveway and team up to trace each other. The idea was that the silhouettes of themselves loosely followed the symmetry theme (remember, this was a laid back fun day!) and I really wanted to encourage more drawing as the girls seemed so intimidated by it. Chalk is not permanent so I thought they'd be more free with their creations.

The girls really had a lot of fun with this and planned out exactly how they wanted to be traced to create the drawing that they had in mind. We had everything from mermaids...

to models walking the runway...and just about everything in between. We then had a quick minute to get started on a project that will be completed on day four. So you'll have to wait until then to see it.

Tomorrow, break's over! We're back at it with some beautiful nature printing and bookbinding!!

ART CAMP 2011 - DAY ONE PRINTMAKING

2011-08-10T06:26:00.001-07:00

Another summer means another year of Art Camp, one of my favorite weeks of the year!!! This year we went all out with a larger group and some awesome projects that we have never done before!

Because we had more girls, I had much less time to take pictures so you'll have to fill in some gaps with your imagination. The theme for Day One was Printmaking and I absolutely adored this project. We started the day by covering some artist canvas with sand. The sanded canvases would be the base to display our prints. While we were at it, we covered some little treasure boxes with sand as well just for an extra little bonus. We were making a mess with sand anyway, why not?

Then each girl was given a rectangle of fun foam and told to free hand a drawing of any sea creature and cut it out. The details of the creature did not matter, it was the shape itself that we were going for. We had whales, dolphins, star fish, squid, the variety that the girls came up with was tremendous!

After each girl cut out her sea creature, I attached each one to a mailing cylinder that I had on hand with hot glue making our own, homemade printing press! So cool, right?! We then rolled out long sheets of paper down the driveway, "inked" up the press with paint and rolled the press along the paper, stopping to re-ink as needed. This created a beautiful repeating pattern of all of the sea creatures. I have to admit that the girls thought this was a lot of trouble to go through to get a print when they could have just inked up their one creature and printed it on to paper but once they saw the beautiful result, I think they were on board. After all, anyone can use a stamp - we made a printing press!!

After the was dry, we studied the prints that were made and each girl chose a section of the print that included the sea creature that they had created. We then mounted the print to the sanded canvas and embellished with shells! The results were really beautiful. While we were at it, we also embellished the little treasure boxes with shells for an additional little keepsake.

So that was it, Art Camp day one! Here is a shot of the printing press after we had used it and little Peanut with her completed project. She's so proud to keep up with the big girls!

Come back tomorrow to find out what we did on Day Two! (I'll give you a hint, the topic was symmetry).

JULY 4TH BIKE HANDLE STREAMERS

2011-06-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

Check out these bike handle streamers from Alpha Mom! They look fun and easy to make and would be the perfect decor for your bike parade!

SUMMER STYLE - SKIRTS

2011-06-15T05:47:00.001-07:00

If you buy one skirt this summer, I think it should be this one. I adore this chevron stripe skirt from Old Navy. So much so that I stalked a woman wearing it at my daughter's dance recital all day on Sunday. We were always in a crowd so I never did get the chance to ask where she got it but imagine my surprise when I walked into Old Navy yesterday and there it was! (P.S. I never dreamed it was ON, definitely thought it was a much more expensive brand. It's that nice.) Super soft cotton, breezy and cool - add a tank and a jean jacket and you're good to go!

For other Summer Style finds, go here.

JULY 4TH BIKE PARADE!

2011-06-07T04:07:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Martha Stewart for placing my July 4th Bike Parade as #3 on her list of the top 21 Things to do this Summer! (psst...check back tomorrow for a free printable version of the invite)

One of our favorite party traditions is our annual bike parade to celebrate Independence Day. This tradition started one year when Pumpkin was in preschool. He was so distraught that we had to miss our town's celebration that we decided to plan our own. It was such a success that we held this event each year until Pumpkin and Petunia thought that they were too "old" to play. The good news is that Peanut will be riding a bike soon, so we can pick up our annual bike parades right where we left off. I am SO excited.

The photos used here are from our 2005 Bike Parade just because the kids are so little and cute and I love seeing photos of them as preschoolers. Of course, I was just snapping photos for memory's sake at the time so the party isn't documented perfectly, but I think you'll get a good sense of the spirit of the occasion and I'll get a chance to walk down memory lane.

The invitation for the bike parade really sets the tone for the event. We live on a small, quiet street, so we always hold the parade right at home, but a local park would be the perfect location for this celebration. I like to note on the invite that we will provide streamers and balloons and such to decorate the bikes but parents usually arrive with decorations of their own to share as well.

This particular year, one parent brought crown templates that she cut out of card stock large enough to fit around the children's helmets! I absolutely loved this idea and we used it every year after.

Once all the children arrive, we get right to embellishing the bikes in preparation for the big parade. As you can see, the moms enjoy this part just as much as the kids! Supplies to have on hand are red, white and blue streamers and ribbons, foam letters and stars to attach to card stock license plates, mini flags, balloons, shiny star garlands and some tape. Just take care to insure that the streamers and ribbons are attached firmly to the bike and do not hang down to interfere with pedals and wheel spokes and such.

Once the bikes are all decked out, it's time for lunch! We just spread out a few tablecloths on the lawn and have one big picnic.

Food for this event is beyond easy. I provide an assortment of star-shaped sandwiches and skewers of red, white and blue fruit kabobs (strawberries, apples, bananas and blueberries are perfect) and the other moms usually bring a few snacks to share as well.

After lunch, it's time for the main event. The bike parade!

The children put on their decked out helmets...

Jump on their patriotically adorned bikes...

And hit the road!

But I haven't told you the best part yet.

What would a parade be without music? And not just any music. That's right, we break out the bagpipes for this event!

No, not actual bagpipes played live at the parade (although, how cool would that be?). We fire up the ipod and speakers and blast the pipes as the children ride in formation up and down the street, neighbors on their doorsteps clapping and cheering as the procession passes. (Oh how I wish I had video of the big ride that could be uploaded here. You just don't get the full fabulous effect with a photo!)

After several laps up and down the street, the bikes are parked and red, white and blue rocket pops are enjoyed by all as they pose for one final photo in front of the flag. (The same photo in the same spot was taken year after year. I now feel the urge to display all these photos together this year as part of our July 4th decorations. I'll post back with what I come up with.)

I think I'll get Peanut on her tricycle tomorrow. Maybe we can beef up the pedals so she can reach - just in time for the 4th!

Note: The top photo is a shot of some indoor decorations that we always hang just in case party guests need to go inside. An abundance of these folded stars make a big impact and are easy as pie to make. Simple instructions found here.

SUMMER STYLE

2011-06-02T15:44:00.001-07:00

How sweet are these gorgeous earrings for summer?
Even better, they're on sale. LOVE!

SUMMER! (FREE DOWNLOAD)

2011-05-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a particularly harsh winter, summer does not officially launch for my crew for a couple more weeks but we have been rewarded for our patience with a glorious Memorial Day weekend and the beautiful weather appears to be sticking around all week! Woot!!!

So in the spirit of patience and sunshine, here is a summer banner that I whipped up to help you kick off your summer!

Download your copy of my Summer Beach Ball Banner below. (Just click on More and select Save or Print.)

If you would like a birthday version of the Beach Ball Banner, email me and I will create one for download, as well.

Beach Ball Banner Beach Ball Banner pumpkinpetunia

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Travel literature florida

Enjoy!

P.S. Scribd is not allowing me to link to this in my usual way so if you have problems downloading, please let me know!

PUMPKIN PETUNIA and STELLA & DOT - SPECIAL OFFER!

2011-05-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

Offer extended through May 31st at midnight!!!

This weekend is not only the official beginning of summer, but it also launches party season!! With so many graduation parties, baby and bridal showers and birthday parties on the agenda, I'm here to help you all get ready in style! For the very first time, I am offering a joint special and I'm super excited about it!!! I hope you love it too!

Here's the deal! I'm going to help you get ready for those summer parties in more ways than one. First, get your style on with those must-have accessories to jazz up that summer wardrobe. You don't need a complete fashion makeover, just add some key jewelry pieces to your existing wardrobe and you're ready to go! Love that great dress from last summer but want to do something different? Accessorize it! When you do, Pumpkin Petunia will help you throw your own summer soiree - ON US!

Purchase $75 or more at Stella & Dot through this link and enter Pumpkin Petunia as your hostess (this is how we will identify that you qualify for this promotion) and receive TWO FREE SETS (that's 50 invitations!) of custom party invitations of your choice (retail value: $60). But the deal gets even better...

Purchase $100 or more of gorgeous jewelry from Stella & Dot (again through this link and entering Pumpkin Petunia as your hostess so we can identify your eligibility) and you will receive a COMPLETE CUSTOM PARTY PACKAGE (consisting of a set of party invitations, thank you notes and cupcake picks. Retail value: $90)!!

So get some gift-shopping done (think graduations, birthdays) or get something amazing just for you and score yourself some free party packages in the process! Pictured are just some of the designs available to choose from. We'll let you choose from absolutely any design or color scheme that we have available!

So go ahead and freshen up your wardrobe for party season and then get your party on with custom party packages on us!!! But act quickly - this offer is available this week only! It expires at midnight EST on Friday, May 27, 2011.

Fine print: All Stella & Dot orders are shipped immediately and arrive via priority mail in just 3-4 business days. Kindly allow three weeks for delivery of custom invites. Rush orders may be available but are not guaranteed; in short, we will do our best! Free party packages must be redeemed no later than December 31, 2011. If you wish to redeem the offer for custom Holiday cards, you will receive a credit for the value of the party package for which you qualified ($60 or $90). Holiday card orders must be placed no later than November 1st. For details on ordering your party supplies, email me here.

GRADUATION PARTY

2011-05-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

It's almost that time again - graduations are just around the corner! Here is a recap of a party I designed for my niece and nephew a couple of years back (can't believe it - they're just home from their sophomore year of college!). You heard a bit about it here, and saw a bit of it here, but now is time for all the juicy details! This was a particularly fun party to put together because it was for two graduates, giving me a chance to have a bit of fun with the design. The two graduation caps on the invite are a good example of how we played off the fact that this was a party for both a boy and a girl graduate.

The graduate silhouettes used in the banner also played off this theme. I really loved this idea of using two silhouettes and the first invite that I designed played up this motif (seen below), but that design was vetoed by one of the graduates, making the double cap design next in line for consideration. It was their party, after all! (don't you just hate when the honorees have an opinion?!?) Luckily, I was able to sneak the silhouettes into other aspects of the party.

See. Cute, right?

If you haven't guessed, the graduates' school colors are blue and white which became the obvious palette for the decor. The dark blue and light blue worked well with the design for both a male and female graduate. I loved how the water bottles looked all lined up in the fridge.

Because the weather for the day was questionable, my sister decided to move the party indoors. This caused a few moments of panic as much of the decor planned for the tent would not work indoors, but a last minute banner and some other small details worked wonders to create the look we were hoping for indoors. The menu signs were very well received by the guests for their playful practicality.

For dessert, we served a cookie bar along with the cake and some fun, personalized M&M's. I just couldn't resist the idea of a sign that said 2 Smart Cookies!

The Class of 2009 whoopie pie flags were pretty darn cute too. Cellophane bags with coordinating labels were provided for the guests to take some treats home as well.

My favorite project, by far, for my niece and nephew's graduation was definitely the photo montage dvd that was created using iPhoto, iTunes and iDVD. These applications worked beautifully together to make this project really easy to do and super fun. I loved going through all of the photos of the graduates and reminiscing about their lives and all of their wonderful accomplishments. The DVD was shown over and over throughout the day for family and friends and the guests of honor even enjoyed watching it time and again and playing it for their friends. I was just happy to have chosen songs that were not considered dorky and uncool by the high school crowd! (for your reference so you can be as hip as I, the songs were "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield and "Time of Your Life" by Just Jinger)

For favors for the girls, Petunia and I made up cute little flip flops using a similar technique to the tissue poms that we love to make so much. You'll never guess what we used to make the poms to insure they would be water proof. I'll post a tutorial later in the week to fill you in on all the details of this fun project. The flip flops were displayed in my nephew's wrestling gym bag just to play down the girly factor a bit. I loved the contrast of how they looked in this old, beat up bag.

Despite the sketchy forecast, the day turned out perfect. After a fabulous party and tons of fun, the final detail: thank you notes.

It was an absolute pleasure helping to put this party together for my adorable niece and nephew. I am so proud of all of their wonderful accomplishments but even more so of the incredible people they have become. Congratulations Philip and Kayla! XOXO

EASTER CUPCAKE PICKS & STICKERS - FREE DOWNLOAD!

2011-04-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

As promised, I am back with a free template download for Easter! I love offering templates here, mostly because of the incredible response that I get from all of you. I cannot thank you enough for your kind comments, emails and notes of thanks each time I post a template.

So as an extra little thanks, I have made this Easter template multi-purposed! These fun little Easter-themed punch outs can be used as little favor or gift tags, cupcake picks or labels. I have done them in three colors for a bit of fun and to match all of your Easter needs. Simply download the template here and print! The template is designed for use with a 2.5 inch circle punch for perfect circles every time. And do you know the little trick when using punches? I'm sure you do, but just in case: flip your circle punch over and use it upside down. That way, you can line the circle up perfectly with the design before you punch. (see photo below)

Print the template on label sheets to make stickers for favors or gifts...

or on cardstock for tags and cupcakes picks...

Note: I did not photograph the actual Bunny Cupcake pick because I did not have a cupcake handy today. The photo above is very similar, but saved me the embarrassment of buying and eating a cupcake just for the photo. (not that I didn't consider it, believe me!)

If you have trouble with the download, please feel free to email me here. I'd love to hear how you're using the template, so drop me a line and let me know. Enjoy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-04-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

Play Ball!

ERIN GO BRAGH!

2011-03-17T06:17:00.001-07:00

Illustration from Lilly Pulitzer (and don't you just love it?!)

Lots of shenanigans in store for today, I hope.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

OBSESSION.

2011-03-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Have you seen Mary Swenson lately? Magic.

A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO HELP

2011-03-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a beautiful way to help the people of Japan devastated by the massive earthquake and tsunami last week. Purchase this beautiful Tokyo print from JHill Design's Places I've Never Been series and 100% of the profits will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.

A beautiful reminder that you cared enough to help and a lovely gift that will keep on giving.

ROBOT BIRTHDAY PARTY!

2011-03-11T10:10:00.000-08:00

Head on over to chicabug today to see this awesome Robot Birthday Party put on by Domenica of Proudest Monkey Photography. This is the same incredible Mom and beautiful photographer who put on this Rockin' Party, so it's sure to be amazing!

END OF THE RAINBOW: ST. PATRICK'S DAY PRINTABLE

2011-03-09T07:17:00.001-08:00

Love this end of the rainbow treat bag from It Is What It Is complete with printable tag.

THE EVER POPULAR LUCKY PENNY PRINTABLE!

2011-02-21T08:37:00.000-08:00

Living in the Boston area, St. Patrick's Day is a pretty big deal, so we always like to do a little something special to celebrate the day. An all-time favorite of ours since the preschool years (keep in mind that Pumpkin is now ten!) has been to hand out lucky pennies! This is honestly the simplest classroom handout you will ever do, but the kids get so excited that you would think you just handed them a nugget of gold.

The first step is to go to the bank and get some shiny new pennies. Over the years, my luck with the banks in my area have been mixed. Some years it's no problem at all, other years I have been told that they do not have any new pennies. No new pennies?!?!! How is this possible? I'm not sure, but if this happens to you as well, you can take the alternate route of cleaning some pennies yourself (go here for penny cleaning formula). If you clean them yourself, they will not be as shiny as if they were new, but the kids do not notice at all, so not to worry.

Once you have the pennies, you have already completed the most time-consuming part of this project! Simply download the design template here, print on the cardstock of your choice and cut as indicated. (Hint: the cards are 3X3 squares) Then attach the pennies to the cards using glue or double-sided tape and you're done! We usually put the cards in small glassine or cellophane envelopes to hand them out, but only because I tend to have those types of supplies on hand. The cards are perfectly fine to hand out as is.

Everyone can use a little extra luck now and again, so have fun with this quick and easy project and maybe as you're spreading some cheer, you'll find yourself a bit o' gold at the end of the rainbow this St. Patrick's Day.

Oh, and no shenanigans! OK, maybe a little...

St. Patrick's Day Lucky Penny Download.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

2011-02-08T05:37:00.000-08:00

Love is definitely in the air over at We Love to Illustrate! They have 6 adorably beautiful illustrations available for free download for personal use. Such a LOVE-ly and generous gesture!

VALENTINE GUMBALL NECKLACES

2011-01-19T04:34:00.000-08:00

How adorable are these gumball necklaces by One Charming Party? Such a perfect and special treat for Valentine's Day! They are so beautiful that I can hardly believe that they are made of gumballs. But they are - see, I'll prove it!

Here is a gumball being pierced with a skewer to create the necklace. Go here for the how-to!

For a similar look that will last a bit longer, check out these adorable designs from Stella & Dot. Each necklace arrives packaged in an adorable little tin for a lovely presentation and safe keeping. An adorable gift for a sweet little Valentine.

NOSTALGIC

2011-01-18T12:05:00.001-08:00

This beautiful photo from Martha Stewart's website makes me miss Blueprint magazine. At least some of the content lives on...

PEACE

2011-01-17T05:57:00.001-08:00

Let It Be print from Tessyla on Etsy.

WEB LOVE FOR MY VALENTINE PRINTABLES

2011-01-15T13:03:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to everyone around the web who was kind enough to feature my various Valentine printables.

Kind Over Matter asked for an exclusive design just for them and of course I was more than happy (and honored!) to oblige. So head over to Kind Over Matter for my exclusive water labels.

Living Locurto and One Pretty Thing, along with several other lovely bloggers, have kindly linked up to my Valentine cootie catchers. Remember those? So fun! There is a girl and a boy version available.

And last but not least, the incomparable Martha Stewart has once again featured my Matchbook Notebook Valentines. There's not much more that I can say about that - she's the Queen!

Watch this week for a brand new design all set to go and available for download this week!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2010-12-24T07:40:00.001-08:00

NAUGHTY OR NICE? FREE 8X10 PRINT DOWNLOAD!

2010-12-14T05:44:00.000-08:00

Have you been good this year? Let Santa know with this fun holiday print. If not, he'll at least want to know that you tried, right? These prints look so adorable hung by the tree, on the fireplace mantel or framed and left by the cookies and milk. And as my gift to you, they are here for free download!

Simply click on the image of the print you wish to download, drag to your desktop and print on 8 1/2 X 11 cardstock (these look really nice if the stock has some texture to it). Then trim to 8 X 10 and frame or mount on some matboard.

You can also reduce the size when printing to make really cute notecards - couple the notecards with a print, package up in cellophane envelopes and you have yourself a sweet little hostess gift.

Enjoy!

GIRLS CAN SAVE THE WORLD

2010-12-13T07:37:00.001-08:00

They're back!! My most favorite shirt from last year has made an appearance at Old Navy once again. And like last year, I was tempted to buy one for every girl on the planet (including me!). I settled for just the girls in my little family, but the sentiment in this shirt is huge. And I LOVE it.

Taking the world saving to heart, Petunia has once again set out to help by spreading the American Girl doll love - (go ahead, insert eye roll; it's OK). She's nine, so in her eyes there's no better way, right? Having raised money to donate American Girl dolls to The Home for Little Wanderers and Birthday Wishes for a couple of years now, this year Petunia had to get creative with her fundraising efforts. And she did!

Petunia has an "in" with Stella & Dot and decided to sell their new friendship bracelets to help with her fundraising this year. And you know what? She's a smart little cookie, that Petunia! These bracelets match the spirit of her efforts so beautifully that she could not have thought of a better idea! The friendship bracelets are available in four colors, each representing the best traits of a true friend - smart, fun, true and kind. Qualities that every girl needs if she's going to save the world! So for every friendship bracelet sold through this link, 100% of the proceeds will go to the Home for Little Wanderers to fulfill wishes for children who may otherwise receive nothing at all this Christmas.

Since you may not need a friendship bracelet (why? I don't know - they're super cute!). But you may not, so I will extend this effort and donate 100% of the proceeds of any purchase made through this link to The Home for Little Wanderers. Be sure to enter Jo-Ann Coe as hostess to receive the reduced trunk show shipping rate. Stella & Dot ships so quickly (and beautifully packaged), that there is still plenty of time for holiday shopping! So you can cross some gifts off your holiday list (let's face it, you're running out of time!) or even glam yourself up for all of those holiday festivities! Orders are shipped directly to you and received in 3-4 business days!

Have you set out to save the world? Tell me how - I'd love to hear!!

HOLIDAY GIFTING: FREE PRINTABLE NOTECARDS

2010-12-08T05:39:00.000-08:00

I love having giveaways. Love it! The thrill of pulling a person's name and making their day is a total rush. But then, like any rush, there's the let down. In giveaways, the let down is that once you choose the winner, you've just made everyone else who entered a loser. Well, not a loser, but you know what I mean. So in the spirit of holiday gift giving, today, everyone's a winner here at Pumpkin Petunia! And the best part about this gift is that you can regift it! That's right, go ahead and give it away, I won't mind. Honest.

My gift to all of you is a free download of these beautiful Floral Cheers Notecards! Simply click on the image above then right-click or drag to desktop to download and print on letter sized cardstock. Cut on the solid line, fold on the dotted line (use a bone folder for best results) and you're done! Package a set of these up with A2 sized envelopes and a pretty pen and you have yourself a lovely little gift!

But before you get started, I have to give props to the source for the amazing floral pattern used in this design. Thanks so much to the Inspired Bride for sharing this lovely pattern. Please remember that the notecards (and the design elements at Inspired Bride) are for personal use only. You are free to print as many notecards as you like; use them and give them away to your heart's content, but please do not sell or represent these designs as your own.

BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL: 25% OFF STELLA & DOT STYLE!

2010-11-25T19:01:00.001-08:00

Hope you all had a wonderful day with family and friends. If you're like me (and just about everyone I know!) you have now turned your attention from eating to shopping. And we all know that not just any shopping will do - it has to be bargain shopping! So in that spirit, I would like to pass on to you a Friends & Family discount with Stella & Dot. This discount code is not advertised on their website and is only being distributed directly to customers, so I thought it was absolutely worth sharing.

Use code USFAM10 to receive 25% off your highest priced item. With tons of beautiful styles perfect for all of those holiday parties (like the gorgeous Claire and Chloe necklaces), amazing finds for under $50 and lots of great gift ideas you'll definitely fall in love with the fabulous Stella & Dot style that has been featured in InStyle, Lucky, Cosmo, and more! The best part? Everything arrives beautifully packaged and ready for giving in just 3-4 business days!!

Offer valid November 25th and 26th. Happy Shopping!!

THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS: THANKFUL BOARD

2010-11-23T06:58:00.000-08:00

Originally posted November 2008

{Thankful board circa 2004}

We have a chalkboard in our kitchen that is quite literally the center of our universe. Anything important, and even a bunch of trivialities, make their way to "the chalkboard." (I use quotations here because that's how we refer to it, as if it's the only chalkboard on the planet.) So as Thanksgiving approached several years ago when Pumpkin and Petunia were still toddlers (preschool and pre-preschool, respectively), I thought it would be cute to record what each child was thankful for and the chalkboard was the natural place for such a list. As a family, we gathered around the chalkboard and I asked each child what they were thankful for. Pumpkin, being the oldest took the lead and dictated his list as I recorded it verbatim. Petunia followed and the list was ceremoniously placed back on the wall in the kitchen.

When family and friends arrived for Thanksgiving, the list was the centerpiece of the discussion and we all had fun seeing thanks through the eyes of toddlers. When it came time to decorate for Christmas, I cringed at the thought of erasing the chalkboard. The list was made on a whim and I hadn't really thought it through. How could I erase something that came straight from my children's hearts? What kind of monster was I?! Then I realized (duh!) that I could take a picture. So I got out the camera, took a shot or two of the list and had the photo developed (yes, it was that long ago). Only then when I had the photo of the list in hand, did I erase it from the board.

Since then, every year the children make their thankful lists on the chalkboard. They are old enough now to write it themselves and we have added a third list these past couple of years for Peanut. This is the first year that she will understand well enough to dictate her thankfuls herself and we're really looking forward to hear what she has to say. My husband and I do write our own lists, but we hang them separately so as to not take up space on the chalkboard that the kids would like to fill.

What I didn't realize that first year as I took a picture of the chalkboard before erasing the list was that these photos, now taken every year on the day we begin preparing the house for Christmas, would become one of the most meaningful records that our family keeps. Marking moments in time, seeing the constants on the list each year: grandparents, cousins, the beach. And the things that change as each child grows and matures: Rescue Heroes lose their spot to baseball; the Wiggles lose their spot to High School Musical. I cannot wait to see what the list holds this year; there are always some suprises. Personally, I am always thankful for children who value the people in their lives enough to always put them at the top of their lists.

Remember to link to or write about your family's traditions in the comments. I would love to hear all about the things that make this holiday special for you!

THE WE ARE NOT MARTHA GIRLS AND A GIVEAWAY!

2010-10-28T06:18:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of meeting the adorable We are not Martha girls. The lovely Chelsee and Susie hosted a Stella & Dot trunk show this past weekend and let me tell you, these girls have got everything going for them! First off, they are absolutely adorable (as you can see!), they write a great blog featuring some amazing recipes (you MUST check it out) and they are such a joy to work with: organized, friendly and the best part - it's super simple to get in touch with them because they are always together!

So head on over to the We are not Martha blog to hear all about our fun day.

And be sure to check out their great giveaway of the Petra Bracelet (pictured above) just in time for the holidays!

HALLOWEEN TREAT: CHOCOLATE OREO MUMMIES!

2010-10-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

It's Peanut's turn to bring "special snack" to preschool tomorrow and we wanted to do something really fun. I saw these chocolate covered oreos somewhere (if you know, please tell me so I can reference them. I've searched and searched to no avail) and decided they were just perfect. Since Peanut is the third child, I have a "been there, done that" reaction to a lot of the usual treats and to be honest, I feel a bit of pressure to bring in something new as the teachers always seem to be anticipating what I'll do next.

I blocked off a good chunk of time to make these creations thinking that they may be a bit involved. Add the fact that I had the eager help of a 4 year old and I thought these may be an all-day affair. Surprisingly, the process went very quickly and with minimal mishaps. When does that ever happen?!

Here is a very loose step-by-step of the process. Please excuse the fact that I have not beautifully captured each step in photos. I'm more of the let's get this project done type rather than a let's capture every step to create a lovely tutorial type - but you already knew that!

On to the steps!

Step one: Melt the chocolate in a container deep enough to dunk an oreo.

Step two: Take the tops off of all the oreos. I was worried that it would be difficult to keep all the cookie tops intact while separating, but they came apart really easily. We used Halloween Oreos, if that makes any difference at all.

Step Three: Dip the end of a lollipop stick in the melted chocolate and then press into the cream of the oreo to secure the stick. Then add the top back on the oreo. Dipping the stick in melted chocolate first is critical in getting the stick to stay secure inside the oreo.

Step Four: Once all the sticks are added to the cookies and the tops are back on, dip each cookie into the melted chocolate being sure to coat the entire cookie. Use a small spoon to be sure to cover the area around the stick. Shake the cookie to allow the excess chocolate to drip off.

Step Five: Place the coated cookie on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Step Six: Once all cookies are coated in chocolate and while the chocolate is still wet, place M&M eyes on each cookie. If the chocolate has already set, use the end of an extra lollipop stick to dab two spots of chocolate to secure the eyes.

Step Seven: Once the chocolate has set, reheat the melted chocolate and spoon into a sandwhich bag. Cut off the bottom corner of the bag to use as the tip of a pastry bag.

Step Eight: Use the bag to stripe the top of the cookie to create a mummy effect. Be sure to partially cover the eyes with the stripes to give the appearance of eyes peeking out from behind.

Step Nine: Let the chocolate set and you're done!

I used food-safe cellophane bags and some inexpensive Halloween ribbon to package them up for ease of distributing, but I think a bunch of them together popping out of a bucket would be super cute as well.

KEEP CALM? IT'S HALLOWEEN! (FREE DOWNLOAD ALERT)

2010-10-13T07:58:00.001-07:00

The busier life gets, the more...well, subtle...my holiday decor has become. But I am discovering that I enjoy the more subtle little touches to my holiday decorating. It is fun to watch someone do a double take and discover a little detail that they passed by twenty times before without noticing.

One of my current favorites is the little edit I made to the Keep Calm screenprint in my dining room. Yes the print is now passe, but I make no excuses for it. I love the vibrant color and it is a much needed pause in my family's hectic life (and let's face it, sometimes - OK, daily - we need that reminder). But keep calm on Halloween? I don't think so!

Want to update your Keep Calm print for Halloween? (come on, you know you have one!). Simply download my PANIC sign here and print, cut and hang. Then wait and see how long it takes someone to notice.

Panic

GRAPHIC DESIGN GEEK ALERT (A FRIDAY FUNNY)

2010-10-01T11:22:00.001-07:00

Still laughing, had to post.

Story goes :

Shannon (the secretary) has lost her cat and has asked David (the graphic designer) to help with a lost poster. This is their email correspondence...
Read from top to bottom….

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.15am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Poster

Hi
I opened the screen door yesterday and my cat got out and has been missing since then so I was wondering if you are not to busy you could make a poster for me. It has to be A4 and I will photocopy it and put it around my suburb this afternoon.

This is the only photo of her I have she answers to the name Missy and is black and white and about 8 months old. missing on Harper street and my phone number.
Thanks Shan.
From:David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.26am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
That is shocking news. Luckily I was sitting down when I read your email and not half way up a ladder or tree. How are you holding up? I am surprised you managed to attend work at all what with thinking about Missy out there cold, frightened and alone... possibly lying on the side of the road, her back legs squashed by a vehicle, calling out "Shannon, where are you?"

Although I have two clients expecting completed work this afternoon, I will, of course, drop everything and do whatever it takes to facilitate the speedy return of Missy.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.37am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Poster

yeah ok thanks. I know you dont like cats but I am really worried about mine. I have to leave at 1pm today.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.17am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
I never said I don't like cats. Once, having been invited to a party, I went clothes shopping beforehand and bought a pair of expensive G-Star boots. They were two sizes too small but I wanted them so badly I figured I could just wear them without socks and cut my toenails very short. As the party was only a few blocks from my place, I decided to walk. After the first block, I lost all feeling in my feet. Arriving at the party, I stumbled into a guy named Steven, spilling Malibu & coke onto his white Wham 'Choose Life' t-shirt, and he punched me. An hour or so after the incident, Steven sat down in a chair already occupied by a cat. The surprised cat clawed and snarled causing Steven to leap out of the chair, slip on a rug and strike his forehead onto the corner of a speaker; resulting in a two inch open gash. In its shock, the cat also defecated, leaving Steven with a wet brown stain down the back of his beige cargo pants. I liked that cat.Attached poster as requested.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.24am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah thats not what I was looking for at all. it looks like a movie and how come the photo of Missy is so small?

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.28am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
It's a design thing. The cat is lost in the negative space.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.33am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Thats just stupid. Can you do it properly please? I am extremely emotional over this and was up all night in tears. you seem to think it is funny. Can you make the photo bigger please and fix the text and do it in colour please. Thanks.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.46am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
Having worked with designers for a few years now, I would have assumed you understood, despite our vague suggestions otherwise, we do not welcome constructive criticism. I don't come downstairs and tell you how to send text messages, log onto Facebook and look out of the window. I am willing to overlook this faux pas due to you no doubt being preoccupied with thoughts of Missy attempting to make her way home across busy intersections or being trapped in a drain as it slowly fills with water. I spent three days down a well once but that was just for fun. I have amended and attached the poster as per your instructions.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.59am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

This is worse than the other one. can you make it so it shows the whole photo of Missy and delete the stupid text that says missing missy off it? I just want it to say Lost.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.14am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.21am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah can you do the poster or not? I just want a photo and the word lost and the telephone number and when and where she was lost and her name. Not like a movie poster or anything stupid. I have to leave early today. If it was your cat I would help you. Thanks.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.32am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Awww

Dear Shannon,
I don't have a cat. I once agreed to look after a friend's cat for a week but after he dropped it off at my apartment and explained the concept of kitty litter, I kept the cat in a closed cardboard box in the shed and forgot about it. If I wanted to feed something and clean faeces, I wouldn't have put my mother in that home after her stroke. A week later, when my friend came to collect his cat, I pretended that I was not home and mailed the box to him. Apparently I failed to put enough stamps on the package and he had to collect it from the post office and pay eighteen dollars. He still goes on about that sometimes, people need to learn to let go. I have attached the amended version of your poster as per your detailed instructions.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.47am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Awww

Thats not my cat. where did you get that picture from? That cat is orange. I gave you a photo of my cat.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.58am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Awww

I know, but that one is cute. As Missy has quite possibly met any one of several violent ends, it is possible you might get a better cat out of this. If anybody calls and says "I haven't seen your orange cat but I did find a black and white one with its hind legs run over by a car, do you want it?" you can politely decline and save yourself a costly veterinarian bill.

I knew someone who had a basset hound that had its hind legs removed after an accident and it had to walk around with one of those little buggies with wheels. If it had been my dog I would have asked for all its legs to be removed and replaced with wheels and had a remote control installed. I could charge neighbourhood kids for rides and enter it in races. If I did the same with a horse I could drive it to work. I would call it Steven.

Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.07pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Please just use the photo I gave you.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.22pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.34pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

I didnt say there was a reward. I dont have $2000 dollars. What did you even put that there for? Apart from that it is perfect can you please remove the reward bit. Thanks Shan.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.42pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Can you just please take the reward bit off altogether? I have to leave in ten minutes and I still have to make photocopies of it.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.56pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 1.03pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Fine. That will have to do.

FABRIC SCRAP NECKLACES (AND GARLAND!)

2010-09-28T05:13:00.000-07:00

Remember these fabric scrap necklaces that I did as a part of the art camp I held for my daughter and her friends? Well, since then I've been dreaming of making these en masse to use as a garland on my Christmas tree. This year, I'm finally taking this on and the time to start is now! I'll keep you all posted on my progress.

For a complete tutorial, go to Cakies and then gather up all those scraps. I have a feeling that once you start making these, you won't want to stop.

MARSHMALLOW GOBLINS

2010-09-27T06:27:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on October 30, 2009.

Remember these? Well, here they are all packaged up and ready to be delivered. I love the way they look in groups of three. Each little marshmallow personality shines right through when presented this way.

Don't you think?

Now if I could somehow successfully photograph cellophane packaging, that would really be a trick!

I LOVE A GIFT THAT GIVES TWICE!

2010-09-17T05:47:00.001-07:00

(Full disclosure: I work for this company but do not profit from the sale of these bracelets. My commission goes directly back to the foundation.)

Have you noticed that back to school time also means birthday time? My kids have been back to school for less than a month and the birthday party invitations have been rolling in like crazy. After several moments of panic over gifts for all of these parties (some of these invites come last minute, have you noticed?), I decided to take control of the situation and plan ahead.

My daughter has this adorable foundation bracelet from Stella & Dot and wanted to give one to a good friend who had admired hers. So I decided to order a bunch and save them for all of the birthday parties that are sure to arise throughout the year. The best part? 100% of the net proceeds from the sale of the foundation bracelets go to support three charities that focus on creating positive change for women and girls. (buildOn, Girls, Inc. and ACCION USA) In only the first month of sales, enough money was raised to build an entire school through the buildOn organization! I think that's pretty amazing and something that I definitely want to be a part of.

The foundation bracelets are available for women, as well. (I have the pink with gold charms and it such a beautiful, warm combination of colors.) I may or may not have stocked up on a few of these as well, planning ahead for some holiday gift-giving. I wouldn't want to ruin any surprises, of course...

Along with the bracelet, which comes beautifully packaged in an adorable tin for girls or a chic and stylish box for women, I include a little note letting the recipient know that their beautiful bracelet represents a donation to the foundation that supports these three incredible charities. Like I said - I love a gift that gives twice!

Oh, and if you do get a last minute invitation - not to worry. Shipping is lightening quick; you will receive your order via priority mail in 3-4 business days. Love that!

FREE HALLOWEEN PRINTABLES FOR EARLY BIRDS!

2010-09-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on October 22, 2009.

I was going to title this post: Download at Your Own Risk, but I thought that may be a little too scary! On a whim of procrastination, I whipped up some halloween downloads just for you. With children ranging in age from almost 11 to just-turned 3, I need to walk a very fine line between creepy enough for the big brother, but cute and fun enough for the baby. I think this set does just that.

Eat at Your Own Risk

First up are cupcake picks! Print on cardstock and cut with a 2 1/4" circle punch. Attach lollipop sticks or coffee stirrers and you're done! I was going to bake cupcakes and take pictures for this post, but realized that Halloween is just nine days away. You don't have time to wait for such nonsense. You need these now! (my waistline thanks you for that). Download the Halloween Cupcake Picks here.

Read at Your Own Risk

Next up are cute Halloween Note Sheets. Just print, cut down the middle (at 5 1/2 inches) and start jotting down all those Halloween reminders. Print up a set of 6 or 10 and attach a pencil for a sweet little Halloween treat. (maybe in your Boo bag? - just a thought!) Download your Halloween Note Sheets here.

Open at Your Own Risk

Finally, bag up all your Halloween treats in a lunch bag embellished with this scary/sweet sticker. Simply print out the sticker on a label sheet, cut around the circle and stick to the bag. Download your Halloween sticker here.

I really enjoy sharing these Halloween treats with you, but please remember that they are for personal use only.

LILLY PULITZER INSPIRED PINK & GREEN PARTY

2010-08-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

Finally a chance to write up Peanut's Lilly Pulitzer inspired party! I absolutely loved the pink and green palette for this party, inspired by the Desert Tortoise party invitation that caught Peanut's eye one day while I was shopping our local Lilly store. You can see the desert tortoise design featured on these awesome oversized pinwheels that were a must-have for party decor. They also served as the perfect favor for the birthday girl and her best friend and cousin of the same age.

You know that no party is complete without a Happy Birthday banner or two!

Special edition Lilly Pulitzer animal crackers found at the local grocer along with Izze soda, pink lemonade and fruit punch and apple juice boxes (chosen for the color or the cartons, of course!) made for a fun and delicious display at the dessert table.

(I apologize for this poorly-lit shot. I obviously have yet to master backlit photos!)

Here is a wider shot of the dessert area. This shot is taken before the actual desserts were added, which is sad because they looked delicious! Above the dessert area, I used wrapping paper in the dessert tortoise pattern to make a pennant banner. (note: after I measured and cut the wrapping paper into triangles, I reinforced them with cardstock to make them sturdy enough to hang properly without rolling.)

After running around like a crazy person getting ready for the party, I realized that I had forgotten to pick up the pink flowers that I had planned for these cute white vases (vases courtesy of a Martha Stewart flower surprise delivery from my "boss"). With no time left to run another errand, I went out to my garden and cut bunches of bright green autumn sedum just before they turned color for fall. Add some pink ribbon and I saved myself the cost of flowers. (sure, they weren't the pretty pink bouquets that I envisioned, but they worked in a pinch!)

Like the Happy Birthday banner, no party is complete without tissue poms and the birthday girl insisted on balloons!

After the enormous Paris print that we had for Petunia's party, I felt the need to have a party-themed wall hanging for Peanut's party as well. Although I have to admit, I wasn't willing to be as extravagant this time around. So for this wall hanging, I simply wrapped a lightweight piece of foam core with wrapping paper and decorated it with a printout honoring the party girl and a couple of tissue flowers that Petunia and I whipped up last minute. Then I glued a long length of ribbon to each end for hanging.

Unfortunately, I did not get many shots of the food all wrapped up pretty and labeled in pink and green (was I too busy serving or eating?), but luckily I did get a shot of these delicious cheese balls from Tastefully Simple. Chosen for their colors (green key lime dip and pink strawberry), I had never tried them before. They were amazing and were gobbled up in a flash!!! A definite must for all future parties no matter the color scheme (although I wonder if food coloring could help "adjust" the colors...).

And of course, the food and the decorations are lovely, but isn't this huge grin what these parties are all about?

Happy Birthday to my little Peanut. Thank you for choosing such a cute little theme so Mommy could have soooooo much fun putting it all together for you.

I'm pretty sure she thoroughly enjoyed it!

MITETEES PERSONALIZED PRINCESS SHIRTS

2010-08-18T12:10:00.001-07:00

Check out these adorable, personalized princess shirts from Mitetees. They are on sale for $14 (reg. $22) through Sunday, August 22nd! I absolutely adore all of Mitetees products, (cute, clever and impeccable quality), but I especially love this crown. A perfect gift.

For older princesses, I adore this sweet little sterling silver crown charm from Stella & Dot. Add it to one of their fashionable silk bases and you have yourself the perfect gift for princesses of all ages!

Speaking of gifts, I am sorting through photos of Peanut's Lilly Pulitzer-inspired party. I promise to share all the deets later this week!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PEANUT! (AND A SNEAK PEEK OF HER PARTY)

2010-08-16T10:48:00.000-07:00

Today is my little Peanut's Birthday!!! I can't believe she's four already (sniff, sniff). With 5 years between her and her next oldest sibling, she is truly the baby of the family and she is getting big much too quickly for my liking. Above is a quick little peek at the birthday festivities. I'll return tomorrow with all the fun details!!!!

CARNIVAL / CIRCUS PARTY WEEK - FREE PRINTABLE THANK YOU NOTE

2010-08-14T19:14:00.000-07:00

On the last day of circus/carnival party printables week, a little thank you from me to all of you. Your kindness and generous spirit has made me smile so much in the past couple of years. I look forward to sharing more with you in the days ahead!

So to round out our party printables, download your circus/carnival thank you notes here.

For the complete set of circus/carnival printables, click the links below.

5X7 Invitation Free Download
Cupcake Pick and Favor Tag Free Download.
Water Label Free Download.
Thank You Note Free Download.

It has been so much fun sharing these printables with you this week. Now go throw some amazing parties (I know you will!) and come back here and share them with me!

CARNIVAL / CIRCUS PARTY WEEK - FREE PRINTABLE WATER LABELS

2010-08-12T05:35:00.001-07:00

(photo courtesy of Kara)

Today's free printable is the one you have all been waiting for - the water label!!!! The response to this one product has been so overwhelmingly positive that I never could have imagined that a simple little water label would rock so many worlds! {smile}

Circus Water Labels

So here they are - your free, printable circus/carnival water labels! Just click "download" at the top of the image above and they're all yours! For best results use glossy, regular weight paper (not photo paper) and print on a color laser printer (to ensure that the labels are colorfast). If you do not have access to a laser printer, you can use your inkjet printer, but the ink will bleed if/when the labels get wet. Depending on the event, this may or may not be a big deal. Another option is to send this pdf to a local copy shop and have them print the labels for you.

Invitation Download Here.
Cupcake Pick Download Here.

CARNIVAL / CIRCUS PARTY WEEK - FREE PRINTABLE CUPCAKE PICK

2010-08-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of Carnival Week features a printable cupcake pick download. This template can also be used as tags or labels to attach to party favors or treat bags. For cupcake picks, print on cardstock and punch with a 2.5 inch circle punch, then attach a pick or coffee stirrer to the back to insert into the cupcake. (hint: for a neater look, use round circle labels from the office supply store, rather than tape, to attach the pick to the cardstock. you know, the little circle labels often used to price items at yard sales?)

To make tags, simply print on cardstock and cut with the circle punch. To make stickers, print on label sheets and cut with circle punch. Don't you just love when a simple template has multiple uses?!

Download Template Here.
Be sure not to miss the coordinating invitation download here.

CARNIVAL / CIRCUS PARTY WEEK - FREE PRINTABLE INVITATION

2010-08-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to day one of our Carnival/Circus Party Celebration!!! First up for free download is the invitation, available here. The 5X7 invites print two-up on 8 1/2 X 11 cardstock. Simply print, cut and fill in the party details. Enjoy!

CARNIVAL/CIRCUS PARTY WEEK - A WEEK OF FREE PRINTABLES!

2010-08-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

(image via crewcuts, of course. do they ever miss on their styling? never!)

It has not been lost on me, and I'm sure on anyone else, that circus and carnival parties are all the rage. The absolute number one seller in my shop - by far- has been my circus water labels and when I closed down the shop (to pursue other, happy ventures. not to worry), the backlash of not having these party goods available has been surprising. (you are all so sweet and I truly appreciate it. xoxoxo)

To show my appreciation for all of your support over the years, this week we are going to rock the house with FREE PRINTABLES of my complete circus/carnival party package!!!! So while you can no longer shop for these items, you can download and print them for free!!!

Check back each day for a new printable download and by the end of the week, you'll have the whole set!

FREE DOWNLOAD - ALPHABET BANNER

2010-08-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the Printable Alphabet Bunting over at Ruffled. Each letter is a different pattern - just print and cut!

STELLA & DOT GIVEAWAY

2010-07-29T05:07:00.000-07:00

Check out this great Stella & Dot giveaway over at Penguin's Gift. She's giving away an adorable plaid and pearl bracelet from Stella & Dot's new fall Little Girl's Line. Perfect for back to school!!!

WIZARD OF OZ PARTY

2010-07-27T06:35:00.001-07:00

Have you seen this amazing Wizard of Oz party over at One Charming Party? You don't want to miss it!

THIS IS HAPPINESS

2010-07-22T16:20:00.000-07:00

I adore this print from Love Sugar.
Definitely at the very top of my wish list.

PROUDEST MONKEY PHOTOGRAPHY - BOSTON EDITION

2010-07-21T01:09:00.000-07:00

My amazing friend Domenica was in Boston this spring and I couldn't resist whisking her away for a roaming photo shoot of my children while she was here.

As we wandered the waterfront and the streets of the North End, Dom tucked the kids into alleys and on doorsteps, capturing glimpses of their personalities around every corner.

Seriously! I am blown away by her talent.

Domenica, I can't thank you enough for this once-in-a-lifetime capture of my littles (who are getting big faster than I'd like to admit!)

{wardrobe notes - because I love that you always ask! Pumpkin: polo and shorts Lands End, Red Sox necklaces phiten.com; Petunia: dress and headband crewcuts, jean jacket Macy's; Kristin charm necklace and stackable bracelets Stella & Dot; Peanut: dress Liberty of London for Target, straw hat Gap, Kristin ring and bracelet Stella & Dot.}

PARTY THIS WAY...

2010-07-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

draw! pilgrim is having the most amazing birthday celebration this month.

Each day, she offers a free printable for this colorful, pinwheel party theme! Start here with the invitation and check each weekday for a new download!

SPEAKING OF OOH LA LA...

2010-07-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

Check out this amazingly versatile collection
from Stella & Dot inspired by Coco Chanel. LOVE!

(sorry, that did not imbed the way I thought it would.
please click on La Coco to see the video.)

OOH LA LA! TRES CHIC PARIS PARTY

2010-07-14T06:11:00.001-07:00

My girl Petunia is obsessed with all things French and she reminds us repeatedly that traveling to Paris is at the top of her list of things to do. Sadly, we can't take the girl to Paris (not this year, anyway), so for her birthday, we took a little bit of Paris to the girl!

The color scheme was determined by this zebra dress that Petunia just had to have! She's a little obsessed with zebra print too, which doesn't really go along with the parisian theme, but the color scheme sure works! We set the tone for the party by hanging this ginormous photo print of Paris on the background wall of the dining room. (yes we bought this just for the party, but think about how much you spend on disposable party decor. this print now hangs in the art room for inspiration and I am planting the idea of a Madeline party to Peanut so we can use it again.)

I made this sweet little monsier/madame/bebe banner by adapting some lovely little printables found at eat drink chic.

For lunch, we served roast beef on baguette with boursin cheese, salad with french dressing and frites! (sorry, was too busy eating to get a good shot of the food.) After the meal, we all enjoyed chocolate fondue, madeleines and pirouettes. Don't you wish you ate like the French every day?!

Naturally, the birthday banner had to be in French.

Here is the birthday girl with her cake. We went for simple and chic. You know, just like the French would do.

Since the Paris photo was so embarrassingly large (you can't really tell in the photo, but this thing is huge!), we decided to have some fun with it by cutting big, conversation bubbles out of poster board and printing some french sayings on them. Everyone at the party chose a saying and held it up to have their picture taken in front of the eiffel tower. This was meant to be just a cute little photo op, but ended up being so much more. Our families had TONS of fun with this!

Finally, for favors, all the fashionable madamoiselles left with a tres chic pocket mirror tied up in a sweet little organza bag. Ooh la la!

INDEPENDENCE DAY BIKE PARADE!

2010-06-22T06:06:00.000-07:00

{Originally posted on June 2, 2009}

One of our favorite party traditions is our annual bike parade to celebrate Independence Day. This tradition started one year when Pumpkin was in preschool. He was so distraught that we had to miss our town's celebration that we decided to plan our own. It was such a success that we held this event each year until Pumpkin and Petunia thought that they were too "old" to play. The good news is that Peanut will be riding a bike soon, so we can pick up our annual bike parades right where we left off. I am SO excited.

Once the bikes are all decked out, it's time for lunch! We just spread out a few tablecloths on the lawn and have one big picnic.

After lunch, it's time for the main event. The bike parade!

The children put on their decked out helmets...

Jump on their patriotically adorned bikes...

And hit the road!

But I haven't told you the best part yet.

What would a parade be without music? And not just any music. That's right, we break out the bagpipes for this event!

I think I'll get Peanut on her tricycle tomorrow. Maybe we can beef up the pedals so she can reach - just in time for the 4th!

SUMMER! (FREE PRINTABLE)

2010-06-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

(This entry was originally posted on June 15, 2009)

Summer starts today for my crew (at exactly t-minus a couple of hours!). Sadly, mother nature did not get that memo as I'm wearing a sweatshirt right now and am about to put on some socks. So I whipped up this banner to help set the mood. I'm hoping the sun peeks out to get a better look at my festive creation. At the very least, it will greet the kids as they arrive home and put them in a summer mood despite the gloomy weather.

Want to help spread the summer love? Download your copy of my Summer Beach Ball Banner below. (Just click on More and select Save or Print.)

If you would like a birthday version of the Beach Ball Banner, email me and I will create one for download, as well.

Beach Ball Banner Beach Ball Banner pumpkinpetunia

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Travel literature florida

Enjoy!

P.S. Scribd is not allowing me to link to this in my usual way so if you have problems downloading, please let me know!

SWING ON OVER FOR A GREAT BIRTHDAY!

2010-05-26T04:39:00.000-07:00

Swing over to Penguin's Gift to see the most adorable birthday party! The birthday girl, Anna, loves to swing on her swingset - this may be the sweetest little birthday theme yet!

Kat from Penguin's Gift went all out with cups from Garnish that she personalized with stickers so that no one lost their drink. (love garnish!)

Here are the invites. I designed these in several colors before the birthday girl decided on pink and orange and I think she was absolutely right. This color combo is perfect! LOVE a girl that knows what she wants!!

The best part of this party (for me, anyway) is that I designed these all as printables and Kat printed and assembled everything at home. So keep an eye out for more printables here and a big announcement very soon....

GRADUATION GIFTS

2010-05-25T06:25:00.001-07:00

Following up on the graduation party ideas from yesterday, here are a few graduation gifts that I love to give!

What better thing to wish for a new grad than a charmed life! This sterling silver Charmed Life necklace from Stella & Dot makes the perfect gift for a new grad because it is trendy and beautiful and well, the name says it all!

Book of Money from Martha Stewart

When I think graduation gift, I usually think money - but it's a tad boring, right? (well, maybe not to the recipient). This book of money from Martha Stewart puts an end to that! The book pictured was done for the holidays, but what could be more perfect for the graduate? You could design the book cover as a yearbook, a journal or a mock self-help book entitled: "How to Make One Hundred Dollars in One Easy Step" then the inside page could read "Graduate!"

I have been obsessed with the Feed Your Soul project at indie fixx and when I saw this beautiful print by Valentina Ramos, I immediately fell in love. You Deserve to Have Your Dreams Come True is the perfect message with which to send a graduate off into the world. Placed in a simple frame, this would make a really personal and meaningful gift. And guess what? The print is free! Available in three color ways from the Feed Your Soul project, you can download this print (and many others) to print at home. How perfect is that?

GRADUATION PARTY (revisited)

2010-05-24T06:30:00.000-07:00

(originally posted on July 7, 2009)

I finally have a moment to recap the graduation party we threw for my niece and nephew last month. You heard a bit about it here, and saw a bit of it here, but now is time for all the juicy details! This was a particularly fun party to put together because it was for two graduates, giving me a chance to have a bit of fun with the design. The two graduation caps on the invite are a good example of how we played off the fact that this was a party for both a boy and a girl graduate.

See. Cute, right?

For dessert, we served a cookie bar along with the cake and some fun, personalized M&M's. I just couldn't resist the idea of a sign that said 2 Smart Cookies!

The Class of 2009 whoopie pie flags were pretty darn cute too. Cellophane bags with coordinating labels were provided for the guests to take some treats home as well.

Despite the sketchy forecast, the day turned out perfect. After a fabulous party and tons of fun, the final detail: thank you notes.

FREE DOWNLOAD - MS SUMMER GRILLING COOKBOOK

2010-05-19T10:07:00.001-07:00

Click here for a free download of Martha Stewart's Summer Grilling cookbook from Sirius.

NEW PARTIES COMING SOON!

2010-05-14T14:13:00.001-07:00

So sorry for the long absence.

Promise I'll be back next week with new parties and a big surprise!

HAPPY NEW YEAR...

2010-04-04T15:56:00.000-07:00

Play Ball!

I ♥ FACES - DRAMATIC B&W

2010-03-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

I love the I HEART FACES website and every once in a while, if a theme captures my attention and reminds me of a photo I've taken, I'll play along. This week, the theme is Dramatic Black & White. They are looking for moody shots with a dramatic flare, which made me think of this shot I took of Peanut during our "official holiday card" photo shoot.

Peanut is captured having a "moment" - leaning up against the goal post with the score board in the backgroud. Her thoughtful, content expression makes me smile.

To see more moody black & white's from this week's challenge, just click on the heart!

LOVE

2010-03-23T05:29:00.000-07:00

I must have the LOVE art over this fireplace. MUST! Does anyone know where I can find it? Image from Better Homes & Gardens via twoellie.

TOP O' THE MORNIN' TO YOU...

2010-03-17T06:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a little something to get you going this St. Patrick's Day morning - Boston style!

PIMP MY PRINTABLE

2010-03-15T05:55:00.000-07:00

Check out what Charlotte at The Art of Quilling did with my St. Patrick's Day Lucky Penny printable! She quilled Shamrocks and laid them over the design. Aren't they amazing? Of course, this takes it out of the "quickest classroom handout you will ever do" category, but for those few special people - amazing!

Thanks so much for sharing this Charlotte. I absolutely love it!!! I'd love to see what the rest of you are doing with my printables. Be sure to comment or link up and let me know!

ST. PATRICK'S DAY FREE PRINTABLE

2010-03-08T05:57:00.000-08:00

Oh, and no shenanigans! OK, maybe a little...

St. Patrick's Day Lucky Penny Download.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

2010-03-05T06:47:00.000-08:00

{Adorable construction party via Party Perfect}

Just a warning: If you see crazy things happening on the blog today and throughout the weekend, I'm doing some updating.

PAPERLESS POST

2010-02-25T07:58:00.000-08:00

I know this may sound strange coming from a designer of party invitations, but sometimes I like to use online invite services. It's quick, easy and the designs have come such a long way. I figure, if I save a tree on the front end, I can go really crazy with the party accessories! There are still many times when I feel that a beautiful invitation that you can touch and feel and open up in person is definitely in order, but for those other times, my new favorite service is definitely Paperless Post.

One of the reasons that I love Paperless Post is that they do such a great job of making you feel like you're receiving an actual invite through the mail. There's an envelope addressed to the recipient, it opens up and out comes this beautiful, personal invite that you feel like you can reach out and touch. The "texture" of the paper is lovely and it all just seems very personal, which is no small feat for an email invite!

You must register to view all available designs, which is a bit of an annoyance. But with a huge variety of designs and endless combinations of paper, graphics and typeface, it is more than worth the minute it takes to register. Check it out here. I think you'll love it!

P.S. This is a completely unsolicited review. I assure you, Paperless Post has no knowledge of my existence on the planet.

GIRL, YOU ROCK!

2010-02-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to share this amazingly fabulous Rocker Girl party with you! I worked on this party for the beautiful and talented Domenica of Proudest Monkey Photography and her adorable daughter Isabella and have been waiting on the edge of my seat to see photos of the big event! (I'm gushing, aren't I? Well, you're about to see why!)

invite front

invite back

The tone for every party is set with the invitation and these concert ticket invites hit the perfect note. Of course, having amazing photos of the birthday girl makes the design job a piece of cake!

Here is the beautiful Isabella - ready to rock the house!

Upon arrival, each guest was given VIP status with their backstage pass. We don't let just anyone into fab parties like this!

The awesome cake and cupcakes were made by Sugar Shack Cakes who never disappoint with their incredible creations.

Custom water bottles for the party guests because Rock Stars stay hydrated in style!

The birthday girl went eco-friendly and chose a custom, aluminum water bottle to match her party theme!

Dom thought of absolutely everything, including hanging concert posters of her little Rock Star all around the party scene (seen here in the background, printed at posterjack.ca.). Everyone needs a cool mom like Domenica, don't you think?

Each guest left with a rockin' cool gift bag stuffed to the brim with rockstar essentials...

...like a cd of the birthday girl's fave tunes, a pocket mirror to remind them that they ROCK not just on party day, but every day!

... and this super cool, super hero Rock Star cape (from Custom Kids etsy shop).

I think Isabella had a good day, don't you?!

For more of Domenica's beautiful photography, be sure to check out Proudest Monkey Photography. Prepare to be inspired!

KIND OVER MATTER (and another free printable)

2010-02-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

I know I've been MIA for a while and I truly apologize. We've had a few little (and not so little) mishaps of home ownership and then what we not-so-fondly refer to as "the plague" decided to sweep through our family, one by one, creating unearthly amounts of laundry, disinfecting opportunities and horror to invade our home. Suffice to say, it wasn't pretty.

But today, I can tell you exactly where to find me. I'm over at Kind over Matter with a free Valentine printable created exclusively for them. Head on over and check it out, and be sure to stay awhile and browse around. I promise, it will become an instant daily read.

HEARTS 4 HAITI

2010-01-26T07:43:00.001-08:00

About a week ago, I received a request from a dear friend in Canada. She wondered if I could help out with a fundraiser her daughter Cadence was hoping to do in her school. Cadence is a Valentine's baby who has a history of using her charmed birthday for good, so when she asked me to create a logo for her latest charitable venture, I jumped into action. Cadence's beautiful idea was to sell hearts in her middle school, rather than the usual candy grams and carnations, for Valentine's Day and donate all of the money to the Red Cross to assist the people in Haiti. A genius idea, don't you think? She called it Hearts for Haiti and with that, the heart above was born.

As I played around with the design of the heart, my 11 yr. old son (you know him as Pumpkin) was looking over my shoulder. You should know that he suggested using the "4" rather than "for" in the design to make it cooler (these are middle schoolers you know!). When I told him what it was all about, he thought he may like to do the same in his school. So as Cadence reviewed the proofs and approved the final design, Pumpkin got busy writing a proposal of his own to submit to his principal. Here is that proposal:

Hearts 4 Haiti Charity Fundraiser Proposal

Dear Mrs. XXXXXX:

I would like to propose a fundraiser for the people of Haiti who have been affected by the Earthquake. My mother was asked by a middle school girl in Canada to design a logo for a Hearts 4 Haiti fundraiser that she wanted to do in her school. When I heard about it, I thought it was a good idea and decided to see if we could do it at XXXXXXX School too.

The idea behind Hearts 4 Haiti is very simple. In the weeks before Valentine’s day, students, teachers and anyone can buy a Heart for $1 (see attached). They can sign their own name on it or buy it for someone else and we could hang the hearts in the school. I think a good place for the hearts to be hung could be the cafeteria, but they can really be hung anywhere. Then we can donate the money to the Red Cross to help the Haitian people with food, clothes, clean water, medical supplies, toys for the children, etc.

The benefits of having this fundraiser at XXXXXXX would be:

1. We would help the Haitians in their time of need.
2. It would bring awareness to the problems that the earthquake created in Haiti.
3. The school would look nice and be decorated for Valentine’s Day.

I would be happy to sell the hearts at lunchtime and find other students who would like to help. My mother also said she would help me organize and maybe a teacher would volunteer to help too.

Thank you for considering this idea.

XXXXXXXX XXXXX, Room XX

I am so pleased to report that Pumpkin's proposal was approved by his principal and Cadence's project is catching on like crazy with Hearts 4 Haiti being sold in not only her school, but many other schools (and other venues!) in her area.

If you would like to start a Hearts 4 Haiti fundraiser in your community, we will be happy to provide downloadable files to get started. Simply comment here with contact information or go to Hearts 4 Haiti's Facebook fan page and let us know you're interested!

Thank you Cadence for a wonderful idea and for inspiring my own son to take action on behalf of the people of Haiti. You are an amazing girl!

And if that's not inspiration enough, I've had this on replay all week long.

VALENTINE SALE!

2010-01-22T11:22:00.000-08:00

In celebration of our new Valentine's Day products, we would like to give you 20% off your order this weekend using code: VALENTINE. Get a jump start on your Valentine's Day shopping with a great discount!

Let your little one wear their heart (and name!) on their shirt this Valentine's Day! Beautiful quality, luxe onesie or t-shirt available either short or long sleeve in sizes Infant 3-6 mos., 6-12 mos. and 12-18 mos. and toddler 2T, 4T and 6T.

Our new aluminum water bottle design featuring the same vibrant heart as the tee and, of course, your child's name makes a wonderful and practical gift that will be loved and used well beyond Valentine's Day.

And don't forget about our fabulous Valentine's Day Gift Set which includes both the water bottle, the shirt and matching, personalized notecards that are only available as part of this set!

"Valentine" discount valid now through Sunday, January 24th at midnight PST.

REMEMBER TO BE KIND

2010-01-20T05:57:00.000-08:00

Katie Daisy Lombardo via Kind Over Matter