scavenger hunt {04.01.12}

CLOUDS

Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of pretty cloud days this week... 

so here's a throwback from a couple of years ago. 

I love the clouds and colors in this picture!

SUN FLARE

I was out taking pics of the buds on the trees, and just loved this photo... 

the flare of the tiny bit of sun that we had today is so pretty in the corner. 

SEVEN

I had a hard time with this one... kept looking and thinking... and was stumped.

Then at exactly 7pm tonight I looked at the clock... figured it was fate, and took a picture. :) 

HIGH ANGLE

So excited to get this shot - 

B and his sock monkey are often laying in very similar positions... hilarious! 

Synchro Sleeping. :) 

LOW ANGLE

I was pretty proud of this picture - just a teeny tiny flower (weed?) growing in my yard!

Next Week's Items...

New, Life, Fragrant, Pink, Obvious

scavenger hunt {03.25.12}

This week's scavenger hunt pics... 

Enjoy! :)

WHIMSY

What's more whimsical than bubbles to a 13 month old?!?! So fun!

CREATE

A close-up of a painting I did for our living room...

DUST

The dust on my laptop screen... love a bright sunny day, 

but man, does my computer screen need cleaned!!! 

SPROUT

Our "pet" deer... he was just a baby here, maybe a few weeks old? 

But, also, we named him Sprout. :)

SWING

Wanted to get creative with this one... but I was stumped! 

So here's a memory of a swing I will never forget... 

B's first time in a playground swing - almost 6 months old - he loved it!

I will never forget those giggles and smiles. Priceless!

Join me next week @ 

hands...

With the weather getting nicer, B has been able to go out and explore some new stuff! 

This acorn was his favorite - 

only had to snag it before it hit his mouth twice... 

what a  little squirrel. :)

Join me!

 

scavenger hunt {03.18.12}

This week was a tough one! 

VINTAGE

A close-up of a vintage rocking horse... this was my father-in-laws when he was a baby, now it's B's!

WORD OR QUOTE

I have so many things to love and be thankful for right now - 

my hubby and baby B, my amazing sister and her little family, 

and the beautiful spring (summer?!) weather...

NATURE'S OWN

Speaking of Spring.... have you noticed the buds on the trees?

I was SO excited to see these!

PEOPLE

Bryceroni and his cousin, Reese's Pieces, reading B's favorite book! 

PHOTOGRAPHER'S CHOICE

Playing with the features on my awesome camera - love this one! 

Especially the tiny bit of blue that showed up in the reflection on the water.

Join me at Ramblings and Photos for...

scavenger hunt {03.11.12}

Two weeks in a row! Here we go....

WATER

My boys checking out the fish in the pond... early March and they're already begging for food!

LIGHT

Just love the light in our backyard when the sun is setting... 

CHOCOLATE

Absolutely, without a doubt... THE best chocolate treat. Ever. 

ANIMALS

This one stumped me, because we don't have any pets 

{our "pet" deer has been gone since Christmas time -  we like to say he left with Santa 

to live in the north pole... I'm sure it had nothing to do with muzzle-loading season :( }  

Anyways - some friends came over this week and B had some playmates! 

After they left, I saw this! All of B's animals had been lined up - pigs in cups. So Adorable. :) 

CROWDED

The drying rack for B's bowls, spoons, cups, etc... 

really pretty with all those colors, but crowded! :)

Join me at Ramblings and Photos: Scavenger Hunt Sunday!

fish food...

A pic from our first really nice evening we had to get outside.

And, if Daddy comes along, that's a guarantee that we're going to be feeding the fish! 

B loved playing around in the fish food with the spoon and a stick.

(Are sticks like magnets to boys?!)

Linking up with The Paper Mama Photo Challenge

"From Above"

scavenger hunt {03.04.12}

i've wanted to do this scavenger hunt on Ramblings and Photos for a long time now...

so here we go! so much fun - hoping I can keep up with it!

ROUTINE

B makes emptying the dishwasher a much less annoying chore in my routine...

the second he hears the dishwasher door open, he's at my side. 

MUSIC

This was one of the first times Bryce sat on my lap and played piano! 

He also loves tickling the ivories on his tippy-toes. :)

TECHNOLOGY

Couldn't live without this little piece of technology - as small as my cell-phone, 

it's the  handiest way to keep an eye on my little bugaboo when he's snoozin'!

SHOW ME YOUR STYLE

l.o.v.e  my pink converse

MISMATCH

 Babies don't belong in skillets! Haha! 

I was blog-stalking, and heard B right behind me talking in his oh-so-cute babble... 

turned around and saw him sitting in a giant skillet smiling up at me!

Not the most creative 'mismatch' solution.... 

but I thought it was funny. :)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Already started working on next week....

WATER

LIGHT

CHOCOLATE

ANIMAL

CROWDED

Join me, won't you??

building a b...

i've been wanting to do a letter wall in B's room since before he was born 

(fyi... he's 1 year old now...)

obviously, I'm a slacker. or procrastinator.

(or as my hubby and I like to say.... we're just very patient!)

but finally, when I was planning his 1st birthday party, 

I made it my goal to make a giant letter "B"........

and here's how I did it:

I started with poster board and masking tape. 

Not my ideal building materials, but all I had on hand.

(I'll explain that later...)

I cut out two large B's 

(about the size of the poster board - 24"ish tall, 18"ish wide) 

and then I cut some 4" strips of poster board. 

Using masking tape, I just taped it all together until I had a 3D "B"

At this point, Bryceroni wanted to check out the progress... 

Next, I had to cover the B. 

I really wanted a rustic brown look... 

so I used strips that I tore from brown paper grocery bags!

To attach the strips, I just used a simple mix of Elmer's glue and water 

(can't give you an exact recipe... just mixed some of each together in a bowl and called it good!)

I dipped the strips of paper into the "paper mache", 

used my fingers to squeegee off the excess,

and then covered the B piece by piece. 

This is a pic of the B before it's final layer of paper bag strips - 

the darker areas are still wet. 

So, why were the building materials not the best?? 

The moisture from the paper bag strips caused the poster board to buckle in a bit. 

If I had to do it again, I'd probably use a more water-resistant material to make the B 

(or possibly cover it in masking tape, or duct tape before covering with the paper mache?)

But for my purposes, it just took a few more layers than I had hoped, 

and pure luck that the front of the B didn't cave in much! 

(the back is slightly lumpier - but it didn't matter to me, because it will be hung on the wall)

Last thing I did was add some brown acrylic paint randomly with a dry brush to add a rustic touch. 

The final "B"? 

I think it turned out super cute! 

What do you think???

check out lots of other creative stuff at 

and

our little monster is 1...

so hard to believe that B is 1 already! 

taking a break from all of the fun at his MoNsTeR party!!!

I was determined to do some cute things for his
MoNsTeR-themed 1st birthday party - 

so I started about a month ahead, making a list of things to do each week... 

(because if I didn't, then it wouldn't happen until the night before!) 

Truly the most organized I've ever been when it comes to a project or party - 

and I was VERY pleased with the results!

check it all out..........

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

My first project was the TabLe DeCOraTioNs... 

for his 6 month mini-party that his dad and I had for him, 

I had made some hanging decorations out of styrofoam balls and cupcake liners... 

so I repurposed those (and made 4 more) into little monsters!

This was B's favorite - he loved trying to
stick his finger in this monster's"mouth"!

 Next, I worked on a PeNNanT BiRthDaY BaNNeR... 

loved the look of these on the blogs and pinterest posts I had seen in the past! 

The hardest part was picking out a picture of Bryce from each month. 

Once I had those printed, I picked out some fabric quarters and ribbon at JoAnn's, 

cut triangles and numbers from the fabric, and hand sewed it all together. 

I used the same materials to make a banner for his HigHChaIR TrAy...

I used scrapbook paper, scissors, and glue to make some SiGNs!

                                     Decorated a tissue box to be used for a SpOOn HoLDeR...

The favors were little 2oz Play-doh containers 

with a giant google eye and foam hands and feet...

(a make-your-own-monster kit)

put them in a polka-dotted cellophane bag 

and wrapped it up with a Twisteez wire... cute!

He had to have a SpeCIaL SHiRT to wear for his big day....

got a dark blue onesie from Old Navy, fabric and buttons from JoAnn's...

my sewing machine broke halfway through sewing the "1" on the shirt, 

so I ended up hand-sewing most of it. I actually ended up 

loving the "messy" look of the stitching - made it more monster-y!

And, I made him a GiAnT "B"...

something I wanted to make for the wall in his room anyways, 

but turned out to be a great focal point on the cake table!

Made this by creating a 3D B in posterboard and masking tape - 

and then using papermache and paper grocery bags to cover. 

Added a little brown paint for a rustic look, and voila!

The week before was BaKiNG week!

Made chocolate and vanilla cupcakes,

and frosted them with super bright, fun colors and designs!

And made B a Monster with a Mustache smash cake!

And here it is... all put together for the big day! 

<3 LOVE IT!!! <3

check out lots of other creative stuff at 

and