Carter’s 6th Birthday Party: Back to Basics

Confession time. I have really been struggling with whether or not I wanted to write this post (my son’s party was like 8 weeks ago!). So many of my fellow bloggers post all these AMAZING parties that they do for their kids. I really wasn’t sure if I would post my son’s 6th birthday or not because I knew it wasn’t as cool or creative or as over the top as what other’s are doing. I mean, there are some seriously cool birthday party ideas out there. But here’s the thing, I have to believe that most of you are like me right??? I just don’t have the time (or the money) to create parties like these…

Milk and cookies party

Candy Party

Circus Party

   

Cupcake Party

 

This is the trend right now. Lavish, over the top parties for your little one. It just got me thinking. Thinking about what is is teaching our kids and the whole “Keeping up with the Jones’s” mentality.

I knew this year that money was TIGHT and we debated whether or not we would even do a party. Then our friends volunteered their house and pool (thanks V’s!) so we thought…okay we’ll just do something simple. And that’s what we did. SIMPLE. 

The morning of the party Carter stuffed party bags, and frosted Funfetti cupcakes (we made the cream cheese frosting from scratch)

 

We kept the food SIMPLE too. Tortilla Chips with salsa and guacamole. Corn dogs, fruit, and crock pot mac and cheese (let me know if you would like the recipe…everyone loves it!). Bottled water, diet cokes, and juice boxes for the kids. And of course the yummy Funfetti cupcakes with cream cheese icing. Really it doesn’t get easier than that!

 

The kids swam…

 

 

 

The ladies chatted poolside…

and my husband even got a nap in!

There were presents too…

 

Carter could not stop saying how much fun he had and that this was the best birthday EVER. No fuss, no hoopla, just a good old fashioned birthday party. A fun time was had by all and I had no guilt about the party the “could have been” if I had all the time and money in the world. So be encouraged fellow bloggers and don’t worry about what everyone else is doing for their kids birthday party. Just give them a few presents and a cupcake and lots of hugs. To them it will be…

“the best birthday party EVER!”

-E

NOTE: We had about 25-30 people and I spent around $100…mostly food and drinks. My mom bought the items for the treat bags, but those were very cost effective too. Bubbles, organic fruit leather, slinky, silly straw. And no one says HAVE to do a treat bag :P

What I’ve been working on…

I’ve been a busy bee these last few weeks. I had every intention of blogging these things as they happened, but didn’t get a round to it…such is life! Here are some things I’ve been working on!

A friend asked me to sell my Sew Chatty things at her house-warming party.

I gave the coffee cart at our church The Warehouse a makeover with a new Shabby Blossom Chalkboard, a quilted table runner, and some fall decorations!

Made a few more Weight Watchers Pocket Guide Covers

Custom security blankies for my friends baby girl. Identical in case one is being washed…shhhhhh she’ll never know!

Here is the tutorial I used from Tea Rose Home.

Custom zippered laptop sleeve for a friends new MacBook.

Another Pocket Calendar with reversible fabric lining.

And a second set of cloth napkins for an Etsy customer.

So thankful and truly blessed that my little shop is doing so well. My heart is full!

-E

Antique Store Finds!

Orange Circle, Orange, CA

 

I am blessed to live in an area with lots of great antique shops. A few weeks back we took a Sunday morning and went to brunch then off to browse the shops. I ended up with a few fun things!

Vintage Flour Sack Fabric

There were several choices but these were my favorites! Still deciding what to make with them…

  Vintage Appliance Cozy

I have no idea what this was originally made for or what I will make with it, but I love the fabric. Kind of whimsical and Japanese inspired.

Aqua Dessert Dish

I think I will use this for fabric covered buttons!

 

Big Yellow Thimble

I thought this was very fitting for my sewing room! I am going to use it to store some notions and a few other odds and ends.

Menu Plan Monday and some Fall Craftiness!

*I'm linking up to lots of great blogs this week. Please show some love and give them a visit!*

I have to apologize. I have been a horrible blogger! Since school started I have been a crazy lady trying to balance everything…family, house, church, friends, and work. Too busy I tell you. But things are slowing down a bit and I think I have finally found my groove again! I have my meals planned for the week and that always makes for a happy Mommy. I even got to do some fall crafting this weekend (pics below the menu).

Make sure you check out Org Junkie for lots of great menu planning tips!

Monday: Grilled Lime Chicken bowls with brown rice, guac, salsa

RECIPE: Marinate chicken breast in a little olive oil, lime juice and salt for about 30 minutes. Make some brown rice in your rice cooker. Grill Chicken breasts. Serve with homemade guac and homemade salsa. We make the salsa a little less spicy, but it is still really yummy and flavorful! This dinner is WAY better than Chipotle…and much healthier too!

Tuesday: Black Bean Soup (that didn’t get made last week), with salad

Wednesday: B-day party at Chuck E. Cheese…salad bar :)

Thursday: Potato Tacos, with Green Salad

Friday: out to dinner before hubs championship softball game

Weekend: Sat-my birthday bbq/game night, Sun-Vision Dinner at church

And now for the crafty fun! I made some new fall decorations for the dining room. I love fall. And I LOVE fall decorating! Even though it’s still over 100 degrees in sunny southern California, I found a great table runner tutorial and a super cute fabric pumpkin tutorial to whip up (in my nice air conditioned sewing room of course!). I have big plans to make some pillow covers for the couches, more pumpkins, and a small runner for coffee table this week. Stay tuned!

Quilted Table Runner

Reverse Side

Fabric Pumpkins

Have a great week friends!

-E

NOTE: For the pumpkins, the tutorial I used was great, but to avoid rectangular pumpkins, before you sew the front and back pieces make sure you draw a circle on your fabric as a guide to sew on. This is so your pumpkins are nice and round (unless of course you want a rectangular pumpkin, then follow her directions!). For mine, I used a dinner plate, salad plate, and bowl as templates to get the three different sizes. If you have any other questions, I will try and answer them in comments.

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Back to School!

Fall is here! In most ways I consider Fall to be my “New Year”. Much more than January 1st. New weather, new routine, new clothes…a fresh start. I love Fall! Can’t wait to go pick pick apples and hunt for the perfect pumpkin!

Of course I did some back to school crafting and I’ll get to that, but first…

Today was the first day of Kindergarten for the little man! Isn’t he handsome?

The PTA was there giving out flowers to all the new Fanning Elementary families. Carter gave one to me…so sweet of him. If I wasn’t already on the verge of tears, I was then!

I have to say, I did much better than I expected I would. Shed one little tear as he headed into to classroom, but otherwise held it together very well! Surprising because I figured I’d be a total mess!

Here is a shot of him settling into his classroom. I know it blurry…cut me some slack. I took it through the window paparazzi style!

As soon as I got home, my PTA flower found a home and some new friends on our dining room table.

And last but not least…a few back to school crafts for your viewing pleasure!

A new snack bag for Carter following this tutorial at Skip to My Lou. I know, I'm so green :) I didn’t use oil cloth though. I used some super cute Michael Miller fabric and covered it in iron-on vinyl. So fun! I love that stuff!

And a super cheesy gift for the new teacher using this tutorial from Oops I Craft my Pants…I laugh every time I say that!

Happy Fall friends!

-E

Custom Orders I’ve been working on…

Over the last week or so I have been working on several custom orders for the shop. I have been blessed to be so busy over the summer!

Here is what I’ve been working on…

Cloth Napkins

A Weight Watchers Pocket Guide Cover

and matching ruffley sunglasses case…also blogged here. 

Ruffley Coffee Cozy

And my FAVORITE…a Ruffley Bible Cover (super cute matching tote not pictured)

 

I am linking up to lots of great blogs this week.

Click here to visit their sites for los of fun crafty ideas!

NOTE: I’ll only be taking custom orders for the holidays through November 1st so be sure to get your orders in as soon as possible! Have a great day!

-E