Starting

I guess my whining last week paid off. After venting a bit on Friday I kicked myself back into gear. First gear. But Saturday I went to Joann's and bought myself some fabric, and this is what I've accomplished so far: All the squares cut out for the buddies quilt. I'm anxious to see the final results! But I dare say venting is therapeutic!

We colored a set of Birthday Masks for fun the other day as well . . . they work great . . . maybe not great enough to hide my lack of make up though, eh?

Freebie Friday: Super Mask Birthday Card

I guess January is always kind of an unproductive month for me. December is so crazy I think I just kind of ooze into a blissful indifference to getting much done in January. The first week or so I'm still running off the steam of Christmas and the hope of New Year's resolutions. But after that it just kind of peters out. And that is where I am. I have lots of great ideas floating around in my head. Like starting a quilt like this but expanding it to a twin size, and using this technique to make it faster. I want to start drawing again since painting seems to be too time consuming for this time of my life, and then I've got a paper mache lamp/ light fixture with Christmas lights as the "bulb" floating around in my head . . . and then a gazillion design projects including some Valentine's ones that may or may not get done before that holiday hits. But, instead I sat around reading Parenting and Time Magazine this afternoon for a good hour or so while the buddy watched TV and the sweetie played dolls and tried to figure out how lego's work (don't worry she's past the eating them phase).

Anywhoo. . . I did make a boy version of the printable Birthday cards as a Freebie Friday for you today though: (Actually I made them over a week ago because I had a nephew's birthday come up, but that's beside the point, right).

Click here to download the Super Mask Birthday Card. 

Each page makes two birthday cards with instructions for the birthday boy to cut out and color the mask themselves. I recommend printing on white cardstock so they can color it however they choose!

Enjoy!

Freebie Friday: Birthday Crown Card

When I was a girl I had one uncle who sent me birthday cards. Not every year, but often enough that I felt that he cared. I felt special and important to someone I didn't see very often and it meant a lot.

So as an aunt (and sister and in law), I've tried to do the same thing: remember family birthdays with cards. It's a big job. The hunny and I both come from large families. We're rounding out to about 60 cards a year. This year I've decided to make it a little bit more fun for the nieces and nephews and a little faster for me too.

The birthday crown card is going to all my nieces this year. In the past I've always made them a personalized card, but I think this will be more fun for them, still it's a card with a personalized note from us inside, but they can cut it up and turn it into a birthday crown to decorate and wear!

I thought it would be fun to share: click here for the Birthday Crown Card. 

 A letter size sheet makes 2 cards. I recommend printing on colored cardstock, and then cutting in half longwise. (along the dotted line).

When they cut out the crown they will use the bottom strip to go around the back of their head, and tape it to fit. Instructions are included on the card!



ENJOY!


** I'm also sorry about the poor pictures. My camera batteries died during the photo shoot, and  I'd forgotten to charge the back up set. So these are mostly thanks to my phone. Alas.

Parties & Quilts

The little sweetie had a very sweet birthday this last week. I've been a bit busy getting things ready and holding a teething sweetie too. But it turned out to be a lot of fun. Here's a little peek:

I used Dana of Made's shirt dress tutorial as a template for this little birthday dress, but used a pillow case instead of a shirt, and then embroidered the word "one" on the front, and colored it in with colored pencils to make it "pop" a little better.

A butter cream cake with fondant roses . . .

cupcakes with some fun toppers. . .

I cut a little frame out of wrapping paper to make pictures in her high chair a little bit more fun. . .

And I finally finished that quilt that I started before she was born! I'm so excited I actually got it done! Wahoo!  I switched out the backing from the yellow and orange to a pink rose vintage sheet. And then quilted roses in all the white squares. We hadn't picked a name yet when I was working on the top, but I thought the pink roses were more appropriate after naming her :) Anyway, a fun first birthday gift for me, maybe not so much for her ;) The stroller from Grandpa and Grandma was her favorite (and the buddies too:)

Did I use enough emoticons?

Freebie Friday: Thank You Tags

I apologize for not being around much lately. I want to blame it on the little sweeties frequent night wakings, but despite being up several times every night I still don't want to go to bed early! It's hard giving up my "free time." So, my lack of sleep is making me pretty unproductive. Any ideas on how to get her to sleep through the night?


Anywhoo . . . these thank you tags match the birthday printables I made last year-I thought they would be easier than the thank you favor boxes. They would also be fun as thank you tags for teacher gifts (if you're still in school :) And lots of other thank you opportunities!

You can now find these tags as part of the Primary Colors Birthday Package available in my etsy shop by clicking here.


enjoy!

the party is over and a couple of free printables . . .

Well, the buddy's birthday is done. It was fun to plan and the party itself turned out great. All week the buddy kept telling me as he helped me make stuff "this is going to be the best party ever!" And that is why I love being a mom. He is so sweet and he was so happy.

Favor Boxes: I used a pattern from the only craft book I've got: Home Paper Scissors by Patricia Zapata, which I already blogged about.
Inside: I made these fun little notebooks to go inside-they usually use a paint chip for the outside (google paint chip notebooks for a plethora of tutorials). A simple label wrapped around the outside finished it off. Threw in suckers, crayons, green army men, and fruit snacks to round it out.

GET A PRINTABLE OF THE THANKS SPACESHIP LABEL HERE
GET A PRINTABLE OF THE NOTEBOOK LABEL HERE.

A couple games:
 
"The Claw": a simple magnetic fishing pole to pull out a space ranger badge  (I mounted them on green craft foam and hot glued a pin on the back.

GET A PRINTABLE OF THE BADGE HERE.

Star Command Wings: decorated wings made of spray painted cardboard with adhesive foam and crayons.

"Woody's Round Up": a cake walk with printable coloring pages colored by the buddy and I. (Yeah, my kitchen floor is the only hard floor in the house-lovely vinyl I know).

The cake: The buddy picked a picture off the internet and I attempted to re-create it. Considering it was my first tiered cake, and my first time working with fondant, I think it turned out rather well. I used this marshmallow fondant recipe, and spent a good 8 hours making it from start to finish.

********* intended freebie friday: **********

This wasn't for his party, but for his dinner that night- a special birthday plate. I plan on making it a tradition-on your birthday you get to use the special "birthday plate." It was suppose to be the freebie on Friday, but with blogger down I never got it up. After messing up the first attempt I realized that for it to work it's really important to spray it with an aerosol hairspray to keep the ink from running. Then use a thin layer of modge podge between the plate and the print, and SEVERAL layers over the back. Then try your best to not get too much water on the back when you wash it.

GET THE PRINTABLE HERE.

Freebie Friday: { Mini }Treasure Chest Box and a few annoucements

I probably shouldn't admit it, but the buddy is still not potty trained. He's both stubborn and sensitive about it and I am desperate. DESPERATE. This idea came to me awhile ago, but carving out the time to actually make it didn't happen until yesterday.  A Treasure Box to house his "potty booty." A new bribe. It's little, cool, with a secret inside? Isn't that good bribery?

It's small, only 1.5 inches deep and long by 2.5 inches wide, but perfect for a mini candy bar, or other small treat to bribe the pirate loving buddy. Get the Treasure Chest here.

*one note: I have changed the lock on it to be on the front of the box instead of on the lid, so it doesn't get folded in :)

They could also be cute for St. Patricks Day right? Or is that a pot of gold? I get pirates and leprechauns mixed up they both say arrrrrr right? Or maybe it's just the whole Lucky Charms, Marshmallow Matey thing that's got me confused. Still . . . it could work.

Or favor boxes at a pirate birthday party? 

ANNOUNCEMENTS? I said I would let you know when I got these in the shop . . yeah two weeks is a few days right?

Find the Lace Up Card Boys (already made for you) and printable costumes in the shop here 

Last but not least, I finally gave in and made a facebook page. Like me so I don't feel like a friendless loser :) Plus I'll post my freebies a little early for ya!

shoe fetish birthday cards

I thought these would be fun for a shoe loving friend's birthday. I'm currently making cards to give to a friend to donate to the Festival of Trees. These turned out so fun, I'm having a hard time wanting to part with them! Pictures will have to do eh?

FF-Striped Birthday Cupcake Toppers

Last in our series of birthday printables is my favorite, birthday cupcake toppers!

Three different designs, twelve on the page, all 2 inches. Of course printable on a letter size paper. They'd also be great as stickers printed on adhesive paper. Punch out with a 2 inch hole punch, tape them to lollipop sticks, or toothpicks to use as cupcake toppers.

You can now find these toppers as part of the Primary Colors Birthday Package available in my etsy shop by clicking here.

Enjoy!

FF-Striped Birthday Dots

These striped birthday dots spell out HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I know they aren't striped, but they coordinate with our striped birthday theme going on, hence the name.

Punch them out with a 2 inch hole punch and glue or tape them to a fabric or paper banner. This is how I did it for the little buddies birthday. I just cut triangles out of scrapbooking paper and hot glued a ribbon across the top. A scalloped banner would be really fun too. I would recommend using red and light blue paper to match the color scheme. Why didn't I just make it a printable banner triangles? Mostly to save on printer ink. I hate using tons of printer ink-it quickly becomes more economical to just buy scrapbooking paper on sale. Of course the birthday dots can be used however you want.

You can now find this as part of the Primary Colors Birthday Package available in my etsy shop by clicking here.



Enjoy!

FF-Striped Birthday Favor Box

Coordinating with last weeks freebie birthday invitation, a striped birthday favor box. Perfect for little candies or toys, but only measuring 2.25 inches square.

As always prints on a letter size sheet. I would recommend a stiff cardstock (just make sure it's not so stiff that it gets jammed in your printer), and scoring all edges before you fold them. Seriously, it makes a world of difference.


You can now find this as part of the Primary Colors Birthday Package in my etsy shop by clicking here.



Enjoy!

FF-Striped Birthday Invitations

In honor of a little sweeties approaching birth, and because who doesn't need some birthday printables-August will be dedicated to striped birthday printables. I've tried to make them gender neutral, and age neutral, as much as possible so anyone can use them. Hopefully I succeeded.

This friday we will start with a striped birthday invitation. Two 5x7 invitations on an a letter size sheet. (I think it would be fun to put a number sticker centered at the bottom of the invite on the stripes indicating the birthday person's age-or something similar to make it a little more personalized). Enjoy!

You can now find this printable as part of the Primary Colors Package in my etsy shop by clicking Here.

a little preview of what's to come . . .

I've also put an airplane birthday invitation up in my etsy shop to coordinate with the cupcake toppers there. More to come soon!