Adorable Purple & Teal Owl Birthday Party Invitations

I've had a mild obsession with owls as a first birthday party theme ever since I was struck with the idea to use these cute creatures as inspiration for Addie's first birthday party. I have a lot of owl-inspired merchandise in my Etsy shop, and even though the owl trend may have seen the height of its glory, I still love them.

I realized the other day that I never shared the invitations I created for Addie's first birthday party last November. Setting aside the fact that her birthday is four months from tomorrow and that I need to start thinking about second birthday party invitations (gulp), I think this project is just too cute not to share.

I couldn't find an invitation design to print or purchase that was just perfect for my teal and purple party vision, so I created my own. These were a lot more complicated than my easy DIY Mickey Mouse Clubhouse invitations, because they required a lot of custom drawing (thanks, hubby) and seven different paper types, brads, two ribbons, and three kinds of adhesive.




The owl's body is hand-drawn and the blue piece under the eyes was cut to fit. The eye circles were cut using punches. The wings were hand-drawn and consist of two layers of paper plus brads that allow them to flap out of the way to show the party information on the white paper below.

I think my favorite part is the double ribbon bow on top. Or maybe the chevron wings. Or the glittery nose. I honestly can't make up my mind. But these were my favorite invitation yet! I'm not sure I'll ever out-do them creatively!

I don't have a tutorial ready for these because they were so much more complicated. They may turn up for sale as a custom listing in my shop one of these days, though!

Thirty by 30: A List of Goals

Two days ago, I turned 27 1/2. And I decided, it's about time that I publish my 30 by 30 Goal List.

Have you heard of this trend? It's like a bucket list of things to achieve before you reach a certain age. The first time I saw a 30 by 30 list, I found it kind of silly - but the more I thought about it, I really really like it.

I'm the sort of person who makes a lot of plans, but I need a strategy to see them through. I do my best work at the eleventh hour, which means if I don't have a deadline, it may not get done. So having a tangible list to report back to from time to time? That's the sort of thing I need.

So here they are, in no particular order. Thirty things I want to accomplish by my 30th birthday! Some of them are silly, but some of them are serious. All of them are things I really do want to do in the next couple of years. Bonus: I wrote this list months ago, and have actually already crossed off a couple things! Yay! I'll keep updating the list as things are completed!

My 30 by 30 Goals.

-Take a dance class.

-Grow a garden.

-Take the kids to Disney World.

-Buy (and learn to use) a serger.

-Read the Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter again.

-Done. Open Etsy Shop.

-Visit 2 states I've never been to.

-Eat all the BBQ. I've lived in KC my entire life and have only ever eaten at one of our many famous BBQ joints.

-Read The Silver Linings Playbook, The Boy on the Porch, The Fault in Our Stars, and Night of January 16. I told my librarian husband that he could pick some books for me to read - these are his choices.

-Done. Make my own bread. I did this...and then my bread machine died three days later. New birthday wishlist item: bread machine.

-Attend the Plaza holiday lighting ceremony.

-Watch all Disney animated movies in release order.

-Blog - Reach 20K unique visits/month. Feel free to help me get there!

-Have an article published in a magazine (other than my ongoing review column).

-Sew an incredible Belle dress for Addie.

-Clean out my scrapbook room and donate some supplies.

-Catch  up on yearly Project Life.

-Pay off credit cards.

-Reach 100 Etsy sales.

-Attend a blog conference.

-Find a church we love.

-Blog the 30 Things My Kids Should Know About Me series.

-Perform in a theatre show. I miss the stage.

-Direct a dream theatre show.

-Write a complete work of fiction. This is crazy talk, but...maybe.

-Memorize the order of presidents. So my history-major husband is not mortified at me when I start homeschooling.

-Read the Bible completely. I've done it before, but it's been awhile.

-Have another baby. I might be crazy!

-Host a BIG playdate with tons of friends.

-Start an adoption fund.


Did you make a 30 by 30 list? What would your list look like compared to mine?

The Lost Art of Scrapbooking {Sigh}

Yesterday was National Scrapbooking Day.

I've known about this holiday for several years.

I feel like maybe once I actually spent the whole day scrapping!

Not this year.

Nope, this week, both of my kids have been teething.  Epic, terrible, awful teething.  As a result, I've been up almost every hour almost every night.  Everything has been moved to the back burner while I try to get through the days on no sleep.  Fun! 

So when I realized that it was National Scrapbooking Day, I didn't even entertain the thought of being able to work on an album.  Instead, I took some photos of the mess that is my current scrapbook "organization."

In the main room of our basement (where the TV is), there's this huge pile of binders and photos and cards for Project Life.  The blue binder is part two of 2012; the yellow is part one of 2013.  There are about twenty photos in this year's album so far.  No journaling.  So far behind, but I am going to catch up.

This is my scrapbook room.  It used to be solely dedicated to scrapbooking.  Now it also contains a kid's craft table, treadmill, TV, and everything else that doesn't fit anywhere else in the house.  I've actually been in the midst of a major revamp for about...two years.

The closet is literally overflowing.  Papers, stickers, albums, books, cards, ribbon...  I love crafting way too much, and I have supplies everywhere.

Those paper towers are full.  Completely full.  I wish I were kidding.

Random "Equal Rights 4 Women" sign is a prop 
from Schoolhouse Rock Live!, which we did in 2008.

This big bookshelf houses some of my photo albums, more books, Project Life albums, patterns and other randomness.  I have an obsession with those plastic totes, if you can't tell.  They're super handy for stashing all sorts of supplies!

The thing is - the room actually looks pretty good right now.  Now, if my little ones ever decide to be asleep at the same time, I might be able to finish the last few piles and have a room that inspires me.  I'm so excited to have the kid's craft table in there - when the babies are old enough to enjoy drawing and painting and stamping and hey, even just coloring (without eating the crayons), we are going to have so much fun!

And maybe one day, I'll celebrate National Scrapbooking Day again.  I think next year... I'll at least try to make a single scrapbook layout.  Baby steps, right?

What's On Your... {April 2013}

I found this lovely list of questions on two of my favorite memory-keeping/scrapbooking blogs this week - Ali Edwards and Stephanie Howell - and was inspired.  My quest in memory-keeping for our family is to remember little things, just like these.  I don't know if I'll remember, but I hope to repeat this post every few months...or at least a couple times a year.  I know I'll enjoy looking back at these little moments!

Photo originally shared on Instagram

Vanity | I don't have a "real" vanity, but my dresser is a disaster of jewelry (like my Chewbeads), tights, and lip gloss that all needs to be sorted and given a new place.  I'm very much at a place of re-organization right now.  There are also a handful of things up there so that they are out of Lincoln's reach (batteries, small pieces, etc)

Perennial To Do List | Edit videos (I'm years behind).  Plant a garden.  Get the piano tuned.  Catch up on Project Life.  Get items ready for upcoming consignment sale.  Open Etsy shop.  Plan drama classes.  I could go on.

Refrigerator Shelves | Leftover fried red potatoes.  Cheese and yogurt for the toddler.  Lemon, lime, orange, and strawberries for water infusing experiments.  Panera Asian salad dressing. 

Itinerary | Nothing, unfortunately.  We're toying with the idea of a trip to the Omaha Zoo, but have some other pressing house issues that need to take financial precedence. :/

Fantasy Itinerary | Disney World.  DisneyLand.  Disney Cruise. Do you see a theme?  I'd settle for Silver Dollar City or would love to go up to New England to visit my brother. 

Playlist | Consistently listening to Disney inspired radio on Spotify for weeks now.  I blame the 30-Day Challenge.  Occasionally, Lenka or Mindy Gledhill is my choice (usually after the kids are asleep and I'm trying to seriously work).  Andrew's been on an Irish Tenors kick. 

Nightstand | A couple of diapers, box of wipes, 6 Hot Wheels cars, a book about ladybugs, a bulb syringe, a NoseFrida, a washcloth and a bottle of water.

Workout Plan | Teach children to sleep.  Then workout.  Actually, I plan to start attending a free stroller fitness class next week.  I've gone in the past and it usually about kills me.  Haven't worked out since I was about 14 weeks pregnant with Addie, so...we'll see how it goes.

Phone | Instagram, Pinterest, texts from Andrew, Mom, Dad, Andy, and Laura.

Top 5 List | Loving my babies.  New York City.  Creating.  Watching movies and TV shows with Andrew (rare these days).  Capturing life - with photography, scrapbooking, blogging - whatever I can fit in.

Bucket List | Musical theatre (need to play a Sutton Foster character before I'm too old).  Europe.  More babies - and maybe adoption.  Disney with the kids. Write a book.

Mind | Responsibility of raising these kids. Finding time to craft.  Trying not to stress out when things don't go as planned.  Lack of sleep.  Money. 

Blogroll | Growing Up Geeky.  Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke.  Stephanie Howell.  Simple As That.  Moments That Take My Breath Away.  A Beautiful Ruckus.  Chocolate-Covered Katie.  Birth Without Fear.

Walls of Your Favorite Room in Your House | Nintendo World mural in the nursery.  The castle  is my favorite part.

Last Credit Card Statement | More than I would like.  Groceries, eating out, Shutterfly, Target, craft supplies.

Screensaver | Alternating first baby photos from Lincoln's birth and Adelaide's birth.

TV Every Night | Andrew and I have been trying to watch The Hobbit for over a week now.  The bedtime ritual is making this somewhat impossible to accomplish.  Once that's done, we'll be back to reruns of Parks & Recreation or How I Met Your Mother.

Simple Moments v.14

WOW.  My last simple moments post was three weeks ago.  I've been crazy tired and stressed out, but I didn't realize I had gotten so far behind.  Here's to a new start!

This week's photos are (mostly) brought to you by my Instagram feed...because I seem to be too lazy to have my real camera anywhere within my reach most days.  

Craftiness.  I've toyed with the idea of opening an Etsy shop for a really long time.  The truth is, I just can't figure out how I will manage to keep up with it on top of everything else.  But sometimes, I dream about it.  And sometimes I create the sort of things that I imagine will be for sale once I do set up shop.  I made a couple of headbands for Addie last weekend, using this great singed flower tutorial that I found on - where else - Pinterest.  And it was so much fun, and so much easier than I thought it might be.  Now if only my children would sleep at night...I could definitely get some items listed for sale!

New Project Life: Blush Edition!  My favorite scrapbooking solution, Project Life, was featured on HSN last week and I snagged a fantastic deal on the album and kit that I will likely use for 2014's photos.  If I am extremely motivated, I might use it for some earlier photos (2007/2008), but considering that I still don't have this year's album completely put together and have yet to print photos or write a single journaling card....  I kind of doubt that's going to happen!

"Springtime" Walks.  There was one day last week that was gorgeous.  And then it was suddenly frigid again.  I'm so tired of winter.  I need to take these babies outside or we're all going to go crazy.  Lincoln woke up this morning and ran to me immediately saying "shoes? walk? shoes? walk? walk?!!" and was devastated when I said it was too cold.  However - I will admit that they are pretty adorable in their sock monkey hats (by Knitnut by JL) and I'm glad to have another photo of them wearing these before Adelaide outgrows hers!

Sibling Interaction.  I sometimes think we are crazy for having two babies so close together, but my goodness - lately I am just overwhelmed watching them together.  They are starting to develop their own little relationship. 

Addie adores her big brother and Lincoln's favorite thing to do right now is "carry" her around the house.  It is precious to see them love each other.  Here's hoping that lasts for awhile.

A real, honest-to-goodness hairdo.  On the days where I've had more than three hours of sleep, I'm starting to feel like my normal crafty, dramatic self.  Which means occasionally, I do something with my hair other than throwing it in a sloppy ponytail.  It really is the little things in life that can make a whole day better.

That's it for today.  I hope your week has been beautiful!

Yikes.

So, I had this schedule of posts written out for last week.  I think three out of eight or ten managed to find their way to the blog.  And let's face it, the Wordless Wednesday didn't even count as a real post. 

I'm in the midst of a seemingly never-ending nap/sleep battle.  My kids hate sleeping.  I, however, love to sleep - and that is not happening very often for me these days.  As a result, I'm bleary-eyed and really grumpy most of the time.  Ask my poor husband.

I'm supposed to be consigning at one of the large KC area consignment sales.  It's this week.  I'm supposed to drop off my items tomorrow night.  Do you know how many items from the four overflowing totes in my office have tags on them?  A big fat zero.

I also really need to grocery shop.  I really need to finish converting my scrapbook room into a sewing/scrapbook/workout/kids-crafting space.  I really need to catch up on my Project Life 2012 scrapbook and start my 2013 album.  I haven't even taken the plastic wrap off the album yet.  Sigh.

And have you heard that Google Reader is going away?  That means I have to transfer all of my blog subscriptions over to Bloglovin' - sorting through the hundred some-odd blogs I follow is taking more time than I have.  If you want, you can follow my blog with Bloglovin to stay up to date.

This is real life, folks.
Bags under my eyes=100% Genuine.

All of that to say?   

I think I'll be taking a blogging break for a few days.

I need a chance to catch up on some zzzz's whenever my kids happen to both be asleep at the same time (rare, even at night).

I need to quit eating Oreos for two out of my three meals a day.

And of course, I need to spend the next 30 hours tagging consignment items like a maniac.

I have some fun posts and giveaways coming up - so stay tuned!

Resolved

Probably my resolutions should involve
not staying up until midnight EVERY
night (as evidenced by the super great
dark circles under my eyes 24/7...
and cleaning my mirror.
Without weekly baby bump photos,
I don't remember that cleaning is
a necessary part of my life.

I don't do well with resolutions, really.  I honestly have no idea if I even made any last year.

2013 has arrived, so maybe I should have made some goals by this point.  I've just been a little busy changing diapers, washing baby clothes, and cleaning up giant toddler messes.  Oh, and snuggling.  There's a lot of snuggling around here.

I like to participate in Ali Edwards' One Little Word challenge - but honestly I haven't come up with a perfect word for 2013.  It turns out that while you're busy taking care of tiny babies, you don't worry so much about the big picture.  My life is kind of about survival right now.

So, I'm thinking out loud here.  Instead of definite resolutions...  here are a few words I would like to dwell on in the coming year.

Joy.  I am surprised often that even though I have desperately craved this life of mommyhood for most of my life, there are days when I am overwhelmed, frustrated, and just plain spent.  It's hard to see them sometimes, but even when my days seem endless, there are so many beautiful little moments in each one.  I need to make a conscious effort to pay attention to those moments more than the stressful ones.

Faith.  I won't lie.  2012 was long and hard for us, with one disappointment after another, for a really long time.  And it shook me.  I want 2013 to be better - and if it is not, I want it to make me stronger in my faith this time instead.

Create.  I did better with this last year; I have a fair number of projects that were completed - even while I was pregnant.  Hoping that I am able to cross a lot of things off my to-do list this year, and I have a really huge dream to open an Etsy shop before long.  We'll see what happens!  I think this word can cover a broad range of things...  in addition to my sewing/scrapbooking persuasion, I need to be more creative (and consistent) with my meal planning. 

Music.  I'm throwing this one in just for fun.  I want to make sure we are singing and having dance parties regularly.  I want to put my ten years of piano lessons to use and actually play every now and then, before my fingers forget everything I know.  This means I can no longer use the piano as a catch-all and must keep it clear - so that I can play whenever I want.

Relax.  I need to stop stressing out about everything.  It's not a big deal if the house is a wreck.  It's not the end of the world if we eat takeout five nights in a week (though it might be the end of our financial security).  My kids are really little and need me to be focused on them, not the stuff.  If I can stop worrying about things that don't really matter, I'm guessing our home will be more peaceful and we will all be happier for it.

This may not be a complete list of all my hopes for 2013, but it's a start at least.  Since I have shared these thoughts here, maybe I will be more likely to follow through, right?

Do you have any goals or resolutions for the new year?

Mommy's Hobbies (aka what I used to do before kids)

Here's something that I have learned.  As a mommy of a 21-month-old and a 1-week-old, there is barely enough time in the day to get everyone dressed, fed, and in a clean diaper.  In a few weeks - once I've had time to adjust to having two kids under two - maybe I will become one of those awesome Pinterest mommies who crafts everything, turns snacktime into an adventure everyday, and never ever reasons with herself that one more episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse can't really do that much harm, right??

Ha.  Who am I kidding.  The point is, it's tough to get the little stuff done.  So "me time" - that is a thing of the past for a little while.  While I am enjoying tiny newborn snuggles and toddler kisses and always having graham cracker on my clothing, skin, and couch - I do occasionally think about the things I would do if I ever had "free" time.

Theatre

I had a few delightful years when I was actively participating in every show (in some capacity) at our local community theatre.  I have done pretty much everything there is to do in theatre - director, assistant director, costume designer, light tech, sound tech, stage manager, chorus girl, and a few amazing lead roles.  The above photo is my best comic role - Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical the Musical.  Will you look at my sparkly purple platforms?!  They made me about 6 feet tall.  Conveniently, Andrew (whom I met during that production) is 6'3". 

The same year (2007 - where has the time gone?), I played Vera Claythorne in Agatha Christie's classic And Then There Were None.  This was a serious role and required so much dedication to memorize!  But the overall experience was amazing.  I also pretty much starved myself to fit into that dress.  Not a method I would suggest, but...it looks good, right?

My theatrical experiences have been varied - but my absolute passion is musicals.  I have so many dream roles.  Belle in Beauty & the Beast, Jo in Little Women the Musical, and pretty much every character role that Sutton Foster has played.  Will I ever get the chance to play them?  Maybe...or maybe not.  But the love of theatre will live on regardless - and hopefully be shared with my munchkins someday.

Reading

As a former librarian - how could this not make the list?  I haven't picked up a book in months, but oh how I love to be carried away to a faraway place!  I've been trying to re-read Anne of Green Gables for about six months, maybe I will finish before a year goes by?  We'll see.  The book series I tend to fall back upon, though, is this trilogy written by Liz Curtis Higgs: Thorn in My Heart, Fair Is The Rose, and Whence Came A Prince.  Based on the Biblical story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel, these books take place in Scotland in the 1700's - and it doesn't seem to matter how many times I read them, they are always delightful. 

Sewing/Crafting

All of the costuming I've done in the last few years made me realize that I actually really love to sew.  As a result, my scrapbook room has been turned into a multi-purpose craft room and is now stuffed to overflowing with fabric, felt, patterns, ribbon, and more.  Do I ever get projects done?  Well...sometimes.  But mostly only when they are gifts.  I'm in the process of opening an Etsy shop so hopefully my craftiness will find its way to the web soon!  I had planned a November opening...but a little princess decided to make that impossible.  Above is the Legend of Zelda Triforce pillow shield I made for Lincoln's Halloween costume this year - I'm still working on the tutorial, I promise it will be up soon.  Below is a set of toys I made for a friend's baby shower - puppy dog for baby and dolly for the big sister!

 

Photography

I have a passionate interest in photography, but unfortunately not the time or means to develop it as much as I would like.  I bought my Nikon D3000 about three years ago and have spent that time building a pretty basic understanding of how to shoot in manual.  If I have natural sunlight, I usually do a pretty decent job, but anything less and my photos end up super blurry or super washed out from the built-in flash.  Oh, for the time to practice and learn and better this skill!  And oh, for the money to buy the Nikon 40mm f/2.8G AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR Lens that I kind of desperately want.

Project Life

Of all of my hobbies, this is the one that actually tends to stay mostly caught up.  Project Life is a scrapbooking system designed by Becky Higgins to make life so much easier on those of us who really want to keep a scrapbook of memories for our families - but don't have the time for "traditional" scrapbooking.

I was really hardcore about scrapbooking for many, many years - I only made paper layouts and put them in albums that I had on my bookshelf.  Digital scrapbooking was introduced and I was not a fan.  I was hesitant about switching to Project Life as my primary scrapbook project at first (back in 2010), but wow - the decision is one I absolutely do not regret.  I use Project Life as a daily scrapbook - I (usually) take at least one photo per day, and fill out a small journaling card describing what is going on in each day's photo.  It sounds hard, but it's really not once you are in the habit - and it creates such an interesting scrapbook for your family to view for years to come.  A lot of normal everyday life moments seem to end up in our scrapbook - and I might not even think to take those photos if not for this project!

There are currently seven different editions of Project Life to choose from - this year I am using the Cobalt Edition (pictured) and next year will be using the Amber Edition.  Amazon has the full realm of Project Life products - if you are in the market for a new way to scrapbook, please check it out.  I don't think you'll be sorry!


I'm linking up with Growing Up Geeky for Toddle Along Tuesday!  What are your hobbies - and do you actually find time for them?

Self-Timer Photo Challenge - A Look at My Day

I may not post that often, but if you have followed my blog at all over the last few years, you have probably realized that one of my passions is memory keeping - photography and scrapbooking especially.  Today I'm participating in a fun photo challenge featured over on one of my favorite crafty blogs - Dear Lizzy.  The challenge was to use your camera's self-timer to capture an everyday moment. 

This is my today - teaching drama classes while wearing baby and balancing my script on a stroller in my garage drama studio. 

Frugal friends, check out my diaper stash on the top shelf!  Diapers are the only stockpiled item in my home right now.  Well...that and toothpaste.

Thanks, Dear Lizzy, for the fun challenge!  Host another soon, I'll play along!  :)

two.

Busy day yesterday...never quite got to the blog post.

Busy few weeks, actually. Sorry for the lack of communication.

Anyway - my awesome hubby and I celebrated two years of wedded bliss yesterday. I wanted to post some photos of the two of us but have discovered that apparently I never got those shots uploaded and I don't have access to them at the moment. New project!

Thinking about the wedding scrapbook. Thinking. Not actually doing anything. But at least it's in my consciousness...

If I remember, I'll post some pics from our mini-vacation this weekend. Lovely time spent at a quaint little B&B in Parkville, MO.

♥ to Andrew. Happy Anniversary!!

cards, cards, cards!

I've always wanted to be that domestic diva who makes cards for every occasion under the sun and just has them sitting around, waiting to be sent out on a whim.

I may not quite have attained that goal, but I'm making progress. Check out my creativity from just the past two days. Incredible.

I realize that all of these birthday cards have a very similar theme - but hey, it's super easy to make a pile of cards when you have only a handful of supplies in front of you. No big decisions to make. :)

And since it's wedding season, a few cards of that nature...

Loving that I can sometimes find time to craft!! And I knocked a whole bunch of things off the to-do list. It's been a pretty good week so far.

Also I have cute hair. That really helps my outlook on life.

layouts lately!

I'm at home - feeling pretty crummy - so congrats to any readers out there, it's a post with new scrapbook content! :)

I haven't done a lot of scrapbooking lately. Most of these pages were made in mid-March-April. I actually finished one cute layout last night at Crop Club, but I haven't gotten photos taken yet. So here are my other newest creations! Not going to type long descriptions. :)

First one is a graduation card! Now I just have to find the graduation announcements I've received and see who I'm supposed to be sending this card to!

More NYC coming soon!