Party Planning!

I feel at home when I'm planning. Especially if I get to craft or decorate. Baking and food prep is pretty exciting, too. I planned all the time when I lived in Alabama. Whether it was for my daughter, a friend, one of the groups at college, anything really. Right before I moved to Minnesota, I was the assistant director for our college's theater group. I was in heaven; I was being recognized and appreciated for my bossiness. Haha! ;]

Moving to Minnesota, not working, having a second child, and moving around two or three times has really put a kink in major party planning. I always did what I could for birthday parties. Working at my local Wal Mart (there, I admitted it) doesn't really give me the income needed to REALLY get down and dirty with the planning.

Recently a co-worker (and I like to think friend) found out she would be having a baby; a little girl. Instantly, my brain went into overdrive. Then she announced the baby's shower and room theme would be owls. It was over before it started. I declared myself shower planner and got the ideas rolling.

Here are some pictures of what is taking up the better part of my days:

These are the super cute owls that I used my new Cricut to make. They're on 

clothespins to use during the baby shower as part of the "Don't Say Baby!" game.

 Pretty common game. Pretty sure that I will win, seeing as I only 

call the baby by her name anyways. :]

What's left of the owls to make...

These next two pictures showcase the one thing I'm most proud of: my owl 

diaper "cake". No, it is not solely my idea, I did find this lady on etsy who 

makes and sells all sorts of diaper cake animals.

I did, however, figure out how to assemble it all on my own. And my diaper owl 

contains more diapers than hers. My husband teases that she (yes, she) looks like

 a certain cartoon movie robot. 

At least she's cute. :]

The pink things are homemade tile coasters that I put together. 

Those are picture here:

And why, yes, that is an Instagram photo! :]

The following two pictures are of some super cute cupcakes I made!

Made out of a onesie and a sock as the cherry.

I painted a chunk of coffee filters and tied them up with some raffia.

Probably also a favorite. I wish I could make more. :[

The last picture is of some cans wrapped in scrapbook paper that we plan

on using to put utensils in on each table, along with other cans that will have

cupcake liner flowers in them.

That's all I've got, for now. However, I'm excited to finish things up; the baby shower is five days from now!! I also took some pink index cards and stamped the words "wise advice" across the top, stamped owls in the corners, and bordered the card up. Those will be in our baby shower game packet for the guests to write down their wisdom to share with the mother-to-be. I bought a cute iron birdcage and we'll toss the cards in that during the shower. I have a ton of other ideas and a couple more projects up my sleeve, too. But I don't want to share all of my secrets just yet!!

-Erin

A New Office!!

Wow! I am actually posting on this blog! Two months in a row! Oh my!

But we have been very busy over here, moving around our rooms and setting up shop. In our teeny tiny house, we've bundled things away and moved our room into our old den and now have a legit office! Although I'm still working on it, like...all of the time...I'm very happy with where things are headed. :]

This picture is from the night that we put up those shelves. It was dark, I only had a lamp and dun-dun-dunnn: this is an Instagram photo. I'm good at those, ya know?!

My husband and I almost got divorced over those shelves. We had quite a time trying to get them set up. Nevertheless, we're still married and my shelves are more fabulous than ever now.

And I must be behind the times. Because I felt like I struck pure gold and oil when I discovered worldmarket.com. I mean, really. That place is heaven to me.

Then I found that there were actually stores.

-dreamy sigh-

So I sucked my husband into taking me out to Bloomington, MN to go "window shopping"

This is what I came back with:

Omg. Really. Oh My God. 

My husband made fun of me because he thinks I should have just made half of that. I told him that sometimes buying it from a store really is just best. I'm too much of a perfectionist. Really.

Then we went again. This time:

-dreamy sigh-

I really. Really. REALLY. love that place.

The second trip was also good for buying my favorite wine. For like $12 a bottle. I mean, really.

Also, gifts were bought for other people from that second trip. Pretty proud of myself. :]

So all of these things are sitting in my new office, just making me so happy. I mean my husband and kids are pretty great, too. But to be creative and inspired, my space has to be totally me. You know? I know you know. Nothing can really bother you when you're in your space. So, slowly but surely...I'm getting there.

I think often times, having wine will also help. :]

-Erin