Fall Ribbon Topiary How-To

Here's a re-post from my old blog that I thought was season appropriate and a super-fun craft!

Thanks to the amazing Whitney Caroline I learned how to make a Ribbon Topiary from her instructions! I loved the way that it turned out and I have already decided to make a Christmas one next week! Here are some pics from my crafty-ness:

All of my supplies ready to go!


I found that a round Styrofoam ball (5 inch) worked great inside these pots I found as the base - a lot easier than cutting floral foam to fit.


Just getting started with the ribbon - you will need A LOT of pins!!

I spray painted the pot and the dowel rod black - super easy and I LOVE playing with spray paint! I know, I'm like a 10 year old!


Finally coming along.



I used the standard Michael's moss and then spray painted it white to give it a gray "Halloween" look.

Decided it needed the orange band around the pot for some color.

This is the back - no one will see it but I wanted to finish it off kind of cute in case someone was looking.

And ta-da!! The finished project on my kitchen table!!

Let me know if any of y'all make these - I want to see pics!!

While Visions of Christmas Cards Danced in My Head

I have been behind all year. Behind on blogs, cards, gifts, announcements. You name it - I'm behind - still! I guess that's what having a newborn does to you!

Well one thing I am DETERMINED not to be behind on is Christmas cards! Every year it's this mad dash to get pictures, order them, look out the window at the UPS man like a lost puppy, rush to address them and finally get around to putting stamps on them and put them in the mailbox.

I know I can't be the only one who does this!!

So I'm starting the process early this year. We're having pictures taken in a few weeks and in the mean time, I will be looking for a card I love.

Each year I order my Christmas cards from Shutterfly.com - the prices are so reasonable, I love the holiday photo cards best and the quality is awesome!

Here are my Shutterfly Christmas cards from the past 3 years ~

2007


2008

2009

So now here's the hard part - which Shutterfly Christmas card do I use this year for Trey's first Christmas?!


I think this one is super fun and would be great with a silly picture of Trey.



I love the retro feel of this one and would put a picture of the whole family on it.

I really love this one because I could put a bunch of pictures from throughout the year.

Such a hard decision! What do you think? Which option do you all like best?



**I was not paid for this review, but I was compensated with free Holiday cards in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wordless Wednesday

iPhoto Weekend Recap

Our weekend in pictures...


This little skeleton and I had a wonderful weekend!

I came home to find these on my front porch - so sweet!




I was so excited to see that The North Face has started making Denali jackets for infants! I ordered this one for Trey off of Zappos.com (aka worlds BEST customer service)!! I ordered it Thursday night about 5pm and sure enough by the time I was home from lunch on Friday it was in my door! It fits Trey great - still pretty big - so I think it will be awesome for the winter. I like how thin it is (just like the ones DH and I have) so it will be easy for him to move around and play in.


Trey had his first date friday night with our friend's baby - she is so beautiful! They had a wild night as you see here! Lots of eating and sleeping!! It was great to see our friends - they gave birth to their sweet baby girl last weekend and are doing wonderful. It'll be so much fun to take them places together once they get a little bigger!


My sis-in-law was home from college for the weekend and she spent a ton of time with Trey. They are crazy about each other!! Over Thursday - Sunday we went to Panera, Target, Carters, Kohls, Longhorn, and hung out around the house. It was so great getting to see her!


On Sunday DH and I decided to try out the new cake pops at Starbucks. And while they aren't as tasty as mine - they also don't involve hours of time in the kitchen. So, for $1.50 each I was pleasantly surprised! I will definitely be picking them up again! (We tried the Rocky Road & Birthday cake.)



We finshed the weekend off with a marathon Target trip (organization overload going on at the BB&B household) and having the mom-in-law over dinner. We are taking advantage of these last bits of nice weather and grilling out as often as possible!

2 Months Already?

Wow!! How did my sweet itty-bitty little baby already turn two months!? This time has just flown by so quickly and I'm trying my hardest to stay present in every little moment, every smile, every hug, to just sit with Trey and smell his little baby smell.

We've already learned so much about him, what he likes, what he doesn't. How to stop crying before it starts, to know when he's tired and needs a nap - when to laugh because he's fussing or sticking his little lower lip out for no reason at all. I never realized that being a Mom would be so easy and so hard - all in the same breath.

We went to the peditrician this past Friday (for a reflux check up, his two month appt isn't until next week) and he weighed in at an awesome 11 lbs 15 oz ~ gaining almost an oz a day!! So DH and I are pretty sure that he was 12 lbs on his actual 2 month birthday, which was Monday.

During this month Trey became even more smiley and learned how to actually laugh! We about died the first time we saw it! All of a sudden he loves having his diaper changed, bath time with Daddy is his favorite thing to do (besides eat!) and is starting to really like stuffed animals and toys, a little crocodile from my friend A has been his favorite.

We had to move him from his bassinet to his crib and has been doing great. Although he was sleeping straight through the night before, over the past couple weeks he has wanted to get up at 5am to eat and usually goes back to sleep pretty easily. I'm still not really on a schedule with him but starting to research and we may be on one soon.

We left him with a "sitter" (DH's Mom's BFF) for the first time one day shy of his two month birthday. We probably would have never left him but some of our best friends had just given birth to their precious baby girl (aka Trey's girlfriend) and we were dying to visit them!

He's just outgrowing his 0-3 month clothes and I have lots of fun 3-6 month ones ready for him! Which is great because we have had some chilly temps and I hadn't bought any cold weather 0-3 mo clothes, I guess I just knew he'd be a big one!

DH and I are working hard to be excited for what's coming and not sad that our sweet little baby is growing up! It's crazy how fast he changed from looking and acting like a newborn and now he's a fun, laughing, playing baby!!

Happy 2 months sweet baby Trey!!

And I will also leave you with his 1 month picture since I never did a post for that!


The onesies he has on are just regular white ones - I got these awesome stickers from Sticky Bellies! They are $15 for all 12 months and they shipped super quick. I think that they would make an great addition to any baby shower gift!!

(I did not receive these for a review - I bought them with my own moo-lah. I just thought they were fabulous and wanted to share!)

A non-push present?

Because really, is it still a push present if there isn't any actual pushing involved?

The day we got home we hung out around the house for a bit before venturing up the stairs (stairs + c-section = not so fun) to show Trey his room.

While we were up there I went to put him down in his crib and this is what I found.

And in my crazy hormonal state it took me forever to stop crying and sit down and actually open it!

Inside was the most beautiful David Yurman Blue Topaz Albion ring. And while blue topaz isn't Trey's birthstone, that gorgeous blue color definitely makes me think of my sweet new baby boy!

Every time I look down at it I get the biggest smile on my face, I'm so blessed to have TWO amazing guys in my life!