a {day} with lil mama stuart

P52 {8} and {9} and A-Z

2012-03-05T00:09:00.004-06:00

So two months into Project 52 and I've already failed! I missed week 8's "Cabin Fever" and week 9's "A Great Leap." But I'm ok with that because I was busy shooting for the A-Z 30 day challenge in February. And actually, I tied for the title of most improved! Hooray, I'm a winner!

Halfway through the class, I discovered an inspiring direction to take my series of photographs - my very own city of Chicago! Now that I have a comprehensive set of images, I can add personalized decor to my urban cozy home. As a winner in the Souvenir Foto School class, I get to pick an image for a 20x20 print. Which would you choose to go next to this Merchandise Mart framed print/painting?? I always have a hard time deciding on large purchases.

I already showed you some, but here are the rest...
A is for Apple Juice
B is for Bucket of Bottles with Balloons
C is for Cans of Crinkle Paper
D is for Daisy the Dog
E is for Elephant
F is for Flames
G is for Graffiti
H is for Human Heart
I is for Inside (of a white cantaloupe)
J is for Jingle Jangles

K is for Kimball

L is for Lines of Lights under the El in the Loop

M is for Midway
N is for Newspaper
O is for Old Ornate Clock

P is for Peaceful Playground

Q is for Quatrefoil at Quincy

R is for River
S is for Seal (of the city)
T is for Traffic in the Theater District

U is for Under the El

V is for Village (x5!)

W is for Wrigley Building

X is for Xes under the El Tracks

Y is for Yellow Lines

Z is for Zones (x4!)

Of all the letters, which one should I blow up (20x20)?

As Seen On {Ucreate Parties}

2012-03-02T09:32:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday everyone! Today, my Monster 1st birthday party is featured over at Ucreate Parties!

Ucreate found me through pinterest.

Which I’m not all that surprised by, considering these monsters are my most pinned items, by far!

Even though the party was a year ago, this Monster 1^st birthday party remains my #1 and #2 most visited posts.

Thanks Momma Tre for trusting me with Baby J’s special day!

Hop on over to see what other great parties and ideas Ucreate features. Have a great weekend!

30 Day A-Z Photography Challenge Recap

2012-03-01T03:14:00.003-06:00

So, earlier in the month, I mentioned that I was participating in a 30 day A-Z Photography challenge. The last you saw was J is for Jingle Jangles. And what a lovely image to leave off with if I do say so myself J

I didn’t quit the challenge. It’s just been, well, challenging (duh) to upload, cull, and edit every. single. night. But with February being over, so is the challenge - phew! After J, I decided to go with an urban theme for my series. Here’s my final image.

Z is for Zones

Background: I loved the Souvenir Foto School class hosted by Miss B. There were 50 students, required to upload an image (taken that day, strictly enforced!) to our private flickr group with the alphabet as our only daily prompt. If you missed too many days, you’d get kicked out. The accountability (we paid for the class and wouldn’t want to be a drop out!) kept the class focused and consistent. The interpretation of each letter was up to you. There was so much creativity to be admired from the participants and so much to learn from the feedback on everyone’s images. There were a lot of amazing iPhone photos too! I would gladly do the class again, although it was challenging and some days I really just wanted to go to bed instead of upload and edit.

What I learned from participating in a 30 day photo challenge:

There’s beautiful, interesting sights wherever you look. Take your eyes off your phone, iPad, Nook, or newspaper to look around. Fully take in what’s around you. It may just take your breath away.

R is for River

Oftentimes, the best images are the ones that aren’t planned. I ran around the cold zoo for 30 minutes one afternoon determined to get a Z. But my best image for the day happened to be when I was walking around a neighborhood that morning and stopped to take a look behind me. This brings me to my next point.

V is for Village (x5!)

I didn’t intend for this shot to be out of focus. I was more concerned if there were any cars coming! Between this shot and the in focus ones, this one is way moodier, not to mention beautiful bokeh! Hooray for happy accidents!

Y is for Yellow Line

Look up, down, and behind you. The most interesting sights probably aren’t the ones directly in front of you. I was shooting the Oriental Theater across the street. It wasn’t all that original of a shot, so I looked around to see what else I could capture. And right above me was the iconic Marshall Field’s Clock! Thank goodness I looked up!

O is for Old Ornate Clock

Timing may be everything. I walked around the park not sure of what to capture. While shooting a bus stop, this fire truck happened to pass by and I got my day's money shot. The truck adds color and another layer of the city.

S is for Seal of the City

Similar to #4, you might only get one shot, so be prepared. Taking heed to #1, I knew when the theater district would be approaching. I perched up against the train’s window, and had one shot to make my photograph as the train zoomed by the marginal opening between buildings.

T is for Traffic in the Theater District

You learn a lot more with feedback from peers than you would on your own. Other people will see things (both positive and negative) about your image that you won’t. It’s also helpful to see other people’s images and learn from the feedback they receive. I thought I straightened this image out (I always get crooked shots when shooting from the hip!), but my peers made it clear that I did not! They also liked the man walking into my shot. Without them mentioning it, I didn’t notice he added interest to my photograph.

N is for newspaper.

I’ve outgrown my gear (50mm). My mentor always said there was no need to buy new gear until you outgrow what you currently have. I didn’t fully understand what that meant until now. I know what I can and can't capture with my nifty fifty. I can’t get the shots I’m envisioning anymore, so I’m ready to move on creatively. And my shipment came in today, woohoo!

I’m so glad this challenge forced me to tote my camera around on a daily basis and push my photographic mind creatively. It gave me the opportunity to make photographs outside of my norm (babies, families, art projects). I’m now more comfortable shooting in public and my eyes are more open to interesting leading lines, textures, colors, layers and surroundings.

M is for Midway

I’ve always wanted to capture the beauty of the city (grittiness and all) and never have. Now I finally have a comprehensive set of images to use as artwork for my urban cozy home. I wish I started the urban/city series from the beginning. Hopefully I’ll have the discipline to redo A-J and make a coffee table book. Will you hold me accountable? Do you want to see the other letters?

linked up here:

DIY Fireman Birthday Party Ideas

2012-02-29T00:01:00.000-06:00

Brendan’s birthday was last Friday and his mom, Danielle, thought they were set on a superhero/Batman party. Just 12 days prior to little man’s birthday, I got an email from Danielle titled “Help!!!” Turns out the soon to be 3 year old flipped the switch and wanted nothing other than a fireman party! In two weeks! When I got the email, Doug saw me smiling at the computer wondering, “What the heck is she so happy about!?” As usual, I was giddy with excitement to gather party ideas! Check out my fireman party pinterest board here.

The night before the party, I got another email from Danielle. This time saying that she feels like she has NOTHING for the party. Given how Danielle has successfully decorated parties at the last minute, I had no doubt that she could pull this off in less than two weeks. And she sure did!

How fricken’ cute is that cake!? Recipe/idea from BettyCrocker. See those flames on the counter!? So simple, easy and big impact!

Looks like some building fires need to be put out with some water droplets!

And how cute, yet boyish is the invite!? The graphic designer that she is, Danielle just whipped this baby up! Check out Danielle’s facebook page for more of her designs, edibles and plenty of other creative projects.

We totally wish we were neighbors to DIY our crafty hearts out.

DIY Popcorn Cones Tutorial

2012-02-24T00:01:00.003-06:00

Garrett's popcorn is always a crowd favorite and I included it amongst the other finger foods at Mia's birthday party. Want to know how to make your own popcorn cones and display? It's free, easy and is a different way to serve a typical party food.

Time: Hard to say. I made the cones over various nights while watching DVR'ed shows.
Cost: Free! because I had all supplies on hand. Gotta love DIY!
Supplies:
Paper - 7x11 for each cone (cut a bit off a normal sized piece of paper) My patterns are from SprikSpace.
Wax or Parchment Paper - a little bit smaller than the paper above
Boxes
Wrapping Paper
Tape

Instructions - Popcorn Cones
1. Hold bottom left corner (B) in your left hand. Take top right corner (A) with your right hand and roll it down and around/behind (B).
Note: Unlike the picture below, your pattern should be on the outside.

2. Roll (A) all around to the back and readjust until you get a cone shape. The tip of your cone can have a whole/opening in it at the bottom, as long as it's smaller than a popcorn kernel. (D) should end up being the top/opening of your cone and (C) should be the bottom.

3. With one piece of tape, seal the seam on the inside. With another piece of tape, seal the outside seam. The outside seam should end up on the backside of the cone. See how there's no seams from the front?

4. Repeat with remaining cones.

5. Because no one wants to see how greasy their snacks are, line the cones with wax or parchment paper. Similar to steps 1-2, make a cone shape with the wax paper and insert into paper cones. Tape in place if you need to, but it's probably not necessary, especially after you fill them. See how the wax paper isn't taped in?

Instructions - Popcorn Cone Display

1. Find a box in a size you like.

I happened to have two Janie and Jack boxes in similar shapes but different sizes. Perfect to add height to my table. Am I the only one that gets excited by boxes that nest nicely?

2. Estimate how many cones you can fit along each box. Mark spacing with a pencil

Note: The tops are wider than the base, so leave enough space between each. I held up a cone or two and eyeballed it.

3. Make Xes with an exacto knife where the cones will be inserted. Stick your finger in the Xes to open them up a little.

Note: Don't make the Xes too big! Just big enough for the tip of the cone to be inserted and stand steadily on it's own.

4. Repeat with remaining Xes. Put all your cones in and see how they stand/look.

5. Wrap boxes. Feel where the Xes are and poke inwards through the wrapping paper. Embellish boxes with ribbon, etc. Put loops of tape on the big box to affix the small box to it. Put all your cones in and see your finished product!

linked up here:

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2012-02-23T00:01:00.007-06:00

For Mia's party, I made M&M cookies. This chocolate chip cookie recipe is my go-to cookie recipe. Simple, easy and delicious.

I don't like re-posting other people's content, but I can't remember where I got the recipe from, more than 2 years ago now. An email from the Tribune maybe?

For the party, I just swapped out chocolate chips and replaced it with pink and white M&Ms. I usually also halve the recipe.

After-school Chip Cookies
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes per batch
Makes 4 dozen

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 bag (12 oz) chocolate chips

Mix: Whisk together flour, salt and soda in a medium bowl.
Cream: Beat butter soft with an electric mixer on medium, 1 minute. Add sugars and vanilla; beat fluffy, 1 minute. Add eggs, beating 1 minute after each. Switch to low speed; briefly mix in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips with a spoon.
Bake: Heap 1 tablespoon mounds of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Slide into the center of a 350 degree oven; bake until cookies turn golden at edges and soft in the center, 8-10 minutes. Cool on a rack. Repeat with remaining dough.

Sometimes less is more!

linked up here:

Chicago Restaurant Week - Michael Jordan's Steakhouse

2012-02-22T00:01:00.002-06:00

Chicago’s 5^th Annual Restaurant Week started last Friday and ends next Sunday February 26^th. You get a three course prix fixe dinner for $33 (or $44) and lunch for $22. Last year I went to Zapatista, Terzo Piano and Perennial. This year, I only went to one – Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse in the InterContinental Hotel on Michigan Avenue.

A few months ago, I’d been to MJ’s for lunch, and wasn’t impressed. Lobster roll with a sherry aioli, tarragon and parmesan crisp? Bleh! Yes yes, I shouldn’t get a lobster roll from a steak house. Despite my impression that MJ’s is a typical mediocre lunch spot that probably won’t last, I went again. Only because Doug idolizes the "Greatest of All Time." And I'm a good wife. Even though I didn't pay. J

We started our four course meal with garlic bread bathed in a buttermilk blue cheese fondue. It tastes just like it sounds. And it. is. good. Crispy and cheesy yum!

For the second course, Doug had the lobster chowder, and I had the arugula and shaved fennel salad (with toasted pine nuts, shaved cheese and blood orange vinaigrette). Doug said the chowder was the worst he’s ever had!! I've never had lobster chowder, so I’m not sure what it should taste like. But even so, I didn’t think it was very pleasing to the palette. I did like my light and refreshing salad though.

For entrees, Doug had the Natural Angus Hanger Steak with black garlic bordelaise while I had twin petite filets with caramelized onions and gruyere. Doug thought his was fine. I liked the onions and little bit of cheese with my filets, although one seemed to be cooked more than the other. The ladies next to us sent their filets back to the kitchen since the steaks weren't cooked to their liking. Yikes! We also ordered a side of the mashed potatoe trio. My favorite was the horse radish cheddar. Doug's favorite was the lobster chive. And neither of us liked the sweet potato marshmallow - definitely too marshmallowy. We probably could've done without the sides.

In addition to our meal, Doug got the beer pairing (four 5 oz beers for $14) and I had the wine pairing (four half glasses for $25). We both enjoyed our first three drinks. I couldn’t even drink the dessert wine, it was too sweet and rubbing alcohol tasting. Maybe I don’t have a sophisticated enough palette to enjoy a dessert wine (other than Moscato), but still, it was undrinkable. Doug's last drink was a 9.8% stout, so he was happily buzzed to say the least.

To top off our already stuffed bellies, we had the Chocolate Tart with Black Dog malted vanilla gelato and Butterscotch Panna Cotta with Garrett’s Chicago mix popcorn and smoked sea salt. The chocolate tart was perfectly rich and creamy with a nice crumbly yet firm crust. The panna cotta with popcorn was different. We didn't care for it too much and didn't even finish it.

All in all, we won’t be going back. Apparently other people must feel the same considering the restaurant was not even close to being filled on a Monday night at 7pm. Doug was hoping to see memorabilia (like Ditka’s) and the meal was good, but not outstanding (and they charged the higher price of $44 vs $33). Despite our mediocre restaurant week experience, I do recommend you make your Restaurant Week reservation, there's a few more days! You're bound to find something among the 200 restaurants to choose from. I had my eye on Union Sushi (new to try), Joe's Stone Crab (solid menu for the price!), Perennial (our favorite by far), and Table Fifty-Two (who doesn't want to try this?).

I'd love to hear what you ate!

Pink & Grey Striped Birthday Party: Decorations

2012-02-21T00:04:00.011-06:00

Now that I’ve strung you along with two sneak peeks and my inspiration for Mia’s second birthday party, are you ready for the full reveal?!? This little two year old sure was ready for her party, matching outfit and all! And the outfit was totally not planned! It happened to be a Christmas present - thanks Auntie Judy, it was perfect!

Main Party Supplies/Décor Elements

I kept the food and decor simple since the play café had a lot going on already. My theme was clearly pink and grey stripes, balloons and Mia’s stuffed animals. From my pinterest board, you probably have no idea what direction I was going!

I wrapped phone books and empty boxes to add height to the table.

It only takes a few design elements to pull an event together. Seriously, the party was decorated for $60! These were the basic supplies for Mia’s party, which could be slightly altered to create a Sweet Shoppe, Vintage, Spa or even Circus party.

Striped Paper & Large Scallop Punch - The striped paper you see throughout is a FREE pattern from Sprik Space that I printed or used in picnik.com to design coordinating thank you tags, food and drink labels and a banner.

Mia’s Stuffed Animals – Marissa did an amazing job customizing the invite as did Kat on the cake!

Striped Washi Tape and Baker’s Twine – simple way to add color and continue the striped theme. My washi tape was from Sweet Shop Lulu, but you can find lots on etsy too.

Custom name print from etsy shop Baby Byrds.

Balloons – Seen on the invite and used at the food, gift and favor tables.

Food Table

Just like my décor, I kept the food simple. All the food (I made most of it - the day before) and drink to feed 45 people cost ~ $100 (not including the cake). Parties don’t have to be big and extravagant people! It’s the little touches that bring it together and make it special.

Ham and Cheese Sandwiches - To make DIY flags: add washi tape to toothpicks. Cut triangle from end to make a flag.
Pasta Salad - Not pictured, but recipe here.
Fresh Fruit Cups - Tape appetizer forks (from Party City) to cups with washi tape.
Garrett's Popcorn - Tutorial for the DIY popcorn cones and display can be found here.

M&M Cookies - Here's the recipe. It’s my go-to cookie.

Cake from Sweet Kat's Creations

Home Made Thin Mints - You MUST make these. It’s my new go-to cookie recipe. Seriously, you’ll never want a Girl Scout cookie again. Note: I used andes chocolates because I can't find the baking chips.

Drink Station

Pop and Water Bottles – wrapped in DIY labels (FREE)
Juice Boxes – wrapped in patterned paper (FREE) and ribbon

Pink Lemonade – pink and grey striped straws from Shop Sweet Lulu

Other Décor

DIY Centerpieces - To top the café tables, I made picture displays from a soup can, bakers twine, newspaper (to stuff the inside), a skewer (that my mom saved from an edible arrangement), paper shreds (that came from my Shop Sweet Lulu packaging), patterned paper and a scallop punch. What I’m saying is that it was FREE, other than the cost of pictures, and $9 for 180 yards of baker’s twine from Pick Your Plum that I used throughout the entire party with a LOT of leftovers.

DIY Happy Birthday Banner = Patterned paper with letters in picnik + scallop punch + wrapping paper + glue stick

DIY Party favors - I filled treat bags from Pick Your Plum with pink and white frosted animal cookies (from Jewel). I loved those cookies as a kid! I designed a thank you tag in Picnik using a background from Sprik Space then cut with a scallop punch. I sealed the bag with washi tape and attached the tag with baker’s twine.

DIY Coloring sheet – I took a picture of Mia’s animal friends and used this tutorial from Centsational Girl to make a customized coloring sheet. Cool, huh!?

Surprisingly, this party came together easily and nearly stress free. The staff at Family Grounds Café were super helpful with the quick (less than an hour) setup.

Auntie Agatha was super helpful too, who I almost brought to tears when I surprised her with a personal mini birthday cake.

Mia had fun and enjoyed helping me with the decorations.
She's still talking about her birthday, which makes it all worth while!

linked up here:

P52 {7} - True Love

2012-02-20T00:01:00.003-06:00

Honestly, I wasn't feeling very inspired by the "True Love" prompts this week/month. Everything seemed so cliche, but I made it work.

True love, my little family of three...as interpreted by artist Auntie Agatha.

Sometimes I wish I had a macro lens. But I have other gear lined up first! Anyway, as CPAs, Doug and I © numbers. *snort* Even though he called me a nerd for taking this picture. And then didn't even notice 5.31 is our anniversary. Jerk!

linked up here:

Good Night Chicago - Museum of Science Industry

2012-02-17T13:15:00.002-06:00

As you know, it was Mia's 2nd birthday last week. We ended her special day with cupcakes from Molly's.

But just like last year, we started the day with pancakes. Same time last year comparison!

I tried to get creative this year...

Last year we took Mia to Navy Pier for her birthday. This year we took her to the Museum of Science and Industry to knock out one more page of my DIY Goodnight Chicago book.

Just like last year at Navy Pier's Children's Museum, Mia loved playing in the water area at MSI.

For Doug and I, the model trains were the highlight of the day! The mini city was so cool!

I was in awe of the buildings and trains in this little model city just like I am of the real city!

(Side note: I canNOT wait to show you my latest from the A-Z photography challenge!)

I was amazed by all the details. I spotted Lasalle and the Board of Trade and the river and bridges just like in real life!

I waited excitedly for the el and Metra trains to go by.

Choo! Choo! There go the model trains at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Thank you, MSI for a wonderful day!

Only 5 more pages to go!
~~Good morning, Lake Michigan.~~ (There's a lot: May 2010, May 2011, July 2011, and many more not blogged about!)
Good morning, Chicago Harbor Lighthouse. Are we ready for a wonderful day? (Not sure this will ever happen.)

~~Greetings,~~ ~~Navy Pier~~ ~~and~~ ~~Ferris Wheel~~.
~~Greetings, Chicago River and bridges.~~

~~Hello, great Chicago buildings, reaching up into the sky.~~ or here

~~Hello, kids and kites in Lincoln Park.~~
~~Hello, fantastic fountains.~~

~~Good afternoon, gorillas. Isn't it fun to visit the zoo?~~

     ~~Good afternoon, sharks, fish, turtles and mammals at the aquarium.~~
     ~~Wow! Look at those dinosaur bones at the Field Museum of Natural History.~~
     ~~Choo! Choo! There go the model trains at the Museum of Science and Industry.~~
     It's nice to see you, art.
     Hello, historic Water Tower on the Magnificent Mile.
     Good luck, Chicago Sports Teams, you can do it. ~~Can they??~~ (ETA - summer 2012)

Just listen to those blues and jazz musicians. (This'll be something new for Doug and I, too!)
~~Good evening, star gazers at the planetarium.~~ ~~Have you ever wished upon a star?~~

~~Goodnight Chicago, sleep tight.~~ ~~Thank you for a wonderful day!~~

Here's Mia with her first camera! She totally wants to be just.like.mommy. And even took my stance saying, "Mommy do that." The Vivitar camera cost just as much as a Fisher Price camera, so I figured I might as well get the real looking one! She even said it looks just like Grandma's. Then she posed Daisy for pictures J

I'll be having wine & cheese flights on the Mag Mile tonight, followed by the Luminous Field at the Bean! Then Monday is a restaurant week dinner, mMmmmM! Have a great weekend!

Learn How to Shoot in Manual Mode

2012-02-16T17:00:00.001-06:00

You’ve heard me mention Misha Media time and time again. And rightfully so! Aside from capturing my engagement and wedding photos, if it weren’t for Michele and Andy’s Photography 101 class two years ago, I wouldn’t be photographing the way I am today. I also wouldn’t be on Facebook (*gasp!*) if it weren’t for Michele. Michele insisted that it'd be a good idea for me to join so I could post questions/photos to continue learning through a (private) MishaMedia101 FB group. I gave in and Michele and Andy have been my mentors ever since. I cannot thank them enough for their encouragement and willingness to teach! Michele and Andy are passionate about what they do and it shows through their work - truly an inspiration!

I often get asked if I know any good resources to learn the basics of photography or how I learned to shoot. And my answer is always MishaMedia! I finally rounded up enough close friends and family to host a MishaMedia 101 class. Michele and Andy enthusiastically and patiently taught eight of my close friends and family the basics of photography and how to GET OFF AUTO from their DSLRs and shoot in manual mode!

It’s a lot to take in for five hours. But after studying their camera’s manuals, figuring out what all those buttons do and learning how ISO, aperture and shutter speed relate, my friends and family are eager to shoot and apply all that knowledge!

If you’re in the Chicagoland area and want to get your money’s worth from that expensive DSLR you bought, contact MishaMedia to host a class with your friends or have a 2-on-1 personal lesson. You'll be photographing at a whole new level, promise!

Flames to Jingles

2012-02-14T01:37:00.002-06:00

The other day my friends asked me "So what letter is today?" And I was caught off guard that people were actually paying attention to my A-Z challenge! I'm trying to embrace the challenge of photographing subjects that I normally wouldn't and to be creative with the letters. As a result, my images are kinda all over the place! Oh well, it takes time to find one's photography "style" and creativity has no boundaries, right?

I left off with E for Elephant from last week. So here's F through J. I think my best of these are the first and last. What do you think?

F is for Flames

G is for Graffiti

H is for the Human Heart

Spotted at the Museum of Science and Industry (more to come on that soon!)

I is for Insides of a Yellow Honeydew

I was desperate at this point in the night and thought it was an unusual sight.

J is for Jingle Jangles

A friend actually suggested this since nothing was coming to my mind.

*sigh* love love love hearing Mia's bells and seeing those chubby toes! She's worn the Thai anklets (on her second pair now) since she was 1 month old. Speaking of love, have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

linked up here:

P52 {6} - Drink Up

2012-02-13T00:19:00.002-06:00

Ok, so this may be your ~~first~~, ~~second~~, ~~third~~, fourth sneak peek into Mia's party by now. But it was fitting for this week's Project 52 theme of Drink Up!

I'll have the full party post for you soon, I promise!

linked up here:

Pink and Grey Striped Birthday Party: Sneak Peek

2012-02-07T00:01:00.006-06:00

Last week I told you about my A-Z Photography Challenge and showed you the inspiration behind Mia’s pink and grey striped 2^nd birthday party. Here’s a sneak peek (and A-D) of some more DIY birthday party decorations me and Mia have been working on. She’s such a good little helper (I do all the cutting before I let her help) and wants to be just like mommy.

A is for Apple Juice.

While wrapping juice boxes, Doug asked if they were the party favors. After I replied no, he said, “But you’re using such nice ribbon!” *sigh* He does love me! He's sad that the ribbon will go in the trash and cares about pretty ribbon just as much as I do ♥ Striped paper from Sprik Space (FREE!).

B is for Bottles with Balloons

I designed the water bottle label wrappers myself (FREE!). I would write you a DIY tutorial, but picnik.com is closing in April!! Such sad news for a lot of bloggers. However, the striped paper I'm using throughout the party is from Sprik Space, so definitely check out her wide variety of free pattern pieces in tons of colors.

C is for Cans of Crinkle Paper.

Soup cans = Free!

Newspaper stuffing inside to support centerpiece (instead of foam) = Free!

Crinkle paper that happened to be enclosed in my Shop Sweet Lulu shipment = Free!

180 yards of baker's twine = $9.00 from Pick Your Plum (but will be used throughout the party)

D is for Daisy the Dog. Mia's very best friend. After me of course!

And this is the craziness that Doug has to live with for a few weeks.

Thursday we'll be knocking out the Museum of Science and Industry from our Good Night Chicago list. Friday I'll be cooking and packing away for the party on Saturday. The venue is only giving me 30 minutes to set up! Talk about a quickfire challenge! It's stressing me out just thinking about it!! See you next week!

linked up here:

P52 {5} - Shadows

2012-02-06T00:08:00.004-06:00

I tried killing two birds with one stone this week: P52 shadows and E for the A-Z Challenge.

E is for Elephant.

Like an African Safari. Or Lion King? What do you think? It's like the inverse of this elephant.

And here's my setup:

I played around with Mia's circus toy, 2 foam boards and a flashlight. I noticed that the elephant's shadow was sharpest when the flashlight wasn't pointed directly at it. The shadow was more crisp with the center of the flashlight off to the side. I played around with placement of the flashlight, elephant and foam board until I got tired, considering it was 2am! And it was extremely post processed just for fun, because it was a silly subject anyway.

Come back tomorrow to see letters A, B, C and D!

linked up here:

Pink and Grey Striped Birthday Party: Inspiration

2012-02-03T00:08:00.008-06:00

My baby girl is turning two this year! When brainstorming 2^nd birthday party ideas, this design from Social Butterfly Ink's Spa Party kept coming to mind.

Source: karaspartyideas.blogspot.com via Mindy on Pinterest

I didn’t want to use commercial characters and Mia’s not into any particular one. To make Mia’s birthday party theme unique to just her, I wanted to incorporate her first (stuffed animal) friends. Meet Bradley, Lenny, Daisy, Thumper and Piggy!

When thinking about who should design my invite, these cute little guys from Marissa De Leon immediately came to mind. Aren’t the animals on her website adorable!? From just the two pictures above, Marissa did an amazing job recreating Mia’s friends and capturing the essence of the soft pink, grey and white striped birthday party I wanted!

Marissa even designed a backside where I could write personalized messages for our friends and family. I had 40 double sided 5x7 invitations printed and cut at Minuteman Press for $30. I was really happy with the thick non-glossy, smooth, white cardstock and super quick turn around.

Mia surely recognized her friends on the invite. When she first saw it, she said "Piggy waving to Mia!"

Most of my decorations are in the works, so there should be a sneak peek next week! You already caught a glimpse here.

50 Degrees in January?!

2012-02-02T16:27:00.001-06:00

One year ago in Chicago, we endured the blizzard of the century! Or Snomaggedon. Or Snopaclypse. Whatever you call it, between January 31 and February 2, 2011 the blizzard that swept through Chicago with 70 mph winds, lightning and thunder, trapping hundreds of cars onto Lake Shore Drive set the record for most snow produced in 24 hours (20 inches). While this year, we’re basking in nearly 50 degree temps?! What is goin' on!?

We did however accumulate a few inches a few weeks ago (that melted within a few days). I layered Mia up and carried her out against her will to play in the snow, despite her incessant crying that she didn’t want to go out to play. But mommy always knows best and she had a good time shoveling and making her snowman.

And yes, that would be my very shovel from when I was 6. We don't throw anything away in this family!

Ok, so she wasn't a fan of the snow last year either haha. Here's a same time last year comparison for you!

Thanks to my sister in law for the pictures (and Ryu's snow suit!), since I was busy playing.

A-Z Daily Photography Challenge

2012-02-01T21:48:00.004-06:00

Last year I participated in Miss B’s Food + Foto weekly challenge. This time, (thanks to Elaine) I’m attempting her A-Z photo a day challenge where I will be shooting a photograph a day for 30 days, using the alphabet as my guide. Yikes! Uploading a photo every day will be challenging, but this year I want to push myself further creatively and photography wise. I’m looking forward to the critiques and different points of views from everyone in the Souvenir Foto School.

A is for Apple Juice.

I've also taken on a Project 52 and Project 12. This year is going to be a big year in photography for me, I am *squealing* with excitement! and nervousness. Won't you join me on my photography journey to see what's to come??

Gift Wrap Alternative - Yarn & Washi Tape

2012-01-31T00:01:00.006-06:00

I don't have a lot of kiddie birthday wrapping paper on hand, so I made do without it. Using leftover yarn from the MonSTAR birthday party, washi tape, scrap cardstock, and random boxes, I think my gifts are pretty darn cute!

My nephew's gift wasn't from Gap, but the washi tape nicely covered the Baby Gap logo along the side.

Same for this Children's Place box (gift from elsewhere).

Cute alternative to wrapping paper, yeah?

After Ryu and Kira's birthdays comes Mia's. Are you excited to see what I've dreamed up for her 2nd birthday party?!

linked up here:

P52 {4} - Self Portrait

2012-01-30T02:04:00.002-06:00

This week's Project 52 prompt was self portrait. Mine's not very creative, but actually looking decent for a picture, using my tripod and getting an in focus picture counts as effort, right?!

Since I don't have a remote, I went back and forth using the good ol' timer. To finally get a shot that was in focus, I had to have Doug stand in while I focused, set the timer, then pushed him out of the way to pose.

Mia also wanted in on the fun. She's going to be so excited when she gets a camera for her birthday! Stay tuned for birthday party details over the next few weeks.

linked up here:

P52 {3} - I Dreamed a Dream

2012-01-26T00:49:00.001-06:00

Despite the snow storm last weekend, my entire extended family from Seattle to Florida made it safely into Chicago. In between getting each family's picture with Grandma, I made this photograph.

The beautiful picture she's holding is her nursing graduation photo when she was 21.

Without this strong woman, we (5 kids, 8 grandkids and 6 great-grandkids) wouldn't have this. very. house. to make three generations of cherished memories.

I'm not sure that 44 years ago when she immigrated here, she could've dreamed of the life she was building for all of us.

Next week's prompt is self portrait. Easier said than done!

linked up here:

{Jenelle} – 6 months

2012-01-20T00:08:00.003-06:00

Now that you’ve seen Noah and Erin, we have Jenelle at 6 months to round out my week of babies who are Getting SO Big!

Jenelle came over on a Sunday morning while Mia and Doug went to church. Mom and I enjoyed the stillness of quiet morning air with just one non talking/moving baby in the house *sigh* You know, the stillness like when your baby finally goes to sleep and you plop down on the couch, take a deep breath to relax and ignore all the things you need to be doing before baby wakes up?

With no distractions, Jenelle’s eyes and smiles were on me the whole time.

Great job Dad, getting her to sit up all by herself while you were on break!

I think she's getting ready to crawl!

Just like her big sister Maya had, Jenelle’s got some silly patches of curly hair growing in!

Or “Kramer” hair as Mom would call it!

6 months is such a happy smiley baby age, I think she had a good time J

linked up here:

Fall Family Portraits in Chicago

2012-01-19T00:03:00.002-06:00

Remember back in the fall when I posted about coordinating family portrait outfits? I never showed you how my Thanksgiving cards turned out! I ordered the cards from Snapfish. Couldn't beat a buy one set get one free deal - $40 for 40 cards on heavy cardstock! (Disregard the quality below, this was scanned in.)

I asked my fellow aspiring photographer friend, Elaine (who after being online photography forum friends for over a year, finally met at Sprout), to capture our family out and about in our neighborhood. To prep Mia for the shoot, I kept saying that my friend Elaine would come to take our pictures. During the shoot I kept telling Mia to say hi to Elaine. After that, I think Mia thought Elaine’s name was “Hi Elaine!!” J

This peek-a-boo picture is one of my favorites from the session and had to include it on the back of our card.

The picture on the left is from our engagement session. I love how Elaine captured a similar image (on the right), now that we're a family of three. © Maybe I should get them both in canvases...

It was nice to actually be in pictures for once.

Walking around with my photographer eyes open got me so excited to shoot more portraits in the neighborhood! There were so many textured and colored walls that I want to take advantage of.

Check out more photos from our family session in the city at Elaine’s newly launched blog. Also, since Elaine wants to focus on shooting sports, she has killer Bulls images...that she got signed!!!

P52 - {2} Made With Love

2012-01-18T00:06:00.011-06:00

After seeing this week's Project 52 prompt, I knew that I wanted to photograph the baby blankies knitted/crocheted by my Grandma. I think every one of my Grandma's great grandkids, all six of them, has one or two blankies. Before I knew when I'd have kids, I was afraid that my Grandma wouldn't be around to make my babies their blankies, considering she'd be nearing 90 years old by then. But lucky for me, I had Mia shortly after I got married and Grandma was still healthy enough (at 87!) to whip up some beloved blankies.

She even gave me a blue one for my future boy. Not that I'm pregnant! Just that she knew she wouldn't be able to make one when the time does come (a few years from now!). I get most of my crafty genes from my Grandma and hope that my kids will treasure these blankies as much I we do!

Kap kuhn ka ya-tuat! My smart little Thai baby.

I'm so glad we're having an impromptu family reunion this week where all of Grandma's kids (5), grandkids (6) and great grandkids (6) can spend time together - for the first time! The baby cousins weren't born/conceived yet when we got together for Grandma's 85th birthday. I'm ready for lots of good food, late night card games where the adults try to take our money {Rummy!}, and mini cousins running around!

linked up here:

{Erin} – 9 months

2012-01-16T00:06:00.005-06:00

On Christmas Day, my niece turned 9 months old.

I can’t wait to see how these two will play together when they’re older. I think they're wondering the same thing...

Unlike chubster Noah who hasn’t changed much in the past 9 months, I think Erin has. What do you think?

Next time, she won't fit in this basket!

Ah, the wonders of the outside world...

Crawling is Erin’s big milestone this time around and instead of an army crawl, she moves more like a slug.

{Arms, butt, legs. Arms, butt, legs...} But a dainty one with hands intertwined and legs crossed!

Before my photo sessions, I tell parents to think about what makes their child naturally laugh in their day to day interactions. Erin wasn’t too amused by our tricks until the very end when Dad let loose with some tickles and I was getting ready to go!

Now there’s the big smile I’m used to!

Hard to believe that the next session will be for her dol {Korean 1^st birthday}!

linked up here:

Music Themed Toddler Party

2012-01-11T01:35:00.002-06:00

When asked what type of party Elijah wanted for his 3rd birthday, it was no doubt that he replied with a music party! Mom and dad are brave souls for getting this latest Christmas gift...

Christine from grateful for a coffee break did a great job with Elijah’s 3rd birthday party. The DIY save the dates (emailed), invites (mailed), banner, goodie bags, and Thank You coloring sheets all coordinated to a T.

In under a month, Christine designed a save the date and invitation and sewed up a Happy 3^rd Birthday Elijah banner (25 pieces!) and 15 goodie bags.

The two hour party started with ~~a cup of coffee, thanks Christine!~~ Elijah’s School of Music – what a great idea! The kids (5 years to 9 months) sat in a circle in the basement while Christine led a few songs that most toddlers would know (Happy Birthday, Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, Twinkle Twinkle, etc). They were also given various musical instruments to ~~make lots of noise~~ go along with the beat. Then the kids played freely downstairs for the next 30 minutes until pizza came!

After pizza and Christine’s take on Portillo’s Chopped Salad, there was cake and presents. Surprisingly, gift opening went smoothly as all the kids looked on anxiously to see what the birthday boy received.

Mia knocked out shortly after we left, complete with chocolate still on her face. Signs of a good time J

Great job Christine!

{Noah} – 9 months

2012-01-10T00:58:00.006-06:00

Before the holidays, it was time for {Noah’s} Getting So Big - 9 month pictures.

Look at how this adorable chubby guy has grown from his one, three, six and nine month sessions! He’s not even mine, but I want to kiss and squish him all over!

As usual, Noah effortlessly gave me big gummy smiles!

What handsome boys, huh?

This past weekend was Noah’s brother’s 3^rd birthday. We celebrated with a music themed party that all the kids enjoyed.

Check back tomorrow for party details. Happy Birthday Elijah!

linked up here:

P52 {1} - Resolution

2012-01-09T00:31:00.003-06:00

Unlike most bloggers, I didn't look back at 2011, pick my favorite posts/projects (just pictures of Mia), reflect on the past year, nor write out resolutions for the next. Not that I didn't want to. Unfortunately, I just never sat down and took the time to do it (off to a great start, huh!?).

However, I plan to participate in Project 52 at my3boybarians and Project 12 at mcp actions. And by participate, I mean actually thinking about the photography challenges and really pushing myself to execute all of them.

Here's to week/month 1 - resolution.

Let's see if I can get the past three years worth of photos into albums, yikes. Just like getting my craft closet organized, sorting thousands of pictures into physical albums is a daunting task that I continually put off.

I always gave my Mom a hard time for having my childhood photos in plastic bins in the basement. "Why is it so hard to sort and put them in albums? Ugh {eyeroll}" On more than one occasion, I'm realizing why my Mom didn't do things the way I thought she should've. Because it's not. that. easy. Just another lesson learned when you get older/have kids. Sorry, Mom!

Here's to a new year!

linked up here:

Top 11 of 2011

2011-12-28T00:24:00.003-06:00

I stumbled across a few blogs doing a Top 11 {photos of your kids} of 2011 linky party and I figured I might as well too! Considering I have well over 15,000 pictures from this year (and I had to take a day off work to go through my own personal pictures just so I could make a 2012 calendar), it was not an easy task to pick just 11 shots! They may not be the best images photography wise, but they do make my heart stop and think about how lucky I am to have this happy little girl in my life. And it really is just about capturing the moment, no matter how flawed it may be technically. Here are my top 11 of 2011 in chronological order...

1. {Easter at Auntie's house} Love how wonder fills a child's imagination just from looking out the window.

2. {Fun at the park} Mia loved spending every day at the park!

3. {First strawberry shortcake ice cream treat!} Mia loved sitting out on the balcony. And has a sweet tooth like mommy!

4. {Getting ready for swim class} Mia loves checkin' herself out in the mirror ~~just like mommy~~!

5. {Being silly at Auntie's house} eeeeeeeeeeeeeee smuuuuuuuuuuush faaaaaace...

6. {Picnic at the lake} This sweet moment makes my heart pause and smile.

7. {4th of July tradition} I can see this framed on her dresser when she's all grown up. There's something about gazing out over water that makes time stop while you take it all in.

8. {Silly silly girl} She's got quite the personality!

9. {ommmm corn} So she may have food in her teeth, but she loooooooves corn. And how can that squeezable boxy face, crinkle nose and little squinty eyes not make you smile?

10. {First look at her tutu} My itty bitty ballerina is adoring her first dance outfit.

11. {Baby's first candy cane} "mMmMm sooo yummmmy" She got a big kick out of her fingers sticking to her face.

*sigh* There's SO many more I wanted to include, but I really restrained myself to stay within the guidelines. I hope my baby girl gave you a little smile today J Which one was your favorite?

linked up with Click It Up a Notch, Naptime Momtog, and Click, Pray, Love

Good Night Gorilla

2011-12-26T22:16:00.058-06:00

Now that we're almost done recreating Good Night Chicago, we're going to do the same with Good Night Gorilla! Ok not really. But we could if we wanted to, thanks to ZooLights at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

We tried taking Mia after she saw Goodnight Moon - the Musical, but she fell asleep in the car. We tried again on Christmas Eve's Eve and she fell asleep in the car again! But since it's been a warm December and we found parking, we went anyway.

It was better than I expected! Even though half the zoo is closed off (you don't want to walk around the whole zoo when it's cold anyway), we were able to see some animals sleeping! So silly how the big gorillas had little blankies to sleep on.

Good night, Gorilla.

Even the tiger slept on his back.

Good night, Giraffe. Good night, Tiger.

They also had lights set to music (like Bellagio's dancing fountains).

And the ice sculpting was pretty cool too!

It was a fun FREE family outing for the holidays. We didn't even make it through the other half of the zoo in the one hour we were there, so we'll have to check it out again next year. Lincoln Park's ZooLights are open daily 5-9pm through January 1, so you can still see the sleeping animals for yourself!

linked up here:

Jingle Bells

2011-12-23T13:06:00.000-06:00

Since we send Thanksgiving cards in November and Mia's birthday party invites go out in January, we don't send another set of cards out in December. But, we did make this little holiday video for you!

{You might have to turn up the volume to hear Mia. But don't be alarmed when you hear me and Doug loudly!}

Happy Holidays from our family to yours! JJJ
I still have a lot to do before Christmas, like plan my menu, eeek! Enjoy the time off with friends and family!

Best of the Blogosphere - Holiday Craft Edition

2011-12-22T10:20:00.001-06:00

eeeeeee! What a pleasant surprise this morning! Remember how I told you I was the 753rd link up to all the holiday linky parties goin' on in the blogosphere? Yeah, just a liiiiiiiittle late. Well it still paid off! Today you can find my custom shaped bokeh tips on Centsational Girl's BOTB hoiday craft edition! Kate always has amazing eye candy to beautifully DIY your home and she even made an appearance on the Nate Berkus Show. Definitely check her out!

Big holiday hugs for Nikki (Thrifty Decorating) and Jaymi (Live, Love Travel) for also featuring Danielle's beautiful kids! Thanks ladies! All my shopping is done and presents wrapped. Now I just have to make all the DIY presents, eek!

Goodnight Moon - The Musical

2011-12-20T00:10:00.003-06:00

This weekend we took Mia to see her first musical, Goodnight Moon! Mia's never sat down through an entire tv show or movie (she usually tells us to turn the tv off!), so I wasn't sure how sitting through a musical would be. She sat through the circus just fine. But there was a LOT going on to keep anyone's attention.

Since seating for the show at the Biograph Theater is first come, first serve, we had no problem getting very close seats. It's a small stage, so any seat would've been good anyway. A few minutes in, I thought it was going to be really weird or cheesy and how can they possibly turn a five minute book into a one hour musical?!?

But turns out, we all enjoyed it! It was really silly, fun and creative while incorporating all aspects of the book. Mia did say "Let's go home." a few times in the beginning, but I think she was just scared at first of everything happening on stage. Not long after, she understood what was going on and watched intently and clapped along. To my surprise, there weren't many screaming children like I thought there might be. They extended the show through December 31st , so you can still check it out!

Then we ate at Del Seoul (mMmmM) and tried taking Mia to see Zoo Lights, but she fell asleep in the car! Maybe next time!

DIY No Sew Toddler Tutu Tutorial

2011-12-19T00:01:00.007-06:00

“More dancing!” is what Mia usually says when we watch So You Think You Can Dance or ABDC or Dancing with the Stars. Or “MOM GET UP! GET UP! Hold hand! Dance with Mia!”

{Tough B-girl? or Sweet ballet dancer? hehe}

When I signed Mia up for ballet class two months ago, I was caught off guard when the lady said, “Ok, do you have this, this, this and this??” Ummm no, I do not have a leotard, ballet shoes, tights and a skirt. You might want to state on your website what is required for class?!! In that moment, my future as a parent funding numerous school activities and uniforms and camps flashed before my eyes.

But not to worry, I already bought two leotards (on clearance at Target, score!) with plans to make my own tutus and already have hand me down tights. I got the idea from Natasha like I mentioned in my original DIY Tutu Tutorial from Two Yards of Tulle for less than Two Dollars post (for a newborn). But here’s a refresher tutorial on how to easily DIY a no sew tutu for your toddler (which is way cheaper than buying one!) It'd be a great (cheap, easy and cute!) last minute Christmas gift for any little girls on your list!

{Look at those itty bitty dance slippers!}

Time: 15 minutes

Supplies: (for my ~2 year old)

2 rolls of tulle (from the wedding aisle in Michael’s) - $3/each without a coupon

Elastic or Ribbon

Cardboard (width: 6-12 inches; length: desired length of skirt)

Cost: less than $10

Cut elastic to your child’s waist size. I used a pair of pants as a guide. If using ribbon for a tie around/apron style, cut the ribbon long enough where you can tie a bow around your child's waist.
If using ribbon, skip this step. Hand sew elastic ends together. There is no rhyme or reason to my technique. I just use my knowledge from 6^th grade Home Ec. Class.
Wrap tulle lengthwise, around and around and around your cardboard until your roll is done. Cut tulle along the width of ONE side of your cardboard. Now you are left with tulle strips that are double the length of your skirt. Right?
Fold strip of tulle in half and tie/loop/knot onto elastic/ribbon. If you want extra fluffiness, take TWO strips and tie on as if they were one. I stretched the elastic using my feet while tying the tulle on. Keep going until desired fluffiness and/or you run out of tulle. If using ribbon instead of elastic, leave room at each end to tie around your child's waist.
Trim edges of tulle to be more even.
Fluff and dance around the house!

She loves to wear my "dance slippers" (flats) and stretch, tippy toe, plie, do first position and hop around the house like in class. J And talk non-stop about Miss Katie, her teacher. Oh, and watch videos of herself dancing over and over and over again. Saturday was her last class this session. Good thing we have those videos to hold her over 'til next session!

linked up here:

More Red and White Christmas Decor

2011-12-16T00:42:00.003-06:00

So after Little Tree at night, Little Tree during the day and my mantle, let's move on to the rest of the house...Ralph here is snuggling up with my DIY sweater pillows and the first wrapped gifts of the year.

{Love simple brown packaging (aka free grocery bags and green!) finished with pretty ribbon/baker's twine.}

{Catch my silver duct tape gift tag? Ralph Lauren bear was on clearance for under $10 at Macy's last year.}

I showed you these irresistible chubby legs yesterday. Now with a peek at my wrapping paper gallery wall...

mmmk, by now you should get the hint that I like red, right?

Poinsettias look SO much better when not wrapped in shiny green or gold foil! Thanks for the tip Shelley!

Even with tips from Thrifty Decor Chick, I'm not sure how long this plant will ~~survive~~ thrive. L

{Snagged the red tray (40% off) and white tin pot (40% off coupon) from Joann's. Filled it with ornaments and ribbon.}

{Frames are filled with scraps of wrapping paper (FREE!) and a family rules print. Last year had more green.}

{I didn't want my kitchen to be left out and topped the fridge with a gold berry branch, bowl of ornaments and ribbon.}

{Red hydrangeas leftover from this wreath. IKEA vases (from the Winter Onederland Party) topped with silver ribbon.}

{Mr. and Mrs. Santa bring me back to crafting days with my mom when I was little.©}

{Santa and his reindeer were also saved from my parents' collection of 30 year old decorations that we tossed.}

{Fat Santa makes a good wine bottle topper too.}

{Wreaths I made for the cemetary using only things I had on hand. I only bought the wreaths and stands for a total of $10.}

It was pouring rain the other day. SO wrong for winter in Chicago! I should be wearing snow boots not rain boots! But one morning, we did wake up to a light dusting. I hope we have a white Christmas again!

{2 lighted garlands from Target - $5 each on clearance last year - wrapped with 2 berry garlands from Michael's.}

{I'll display cards from two hanging ribbons and itty bitty clothespins. Much better than piling them on the mantle.}

Aiiiiguyaaah...Isn't my eggi (baby) so ipodah (pretty)?

{Picture of Mia and silver glittered hurricanes from her dol last year.}

And that's it! Well my guest bathroom is dolled up too, but can't get natural lighting for pictures in there! Hopefully I can get my holiday shopping done this weekend. It'll be a scramble since it's Mia's last dance class this session, we're going to a musical and have to shop for a new microwave! Drive safely amongst all the other crazies trying to get their shopping done!

linking up with The Inspired Room, Michaela at:

and

Traditional Mantle - Red, Green, White, Silver and Gold!

2011-12-15T01:43:00.003-06:00

Now that you've seen Little Tree at night and during the day, let's move on to the mantle...I love dressing up our mantle for the holidays! I get so sad in January when it all comes down and goes back to being bare. The mantle seems more complete this year compared to years past.

{one berry garland from Michael's, a few silver berry picks, a few gold glittered pinecones, extra leaves from other flowers}

{3 pack of jolly jingle bell people (who coordinate with our stockings!) and white snowflake stocking from Target}

{DIY wreath - so cheap and easy! Check out my other DIY holiday wreaths here.}

We get a huge cold draft through our {gas} fireplace during the winter. So I tuck pretty red and gold fabric into the glass doors/frame to stop the draft. It helps A LOT. Tip: To keep the fabric from falling, on each side, I safety pinned a bag of marbles to the top (on the inside) to weigh it down.

{These little guys help too. Snowmen drift stopper from Pier 1 for ~$15 on sale, I think.}

{stockings hung with 3M hooks- love those things!}

{nom nom nom Mia's chubby legs from last winter. Monogram from Anthropologie, also last year.}

{Everyday table setting with vases from IKEA, berry picks from Michael's, placemats from Bed, Bath & Beyond and white/silver runner from Target}

Tomorrow should be the last of my holiday decor posts and I'll be caught up with the rest of the bloggy world!

linked up with:

Our Little Tree

2011-12-14T23:24:00.001-06:00

Per Doug’s request, we put up our holiday decorations the day after Thanksgiving. Mia loves Santa on her butt!

Don’t you??

So we don’t have a big tree. Just this little one. Exactly like the little one that I had growing up. And Doug and I love it But Mia was not a fan of the blinking lights. She’d demand that the tree be turned off once they started blinking! So weird. The ornaments and {previous} set of blinking lights were handpicked to be saved from the 30+ year old Christmas boxes from my parents’ house. I purchased our angel topper over 10 years ago and it’s Swarovski Crystal, straight from Austria!

When Mia gets older, do you think she’ll be sad that she was bigger than her Christmas tree?

I don’t think so…Hooray for the holidays! {Same time last year}

More heart warming pictures of our little tree here. I can't wait till it gets surrounded by lots of pretty gifts!

Mia already likes helping me wrap *sigh* That's mah girl!

linking up with Thrifty Decor Chick

Holiday Bokeh

2011-12-13T00:29:00.004-06:00

I finally sat down and went through 300 pictures of my holiday décor. Yes. 300! And my condo is not that big! But, the only way to get better at photography is to practice practice practice. Let’s start the holiday décor posts with some more custom shaped bokeh, shall we?

Three different sized heart shaped bokeh, all with the same heart cutout. More details on the how-to here. I changed the distance between me and the tree/subject or the distance between the subject and the tree. Play around with it!

{1} In the winter, I love my cozy DIY sweater pillows leftover from last year's Winter Onederland party.
{2} This little Santa is a keeper from my parents' stash of holiday decor that we tossed after 30+ years.
{3} Mia's slippers are soooooooo soft! They're from Nordstrom. Now if only she'd wear them more!

This little tree holds lots of love. © See little tree with regular bokeh here.

Even my ornaments {at the top} turned into heart shaped bokeh because they reflected light off my lamp!

The bottom set of hearts are from the lighted garland on my balcony. Kinda reminds me of Valentine's day.

Good Night Chicago - Lincoln Park

2011-12-09T01:47:00.002-06:00

Last year, I decided to put together our own version of the book "Good Night Chicago." After we take pictures all around the city, I'll make it into a book. Then when Mia grows up, she'll have pictures with Chicago's iconic landmarks and can hopefully show her kids to see how the city has (or hasn't) changed.

When my cousin came at the end of October, I convinced her to take our babies to the Lincoln Park Zoo. You never know when Chicago weather will turn cold or wet with no more warm sunshine for the rest of the year...so I had to spend any chance I could outside! Here's the view of Chicago's skyline (John Hancock, Trump Tower, Sears Tower and everything in between) from the bridge by the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Hello, kids and kites in Lincoln Park.

And because I couldn't pick just one...

*sigh* I love this city. And this silly little girl. © And I guess this guy too.

Only six more pages to go!

~~Good morning, Lake Michigan.~~ (There's a lot: May 2010, May 2011, July 2011, and many more not blogged about!)
Good morning, Chicago Harbor Lighthouse. Are we ready for a wonderful day? (Not sure this will ever happen.)

~~Greetings,~~ ~~Navy Pier~~ ~~and~~ ~~Ferris Wheel~~.
~~Greetings, Chicago River and bridges.~~

~~Hello, great Chicago buildings, reaching up into the sky.~~ or here

~~Hello, kids and kites in Lincoln Park.~~
~~Hello, fantastic fountains.~~

~~Good afternoon, gorillas. Isn't it fun to visit the zoo?~~

     ~~Good afternoon, sharks, fish, turtles and mammals at the aquarium.~~
     ~~Wow! Look at those dinosaur bones at the Field Museum of Natural History.~~
     Choo! Choo! There go the model trains at the Museum of Science and Industry. (ETA - 2/9/2012)
     It's nice to see you, art.
     Hello, historic Water Tower on the Magnificent Mile.
     Good luck, Chicago Sports Teams, you can do it. ~~Can they??~~ (ETA - summer 2012)

Just listen to those blues and jazz musicians. (This'll be something new for Doug and I, too!)
~~Good evening, star gazers at the planetarium.~~ ~~Have you ever wished upon a star?~~

~~Goodnight Chicago, sleep tight.~~ ~~Thank you for a wonderful day!~~

linked up here:

Custom Shaped Bokeh

2011-12-08T23:25:00.012-06:00

**Update** Thanks for the features Nikki (Thrifty Decorating), Jaymi (Live, Love, Travel) and Kate (Centsational Girl)!
All you need is black cardstock, scissors (or Xacto knife or craft punch) and a little trial and error J

A few weeks ago, two girl friends and I got together to photograph baby Avery. Liam and Brendan now have a baby sister! And mom can now get her pink and girly fix J Please please read about B’s story, who at just over a year old was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, a rare, life-threatening pediatric eye cancer. He underwent 6 rounds of systemic chemotherapy. Learn more here and please spread awareness.

For baby Avery’s birth announcement, Danielle (who makes amazing cookies, cake pops and more. Seen here, here, here and here) wanted to recreate an image by Michele (from Pinkle Toes Photography). I can’t find the exact image. But don’t worry, you’ll love all of Michele’s images. I am now blog stalking her. Appropriately so, since that’s the name of her blog. And is not to be confused with the other very talented photographer named Michele who I also blog stalk. J

Back to Avery's photo shoot....here's what we used:

² 2 strings of white lights (with white cords) ² 1 ladder ² 2 chairs ² 1 shower curtain rod ² 1 white sheet ²

² fuzzy fabric ² 1 big ottoman ² 1 movable bar ² lots of big windows for natural light ²

² black cardstock ² small craft punches ² Xacto knife ²

² 3 crazy photogs ² 2 boys ² 1 peaceful baby ²

Pull back shots are always so helpful to see how it really went down...

And here’s what we came up with…

*sigh* Who doesn’t love sparkly lights? And these pretty little faces with gorgeous blue eyes!

Mmk back to the title of this post – custom shaped bokeh (blurry background)….I saw this tutorial last year, but my Christmas tree came down before I could try it. So this year was a must! It was tricky, but worth it! Here’s what we noticed through a lot of trial and error:

² Play around with the size of your shape. If it’s too small, your camera might have a hard time focusing. If it's too big, the shaped bokeh might not appear. The second time around I didn't even make a "hood". I just cut a piece of cardstock bigger than my lens. Cut a heart out and held the piece of cardstock flat over my lens with one hand and shot with the other.

² Since my shape (the heart) isn’t the same all around (like a star), my heart would be sideways when I switched compositions from horizontal to vertical. I had to keep switching my heart shaped “hood” to avoid sideways hearts.

² The more underexposed, the crisper the shapes are. These are SOOC, no editing...

² Shoot wide open (the widest aperature your lens can go i.e. f/1.8) to get the true shape.

² Play around with varying the distance of your subject from the lights and the distance of your subject from you. It will change the size of your bokeh. Don't focus on the lights, otherwise they'll be in focus and not bokeh, duh!

² Sometimes we’d get a vignette or distorted fisheye effect, and weren’t sure why. If you have any insight, do tell!

² Photographing three children is very difficult, ha! The boys needed some bribing...

Go try it! It's fun and you'll have magical holiday pictures. J

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Just Like Grandma

2011-12-06T00:24:00.003-06:00

Checkin' to see what's on sale, just like Grandma and Mommy do J

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Twin Boys at the Lincoln Park Conservatory

2011-12-02T01:44:00.001-06:00

After Mia's dance class on Sunday, "Mommy go to work. Mommy take a pictures boys." J I had the pleasure of shooting adorable 14 month old twin boys at the Lincoln Park Conservatory. Good location suggestion by Mom because the lighting was soft and even, it was free, and Christmas decorations were up, but not obnoxiously all over the place.

Normally, Oliver and Andrew wear their signature colors (Oliver - Green {like an olive}, Andrew -Blue {rhymes}) so people can tell them apart. Such a good system! But not today, can you tell who's who?

The boys did great, especially for being out and about an hour before I arrived. It's always helpful when Mom and Dad interact with their kids to make them laugh and naturally smile instead of saying "Cheeeeeeese! Smiiiiiiiiiiile!" Which Mia totally says everytime she's in front of a camera (or pretending to take pictures of herself).

These two have come so far from being born early, weighing under 4 lbs and spending time in the Infant Special Care Unit.

**Don’t see any family pictures in this post? I don’t want to spoil their Christmas/Holiday card!**

Annnnnnnd that's the last of my family photo sessions for this holiday season - promise! Now let's get back to some crafting around this DIY blog! I plan to peacefully stroll around Michael's and Joann's on Sunday...by myself. Don't be jealous.

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Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

2011-12-01T22:54:00.000-06:00

Since we weren't seeing my niece and nephew for Thanksgiving, we decided to take the kids to the circus on Saturday before my 10 year reunion. When I called ticketmaster to order tickets for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the United Center, I mentioned that I had a discount code (for just a few dollars off). But then the service rep decided to find me a bigger discount and I scored tickets for 40% off bringing it to a mere $18/pp! I © service reps who are actually helpful. And unexpected discounts J

It was nearly every one's first time to the circus and we were all pleasantly surprised at how fun it was!

These two cousins remind me of me and my brother since we have almost the same age gap.

And especially because Ryu totally looks like my brother as a kid and Mia is a mini-me.

We were in awe of the tight rope walkers...

...clowns, acrobats, zebras, horses, fiesty tigers...

...jugglers, moonwalkers, a human cannonball where the guy was completely on fire! And our favorite, the elephants J

The 2.5 hour show (including intermission) was just a little too long for the kids (7, 4, and 2) and oftentimes there was so much going on Doug didn't know what to look at! This stupid sno-cone was $10. But the souvenir cup that Mia now eats her snacks out of is worth it haha.

Then it was off to my 10 year high school reunion. Let's just say it brought back the good ol' {college-type-partying til 5am} days. Then on Sunday I miraculously took Mia to ballet at 1030am and photographed a pair of twin boys! Check back soon....

c/o '01

2011-11-24T17:22:00.000-06:00

You would think lil mama stuart would have tons of Thanksgiving related food/décor posts this month, right?! But lately all you’ve been seeing are photos of random kids and families! Gotta edit edit edit so people can get their holiday cards out in time!

Another reason why there’s been a lack of Thanksgiving related posts is that I’m not hosting the big feast this year L Unlike most people, I love all the ~~fuss~~ preparations and time in the kitchen ~~from the second I wake up til the second family arrives~~. I love creating a big delicious meal and decorating my home with the coziness of fall where our family can get together. Even when it was just the four of us growing up, we’d dress up, get the tablecloth and candles out and stuff our faces with the big dinner that my mom prepared. I want Mia to have the same warm and fuzzy memories of family holidays and traditions like I did. J

But…with trying to coordinate with everyone's schedules and two 10-year high school reunions, hosting Thanksgiving was just not in the cards for us this year. So instead of a warm and cozy turkey dinner with all the fixin's at our place, Doug and I will be ~~drinking heavily~~ reminiscing with our friends from the class of ’01…

Happy Thanksgiving! May your bellies be full of good food and laughter with those you love. ♥

There's so much to be thankful for...

DIY Advent Calendar - Printable Numbers

2011-11-22T16:24:00.003-06:00

When I did Noah’s 3 month photo session at Christine’s house, I noticed her super child friendly and useful family schedule board. Since then, Christine updated the board to be more functional, complete with free printables for you to use!

I know lots of DIYers/moms/bloggers are ~~overlooking Thanksgiving decor~~ in full holiday decorating mode, including advent calendars. If that’s you, Christine’s free printable numbers file could be super useful! Hop on over to download her numbers to use in your DIY advent calendar.

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Fall Portraits in the Neighborhood

2011-11-15T11:30:00.005-06:00

Again, we've been blessed with beautiful warm weather on the weekend. Thank goodness! I was afraid we'd have to bundle up for my last family holiday card portrait session this year. But we didn't, and I was able to capture this little monster enjoying the falling leaves in his neighborhood.

Unlike wedding and engagement sessions where couples are all about kissing, I often get this kind of reaction when I ask moms and dads to kiss each other during a family shoot. Why?? Married couples still lovingly kiss, right?!

Don't you love Tre's hot mama outfit? Her blog aims to fight frumpy mommy syndrome! Get outfit details here.

After strolling around the neighborhood, we ~~needed to keep Jonathan entertained~~ stopped to play some football.
Kid's got a really good arm. I was impressed!

But what's better is his happy dance. I love how he stomps his feet around with arms up in excitement!

All that playing and dancing makes a boy hungry. Snacks - I always tell mamas to bring some!

I won't show you Baby J's signature one finger in his mouth, one in his belly button pose (kids have the silliest quirks).

But his little belly just did not want to stay covered J

Walking up and down a hill kept this 18 month old busy for awhile. And he loved to wave at passing airplanes.

And dogs. And trucks.

We ended our session with (numerous) trips down the slide. Head first! Boys are fearless I tell you.

Thanks for a lovely afternoon guys! Being a repeat client, I must be doing something right J

**Don’t see any family pictures in this post? I don’t want to spoil their Christmas/Holiday card!**

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Coordinating Fall Family Portrait Outfits

2011-11-10T00:01:00.006-06:00

At the last minute (after seeing Mia all dressed up but no time to be in pictures with her cousins), I wanted to take family portraits this year. We are loving life with our baby girl and I don't want these fleeting moments to be forgotten. And I actually want to be in some pictures for a change!

Since my wardrobe doesn't fit this post-baby body like it should, I hurriedly hit up the mall to find something that would ~~fit properly~~ match Mia's outfit. I'm no fashionista and seriously need help throwing looks together for myself, let alone to coordinate with other people. With tips from Kristen Duke on how to coordinate family portrait outfits without being matchy matchy, here's what I picked to wear...

Baby girl's sweater and dress are from Old Navy with DIY leg warmers and flower (turned hairpin) made by Great Grandma.

I also think my friend did a great job of coordinating her family's outfits in gold and cream. If you need ideas on how to put together family portrait outfits that photograph well without donning matching winter sweaters or the same shirt in different sizes, check out Kristen's tips on what to wear. I doubt mine or Doug's purple shirts will show through in the actual pictures. And I didn't even wear that necklace and chose a different pair of earrings. But at least I felt like we were put together! And that's what will show through. J

Just like I say with my clients, **Don’t see any family pictures in this post? I don’t want to spoil our Holiday card!**

{Jenelle} - 3 Months

2011-11-09T00:18:00.007-06:00

What would’ve been Jenelle’s 3 month session for her {Baby’s} Getting So Big series turned out to be more of a family session. Sorry Jenelle, it’ll be all you next time!

Baby sister (3 months) and big sister (1.5 years old)

Absolutely adore how toddlers get so excited by playing peek…a boooo!

Playing hide and seek behind the bushes got me some more smiles J

At this time last year, Maya had a single long curl on the top of her head. Now look at all her pretty curls!

Here's Maya's same time last year comparison, under the same tree at Grandma's house.

Mommy kisses and Daddy and his girls...

*aaaah* A calm moment for everyone to enjoy baby...

Or not! I had to give you a peek behind the scenes of a family portrait session with toddlers.
You have to be patient and ~~have lots of tricks~~ work hard (by being silly) for real smiles!

The cousins stuck around and I finally got Drew to be silly!

I tried, Grandma Z!

**Don’t see any family pictures in this post? I don’t want to spoil their Christmas/Holiday card!**

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Fall Family Photos in the Forest Preserve

2011-11-08T01:01:00.002-06:00

To have pictures ready in time for Christmas/holiday cards, October is busy busy with family photo sessions. Luckily this October was very sunny, warm and dry in Chicago. To take advantage of the weather and avoid blinding sunlight, we headed out to the nearby Forest Preserve in the late afternoon.

It was so ~~tiring~~ much fun running around with Drew (6) and Jack (3).

Jack was full of energy and smiles!

What's a fall Sunday without football?

I love how the boys want to be firefighters, just like both Grandpas.

Bear hugs for mama!

Happy (early) birthday boys! You did great!

**Don’t see any family pictures in this post? I don’t want to spoil their Christmas/Holiday card!**

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Kids Portraits at the Park

2011-11-04T00:17:00.000-05:00

Before the neighborhood Halloween parade I did a quick mini session with my niece and nephew for my SIL’s Christmas cards. Mia was supposed to be in the pictures too, but she was napping L When we came back up to get dressed in costumes for the parade, Mia was all ready to go in her fall sweater dress and Uggs! Wah wah, maybe next time!

I’m not sure why, but apparently Ryu is digging the one knee down and two thumbs up pose.

Mom and Dad always said he could've been a model. I think this one's a framer!

Typical 6 year old, with a missing tooth!

Kira’s best captures are always by surprise…

Check out the MJ pose! Doug gets offended when kids don't know who Michael Jordan is.

On the other hand, Ryu was shocked that Doug was young enough to know what Starbursts are haha.

Check out last year’s post to see how these two have changed. And how I've come along in my photography.

MonSTAR 1st Birthday Party: Decorations

2011-11-03T21:32:00.009-05:00

We all know I love a challenge, right? I helped a friend plan her baby girl's first birthday party. A monster party. At the same venue as my last monster party. Dah! I didn't want the two monster parties (did I mention at the same venue?) to be alike. Luckily, mom and dad already had plenty of ideas in mind. Since their little girl didn't end up being a little princess/angel (you never know what personality your child will have!), mom and dad came up with a monSTAR theme instead. It was more fitting, and fun! Check out our inspiration board for Reese's MonSTAR 1st birthday party here.

Mama Kaye wanted the Dessert Table to be a focus for the kids. There were plenty of colorful treats for everyone!

The Backdrop consisted of strings cut from one bundle of yarn pom yarn and hung with tape. Super easy!

A 3M hook kept the 1 Year sign (idea from HWTM) up, love those things!

Cupcakes from Deerfield's with DIY cupcake toppers.

Star Cookies and Cake Pops from Danielle Shannon.

The Cake Pops are displayed on styrofoam cones wrapped with yarn and googly eyes.

$7 Smash Cake from Jewel decorated with a DIY yarn pom banner.

Lollipops from Michael's displayed in a vase filled with styrofoam, wrapped with yarn and googly eyes.

Mom painted wooden letters (base coat and then glitter coat). And made all the yarn pom monsters.
The tablecloth is the flatsheet from Mia's bedding set.

I told you kids love cake pops!

The Entrance greeted guests with hanging yarn pom monsters, which are easy to make and super cute!

Yarn and googly eyes carried the colorful theme throughout the party.

Centerpieces were made from Gerber snack cans (FREE!) wrapped with yarn and googly eyes (inspired by Craftaholics Anonymous). They also displayed monthly pictures of the birthday girl.

Free printable monster coloring pages via Kaboose.com were scattered to look like table runners.

The Photo Booth was another activity for the kids (see how I made the sign here). Dad made lots of props and a disposal camera was set out for the kiddies to take pictures. The polka dot backdrop is just wrapping paper taped up. Love those yarn pom monsters!

I think the kids liked the monSTAAAAAAARs J

The two monster parties at the same venue turned out to be different in their own fun and colorful ways, don't you think?

Looks like the birthday girl enjoyed her party!

All your hard work paid off, mom and dad! The party looked amazing!

Mama Kaye also learned some Party Hosting Lessons along the way:

* Start planning/crafting early! (1-2 months)

* Give yourself time to set up before the event. (2 hours)

* Stick to your PLAN. Don't brainstorm ideas up to the last minute when there is no more time to execute!
* Stop browsing/shopping and spend more time DOING.

* Make a detailed checklist of what to do and what to pack (like your camera's memory card!).

* Pack a day or two before the party. You don't want to waste energy running around beforehand.

* Bring flat shoes to prep and clean up.

* Accept help from friends and family when offered!

* Get some rest the night before the party. As Lil Mama Stuart said, "You don't want to look like sh*t for the party." J

No supplies must go to waste! See how I used both monster parties leftovers as last minute Halloween decorations.

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{Erin} - 6 Months

2011-11-01T00:06:00.004-05:00

Erin chubby. Erin so cute. Erin big girl. So Mia says J Photographing Erin at 6 months was so different from her newborn and 3 month old sessions. Now she is all smiles, more comfortable and ready to play! 6 months is such a fun age because baby is awake for longer, alert, smiling, cooing and playing. The best part is they’re not able to crawl away and get into trouble. J

I love big fat baby legs and toes. Judging from the four outfit changes, mom is SO happy to have a baby girl to doll up.

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Trick or Treat!

2011-10-31T22:49:00.002-05:00

For the first time in four years, I missed my friend’s pumpkin carving party. But, with the bigggggg punnnnnnnnkin that we picked up from Goebbert’s, we carved this spider up (idea from here). My dad called it a crab though L Check out this post to see what we carved up the last four years and how Maya went from Tigger to Eyeore and now her little sister is Tigger J And I guess Mia could pass for Piglet instead of a puppy L

Sunday, we took the kids to a neighborhood parade. I hope the kids had more fun than Ryu makes it seem!

Monday, we took Mia trick or treating with our neighbors and my babies loved it! The kids surprisingly made it up and down five blocks in an hour, mostly on their own. It felt very safe and welcoming with everyone in the neighborhood sitting at the bottom of their steps to greet the kids. Which is helpful when you have tiny legs and lots of steep steps....

And I liked peering inside their big houses like a creeper haha. Hope you had a Happy Halloween!
I'll be digging through Mia's stash muhahaha.

DIY Puppy Dog Costume

2011-10-30T00:08:00.002-05:00

Just like last year, I made Mia a simple Halloween costume consisting of ears and a tail. Thanks to Uncle Jeff giving Mia a new stuffed animal upon every visit, Mia loves puppy dogs, especially Daisy. So with a pink hoodie, pink sweatpants, pink socks, and pink and white felt, Mia is going to arf! arf! arf! all weekend long just like her best friend Daisy. Here’s how you can make ~~a last minute~~ an easy (no sewing machine) DIY animal costume for your child too...and it cost LESS THAN A DOLLA! HOLLA!

Time: 3 or 4 DVR'ed shows (a few hours because I'm lazy to get the sewing machine out and am a slow hand sewer)
Materials/Cost:
Hoodie, pants, socks (all same color)
Felt (pink for ears and tail, white for spots) - $0.33 a piece I think?
Needle & thread
Total Cost: Less than $1!
Instructions

1. Draw shape of ears and tail on paper. Cut paper out. Fold felt in half. Use paper pattern as a guide to cut your felt. You should have 2 of each piece. Because I didn't follow my own instructions and just went straight to cutting my felt, my puppy dog ears look like bunny or pig ears L

2. Hand sew 2 pieces together leaving an opening to turn inside out (so seams end up on the inside).

3. Hand sew ears to hoodie and tail to pants.

4. Cut spots and sew wherever you'd like them.

5. Cut 5 slits in each pair of socks to make holes for fingers. Cut felt and sew paws onto socks.

Arf arf arf! She looks like a dog and not a bunny or pig, right? L Check back on Monday to see more pictures of my little puppy on Halloween!

I also got my friend ready to party it up tonight in a $1 Pirate costume (black tank top, black shorts, black tights, $1 eye patch, red and white striped fabric). Cheap and cute projects make me giddy. Thanks for letting me play dress up!

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DIY Halloween Monster Decorations

2011-10-29T23:26:00.002-05:00

Originally I wasn’t going to decorate for Halloween. Which is such a slacker mom thing of me to do considering I loved decorating the house for Halloween as a kid. Now that my nephew and niece are joining us for the neighborhood Halloween parade tomorrow, I figured I should dress our place up to be more festive. Since it’s last minute and I don’t want to buy anything, I used leftovers from the Monster and MonSTAR parties to get some Halloween cheer going. Everything was done during nap time with materials I had on hand. When Mia woke up she said "Monsters everywhere!" Doug on the other hand said "There's a birthday party at my house." hmph, decorations make me happy J

Vase wrapped with yarn and googly eyes glued on to hold candy.

Mia's punnnnnnnkinnnsssssss J

Backgrounds for frames made with Sprik patterns and picnik.com (both FREE!)

Monster made with a wreath form, yarn pom monsters, leg warmers, Kira’s shoes, pipe cleaners (antennae) and chopsticks (arms). Mia says “Hi monster” just about everyday J Styrofoam cones wrapped with yarn and googly eyes glued on.

Grocery store flowers.

Happy Halloween banner made with Sprik patterns and picnik.com, glued to black ric rac.

I hope the kids like it!

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Goebbert’s Farm - Chicago Area Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-27T00:49:00.001-05:00

Last year, we decided that Goebbert’s Farm in South Barrington would be part of our Halloween tradition. We definitely like Goebbert’s (up north, FREE admission) better than Bengston’s (down south, $12/pp admission - that adds up for a family fast!). You can pay to see animals or to ride rides at Goebbert’s, but we have a good time without those activities!

Like last year, it was rainy in the morning, but beautiful in the afternoon! Yes, on Sunday's in the fall, Mia only wears Bears gear haha. We went a few weeks ago, and Mia is still talking about “Pumpkins everywhere. Mia picked one. Heavy. Mia strong. Daddy picked one. See camel. Ride slide. Weeee! Drive fire truck. See Pooh. Have fun pumpkins...” And Doug told me numerous times with a big happy I-love-my-family-SO-much smile that he loves our family tradition of picking out pumpkins...

...driving the fire trucks and trains, walkin' around...

...riding the slide, taking pictures with all the cutouts...

...and eating corn on the cob and apple glazed and cinnamon sugar donuts...

We definitely recommend!

And I couldn't help myself...Ready for another same time last year comparison??

With Halloween festivities in a few days, I better get crackin’ on making Mia’s costume, eek!

Fall Colors at the Morton Arboretum

2011-10-25T00:34:00.000-05:00

The weather has been unseasonably warm this October and I ~~sweat my butt off~~ enjoyed a Saturday morning at the Morton Arboretum with a family of four. Samantha’s favorite season is fall, so the Arboretum was perfect for a family photo session amidst the colorful leaves.

Charlie (2.5 years old) loved exploring the leaves, sticks, water and trails while Jack (9 months) calmly took in the fresh air.

Good eye for setting this one up Samantha!

It was fun exploring the beautiful grounds!

Congrats on the marathon Jim and Happy Birthday Samantha!

**Don’t see any family pictures in my posts? I don’t want to spoil their Christmas/Holiday card!**

{Noah} – 6 months

2011-10-18T01:34:00.000-05:00

A few weeks before their family photo session, Christine told me she bought the boys new Bears shirts. She wanted to get a picture of Elijah (2.5) and Noah (6 months) in their new gear, but Elijah said something along the lines of “No mommy. Mindy takes our pictures.” When Christine told me what Elijah said and that I was now the designated family photographer, it warmed my heart!

Elijah really is super excited whenever I come over which makes photographing his big happy smile so much easier. The key to Elijah welcoming me with big hugs and grins (other than my charming personality - ha kidding) is how Christine repeatedly talks about the upcoming photo session beforehand. Check out her post on how to prepare a toddler for a photo session. Although, as most parents know, big smiles can unexpectedly turn to pouty faces within a few minutes!

It was so much fun shooting outdoors and at a park! Elijah's got the ~~choke hold~~ bear hug down. J

Ok, back to the reason why we do these quarterly photo sessions...Baby Noah!

Love his big gummy drooly smile!

I think he gets that big beautiful smile from his mommy J

Dontcha just wanna rub his soft sweet face? And gotta love chubby baby hands!

Thanks for another fun afternoon guys!

DIY Photo Booth Sign

2011-10-13T09:52:00.003-05:00

Party crafting (and super late nights) for the MonSTAR first birthday party are in full effect people! Last night, I whipped up a sign for the mini photo booth we'll be having at the party this Saturday.

Super easy. Here's a basic tutorial for designing your own photo booth sign with Picnik.com (free!).
1. Download a FREE background from Sprik Space. Her patterns and colors are so versatile! Upload to Picnik.com
2. Crop to 8x10 (or whatever size you want).
3. Add a shape ("sticker") - I used a black oval.
4. Add text - I used three different fonts and colors.
5. Add more stickers - I used a star, smiley face star and a monster in different colors.
Done! This concept can totally be used to make treat bag toppers, cupcake toppers, food labels, and other party printables!

After too many 2am nights this week, I'm going to bed at nine tonight!

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