Birthday Card Scrapbook

These are the easiest albums to make.  I usually just make them for Christmas Cards, but this year I hit the big 4-0.....so I made one with all the cards I received to celebrate again.  

I take cardboard pieces and covered them with scrapbook paper, stickers etc.  

Once I have the cardboard covered (front and back), I punch two holes in the top, and then match the cards with those holes and punch holes in those as well (some are small, and dangle by just one hole).  I used metal rings you can find online or at any scrapbook store.  

 I usually cover those rings with ribbon.  In this case, a lot of the ribbon came from gifts I received, and I saved the ribbon b/c I thought it would be a fun addition.

I can flip through these special cards at any point, and it's a fun memory of how blessed I am to have so many caring people in my life.

Mouse Inspired Party in a Box

 A lot of my favorite friends are turning 40 this year (as well as myself).  I've spent a year trying to think of the 'perfect' gift for each friend based on their personality and our friendship.  I don't know what their true thoughts are, but I know I feel satisfied with the end product.
This gift box was shipped out to my Disney Loving friend, Maurine.  I can't be there to celebrate her birthday, so I've provided a little party in a box.  If she isn't spending today at the parks, I know she will be there soon, so I sent her a birthday girl baseball t-shirt I made, some mouse ears I bought on etsy.  I also sent 6 little shirts, and a onsie that said "birthday squad" for her four kids, nephew, and godson.  I found some cute little straws at target, and then made my own card and some 'confetti.'

I have one more gal in my inner circle who celebrates after me, and I have a different idea for her gift, less of a box of events since we will get to spend it together.  But first....my big day arrives in less than two months :gulp:!

DIY Balloons

 At the end of the week, my family will be celebrating my aunt's 60th birthday.  There, I said it.  She doesn't read my blog anyway.  So, I'm putting together a whole flamingo themed party, and I wanted some fun number balloons to throw into the mix.  I'm sure this has been done before, but I decided instead of ordering balloons in a shiny color, I wanted this specific ballet slipper pink balloon, so....I snagged some numbers....

 I actually got them on clearance, but have since seen this size at the dollar tree, but the nice thing about the clearance aisle is it didn't matter what color they were.

I blew them up and then sprayed them down.  It only took one coat and so far the spray is holding strong!  I'm going to try to add details next go 'round, but in the meantime, I'm excited for the possibilities of personalizing these balloons!

3D Reel-40th Birthday Gift Idea

It's that 'special' year so many of my friends are hitting the decade mark....and I've been stressing.  I've been stressing since they turned 30, I'm sure.  I always try so hard to find the perfect gift, so I'm going to share a few of the ones I've come up with b/c if they don't appreciate them, maybe *you* will.  This gift is one I gave to my pal Regan.  She and I have been friends for-ev-er.  More than 30 of these 40 years, in fact, and so I took a few pictures from our years together and made one of these 3D Reels (not sponsored, but....I love these things).  I packed up her package with pink flamingos (b/c she loves them) and glittery 40's I cut out with my Cricut…..and shipped it out in hopes she'd think this was a pretty spectacular surprise.  These would make super cute Bridesmaid's gifts, or grandparent gifts.  I've given these to family after family vacations as well because....well, I'm obsessed.  Here is a video sharing a few of the other slides I have made for personal use.

Tea Party

 When I started teacher 16 years ago, I was a sixth grade teacher and the two teammates I started with are two of my closest friends even today.  We still work together in different capacities.  Mary is retired, but tutors at our school (a different one from where we began).  Sonia and I are both specialist together.  We moved together after our second year to a school closer to us.  She turned 50 this past spring and we decided to surprise her with a tea and some of the friends we collected along the way.

 I made a little birthday banner with scrap fabrics that reminded me of her.

 For a 'game' Mary pulled out more than ten different kinds of teas and we served different teas for all three courses and had them write down a guess each time on a card.  At the end, the people with the most correct answers got a 'prize.'  It created fun conversation regardless.  We served each person a different combination.

We lined the tables with milk, lemons, and sugar cubes.  We started out with scones, clotted cream, and jam on each plate.  We also went ahead and put some dishes in the middle of the table for used tea bags.  

 Mary had a collection of cups....which always reminds me I want to start doing this.  I don't drink teas, but (ironically) I've hosted quite a few now.

 For course number one, we served tomato soup and cheese straws.

 Course two was three different kinds of sandwiches and strawberries.

 Last up-sugar cookies, chocolate truffles, lemon cups, and petit fours.

 To get Sonia there, I had told her we wanted to take her to lunch at a new tea room near Mary's house.  I told her I made reservations at 2:30, so to arrive by 2:15 and we'd all drive together.  She was pretty shocked when she arrived to a table full of friends.

We ate, laughed, and ate some more.  A lot of the guest brought her their favorite teas, and we also had everyone sign the back of this little sign for her to take home as a moment.  

Just a few tips.  We plated everything but the soup in advance.  To keep the sandwiches from drying out we put a damp paper towel over each plate.  I put tags with each person's name on them on the cups so we could quickly dump out any left over tea, quick rinse, add a different tea bag, and then a new kind of tea.  It was a really fun way to get together and much easier than I thought with everything planted in advance!

Birthday Party in a Box

My friend, Regan, lives up in Seattle....really really far from family and friends.  Her husband is in the military and this is where Uncle Sam wants him for the time being.  It's a fun place to visit for the rest of us, but....I know birthdays aren't as fun without friends around, so I decided to send her a birthday party in the mail.  A friend did something like this for me once in college and it was the cutest.  I bought a banner, confetti, plates, napkins, and a made a pinata where I put her gift inside.  Here is that tutorial. Unicorns are our joke.   No doubt, birthdays are better when served up on a princess plate.

Fabric Tutu

 About a year and a half ago I got an embroidery machine....my life hasn't been the same since.  I don't think I've blogged about it (?).  I haven't gone into business or anything.  I wanted the machine b/c I'm always taking things to get embroidered, so this saves me a ton of time.  I also had a learning curve, but...I'm getting better.

 I embroidered this shirt for a former co-workers little girl.  She sent me a picture like this and there was a tutu and banner as well to go along with it, so I told her I'd make the whole outfit if she brought me the fabric she wanted...and ribbon.

 She bought about a half yard of four fabrics, and two rolls of ribbon,which was more than enough!

 I sewed a piece of elastic together that was about 18 inches (overlapping).  I also sewed a ribbon to the two ends of the elastic so I can stretch it or gather it in depending on her little girl's waist size.  I then cut the fabric in 18 inch by 1 inch (1 1/2?) pieces.  I used pinking sheers.  This prevents fabric from fraying  (the pinking sheers).

I  just tied it on with a knot.  I alternated several pieces of fabric, and then a piece of ribbon.  You can use the pinking sheers for the ribbon as well, or run it through a candle flame to seal up the ribbon edge.

Here it is with the bow.  

 I also cut triangles out of the fabric using the pinking sheers and used hot glue to fold the very top of some yarn to make a little banner for her back drop.

Pink and Gold Fiesta

I put together a little party for my Mom on her 'actual' birthday as well with the whole family.  I had used pink and black for her tea party the weekend before, but went with pink and gold this time around.  These are just a few pictures....because it turns out right before I got pretty sick...so as soon as dinner was over, I took myself to the late night clinic, so...I didn't take too many pictures, but....I think you get the idea!  I made some little m pinata's using this method.  And tissue flowers using these steps.  I also made some gold candles that would later go on the cake my aunt brought using these steps.  I used some pinatas I sprayed to match the colors to hang from the chandelier as well.

My family is kind of picky (not my mom,just everyone else), so it was a mix of things every would eat, and some even :gasp: came from the freezer.  I made some cheese dip, cheese enchiladas, and then just heated up some frozen quesadillas, and taquitos.  I ran by a nearby restaurant and bought rice, and sopapillas and added some honey/butter/cinnamon sugar to make a little dessert bar.

I also did a little Dr. Pepper float crate to go with the cake.

My aunt, uncle, cousins in town, and brother all ate...and then ate some more.  I think it was a nice way to finish up a really great birthday and....hopefully the start to the best decade yet!

60 Wishes Memory Book

 My Mom celebrated her 60th birthday two days ago.  I've been brainstorming ideas for making it a special memory for awhile now.  One thing I did was make her a little album with cards.  Originally, I was going to send cards to the family and all her friends...it turns out it took all three months I had given myself to get the cards back from just the family.  I adapted the idea...more on this in a minute....I printed out a letter asking for the person who received it to write a special memory they have of my mom.  I also included a card and a self addressed envelope.  I found a pack of cards at Hobby Lobby I liked.

 To house these letters I made a little book.  I took two pieces of thin cardboard and cut them out to the size of a 5/7 envelope.  I also took some burlap scrapbook 'paper' and covered the front.  I had to hot glue it to keep it to stay on the board.

 On the inside, I glued down two pieces of scrapbook paper.  I punched a hole in the cover/back and each letter.

 I decided to just try to get just the family and a few of her closest friends who don't live here.

For the 'other' friends, I figured most of them would be bringing a card to the luncheon I was hosting, and I am going to hole punch the cards and put these in the same book so she can have a memory of all the people that helped celebrate her 60th...both near and far.  

My Mom's 60th

 This past weekend I held a party to celebrate my Mom's birthday.  It was a no boys allowed sort of event, which means today (her 'real' birthday) the boys will be invited.  I held it at a little tea room in Richardson, Chocolate Angel-the same place I had my 30th.

 They pretty much have all the adorable decorations you could want in the Chantilly room, but....I brought a few of my own b/c that's the kind of girl I am!

 I went through my aunt's old albums and found some old school pictures I copied and printed out.

 I grabbed some flowers.

 And some bottled Dr. Pepper, my Mom's all time favorite drink.  I added a pink straw to jazz it up.

 Even though dessert came with the meal, I decided I wanted a dessert favor as well, so I bought some individual bundt cakes and added a tag, ribbon, flower etc, which I blogged about here.

 The packaging is already cute, but....I feel the need to add ribbon to everything.

 I put them around the tables.

 I am so grateful for the ladies that came out to celebrate with my mom.

 I know they have each been a blessing, and I'm constantly reminded that these are the type of friends I want to have 'when I grow up,' but more importantly, the kind of friend I want to be.

 No doubt, it's not a hardship to be friends with my Mom-her glass is always half full.  I call her unrealistically optimistic.  She's a peace maker...which is good considering I'm her daughter and I do like to battle it out.

 I'm grateful that for 35 of her years, she's been dedicated to being my Mom.

 Happy 60th, Mom!  Here's to 60 more!