Bunnies for Baby Harapat!

  Being home on leave with Jack and Kevin has been great, but its been hard to keep my hands idle and to relax. I want to feel productive and make cute things!
  For example, a close friend of mine, Melissa, is next on the list to deliver - baby girl!! - and I found myself coming up with cute projects for her baby shower that would look super cute in the pink and gray nursery that she has been working on.
  So! I really might as well work on a few things while I'm 'sitting around at home' (which is honestly what I thought this would be like: not how hard it is to make it through a 30min sitcom on the DVR without pausing 4 times…)

Bunny Embroidery Project:
  So, for Jack's Nursery (which I have yet to share photos of -  they're coming…) I started/completed my very first embroidery project aside from a few cross stitch creations when I was younger. Thanks to fellow MCAD Alum, Alyssa, of Penguin & Fish, it was super easy to create the little hedgehog that hangs in Jack's room.

left: the hedgehog embroidery kit - available on etsy - complete with embroidery hoop, fabric, instructions, pattern (with both tracing and iron on options), thread and needle.
right: examples of just a FEW of the other fun characters/kits that Penguin & Fish has to offer...

I downloaded this fun freebie "Picnic Pals" embroidery pattern last year from Penguin & Fish (I subscribed to receive their blog updates/newsletter via e-mail) - Score! I extracted/rearranged the two bunnies from the artwork, added some grass and selected the just-right color to coordinate with Melissa's nursery color scheme.

Here is how it turned out! All set for Baby Harapat!

  After completing the Hedgehog project last year, and then successfully creating this bunny project, I want to do more! I'm inspired to create some artwork for a few more personal embroidery projects of my own… thanks for the inspiration Alyssa! It's so much fun!

find Penguin & Fish on etsy
peek at the cute website!
follow the blog!

Super Friendly Baby Shower

  Two of my best gal pals threw a 'friends baby shower' for me this past weekend! They cooked up a wonderful brunch, served mimosas, AND I've never heard of this before: they purchased 21 birthday cards - the kind with ages on them, so ages 1 through 21 - and had each of our shower guests write out birthday messages (one card per person), and seal them up for us to save for the little nugget's birthdays to come! What a cool idea + so thoughtful! (the card for 21st birthday even comes with a bottle opener!!)

Thanks so much Kym & Tabitha! You're the best!

Cozy Baby Shower with Family

  This past weekend, my sisters-in-law hosted a baby shower to help us prepare for our soon-to-arrive little one! It was perfect ladies - Thank you!

This adorable handmade banner hung from the mantle - super cute!

Cute Popcorn Cake Pops (complete with mini marshmallow 'popcorns' on top) from sister-in-law Anna + partner April from Birdie & B's Sweets, fit right in with the "About to Pop" theme :)

Much needed bright color palette on a cold, wintry day :)

So many thoughtful gifts - and a few big ones! Thankfully my niece, Brooke, was there to very carefully and meticulously open them for me. Phew! ;)

An Owl for Eloise!

  We had a baby shower at work last week for a co-worker, Chelsey, who is expecting a little girl! A few of us decorated little bodysuits (Circo from Target of course) to hang as decoration for the shower -and send home with Chelsey of course!
  I made a mad grab from the heather gray bodysuit...

I cut an owl nugget shape out of pink and white stripe jersey, hand stitched it on.
Added little felt eyes, and fleece beak and tummy square.

.... and so we had the shower...WITHOUT Chelsey! She was put on bed rest the day before, and delivered Baby Eloise the day of the shower! 5 weeks early! But we'll send her pics (and the bodysuits!)

Here are a few of the bodysuits hanging up at the shower! (there were a few more added *after I took photos...)

so cute!

+ the yummiest of treats from Jenny of Joy Cakes!