Happy Thursday!

Invitations featured on Party Planning Blog

I was so excited and honored to see that my Rock Star Birthday Invitations were featured on the blog of Maddycakes party planning. That design was my very first item sold on Etsy and really the reason I even started a shop. I think for that reason, it is still one of my favorites.

The party was thrown by the mom behind the awesomely titled blog Girl, Outnumbered

I love the details of the party and the cake is awesome!

Photo credits: Girl, Outnumbered

2011 Drugstore Nail Polish

I am loving nail polish this summer. I got the most amazing manicure I have ever gotten for mother's day and my nails have looked great ever since. I just keep re-painting them at home and they continue to look great. The colors I am loving right now aren't even expensive. I got them at the drugstore and had to share since they are my favorites at the moment.

Sinful Colors Professional- Pink: This one is apparently so low-budge that they don't even come up with fancy names. Boring Moniker or not- the color is definitely not boring- it is neon pink!

I am normally not a wild nail color girl at all, but this shade is really fun and flattering and it looks calm indoors and more neon and bright when you are out in the sun. The finish is not shiny, so you need to add a clear coat on top, but once you do it looks great. I felt very J.Crew when wearing this, and for $1.99, you can't beat it.

Revlon Top Speed- Stormy: This color is very very close to Essie's very popular Smokin' Hot.

but for $3, this is a more affordable option. Especially when you haven't worn shades like this before, it is nice to dip a toe in at a lower price point. I love this color and it lasted a long time and even went on very nicely. It made me feel very polished and a tiny bid edgy while still being suitable for summer. Plus people were commenting on my nails all week! Isn't that the best when that happens?

Feel free to share any of your favorite summer nail shades!

Budget Nursery Art

Art is always very difficult for me. I don't quite know what I am looking for, but I know what I DON'T want. Many times, when I find something I like, it is too expensive or the scale is all wrong. For G's nursery, I took a casual approach, checking out thrift shops and second hand art sales over time and just grabbing things I liked instead of trying to make everything GO TOGETHER. I am pretty excited about the few pieces that we managed to find and wanted to share them with you. I added a few accessories in the mix as "Art" and I will include them in the budget breakdown.

Elephant Screen Print: $6 including matte and frame. I found this at a thrift store hanging on the wall. I debated using it since Baby G's name doesn't start with E, but I like the print so much I decided that didn't matter. I think it may be a screen print.

Colorful Boy and Girl Print: $2 framed ( I reframed it in an Ikea Ribba frame I already had)

This was professionally framed with brown paper backing but I didn't care for the frame. When I tore it open I found what I suspected all along. This was originally a greeting card- and it was written in! The writer mentioned a little boy whose name was eerily similar to my son's name which made me feel like I was meant to find this little treasure. I wonder who sent it and who received it and what they were like.

Fish Painting: Painted by my sister- she did a copy of a painting I saw in a catalogue. Hers is slightly different and her colors are brighter, but I love it. I framed it in another Ribba frame

Peter Pan Drawing Print (Or at least I think it looks like Peter Pan) I found this for $5 at a second-hand art sale. It was in a terrible frame and I stuck it in one of my trusty Ribba frames for about $16.

Pillows: These aren't really art I suppose, but I took a picture of our dog, traced him in photoshop and created an image which I uploaded to spoonflower.com and ordered as custom fabric. I really love how they turned out and since Baby G is in LOVE with our dog, I think it is fitting that he is a part of her room decor. The fabric cost about $18/yard- I used 2 yards of custom fabric for each pillow (there is a floral fabric I designed on the back seen in Baby G's dress from an earlier post).

Mirror: Again, this isn't art, but the shape of this mirror was so pretty and it helps add some girly whimsy to the space. We found it at homegoods for $20 and re-painted white to match the trim in the room.

I like that some of these things have hung in other homes and seen other children grow up- it imparts a little bit of history and nostalgia and definitely contributes some warmth and feeling to the room.

Hope you enjoyed the run-down. Thanks for reading!

My First Dress for Baby G!

I am almost finished making my first dress for Baby G. I didn't use a pattern and didn't really know what I was making when I started out, but I am very happy with the way it turned out. I even tried a few new details like the little front pleat. Is that a kick pleat?

The fabric I used for the bodice is some of the fabric that I used in her nursery for throw pillows. I designed it myself on Spoonflower. The rest I found in my scrap stash. I still need to try it on her and finish up the back (it is pinned for this photo). Once I can get it on her- I will post some additional photos. I may have to try making this again and doing a tutorial because it was really easy!

Extra Large Tunic Shirt Re-fashion

I bought this extra large tunic shirt for $20 at World Market a month ago because I liked the print so much. I am planning to turn it into an easy breezy summer dress. I am thinking it shouldn't be too hard- just closing up the side vents and tailoring/taking in the sides- maybe doing some sleeve pick-ups? We'll see how ambitious I am.

This pattern is all over World Market and if I could, I would get the matching table umbrella or the outdoor cushions or the trays or plates; or all of it. Did I mention I love this print?!?

Blog re-vamp

So now that I am back, I am thinking that I need to re-vamp what I am doing here. I still have my same design sense and style, but with the recession and raising two little ones- I just don't have the disposable income to spend on $300 boots and really cute lip gloss. Don't get me wrong... I still love this stuff-- it is just that I am not buying it at the moment, and focusing on all of the stuff I can't have seems like cruel and unusual punishment. So... what will I focus on? I will still be posting cute stuff that I am lusting over from time to time, but I also hope to produce some valuable content too. Maybe some tutorials, features on stuff I make, projects I am doing, and maybe even some helpful hints that I come across. I also plan to change up the look of the blog, so you can look for that to come soon as well. A new look for a new focus-- I am excited!

H is a big kid now!

I can't believe how long it has been since I have posted.... H is so big now- and he has a little sister!

Introducing Baby G. She is the sweetest little girl!