The journey has begun!

The tail was one of about a zillion boxes I mailed today. It's making it's way on to these folks in the following order:
Melissa, Holli, Beki, Sam, Shena, Chris, Amanda, Lori, Linda, Heidi, Dawn..... and then back to me for a little "assessment" of it's condition before continuing it's journey. A refresher of the rules, and the photo collection can be found here . If you're participating and haven't joined the group yet.. don't forget to do that. You can swipe the button below if you'd like as well.



Thanks to: babygadget and Curiobot for other unexpected mentions (aka: boost in tail sales!). It seems lately that the tails are popping up everywhere on the internets. However, the journey of the traveling tail is sure to result in a lot more fun images. I can hardly wait to giggle along with the growing flickr group....

Big Sister Gift

With my due date looming near(er), we're trying to include Kenzie in preparatory projects for the babe. She's helped paint the room, picked out our gender neutral clothing ensembles, and we made these little gifts for the baby.

This is a super easy project for kids:
1. Cut fine grit sandpaper into small portions (3x3's would work well). **I didn't do this and learned the hard way!!

2. Color an image on a fine grit sandpaper with your everyday Crayolas. Make sure and get a healthy wax build up on the sandpaper (Press Hard).



3. Lay the sandpaper, image side down on your fabric choice. (or directly on the onesie if you'd like to be done a few steps sooner!!) Iron the image well to insure the color is transferring.

4. Machine stitch around your image edges to give it extra whimsy, or perhaps, ahem...make sense of the scribbles? This here little guy is a FROG, by the way. :)



5. Attach to a onesie, t-shirt, pants leg, whatever. & Voila. It's an easy Big Sister gift to the new baby...

6. Set the color by tossing into the dryer for 20 minutes. Launder as usual.



We've another version of a darling but LARGE image of big sister holding the baby's hand. We also have an alien. (Yeah....don't know what we're going to do with that one.) But, we're going to frame the large sentimental image and turn it into wall art. I'll post a picture as it's completed.

Secret Project

No details on the project secrecy just yet, but isn't it cute...?
(and no..this isn't a cryptic "I'm having a girl" message)







It's inspired by the little shower gift I gave Amy, but different. :) I'll be happy to share the rest of the story with you, when I know how the story ends...

Thanks also to Rare Bird Finds for the unexpected plug.

Baby Shower Reveal

I've been meaning to photograph these gifts in their new baby room home, but it turns out that it takes a lot longer to tape off stripes on the walls than I ever imagined. And, well, since the baby probably won't actually sleep in there for another many months - I've decided to take my own sweet time (& hint heavily that the husband might like to do it??)


Instead, here's a little gallery of the fabulous baby items I received at our last bloggy get-together:

Fabulous wall art from Lauren. I've got a spot envisioned for it! A soft blankie (& some yummy bath products) from Heidi who, at the last minute, couldn't make it. (boo..) A tag blankie from Cindy, which is brilliant! A Pooh blanket from Michelle , which has a matching old fashioned style Pooh (that has taken up missing. Kenzie is hoarding TWO old fashioned Pooh's now!!) Lori made this adorable onesie and burper - in SANDRA BOYNTON fabrics. Who doesn't love Boynton books? Alicia gifted me one of her famous bird paintings, which is perfectly matched to the nursery colors & theme. Laura broke her machine (& then fixed it) on this adorable Minky blanket! Who knew you could buy yardage of diaper cloth?? The brilliant Chris did! She made these stylin' little burp cloths out of it. Amy somehow found the time (with her own newborn at home) to make this entire Polar Bear themed outfit (which Kenzie points out - is in my favorite color black!!) And, finally... Rachel made this wipe holder, which is already in my purse and I'm wondering how I ever lived without it...

I had such a nice time at the soiree held at Alicia's really cool home ~ and sincerely enjoy the friendships we've forged as a group of women. I'm still so flattered that each has taken the time to share their talents with my little family. Thanks so very much friends. Your generosity is humbling.

(sorry for the oddly cropped photos. The mosaic builder does that against my wishes & loud complaints.)

Wedding Gift

One of my To-do List items yesterday was completing this for a wedding reception this weekend. Alejos is the couples' last name.

This kind of thing is becoming my most favorite wedding and housewarming gift.

I've collected the alphabet in random photos. I still want to spell out quotes on my dining room walls, but I'll be needing a wee many more photos for that.

I say...if you're going to be showing up to a well-dressed wedding affair looking ridiculously pregnant...
You'd better bring a damn good gift.

Sigh.

Awoke feeling panicky as I checked the TV ticker for school cancellations...Phone ringing prolongs the panic but then washes it away as my MIL calls to invite Kenzie to breakfast and then a movie. School was canceled on Tuesday due to a broken heater, and then again today. My To Do list is long. I love grandparents.

And phenomenal progress is being made....
Snow days aren't so bad after all.

It's been a good weekend...

My tail made the Etsy front page once again . It's so very flattering when someone appreciates your stuff enough to share it with others.

I've been fondling a lot of really cute baby stuff and chuckling over remembered conversations... The things and the conversations are from the bloggy get-together hosted at Alicia's heavenly home. Thank you ladies for showering my unborn babe with your unique creations. You've brought my family many smiles. In fact, the next morning was almost like a second Christmas for Kenzie...

Here's some converted-to-black-and-white-because-they-were-so-poor-quality-
(but-even-that-couldn't-fix-the-it's-6:00 a.m.,-still-dark-and-she's-got-bedhead)
-pictures of her opening her big-sister gifts:


We've officially got a finished hardwood floor in the nursery. Today, I touch up the wall paint and then start fiddling with aforementioned delicious baby goodies. Pictures of the goodies and room coming soon!

All this yummy weekending even overshadows the fact that we got T.P.'d by my husband's buddies. My husband tends to find it a wee bit funnier than I do. I did think it looked kind of pretty from this angle.



But ..just barely. Fortunately, the goodness of the weekend overshadows the "incident."

Tail Tales

So, I had this idea... But, being a day late and dollar short, it's already been thunk up & done. So... I envision another project - just as fun and whimsical - only inserting one of my tails instead of the tutu. I think the idea is best summarized in the following:

Traveling Tail Rules:
1. Please comment if you're interested in playing. I'll devise a schedule and post it here, there and everywhere. The tail should be mailed the cheapest way possible, and each participant is responsible for the postage from their house to the next.

2. Upon receipt of the tail, you have one week to photograph the heck out of it.

3. In the photos, the tail must be worn by something (but you have creative license by whom. For example, it can be worn by you, your kid(s), your pet, husband, handy man, garden scarecrow, whomever! (you can also very easily conceal faces to preserve privacy, if you wish) No nudity or otherwise offensive posing.

4. Post your best photos to a flickr group, (to be formed soon). You can take as many photos as you'd like, but please load at minimum, one photo documenting the tail's stop with you. Please include a short narrative of the tails antics while in your care.

5. Pass the tail on....so the tale can continue. I'll tell you where to send it next.

That's it. I already have a few folks "in" on the project (who caught this post in their feed readers, when I accidentally published it. Oops, Silly pregnant brain!!). Please comment if you'd like to be included in the travel roster. I'll then be in touch to retrieve some mailing information. I plan to mail the tail off on its adventure by the conclusion of this month.

Ornamentz Photo Challenge

That's a reflective photo OF the winning reflective photo submitted by: Laura, Darwin & Griffin.

To insure a winner was selected objectively - the call was made by main gal Kenzie. Except - while she was exclaiming "they're adooooooooorable" I realized that perhaps she's boy crazy. It seemed as if Riley had it made - but then Kenzie made it clear she prefers TWO handsome little boys to just one...



Click the Ornamentz button to peruse flickr's finest reflective holiday photos of 2007! Perhaps take some notes for next year. Ornamentz will be an annual challenge, {but next year I'll take back control over the voting}...


***P.S. Laura, you won the glass bulb shown here - yay! you won't have to hunt the city next year for another! Also included will be some little goodies the boys will enjoy. I'll pass the prizes on when I see you soon... :)