Pic Of The Day

Snuggles with her two favourite toys "Dog" (or as Rylee calls him... "Dah" and he's especially special because he's roughly 40 years old) and "Baby." Both are birthday gifts from Great-Grandma and Grandma.

DIY Gift Wrapping

This year I decided I wanted to doing something a little more creative and unique with our Christmas gifts by designing my own wrapping paper. It's not hard but it is a little bit time consuming. It's been fun to come up with different ideas and learn new crafty things like making a flower out of paper and how to tie a proper bow! I have even found this project relaxing, I've been doing it when Rylee's napping so I don't have to worry about her getting into anything and I can make as big and grand of a mess as I want!

First your Supply List:

• Stamp pad (any color and I've found slow drying ink works the best)
• Stamps, or make your own with a potato or sponge, or the eraser on a pencil (I used all four options)
• Ribbon (Again any color, or thickness will do)
• Twine (Found at the dollar store or bakers twine if you want some color)
• Brown Wrapping Paper (I got mine at the dollar store, I think you can also get it at the post office)
• and obviously tape and scissors 
• A glass of eggnog and Christmas tunes!

*if you choose to use a sponge to make stamps you will need acrylic paint rather than an ink pad, and your look will be a little more patchy than using a potato or normal stamp.

 Directions:

First pick your give and cut out a piece of the wrapping paper that will be enough to cover it. Pick your mode of stamping (potato, sponge, eraser, or a regular stamp).

I first used a potato cutting out a chevron shape (I also did the chevron with a sponge, personally I like the look of the potato stamp better...its more solid), then dip your stamp in the ink and go at'er! And remember if you make a mistake (I know I did!) just flip the paper over and start over (No wasting paper here :P).

Next I used the end of pencil to make a polka dot pattern! This one was fun but definitely tedious if your using it for a larger project, I stuck with small gifts when I used the polka dots.

Once your ink has dried you can begin to wrap your present! Adorning it with whatever kind of embellishment you want. I had fun with mine twirling twine around and around which I think goes really well with the brown paper, I also made my own bows, and even a paper flower. Some other ideas would be using pine cones, holly, fabric, lace, doilies, or paper snowflakes.

and....thats a wrap!! ahaha sorry for the awful pun!!

Have fun, and if you need some bow tutorials let me know, I've become a master at it (or so I think!).

(If this DIY project has inspired you to create your own, I kindly ask you share my link within your own post. And don't forget to come back and comment your link to your beautiful ugly creation, I'd love to see it too!)

Surprise At The Door

 The other day we arrived home to a special package! I get so excited about mail, it's too bad the sender can't see my reaction because I pretty much dance on the spot and yell, "MAILLLLLL!!!" everytime, it never gets old.

Anyways my far away bestie sent me and Rylee some gifts, super cute great gifts I might add! Rylee got an awesome divider plate (her first plate!), and I got got a funky owl necklace! It was totally unexpected and sweet. Thanks Bliss your an amazing friend and that's not just because you send us presents :P but because no matter the distance or time nothing can come between us, a true and rare thing in life.

Snail Mail

 On Monday we arrived home with a special surprise awaiting us just inside the door. Mail! I love mail, its so exciting, you never know when to expect it and you never know what lies inside.

This particular piece of mail came as a complete surprise, and although I knew my good friend Bliss was looking for my address I completely forgot and clearly it didn't register that she would be sending us something. It came all the way from the north of B.C. where she lives with her husband and newborn son Theo.

When I picked up the envelope before I even looked at the return address I noticed it was squishy and excitement began welling up in my insides....it wasn't a bill, it wasn't a useless piece of junk mail, it was something personal from a real person! Eeeeeek!!! I dropped everything I was holding (don't worry I wasn't holding Rylee) and proceeded to rip it open, inside... owl legwarmers!! Two words, SO AWESOME!

I don't know how she does it, but Bliss has always had an eye for unique, sometimes crazy, and almost always bright and vibrant clothing or accessories. She finds the coolest things and rocks them in her own style! Rylee's lucky to have her because without her "aunty" Bliss, her wardrobe would be drab and boring lacking all kinds of funkiness because unfortunately her mama lacks it too!

Thanks Bliss your awesome! Not only for your fashion sense, but for your one-of-kind friendship that has seen a lot of distance has never felt far apart. One day I hope we'll be closer to one another and our kids can grow up together jumping on trampolines, playing soccer, and getting into all kinds of silliness together just like their mama's did.

Feeding the Obsession!

Over the past week friends and family have surprised me with awesome gifts!! 

The first one was this gorgeous mug from Sevio's step-mom, she found it one day when she was in Victoria at "Pier 1 Imports." I absolutely love it, with its bright colors and cute eyes how could I not! And I'll never feel alone when I'm drinking out of it because my new owl friend will be perched on the coffee table staring at me.

The second one was a glass owl piggy bank, not for me, but for Rylee, from our friend Sandy. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of it because I forgot it at her house, but its cute!

The third surprise came last Sunday from Rylee's Godmother's mother, Bev. She was returning from some travels and had time to kill on one of her layovers and ended up in "Coles Books" for most of it and found these neat little magnetic page markers. Now I just have to start reading a book and put them to good use!

Thanks ladies for thinking of me and feeding my obsessions :)