My 1st Diaper Cake! 7/11

So Happy that we have a new baby coming into the family and I got my first shot at making a diaper cake. My mother in law went in halves and we spend around $60 total. For one I got Pampers Limited Edition with the polka dots and flowers on them in green/pink designs soooo cute! I started out with a 14" cake round from Walmart, cheap! Then I got like 72ish diapers. Rolled them and used small rubber bands around them all! I used a larger rubberband to hold them together and just kept tucking them in the make the "right" size tiers I wanted. I stacked them up, nothing is holding them next time I will use those small woooden dowls a few stuck down in the center of the entire thing so it's easier to transport! We then found super cute ribbon at Walmart again all I did was pinned them together to cover the rubberbands. We then bought whatever we wanted to add to it, cute rings, rattles/teethers, small bath stuff, toys, spoons. We actually bought too much that I couldn't fit on to it....doesn't take much for it to fill up! I stuck it in my front seat and drove 30 minutes away and nothing moved so it was awesome! I love how it turned out! I can see now why people charge so much for them. Baby stuff is sooo expensive. Unless you bought cheaper diapers which I would never do! Maybe finding stuff on clearance to fill them and ribbon will last several cakes! Anyways overall I do love it and I can't wait to make another! :) Good luck on yours!

Ben's 33rd 50s/rockabilly birthday party! May 2011

Recently I've been obsessed with rockabilly themed everything sooo when Ben's 33rd birthday came around he inspired me to do a photo shoot and revolve the whole party around him! As it should be on anyone's special day! So I started with dressing Ben in what he has that is similar to 1950s ISH or rockabillyISH style: pictures Ben on his motorcycle that he built btw and with his newest yard sale steal guitar!

Then I used PAINT to make up an invite flyer, one of my fav things to do, I just printed off several things and then arranged them with tape on a copy paper then made copies!

I found this amazing site with retro partyware that I loved!!! retroplanet.com I ordered a few of the record looking plates and napkins. I then went to Party City and found matching plain colored plates: cheaper and looks great too. I also picked up teal/black plasticware. I then grabbed a few rock n roll party decor' items to get in that rockabilly theme...banner, guitar, black with music notes, blue with stars balloons, 50's table cloth/rock table cloth. I then found great little table toppers 50s style from ebay for next to nothing. Also a photo prop of a convertable for your guests to take photos with FUN! Also for music, Ben had his Zune playing rockabilly music and I in the house had the computer set on Pandora.com for rockabilly station(they have everything)! Music is sooo important!

We had burgers on the grill of course, I set up tables out side and games for the kids & adults to play: bag toss, hillbilly golf, badminton, things such as these...For the menu I asked everyone to bring a side, why not? We offered burgers/hotdogs, rootbeer and orange crush floats...and of course CAKE! I ordered, didn't have time or energy to bake anything this year whaa but this girl straight outta walmart that I adore made us a cupcake cake shaped like a guitar and a checked cake also! Very simple but cute.

I did ask everyone to dress up in 50s themed outfits, that was supposed to be a great idea! :) Not alot of participation on that one though! I'll get em next time!

CRAFT: got some old records from a used store, found this great idea about putting them in the oven over a glass bowl at 200' and pulled it out and molded it into a beautiful bowl.

Overall I think everyone had fun. IT's important to me to have ambiance, good food, music, fun and games...good conversation equals great memories! I loved this theme of 1950's rockabilly!

                                 *thanks for reading*

Valentine's day on the cheap!

Valentine's day on the cheap!

Love is in the air, the big day is in 13 days. What does it mean to me? I love it! It's a time to show those we love that we do indeed love them and appreciate them. I don't believe it has to be a bought gift. I for one love a homecooked meal and dishes done. Since my beloved is sick now, and can't drive to the store to buy any store bought gifts, I hope he will get creative. I thought what a great idea to really dig deep and make something!

Anyone can make a homemade card! I like to print off vintage valentine's and attach them to card stock...add glitter glue and your very own words straight from your heart! whala LOVE

$ trees or stores are perfect to grab a little basket, a few little trinkets or activities that your valentine will LOVE! Heart themed candy, stickers, movies, games, anything! Add a card or valentine!

I like to start out the day with pink heart shaped pancakes with the face made from valentine m&ms. My daughter, Willow's fav.

I also adore using the pillsbury holiday themed cake mix to make my fav cake cookies! A great way to spend time with the one you love BAKING!

We will also sit down and spend time making homemade decor', ya that stuff at Target is darling! But making your own is way more special. You can make red/pink/white paper chains: just cut strips of paper and make a loop with either tapes or a stapler and continue until you have as long as you like, hang wherever! Make posters of loving scenes and wording. LOVE! Cut out hearts and hang them in the windows so you can share the love with neighbors. construction paper, scissors, glue, glitter glue whala total craft time and lots of fun and love!

Just doing anything to help someone you love out so they have a better day is what it's all about, a small note on the mirror in the bathroom saying I LOVE YOU. Stick a sweet with a note attached and stick in a lunch box. If you wanna get naughty with the one you love put a suggestive note in there too...might make for an interesting night.

Breakfast in bed always a hit! Make it themed up and put your card on a tray. If you dont' have a tray, get a cookie sheet and put a towel over it! whala fancy tray!

Just important to think of why we celebrate holidays of course it'd be nice to do any of these things for the ones we love. But since most of us let time fly by and dont' take a second to stop...it's nice to have a reminder of HEY it's that day we are certain to make sure we tell that one person in our lives or if we are lucky many people in our lives anyone how much we love them and how much they mean to us.

I met my husband when we were 15/16 in High School. From the first moment Ben was a romantic...I as well. He was such a sweetheart that on our very first Valentine's Day in 1995 he got me the traditional giant stuffed bear, with a rose, and a box of chocolates. Then he or his mom? lol Set up a table in their basement with candles, he cooked spaghetti and even made a salad and dessert. You know he could have bought me a 100 necklace but that dinner was the most special thing he could have ever done for me. To have someone take their time and do be so thoughtful that to me is what Valentine's Day is all about.

Thank you all more to come from this Happy Homemamma!

Happy Valentine's Day! LOVE!

this longest year

So we are in a new year. Many things have happened in a very short time. Ben has gone through hell and back not by choice...or ours. It's been hard on everyone involved. Cancer takes so much. It is a fight. We are all survivors.