I wanna hear you laugh like you really mean it

It's wedding Wednesday and I got a lot checked off of my list today.  The most important being the tent-- the tent is reserved and ready to go up (in roughly 99 days). 

I ordered a striped one-- dark purple. Think less like circus and more like Jacqueline Bouvier & John Fitzgerald Kennedy's reception.

via

If I only had the Kennedy budget so I could swing that flooring. 

A few weeks ago I ordered some adorable vintage labels from WonderlandRoom on Etsy. I just couldn't figure out how I would incorporate them into the wedding.

Then I thought of putting them on baby food jars.  I saved all of Sloane's because I made my own food for her, so if you do have a baby before your wedding, or know someone with a baby this can be the perfect size little favor jar.

The etsy labels were self adhesive so that was easy as can be, I took the food labels off with Goo Gone spray gel and adhered the new label distressing it a ltitle bit with my paper folder to make them look a little more authentic. 

I plan to fill each of them with something that (loosely) corresponds to the label and let people carry home one that strikes their fancy.  I bought the mini dominos at an antique thrift market and the war bonds jar has some pennys in it. 

I have been enjoying finding little treasures to fill them, like these vintage match books. 



Some of these beauties will fill the jars, and some of them will be stored in an ash tray near the candy cigarrette station. 

Next up on the list, another brilliant idea from my bestie (seriously, I can't think of anything on my own, that's why I have Pinterest and Breann). 

When my sister found out she was pregnant last fall we realized we would need to change our wedding date, I had already ordered my save the date postcards and was just about to recycle the whole lot. But instead Breann suggested I use them for confetti or a garland. So I put my circle punch to work the other night while watching the new HBO series The Newsroom (I'm gonna give it the old college try). I plan to mix in the new ones as well since I have the sihlouette on a peacock blue background and the LOVE is printed in bright gold.  Can't wait to grab some twine and ribbon and make this up.  Stay tuned.

linking up to: Ginger Snap Crafts Family Home & Life  My Girlish Whims  Sugar and Dots Crafty Texas Girls and The Sasse Life  and Her Library Adventures 

title courtesy of Snow Patrol: Hands Open

right in the thick of love

We spent most of our weekend in the city, Kansas City for our dear friend Diontey's wedding.  Keenan was the best man, so Sloane and I had a lot of one-on-one time together driving.  There are many things I miss about living in Kansas City (the shopping, the food) but one thing I don't miss is how fast time goes there.  I believe this is because of all the time it takes to get from place to place.   That's the great thing about our new pace in our new hometown-- we spend less time going where we are going and more time being there. 

so sweet

Sloane loved the wedding, although she cried when daddy walked down the aisle away from her.  She especially loved being spoiled at the reception.  She ate her first dark chocolate kiss and later got away with this...

I thought she was eating cake, but she was eating straight butter, with a fork, like a lady

In our world it's been incredibly hot.  Yesterday it was 112 degrees and humid as all get out.  I threw my fashion caution to the wind and let Sloane ride home from Grammy's with only her diaper on.  Apparently she felt a little underaccessorized.  She's nothing if not resourceful.

If your mama does something this embarrasing to you, turn your blankie into a chic wrap-hat. 

title courtesy of John Legend: Ordinary People

Intertwining like a ring around the finger of a girl

It's wedding Wednesday and it feels like crunch time all of a sudden.  I have been so busy with life that I rarely notice the time just ticking by...(it could be that a large portion of my free time was spent voraciously reading the Hunger Games trilogy). 

So today for wedding Wednesday I am deciding to focus on something old.  My friend Breann and I created this garland out of old cds, scraps of scrapbooking paper, a couple yards of ribbon, packing tape, glue, some alpha stickers and some ink.  I use this particular garland to adorn the door of Sloane's nursery.  However I am thinking of making a garland for the kids area at the wedding. 



It was seriously easy.  I snagged a few "mix cds" that I made a long time ago for things like working out to the tunes of Justin Timberlake.  I have nothing against Justin or working out (well maybe a little against working out) but I feel a little ridiculous trying to bring sexy back at this point in my life.

 

We stuck the scrapbook papers onto the cd with scrapbooking glue, tacked on the alphas using my xyron adhesive sticker maker (you could do a layer of mod podg over the top to assure the adhesive quality, especially if you want to use anywhere with humidity- like outside, bathroom or a kitchen).  Then we inked the edges with a small ink pad just to give it a little more dimension and attached the ribbon loops to the back of the cds using packing tape, then you can adhere another circle of paper over the evidence of the tape and in case you have it freestanding then both sides are decorated. 

Easy little project.  

linking up a few places today:  Ginger Snap Crafts  Family Home & Life   My Girlish Whims  Sugar and Dots  Crafty Texas Grils  The Sasse Life

title courtesy of Jason Mraz, Bella Luna

so much to say

Dear Sloane,

photo by breann

18 months today. 

You are very into asserting your will.  You get so frustrated that we can't understand what you say or we don't always do what you say.  It's so funny that after being so upset something so little can steal your attention and make you forget all about what you were upset about. 

Your newest thing to do while having a temper tantrum is to spit and then pull the drool out of your mouth and fling it to the floor.  Disgusting, although I try to just turn my back and ignore your craziness. 

You are so funny combining signs with verbal words right now, so you have molded your own half & half language. Signglish.-- 

What you like to say this month:

"teeth"-- means you want to brush your teeth (which you LOVE to do) or that you are identifying teeth on yourself or others

"Abby"-- Abby Cadabby (she's at the bottom of your oatmeal bowl and when you've cleared away enough oats you exclaim her name). 

"ooof" w/ the sign for please--- please

"no-no-you" while nodding yes--- no thank you

"Matt" --uncle Matt

"Meemee" -- Grammy

"mahmaw"-- Grandma

"mommy" -- Mom

"peazu"--pacifier

"beezu"--- Ledger

"it's a woaheee"---- we are not sure but we sure do love to make you say it.

"ball"-- ball

"Tay" -- aunt Taylor

"Hi-eee"-- aunt Heidi

"keh bat"--- kiss bath (and that's exactly what you did, which resulted in some snorting and sputtering)

photo by breann

Keep speaking sister!  We are sure one day it will all start making sense.   

love,
mama 

title courtesy of Dave Matthews Band:  So much to say

step by step, heart to heart...

It's wedding Wednesday-- this post is brought to you by the local thrift store where I picked up an ugly old brass candle stand for 99 cents and I found the most lovely orphaned Homer Laughlin plate for 1.99. 

I know it could be considered criminal to apply glue to a vintage piece of Homer Laughlin, but there was only one of them (I scoured the entire dish section for more than an hour trying to find more) and I just knew I could make it into a lovely cake stand. 

So some Krylon ivory spray paint and a thin ribbon of E6000 glue later I have this romantic little beauty for the reception:

How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways...

Also crossed off the proverbial list...we hired a photographer.  And Keenan bought his suit. 

Lately while mommy crafts, and prepares for a yard sale the little one does this...



In a row


Wednesday is a popular day around the blogosphere for crafting.  Although my craft is less than original (you see these cake stands everywhere these days, I do think mine is particularly lovely) I am linking up to a few places that are full of inspiration:  Ginger Snap Crafts: {Wow me Wednesday}, My Girlish Whims, Sugar & Dots , Crafty Texas Girls and The Sasse Life.

Also I wasn't too late to the party to share this on Family home and Life: Wow us Wednesday!  Thanks Connie!


title courtesy of Toy Soldiers: by Martika

or maybe there's some kind of local competition here to see who can be the rudest?

When people don't know what to say, sometimes they say something so absurd. 

My daughter was playing at her uncle Brooks' baseball game last week.  And a mother of one of the tween boys on his team came up to her and told her promptly how adorable she is how KEE--UUWWWWT! (translation: cute) she is--- which is pretty common in babyhood/toddlerhood parenting that some stranger becomes smitten and expresses their love for your child's ________ (eyes, dimples, shoes, hair, lack of hair etc). So I was prepared for the exchange, thinking it was another run-of-the-mill compliment  But then she says to my daughter...."it's too bad you are a girl.  Girls are devils." and then from my lack of response she must have gathered that I was not thrilled with this statement so in her infinite wisdom she repeated herself, as if it would be twice as true if repeated.  "Girls are devils."

my so-called "devil"

Usually I have ignored such silly parenting cliches-- "that girls are harder to raise than boys", that with girls "you must worry about all penises and with boys you only have to worry about one", that "girls are sassier", that "girls hate their mothers", etc ad nauseum, as if your temperment is somehow aligned with your biology. 

But this time I couldn't just sit by because what made me the most angry was that she addressed this comment TO my daughter. 

So I bent down to my toddler while weirdo-stranger was still within earshot and with my years of perfected stage diction told my daughter "there is nothing wrong with being a girl, nothing at all".  Then I kissed her on the forehead and let her continue to play in the dirt.   

I am a child not a cliche

my mama means business

What else is a mama to do but turn on her ani difranco Pandora station and rock to the sound of injustices everywhere? 

lyrics compliments of ani d...little plastic castle