Nail Pollish

There is nothing that I love more than having beautiful nails.  I love the entire process of getting my nails done.  Unfortunately, after many failed attempts I just can't do them myself.  They always get ruined.  Every single time.  The person who invented gel nails, may have had a hidden camera in my house.  It's the only thing I can't ruin. 

My mom kept talking about this YSL nail polish Gris Deco.  It's pretty much magic nail polish.  In some light it looks like a beautiful grey, some lights white, some lights a powder blue.  How YSL? How? I don't love buying nail polish, because I suck, but this had to happen.  I mean this is Chanel Particuliere good. (Particuliere is very similar to OPI You Don't Know Jacques! which comes in a gel)

I took it to the nail salon and the results were impressive.  It lasted about a week, and I got so may compliments on it. ::brushes off shoulder:: It's real good. 

Charlotte turns TWO!

We've entered into terrible twos.  They are no joke.  I swear, the morning of her birthday, she woke up at 4:15 in the morning, and freaked out over the POWER WHEEL we gave her.  Living vicariously through your kids is not easy.  She continued to be a hot mess for a solid week.   I keep hearing that 3 is worse.  WORSE.  Proving my point that, "mommy brain" is real.  Otherwise, after you experience a week of toddler time, you get your ovaries removed. 

We gave her a birthday party anyway.  Armed with my Silhouette Cameo, a love for planning parties, and three hour naps, game on.  First things, first; invitations.  I discovered you can buy pens, or a pen holder, and put it in the silhouette instead of the ratchet blade.  A little bit more taxing than printing out an invite, but not as taxing as handwriting.  My first non vinyl project.

I made each one in different colors, more for myself, to play with different color combos

Put this on her door while she slept on her birthday eve. Another experiment.

We had the party at a local park, and just invited family and close friends who had kids around Charlotte's age.  To keep the lameness down for our childless friends, and to get all the kiddos together.

I didn't make this, bought it at Paper Source

Made Martha's Antipasti Pasta Salad

 Gift Bags for the kiddos, letters are vinyl. 

I cut brown paper lunch bags in half with a scalloped scissor and then added the presents that were on the invite.

It turned out super fun.  Weather was perfect, everyone had a great time, lots of pizza and adult juice was consumed, bubbles blown, balloons amazed young minds, and, of course, Frozen themed gifts. There was even a little Frisbee throwing with the males at the party.  I know Charlotte probably won't remember it, but we will and it was great.  There is just something so nice about celebrating someone you love, especially your daughter.

Oops...

After we moved into our new house and things settled down a bit, I got to start decorating.  One of the first things I wanted to get was a personalized door mat.  I wanted something that was a bit more modern, but not too stuffy.  I found the perfect one on etsy, and it was $35.  Say what!? The mat was clearly from IKEA, and I know it couldn't cost more than $10, and that's being generous.  So, I pinterested it, (Obvi). Someone had to have a blog post about DIY doormats.  There was a shocking number.  I came across one that talked about a Silhouette Cameo.  What's that, you ask? Well, it's a machine that cuts images out of paper, vinyl, fabric, all sorts of other mediums.  It looks like a printer, and you hook it up to the computer, then design what ever you want with their software.  It cuts the out, leaving a stencil and the design itself.  I was intrigued.  I did some research, and then sat on the thought of buying a $300 automatic Exact-o knife.  Got a coupon in the mail, so clearly, it happened.

This thing is legit.

It's taken my crafting skills to an entirely new level.

Holy. Crap.

A trip to Joann's Fabrics and Bed Bath & Beyond, the first door mat was created.  

This is one of Silhouette's stock images.  How freaking cute.  The mat is not really what I envisioned.  But it was in the clearance section, and I needed to practice on something.  It now lives by the front door.  I used vinyl for the stencil, and leather fabric paint. After a learning curve and some elbow grease, boom.  Done.  Consider this can of worms, opened.

Home Depot plain door mat, $8 

Does work need a doormat? Yup.

House warming gift for my bestie, who just moved back to the Mitten? Absolutely.

Side picture of our spawn doing "cheers".  Teaching them the finer things in life.  

A little foreign flair. 

Really, this could get out of hand.  I mean, they are adorable.  I can put ANYTHING on them I can think of.  Game. Changer.  Any font that you have downloaded on your computer, shows up in the software.

 ::wipes drool off face::

Should I make some t-shirts? Yup.  I have a silk screening kit, which is awesome, but why not use heat transferable vinyl? 

Yup, and I made those cute little gift tags.

Chalkboard sign STENCIL, Holy Moly, just got hours of my life back.

Really, why don't people talk about this thing? I mean I guess I don't have many friends who are crafters, but, still! It's so, so good. 

At the end of the day, I guess you could say it was kind of an expensive doormat.  Probably should have just bought the one from Etsy.  BUT, it's been such a great creative outlet for me. 

Can't stop, won't stop.