Lost:

I don't quite know how to begin this post. I've been on a long hiatus from my blog, which was originally intended to be my fun diary of random finds. I honestly don't know if I can ever come back to it. On April 14, I lost my husband and biggest cheerleader to Colon cancer. He fought hard for a year and half, we went all over the country to seek answers and treatment. Unfortunately, with this dreadful disease it's the luck of the draw. He was my best friend, my daughter's hero, my boyfriend, confidant, biggest supporter of all my crazy dreams and ideas. We were together for 20 years, 8 of those as husband and wife. It sounds so cliche, but I've truly lost half of myself. He knew me better than I knew myself, he could answer my thoughts before I was sure what to make of them. When I wanted to start this blog for fun, he was the one that encouraged me to do it. I know everything takes time, and maybe one day I'll find the strength again to come back and keep blogging. 

 

1975-2014

Fabric Lust:

So to continue the post about 'V's playroom, eventually I'd love to make bench cushions for the Expedit Shelves. This way, there will be a comfortable place to sit, especially for grandparents. I was really excited when I found this great tutorial on how to make them! I have zero sewing skills, and this tutorial by IHeart Organizing was right up my alley! Now comes the hard part. Which fabric to use!!

 

See all the great fabric selections from this store!

You can order samples for a $1 each!

 

V's Playroom:

After my husband was diagnosed with cancer, we knew our lives would be turned upside down. We knew there would be a lot of hospital stays, so we had to make a special place for our Victoria  to play.  Back in September I had started looking for ideas on kids modern playrooms. We knew the most cost effective way to go was IKEA, but we didn't really like the kids furniture because of the colors. So we found pieces that could easily be incorporated in a kid's room, and still be useful afterwards. It's still a work in progress, but at least she now has a retreat while daddy is busy getting better.

 

1. Expedit Shelves 59.99

They are the perfect height so she can easily access her books and toys.

 

2. Skubb Bins 14.99 for set of 3

Perfect for holding her lose toys, while keeping them well hidden

 

3. Gladsax Frames 7.99

I designed the posters and got them printed at a local printer

 

4. Lack Side Table 9.99

We didn't like the children's table, and this side table was the perfect fit for a third of the price.

 

5. Mammut Children's Stool 7.99

Adds a touch of playfulness to the room

Mini Me:

I have to admit I'm a bit of a fashion sargeant when it comes to my daughter's clothes. I know everyone has their own taste in fashion, but my theory is, dress your child like you would dress yourself - age appropriately of course! My daughter is still too small to wear Crewcuts from JCrew, but the items that are currently on sale have me tempted to splurge and save them for later! Now if only these were adult sizes and adult prices!

What's in the Bag:

Kate Spade Diaper Bag

Haribo Gummy Bears

Johnson & Johnson Hand and Face wipes

Pampers Sensitive Diapers and Wipes

Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment

Plum Organics Baby Food

Neat Solutions Easy Wipe Bibs

Ralph Lauren Baby

Bee Party:

 I finally got the time to go through my daughter's First birthday party photos. When I started planning her party eight months ago,  I wanted to design something special & unique for this celebration. I figured when she gets old enough, I may not have a say in the theme of her parties. I loved the idea of a Rustic Bumble Bee Theme, and we were touched by the opening line of The Bee Movie - According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. It's wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee of course flies anyways, because bees don't care what humans think is impossible. My daughter was born at 26 weeks, and overcame many obstacles to make it to her First Birthday, so we knew this would set the tone for her Bumble Bee Theme.   

I designed all paper goods, including the invitation, tags for food, the banner, and the goodie bags. For the kids’ goodie bags, I ordered Muslin Bags from CelestialGifts, and then designed a custom iron on logo, that read “Thank you for Buzzing by”. The goodie bags contained bubbles, bumble bee tattoos, sunflower seedling starter kits, and The Bee Movie.

My creative friend from Paperglitter was kind enough to offer her help and make three Beehive Piñatas for different kids’ age groups. This helped a great deal since there were about 30 kids ranging from ages 3 to 10.

The dessert buffet had lots of treats, besides the birthday cake, it included honeycomb cereal, honey teddy grahams, yellow gumballs, various flavors of candy sticks, and chocolate and vanilla cupcakes by a local baker, Golosinas. I found wooden letters at a local Michael's store to spell One. 

I worked very closely with my friend from The Posh Nosh Cakery to design a cake that had a hint of the Bee Theme without being too caricature like.  

Photography by: www.denisecruzstudio.com

Color Straws: HeyYoYo

Papergoods: Fresh Linen Press

Let them eat cake:

It was so exciting to celebrate Victoria's First Birthday. We decided to capture this special ocassion with a cake smash session. My friend Denise from Denise Cruz Studio truly captured the moment, and Victoria's very vibrant personality. We also wanted to thank everyone who donated to the March of Dimes in Victoria's honor. It is because of their on going research that preemies have a chance at life!

Miniature cake by The Posh Nosh Cakery

A Miracle Birthday:

I can't believe Victoria's first birthday is fast approaching! I must say, there were times last year that I thought we'd never make it this far. After Victoria's premature birth at only 26 weeks, we had an emotional rollercoaster ahead of us. Each passing day was a challenge and a blessing. The three long months she stayed in the hospital felt like an eternity. The day she finally came home, only two days after my very first mother's day, was very bitter sweet. We had become so attached to all of her nurses, or as I like to call them, her NICU Mothers. They were our support system, reassuring us with each passing day, she would be okay, and one day she would finally be home. Today she is a chubby, healthy baby, who is growing way too fast. I feel thankful and blessed to finally be celebrating this joyous occasion. She is our little miracle, who changed our lives forever.

In celebration of Victoria's birthday, we have created a virtual band to make donations to the March of Dimes in her honor, and in honor of so many babies who were not as fortunate as our precious Victoria.

{Click here to make a donation in honor of Victoria}