2010 Santa Picture

This year's picture is almost the same as last year's - CRYING!

Click here for last year's pic.

Miss J's Minnie Mouse Birthday Party

Miss J turned 2 a few weeks ago! My baby is now a little girl! (though she'll always be my "baby")

After last year's Barnyard Birthday Bash I decided to make it easy on us and host her birthday party Pump It Up.  2 hour birthday party and they clean up? It was a NO BRAINER!

 

Of course, I couldn't leave it at that and had to make the generic party room special so Tita T and I whipped out the hot glue gun and started crafting!

Can you guess the theme?

Miss J LOVES Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and I thought it fitting to have a disney based party since she'll have her first trip to Disneyworld next year!

Tita T and I crafted almost everything on the table from the Minnie/Mickey ear headbands. . .

to the sign and Minnie head.

The cake was all chocolate and a replica of a ton of Minnie Mouse cakes I found searching Google.

We weren't allowed to put anything the on the walls so we figured we had to make the main table the center of attraction.
 

Almost every item on the table was crafted by us.

2010 Christmas Doorway Decorations

The conversation went something like this: (copied and pasted from our gmail chat)

Nelly: I'm gonna try to do something similar to this on our front door for Christmas: link to pic of Thrifty Decor Chick's Christmas decorated doorway
Hubby: Cool!
Nelly: would you think i was crazy if i painted our door a different color for christmas?
Hubby: YES YES YES I WOULD!!! :-P
Nelly: but if i do a red wreath it won't show up on a RED door which is why i need a BLACK door temporarily or at least for christmas
Hubby: hahah, we'll need to put black facade on door somehow

Lucky for him I came to my senses and decided to work with our red front door.  In searching for inexpensive Christmas decor ideas I came across Thrifty Decor Chick and was totally inspired by her Christmas Doorway and was determined to recreate it - on a budget of course!

How I did it and a few details:   I first purchased 4 artificial garlands thinking I would only need two BUT just in case bought 4. Thank goodness I did because when I saw how puny one garlandwas  I knew 1 would not work. I wrapped two around themselves, then attached them into one long string with floral wire.  I then strung the garland with a string of lights leftover from last year.  The wire was white but in the name of the budget I did not care. :-P   I then loosely wrapped wired ribbon around the entire strand of garland.  Wired ribbon is awesome because you can shape it anyway you want and don't have to worry about it slipping etc.  I love the detail on the ribbon was so pretty and at $1/roll the price could not be beat!

The Christmas ornaments at Walmart this year are GORGEOUS! I initially purchased 2 ponsiettas but then decided that I wanted them scattered around the garland.  I could have CRIED when all the red ones were sold out at my store. Luckily the store next to Miss J's pediatrician's office had a few but still not enough for what I envisioned.

  To make up for it I purchased two dragonfly ornaments to fill in a few spots.  Hopefully, I'll be able to pick up a few extras next year.  Note to self - shop for Christmas Decor EARLY! I'm amazed how the shelves were empty and it was only December 7!
  Thankfully I had the potted artificial trees from last year otherwise I have a feeling purchasing those would have been a budget breaker. Taking a cue from Thrifty Decor Chick I stuffed the bottom with red shatterproof ornaments.
  $5 for a box of 24! :-)
I lamented over what to use as a wreath over the door. I first thought of purchasing stems of white ponsiettas and creating a wreath much like Thrifty Decor Chick's.  A red wreath was out because it would blend into the door. (hence wanting to temporarily paint my front door black. :-P )  I then saw a tutorial for creating ponsiettas out of felt and thought that would look cute.  Both were great ideas but TIME CONSUMING and I was simultaneously working on stuff for Miss J's 2nd birthday party.   The coffee filter wreath (visit nesting place for tutorial) had been sitting on my mantle waiting to be hung up when one day a lightbulb went off and I found my solution!

I layered it in front of my existing wreath using a cable tie and it worked perfectly!
See the cable tie?
I love the ruffles!
What I love even more is it only cost me an hour of time and $3.50 for the wreath form! (the coffee filters had been sitting in my pantry for YEARS)


Doorway in the daylight:



Budget Breakdown:
(all items from Walmart except Wreath form which is from Hobby Lobby)
Garland $8
Glitter Ornaments $7
Ribbon $2.50
Wreath Form $3.50
Tree Ornaments $2.50
Coffee Filters $0
Lights $0
Trees $0
Green Wreath $0

Total: $23.50

NOT BAD!

Deck the Halls!

In an effort to start blogging AGAIN, (see first blog here) I figure my first real post should be the Christmas decor I've been working so hard on the past week and what better way to present it than to participate in the Christmas 2010 Tour of Homes! My decor and pictures are nowhere near the quality of some of the posts I've browsed but I figure what the heck!

  Doorway Every year I like to add something new to our outdoor decor and when I saw Thrifty Decor Chick's decorated doorway I was totally inspired and had to have it! (more info about doorway here)

Living Room Our living room/family room is basically one big great room and I try to inject a little Christmas cheer on any surface I'm able too. This isn't easy as I have to also keep in mind that Miss J LOVES anything shiny and new!

Christmas Tree I started the pink Christmas tree when I was pregnant with Miss J. At the time, I intended it to be a one time thing but I loved it so much the tree has stayed!  

I alway display Christmas cards on our dresser and I've only received two so far. I wonder if this is because I did not send any out last year?

Our boring mantle - Any ideas are welcome!
 

  Snowmen stockings
 

Nutcrackers - Hubby and I used to collect one every year but for some reason stopped in 2008.  I definitely plan to start up this tradition again and let Miss J choose a Nutcracker this year!  

Nativity Scene over the piano. These figures used to belong to my Mom and were "gifted" to me when my Mom decided to stop decorating.  

Another Nativity scene - This one was gifted to us by Miss J's Hello and Pop. It's handcrafted out of olive wood.

  Minnie and Mickey used to reside in Hello and Pop's front yard but was gifted to Miss J in honor of her first trip to Disneyworld next year! They're in such great condition for being part of their outdoor Christmas decor and Miss J loves them so much I had to have them in the house. 
  Little area under the window in our living room - these end table are loaded with Miss J's living room toys.  Left over branches from our tree sit in the vase, the Nutcracker in the back is a giftbox meant to hold wine and the reindeer jar was a cookie gift from a few years ago. (now hold leftover candy from Miss J's second birthday party)  

During Miss J's waking hours the ornaments in this basket are usually scattered all around the house. Thank goodness they're shatterproof!
  The western themed Christmas tree was part of the decor for Miss J's first birthday party last year.

The details on it are so cute!
 

The puny wreath over our kitchen window - I'm definitely changing this next year!
Hubby and I saved this bottle from a trip to Aspen we took in 2005. We had such a great time on the trip and loved the wine as well. (it's stuffed with a small string of Christmas lights)
Thanks for visting and be sure to visit The Nesting Place for more Christmas decor!