Free Spring (Easter!) Printable

I am woefully behind in changing out my holiday decor but having two kids is getting the best of me. Seriously. Things like decorating are a far way down the daily to-do list. It was snowing again this morning (what the???) so I decided it was VERY important to improve my mood with a little spring-y cheeriness. You know, to pretend like it's spring-time outside. I browsed online a bit, having an idea of the look that I wanted (silhouette, bunny, burlap) but not finding it. So I made one myself!

I needed something that would last past Easter (because I am just now taking down my Valentine stuff!) so this is specifically a "spring" printable. :)

A nice little spring vignette brightened my mood considerably! You are welcome to it too! You can download it HERE. :)

Here's a quick way to pin it!

Come 'like' the Craftily Ever After Facebook page for updates on new posts! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Craftily-Ever-After/113950961999654

Come check out my photography too! Pretty eye candy and inspiration when you 'like' my Photography page on Facebook! :)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dreamy-Belle-photography/232983930106628

Linking up to www.somewhatsimple.com, www.houseofhepworths.com, www.theletteredcottage.net, www.katiesnestingspot.com, www.firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com, www.yesterdayontuesday.typepad.com, www.theshabbycreekcottage.com, www.shabbynest.blogspot.com, http://www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com/, http://www.tidymom.net/, http://www.becca-homeiswheremystorybegin.blogspot.com/, http://www.romantichome.blogspot.com/, http://www.alittleknickknack.com/, http://www.creationcorner.blogspot.com/, http://www.atthepicketfence.com/, http://www.chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/, http://www.whilehewasnapping.blogspot.com/, http://www.mysimplehomelife.com/, http://www.ladybirdln.com/, http://www.freckledlaundry.com/, http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/, http://www.frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/, http://www.tatertotsandjello.com/, http://www.lambaround.blogspot.com/, http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/, http://www.iheartnaptime.net/, http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/, http://www.iamonly1woman.blogspot.com/, http://www.bystephanielynn.com/, http://www.diyshowoff.com/, http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/, http://www.itssoverycheri.com/, http://www.thegirlcreative.com/, http://www.makingtheworldcuter.com/, http://www.skiptomylou.org/, http://www.madincrafts.com/, http://www.sewcando.com/, http://www.creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com/, http://www.craftomaniac.blogspot.com/, http://www.sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/, http://www.craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/, http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/, http://www.tipjunkie.com/, http://www.todayscreativeblog.net/, http://www.hopestudios.blogspot.com/, http://www.beckieandbrad.blogspot.com/, http://www.reasonstoskipthehousework.com/, http://www.lilluna.com/, http://www.thethriftyhome.com/, http://www.sew-much-ado.com/, http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/, http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/, http://www.shoprubyjean.com/, http://www.somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/, http://www.733blog.com/

Christmas cards

We didn't want to pay someone to take our Christmas card pictures this year, especially since I knew neither little daughter would cooperate! I had to be creative to think of something where I didn't need to rely on a two-year-old or a newborn to cooperate! We don't have a tripod, so I set the camera to 'timer' and put in on the backyard BBQ. I used an idea I saw of an engagement picture where the couple held Polaroid photos of themselves. It turned out nicely! :)

Then I designed the card in Photoshop and had it printed through Costco.

What do you guys do for Christmas cards?

NOEL

You may remember my Pottery-Barn inspired NOEL wall art from last Christmas:

(Tutorial HERE.)

This year it got refashioned into a photography prop!

Merry Christmas!

A "Visit" From the Jolly Guy

For the few short years that I believed in Santa, it was a magical delight. The excitement I felt when imagining him on the roof with his reindeer was enough to do me in. I can't even IMAGINE what I would have thought if my parents could have "caught him" in the act! I probably would have died on the spot. And come back to life screaming with excitement! So I thought- how fun- Annalise can have just that!

Photoshop can provide a Christmas miracle! :)

Our living room before:

Our living room AFTER!

I can assure you he was only there in spirit (and that Annalise might be a bit young to appreciate his visit anyway!) but she will never be the wiser!! What a fun stocking stuffer, or framer to put on the mantle for Christmas morning! :)


Want Santa to pay a visit to your house too? Click HERE!

Annalise's Rainbow Birthday Party

My sweetest little munchkin turned 2 and we celebrated by having a rainbow-themed 2nd birthday party! We had about 50 guests so our little home was full and happy. :)

I made rainbow invitations,

and she wore her first nail polish! (With which she is now obsessed.)

The front door had a rainbow welcome wreath (I adapted MADE's acorn wreath with kidney beans because that's what they had at the dollar store!)

There was another rainbow welcome sign to greet the guests as they came in.

Rainbow letters spelled out 'TWO' to go in the frames I like to switch out for holidays and special occasions.

There were rainbow paper pom poms for the ceiling and the cat helped a lot with that part. He laid on the tissue paper I was trying to use.

Annalise helped by discovering the Windex somewhere and cleaning things that didn't need cleaning.

With the scraps from the bigger pom poms I made little ones to scatter on the mantel,

which also sported a cardstock pennant banner with Annalise's name on it.

The rainbow pinwheels came in two packs from the dollar store, and poked out of thrifted milk-glass bud vases.

The cardstock banners adorned windows and sliding doors too.

The treat table had lots of yummy rainbowy goodness.




There were Rainbow Twizzlers,

rainbow Otter Pops,

and a fruits-and-veggies dollar-store tray with that had six compartments which would have been perfect if I'd added the pineapple and blueberries like I'd planned. :)

The party favors were giant rainbow lollipops from the dollar store that got decorated with a customized rainbowy message I printed on sticker paper.

Chips and beverages were served in rainbow platters and pitchers we happened to get for our wedding,

and you had your choice of plenty of colors of plates and utensils!

I decorated plain cups with personalized stickers,

and for those just wanting water, there were customized water bottles! (Water-bottle label tutorial HERE)

I'm a sucker for details- the bottles sported personalized nutrition facts with her name, age, and birthdate too. :)

Dave barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers and there were other goodies too. (Including rainbow goldfishfish crackers- which actually only come in three colors.)

And the yummiest part- the cupcakes!

They were piled up with fluffy white (cloud-like!) frosting and sprinkled with rainbow sprinkles.

The handmade cupcake toppers on lollipop sticks matched the theme.

The cake itself was Pillsbury's Rainbow Funfetti.

Annalise danced and conducted the music as her guests sang to her,

but was strangely wary of her rainbow candles. She let Daddy do the honors of blowing them out.

Thanks to all her friends and family, Annalise had a blast at her rainbow party!

And it ended the way any good party should. :)

(Please note she cuddled off to sleep with daddy's iPhone like a teddy bear.)  :)

Linking to www.tatertotsandjello.com