And I'm Back!

Now that I'm back in the swing of things (at least as much as you can be with a newborn and toddler!), it's exciting to be back online as well. I figured the best way to fill in the time gap was with a color story... yeah I know, not the logical choice but much more fun than a random list! So the color is pink and the pics say it all. Briar (McB - TIm likes to think he's Scottish) has sweet pink little legs & cheeks, Uncle PJ and Auntie Sunniva gave MG the coolest "super skate shoes" as a big sister gift, I got stunning flowers from an amazing group of friends (they're named the "happiness bouquet" - how very sweet & clever of them) and we had the most gorgeous pink sky at night this past weekend. It looked like the sky had flipped and we were above the clouds - kind of like being in the Care Bears movie. Now that would be happy and super colorful!

Lots more to come, including new projects and maybe a little something brand new too ...
-HAPPY PINK PICS-

The Hula & an Apology

Wow, the days (and nights) are happily hectic with 2 kiddies! And, since I can't seem to find a second to do anything, I'm posting Briar's hospital portrait as his blog debut (he looks like he's doing the hula in his sleep). I know it's not ideal and my dad has so many cuter ones, but at least it's a little something.

And now for an apology... First, I just want to thank all of you that have sent the sweetest emails over the past week. You can't know how happy they've made me and how loved I feel. That being said, I'm so sorry for the lack of responses. Between trying to heal and adjusting it's been nutty. I promise to respond as soon as I'm back on my feet, but for now please know how very much you're all appreciated. Thank you!!!

And now I'm off to pretend to tackle the laundry...

- HAPPY FULL HOUSE -

Little Boy Blue!

IT"S A HAPPY BITTY BABY BOY!!

Sorry for the quick post, but thought I'd finally share the baby news (for those of you that don't know already). Tiny baby Briar was born on Friday, June 12th at 1:38 pm. He weighed in at 5 lbs, 5 ounces and is a strapping 18 inches long. A few other tidbits... His full head of hair was the shock of the century (none of us had any), MG is a great big sis and he's a mellow little fellow. Sorry for the lack of pics, but we're still figuring out the 2 kids and recovering from a c-section deal. I promise I'll have some up as soon as I can. Happy day to you!

- HAPPY BABY BROTHER -

No More Sleeps!

It's baby day and we're so excited!!! I still think it's a boy, but the amnio doctor totally threw me off the other day ... as MG says "Maybe it's a boy, maybe it's a girl? We don't know we'll see!". So off we go to the hospital now to start a whole new adventure. I'll share the happy news as soon as I can...

- HAPPY BABY BIRTH DAY -

"Where's My Thumbs?"

Okay, so she isn't Houdini, but MG is very proud of her latest trick. Hey, it's good for a laugh, so thought I'd share. Three more sleeps til baby time, hooray!

Home Sweet Crazy Home

For those of you who don't know, our house is in the midst of a mega renovation ... um yeah, check out the pics. It's a little nutty. So, with "4 sleeps to go" until the baby arrives (that's how a good friend is keeping tally for me), I thought I'd give you an update. Yes, we're still sleeping in the dining room and, yes, MG is still camping in the downstairs office/storage "adventure bedroom" mess. BUT, the great news is that most of the plumbing is done and Kurt the "electrician extraordinaire" is hard at work on upstairs today. So with no hope of having a bedroom, let alone a "big people" house before Friday, it's good to know that there's progress. Call me crazy or very pregnant, but the scary truth is that I'm not worried about it. I'm just thankful to have a happy home however it comes!

- MESSY, CRAZY HAPPY HOME SWEET HOME -

Font Fridays - Featuring Ciseaux

I'm so excited to be able to feature a shiny new font this week - Ciseaux (aka "scissors"). It was only listed last night on MyFonts.com, so you're some of the first to preview it. Hooray!

Ciseaux was inspired by the art of paper cutting. Early paper cutting artists were often royalty, but it soon became a folk art practiced by commoners whose cutouts decorated their homes. By the seventeenth century it had spread throughout the world. The Japanese called it Mon-kiri, the German’s Scherenschnitte and Turkey even boasted a guild devoted to the art form. When Russian invaders confiscated scissors in Poland, villagers were found to cut their intricate designs with sheep shears! The art form later developed into cutting out elaborate designs of nature scenes and people, celebrating special occasions and even decorating legal documents.

Ciseaux letterforms mimic paper cutting art in its shapes with a rather loose and almost joyous rhythm. The overall effect is somewhat earthy and natural yet it has an element of sophistication that cannot be ignored. Just like paper cutting, Ciseaux can be used for special occasions like invitations, brochures, identities, restaurant menus, and if you dare, some awesome looking paper graffiti. Available in TT, PS and Opentype for Mac and Windows.

- SHINY HAPPY NEW FONTS -

Happy Birthday Tee Tutorial

Happy June everyone! Thought I'd sneak in a couple more free tutorials before baby 2 arrives - I can't believe it's next week, so exciting! I've noticed a ton of number t-shirts lately in boutiques as well as etsy. They're not cheap, so I figured why not make a little project out of them? They're a great birthday gift for little ones, plus they make for good photos on the big day. I also figure I'm going to need a cheat sheet when I'm old & gray so that our kids will know which birthday they were celebrating in the pics!
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
- a t-shirt
- fusible web
- an iron
- fabric scraps
- sewing machine (optional)
- scissors
-computer or your imagination
These can be made with the kid's age in numbers (2, 3, etc) or with candles (see pic). Using your computer, print out a big number as a guide or go crazy and cut out your shapes freestyle - the cupcake is super easy. Follow the directions on the webbing to create fabric stickers. For the one I use, all you do is iron the fabric to one side, cut out the shape you want, remove the paper and iron it to the tee. It's so much fun! Once you have all your pieces stuck to the tee, stitch around the shapes to secure them. This step is not necessary (especially if you're not sewing savy), but it will make the shirt last longer. Finally, if you want, add embellishments like buttons or rhinestones for sparkle. Give em away, dress up your little one or celebrate yourself - happy birthday all around!!

- CELEBRATING HAPPY BIRTHDAYS AT ANY AGE -