Next installment of fun projects over "Christmas Break"

I took pictures of Ayden for his first birthday.  We went to the train station in Punta Gorda.  I wished that there weren't so many businesses around, but they worked out ok.  Boy is it tiring to take pictures of an active one year old, but I got a shot or two that I just love.  If he was sitting still for longer, I would have changed the setting on the camera, but oh well. 

These are three of my faves.  These are my go to pictures if I need to pick one out really quick for a gift or something.  The rest can be viewed on my facebook page.  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200422059217640.2201853.1340920005&type=3

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In October I made monogram letters for my nieces (wood letters from Hobby Lobby). 

Well they mentioned to my sister that they would like all letters for their names to hang over their beds.  So she sent me pictures of their bedspreads and off to HobLob I went. 

Along with their names, I planned on giving them each little kits. Brooke likes to bake so she got cupcake papers (along the back), 2 baggies of different kinds of sprinkles, candles, and some recipes of her favorite cupcakes.

Caitlyn LOVES ice cream, so she got an ice cream kit.  Waffle cones, waffle cone bowls, sprinkles, oreo cookie crumbs, and plain M&Ms.

I had the kits planned before the names.  I knew I was going to put them in the plain boxes from Michaels (back by the unfinished wood section), but I wasn't sure how I was going to decorate them.  Well with the scraps of paper from around the letters I cut out, plus one or two full sheet, I cut out (with a paper punch) 1" squares and started mod podging them to the boxes.  Finished with a little ribbon (after thought to cover up some mistakes), a chipboard letter, and I was good to go.  I lined the inside with the solid color from each theme, and they were actually kinda cute.  Hope they thought so too.

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I'm on a roll...I'ma keep going (plus the boy child is playing nicely with his toys)

I made ornaments for Ayden's grandparents; Oma and Opa (my parents) and Memere (pronounced Mem-may) and Grandpa (Berk's parents).  Picked up the (I believe they are 2") wood blocks at, where else...Hobby Lobby.  Used some of the pictures from Ayden's 1 year session, some red paper and ribbon.  And you guessed it...MOD PODGE!  I think I am in love with the stuff.

I used a combination of 8 photos, so that hopefully the same set of grandparents would have a nice variety.  I also put them on blocks as my parents don't put up a tree in Maryland since they are always here for Christmas.  This way they can leave them out or just get them out around the holidays.

On the far left is the top of one of the ornaments.  I just put a simple To and From.  On the right/top is the year.  Kept it simple so that the focus was on the handsome little boy!  

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Last name frame.  I saw an idea similar to this in Pinterest (or as I say to my DH "a website I like to look at" cuz he makes so much fun of me for always being on/doing something from Pinterest).  But the person that posted it did it with vinyl (truth be told, I like her's better) but I don't have those supplies, so I did with what I have.  Paper and a cricut.  I bought a floating frame, advertised to hold three 5x7s, but it's just 2 pieces of glass in a frame.  Perfect!  I cut the letters with the cricut.  Used graph paper under the glass for spacing and to keep me straight (credit to my dad on that idea).  Ran used small dabs of Mod Podge for the bigger letters and ran the smaller letters through my Zyron.  I LOVE the way it came out.  I think I'm going to have to experiment with vinyl soon tho.

This was for my sister and her husband that just got married this year.

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My father-in-law is a Vietnam Vet and has just recently been talking about it and going to reunions for the helicopter group he flew with.  I asked my MIL if she knew where his "stuff" was and if I could put together a shadowbox for him.  Originally I thought, a shirt, a picture, and a few pins/medals.  Well he had more than I thought (and more than that even).  So I had to make 2.  I kinda like it better.  It was fun researching (with my dad's help) what each of the medals/ribbons mean.  After Christmas, my in-laws gave me the rest of his medals for me to incorporate into the display. 


Ok, that is all for now, DH will be home soon from work and baby is getting a little antsy.  He doesn't like when I am "occupied" either at the computer or the kitchen counter.  So ta-ta for now.  Have a wonderful weekend!