Crafting Community Weekender

I cannot even tell you how excited I am to attend my 2nd Crafting Community weekend at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs. My son and I went last year with my sister and her family and it was the best weekend ever. Crafting Community is all about unplugging from the world and connecting with your family through crafts. Combining my love of crafting and spending time with my son = BEST WEEKEND EVER!
This year we will definitely need to take a football to fill my son's new passion. Although he did wake up this morning and ask when we were going to the tennis shoe decorating party and was disappointed to find out it was not today.
I have been following Crafting Community on Instagram (follow them at ccommunity) and they have sooo many fun activities planned this year (custom stamp workshop, duct tape wallets, tassel jewelry, converse tennis shoe decorating and more).
Below are a few shots from the last one we attended. If you want to learn more go to: http://www.craftingcommunity.com/events/

 Family time back in our room.

 Artsy pictures around the hotel. Family shot above and solo below.

 Cookie making with cousins.

 Enjoying the cozy Splendid fabrics on cushions poolside.

 Chillaxing.

 Pool time - notice the feathers in the hair. Another option at the amazing weekend.

My son was 2 1/2 for our first weekend and now he is four so it should be about 10x more fun for him since he can now do most of the crafts!

Obsessed: Summer

So I have decided I am obsessed with summer. This will probably change when my son is older and I have to schedule him for three months. But right now I am obsessed. Summer brings a more relaxed feeling as well as 1/2 day Fridays, beach days and the Hollywood Bowl. I got to do them all a few weekends ago with my son and we had the very best time. I am sad to see summer come to an end. Until next year my friend.

John Williams night at the Hollywood Bowl. Light sabers everywhere for the Star Wars finale. Amazing!

First surf in Malibu with Uncle Scotty!

Making Pizza With Kids

My son and I love to cook together. I do not do a lot of it but when I do he loves taking part. A few months ago we starting making pizza. I purchase pre-made dough from Trader Joe's, pizza sauce, pre-grated mozzarella and pepperoni. I set everything up on a cookie sheet on the kitchen table and let him get started. He is now an expert pizza maker. It is a lot of fun.

Below are pictures of the pizza making with a friend one evening. All kids love being a part of making something and love to eat it even more.

Rock Star 3rd Birthday Party

Coming off of last year's 2nd birthday birthday (see it here

http://www.craftynotartsy.blogspot.com/2013/06/my-lil-buckaroo-turned-two.html), I knew I would not be able to top it. But I did want to do something big again. My son was obsessed with music so I decided to do a Rock Star birthday party. I had seen an amazing party online, so I contacted the woman about buying the printables. It was perfect because my son was obsessed with pink and I didn't want it to look too feminine. 

The entertainment was a drum circle which I thought would be fun since my son LOVES to attend drum circle on the weekends. Enjoy the pics below - and a few short captions.

 I used spray paint on cardboard to add a rock n roll flavor to the directional signs.

As guests entered the house they were provided a back stage pass personalized with their name.

 The dining room was transformed into the make over/photo booth/dessert room.

The dessert table included cookies by Sunshine Bakes, cake pops, cupcake pushups, microphone cupcakes and mini cupcakes by me. I even included old vinyl as the cake holders.
A few close-ups:

My backyard was set up for a few different activities - guitar decorating, cookie decorating, lunching and drum circle.

 Back stage food stop. Gable boxes had kids lunches.

Cookie decorating included individual decorating set-ups.

 Paper guitar decorating.

Here is a picture of the photo booth corner and my nephew taking advantage of the set-up.

 My son and other guests enjoying the drum circle.

And a party isn't complete without swag.

Obsessed: Castle Pines, CO

I recently met up with two friends from college. We stayed with one of them in her new home in Colorado. I am now OBSESSED with her community - Castle Pines. I now realize this is what life is supposed to be like when you are 40 and raising kids. The neighborhood is sprawling, the weather was great (I realize in winter my reaction would not be the same), the amenities were amazing and I felt so relaxed (maybe because I was kid free for 2 days).

This neighborhood has houses with LOTS of space at affordable prices. I live in Southern California so you pay $1M for a house with a yard. Not a big house, just a house.

Kids have so many choices between the play grounds nearby or the multiple pools.

Now if only I could do my job from here and ship in a few of my SoCal friends. Perfection.

DIY Ice Cream Kits

I absolutely adore AndersRuff (www.andersruff.com) and when they posted the FREE ice cream summer printables I knew I had to take advantage. I decided to create ice cream kits for my son's teachers as a year end gift. Since he is in daycare/pre school year end and first day are only a weekend apart. But we do get new teachers and a new classroom for a new year.
This kit was so easy to create and assemble.

Supplies:
printables
ice cream cones
ice cream cups
spoons
ice cream toppings (gummy bears, m&ms, sprinkles, caramel sauce and chocolate sauce)
box or something to hold elements
tissue paper and ribbon to make it pretty

Step 1: Print your printables here
http://www.andersruff.com/custom-printable-parties/diy/ruff-draft-welcome-summer-and-free-printables/

 Step 2: Add toppings into cellophane bags and seal with a sticker

 Step 3: Add stickers to everything (here I added to the ice cream cups)

Step 4: Custom Spoons (see my blog here http://www.craftynotartsy.blogspot.com/2013/07/diy-stamped-ice-cream-spoons.html)

 

More stickers on the bags.

Step 5: Gather all elements for assembly

Step 6: assemble

Assembly line

Step 7: Add a ribbon and another sticker