Happy Birthday To My Caboose!

I cannot believe that the caboose of our family is already one.

How did we go from our little 6 lb. 5 oz. precious baby boy to a one year old so quickly!

My Peanut.

My littlest Little Monster

My Chunky Monkey.

My My Little E.

My Munchkin.

My sweet Ethan Cole.

You are the perfect caboose for our crazy train. 

Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy!

Linky Party Love!

Grab your new crafting project, head over to Sweet Peas and Bumblebees, and share it!

All the cool people are doing it!

Wooden Train Whistle Pizazz

So, I have a slight issue with coming up with AWESOME ideas for parties at the BEST times. And of course, by best times I mean at the very last minute causing me to rush to do even more than I originally planned on.

Now, is one of those moments. With just a mere 3 prep days before the party, I decided that the super awesome dollar section train whistles I scored at Target (you can read about that win here) were a little boring plain.

I mean, can you really just give a blank whistle with absolutely no "Train Party Pizazz?"

I didn't think so.

SO my sweet whistles got a little makeover.

Just a little.

I mean, look at them! Don't they look sad???? If I was that plain, I would be sad. (And you would too, don't lie)

So I got to work.

 I used my handy dandy Cricut to cut out M&E. Since the invitations were made to look like tickets from the M&E Railroad (aka Mason and Ethan, since it is a joint party), it seemed fitting that the whistles display the same traits. After cutting out the M&E on some card stock, I simply placed my homemade stencil onto the whistle and used a sponge brush to apply the black paint.

I like that it kind of looks a little rough around the edges like a stamp.  

Then, since I still have a lot of thrifted fabric left over from some of the other birthday projects, I tied a little strip onto each whistle for a little color.

Don't they look so much better! A little easy (FREE) personalization! Now, I want to add the date of the party! I may have to do that today.

(There's that adding things at the last minute deal again. I wonder how many more times it will happen before Saturday gets here.....)

Vintage Train Party- Drink Table Decor

So as I sat here yesterday thinking about how I was going to arrange the drink table at the Vintage Train Party this weekend, I got to thinking.... There really isn't going to be much on that table! That table is OF COURSE going to need some pizazz!

Well, a month or so ago my aunt and uncle, being the wonderfully amazing people that they are, gifted me four old wooden windows.

LIGHTBULB!

Old wooden windows would fit just snuggly in with my vintage themed party!

Enter.... The window. 

Lovely, by all means, on it's own, but a tad bit..... Empty.

It wouldn't be adding too much "decoration" to the drink table on it's own.

And that is where the double sided cardstock left over from the invites, the black cardstock left over from some banners, the thrift store fabric strips left over from the OTHER banners, twine left over from ALL of the banners, and my Carousel Cricut cartidge come in to play...

After a few minutes of cutting and assembling...

TADA!!!!

If it is hard to read (which I am sure it is since I am at work and OF COURSE forgot my camera at home forcing me to use my cell phone to take pictures) what it says....

"Eat, Drink, & Chug"

Get it.... CHUG.... Since it's train themed.... (I will insert your giggling/"Oh what a clever idea for a train themed party" thoughts here for my own amusement.

So there you have it! In horrible picture form, but here none the less!

I promise, after the party Saturday there will be TONS of pictures for all to get a better look!

Everyone have a LOVELY Tuesday!

Party Planning Win and Some Random Things

You know that moment when you click the order button and realize that the standard ship date is well after when you will need the item where you have to decide if paying the extra amount for express shipping is justified by your need for the item..... 

Yeah, that feeling. That feeling sucks. 

The moment I saw that estimated delivery date November 22nd pop up on the screen my heart sank. 

Double the shipping? Or suck it up and have a train themed birthday party without wooden train whistles?

I chose to do without. I could not for the life of me justify spending $60. I was upset that there would be no whistles, but lesson learned. Two weeks before the party is NOT ample delivery time. (I find this odd)

So, the next morning while performing my daily Target rounds (yes I walk aimlessly around Target in the hour I have between when I drop my last child off and when I have to be at work) and sulking from my previous day's disappointments, I decided to peruse the dollar section (as usual). 

Then.... Like a beacon of light on a dark stormy night (or like finding a piece of chocolate in your purse in the middle of having a horrible day), there they were. 

Wooden. Train. Whistles. IN the dollar section! But alas, do they have enough? I need 12! Do they have 12! 

They not only have 12.... They have FOURTEEN! 

Needless to say...

I bought every one they had. 

Is that luck or what! I was literally so excited when I spotted them, that I yelled (not whispered, not spoke softly, YELLED) "WHAT IS UP!" (A friend and I started saying that in moments of amazement back in high school and occasionally is pops up. This seemed like a fitting time for it to make an appearance)

I'm sure the majority of Target shoppers in the general area now think I am nuts, but what do I care!n I have wooden train whistles!

But, on to another super discovery.

While checking out the GW the other day, I found this little beauty.

It's a few years old, but packed with some very good ideas and recipes. 

Is it just me, or does she always look like she just kicked you out of her special club?

One of my favorite things from the book came out of nowhere. 

Baking pan wall sconces?????? I don't know about this...

Holy. Cow. Yes, I DO know about this! Aren't these awesome! I would have never even thought of this! Now, I MUST try it! 

But, that will have to wait. I am deep into party planning mode now. Today has been jam packed with party supply shopping. 

So much so that my dining room table looks like this...

Nice! 

I am so ready for this party to happen! 

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! Ours will be packed with party preparedness.

Only 1 week to go! 

Tissue Paper Pom Poms....

Are the DEVIL!

I have tried 3 times now to make one of these things and it has failed! What the heck is going on!

They always end up with gaping holes! I fluff and fluff and fluff and they WON'T LOOK RIGHT!

Someone please tell me what the heck I am doing wrong!



Pre-Party Panic Fest, Railroad Style

I am in a rut. 

I have a million and one things to accomplish for the party and how much longer do I have.....

11 DAYS !!!!!

Although I have been working on this for, oh let's see..... 5 or 6 MONTHS, I feel EXTREMELY unprepared.

Am I surprised by this? Not really. This happens with every single party. I have a million ideas, a million sets of plans, and when it gets down to the wire... I panic.

Will everything be done in time? What about this? What about that? What about smacking me with a wiffle ball bat?

It never fails. It's the Pre-Party Panic Fest.

My problem is, I won't let anyone help.

"Why?" You may be wondering to yourself....

Well, simply put, no one can see my vision and I can't put it into words. I illustrate this elaborate vision of how I want everything to look/taste/smell/feel and if something doesn't go with that idea then I get anxious and annoyed.

It's insane! I am a Party Planning Nazi! If it isn't right, it has to go. As harsh as that sounds, it is pretty much right on target.

Not only that, but I always end up biting off way more than I can chew.

Cakes with perfectly antiqued trains, mason jars with wild flowers hanging from the railing, and a dancing bear juggling baby fire breathing dragons!

Everyone please cross their fingers and pray that I get through this without losing all of my hair and that the party goes off without a hitch.

And if anyone is willing to crawl inside of my brain, get a good glimpse of my vision, and help out.... PLEASE FEEL FREE!