Teagan's Mermaid Party

Hello InterWeb world.  It's me.  The non-blogging SAHM to 3 kids who will probably never keep up a REAL blog.  Although I wish I had those magical abilities.  This past year has been BANANAS.  NUTS.  Effing CRAZY!  Why??  Not sure.  I think it's a combination of: a 5 year old, a 3 year old, a 1 year old, an entrepreneurial husband (whom I adore) and his roller coaster of a paycheck, my hormones, starting real school (kindergartener), did I mention the 3 and 1 year olds?!!?!  I've now signed myself up as an assistant Girl Scout troop leader.  (Because I MUST be insane, seriously.  I have a hard enough time maintaining sanity with the most simple life structure.  To tack on added responsibility aside from keeping small children alive is PURE INSANITY.)  I'm going to blog about Teagan's Mermaid Party.  Why?!?  Because I have been wanting to for AGES.  AND AGES.  I ALSO LIKE TYPING IN CAPS LOCK TODAY.  I'M YELLING AT YOU, APPARENTLY.  SORRY. 

So.....Teagan's 3rd birthday extravaganza.  Mermaid Heaven.  I'm going to mostly post pictures for those of you "I can see it, then just recreate it" (I fall into that category usually), but I will try to remember the websites I found things on as I post.  Here goes!  

The Party Table.  As far as I recollect, I brainstormed this layout on my own.  And with the help of TJ Maxx, where I purchased the sea horse statues and many of the nautical items you'll find posted later on.  I did follow a tutorial on how to craft those tissue puff balls (tissue paper ball tutorial here).  I'm going to post more photos of the individual parts of this table now. 

So let's discuss her outfit first.  I made it.  Head to fins.  The hat is a Styrofoam cone found in the floral section at any craft store.  (I had found these at Hobby Lobby and Joann's, I believe...)  I coated that baby in mod podge, then dipped it in glitter.  After it dried I gave it a second coat of mod podge and glitter.  Then after it dried I coated it finally in mod podge (no glitter) so that the glitter wouldn't fall off as easily.  I then made a tiny tulle ball (akin to the afore mentioned tissue ball) (tulle pom pom tutorial here) and hot glued it to the top.  I took a thin strip of tulle and sewed a gathered stitch (video for how to sew a perfect gathered stitch here) hot glued that to the bottom edge of my cone.  For the three, I found a font I liked and used my silhouette cameo to cut it (website for purchasing info for a silhouette here)   then I mod podged that bad boy to the birthday hat.  I then took the plastic plain headband I had purchased and found a good place for the hat.  I pushed the headband in to form a groove.  I pulled out the headband, filled the groove with hot glue, then placed the headband inside.  POOF!  Super cute, custom made Mermaid Birthday Girl Crown!  TING!  

The shirt material I purchased from Hobby Lobby.  Since it was a stretchy material I knew I wouldn't have to hem anything.  I literally (and so very simply) made a basic tube top.  One line sewed down the back!  BAM!  Mermaid tube top.  I did cut one strip of the fabric to make the tie.  I sewed the button on the front by hand and tied the tie behind her neck.  It worked for the one day of wearing it.  For her tiny body, 1/4 a yard would totally do it!  

The skirt.  I'm not about doing tutorials myself (yet) and this was done by making my own patterns for her skirt/tail.  I will post a few mermaid tail tutorials, though, that I've used in the past.  This link (party guest mermaid tails) was what I used to make all of her guests their own mermaid tails.  Easy and FUN!  

There are the up close shots of the food table!  I made the birthday sandcastle cake!  SOOOO.  I'm brilliant.  Instead of sending you to each individual link (which would probably be easier for you, but I have a job of keeping my kids alive so blogging has to be kept to a minimum until they're older) I'm giving you the link to my specific pinterest page I created just for this party theme.  You're welcome.  Mermaid Party Extravaganza.  Go pinterest your heart out. 

NOW FOR THE COOKIES!!!  My good friend is a creative and baking goddess, and I purchase cookies from her for every party.  Here is the link to her facebook business page.  She SHIPS.  And these cookies not only taste AMAZING, but they are darling!!
Caiti's Cookies

Again, that is Caiti's Cookies.  Find her on facebook.  She's amazing.

My Little Mermaid.  Her party was quite the success!!!  Also, it set the bar pretty high!  But now that I've done 3 themed and fun parties, I feel it's like riding a bike.  Right??  I hope so.  Because I have a 2nd Train Birthday Party coming up, and I've been procrastinating!!!  Time to get on the choo choo train and prepare another life celebration for my littlest little.  Thanks for stopping by!  I'll try to post pictures of an UP birthday, and the Super Hero party soon.  (Soon means nothing for me in internet standards....  It could be 3 years.  #justsayin) 

 Goodbye InterWeb!  Until next post!

Sincerely,
MeL

 

I can do it!

Hello world.  I'm feeling quite optimistic and exuberant today!  The birthday season is OVER.  I have spring to look forward to.  I get to utilize my time in more "free" ways.  And now, my husband and I are setting some goals to achieve.  And we haven't done that in ... I dunno.  A REALLY long time!!  

Over the past few years my family has become more and more health conscious.  We've read blogs, and research, and books, and articles!  We've tried many, MANY different ways of eating.  Paleo.  Maximized Living.  And have occasionally dabbled in vegan eating.  All of the above mentioned forms of "diet" are, in my book, always a good way to go if you're eating fast food, drinking soda, and purchasing boxed, processed foods from the grocery store.  They'll ALL provide you better quality health, and therefore a higher quality of life!  Who doesn't want that?!?  

A quick side track to explain the reasoning behind my constant quest for better health.  On December 12, 2008 I watched my dad die from cancer.  Technically it was septic shock that took him, but without the cancer he wouldn't have taken the chemo pills that sent his body into the downward spiral that killed him.  So cancer won again.  I DO NOT want to die anywhere near the age of 57 from health related issues if I have the power to take charge now.  And I do.  So I've been searching for what will be best for me.  And what makes me feel my best.  

Eating Maximized Living, above all the others, far and away was the BEST I've ever felt in my life.  The main difference that I can see is that you completely sugar detox.  You can't even have rice or bananas at first!!  (grains turn to sugar as soon as they hit your mouth, so those are out!  And even fruit sugar is technically still sugar {although MUCH better for your body!!!} and you can't have most fruits when you start that program.)  The only reason we stopped eating that way can be summed up in one word:  Pregnancy.  I got pregnant and the hormones and sour stomach took over and sugary sweets were all I could ingest without vomitting, so I ate them.  And off the wagon I fell.  

But now, it's been 15 months since I was pregant.  I've lost 20 pounds.  I still eat sugar.  And I don't feel as lively and energetic as I want to.  I'm broken out all of the time.  I'm having actual migraines, and that's totally new to my life!  I'm having panic attacks and fairly extreme anxiety from time to time during the months.  I can't fall asleep without help from something.  Wine, benedryl, etc.  It's time to take the reins back into my own hands!  And that's exactly what I plan to do.

We've watched just enough documentaries to feel ready and able to make the steps to becoming vegan.  My favorite sources of inspiration are The Kind Life, Alicia Silverstone's personal lifestyle.  Vegucated, a documentary we watched on Netflix, and of course Forks Over Knives, another Netflix documentary.  I also follow all of these on facebook and get daily inspiration by reading their posts.  If you want to know why I chose to become vegan, watch and read those.  They cite research that I find compelling.  Also, being vegan completely goes alongside my intense desire to promote saving the planet!  Or at least stopping the damage now.  Eating meat is horrible on the environment.  Horrible.  Disgustingly so.  And I already feel better as a human being knowing that I don't "just recycle".  I'm taking even more steps to reduce my carbon footprint.  For me.  For my kids!  (Who will indeed have to fix all of our selfish decisions in the future... sorry kids.)

Now on to my fitness goals!  One of my friends on facebook posted this AMAZING link the other day.  Arthur's Inspirational Transformation.  If THIS man can change his life and his fate, any of us can!  My husband ordered the DVD's and we just started this morning.  My husband has a horrible back due to a terrible accident from being thrown from horse when he was 11.  He almost died.  Since then he hasn't helped his back, or body.  He played in numerous bands, one of which was a metal band where the thrashing around couldn't have helped.  So this program will be perfect for him.  I'm excited to see what results our determination will provide!  

Another fitness goal of mine, besides getting this yoga thing down, is to get my knees and body in shape enough to do a color run!  I REALLY want to!  But first I want to strengthen my joints.  Did you know that when you're pregnant (as I've been 3 times) the hormones that relax your ligaments so your stomach can expand to hold a baby not only affect the ligaments in your hip and tummy area, but ALL joints and ligaments?!!  I can feel this horrible after affect, and I must strengthen myself before I dare run much.  But it is a goal.  Color Run!!  

So there you have it!  Get fit with yoga.  Start jogging soon.  Eat clean and healthy vegan.  I'm empowering this mommy of three to be healthier!  

Here's my pic from today.  What will be in a few months my "before" picture!  And I'm going to say it, I'm NOT embarassed of how I look.  I've had three kids.  I don't work out yet.  And frankly, I have zero desire to look like a model.  That's honest.  I like curves.  I personally find curves on women attractive.  Not that naturally string bean women are unattractive, but we all have our gravitations, don't we?  So I'm not out to be a certain size, see a certain number on the scale, etc.  I just want to feel good.  

So there I am!  Not too bad!  My last "before pictures" I weighed 20 pounds more.  So these I feel pretty good about!  

That will conclude my post for today.  I do really want to blog and post and share about the kids birthdays, but that is going to take me some time!  Zoey's Super Party was yesterday!  It.  Was.  Awesome.  I'll share a quick picture or two, a sneak peek!  Have a great Sunday!  

You don't have power over me. I do.

So...here I am.  In the midst of what I fondly refer to as "Birthday Season".  Sewing my ass off.  Crafting my ass off.  Baking my ass off.  Really just putting my whole heart into my children.  So since I put so much *unnecessary* pressure on myself to do too much, I always feel slightly to exuberantly stressed out.  Also, my husband has been traveling more than normal, and an upcoming trip is throwing me off.  My mom talked to me the other day and passively aggressively told me how bi polar I am.  (May be true, but I try hard to contain it and be on top of what triggers me and when to dial things down....also mostly I just get anxious.  No depression.  And PLEASE do not encourage me to go to a doctor.  They've only prescribed me meds that make everything WORSE, not better.  The best thing for me is to totally clean up my eating, get more exercise, and take things off of my stress list.) 

So I'm quite into instagram.  I love it.  It's like mini blogging, with TONS of pictures.  It's my happy place.  Usually....  I have had a few bad experiences. BUT, all of the bad has been brought on by my own issues.  Paranoia.  Lack of confidence.  Etc.  All I'm going to say is that NO ONE HAS THE POWER OVER HOW I FEEL ABOUT MYSELF.  Even if I did mess up.  That does not make me a bad person.  I will nick this confidence issue in the bud, before I'm 35 I hope!!  (Big changes take time...)  People you meet on the internet, although are real, flesh and blood, still are basically strangers.  You've not met them face to face.  You've not seen how they react when they're angry, or sad, or scared.  You mostly only know the perfect images they WANT you to believe is reality.  And I'd know.  I'm an internet lady.  Facebook.  Instagram.  Now a blog.  I will not let a moment of my own weakness result in me beating myself up all day.  It's over.  I said I was sorry.  (Wasn't even that big of a deal, but I don't enjoy being called passive aggressive when in all reality, it was presumption.  I presumed something to be true when I know nothing of the circumstances.  Done.)  I'm not a confrontational person.  So when I am confronted my stomach churns all fucking day long.  But not today.  I have power.  Over myself.  Over future mistakes.  Over the NOW!  I'm good enough.  I'm smart enough.  And doggonnit....people like me!  Even with my flaws.

Ok.  Rant over.  I empowered myself, which is what I needed.  Learned from my mistake.  Learned how to not handle it (learning from the way others react is a way I can not treat others poorly in a moment of heated reaction).  And now, for my past week!

Teagan's 3rd birthday party was Sunday.  It was pretty great.  Mermaids mermaids everywhere!  Here are a few pics.  I'll blog about the whole thing later, as I want to share some of the sources of my inspiration and creation!  I hope everyone had a great Valentine's day.  I celebrated Zoey's 5th birthday today.  Her REAL day of birth!  Her party is Saturday!

Good bye, small amount of readers.  And mostly friends.  Until next post...

 

What a week......

Oh my.  It's been a *insert appropriate expletive here* week here in my household!  The husband was away, everyone was sick (but Z), I now have TWO parties to throw within one week of each other.  BAH HUMBUG.  That will be my attitude.  Rhett must be sick, or something, still.  He's NUTS.  And therefore I'm almost impossible to coexist with.  In fact, as I write this, he's upstairs refusing (quite loudly) to take a nap.

So....Teagan's mermaid party is on for next Sunday.  To be honest, all the excitement and joy has been snuffed out for me.  I'm getting zero time to myself to even breathe.  Now I have to hustle to get Zoey's stuff done.  Needless to say, I'm gearing my expectations and plans for both parties WAY DOWN!  I hate that, but it's necessary.

I'm going to post today.  Even though I'm not in a joyous mood.  Or a witty and comical mood.  I'm in a boring, depressive, bah humbug mood.  But I'm making it a personal goal of mine to blog more often.  And include links and small directions to attain information for you on where I get some of my inspiration and how I managed to "pull it off".  Today I made 3 superhero masks for Zoey's party.  I have a silhouette cutting machine and used three of the mask shapes.  These are not for sale, but I will be handing them out as "thanks for coming" gifts to all the kids (plus capes, which I haven't even purchased fabric for yet....).  Here are the masks:

masks, which I cannot get my phone and flipping mac book air to share.....


Ok let's try some other pictures before I "give in" and go get Rhett.  Who is still crying.

The other mermaid tails aren't ready yet, but Teagan's outfit is.  So that counts for something.  Alright.  I'm at my wits end.  Best go get upset baby boy.  :-(

Preparations for a mermaid party!

I'm going to do a short post about my preparations thus far for Teagan's mermaid party.  My youngest has been sick with a fever and gunk, and now I think I'm ailing as well.  So this post will lack my normal wit and humor.  (At least I like to think I'm funny...!)  

So far I've made Teagan's tissue paper puffs.  I have almost the whole table back drop ready.  And really, with all the sickness that has been wreacking havoc here, a little imagination and rearranging will suffice so that I don't have to make more.  (Some of them have fallen down....)  

I've made Teagan's mermaid tail (follow these instructions if you want to know how to make one yourself, but I didn't use this for hers, I winged it....!), her shirt (again, winged it, sorry no directions), and her crown that I based off of this tutorial (only I used styrofoam cones, not paper mache).  Here's my mermaid:

I was going to sew all the little girls mermaid tails (because it doesn't take long) and make the boys pirate shirts.  If this week continues as it has begun, that won't happen!!

Teagan's real birthday was yesterday, and we went to the aquarium.  A perfect place to go for a little mermaid!  I can't believe she's 3.  Or can I?  Time is flying, and I'm trying to enjoy it!!  Thanks for stopping by.  Sorry this was short.  But I wanted to get something documented while the sick baby is asleep!  See you on instagram.  (Find me... newleafrags.)

"there she goes again"

It's true.  HERE I FRACKIN GO AGAIN.  But I have this inkling that in the next months to come I might have blog worthy stories.  So I'm going to try BLOGGING.  AGAIN.  Victory shall be mine.

Eh hem.  For those of you who don't know me well, let me explain.  (no, that will take too long, let me sum up....  just a little Princess Bride reference for my fellow nerd girls...)  I'm a HUGE instagram addict.  Newleafrags is my screen name.  I'm the luckiest mom in the world to three precious kiddos.  An almost 5 year old girl, and almost 3 year old girl, and one crazzzyyy baby boy (14 months currently).  

I'm in the process of planning two birthday parties.  A 3 year old "Mermaid and Pirate Adventure" to be happening in less than a month, and a Superhero 5th bday bash in like 6 weeks or so.  I LURVE planning parties.  If only I had more money....then I'd be the best around.  But, I have a serious budget, so I DIY lots of things.  So far on my agenda of things to do in the near future:  

*make a mermaid princess worthy costume
*make mermaid tails for the guests, and pirate shirts for the boys
*banners, banners, and more banners.  (I like me some banners....)

I didn't list much, but I'm kind of a "fly by the seat of my pants" kind of gal, and I just basically throw shit together and hope most of it is congruent.  My attitude?  It will all work out just fine in the end, whether it was exactly what you wanted or not.  And it's true, it really will all be more than adequate in the end.  Just got to level out my expectations along the way.

I'm also VERY, SUPER, and ridiculously excited to be planning our first vacation in 3 years!!!!!!!  It's not a beach or mountain resort, or even a fun family theme park.  But we've planned stops along the way at the Omaha Zoo, a great family hotel in Sioux Falls that boasts a bodacious indoor water area, and a few typical and RAD roadside stops at places like "188o's Town" and wax museums.  Ahhhhh hell yeah.  As long as my 1 year old is copacetic on the drive, and learns to sleep peacefully NOT in his bedroom, I foresee a fairly successful trip.  Also, we are, as of now still, planning on going with another family.  Call us crazy, but we don't even know them well.  It's a friend of my husbands from years ago, and I'm not friends with her on Facebook and she's one of my favorites to "FB stalk".  (She's SUPER funny, and I have a true soft spot for hilarious people.)  Our girls are mostly the same ages and we all are "foodies" and I think overall, we will mesh pretty well!  Hoping to get a cabin in the Mt. Rushmore area and stay a few days there so we can watch Independence day festivities with a real 'Murica! mentality.  'Murica!  

So also, my family is getting back on the healthy bandwagon.  I loathe telling you we've even been eating a tad bit of fast food.  **shuddering**  My true fall back point will always be my  pastry loving, coffee drinking, sweet tooth.  So anyway, plan on hearing about healthy eating.  I'm talking a little vegan, a little paleo, all as clean as we can make it.  I tend to not fall into any one "camp" or "team".  I simply think people need to educate themselves on what they put in their bodies.  Food is medicine.  Whether you choose to be vegan (do it RIGHT, folks....vegans can be just as unhealthy as anyone if they're still eating processed, man-made crap, oh and SUGAR...) or choose to be paleo, or vegetarian or pescetarian, blah dee blah.  Just be healthy and listen to your own body!!  Which is what we intend to do.  But with a little kick start.  TING!  (that was my kick start noise....)

So, as I'm a huge IG nerd and addict, I shall leave you with a few of my more recent photos. Until my next post (which knowing me, could be 6 months...).