a non-quilt quilt for baby tanner

Jay's cousin Lisa and her husband just had their first child this past week.  He is a handsome baby boy by the name of Tanner.  When we got to see Lisa over Christmas we got to talk baby quilts.  As she described the types of quilts she really liked best of all I decided she really didn't like quilts at all!  So what else can I do than make a non-quilt quilt.  Like all quilts that I make, especially baby quilts, this one was made while I was thinking of all the great memories I hope will be made on the pieces of fabric.  It just so happens this one only has two pieces of fabric, the front and back.  No piecing at all, not a piece, not a piece of piecing!

But this was what the cute little mamma wanted, and so this is what she got!

I thought it turned out simple and cute.  It is one piece of fabric on the front with stars and his name appliquéd. I thought the stars would be a good nod to his daddy who proudly serves in the Air Force.  The back is just another simple fabric with a a little signed love from a family that can not wait to meet little Tanner Joseph!

A week or two ago it was washed twice in Dreft (for that sweet baby smell), rolled, tied and sent on its way to its new home in Lousiana!

Congrats Hutchinson Family!  We hope you enjoy hours of snuggles with your precious wee one wrapped in his non-quilt quilt!

We love you!

a very merry mermaid party

We celebrated Charlotte Gray's third birthday last weekend in merry mermaid style!  This is the first time that she actually knew that her birthday was coming and what all came with your big day. Charlotte is the one that chose the theme and after I had tapped out all of my creativity and craftiness (pinterest), I asked her what she wanted at her birthday and she replied in a very Charlotte way with her hands in her clasped in her lap, "just a wot of bawoons and cake."  Man, all my decorations and what was the one thing that I did not have, balloons.  So needless to say, that morning we picked up some balloons!  Her special day was made even more special because her favorite family, The Smiths, drove all the way from Virginia to come to her birthday party.  It was a great weekend that I think any three year old mermaid would have loved, and ours sure did!

Here are some shots from the day!

Decorations: we kept with the beach mermaid theme with shells and all of our favorite sea creatures.

Food: our mermaid and mermen guests dined on an assortment of nautical treats!  Complete with crab sandwiches, sea weed grapes, driftwood, sea shells and cheese, sea snails, goldfish and gold coins and some fishy sweets like marshmallow starfish grahams, sand dollar cookies and clam cookies.

Fun Activities: I always feel the teacher in me over plans everything, but with a good group of active kids with a crazy ring leader mermaid the activities were just right!  As always, Jay read a book, we chose Three Little Mermaids, everyone decorated a cookie or two to take home (I loved the google eyes I ordered) and the kids enjoyed painting fish sun catchers and receiving fishy temporary tattoos from my crazy tattooing aunties! (thanks Paula and Teresa!)

Of course we had all the fun activities that all birthday bashes include like cake and gifts.  I think it came to a big shock to both Jay and I how she reacted to her group of loved ones singing happy birthday to her.... we sing happy birthday to at least five things a day (everything from clouds and bugs to brooms and dustpans to people she met in the grocery store) so when it was her time for the birthday song and her smile turned to a nervous cry we were a little surprised.  Thanks to a willing crowd that sang to her not once, or twice but a lucky three times and a loving Auntie Dee that helped her get through her big moment.  She blew all her candles out with shockingly no singed hair and enjoyed some cake and presents!

Happy Birthday to our favorite little "worm maid" we hope you had as much day on your big day as we did planning for it!  We love you!

-melissa

days and (nights in rodanthe)

We spent the last 5 days vacationing with my parents at their beach house in the outer banks of north carolina. Ollie's first time at the beach and Charlotte now old enough to really enjoy it as you'll see. It was a great few days away from it all. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Brown Bear Birthday Party

Last weekend Oliver James turned one year old!  To celebrate the occasion we had a Brown Bear, Brown Bear Birthday Bash!  The whole family got to celebrate with daddy Bear, mommy bear and sister bear shirts....and of course the birthday boy himself got a new shirt for the occasion.

Jay made the shirts just by using iron on transfer.  They were great, quick, and easy no-sew shirts!

This picture says it all!  Two proud parents who have survived another year of parenting, a happy birthday boy and a jealous sister who wishes to show you her belly!

We had a yummy dinner with brown bear burgers and some colorful sides!

No Hess Birthday Bash would be a party without story time with daddy bear and craft time with myself.  Jay read Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle to the birthday goers and then we all made animal masks and took pictures in the photo booth!

You can not properly celebrate a birthday without cake for a baby boy and cake for his friends and family!

Happy Birthday sweet Ollie James. We love you so and hope you enjoyed your big day!