Collage Cards

Hi friends,

Hope you are enjoying your weekend. I know Valentine’s is over but I wanted to share the collage card project Grace and I did for her classroom. I think this simple method of creating cards is really fun and can be done for any occasion.

Grace and I have done many collages but I have discovered that the best success is found when I curate the materials. Usually sticking with a theme or color palette allows your kiddo to make choices and express themselves without being overwhelmed. There have been plenty of times when I threw down a mass amount of stickers and papers only to find the Grace got overwhelmed and upset when her finished artwork looked “messy”.  She simply had too many choices in front of her. Providing just a little framework meant that she got to be creative and enjoy her results too. Nothing  is worse than an afternoon spent crafting only to end up with a grumpy kid, a paper strewn floor and glue everywhere. A creative buzz kill.

Before Grace got home from school I had cut out and organized the elements that would be used for the Valentine cards. This made it easy for Grace to make her selections and understand the color palette.

Scrapbook paper and vintage music sheets were punched into hearts using this handy dandy punch. Scrap booking die cuts and sticky jewels make easy embellishments – we had to make 25 of these cards after all! A little glitter was used at the end for a special touch of sparkle and buttons were a fun 3D addition. K & Company has some of the prettiest supplies and are my go to for scrapbooking goodies!

We had so much fun making these! I would have pics of all of them but it was dark by the time we were finished!

Think about making some collage cards with your kids for Easter!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

xo,

Home sweet home

Bonsoir my friends! Happy Easter! I hope you all enjoyed the holiday weekend.

I returned from Paris on Monday and I’m starting to get back into my groove. Forgive the delay in posting pics! I do have over 300 images to edit and it’s a rather daunting job, not to mention the mounds of Parisian treasures unearthed at the flea markets that need to be photographed and listed on my Etsy shop! It’s been a busy week but I couldn’t be more satisfied.

Paris was…amazing, dreamy, surreal, inspiring, overwhelming, breathtaking, exhausting, life-changing and incredible. I could go on…but I think you get what I mean.

We arrived at 2 pm. Dropped off by a friendly, somewhat amused (at us) cab driver in front of our Paris flat on Rue de Grenelle in the 7th Arrondissment. I felt like I had landed on a different planet. Jetlagged, pregnant and stupefied, I was overcome with how surreal it felt to actually be in Paris. My head was swimming as I took in our surroundings – beautiful old buildings with ironwork filigree, a quaint cafe across the street bustling with locals, a fruit vendor rearranging bunches of white asparagus, the aroma of fresh bread and flowers and the ever-present, gentle hum of the French language buzzing around us. I must have looked like a deer in headlights. I was in Paris. For real.

After settling into our apartment, we headed over to the corner bistro. Terrified, I approached the gentleman at the door.

“Bonjour?” My voice was barely audible. This whole language barrier was freaking me out…even after all my French practice.

He smiled and said in English, “Table for two, for lunch?”

I must have sighed rather loudly, because he chuckled. I nodded and he seated us at a sidewalk table and handed us English menus. Were we that obvious? I guess so.

With shaking hands, I managed to wolf down my first Parisian meal. Roasted chicken, scallop potatoes and a salad. Not that interesting but it did wonders for my blood sugar.

With a full belly we decided to stroll over to the Eiffel tower, ten blocks away.

Here comes that surreal feeling again. I stood in awe, gazing at this beautiful structure – the one seen through out my home on coasters, prints and pillows. There it was before me. Let me tell you, it is truly stunning!

As night fell, we headed back to our flat to (hopefully) sleep! I have never felt more exhausted and giddy all at the same time.

Here was the view from our bedroom window…

Sleep came quickly but I awoke at 11 pm to this sight…

Pure magic.

xo,

Birthday Girl

Hello there! I know…long time no post…sorry. It’s been a whirlwind with Grace’s birthday and then Easter. Busy but fun with lots of phototaking! I have too many photos to process….but in the meantime I wanted to share a few shots from her little “Princess” party…

more to come…

Hope all is well with you!

xo,

By the dozen

This week was all about eggs…we dyed eggs, made craft eggs and decorated the Easter tree…(a bit late, I know) and I even made tried an Egg Strata recipe that we devoured.

I added green onions, mushrooms, ham, onion and red pepper to the recipe. YUM!

I am amazed by the simple beauty of an egg.

We made simple foam eggs covered in glitter and stickers. Grace is kinda obsessed with stickers and I’m kinda obsessed with glitter so we were both happy.

The Easter tree was fun to put together. Adorned with ribbons, fluffy pink chicks, butterflies and strands of pastel eggs, it’s Grace’s favorite tree so far…

Tomorrow we head to church and then a lovely brunch with friends.

Have a lovely Easter Sunday!

xo,

Ivy

Happy Easter

Hope you all have a lovely weekend and a wonderful Easter.

xo,

Ivette

Images: Casheefoo via DeviantART

Easter Decorating

With St. Patty’s Day behind us, Grace is already begging me to decorate her holiday tree with Easter ornaments. She is requesting, eggs, bunnies and her favorite…hearts. So today, while looking for inspiration I came across some beautiful Easter eye candy here.

I’m in love with these silver eggs…so pretty.  How to make them…click here.

The perfect table setting for a sunny Easter brunch….

Might try to make these beaded egg ornaments with Gracie. They are so precious.

Whatever your traditions are for Easter…make your nest beautiful.

xo,

Ivy

All images via MarthaStewart.com