Something from nothing...

Well, I looked and looked and looked for a centerpiece for the baby shower I'm hosting in a few weeks.  As it turns out, it's pretty much impossible to find one that is both reasonably priced and not totally cheesy.  So, after a bazillion internet searches on ideas, I decided to make one myself.  So, behold...the diaper cake:

Supplies used:
- 76 diapers
- Approximately 150 rubberbands
- American Crafts Ribbon
- BoBunny flower embellishment
- Supertape
- Vase
- Baby bottle
- Cake stand
- Florals (half off at Michael's)

Total cost:  Approx. $30...plus it doubles as a practical gift, since mom-to-be can keep the diapers

Notes:
- I put a couple of diapers in the bottom of the vase and then put a baby bottle on top of that so that it was tall enough to be a base for three tiers.
- If you rubberband everything together securely, and use the supertape strategically, you really only need to wind up with tape being on three diapers so that all the rest are intact.
- If you wanted to make one, you may need more or less depending on tiers, etc.

Pile of supplies (doesn't look like much, does it?):

Building the base (shown tiers around the vase...baby bottle added for top tier):

Adding the outer layers (wound up having to add a large serving plate underneath, cuz my cake stand wasn't big enough):

Adding decorations to personalize it:

Adding flowers to finish it off:

Not too bad :)  I'm actually liking it a lot.  That's all for now...possibly working on favors later!

It starts...

Well, it's decided. I'm starting a blog...again. It's been years since I kept one in college, and while I loved it, something changed. It seemed like as soon as I got out of school, life took over...spent a few years working jobs I hated and rearranging my life around people who wouldn't do the same for me, and just generally having nothing of interest to post. But, in June of last year, I started a new job, moved to a new place, and started over. So now, a year later, my new life is falling into place. I have a creative job that I ADORE (even on the days when it frustrates me beyond belief). I rescued an adorable little Chihuahua named Lucy, who keeps me from becoming even more of a Internet and DVR junkie than I already am. I've repaired family relationships, and the friends who have stuck with me through all of this I know are the real deal. All in all, I've finally settled into myself. And while, yeah, there are always days when I could tear my hair out, or stay in bed all day, I'm generally pretty well-adjusted and happy with my life.

That said, I've found that my creative job is sapping all my creative energy. I get home and stare at the TV instead of tinkering around with the piles of pretty scrapbooking and cardmaking things I have so obsessively collected over the years. This is where the blog comes in. Such a responsibility, the blog. It's incredible the sense of guilt I feel for not keeping up with something I've committed to. So here's hoping that guilt will spur me on when creativity alone does not.

And now, my first creative project...invitations and matching thank you cards for my best friend's baby shower that I'm hosting in October. I used Popcorn the Bear unmounted stamps, Faber-Castell watercolor pencils, and October Afternoon paper from the Ducks in a Row line. The thank you card is on half of a gatefold card from Archivers, which fits perfectly into a 4bar envelope.

Front of the Invitation:

 Inside the Invitation...I just couldn't resist using the cute little duck from the stamp set:

The matching Thank You Card:

Alrighty...that's all for tonight :)  More soon!