Fabric Scrap Banner Tutorial

I have made many banners in my days and I have to say this scrap banner is my favorite. I love how it fills the back ground with texture and dimension. It is also great because there doesn't have to be any measuring and or sewing. That's right, NO SEWING and it only takes 3 STEPS.

Supplies

• Double sided fabric
• Think string
• Scissors
• Your hands :)

You will want double sided fabric.  Most fabrics come with a print on one side and white on the other. This is fine if this is what you are going for, but I personally like my fabric to be the same on both sides.

For the banner you see above I chose 7 different prints and I purchased a half a yard of each print. 

STEP 1:

Cut slits into the fabric. Using your hands, tear off each strip of fabric. I cut my strips about 2 inches each. This is what is so great is you don't have to be perfect, and all the sizes can be different.

STEP 2:

Loop the fabric strip over your string.

STEP 3:

Pull the two ends through the loop and pull tight!

To see this whole party click HERE

Mustache Bash

This Mustache Bash was for a client who wanted to surprise her husband for his 30th birthday.
I wanted to make it fun, yet still age appropriate. I decided to go with a simple color scheme, and then incorporate my vintage style with a few touches of mustaches through out the party to create the perfect mustache bash.

 A big thank you to Mimi's dollhouse for creating all the printables, to Kacee Preston Photography for helping with the photography, Orson Gygi for the candy, and to the Wood Connection for all the wood mustache supplies and paper used.

A few of my favorite things to take notice:

• The fabric Scrap Banner
• The use of left over fabric
• Mustaches on long dowels for the front walk way
• Card board cut out of a few party guests ;)
• Mustache Party Favors
• Mustache paper in the center pieces

As you walked up the front drive way this is what you saw...

Once inside the guests were having a blast with the great food and fun photo props. 

It isn't a party until Fabio and Mitt Romney show up :)

The Birthday Boy

The center pieces for each table. I love the use of the mustache paper from the Wood Connection

TO SEE MORE OF MY PARTIES CLICK HERE

Vendor Credits:

Party styling: Bridgey Widgey
Wood mustaches: The Wood Connection
Printables: Mimi's Dollhouse
Gum balls in bulk: Gygi's
Chcoloate Mustaches: Gygi's
Photography, Kacee and Bridget

DownEast + photo shoot

This post is sponsored by...

 DownEast home and clothing is the best of both worlds. They have such amazing selection of furniture and clothes all for marked down prices. Anyone who knows me, knows I love a good deal, so this store is perfect for me. I can find a great selection of modest clothes and shop for my house all in one store.

  I don't know if this is just me, but I love to walk around their store and envision what my future home will look like. You know the home I will have when I either die and go to heaven or have lots of money :) I like to hope that the second option will come before the first ;)

Usually I see items I like and it is way out of my price range, but that is what is so great about DownEast, they have a great selection that is so affordable. I SO wish this store was around when I got married because EVERYTHING would of come from there. I still get buyers remorse whenever I see a killer couch at DownEast and it is cheaper than the ugly one I bought brand new from another store. You may be asking why would I buy a couch when I thought it was ugly....well, I bought it to match a ugly chair I was given. I know, I know, it doesn't make sense, but for some reason it did then. Actually most my house is decorated with leftovers from my older siblings. I have just been waiting to get into our own house before I bought any big purchases... well that is besides this hutch from DownEast of course. :)

 I purchased this hutch from DownEast before I knew where I was even going to live, but I knew I had to have it. When I saw this piece it was as if it was speaking to me (insert creepy ghost voice here)... "bridgey... buy me." I immediately called my husband and convinced him this would cover my birthday and Christmas present for the next year, and he wouldn't have to get me anything. (shhh but I always do this and he tends to forget by the time my birthday comes and so I still get a gift. ) Well my convincing skills apparently worked and here is the beauty standing in my house today!

Isn't she GREAT? :)

So apparently I daydream a lot. Did you know they have the cutest kid stuff. I don't even have a girl but of course I sat and envisioned what my little girl would look like wearing some of these cute swimming suits running around with a little wedgie. Weird? Yes!

 Recently I was contacted by DownEast to go and spend 50 dollars on whatever I wanted. I  thought it would be easy, but since they have such a great selection and I am very indecisive, what I thought would take only minutes turned into a good hour of shopping. I finally ended up with the cutest swimming suit. I love their suits because they are fashionable, yet modest. 

I know you are wondering If you scroll down you will see me posing in a swimming suit... well think again my friends, that will never happen :) I am not about to be taking pictures of me in a swimming suit, so just trust me when I say it is cute ;) I thought instead of taking pictures of me, I would take some photos of my BEAUTIFUL sister in law. 

Brooke lives in California and it is hard to find modest yet fashionable clothing for her so when I knew she was coming in town I headed straight to DownEast.

Here are some of the items she bought... 

She is gorgeous right? She is only 15 and I can only hope my future little girls  will look like her.

A BIG thank you to DownEast for sponsoring this post and giving me and my sister in law a fun place to shop!

  A message from DownEast:

The DownEast store in South Jordan, Utah moved to a new location within The District & is now a @DownEastHOME & Clothing store! We're celebrating all this week with a GRAND OPENING GIVEAWAY -- your chance to win a $400 shopping spree for you + 4 friends!!! Visit the store to enter!

Family Photos Are A Good Evil

Jaxon decided the ocean would be a great place to play right before our photos! Awesome... NOT!

Does everyones family photos go through all that just to get the below shot. I only have one child and it was a NIGHTMARE trying to get a photo. Family photos is a time to capture your family and it should be a good and fun experience, but every time we take photos someone is angry with the other or mad someones outfit isn't right etc. (okay that person is usually me.) 

My family hasn't taken a professional family photo since... well, never! Last professional photo was when I got married. I have been wanting to get a family photo for a long time, but my husband just assumed since I have a nice camera I could have some random take it and it would turn out great. Let's just say that method hasn't worked out so great for us.

Luckily this year my parents paid a photographer to come to the beach and take photos of my WHOLE family, 43 people to be exact. I was hoping this was going to be a great experience... instead I got a sandy cranky baby and husband. After taking my HUGE family photos, my little family was just so over it, so hopefully we got at least one good shot.

(This captures the chaos of family photos, and this is only half of the group)

Let's see this again...

 Oh how I hate taking family photos but I love the outcome.

anyone else with me on this one?

This picture was taken by my niece with my camera and it is not the professional photo. This is why we are not look right into the camera. 

California

Not that anyone is like, "Bridge, where are all your vacation pics," but I feel I am a slacker. Since getting back from vacation I have had two parties and a sick kid which means no time. While being on vacation I had a lot of time to think........ and tan this pasty white body of mine :) While there,  I have decided to reevaluate a few things I do in my life. Think about where my priorities are and where they should be. I have always wanted to be a mom, and when my son was 9 months old I quite my job as an account manager to do just that. Since then I have started decorating parties as a hobby, which later turned into a job that consumes more of my time than my previous job with benefits ever did. I need to simplify my life in all aspects. I love blogging, I love decorating parties, I love working with my AMAZING sponsors, but I love my time with my family more. I have been so incredibly blessed to have the family I have, and lately I have been so busy with all things I have brought upon myself that I haven't given them as much of my time as I should.  I need to get back to things that matter to me the most. With that said, I will be taking a break from decorating parties for a bit to vacation and enjoying the rest of the summer with my family. No worries, I have a ton of posts on tutorials and parties I have yet to edit so there will be parties posted on here until I am ready to start decorating again but until then please understand if I say no.

Okay now a quick recap of my trip to California. My in laws and my family both vacation down in Carlsbad one week after another so lucky for us we got two mini trips. With my in laws we staid at the Four Seasons and we had more of a resort vacation. With my family... well it is a little different. With so many of us it is a little less relaxing and more crazy beach fun.

Warning: all camera phone pics

We ate lots and lots of not-so-healthy food by the pool.

Staying in our pj's all day long. 

Every year it is tradition for the grand kids to line up and my dad gives them some cash to spend on treats while in California.

We took family photos. To read about them click here

You know those photos you ask someone to take of you but then you look like you didn't know they were taking the picture. Ha, yes this is one of those and I am totally calling myself out on this one :)

Lots of cousin playing time.

Jaxon's closest cousin is only 8 days younger than him.

My side of the family takes over the whole beach!  Picture taken from my parents place.