little papercuts

we apologize for the interruption + now return you to your regularly scheduled program

2011-11-05T12:20:00.003-04:00

You may have noticed our extended absence from the blogosphere. I apologize to those of you whom have emailed or commented and have not received a reply. Things have been 'busy' to say the least. I will get back to everyone as soon as possible :)

When I last blogged I had mentioned I would be possibly returning to my beloved artwork. Unfortunately things didn't progress the way I would have liked and every thing's on hold again for the moment. In all honesty, work is at the very bottom of my list right now. It's funny how having an incredibly hectic and fun filled summer can really put everything into perspective. In just a couple years my miniest papercut will start kindergarten and my eldest will be getting ready to go to high school. I think I need to enjoy them while they still need their mommy :)

But, that doesn't mean their will be NO artwork altogether! We've been doing some fun art projects around the house and we'll definitely be sharing. We love all our followers out there and hope you'll keep on following our crazy life:)

Stay tuned for more of your regularly scheduled program...

let me catch my breath!

2011-07-13T08:52:00.004-04:00

Our house is buzzing with activity now that the kids are home for the summer. We've been so busy that it seems like they've been off for over a month already, it's hard to believe it's only been a couple of weeks! So far we're spending a lot of time outdoors, but we haven't started our park hop yet. I guess I'm not the only one who's a creature of habit in this house...my kids like to go where they know too:) But the Mr. + I have big plans for the next 2 months to keep the kids occupied and interested-a fishing trip, indoor water parks, outdoor amusement parks, a trip to the cottage and possibly even a short road trip too! Hopefully there's enough time to squeeze it all in, and have a bit of time to relax as well.

NOW FOR THE BIG NEWS!! I'm in the early stages of working again. Yippee!!! OK, I'm not going full force yet, but I can see the possibilities and I am elated!! Yes, I have done some artwork:) The mini papercut was somewhat co-operative, but it was still a challenge trying to find time and space to work with her climbing all over the place and trying to stand on all of my beautiful paper. But I'm not complaining! I'm just so happy that I proved to myself that I could do some work again, under time constraints, and still manage my little one who was trying to wreak havoc amidst it all. I'm hopeful that this is just the beginning of more to come :) I think a pat on the back is well deserved!

park hop

2011-06-23T11:21:00.009-04:00

I've decided to try something new with the kids this summer. We try to spend as much time as possible outside, but we always go to the same parks, the same walking trails and the same libraries. But a few weeks ago I came across an article challenging parents to take your kids to a new park everyday, basically getting out of your comfort zone, literally. I thought this would be a great idea since there are an abundance of different parks, and splash pads in our area, but we never really venture out into new territory. I have to admit I'm one of those moms who finds a park and sticks with it. Hey, why fix it if it ain't broke, right? But I think the kids would see it almost like an adventure to go to a new place everyday, and I'm making a conscious effort to make sure that we are spending most of our summer outdoors as opposed to being couped up in the house playing video games.

And to get things rolling, as far as being outside goes, we've managed to make it to the farmer's market and the splash park a few times already. The mini papercuts are out for the summer as of next Wednesday, so let's hope I can get everything mapped out by then! And fingers crossed that the weather co-operates too! :)

{embrace} the camera thursday

2011-06-23T10:55:00.009-04:00

You may have noticed a bit of an extended absence from us. No reason really, just catching up on everyday stuff. Plus I don't want to bore everyone with what I bought at the grocery store!! ;) With school coming to an end for the summer and the kids finishing up all their regular school year lessons, we're ready for a REALLY relaxing next few months...hopefully :)

So here we are, the mini and me, getting set to do a little shopping before the big kids are home from school. We haven't embraced the camera in a while, but I hope you've all been participating with Emily :) If you haven't joined in yet, then what are you waiting for? Grab your camera and your munchkins and take some pics together...believe me, they'll love you for it!

system malfunction

2011-05-15T15:01:00.002-04:00

It finally happened. My computer is on the verge of crashing and I've been spending the last few weeks clearing all of my photos and files onto an external hard drive. That's a lot. I have roughly 4 years worth of pictures of the kids on my laptop, and a few years back when our first computer crashed I had the first year of my son's life on there. A friend of ours saved most of the pics and videos but a lot was still lost. I think I have everything cleared from my laptop now and I'm shopping for a new one, so for the next few weeks there will be very few pictures accompanying my blog posts.

I know, boring but bear with me because we've decided to revamp all the bedrooms. That's right, all 3 at the same time. The painters should be coming within the next week or so to give us an estimate on the kids' bedrooms (they have striped walls that need to be sanded, and unfortunately I cannot do it myself with a little one attached to my hip) and once the rooms are painted the real fun begins! Even though we did most of the master bedroom/nursery makeover just a little while ago, I never really got around to fully completing it and have recently changed out the bedding for our bed and transformed the crib into a toddler day bed. Stay tuned folks, we're in full on decorating mode now :)

happy easter!

2011-04-24T10:02:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter everyone! We hope you all are having a wonderful holiday weekend :)

{embrace} the camera thursday

2011-04-21T13:35:00.006-04:00

That's us doin' our thing. My squirmy wormy who loves to be upside down and me:) Hope you all linked up with Emily today to share the camera love!

a year + a half

2011-04-20T22:40:00.004-04:00

I meant to post this last week and completely forgot! Here's my little lady hamming it up for the camera :) Wow, how time flies! She definitely marches to the beat of her own drum. Loud and boisterous but still sweet and silly too. Yup, the miniest papercut is growing up fast, and we're enjoying every minute of it!

chandelier envy

2011-04-20T19:00:00.016-04:00

Image via ATELIER Abigail Ahern

I love chandeliers, but because we live in a condo with concrete ceilings, and we're planning to move soon, I don't want to spend the money or the effort to have something hardwired. Not to mention that I also do not want to drill any holes in the ceiling that I cannot fix. So I admire from afar the beautiful chandeliers that hang in so many others' homes and wait patiently for the day when I will have one too. Sigh.

Image via PBTeen

We are currently doing a mini makeover on the eldest papercut's bedroom. She's 9 years old now and has most definitely outgrown the pink and green stripes I had so lovingly painted for her when she was 2. All the furniture is in, and we are in the midst of choosing paint colours, but something is missing. Can you guess what it is? Yup, a pretty chandelier. But instead of sulking about not having one I have decided to make one out of cardboard. Light enough to hang from fishing line suspended from the walls as opposed to the ceiling, and relatively simple enough to make with a toddler running wild underfoot :) It may not have any actual light, but I think the final product will make a stunning statement in the room, don't you?

hop to it

2011-04-19T14:09:00.010-04:00

No, we didn't hijack a toy truck. We're prepping for Easter this week, getting goodies ready for all the cousins we'll be seeing over the holidays and readying ourselves for a visit from the Easter Bunny:) The kids are excited to go hunting for chocolates, and resume playing video games (they both gave up video games for Lent, which was no easy task, especially for my son), and we're all looking forward to having a nice long weekend.

The older papercuts have been painting eggs at school as well as participating in an Easter play about Jesus, and we'll be doing some craft projects on Good Friday since they'll both be home. But the mini papercut and I have been hopping around town shopping for all the presents for the other kids. She's been surprisingly helpful, but maybe it's just because she thinks all those toys are for her. Hope you're all having a wonderful week so far:)

{embrace} the camera thursday

2011-04-07T14:50:00.020-04:00

This is rare...I'm actually posting this on the correct day, and it's a pic of the whole family :) Did you remember to embrace the camera today? Well head on over to Emily's blog and share the love! Oh, and a big congrats to Emily and her family on their newest addition! Elsa looks like such a sweetheart, and you're all so blessed!

confessions of a shopping momma

2011-04-07T14:16:00.000-04:00

As a mom I'm always on the lookout for great deals, whether it be groceries, household items or clothing. But while shopping for clothing or just simply browsing, I find that I naturally gravitate towards anything kiddie related before looking for anything for myself. Since I spent most of March at home, only really venturing outside to grocery shop and do school taxi runs, I felt like I deserved a little bit of retail therapy.

It's funny how having kids really changes the way you shop for yourself. When I look for a purse I make sure there's lots of compartments for sippy cups, diapers, wipes, changes of clothes and snacks. When I try on shoes not only do they need to be comfy , but I have to be able to run after a small child in them. Jeans need to have a rise high enough that when I crouch down to tie my little ones' shoes I'm not giving anyone a free show with a view of a plumber's crack :0

So how did I fare on my little shopping spree? Pretty good! I bought a purse that fits all the necessities for my munchkins, jeans that cover everything they should and even some goodies for the kiddos. So here's a little something I want to say to all you mommies out there...treat yourself every now and then. You all definitely deserve it! I bet your kids and hubbies would agree ;)

a spoon full of sugar

2011-04-07T12:10:00.005-04:00

So, after being sick for well over a month I thought things had finally gotten back to normal. Well, sort of...for me at least. Unfortunately after getting back to almost 100% my poor little guys all got sick :( Yup all 3, all at once. But the worst is over and everyone is well on their way to a full recovery.

And now what's next for Little Papercuts? Right now I'm playing it by ear. My miniest papercut is proving to be my most challenging child yet. I thought by now things would be moving along smoothly on the work front...juggling a small child and papercut artwork should be a breeze (ha, ha,ha). I did it when my son was about this age, so no problem, right? Umm, yeah, tell that to my crayon covered wall. My miniest papercut is certainly a handful (wow, that's an understatement), and the crayon on the wall is just the tip of the iceberg. Lets just say that in the 18 months she's been alive, she's probably spent more time in timeout than both her siblings combined! She's a spitfire for sure:)

In the meantime I've been trying to figure out how to fit a fourth bedroom into our cramped apartment. I'm looking for something temporary but stable, and at this point I'm stumped. I have a few ideas, but nothing that really seems doable. All suggestions are more than welcome:)

huh, did you say something?

2011-03-14T16:04:00.010-04:00

I wish I could say that I've been away for 3 weeks because I've been super busy with artwork, sewing and a bit of a bedroom makeover for the eldest papercut, but I would be fibbing. Unfortunately I have been sick for the last 3 weeks: 1 week of a cold and 2 weeks of an ear infection. Yeah, that's right, and EAR INFECTION!!! I'm not going to go into all the gory details, but let's just say that it has NOT been pretty around here! See that sweet little face, yeah she's definitely up to no good! It's amazing how much trouble she got into since I could only hear out of one ear. But things are getting back to 'normal' just as the bigger kids start March Break, which is good news for us all:) We'll see how our week progresses!

sesame street love

2011-02-19T10:36:00.006-05:00

You have to watch this video!!! The mini papercuts and I absolutely love this song, and I can guarantee if you have little ones, you'll love it too :) Such a great message, and a cute video to boot! Good job Sesame Street and Will. i. am. ! Enjoy!

sick sixteen

2011-02-17T14:49:00.009-05:00

My little Zoe-bean is 16 months old now and she's still crusty with a cold. Sick. Yuck. This is the first time she's been sick like this, runny nose, cough, phlegmy...you get the picture. But amidst all her miserableness (is that even a word?), she's still got super sweet goofy smiles, and her big open-mouth wet kisses, sure to make everyone else sick too! But look at that face. Gotta love my little monster, she's growing up so fast!

{embrace} the camera thursday

2011-02-17T13:55:00.012-05:00

Wow 2 Thursdays in a row, we're on a roll! So yeah, I'm not in the pic, but here's a glimpse at what a typical evening in the Little Papercuts house usually looks like...kids in their pj's playing video games with daddy, and the mini attempting to join in too:) Oh, and yes, everyone's homework is done BEFORE getting in front of the TV! Go post your pics and link up with Emily and spread the Thursday love:)

just because

2011-02-17T12:23:00.003-05:00

This is Olivia the pig, as drawn by my son Alex for his sister Zoe for Valentine's day. Isn't it cute? Olivia was probably the first character from any show that my daughter really fell in love with, and considering I always refer to her as my little piggy, it seemed fitting that her brother would draw this for her. I love when my kids do sweet things for each other, just because:)

incr-EDIBLE cakes

2011-02-16T13:16:00.011-05:00

You may recall me mentioning that my son just turned 7 not too long ago. I am very fortunate to have a hubby who has a friend whose wife makes cakes. We're not talking your regular run of the mill plain ole sheet cakes with a bit of frosting. See those crocs in that pic? Yup she made those for us!

Since we were having our son's party at a reptile zoo (yes, you read that correctly) we decided to go with 2 small crocodiles, one chocolate and one vanilla, and you might also notice that one of those crocs is chowing down on Kirby (one of my son's favourite video game characters) a really cute personal touch. While the live snakes and lizards were a huge hit for everyone, we have to say that the cake was by far the star of the show. The amount of detail on these cakes was ASTOUNDING!!!

Jenny Bell, the talented cake designer/baker behind incr-EDIBLE cakes went far beyond any of our expectations. The crocodiles were so realistic, right down to all the little scales all over their bodies, and to top it all off, the two cakes were super yummy too! I could never attempt to make anything this wonderful, and Jenny (a mom to 2 young boys) makes it look so simple and effortless! If you are in the GTA and need a special cake to celebrate with, Jenny is definitely your gal:) You will not be disappointed! For more information you can contact Jenny Bell at (416)561-7774 or drop her an e-mail at incr_edible_cakes@hotmail.ca

Thanks so much Jenny, we loved our cakes! You are AMAZING!!!

we heart you

2011-02-14T12:06:00.007-05:00

Wishing you all a very Happy Valentine's Day! With the older kids at school today partaking in their own Valentine festivities, it's just Zoe and me today (hubby is getting some well deserved sleep after working all night).

Unfortunately the mini is sick and teething, so our day will be spent getting lots of rest :) She's still a cutie though!

So here's a big hug from the Little Papercuts house to yours! Hope you all have a sweet day with your loved ones!

{embrace} the camera thursday

2011-02-10T11:12:00.006-05:00

We've had such as busy schedule as of late, the mini papercut seems completely 'off', that we decided to have a leisurely afternoon at home. As you can see she's become much more interested in the camera since the last time we participated in {embrace} the camera Thursdays, and I also cut her hair...no more baby hair :) Did you remember to link up with Emily today? Well, what are you waiting for? Grab your camera and get going!

happy belated birthday alex

2011-02-10T10:35:00.003-05:00

My son celebrated his 7th birthday at the end of January, but we just had his birthday party this past weekend. Alex is a sweet, funny and caring child, who loves his sisters with all his heart. My bottomless pit, with the never ending appetite (Between you and Z we're going to need to put a lock on the fridge soon)!! Full of spunk and so much energy, but a really hard worker too when he needs to be :) So to my little guy, Happy Belated Birthday!! We love you so much!

new year, new perspective

2011-02-10T09:45:00.002-05:00

Yes, we've returned from a bit of an unexpected break from the blogosphere. I hadn't intended to even take any sort of hiatus, but the hectic schedule of Christmas and New Year's left me completely pooped, and before I knew it Chinese New year had flown by without even a 'Hello' from us! So, my apologies, but we're ready to get back to business (so to speak).

I had mentioned before Christmas many of the things I hoped to be doing in the new year...well, there's been a change of plans. My hopes to return to work are on hold for at least another year or two. No, I'm not pregnant. But I realized that work will always be there. I still have the desire and drive to have my own flourishing business, but for the time being I have to focus on being a mom.

My mini papercuts are growing by leaps and bounds, and the miniest of them all is a handful, to say the least. She is a little tornado full of excitement and curiosity, and while not all days are good ones, I can't imagine missing even a second of her crazy antics! So for now Little Papercuts is on a break. We'll still be blogging about all our everyday stuff, but work stuff may not be anywhere on the map for a bit. We hope you'll 'follow' us around for all the fun in the meantime ;)

paper wonderland

2010-12-21T08:40:00.006-05:00

The Little Papercuts home is finally looking a lot like Christmas. The tree is dressed, the presents are wrapped, our paper chain garland is hung and we've just finished putting up the last of our extremely large paper snowflakes.

We decorate our windows every year (we live in a condo, and overlook the center courtyard, we also face two other buildings on either side), it helps to provide a bit of a screen between ourselves and our neighbours. This year we decided to make our snowflakes extra big...read less cutting for mom:) I am thrilled at the end result! Now I know some of you may think we went a little overboard and yes 'less is more', but hey, it's Christmas! I love the graphic quality of the large snowflakes, and we mixed in some medium and smaller sized ones too.

To make these beauties we followed the templates provided over at Martha Stewart for a six pointed snowflake and the lovely blog of How About Orange for some sweet five point stars. For the large and medium snowflakes we used a roll of MALM craft paper from Ikea ($4.99 a roll). So get out some paper and scissors for the kids and turn your house into a winter wonderland too:)

for the birds

2010-12-17T09:32:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to post a little pic of my eldest Papercut's project on the Trumpeter Swan, complete with a diorama and a family of swans made out of plasticine. She received an A++ on it! Good job sweetie!

brace face

2010-12-09T08:54:00.001-05:00

As kids the Mr. and I both had braces, so we knew somewhere down the line one, if not all of the kids, would need braces one day. And yesterday was the day. Alison, the biggest mini papercut, got a headgear. She only has to wear it at home and when she's sleeping, and she didn't get any actual braces on her front teeth yet (those are coming), so unless you know she has braces on her back teeth, you'd never suspect she has braces at all.

But apparently kids this age are excited to get braces, even asking for them when they don't need them! The dental hygienist told us that they get a lot of little girls who come in and when they get their elastics changed each month, they colour coordinate with all their friends, all getting pink or blue that month. Boy, how things have changed!

I have to admit, I hated having braces and was thrilled when I had them taken off. Alison seems to be having a really positive experience so far, she even has a schoolmate who's jealous that she was going to get braces yesterday! Hopefully she'll see that the end result will be worth the next few years of a mouth full of metal, because these things are EXPENSIVE and I'll be broke by the end of all of this! On that note, thanks Mom for paying for my braces, I am very grateful you did ;)

dear santa

2010-12-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

Vintage Pedal Plane from Restoration Hardware baby & child

How cute is this airplane? I am in love with all of the adorable little retro pedal cars and vintage tricycles available right now. Especially this gorgeous airplane from Restoration Hardware baby & child (which is a tad out of my price range), as well as the sweet pink speedster (fittingly named Driving Ms. Speedster) pictured below from The Land of Nod.

Driving Ms. Speedster from The Land of Nod

And at $89 it's definitely within reason. I don't know if it's the classic lines, or the old-fashioned feel of these cuties, but whatever it is I'm completely sold!

Sky King Junior Tricycle from Restoration Hardware baby & child

The older papercuts have added these both to the mini's Christmas List. I guess we'll have to see if Santa thinks she's been naughty or nice:)

tadpoles

2010-12-07T07:28:00.004-05:00

The kids started swimming lessons over the summer this year, and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly they seemed to pick things up, as well as their fearlessness in the water. I was also surprised (read shocked) that my daughter received her Level 1 badge in the first session. My son wasn't quite there yet, but did achieve Salamander status, which we were extremely happy with :)

But in the second session my eldest got her Level 2 badge and the little Salamander was still sitting with a big goose egg. So when we entered into the Fall session, he was determined to get his Level 1 badge, and I'm happy to announce that last Tuesday he succeeded! I now have 2 little swimmers going into Level 2 and Level 4 (the oldest papercut got her Level 3 badge too!). I'm so proud of them both...good job guys!!!

lazy bones

2010-12-06T18:32:00.004-05:00

As of today we have only 2 more weeks until the kids are on Christmas holidays, and there is so much to get done! I have to admit, my absence as of late has been due in part to one thing...laziness. Maybe it's the cold weather (we were graced with a beautiful blanket of snow this weekend), maybe it's the excitement of Christmas, maybe it's the thought of all the housework that needs to get done for Christmas ;) Whatever it may be, I am guilty of succumbing to it and donning my lazybones pajamas.

My Christmas tree sits completely naked waiting for me to get all the lights and ornaments out of storage. Our paper snowflakes have yet to adorn our windows and there is a mountain of presents that need to be wrapped. I'm usually super excited about Christmas, and quickly put up all the decorations around the house. I don't know what it is this year. I wouldn't say I'm being a Scrooge or a Grinch, but lazy for sure. It feels kind of nice...relaxed. I'll get it done when it gets done. Maybe it's a little bit lazy and a little bit selfish? Hey with 3 kids, I think I'm entitled to just a pinch of each:) Lazy bones. I'll happily admit to that :)

{embrace} the camera thursday

2010-11-25T21:20:00.004-05:00

This is what pictures have been looking like lately at our house. The mini papercut is so busy that it's virtually impossible to get a pic with her actually in it. So today this is the best we could get...oh well. Hope you all remembered to embrace your cameras today, and link up with Emily:)

omg it's justin bieber!

2010-11-25T20:48:00.005-05:00

This week has been filled with a flurry of activity, mainly for my eldest papercut. It started with Justin Bieber and ended with prep for braces.

At the beginning of the week the mister took our daughter and her cousin to see Justin Bieber. We are big fans (not really of the hair, but we like the music), so it was a real treat for her to see him in concert. This is the second concert my daughter's been to in her 9 years, which is 2 more than me:) A good time was had by all, and I'm sure the mister is glad that it's over...especially his eardrums!

But yesterday was a really big day for my girl, as we're currently at the beginning stages of getting braces. So we had x-rays taken, photos taken, impressions done and spacers put in. We get everything in about a week and a half, and I think she's a little bit nervous and a tad excited too. I had braces as a kid, and I do not have fond memories of them, but they were worth every penny and every annoying trip to the orthodontist to have them tightened (OUCH!!). Hopefully she'll be able to look back when she's older and be grateful to have had them...hopefully ;)

happy belated birthday baby

2010-11-22T20:40:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago my first born child turned 9 years old. Her last year in single digits. My tween queen, who loves all thing Twilight, Taylor Swift and anything guitar related. She is my right hand girl when it comes to watching the two little ones, and my reminder that I must be doing something right when it comes to mommyhood. She is loving and sweet, thoughtful and kind, spunky and sassy. I wouldn't change a thing about her...well maybe a little less attitude :)

Happy belated birthday baby! You are such a special girl!

my apologies

2010-11-22T20:19:00.005-05:00

I feel like a child that is always late for school, saying 'I'm sorry, I won't do it again' only to find myself in the same predicament. I hope all of you who have been reading my little blog haven't lost interest. Sorry y'all. I have so many things to tell everyone, but haven't had a chance to sit down to write about any of it! And here's the one thing I've been meaning to blog about...

I plan to get started on some new artwork soon. Artwork! YIPPEE!!!!

Now I'm not sure as to how much is going to get accomplished, but I'm itching to get out my paper and scissors again. My mini papercut is on a better schedule now, so I'm hopeful that I'll be able to get something done! ANYTHING! I'm not sure if I'm really telling you all about this to let you know, or to keep myself accountable. Either way I'm optimistic that 2011 will be a much more productive year...on the work front, that is. Fingers crossed, and thanks to all of my 'friends' out there! You guys are the best:)

{embrace} the camera friday

2010-11-05T14:17:00.003-04:00

I know I'm a day late, but all 3 kiddos are sick. So not fun.

Anywho, on any given day this is what my house looks like...toys strewn all across the floor, nowhere to walk and not even a corner of the carpet is visible. My son loves all of his toys. Doesn't matter if he hasn't played with them in a few days or a month, he loves them all equally. Today was a Thomas the Tank Engine day, and it seems as though it was necessary to pull out all of the tracks, as well as every other toy that had wheels on it. So here we are, just the two of us, watching the trains go by, while Ben 10 Aliens sit waiting for their train:) Hope you all weren't slackers like us and remembered to link up with Emily!

we now return to your regularly scheduled program

2010-11-02T09:36:00.007-04:00

Did you notice we were gone? We've been MIA the last couple of weeks, prepping for Halloween kept me pretty busy (I decided to take on the task of making a Little Red Riding Hood costume for my eldest...more on that later), but things have settled down considerably. Thank goodness for that!

Seriously, where does all the time go? Do you ever feel like you have no time to do anything, and spend all your time doing nothing, missing out on all the little moments? That's how it's been here lately. Oh well, what can you do? I promise not to be missing for so long again, and there's lots of new stuff to fill you all in on, so stay tuned friends :)

birthday girl

2010-10-15T12:43:00.001-04:00

My sweet little pumpkin is 1 year old today! She is funny, spunky, loving and determined. She has brought so much laughter and happiness to our already happy home and I can't believe how quickly the year flew by! I love my cookie monster... with her messy, cookie crumb kisses and her giggly snorts of laughter. The way she runs and squeals with delight every time we open the front door, and the joy on her face when she spies cupcakes (especially if she thinks they're for her). That's our Zoe :) How did I get so lucky to have such a wonderful little person like her in my life?

Happy Birthday Zoe bean! We love you baby :) xoxo

{embrace} the camera friday

2010-10-15T12:11:00.001-04:00

So I know it's not Thursday today, but yesterday was just one of those days (believe me, I don't think anyone would've wanted to see a picture of us). So we're embracing the camera today, dribbly milky mouth and all :) Better late than never, right?

This week is 'Share the Love Week' over at Emily's blog. Her family is in the process of adopting a little girl from Ethiopia, and they're trying to raise funds to bring their little lady home. If you'd like to help this wonderful family out, you can find out all the details here.

yummy cupcakes + cake

2010-10-11T11:47:00.002-04:00

I know, I know, you're probably sick of seeing these by now, but yesterday was the mini papercut's 1st birthday party and all of those pesky little monarch butterflies were finally completed, and happily consumed by all our family and friends.

I have to say, they looked pretty good, and the cupcakes were super yummy (read SWEET!!). Everyone really loved those chocolate butterflies, especially all the kids, which made it completely worth the time and effort.

So did the mini papercut like them?

The expression on her face kind of summed up the whole day for her. Umm...yeah, not impressed at all. The only time she even smiled was while she was eating her cake, and when we got home. Gotta love her! But that's what you get for waking up a sleeping baby, even if it is for her own party. At least everyone else got to enjoy the yummy cupcakes :)

gobble gobble

2010-10-11T09:45:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to wish all my fellow Canucks a very Happy Thanksgiving! We're having a very quiet day today. Just me the Mr. and the minis. Us :) Hope you all have a wonderful day!

recipe for disaster

2010-10-09T17:06:00.003-04:00

Recipes don't like me. You would think that as long as you follow the recipe, the end result shouldn't be too bad, right? For me, not so. I have yet to meet a recipe that ever turns out the way it's supposed to. After several tries I'm still unable to make an edible risotto.

Today was our big baking day for the mini papercut's birthday party on Sunday. 140 vanilla cupcakes + vanilla buttercream + extra frosting for the cake my grandmother was baking for the special occasion. Now this isn't the first time I've used this recipe, but I haven't made it in over 2 years, so I figured better follow every step exactly to ensure no mess-ups. WOW, what a mistake that was! Let's just say the first batch of 24 cupcakes ended up in pieces and eventually in the garbage. Yup, that's right 2 dozen cupcakes completely wasted. Thankfully the recipe was also wrong in how much it actually makes (it was supposed to make 48 mini cupcakes and we ended up with 60 after you take into account the ruined ones) and I only needed to repeat the recipe 1 more time.

In the end we had roughly 150 perfect vanilla cupcakes, after I stopped following the instructions:) But I don't think the mini papercut minded all the wasted cupcakes at all!

a bucket full of loot

2010-10-08T11:00:00.000-04:00

We are in full on party-prep mode here at the Little Papercuts house. With the mini set to celebrate her 1st birthday party this weekend (her actual birthday isn't until next Friday), we've got tons to do and very little time. So today we're getting all the loot bag stuff organized. With Halloween around the corner, we're taking advantage of all the trick or treat goodies. We have about 18 kids total, but they range in age from 1 year old to 10 years old, so we had to do 3 varieties of loot bags for each age group ( baby, toddler and kids age 5 and up).

I always try to fill the bags with items that are age appropriate while still being fun and somewhat useful. On several occasions we've gone to parties where the kids have received a 'bag full of junk', meaning a lot of cheap plastic toys, candy and stuff that ends up in the garbage. But don't get me wrong, we've also been lucky enough to bring home bags that seemed to be tailored specifically towards my kids' interests. Our goodies are probably somewhere in between, running roughly $5 per bag, which I think is pretty reasonable. I know we can't please everyone, but for me it really is a way to say how thankful we are for all the gifts we receive from friends and family :) Fingers crossed that the kids like their loot!

{embrace} the camera thursday

2010-10-07T10:33:00.001-04:00

This past weekend we took the kids to Chudleigh's to pick apples. As you can see it was pretty cold, but no one seemed to mind:)

October's off to a great start for us, how about y'all? Remember to hop over to Emily's blog and link up! Happy Thursday everyone!!!!

practice makes perfect

2010-10-06T14:54:00.008-04:00

Okay maybe not perfect, but much better than the first batch. Remember these? Ya, not pretty, but after making nearly 100 pairs of wings I'd say that my technique definitely improved. I still have about 30 more to make, and they still all need to be assembled, but things are going swimmingly so far.

I do have to admit that I was kicking myself a few times for not just making something along the lines of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. Oh well, I'm off to melt more chocolate:)

{embrace} the camera thursday

2010-09-30T23:15:00.006-04:00

With the bigger kids at school, it's just me and the mini papercut out for a walk. It's kinda nice having this time with just the two of us, but boy does she miss her siblings while they're away!

I'd like to say a huge 'Thanks' to Emily for being such a smart cookie and coming up with {embrace} the camera! My kiddos are certainly grateful for all the pics of us together, as am I :)

fly, fly away

2010-09-30T21:58:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back I posted about some adorable apple cupcakes. I was going to make them for my little one's first birthday, seeing as we were planning to have her party at an apple orchard. Well, since then there's been a change of venue , so I decided to make butterfly cupcakes instead. The cupcakes themselves are pretty simple, it's the 3-D chocolate butterfly that's a bit tricky.

These are really pretty, when done correctly, but as you can see, my first attempt did not turn out quite as I would have liked. I'm hopeful that round 2 will look a lot better than these, and I'm gonna chalk this one up to a learning experience:) On the plus side, they taste delicious!

this little kitty

2010-09-27T06:35:00.000-04:00

I know if a black cat crosses your path it's supposed to be bad luck, but this one was too sweet to pass up. Isn't this little guy cute? While the mini papercut and I were out shopping, she spotted this kitty on a shelf, so I just had to buy him. And the fact that he's also a piggy bank was a hidden bonus!

I find that I'm drawn to all thing Halloween inspired for my youngest. I'm not sure if it's because she's born in October, relatively close to Halloween , or maybe it's because I love the Fall and everything that goes with it.

Whatever the reason, the mini papercut is my Halloween baby...whether she likes it or not, black cats and all :)

rock on

2010-09-26T11:10:00.010-04:00

Yesterday I took my brood to my niece's birthday party at Joe Rockheads...rock climbing(that's my eldest at the top there)! It was an awesome day, and we'll definitely be doing it again. I'd never thought to take the kids to do anything like this before, so it was really nice to find something new that they liked that didn't involve video games and got them up and off their butts :) So much fun!

{embrace} the camera...friday

2010-09-24T12:23:00.000-04:00

I've been sick this whole week, so it's a wonder that this picture even took place. Me and the littlest papercuts (the oldest papercut was occupied elsewhere), just sitting around doing nothin' :) Hope you all had a fabulous Thursday with your kiddos embracing that camera! Remember to link up with Emily:)

birthday boots

2010-09-24T12:02:00.006-04:00

A couple days ago I celebrated my 36th birthday very quietly with the family. No party. Nothing fancy. Just dinner with the kids and hubby. The Mr. is getting me something I've wanted for a couple years now, and never really gotten around to buying. Hunter rain boot:) I know, not very exciting, but considering how much time I spend standing outside in the rain while dropping off or picking up the kids from school, they are definitely a necessity. I can't wait to get them. Happy birthday to me:)

the lesser of two evils

2010-09-23T21:37:00.008-04:00

This is the face of a well-rested child up to no good:) Trouble with a capital 'T'.

When the mini papercut was very little she slept like a champ and ate like a beast. She remained this way until the kids started summer vacation. With the older kids home all day, she gave up on her normal nap times, opting to stay awake in fear of missing out on some of the fun. She also stopped sleeping through the night, waking at least 3 or 4 times to breastfeed...not fun!

Well, it's been about 3 weeks since the kids started back at school, and I'm happy to say that the mini papercut has returned to her old sleeping habits! WOO HOO!!! Over the last month or so, I've also cut off her night time feedings, as she was only really doing it to soothe herself back to sleep and she'll be 1 soon. She has not protested and it went surprisingly well, considering how much this kid likes to eat:) But I made the mistake of substituting her breastfeeding with letting her lay on my chest to fall back asleep at night, something I swore I would never do again! I learned my lesson with my eldest child, who slept with us until she was about 2, and was a pain to get out of our bed.

The first few nights of adopting this new routine went smoothly, with her falling asleep on my chest and me placing her gently back in her crib, where she'd sleep contently until about 5 or 6 am and wake up to either breastfeed of be soothed back to sleep for another couple of hours.

This no longer is the case.

For the last week or two, the mini has had the luxury of sleeping in my bed the whole night. Yup, exactly what I didn't want to happen. But I'm not too worried about that, that's not the problem. The problem is that I've been sick for a week, and exhausted, which means my little one has been sleeping with/on me for the same amount of time and now my back is a MESS!!! I am in so much pain that I can't even bend over to put her back in the crib. I'm having pain in my lower back when I walk, when I sit, heck, even when I lay down. NOT FUN!!! To say I'm not a happy camper is an understatement, but what can you do?

On the plus side, the mini papercut is sleeping right through the night now. I'll take what I can get.

{embrace} the camera thursday...we remembered

2010-09-16T13:10:00.008-04:00

I know we've missed the last couple weeks of etc, but today we're back on track. With the older papercuts at school, it's me and the mini papercut this afternoon. Hope you all had a wonderful few weeks without us, embracing your cameras, and little ones too:) We'll be linking up with Emily, hope you all do the same!

11 months old

2010-09-16T12:35:00.005-04:00

Yesterday the miniest of my papercuts turned 11 months old. I can't believe that in a month my baby will be a 1 year old...a big girl :( She's walking and babbling, getting into everything she's not supposed to, and eating up everything in sight! I adore my little munchkin, with her sweet open-mouth kisses and her secret smiles. She makes my heart sing:)

tell me more, tell me more

2010-09-16T12:09:00.001-04:00

My oldest papercut is going to be 9 this fall. I've been trying to put this off for a long time now, but I think I've got to take the plunge.

It's time to have 'the talk'.

I'm nervous. I don't want to give her too much information, but I want to make sure she's really informed. I'd rather she have all the right facts, as opposed to finding out stuff from her friends that is pretty inaccurate (you remember the one about drinking orange pop and jumping up and down to prevent pregnancy, right?). I'd like to think my daughter and I have a pretty open relationship, and that she feels comfortable asking me anything, but kids these days...who can tell what they're really thinking! Plus she's still a baby to me. OK blogging mommas, your help is needed! If anyone has any suggestions as far as books or ideas that can move our 'talk' along smoothly, without scaring the bejeezus out of her, it would be greatly appreciated:) Wish me luck!

did you miss us?

2010-09-16T11:46:00.004-04:00

Hi. Did you notice we were gone? Well we've got a lot to catch up on, and so much still going on. Where do we start?

Hmm, let's see...the last few weeks seem like a flurry of activity! Between trying to enjoy the last weeks before school started, packing as much fun as possible into what was left of the summer, and the hustle and bustle of getting the older papercuts ready for the first day of Grade 1 and Grade 4, you can imagine how busy things have been.

The kids have been in school for almost 2 weeks now and things have finally settled down. We've fallen right back into our old routine and the kids are really happy to be back with their friends. I'm happy to have a relatively quiet house while they're gone, and the chance to have some alone time with the mini papercut. Thankfully, she's also reverted back to her old schedule of napping consistently in the afternoons and sleeping through the night. Phew, thank goodness!

So, I'm getting back to my blog. Hopefully it means a return to other things as well (I've been sewing lately:), more to come on that!), but I'm content with what I have on my plate right now. I hope you all are well, and will check back with us soon:)

{embrace} the camera thursday

2010-08-26T16:16:00.005-04:00

Okay, I know Halloween is like 2 months away, but c'mon...how cute is this costume (not to mention the little bee inside the costume)?!?!

Just me and the mini papercut buzzing away:) You guys know what to do, go link up with Emily already! Happy Thursday everyone!

a is for apple, c is for cupcake

2010-08-25T12:23:00.006-04:00

With the mini papercut getting ready to celebrate her very 1st birthday, we've decided to have her party at an apple orchard, so that the kids can be outside and they'll get to pick lots of apples.

So you can imagine my delight when I came across these ADORABLE apple cupcakes from the book 'What's New, Cupcake?'! They seem relatively easy to make and are just too cute! I think I'm gonna try them out next week, I'll let you know how they all turn out:)

{embrace} the camera thursday

2010-08-19T20:04:00.007-04:00

I may have been a tad late last Thursday, but not today! We tried something a little different this week, and I absolutely LOVE the final product! These 3 definitely are my heart, they own every little piece of it. My mini papercuts fill me with more happiness than they will ever know:)

Now go show your little people how much you adore them...and link up with Emily!

2 months away

2010-08-16T10:03:00.004-04:00

Here's my mini. She's 10 months as of yesterday, and I can't believe that in 2 months she'll be 1 year old. My smiley little lady looks so sweet, you'd never know how mischievous and wild she really is :)

She's gotten very loud in the last few months, and currently thinks she's Spiderwoman, trying to scale our TV cabinet to reach the top. What's up there she wants so bad, I have no idea, but gotta love her spunk and determination!

I know I say this every time, but really, where has all the time gone?

puzzled

2010-08-16T09:47:00.001-04:00

A few years ago I found this wonderful wooden puzzle. Besides the fact that it's so darn cute, I love that it uses some good old imagination to play with too!

It's an alphabet puzzle that comes with a background board. When you take all the pieces out of the puzzle you can stand them up on the board and play with them, make up stories etc. My son really loved this one when he was little, grouping all the pieces into their proper places, and occasionally the older papercuts will pull it out and make up stories with it.

I've been looking for more puzzles like this, or anything interesting for the mini papercut, but haven't found any that really fit the bill. This is one of the only puzzles that we haven't passed on to other little cousins, and I'd really like some more. Any suggestions out there?

{embrace} the camera thursday...ok monday

2010-08-16T07:24:00.000-04:00

OK, OK...I know I forgot to post a pic for Thursday, but seeing as it was my anniversary you can understand my absentmindedness.

This is what happens when I ask my kids to take a picture and they don't want to. The fact that we are all actually in the photo together is a feat within itself. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thursday, and remembered to link up and show each other some love!

there's only us + 3

2010-08-12T07:43:00.001-04:00

Today is a huge day. It was ten years ago today that my hubby and I said our 'I dos' and made it official. I can't believe it's been that long! The Mister and I met in high school, and started dating when we were 16. Fast-forward 20 years later and we're still standing.

He makes me laugh and some days he makes me want to pull all my hair out! But I wouldn't have it any other way. Who knew that after 10 years of dating, 10 years of marriage and 3 kids later, we'd still want to be around each other:) He must be as crazy as I am! Love you honey! Happy Anniversary xoxoxo

{embrace} the camera thursday

2010-08-05T20:11:00.004-04:00

Haha! I bet you thought I forgot...not so! Here's me and the mini papercut in my sister's backyard. Link up with Emily and show your camera some love:)

stand in the place where you are

2010-08-03T09:12:00.001-04:00

The summer is moving along at a brisk pace. A lot quicker than I had anticipated. Maybe it's because we've kept busy, maybe because we haven't had a minute to stand still. Didn't school just let out yesterday?

Well at least one of us is standing still at the moment:) Yup, that's right, my mini papercut is standing. All by herself. Not holding onto anything. Not content to cruise and crawl, she is now standing on her own! She's attempted to take a couple steps, only to land on her tush, and is waving and clapping her hands now too. Gotta love this kid!

diy paper moustaches

2010-07-30T15:12:00.003-04:00

Did our moustaches make you giggle yesterday? Well, I thought it would be fun to do a little DIY for those of you with funny monkeys in the house. These are really easy to make, and you probably have all the materials lying around your house already! So here we go...

You'll need black scrapbook or construction paper (or the colour of your choice), bamboo skewers, glue, tape, a pencil and scissors.

Step 1: Draw a moustache on a sheet of paper and cut it out. You can draw them free-hand or find an image from the internet if you aren't comfortable drawing it yourself. This will be your template to ensure all of your moustaches are the same shape and size.

Step 2: Fold your sheet of black paper in half and trace your moustache. Cut it out. You should now have 2 moustaches that when put back to back, line up perfectly.

Step 3: On the back of 1 moustache secure the pointed end of the bamboo skewer using a small piece of tape. If you have a hot glue gun, add a dab of hot glue for extra insurance that the skewer will not wiggle around.

Step 4: Apply glue to the back of the other moustache and stick it to the moustache with the skewer attached so that the bamboo skewer is sandwiched in between. Press out any air bubbles around the skewer and smooth out the moustaches. Let dry.

Step 5: Trim any access paper around the moustache, and voila! You're done!

You can make them any shape, size, colour...it's completely up to you. We found that bamboo skewers worked the best, but you could use popsicle sticks, drinking straws or pipe cleaners too. I also found that scrapbook paper is better than construction paper, because it's thicker and won't buckle or curl up when the glue is applied, but construction paper will work if that's all you have.

Hope you all have fun making your moustaches this weekend, we love ours. Can you tell?

{embrace} the camera thursday

2010-07-29T19:07:00.003-04:00

Today the little papercuts thought it would be funny to see what mommy looked like with a moustache. Mommy said it would be funnier to see THEM in moustaches. I'm amazed that the mini papercut didn't eat hers :) We kinda all look like Mario and Luigi, don't we? Kids are amused by the silliest things.

Hope you all showed your cameras some love today, and remembered to link up with Emily!

okay, here we go

2010-07-27T07:27:00.007-04:00

I am going to sew today. There I said it. I hope you'll all keep me accountable:) I haven't sewn anything in a really long time, and since I have a stack of fabric patiently waiting in the mini's closet, I think it's about time I did something with it. I really am trying. I thought that with the kids being off for the summer, and us not really having any major commitments, I'd get quite a bit of sewing done. But things never go according to plan around here, and all my beautiful fabrics have sat tucked away. Well today seems as good a day as any to sew something...anything! Hmm, now if I could just figure out what to make;)

{embrace} the camera thursday

2010-07-22T20:52:00.005-04:00

Here we are, me and my girls:) Yeah, I know you can't see my face, but heck, the top of my head counts, doesn't it? Embrace that camera ladies and gents! You're kids will be happy you did! Remember to link up with Emily here.

paper menagerie

2010-07-22T17:46:00.001-04:00

I am in love with these adorable paper animals by Mibo! Created by Madeline Rogers, these cute little creatures are simple to make and would look very sweet in any room.

All you need is some scissors, a ruler and glue, and you can have you're very own paper zoo. Check out all of this cuteness over at Mibo.

i had the best day with you today

2010-07-22T14:08:00.003-04:00

We've been trying to keep active so far for our summer holidays. The kids have swimming lessons 2 times a week, we go to the splash park a couple times a week as well, and then there's all the usual stuff, like grocery shopping and errand running. The kids seem to be having a pleasant summer, and yesterday we had a great afternoon with their grandma.

My stepmom had a fabulous day planned for the kids. In addition to a delicious lunch, she had them paint a ceramic bunny rabbit for her garden, they made chocolate chip cookies, we went for a walk to the park, and she even set out a little kiddie pool in her backyard for them to cool off in! My kids really love their grandma, and I wish we saw her more often :) Hope you're all having fun this summer!

{embrace} the camera thursday

2010-07-15T19:43:00.005-04:00

Me and the mini papercut. My little lady loves her kisses...and I love giving them:) Did you embrace the camera today? Link up over on Emily's blog, and remember to wish her a very 'Happy Birthday'!

so sweet

2010-07-15T08:57:00.009-04:00

A few months back I read a review about a book entitled 'Zoe and the Fawn', written by Catherine Jameson and illustrated by Julie Flett. I knew right away that I had to have this book for the mini papercut (since her name IS Zoe). But it was nearly impossible to find in any store, and we searched for a copy for several months with no luck. To my delight we were able to special order one in at our local bookstore, and it was well worth the wait!

This book has to be one of the sweetest books I've read in a long time. The story is about a little girl and her father who happen upon a fawn in the woods and search for it's mother, finding several other animals along the way.

Now I may be a little biased, seeing as the main character's name is the same as my little one's, but I LOVE this book, and the illustrations are absolutely beautiful.

If you are able to get a copy of this book, I highly recommend it. Definitely a title to add to your 'must have' reading list:)

9 months old

2010-07-15T08:32:00.000-04:00

Today my little cookie monster is 9 months old. She's got secret smiles and is certainly a mischievous little character. She loves her brother and sister, especially when they 'growl' at her. Go figure!

She's not afraid to fall and at times thinks she's Spiderman, trying to scale the sofa to escape from her play area. She keeps us on our toes, but we wouldn't have it any other way:)

feeling better

2010-07-15T08:17:00.004-04:00

Just wanted to say 'thanks' for all the many well wishes that were sent my way. I'm feeling much better, and hopefully that's the last we'll see of mastitis ever again! The past week has been so busy, and being sick has not been fun. But there's lots to catch up on over the next few days, so bear with me:) Hope you're all having a wonderful week so far!

{embrace} the camera...friday

2010-07-09T10:38:00.006-04:00

OK, I have a good excuse this time for not posting a pic yesterday. I didn't forget. I'm sick. No I don't have a cold, or the flu. I have mastitis. For all you moms out there who've had this, then I'm sure you can sympathize with my misfortune. Basically I have a clogged milk duct. Which has given my a massive, throbbing headache, a fever and chills(both of which are gone now) and an incredibly sore boob. It feels like I've been kicked in the chest and ribs by a kangaroo! Hopefully this will clear up on it's own, but if it still has not resolved itself by tomorrow, then off to the doctor we go for some antibiotics:(

Anywho, here is a pic taken the day before all of this craziness. It's stinking hot outside so we ventured to the water park again. Yeah, no one's faces but I thought it was pretty funny that the mini papercut and I were crouched down doing something, and the two older papercuts were in almost the same position behind us:)

Hope you all remembered to embrace the camera yesterday, and link up on Emily's blog!

we were here

2010-07-06T08:13:00.005-04:00

We just found out that Alison's Alice in Wonderland birthday party was featured again on Ohdeedoh last week. If you missed it the first time around, you can click here for all the deets about her whimsical party:)

it's like a heatwave

2010-07-05T09:41:00.004-04:00

The temperatures are soaring around here, and it looks like it will continue for the rest of the week. So we'll be spending a lot of time at the water park, getting our splash on:) We're slathering on the sunscreen and putting on our sun hats and swimsuits. Hope you're all enjoying the hot weather! Happy Monday everyone!

have a seat

2010-07-05T09:04:00.005-04:00

*Spoling high chair from Ikea

As I've written before, the mini papercut LOVES to eat. I had been holding out for the Spoling high chair from Ikea that I'd seen when she was much too small to sit in it. It's small and compact, modern looking, and the best feature of all is that it folds up so that it can be neatly tucked away when not in use. So we decided to go to Ikea and pick one up...and of course it was sold out and most likely will not be reintroduced any time soon, so the hunt was on for a new high chair.

*Guzzie + Guss G+G 202 high chair in Green Apple

What we found was this great little chair by Guzzie + Gus. The G + G 202 high chair doesn't boast any bells or whistles like some of the other high chairs out there. It doesn't have any toys, or any type of seat recline. The seat height is not adjustable and the tray is not dishwasher safe. So why did we choose it, you might ask? What attracted us to this chair is the simple clean lines, the compact frame and the easy to clean fabric. It has a removable tray for easy cleaning (again, not dishwasher safe, but that's OK with me), a 5-point harness for safety, a machine washable 100% organic cotton seat pad and is available in a variety of colours.

But the main reason we chose it was the fact that it folds completely flat for easy storage, yes that's right FLAT, and comes with its own storage bag. It is relatively lightweight in comparison to other large high chairs, but very sturdy. It has an easy fold mechanism, located on the underside of the seat, which locks into place when the seat is in use to ensure there are no mishaps with the chair folding when upright.

The only issue I can see some people having is with the leg openings on the front of the chair. The G+G 202 has a fabric t-strap on the front with two leg holes for added security ( so your child can't slide or wiggle out under the tray), but as your child gets bigger, and if your child has chubby legs it may be too tight or somewhat constraining. The mini papercut is pretty tiny so I don't see this being an issue for us, but I thought I'd mention it.

Overall, we are very happy with this chair, and the mini papercuts likes being in it for mealtimes and even just to sit in while I'm cooking in the kitchen or doing dishes. We are in love with anything that will give mommy's arms a rest:)

ready, set, go!

2010-07-02T07:26:00.000-04:00

Well the day has finally come...the mini papercut has figured out how to stand up. I thought I had at least another month before she started doing this, but she is in a BIG hurry to catch up to her older siblings. She is no longer content to sit and watch, she wants to be right in the midst of all the chaos and fun.

The first time she pulled up to stand, I promptly told her to 'SIT BACK DOWN!!' You can see how much she listens to me:) She's 8 and a half months now, and I can't believe how much she's already doing. Before you know it she's going to be running after her sister and brother, yelling at them to 'Slow down and wait!' If she'd only heed her own words and not be in such a rush :(

oh canada

2010-07-01T15:51:00.003-04:00

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canucks! Enjoy the sunny day today:)

{embrace} the camera thursdays

2010-07-01T14:40:00.007-04:00

Haha, I bet you all thought I forgot! Nope, I was politely reminded today by my eldest that I needed to take a pic of her and myself. So here we are, being silly:) Hope you all remember to embrace that camera today too and link up over on Emily's blog!

ikea you never disappoint

2010-06-30T22:35:00.005-04:00

My master bedroom/nursery has been 'under construction' for close to a year now. When we began our little reno the hubby and I had decided right off the bat that we were going to try to steer clear of too many Ikea items. I love Ikea, but in the past we've spent lots of money there on some items that have not withstood the abuse that 2 small children can subject it to. And, truth be told, I always associate Ikea with 'temporary' furniture. Pretty much, items that we need until we find something nicer and more permanent.

Now that the room is near completion (all that's left are the lamps) I realize that there are only 2 items in the room that DID NOT come from Ikea...the bed and a chair. How did that happen? Didn't we say we were gonna go with 'better' furniture? Didn't we agree to invest in well made, sturdy and timeless pieces that would last us, well, forever?

Well that's exactly what we did! When it comes to design, you cannot beat the clean, modern lines of the majority of the furniture at Ikea. I think, having owned many pieces in the past made of that horrible particle board/chip board stuff, it is really fantastic that Ikea seems to be moving forward and making a lot of new items in solid wood. Our dresser/changing table and side tables are both from the Hemnes line, and our crib is the Gulliver...all solid wood. Very sturdy, and not rickety at all. My favourite part about the Hemnes pieces is that the drawers all boast a pretty yellow and white stripe on the insides, so no need to put drawer liners in myself:) And really, you can't beat the Ikea price tag. Believe me, I tried.

For all that we tried to stay away, Ikea always seems to have the answer when it comes to budget friendly home decor. Ikea, you never disappoint:)

no more teachers, no more books

2010-06-30T11:49:00.001-04:00

Yup, summer vacation started yesterday. The kids have been looking forward to sleeping in and lounging around in their pajamas (me too). The school year went by so fast, and with summer upon us we're on the hunt for fun activities and places to occupy our time. We start swimming lessons next week, 2 days a week for the month of July. I'm excited for the kids, and for the mini papercut. She misses them terribly when they're at school, and I know when they both start back in September, she will probably cry for them. But we're going to have a wonderful summer, just being together and having fun:)

{embrace} the camera thursday...ok friday

2010-06-25T08:04:00.007-04:00

I admit, I forgot again...but better late than never right? Hmm, I seem to make this face a lot. Me and the funny monkey:) Love him!

Hope you all linked up on Emily's blog!

easy is a four letter word

2010-06-23T23:34:00.003-04:00

What seems like a lifetime ago, when my daughter was in kindergarten, she came home one day from school proclaiming that one of the other kids had gotten in trouble for saying a bad word. 'What word is that?', I asked her cautiously, bracing myself. Not wanting her to repeat the word I prompted, 'What letter does it start with?'. She thought for a moment and replied 'The 'E' word.' It took me a minute to realize that I had no idea what word she was talking about...I couldn't even think of a negative 'E' word at the time!

'What's the 'E' word'
'Easy'
'Why is it a bad word?'
'Because what's easy for one person might be hard for someone else. If they think it's hard it doesn't mean they're dumb.'

At that moment easy was added to our list of bad language words.

It's true, all you really need to know you learned in kindergarten:)

daddy cool

2010-06-20T07:28:00.000-04:00

Daddy you are the best, for sure #1
And you always know how to have the most fun!
Daring and silly and loving and kind
Dado I don't think there's a better one you'll find!
You love us with all of your heart every day,

So we're wishing you a very Happy Father's Day!

Wishing all the dads out there a very HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!! Hope you have a wonderful day with your kiddies:)

oops! {embrace} the camera...saturday

2010-06-19T00:43:00.006-04:00

I completely forgot to post this on Thursday! So here we are...a little blurry, but that's us:) Hope everyone else remembered and linked up over with Emily's blog!

good day sunshine

2010-06-15T13:28:00.003-04:00

Today the mini papercut is 8 months old! She's got 4 teeth and she's starting to crawl...in fact she's trying to attack my laptop as I type:) She's got the best smiles and loves to eat. She's sweet and funny and snugly and silly, not to mention curious and mischievous too! My teeny tiny sunbeam:)

And while I'm thrilled at how much she's learning and growing, my heart is screaming 'SLOW DOWN ALREADY!!!!' I'm trying to enjoy my littlest papercut, but boy is she in a hurry to catch up to her older siblings!

gotta dance

2010-06-15T11:00:00.002-04:00

A few weekends ago the eldest papercut had her ballet recital. She really enjoys dancing, and getting to wear a fancy costume makes it that much more enjoyable:) She has done so well in her class that she was selected for the competition team next year! We are very proud of our little ballerina!

baby you can drive my car

2010-06-13T20:11:00.002-04:00

Image courtesy of The North York Drive In Theatre

Yesterday was a very gloomy and raining day, but it didn't stop us from doing our usual Saturday routine of ballet and running errands. We took the kids out for dinner later in the evening, and luckily while we were eating the rain subsided so we decided to see a movie at the North York Drive-In. If you've never taken your kids to the drive-in, I highly recommend it!

We've been to the drive-in with our kids before and have found that it's a much more enjoyable, and affordable experience than going to the regular theater. We stocked up on snacks before going, and brought every one's pajamas for extra comfort! The mini papercut slept through the whole thing, but the two older papercuts had a blast...as did the hubby and myself:) We saw Shrek Forever After, and even though we didn't stay for the second movie ( yes, you get to watch TWO movies for the price of ONE!!) it was well worth the cost. For those of you in our area, adult admission is $11 each, $2 for kids aged 6-12, and kids 5 and under are FREE!

This is definitely something you should all try with the kids...so much fun!

{embrace} the camera thursdays

2010-06-10T21:05:00.004-04:00

I was so busy today I almost forgot to post this! Here I am with all the little papercuts after dinner time.

Hope everyone got out their cameras too! Remember to link up over at Emily's blog...Happy Thursday everyone:)

{embrace} the camera thursdays

2010-06-03T13:13:00.002-04:00

I am absolutely LOVING this idea! I am inspired by Emily over at the anderson crew, an amazing photographer and fab mom too! The idea is so simple...take a picture with your kids every week. Not OF your kids, but WITH your kids! I think I've only ever posted one pic of myself here, so this will definitely be a challenge for me, but I'm ready and willing. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up and I hope you all join in too:) So here we go...

1 sweet and wriggly baby + 1 loving mommy = a perfect, and a tad blurry, pic:)

And just because she's cute, here's one of the mini on her own!

i might even be a rockstar

2010-06-02T10:00:00.001-04:00

Image via Burkeheart Baby on Etsy

My niece (the mini muffin) celebrated her 1st birthday a couple months ago. Yes, that's how behind I am! I had meant to post this then, but better late than never, right? She's growing into such a sweet little girl:) So, I'm giving you all a glimpse of what her present was...and as a nod to her musician daddy, we chose a bit of a rockstar/music theme!

For her quilt I chose fabrics that were a little out of the norm for a little girl, but the mini muffin is a bit of a tomboy herself, so it really suits her.

And I was able to find a cute pair of shoes by Burkeheart Baby on Etsy made from the same 'mix tape' fabric in the quilt! They make the most adorable and comfy shoes for little feet, and use wonderful fabrics!

I did stray a bit from my own rockstar theme, making her a sweet pink floral reversible pinafore...as a nod to my own girliness:)

Happy Belated Birthday Mini Muffin! We love ya!

sunday morning

2010-05-18T10:32:00.006-04:00

On Sunday we christened the mini papercut, along with her three cousins...yes, it was a family affair! We had beautiful sunny weather and wonderful family and friends in attendance.

I'm not a very religious person, but I always look forward to my kids celebrating these sacraments. And the fact that we could have all of her cousins christened on the same day made it so special! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend:)

hello, is anyone there?

2010-05-15T08:29:00.000-04:00

I know, it's been far too long since we've 'talked', but things have finally settled down and I'm ready to get back into the swing of things. I'm finally feeling better:) The aches are gone and the kiddos are back to their usual crazy antics. The mini papercut has traded her stuffy nose for teething discomfort, but is really no worse for wear. It's been a long few weeks, but it's nice to feel 'normal' again! It seems like forever, but sometimes life has a funny way of telling you to focus.

So yes, we were all sick, each and every one of us here in the Little Papercuts house. To make matters worse, our schedule was so jam packed that we couldn't even get enough rest to make a speedy recovery. There's been so much going on with the kids that I feel like I haven't had a minute to sit down and catch my breath!

As a result there has been absolutely no activity, creatively speaking. My sewing machine has been put away, hopefully not for too long, along side my art supplies:( I wish things weren't so chaotic, but it was a reminder to me to slow down in my rush to be working again and to enjoy my family. The kids are growing up too fast for my liking, and I feel like in the next moment they'll be gone and off to university! I've been taking a lot of pictures of them lately, trying to capture every moment. How they make me laugh:) For all the craziness of the last few weeks, my focus has been us. But we're happy being busy!

aargghh, when will this end?

2010-04-26T09:38:00.002-04:00

You may have noticed a bit of an absence on my part. I've been incredibly sick the last few weeks. It's hard to get better in a house where germs seem to thrive, and every time it seems that I'm on the mend, I end up waking up feeling horrendous! So today we're ALL at home sick. Fun. I have so many things to tell you all about, but it will have to wait. My head is throbbing and my body is achy...I'm pretty sure I have the flu. I'm going to lie down now, promise to be back soon though:)

cute as a button

2010-04-15T11:09:00.014-04:00

My mini papercut is six months old today! I blinked and half a year flew by, but how much fun we've had so far:)

She's been a very big part of my sewing escapades. She sits by patiently (for the most part anyway) and watches as I sew, and seems to love everything I've made for her so far...a flutter sleeve dress, a ruffle front dress and a little kimono top, just to name a few.

I hate to toot my own horn, but I think they all look pretty darn cute! Wouldn't you agree? Looks like my smiley girl would agree too:)

alice inspiration

2010-04-14T09:05:00.010-04:00

We have finally selected our fabric for A's room! She chose a palette of turquoise blue, chocolate brown and pumpkin orange, all of which will look wonderful against her white headboard. We've been somewhat stuck as to how the rest of the room will be decorated. Her walls will need a fresh coat of paint, and I'm thinking I'd rather purchase a wall decal as opposed to painting a mural since we will probably be moving in the next year or so (I'll get into that another time).

Over Easter weekend we found our inspiration: Alice in Wonderland. We've used Alice before, so it's actually no surprise that A fell in love with it all over again. After seeing the new movie, and since she just finished reading the book, it only seemed logical that this is the theme she'd pick for her room. I'm not really sure yet as to how we'll incorporate it, but it's a jumping off point for the accessories in her room. I think I'd like to try to steer her away from making the room too themey, but I'm sure we can find a way to capture the mood of Alice in Wonderland. I'm thinking whimsical as opposed to cartoonish? We'll see where this journey takes us:)

we were here

2010-04-13T11:19:00.009-04:00

Hey, we just found out that we were featured on Ohdeedoh last week! This is very exciting news considering it was for the change pads covers I sewed up:) I'm thrilled about all the positive feedback I've received on them...it makes me feel like all of my sewing has not been in vain! And on that note, stay tuned because I will be posting a small tutorial on how to make them very soon, so get your fabric ready :) !!!

ready for easter

2010-04-02T08:28:00.008-04:00

I've been MIA for a bit but everything's back to normal:) We've been prepping for Easter the last few days...getting bags filled with goodies ready for all the little ones we'll be visiting, and that will be visiting us. We made some cute canvas bags and painted on all the kiddies' first initials with fabric paint. We're ready for the Easter Bunny to hop on over to our house! Wishing you all a very Happy Easter weekend:)

a pocket full of posies

2010-03-25T09:32:00.001-04:00

In addition to all the bibs and blankets I've been sewing, here's an adorable little pinafore top I made from a pattern by Heidi & Finn...and yes it's reversible! For now it looks a lot more like a dress rather than a top, but she'll grow into it. I think the mini papercut seems to like it:)