Party // Minecraft - Free Printables!

As promised, here are the FREE PRINTABLES for a Minecraft Party. If you're looking for all of the party details, click here.

 This Creeper printable will fit nicely around a tall

 2"x4.75" juice box.

And this TNT printable will fit around a 2"x2"x2" box.

Click "Read more" for the Free Printable & Instructions

Party // Minecraft - Part 2

I mentioned in a previous post that we were gearing up for a Minecraft Birthday Party. Well that party was this past weekend and I believe the birthday boy and his guests had a great time.

Weather in July is always warm in Southern Cal, so we held the party at an indoor play gym. The kids bounced, slid, jumped and zip-lined to their hearts' content. So basically, there were a lot of sweaty and hungry kids at the end of 2 hours. And those kids were ready to get their Minecraft on!

My youngest LOVES Minecraft so we decided to decorate the party room with all the Creepers, Steves, Mobs and archaic Weapons that we could gather. There aren't a ton of Minecraft decorations out there, so it was a fun challenge for me to make some of my own and also "repurpose" what is already out there.

Click "Read more" for the full post

This Week // 7.24.2014

summer reflections via joy st. claire | available on etsy

I've got the de-clutter bug. It doesn't happen often enough so when it comes around, I have to roll with it. I wish "the bug" wouldn't come around when temps are in the mid-90's… but if I'm sweating, I guess it also counts as a workout. It started with my linens, then moved on to all the random home accessories that I've collected over the years--I finally said goodbye to all the tropical/beach house stuff from the 90's. Of course that stuff is coming back in style, but… NO. Then I moved on to the kids toys. That was kind of sad… no longer my little toddlers. But off to homes that will appreciate and get some use out of them. I still have a ways to go since I'm apparently the only one in the family who occasionally gets this de-clutter bug. The rest of the family? Pack Rats. The whole lot of 'em. 

Things I liked this week…

I spend a lot of time outdoors and am looking for a full coverage hat for summer and fall. I'm thinking felt, I'm thinking brown. This one. Or maybe this one. And if money grew on trees, this one.

What You Learn in Your 40's = Skip the drama, everyone's just winging it.

These chicken kebabs sound delish. Yogurt marinade? Paprika? Yes please.

In the real world I'm never a size 00. Except sometimes here. But man… they're comfy, cool and I snagged them for 50% off. Two thumbs  up.

Our attempt at "family game night" quickly petered out. Perhaps we should try again.

I usually don't DIY things that won't last beyond a season… but this is awfully pretty.

An art piece made from drinking straws.

Have a nice weekend!

Party // Minecraft - Part 1

My Little. My funny and rambunctious, yet sweet and caring child… He turned SIX last week!! When I started this blog, he was just eight months old. Sometimes I have to think in terms of blogging to get a perspective on time. All I know is that it's going by much too quickly.

He is the child who easily makes friends, likes to perform… jazz hands and all, is a friend to everyone and just loves to laugh and play. He is also the child who is concerned about others, will sit and comfort a friend, and likes to throw in surfer words like "dude" and "epic" whenever he can-- "Mommy, that chicken was epic".  :D  Right now he has the missing front teeth lisp so it sounds even better.

This bundle of happiness is also a HUGE fan of Minecraft. His party is later this month, but since he's a summer babe (no celebrating at school with his buddies) I decided to make a little something special for him at home.

Behold Mr. Balloon Creeper! I was going to make it out of small square plates, but he's a balloon guy. He requested a bag of balloons for his birthday-- he's the only person I know who likes to manually blow them up...  So we had to go with balloons. I know they're not square (it's not Minecraft if it's not square and pixelated), but aside from shiny mylar, I don't think square balloons exist. Well, at least not yet.  :)

He's also my guy that likes to sit down and assemble things, so with Grandma's help we spent a couple of hours folding up these Minecraft papercraft cubes and this cute mob. I never thought of a mob as cute, but… this one is! Either that, or Minecraft is growing on me. He's playing with them now and we'll use them later as party decorations. I briefly contemplated printing my own-- there are many freebies on the internet, but then decided that it'd be more cost effective if I just bought the pre-made version. I'm pretty sure my printer ink costs more than this! It's actually really well made and easy to assemble.

One thing I did design myself, is a Creeper Juice Box "skin". This is just a draft… I'll be sharing the final version and free download in an upcoming post. Stay tuned!

Another fun detail is this Perler Bead "mob". With their pixelated look, these beads lend themselves perfectly to the Minecraft theme. I shared this "mob" on Facebook earlier this month. These guys are going to be incorporated into the party as well… But more on that later!


So, that's pretty much what's been going on at Casa de BBB… This and a ton of play dates, swimming, sports, camps and birthday parties. I don't think we've ever had such a busy summer, but it's a good busy and it's relatively unscheduled and free of self-imposed stress… So I'm not complaining!

Have a nice week!

This Week // 7.02.14

We're back! You may not have noticed, but I went and disappeared on ya for a couple of weeks. I'm stealthy like that. Or Not. Okay, maybe I should've prepared better and prepped some filler-posts before we left but… bygones! I'll share more of our trip to Aulani and Kauai in another post… I still have to weed through about 500 photos on my poor little camera phone.

But here's a sneak peak--

And another one--

So here's what's up for this week--

I shared some of my Favorite Summer Projects over at homework. If you haven't discovered it yet, Carolyn's blog is jam-packed with creative and beautiful project ideas. She also has one of the prettiest sites in the blog-o-sphere. But don't take my word for it, check it out!

After snickering at the "pajama pants" that are in style, I went and bought a pair. Soooo comfy for summer and not too spendy with the additional 30% off. [code: SHOPMORE]

Looking for an easy DIY tee for the July 4th festivities? This one is cute and looks fairly easy to make.

I'm trying to focus on finishing up our Master Bedroom restyle and am therefore going to ignore all the great sales going on this week. But this Tag Sale + extra 20% off at Anthro…  And this Sale + Free Shipping at Madewell... And an Extra 30% off Summer Styles at JCrew… Well, I hope someone scores some great deals!

Apples & strawberries dipped in anything sweet is so up my alley. This idea is great for a party.

I'm looking for extra-large artwork for my dining room but am struggling to find the right look… this elegant DIY might be just the thing.

If you're in the U.S., have a fun and safe Independence Day weekend!

This Week // 6.19.2014

ranunculus still life photography via lupen grainne | available on etsy

Things to avoid if you want to be happy. Especially #1, #4, #10 and #16.

I'm a long time fan of volcano, but this crane flower about knocked my socks off. It's supposed to be a present but… I'm soooo tempted.

The prettiest trailer I've ever seen.

Jewelry that gives back-- This one is a beauty. And this one too.

Why doesn't my craft room look like this?

If you're a blogger (aka master of deception), these photography tips are awesome.

Have a lovely weekend!

This Week // 6.13.2014

quote by william shakespeare | sign via the house of belonging  | available on Etsy

Today is my kids' last day of school! My how quickly this year went… Next Fall I will have a 1st grader and a 3rd grader. What??!!! So this is the Summer where we slow down time. We are not going to rush through it. We are going to s-l-o-w-l-y enjoy each and every moment. We'll call it the Summer of the Tortoise… and it'll take us an hour to eat a piece of lettuce.  :)

Since the Fam and I will be in slo-mo, this here blog will be in slo-mo too. I know, I know… it's been in slo-mo for about a month now… Alas, it can't be helped. Call it burn-out or a case of casual disregard, but I think a little break will be helpful. I'm going to try my darndest to peek in here at least once a week. And maybe a little creating will happen too. We shall see…

So, here's what's up for this week--

I don't like war. I don't like conflict. And I definitely don't like loud, in-your-face explosions, or special-effects laden movies about war… but I LOVE this movie and what it represents. It's about war, it's about buddies, it's emotional, human and very, very real. It's one of those movies that really gets you thinking and may change what you think you know. Highly recommend!

Father's Day is this Sunday and I got this for my hubby. Trust me when I say… He's going to be so stoked! No sarcasm AT ALL, he's been wanting one of these babies for a while. I did my research and this one is supposed to be good.

I'm not really getting the latest trend of pineapple decor, nor the blogosphere's obsession with cute donuts or things that look like donuts, but aren't… but I can get down with this yummy goodness.

After trying on way too many swimsuits, I finally found one that works for me. It's flattering, on sale, and it doesn't go anywhere when I swim. All good qualities. I feel like it deserves some sort of award… ;)  ps. I bought mine in the sale section and paid under $50.

We're redecorating our Master Bedroom. So far it's very contemporary, charcoal gray/cream and a bit masculine, but I'm strangely attracted to these whimsical crewel curtains. But I know how my brain works, I'll probably lose courage and go with this. Gah! We'll see…

Have a nice weekend!

Our Lives // Hike Our Backyard

Okay, this is not exactly our backyard… But I'm grateful to live in a place where open space and hiking trails are just a stones throw away. Many may complain about Los Angeles and Southern California in general-- too many people! the crazy traffic!;  However many don't realize that we live amongst the largest urban national park in the world, not to mention the abundance of open space just north of the county line. The 240 square miles of open and protected space gives us easy access to nature's wonderland and is what keeps many of us native Angelenos happy and sane.

Although I appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds us, I have to admit that we don't get out there and embrace the outdoors as often as we should. So last weekend we decided to remove our butts from all horizontal surfaces and get a move-on. We grabbed the kids and some friends and went on a three hour hike. It was invigorating, beautiful, sweaty and dirty.  We had a blast.

It was a warm 84 degrees, but luckily the occasional cool sea breeze made it enjoyable. We slathered on the sunscreen, packed a lot of water and snacks (gorp is my fave) to keep ourselves hydrated and energized, then headed on out.

I love how California terrain can go from dry scrub and cactuses to a lush waterfall in about 100 steps. Since we've had drought conditions for over 3 years, I was happy to see that the waterfall, while not full, had a decent flow of water.

Streams were forged, pebbles were skipped, plants and animals were observed (including a large snake… thankfully not a rattler). The kids explored and enjoyed pointing out all the interesting things that they discovered.We took our time and followed the stream from the waterfall back to its source. We walked over flatlands, under tree canopies, through steep, shaded canyons and crossed the stream a few times. There was such a variety of things to look at and places to explore that there wasn't a single complaint out of any of the hikers… Nirvana.

At the end of the 3 hour hike, the kids were still running. :)

This Week // 6.05.2014

latitude-longitude key chain via maven metals inc | available on etsy

This was a "chicken with its head cut off" kind of week for me. It's partly due to end-of-school madness, mixed with birthday and holiday planning, and topped off with miserable allergies… A not so great combination.  It was so bad that in my frenzy to get stuff done, I forgot to fill up gas. I was driving on the freeway when I realized that my fuel gauge actually read "1 Mile". Ack! My car gives no warning for low fuel… no bright light… no bing… nothing. By the time I rolled into the gas station it was actually on "0". Whoa… that's pretty bad. But, on the bright side, I'm grateful that I didn't have to push my car.  :D

Anyhow, summer is almost here and I'm determined to get my sanity back soon. Very soon. And I might even work on a project this month… Or July. 

Here are a few things that caught my attention this week--

My favorite candle in a room spray… Bliss!

Any Outlander fans out there? Well, if you are an Outlander virgin, let me tell you… there's a good reason why there are about a billion rabid Jamie & Claire fans out there. It's all about good writing, great research and A-mazing characters that are so incredibly real (and hot!).  On June 10th the Eighth book in the series will be released. I pre-ordered through Amazon and can't wait! Of course, if you're new to the series, you'll want to start with the first book which sets the whole plot and is a great read in itself. 

For some reason, fried blossoms sound good to me. One of these days I'm going to try this recipe.

I don't need any more clothes for summer, but I love this top (in blue)… and this one too.

Starting June 15th, some products of Jessica Alba's eco-friendly line, The Honest Company, will launch at Tar-Jay. One more thing to get distracted by when I go to pick up our prescriptions.

Emily Henderson's go-to paint colors. Awesome. Less trial and error for me. Love her… and love her even more for sharing.

Have a great weekend!

This Week // 05.29.2014

maya angelou quote via wise prints | available on etsy

Where did May go? Just a few more weeks until it's officially Summer. I'm both excited-- always nice to take a break from routine. And scared-- keeping 2 young boys entertained for a whopping 11.5 weeks. Yep, I counted... 11.5 weeks is a long stretch of time. Eep! 

Here's a few things that caught my attention this week--

Maya Angelou will be remembered for many wonderful things, but what always resonates with me is her phenomenal, yet simple, statements about life. What an amazing person. I am re-reading her book this week. Although she may be physically gone, I love that her words of wisdom will live on forever.

Do mean adults start out as mean children? Are you worried about how middle school kids behave? Maybe we should be more concerned with our preschoolers' behavior… Here's an interesting read--  It's never too young to teach empathy.

Bright colors are a good pick-me-up. These colorful melamine plates would be a perfect for a summer get together.

I love Marimekko's bold patterns and just discovered their collaboration with Banana Republic. My friend has this dress and, if you like fit & flare, it is very figure flattering. Also, if you like to decorate with bold colors and graphics, check out their ongoing collaboration with Crate + Barrel.

The simple style and neutral colors of this home in New York appeals to me. Although I have to admit, my own style is more hodge podge and not as serene… I guess some day I'll find a style and stick with it. ;)

Have a nice weekend!

This Week // 5.24.14

This week I accompanied my son and his 2nd grade class on a field trip to Anacapa Island, part of the Channel Islands National Park, which is located off the coast of Southern California. Since it's just a short 45-minute boat ride away from Ventura Harbor, I was amazed by the clarity of the water. 

It was a beautiful day and we were able to witness first-hand the largest breeding colony of western gulls in the world. I've always wondered where all those mischievous sea gulls came from… Now I know! Around 15,000 chicks heading to shore this summer. :)

Beautiful scenery abound and, if you're a nature-lover, someplace you should check-out while in Southern California.

Any plans for the Memorial Day Weekend? Here's a few things that caught my attention this week--

If you like sports and a good underdog story, I highly recommend this movie. My 8 year old loved it. It was a little over the head of my 5 year old, but he hung in there. By the end of the movie we were all craving Indian food… yum!

There are tons of sales going on this Memorial Day Weekend. A few deals that caught my eye-- comfy, casual dresses from the Gap (40% off!);  these sweet sandals at Nordstrom (half-yearly sale!);  these perforated sandals and these wedges at Macys (15% off);  summer tees & tanks at Anthropologie (up to 40% off)-- I have this one in ivory (size down) and it's adorable.

This book is wonderful! I think it should be required reading for all tweens and teens.

This Spring dining room by liz marie blog. In fact, her entire house is light & breezy and just lovely. She has moved since taking these photos, so it'll be fun to watch her decorate her new space.

If you're looking for a DIY project this weekend, this white brick vase is eye-catching, but doesn't seem too difficult to make. Win-win in my book.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Party // The One Where Someone Special Turns Eight

Happy 8th Birthday to my oldest!!! I'm feeling nostalgic today. Eight is in big boy territory now… bridging the gap between boy and tween. I've heard that this is a special phase that all parents should cherish. While kids this age may not need you as much to take care of their physical needs, they still look to you for guidance and emotional support.  And they're usually still down with giving hugs too. His nickname on the blog has been "Smarty Pants" for the past 5 years now, but suddenly it seems, *maybe* too young. Sniff. I'm a little sad about that. So until I can come up with something else, I guess my kids will be known as "oldest" and "youngest". How creative.

Anyhow, this weekend he had the 8th Birthday Party of his dreams-- Go Kart Racing. He literally has been waiting years before he and his friends were tall enough.  This was finally THE year.

The boy had a grin on his face the entire day. He has loved cars since he was just a wee babe. I know that Go Karts may not seem like cars to adults… but to my kids, they ARE. We were the family that always traveled with a Hot Wheel collection, he has a car-themed room, we watched the CARS movie umpteen million times, and he's probably one of the few kids that can tell you what rim goes with what car and why.  So this Go Kart party was, as he succinctly put it  "My dream come true!"

This year I did something that I've never done before-- I did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING creative for his birthday party. No personalized party decorations, no games, no custom party favors. Nada. This year I pushed the EASY button and outsourced everything. The only thing I did, besides contact the Go Kart place, was to bring in the appetizers and cake. They handled everything and did a superb job. It felt a little strange to not do anything extra, but you know what? I think this was his favorite birthday party EVER.

Since I always like to share something a little creative, here's a trip down memory lane for his past seven birthday parties. We've covered the gamut-- cowboy, lego, space, police…

This Week // 5.16.14

Graffiti Heart via The Paris Print Shop | available on Etsy

We're in the middle of another heatwave…  :( My boys have been troopers and had baseball games in the 105+ degree heat… Don't worry, we kept them hydrated and brought out the misters. Anyhow, I'm the dugout mom and our team had the joy of facing directly into the sun.  I could not have survived without this gem. This, sunscreen, sunglasses and a jug of iced water…. Phew!

Gotta love this bulldog and his determination. Not to mention his smarts… Lesser pups would've given up. This video made me smile.

Sand is my arch-nemesis. My kids leave little piles of it at the front door and my husband leaves gritty remnants of it by our kitchen trashcan (he insists this is the best place for pounding the sand out of their shoes). Thankfully I have this happy little guy. Would one with less design work just as well? Probably. But it certainly wouldn't make me smile while doing my chores.

Are you ready for Summer? It's coming up soon!!! So lets talk Retro Bathing Suits. I've coveted several over the years but never took the plunge (literally!). Honestly, I just want something cute that stays in place and makes me feel comfortable. This one fits the bill.

And, since the mention of bathing suits usually goes hand in hand with a countdown to get "ready" for swimsuit season… This woman wants to change the way women view their bodies. I'm on board. What do you think?

Have a nice weekend!!!