Toddler Valentines Fashion and Treats

This will be Lil' J's second Valentines Day but her first one at a school. So because this is also a significant "first" I want to make it special and do the whole Valentines shebang for her class.

Good news is I have Mondays and Tuesdays off, which Valentines Eve and Valentines Day fall on this year. So it'll give me a chance to pretend like I'm an awesome Suzie Homemaker and make treats with her, for her class.

Here are a few ideas I've been scoping off Pinterest:

Valentines Whoopie Pies

Happy Valentines Day for "Crayon" out loud. Vday Crayons

Kisses and Hugs Cupcakes

 

Lovely butterfly suckers

There's more where that came from, and cute outfits I want to try to make on my Mini Love board. The suckers seem like they involve more drawing/writing than cooking, which is good, and it has traditional candy, but I don't know what all of the parents will think about the candy. Cupcakes on the other hand... that's not so bad right? And whoopie pie (is that seriously what those things are called?)! Yum! I can just picture the messy hands and smiling faces chowing down on those things. But I have a feeling it wouldn't be the easiest to make, or shape as cute as the ones pictured.
The crayons are just perfect, and I think I'll do that for the cute factor, and have Lil' J help me put them in heart-shaped pans. Maybe I'll do those and the whoopies since we'll have a pan to make those shapes and she loves "cookin" (she says this now when we're in the kitchen and she wants to put something in the oven. I can't believe she's my child).

When it comes to clothing, we're getting there. I was hoping she'd wear Valentines outfits to school from mid-January through Valentines Day but that hasn't quite happened. I've only had time to make her one dress so far so I've called on reinforcements.

Lil' J's first tutu was from Cutie Pa Tutu, and now dozens of tutus later, I still haven't seen any made like hers. We got these this week and the first thing she said when she saw them was "BALL" (in her thick country accent it sounds more like "bawl") cause of the the little puff balls enclosed inside the tulle.

When she walked into school wearing this her teachers squealed and said they were wondering when she was going to start showing up in all of her Valentines gear.

All she wanted to do was blow bubbles when we were outside and I couldn't get her to set the dang thing down. She did take a break from blowing bubbles to blow me a kiss though.

SWAK Sealed With a Kiss Tutu and Lovely Lipstick Top

And of course you need to have just as much pink as you have red:

 

I had to take photos of her pink outfit before she wears it to school cause I'm sure she'll come home in a mess.--Which is ok because it means she's having fun.

Cutie Pa Tutu is having a Sweetheart Sale, so everything she's wearing and holding (aside from the bubbles) are on sale there.

In case you're wondering where to find it all here are links:

Sweet Pinks Pa Tutu

SWAK Sealed with a Kiss Pa Tutu

Pink Hearts Ying Yang Top

Pixy Tail Pony

Pink and Hot Pink Bow

Poofy Pom Pom Magic Wand

Pa Tutu Tights

Lipstick Love Top

Now between this and a few other things I'm working on, she should have something pink and LOVEly to wear until the 14th.

Are you loving these outfits? What are you plans for Valentines Day? Going to make something yummy or cute for school or work treats? Share the love in a comment and you'll be entered to win a Valentine Pa Tutu Outfit w/matching wand and Pixie Tail or Bow.

Since Vday is around the corner we have to make this quick so this giveaway ends midnight Tuesday February 7th. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget (below). Good luck!

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iCute: Wordless Wednesday

But really, it goes without sayin'

Everyone who comments on this post by next Wednesday will be entered to win any item of choice from iStyle Originals, home of a new fun, fresh apparel company which gears to adults, baby and pets. Follow their Twitter or Facebook Page for an extra entry.
*Thank you iStyle Originals for sponsoring this review/giveaway.

White Cloud Rate the Rolls Challenge

I'd never put so much thought into how my toilet paper felt, and where it came from until today.

I'm Participating in the White Cloud Rate the Rolls Challenge and I was sent two toilet paper rolls to test out. Both are made from 100% recycled fibers like paper etc (I know, it sounds weird but hear me out!). One was White Cloud Green Earth, the other is the leading competition. But I don't know which is which.

Lil' J and I tested both of the rolls and picked a favorite. Watch the video to see our experiment and see which one I picked!

What do you think? Tomorrow I'll find out which one is White Cloud Green Earth and let you know if I picked it.

Everyone who leaves a comment on this post by before 11:59pm Tuesday will be entered to win a $20 gift card to Shutterfly.

And here's a coupon for some TP and/or paper towels!




*I am compensated by White Cloud for my time in participating in this challenge. Opinions expressed are all mine (and a little of Lil' J's too). Shutterfly had nothing to do with this, that's just my own friendly gesture to show you I love you!

My Cutie Pa Tutu

Oh how I dreamed if the days long before having my daughter. I saw myself dolling her up and snapping photos. And now here I am, living that exact scenario almost daily. It's addicting. And the nice thing is she loves it too, and when we're done she's so pooped and ready for a long nap!

People joked with me before having my daughter and said she wouldn't get to wear all the clothes I was getting for her. Little did they know me! Lil' J has a new outfit on every day, and sometimes we do outfit changes midday, just because. We're getting use out of these clothes, that's for sure!

I'm a girlie girl and I imagine she'll grow up to be a tomboy because of all of the bows and dress froofroo I'm putting her in, she may be sick of by the time she's old enough to pick her own clothes.

Yesterday evening I took her out in the front yard and snapped a few photos in one of our favorite tutus.

I make a lot of her tutus myself, but I can't make them this cute, filled with the bright adorable little pom poms inside (so she can't eat them), and a bow facing correctly. This one is by Cutie Pa Tutus and it was specially made for her. The Ladybug theme goes perfect with her quilt, made by Lil' J's great-grandma, and her nickname.

Cutie Pa Tutus also recently launched their new adorable pa tutu onesies line with bling like this one, and they're just as affordable as their tutus. You can also get 20% off right now through the 15th by using the code: "babymakin".So here we were, my daughter in I. Lying on the grass, and playing. The sun was setting so the lighting was great, and I snapped a photo capturing this beautiful moment between my daughter and I. My eyes teared and my heart swelled when I looked down at my camera display showing my sweet little girl.

It blows my mind how fast my she is growing, and how much time we have yet to experience together, I pray, in this life, and know in the life to come.

I've always heard people say children are a blessing but I didn't realize exactly what they meant until I had my own.

I am so blessed. I'm living the dream.

Everyone who comments on this post before October 14th at 11:59pm will be entered to win a pa tutu of choice from Cutie Pa Tutu. For an extra entry follow them on Facebook and/or Twitter.
*Thanks Cutie Pa Tutu for sponsoring the review/giveaway!

A Nickname to Remember

Decorating my daughter's nursery was no freaking joke. To some it may look like a pink dragon threw up all over the room but to me it's awesome! I've never completely decorated a room like I have her nursery. From finding cheap bedroom furniture to making curtains, I did it all on a budget. And there's so much to look at, I can tell she LOVES her room. She really does. She laughs at the mobile I made her, and smiles at her name on he wall above the diaper changer.

I also have a special spot for my favorite nickname. We started with Spawnie. That was her first nickname. Then came Ladybug, Junebug (born in July). Little , Lil' J and here at home I call her a slew of other things.

My husband likes to call her poopy. I sometimes call her Baybee, Little J, Chunky Cheeks, and Cranky Butt. But somehow the nickname I call her more than anything is a name I didn't see myself using for my daughter--fearing it would cause her to be some sort of Diva. Oh, she is a Diva already. Anyway, I call her my Pretty Pretty Princess.

I was inspired by a saying for little girls: "Princess: Daughter of a Heavenly King". What better way to remind her of who she is and where she came from?

My friend Danielle sent us the book "Gigi: God's Little Princess." It was the first book I read to her outside the womb and I want to read it to her often.

I decided I wanted something to remind her of her divine nature so I asked Inspire Your Walls for a favor. I needed my princess quote in a size perfect for above her entryway, and the one blank space left on her wall. I wanted a crown to dot the "i" in Princess, and I wanted it all in a pretty white font. They did it all, fast!

If you're obsessed with vinyl like I am, check out Inspire Your Walls.

When I got it in the mail I was head over heals excited. I didn't want to just put it on the wall since we won't be living here forever and this was something I want to take with us. So I bought and painted a wood panel, and stuck the vinyl on after.

Now, over her doorway hangs a saying I hope she'll look at and reflect on for years every time she leaves her room. The true meaning of her nickname, and who she really is.

Do you use a nickname?

Everyone who comments on this post will be entered to win a $75 gift certificate to CSN Stores--Where you can buy pretty much anything. I got our baby motion monitor from there, and some nursery bookshelves. Blog followers/subscribers get an extra entry.

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on September 21. Random.org will choose the winner.