My 41st Birthday & Valentines Day Week in Photos

 This past week I celebrated my 41st Birthday. It's always the day before Valentines Day.

In the above vintage Kewpi-cupid vase, I have some Birthday flowers.
I only bring him out once a year. Isn't he a cute?
He was a hand me down from my late Mother-in-law.

 Dyllan and I went to a dollar tree store looking for party favors. He was memorized by all the balloons they had, Tons! Next year, you should go there for $1 balloons. Same with greeting cards if you don't make your own. All Hallmark quality for $1 each. The lady in front of us at the check out, bought 30 cards. Maybe for co-workers. Either way...any where else. those cards would have been $5 a piece!

 On the 2nd Monday of every month, I get together with a wonderful group of card making friends.
We always have a themed swap, plus Birthday cards for the people celebrating that month and we take turns hosting a demo.
Here are some of the Birthday cards my friends made for me. 

 The Granny is a riot! Below is the inside of the card. :)

 

 Here we are at my kitchen table. I'm sorry I don't have a photo of the demo.
It was super fun to make.

 Here are the cards the ladies swapped at tonight's meeting.

I had my husband snap a photos because it's rare that we are all at a meeting. Some travel, or work gets in the way.  Most of the meetings are at my home because I have the table space. Sometimes a few other ladies host, which I appreciate. I really like the friendship and fun!
Here's our group on Meet-up if you are interested in joining.
Mixed Media Arts & Crafting Club
We now do other events beside card making...jewelry, painting, sewing and more!

Here are some cards I received from other crafty friends for my Birthday. 
So creative! Don't you agree?

Some  favorite "Valentines" for Dyllan from his classmates...

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

To you and Yours!

A year full of pleasant surprises, fun and laughter.

May your new year bring you a fresh appreciation of the lives you touch with your art, your blogs and your generosity.

May you have new inspirations, and may all your dreams come true!

~Michelle, Brian and Dyllan Cummings

It all started with the eggnog

~ This is sister Lorena. She died last year of Ovarian Cancer. She was a mother of 4 kids, 2 girls, 2 boys. Her life had alot of turmoil in it from her husband to her health to just life in general. It's a really long story and makes me extra sad to think about it.

Disneyland Splendor

~Last Sunday, Dyllan, Grandpa Jim and I went to D-land. As we got there around 5:30pm, we got to see the parade. Then we had dinner at a Mexican place over by Big Thunder. Rode the train once, Pooh Bear twice, saw the fireworks and snow, rode Casey Junior four times, and did Small World twice!

Season's Greeting's!

~ Please click on any Photo for detail!~


~ Still have a few deco's to put up...the nativity scene finish the staircase and other yummy's. Above is a advent calendar I made for Dyllan. I made little gift boxes out of paper cards and glues magnets on the back. In each numbered box is a ornament for him to hang on a mini tree daily. I decoupaged a old tray to hold the boxes.



Our front door is metal and a perfect place to showcase any art Dyllan does.

It's a Wonder...

~ It's a wonder how we all survived with all these safety regulations in children's toys and furniture. Yes, this is me here. Do you remember these saucers? I remember how fast I would go on the linoleum until I hit carpet, and over I would pitch. Also look at my cool toy attached, simple and non-complex unlike the stuff we see today.
Like the extra padding to hold me in?


The following pic's are of my Mom.
Do you notice her "stroller" and far they've come today?
( click on any pics for detail)

Home at last

~ I know these seem like a lot of photo's but they are really only a smattering of what we took in our 8 day road trip! So here is a basic run down as most of the info will be shared in a altered journal complete with scraps and touchable stuff.

~We arrived in a San Francisco on sat Nov,17th and spent all of the next day having fun. We've concluded that 1 day is enough in S.F. when you have a 3 year old boy!


Incredibly yummy lunch at Bubba Gump.

Let me tell you of this Carousel which was very beautiful. It has 2 stories where as the 2nd story spins in the opposite direction. Talk about sea sick!

Family Portrait

I just love this!
This is Dyllan's 2nd fam portrait.
It is drawn on a big piece of butcher paper and drawn upside down!
Daddy is on the far right with the glasses, I'm in the middle and Dyllan is on the left.
He did it all by him self! I only suggested who he could draw, he did the rest!

I'm tickled "pink" that Dyllan likes to draw so much!

Recap from October

~~~Just catching up in all my October happenings. Sorry there are no "craft" pic's, these are mostly for the Family and Friendsto see what we've been up too.
The following are from Halloween's Trick or Treat party @ our house!

(Please click on any photo's for more detail!)

You betcha Mom!

After surviving a busy week and mix of emotions, good and grumpy, I asked Dyllan this morning as he woke up, if he was going to be good today? And he said, "You betcha Mom!"

We will see... ;0)

Dyllan, Dyllan, Dyllan

I just wanted to take a moment to show off this "cute" pic I took of Dyllan who is now 3. He's holding all he needs for nap time. Yes he still takes a nap. Little boys need to replenish their energy, even if it's only for a hour. In his bag are his trusty $1 bin toys from Target: 1 airplane, 1 helicopter, 1 sea plane, a rocket ship that looks like the challenger, and his worn with love Puppy. In his hand is a giraffe puppet and white tiger he got from his Aunt Katalina to which he call the tiger "kitty".

Now we are 3!, July 30th

Dyllan's birthday cake was a Carvel ice cream goodie. He wore a crown that he had long ago convinced me not to sell on etsy cause he caid, "I wike that one, Mama!"

We dragged out the opening of the gifts all day until Dada came home with a mylar balloon which is still afloat to this day!

He got alot of nice things and I'm pleased that most people respected our wish for educational toys and lots of books as opposed to comercialized stuff.

Birthday Party

Dyllan's 3rd Birthday party was held at JW Tumbles in Aliso Viejo on the 29th of July. He had a great time playing with all of his friends, eating pizza and my cupcake!