Wedding Book: Fresh and Colorful 50s Theme

I just finished this super fun and colorful wedding book for guests to sign and write notes in for a bride and groom in France :) Their theme is  a 50s Wedding Day -- lots of bright colors, pinwheels and vintage decor. Going by her gorgeous collection of pinned ideas on pinterest, I created this book for them. I am so excited with how it turned out. And I love, love, love the pinwheel on the front :)

Congratulations Noémie and Jonathan! Thank you for letting me create a wedding book for your special day :)

summer fun: $5 ads until august 31

Beginning now, I am offering a limited number of $5 ad spots located on the sidebar of my blog, as shown in the picture below. This is a fun and inexpensive way to get the word out about your blog or shop! :)

As my due date approaches for my third little one (September!), I will be preparing for a maternity leave and will not have sponsors for a little while once she is here :) So, $5 ads. A fun little celebration for the rest of the summer :)

Ads will run from now until August 31, and may be purchased at anytime between now and then. For example, if you decide to purchase a $5 ad today, your ad will run (as soon as you send me the button) today until August 31. If you purchase a $5 ad next week, your ad will run that day until August 31. Ad size is 220px x 110px. More information on my blog can be found here. Ads are payable via paypal and are taken on a first come, first serve basis.

Want to purchase a $5 summer ad? Great! Thanks! :)

1. Email me at thecreativeplace(at)gmail(dot)com with "$5 summer ad" in the subject line. Include what email address you would like the paypal invoice to be sent to.

2. Please email me a 220px x 110px ad for your shop or blog. Be sure to include the web address to your shop or blog where you would like the ad to link to.

3. Once payment is received via paypal, your ad will be added immediately to my right sidebar.

*If you have questions, or would like more information, please email me at thecreativeplace(at)gmail(dot)com. I reserve the right to refuse a sponsorship spot if I do not feel it is in line with this blog.

Thank you so much for your readership and thank you for your support! Happy Summer! :)

DIY :: Lovely Washi Tape Notebook

I bought this composition notebook for $.50 the other day while school supply shopping for my sweet son, who is now a kindergartner (I used to love getting a blank marble composition book when I was little-- so many pages to fill up with writing and drawing :)). I wanted to dress it up some and decided to use washi tape - I was inspired by Danni over at Oh Hello Friend and her cute little notebook she created :)

So during this project I learned a couple things: 1. I love washi tape (although I think I already knew this ;)). 2. I have way too much washi tape. 3. There really is so much you can do with washi tape :) 

I started with a blank composition notebook, two sheets of white cardstock, adhesive, and washi tape. I also decided to cover the spine at the end with blank newsprint paper.

I traced the cover onto one of the white sheets of cardstock and then started adhering the washi tape.

I then trimmed all of the sides.

I used permanent adhesive all over the front of the notebook, and then adhered the trimmed cover. I repeated the above steps with the back cover as well.

I had planned on leaving the spine as the original black tape on the notebook, but decided to add newsprint at the end. *Had I decided this before adhering the covers, I would have put the spine paper on first.

Basically, I just used more permanent adhesive and adhered the newsprint after measuring and cutting the paper to size.

Voilà! A cute and quick way to dress up any sort of notebook! :)

In order to keep it more durable (which I know that right now, it is not that durable), I may apply a couple layers of ModPodge.

I've had questions and emails on other blog posts about where I get my washi tape. I have purchased most of mine from these shops:

Freckled Fawn - freckledfawn.com/
PrettyTape - www.etsy.com/shop/PrettyTape
InTheClear - www.etsy.com/shop/InTheClear
ItsAlwaysFabulous - www.etsy.com/shop/itsalwaysfabulous
KawaiiGoodies - www.etsy.com/shop/kawaiigoodies (I've never purchased from them, but their assortment is fabulous)

food: chocolate chip pie

This pie is so incredibly easy to make and so incredibly yummy! I made it the other day when we had a friend over for dinner and we quickly ate most of it (thankfully there was a little bit left over for a snack the next day :)). I used a pre-made pie crust, but am wondering if I could make a pie crust and then use a baking dish to have the recipe come out as bars instead of pie. I'm thinking they would be a great little dessert to bring to a potluck or some other gathering :)

Chocolate Chip Pie - adapted slightly from Nestle Toll House
1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie shell
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar (I used 1/4 cup granulated and 1/4 raw turbinado sugar)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks)
1 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans, but will try walnuts next time)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in flour, granulated sugar (turbinado if you are using it), and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon into pie shell.

Bake for 55-60 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Around 35 minutes while baking, I added aluminum foil to prevent the crust from becoming any browner.

and i'm back.

So after an unintentional blog-break, I am back :) The past week and a half has been a little crazy. During the "heat wave" that struck the east coast, our a/c went out completely on a Friday and it heated up reeeally fast in 108+ degree temperatures. Needless to say, it was entirely too hot (even with fans) for the little ones and this very (very) pregnant lady. I can handle hot temperatures :) I can't handle 90 degree temperatures in our downstairs (which means the upstairs was probably close to 100. And all of our bedrooms are upstairs), and we were concerned for the boys, even though they were seeming to handle it great. So we were displaced for several days and nights, staying with sweet friends and then family until it was able to be fixed late the next Tuesday (a quick and simple 10 minute fix ;)).

In retrospect, and in the scope of life, it was super trivial, and plainly, just an inconvenience. I realized through it that I am so incredibly thankful we even have a/c. And I am so incredibly thankful the boys are safe and healthy. And I am so incredibly thankful for our amazing church community - one of the families from our church let us borrow a large window a/c unit to use and we bought a small one for the boys to share a room at night - not an expense we were expecting, but worth it to be able to be home and have the boys in their routine (small children and routine - eating, sleeping, playing - is key :)). I realized that I easily take things for granted. And this was a definite help to see that, and I am thanking God for all of the little things that I am so inclined to forget day-in and day-out.

So all of that to say. I have been trying to catch up from those several days. I had a bunch of orders from my shop come in right before this all happened, and am thankful for super understanding and gracious customers, as the shipments were delayed almost a week.

As I am getting back into the swing of things, I am working on a few things - like getting my workspace cleaned up and re-organized (a little tour coming soon!). Planning some new journals (!!!), and really just trying to take it easy and enjoy these last several weeks until we meet our new little one! I will be posting some more random thoughts and info. this week -- blog and shop related.

In other news: My sweet little Jimmy heads off to his first day of kindergarten today. Yes, I have already shed tears. And I'm sure I will shed some more before the day is over. I was pretty sure that he would stay little forever ;) And I keenly remember rocking him as a baby and thinking "one day he will be going to kindergarten" (and of course, "one day he will be an adult. and probably get married. and probably have kids"). And that "one day he will be going to kindergarten" is today. My goodness how the time has flown. I am so thankful for this sweet boy and I am excited that he is excited to go to school. To learn new things and to make new friends. And as he says, "to play on the playground".

giveaway winners!

Congratulations Kendra and Kelly! I will be emailing you shortly. Thank you to all who played along :)

last day to enter the giveaway!

don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of two mini scrap packs from my shop. i will be choosing two winners at random later on today! :)