Baby Patton's Nursery

Wow! I have not posted on my blog in a very long time. I will have to catch up with everything once we welcome our new Baby Boy in a few weeks. I have been busy going back to school to earn my BSN so I can apply to nursing school, and well, that will take some time, as we are getting ready to welcome a baby boy soon! Below are pictures of the nursery that used to be a guest room. We actually have an extra room on our main floor that we turned into the guest room, since all four bedrooms upstairs are now occupied. We had a lot of things to do to get the nursery ready - including installing wallpaper, a new ceiling fan, curtains, and a new bi-fold closet. The room turned out so well and we are excited to have a baby in it soon!

 Campaign dresser, Minted prints, Parker diaper caddy, Babyletto tree bookcase,

Pottery Barn Kids blackout curtains

 My inspiration, other than creating a room that can grow with our son, was this amazing Shibori wallpaper from Spoonflower! It's so fun and the wallpaper is texturized sticker fabric that was super easy to put up. Wallpaper, acrylic name sign, nightstand I painted green, round crib I have used for each boy, lamp from HomeGoods, Aden and Anais dream blanket

 IKEA closet organizer with new closet doors and print from Minted. Laundry hamper from HomeGoods.

This special mountain picture came from the cake topper from my baby shower my sweet friend threw for me! I love how this turned out!

Enjoy!

Brittney

Faux Croquembouche

One of the prettiest holiday desserts I have seen is a Croquembouche. It is a French dessert made out of pastry balls that are stacked in a cone shape and covered with threads of caramel. To save a little time in creating a REAL one, I decided to make a FAUX Croquembouche for our Holiday Ugly Sweater Party. I used between 4-5 dozen donut holes, holiday sprinkles, and a foam tree form to create a fun party dessert for kids and adults to enjoy. Below are my steps and materials used.

Faux Croquembouche

- 4-5 dozen donut holes
- toothpicks
- 11" cone form
- clear corn syrup
- holiday sprinkles
- paintbrush

1. Paint some corn syrup onto the bottom of your cone form and stick it firmly to your plate, or base you will be using. This will keep your Croquembouche from moving around the plate.
2. Lightly dab some of your donut holes (I used the glazed ones) with corn syrup and dip it in the holiday sprinkles of your choice. Continue to do this until you have quite a few donut holes with sprinkles on them.
3. Using toothpicks, secure your donut holes around your cone form and continue all the way up it until completed.
4. Guests can easily snack on your Faux Croquembouche at a party or festive event!

 Corn Syrup, paintbrush, donut holes

Glazed donut holes with sprinkles

Securing donut holes with toothpicks starting from the bottom

Completed Faux Croquembouche

Enjoy!

Brittney

Ribbon Tree How-To

I have been following this amazing Blogger for years and she always has the most beautiful, over-the-top, Christmas trees! She uses lots of ribbon and sprays/sprigs to make the tree look full and gorgeous. So, I watched about ten You Tube videos on how to put ribbon in my tree, and I think mine turned out beautiful, a little less understated than what I had planned in my head, and still kid friendly! I used 4 rolls of ribbon, all different types that complimented each other for my red/gold tree decor. We get a real tree every year, so I couldn't wrap my ribbon around each fake-tree sprig to have it stay. Instead, I bought green pipe-cleaners that I cut in thirds and wrapped the pipe cleaner around the ribbon and branch so it would stay. I cascaded my ribbon from the top of the tree towards the right, bunching my ribbon about every foot and tying it to the tree with a pipe cleaner. There are all types of ribbon configurations you can use - go as conservative or as crazy as you like! I bought quite a few sprigs to put in the tree at the top for more fullness and I love how it turned out. Below are some pictures of my process and the end result. Happy Holidays!

 Two ribbons pinched together and attached to a tree sprig with a pipe cleaner

Ribbon ends cut nicely at the end

Cascading ribbon towards the right

 Our tree!

Ribbon tree with sprigs at the top

Enjoy!

Brittney

Diaper Cake with a Wine Bottle Base

I've been making this diaper cake for years but recently decided to take a few pictures to show how it's done! I like to use a bottle of wine as the base, but you could also use an empty paper towel roll. I bought a box of 74 (Size 1) diapers and I also gifted the mom-to-be with a box of wipes - she's going to need those, too! Below are the supplies I used and the how-to.

Diaper Cake
- Bottle of Wine
- 60-75 diapers
- hot glue gun
- 2 types of ribbon to layer
- fun felt stickers/add-ons
- extra ribbon for bows
- cardboard for a base that I wrapped with baby wrapping paper
- rubber bands
- ribbon/string to secure diapers

1. Make your cardboard base. I used the bottom of an Amazon box and wrapped it with baby wrapping paper.
2. Place your bottle of wine in the center of your base.
3. Roll each diaper and secure with a rubber band in the center.
4. Place diaper rolls around your wine bottle base, about 3 diapers thick around. Secure with a piece of ribbon or string.
5. Stack another layer of diapers on top of the first, about 2 diapers thick and secure with string.
6. Place 2 diapers that are not rolled around the wine neck to make it thicker and secure in place with a rubber band. Place your 1 layer of diapers around them and secure with a rubber band.
7. Now to decorate! I used burlap ribbon that I secured in the back with hot glue. I then added the zoo ribbon on top and secured with hot glue. Make a bow to place on the top and secure with a little hot glue (it will peel off the diapers).
8. Decorate cake with your add-ons. I used a 'Sophie the Giraffe' and felt zoo animals. I also made little green bows that I glued on.

 Wine center with 3 rows of rolled diapers secured with ribbon

 Diaper cake!

Decorated Diaper Cake

Enjoy!

Brittney

Greek Mac and Cheese

I have been wanting to make macaroni and cheese this week... but with a twist! I found this recipe from Skinnytaste.com and loved it! It's fresh and has veggies in it! If only my kids wouldn't pick them out... Below is the recipe!

Greek Mac and Cheese

- 8 oz. elbow noodles
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
- 5 oz. feta cheese
- 1/2 tsp. oregnao
- 1/2 tsp. thyme
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- parsley for garnish

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 10"x8" baking dish and set aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook your elbow noodles to al dente according to the package.
3. In a sauce pan, melt your butter and add your onions. Saute onions for 3 minutes.
4. Add your garlic and saute for 1 minute.
5. Sprinkle the flour on your onions and make a rue.
6. Whisk in your milk until it thickens and boils.
7. Add the mozzarella cheese and feta cheese and whisk until combined.
8. Add the oregano, thyme, salt and pepper and stir to mix.
9. Add noodles and place everything in your greased baking dish.
10. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley as desired.

Greek Mac and Cheese

Enjoy!

Brittney

Safari Baby Shower

I hosted a baby shower for my friend and had the most fun preparing for it! I used a color scheme of black, gold and green to achieve the safari theme! Below are pictures from the Safari Baby Shower Luncheon.

Menu:
- Caprese Salad
- Fruit Salad
- Croissant Sandwiches (Make-Your-Own with lunch meats and cheese)
- Flatbread pizza - 2 types
- Hummus and veggie cups
- Naked white cake with buttercream frosting
- Cookies
- Prosecco and La Croix

Gold Safari Animals and Treat Boxes

 Plastic Safari Animals on cardboard

 Spray painted animals gold

 Purchased clear boxes from Hobby Lobby and hot-glued an animal to the top and put ribbon with a "thank you" sticker around the box

 Cookie Treat Box

Royal Icing with hand painted gold frosting by friend made for the shower!

 Cookie Favors

Cookie Box Favor

Games

 Children's Guest Book Signing

Safari Baby Animals Match Game

Decor/Table Setting

 "Boy" Balloon on the front door

 Gold charger plate, green plate and black/white napkin with a gold animal table setting

 Set Table

Lunch is ready!

The Food

 Prosecco and La Croix sparkling water

 Homemade "naked" cake with flowers and custom cake topper from Etsy

Food Table

 Fruit and Caprese Salads

 Hummus and Veggie Cups

 Flatbread Pizzas

Make-Your-Own-Sandwich

Oh Boy!!!

Enjoy!

Brittney

DIY Balloon Garland

This past weekend I hosted a baby shower for a very close friend of mine who is expecting another boy this September. His nursery is themed lions and skiing - so I decided on a safari theme for the baby shower! I made a balloon garland as the focal point for the party and it was pretty easy to do! It took me about an hour and a half total! Below is my Balloon Garland How-to.

Supplies:
- balloons in different colors you want to use for the party, at least 50 (depends on how big you want garland to be)
- string
- tacks
- low-temperature glue gun
- garland extras (I used faux monstera leaves and palm leaves)

1. Blow up balloons in different sizes.
2. Attach 3 or 4 balloons together at their base with string.
3. Cut a long piece of string to use as your main string for your garland shape.
4. Attach string from group of balloons to your main string, tying a knot as close to the middle of your balloon grouping as you can get. Keep adding your balloon groupings to your string until you have your desired length. Tie a good knot on your end balloon groupings to your main string so the balloons do not slip off.
5. To hang your garland use tacks in the wall your will use. I used 3 tacks for mine, the garland was extremely light and did not need a lot of support. I used a tack on the ends and one in the middle. I placed a tack through one of the small pieces of string from the balloon groupings and pushed it in the wall where I wanted the garland to hang.
6. Once you have your garland secured to the wall you can blow up more balloons to fill in the spots that need to be fuller. I used a low-temperature glue gun to glue these balloons to the garland.
7. Add garland extras as you wish with the glue gun as well.

 Supplies: balloons in 4 colors, fake leaves, string, tacks, and Glue Dots (used to put up mylar balloons that say "Oh Boy")

 Balloon grouping with string (4 balloons)

 Balloon groupings on the main string at my desired length

 Balloon garland attached to the wall with tacks - 

extra balloons and leaves glued on with glue gun

DIY Balloon Garland

Enjoy!

Brittney