Art Projects Galore!

It has been so hot this summer - I have been finding lots of art projects to do to beat the heat. Brayden has loved it and of course, I had enjoyed teaching him to be creative as well. :) Here are a few of the projects we did:

PAINTERS TAPE LETTERS

MORE WATERCOLORING...

RAINBOW COLLAGE PROJECT

SQUIRT GUN PAINTING

Canvas Silhouette DIY

So since Memorial Day I have been obsessed with this website called Pinterest. I have gotten so many great ideas on food, design, crafts, entertaining, fashion, you name it -- it is the coolest and most creative site I have ever come across. It is my dream come true. :) I came across this adorable project of a canvas silhouette of your child and had to do it. Thanks to www.justcallmechris.blogspot.com. Here is a tutorial:

Supplies you need: a enlarged printed profile photo of your child (or children, if you want to do more than one! in my case its just my sweet boy), paintbrush, 12x12 square canvas, white acrylic paint, color of your choice paint (Brayden chose blue :) ), a sheet of duct tape (you can find this in any crafts store

An example of the printed profile photo - my ink was going out of my printer but luckily it worked to my advantage. NOTE: I already had this photo somehow of him in profile - but if you take some of your child - it would be better to do it against a white wall.

First, paint the canvas all over with white paint.

While the white paint is drying trace the profile with a pencil. Sorry this is a terrible photo - the shadow dome at the bottom.

Once you trace the profile, cut it out.

Trace the profile onto the sheet of duct tape and then cut it out and then stick it on the canvas. Make sure the white paint is good and dry. Be sure and press it especially around the edges so when you paint the color on the color will not bleed into the profile.

Paint it the color you desire. ** I had to use a few coats. Also, I switched to a small roller brush, it made the color have a better all-over finish. I did not like the brush strokes the brush was giving me. Luckily acrylic dries very quickly. But I did paint about 4 coats on the canvas. Once dry - pull off the duct tape ...

Then voila! Finished profile!

Here it is with the actual subject :)

It was a really easy and fun project. And it really looks like him. :) Looks great in the playroom.

Ryan Coaches His Girls to a National Championship!

Ryan traveled to Phoenix the last week of July for USYSA National Championships. It was a long week but his 92 girls made it all the way to the finals and ended up winning! We were super proud of him -- he works so hard all year training the girls and competing against top teams in the country and is gone a lot. So this accomplishment and success makes it all worth it. Here is a photo of him with his team:

I painted him a big banner that hung above the den door Congratulating him when he got home. Again, Great Job honey! We are SO proud of you. Love you!

Playroom Renovation

So for months now I have been wanting to organize Brayden's playroom. He has so many toys and they were always strewn all over the floor, in no order whatsoever, and we haven't been really strict about him cleaning up after himself. I finally decided it was high time we get some kind of order to it pronto before Mommy pulls her hair out :)

This is the BEFORE photo - total disaster....

This was us in the process of cleaning up and sorting through things, vacuuming, etc.

Voila! AFTER! We got the Expedit series bookcase at Ikea -- love the cubby holes; they provide so much storage. Everything is finally off the floor.

Larger view: There seems to be so much more open space and more room for him to play in.

The white baskets are from Ikea. The wire mesh baskets we found at Container store. They each hold so many toys. I love how it turned out. Its amazing how a bookcase can conform and organize a room. Now I just want to add some fun children's art to jazz it up a little...but coming soon. One thing at a time... :)

Oh! and last night Brayden even put his cars away in his mesh basket before bed. Woo hoo! So far so good.

DIY Rain Gutter Shelves

This past holiday weekend Ryan and I tackled a DIY project I had seen online a few months ago and had not been able to get it out of my mind for Brayden's room. It sounds crazy but the project is taking vinyl rain gutters and creating awesome bookshelves on the wall! Brayden loves waking up in the morning and reading books so I felt like this would be perfect for him to have bookshelves right above his bed for him to grab whatever book he felt like reading and keeping himself busy. It was super easy and very cheap - I think the whole project was about $45.00 - all supplies were purchased at Home Depot in the gutter aisle. Seriously. Check out the after photos:

4th of July 2011

For the 4th of July we headed to the Wagners house to watch the Lakewood parade that runs right down their street. It is a great time: they had hamburgers and hot dogs, cookies, snowcones and margaritas afterwards and a bouncehouse/slip and slide. It was hot of course, but super fun. This year Ryan and Kamilia came with Cooper and Charlee so I got some fun pics of the cousins. They have so much fun together, I love watching them play. Lots of friends were there too, which was a good time as well.

Our sweet family

The cousins

Relaxing before parade begins

B and Coop

Daddy trying to help Brayden get the candy being thrown off the floats

KT and Charlee

William

Sweet Brothers: William and Jackson

Brayden's favorite part of the parade - the double decker bus

Buddies. Grady and Brayden

Old friends.

Nanny!

Slip and Slide fun

They look so old. Sniff Sniff :)

She is such a doll.

Happy 4th - Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! We sure did.

Denver Trip

Ryan and I got to go on a weekend trip to Denver together a few weeks ago. One of Ryan's best friends got married at Red Rocks Country Club outside of Denver. It was so nice to getaway just the two of us and also get out of the Texas heat for a few days. This was the first trip Ryan and I have taken together without Brayden since he was born! It was the first trip for me to be away from Brayden for more than one night since he was 5 1/2 months old. He stayed a few nights with my dad and Jackie and then Ryan's parents one night - he had a great time with both sets of grandparents so I don't think he missed us a bit. I enjoyed getting away for a little bit and getting some time with Ryan especially since he has been so busy this summer. Denver was beautiful and of course, the weather was awesome. Here are a few pics: