paige & mike

i did the photos for this cute & fun couple on thursday! i her mom was one of my favorite teachers in high school, ann helene crowly crosland! here are some of the photographs. i may post more, but right now blogging is difficult...my computer crashed :(! but enjoy this peek!

CONGRATS!!!

VOTE ZACH WHITE

bryan and i (mostly bryan) helped my little bro with his campaign posters. he's running for senior class vp at timpview high school! i'm hoping these posters help. we were inspired by some of obama's posters and a kennedy poster. zach can only spend 15 dollars n his campaign, so printing them was out of the question, so we used the laser cutter in the byu id lab. here they are:

poster #1

inspiration

poster #2

inspiration

happy easter!

i LOVE Easter. i am so grateful for our lord, his sacrifice and his resurrection.
i made p a little easter dress for her basket. here she is wearing it! i used a simplicity pattern i borrowed, so i don't know the number...sorry.

i know! i need to do something about that hair...

wearing her new gold sandles.

front side

back side & bloomers (SO CUTE...taken from an amy butler pattern in her book, little stitches)

birthday party pictures

we had a little 1st birthday party with family on saturday. here are a few of the pictures from the event:

penelope wearing her bday crown. i was really surprised that she kept it on for almost the whole party!


we had lunch and then cup cakes (the strawberry cupcake recipe is below)
oh and we can't forget kazoos...penelope's favorite!

penelope got some new sandles from grandma and grandpa white. here she is trying to put them on...over her other shoes. cousin josh liked to help her unwrap her gifts.


cousin lincoln liked the horse


she was pretty mad that i wouldn't let her touch the candle.


but she REALLY liked the cupcake, and i am sure you would like them too, because they were delicious! here is the recipe i got off of martha stewart:


SPRINKLES STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES

Makes 1 dozen

• 2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

SPRINKLES STRAWBERRY ICING

(i let the frosting whip a lot longer than this says, to get a lighter texture. i then stuck the frosting in a bag and cut a corner off and squeezed it onto the cupcakes..and topped them off with a slice of strawberry..mmmm)

Makes enough for 1 dozen cupcakes

• 1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
• Pinch of coarse salt
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

the party & family pictures

the invite

featured on a blog!

i LOVE this ladies blog/etsy shop! infact, i asked for one of her necklaces for mothers day (hopefully bryan is reading)! she was sweet enough to feature my pretty in pink caplet on her blog post about easter gift ideas. to see the post and her blog click here.

happy 1st birthday

penelope jane sparks | born april 7th, 2008

we're going to extend penelope's birthday celebrations all week, but today is the big day! i can't believe my little girl is 1! today we went to the doctor. she weighs 2o lb 1 oz (30th percentile), so we can turn the car seat the front-facing way. she is 29.6 in tall (70th percentile). we have just loved having p in our house! she is a lot of fun.
this just in...she walks. she took her first steps a couple of months ago, but up until a week or so ago she's been a little nervous about walking unsupervised. she's got 4 of her top teeth coming in. she likes to hold the phone on her shoulder and talk...super cute.

then

and now!

she's always liked sticking out her tongue


sittin' on the curb with new birthday car


this is a dress i made for her birthday from a simplicity pattern #3808


showing off her walking skills in the wind!

talking...

every birthday girl needs a new dress.

i made the above dress from a pattern in amy butler's book, little stitches . i really love this book! i have many things i still want to make. penelope's coat was loosely based off of a pattern in that book, her shoes are in that book, as were her kimono pj's
and her v-necked shirt/dress. so i've had a lot of fun with the book and would HIGHLY recommend it for a seemstress of any level.

happy birthday penelope!!!

handmade birthday!!!

penelope will be 1 tomorrow. i will probably post again tomorrow, but i wanted to give you a little sneak peek of her gifts. bryan and i made these toys a onth or so ago, but i've been waiting to post them until it was closer to the big b-day!

for her cars bryan and i drew out the design of each car on the piece of wood, bryan cut them out on the bandsaw and i sanded them down, i painted them with acrylic paint, bryan put a coat of polyurithane on them and then he assembled them.

here's the line-up:

suv...or british taxi.

truck

compact car

vw bus

we also made a bag of blocks! i remember my grandpa made me and my siblings blocks and we used them almost everyday. i made her a little drawstring bag to keep them in. i think we'll be making her a toybox for christmas. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW PENELOPE!!!