Thanksgiving

As I sit here the night before Thanksgiving, I am reminded of the holidays of my childhood.  It was a tradition for my sister and I to spend the night before with our grandparents.  Every year our Mammaw would be preparing everything imaginable for our big family dinner the next day.  The one thing that we looked forward to the most, was chopping up the cornbread for her homemade stuffing.  Using biscuit cutters, we smashed, mushed, and completely crumbled the yellow cornbread up.  It was fun to see how much of the crumbs could accumulate within our "chopper" and then let the big pile (imaging packed brown sugar) fall out into the rest of the crumbs and start all over again.  


My Mammaw in the 1960s with a niece.

We would go to bed around 11:00pm and this was extremely late for our grandparents!  Growing up on farms, they went to bed early and woke up before the sun rose.  I was always a night owl, so this humored me.  In the morning we would awaken to the smell of bacon cooking.  We would rush into the kitchen for our breakfast & then on to the living room to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.  Our parents would get there about then & our Uncle Terry would join us as well. 

Soon it was time to eat, and the large dinner table was filled with southern style foods that I still cannot get just right to this day!  After we had filled our bellies, football would be turned on, while my sister & I would beg to watch the cheerleading competitions that were usually on at the same time.


My Pappaw with my oldest, Avery, in 2006.

It's been 9 years since my Mammaw passed away and 3 since we lost Pappaw.  Yet, I can still hear their laughter and voices that made us all feel so welcomed and loved every day...not just during the holiday season.  I am thankful that I did have the chance to cherish each day with them.  They taught us to love, to live, and to enjoy the things that truly matter in life...family.

I hope that I can pass this on to my daughters, and one day my grandchildren as well.  It's never to early or too late to start your own family traditions and to make memories that will last not only your lifetime, but your loved ones' as well.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Quick & Easy Cake Decorations

I don't know about you, but I love when something is quick, easy, and looks like I spent a long time making it! When I was coming up with ideas for our Vintage Apple Orchard party, I knew that I needed something cute for the cupcakes and cakes. I wanted a shabby chic, vintage feel to go along with the decor, but something that didn't require a lot of effort.








So, I purchased some pretty paper flowers from a great Etsy shop: Discount Paper Crafts and ordered two 6" cakes and two dozen cupcakes without any decoration from our local bakery. I then attached them to tooth picks using a tiny dab of hot glue. I made sure that all the glue "strings" were off & carefully placed them on the our cakes and cupcakes. These aren't made for food, so I did leave a bit of space between the frosting and the flower....just in case!

The result was just what I wanted. Beautiful, unique, and too sweet!! Give it a try...

Printing from Bee and Daisy

 

We are now offering professional printing services for our invitations! We have several paper and size options for you to choose from. Just search our Upgrades and Printing section to view our pricing and info.

Toys “R” Us Red Carpet Black Friday Sweepstakes

Toys “R” Us Red Carpet Black Friday Sweepstakes: I just entered for a chance to win the Toys“R”Us Red Carpet Black Friday Sweepstakes!

Real Party - Sweet Pink Mod Monkey 1st Birthday!

Thanks to Ressa for sending in photos from her daughter's 1st birthday party!  Ressa used our Pink Mod Monkey printable decor and invite for the party theme.  The party featured a decorate your own cupcake table which was sure to please kids & grown ups alike!  Don't you just love the adorable party hat?  It's easy to create a one of a kind hat with our printable hat included in each collection & a few crafting supplies.  Click on the link above to purchase this set in our etsy shop.

Sneak Peek...Ainsley's 2nd birthday!!

Our youngest (of 2), Miss Ainsley, will be turning two on Halloween.  I can't believe that she's already two...time goes by too fast!!  Of course, she's so petite that I forget that she's 22 months, until she starts talking & I have to remember that she's only 22 months! 

I just wanted to give a sneak peak at our planning by posting one of the photos from her birthday photo shoot.  We decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather today!  You never know when it's going to turn cold here in Illinois. 

I will post more as the party gets closer, but I won't be posting too much until after the actual party date (October 27th).  So...enjoy for now!!

 

My little Ainy-bug!!

Real Party - Adorable Pink Lemondae Party!

Take a look at the adorable party sent in by Maryann! She submitted photos of her daughter's 1st birthday party.  The theme was Lemonade, using our Pink Lemonade printable collection.  I love the tulle on the highchair...so cute!! Thanks again Maryann for sharing your party photos.  If you have a party using Bee and Daisy printables, be sure to send them to me for a discount on your next party!

Vintage Big Top Circus Collection

We would like to share our Vintage Big Top collection here on our blog.

Our Shabby Blue Rose collection is very popular! It is one of my favorites so I understand why!  I originally designed the beautiful blue floral paper for my daughter Ainsley's birth announcement.  I love seeing how creative my customers are!! Click on the following link to take a look at this adorable blog & thanks again to Shaa'ista for sharing her party with us!

Link:  Sofia's 1st Birthday Party

Amy Atlas Feature...

Another feature on the Amy Atlas blog that I want to share. Thanks again to Zehra for her beautiful photos of our Shabby Blue Rose collection! Be sure to check it out here:

Pink & Blue Guest Feature

Upcoming Giveaway!!

I am excited to announce that starting April 1st, we will be hosting a giveaway! More details will follow, but one lucky person will win their choice of a party collection from the Bee and Daisy shop!  This will include a standard decor set and an invite.  Look for the giveaway on Sunday & be sure to tell your friends.

Updating...

Hi everyone!  Clearly it has been a while since I have posted.  I just wanted to share that there are new changes coming to the blog.  I have set up the domain name, so you will no longer need to type blogspot at the end of the url.  Simply type www.beeanddaisy.com & you'll get here!

That's not all! I am currently working on the design of the blog.  This will be a work in progress, as I am doing this myself.  I set up my photography website from scratch several years ago, so this should be pretty easy.  However, please hang in there while everything is being updated.  I know the blog isn't much right now, but I truly have high hopes for it!!

Oh...and yes, I did create all the graphics on this site...anyone interested in blog graphics, just let me know!!

Thanks again for stopping by.

Ainsley's 1st Birthday Party...Sneak Peak!!

I can't believe that a year ago our Ainy Bug wasn't even here yet & I was hoping that the difficult pregnancy would soon be over.  Of course, all the problems that I suffered through for 4 out of the 9 months suddenly cleared up the week I was going to be induced.  Two more weeks of waiting & finally I was 39 weeks along & I was able to be induced without anything to stop it.

Ainsley's ultrasound photo

I arrived at the hospital at 5am, was hooked up to the pitocin by 6am & was told that our baby girl would probably be here by 5 pm if everything continued at the same rate.  Well...22 hours later, at 4:00 am on Sunday, October 31, 2010, Miss Ainsley Bryn decided that she was ready to make her entrance into the world.  Wouldn't you know it, she came on the one day that I said I did NOT want her to be born on.  By that point, I honestly didn't care.  I was just so ready to have her in my arms that it didn't matter if she was born in October, November, or even on Halloween.  No matter what the day is called, it was still the day that the Lord had made & we did rejoice in it!

Ainsley at 1 week

A year has flown by. Here we are less than a month from her birthday & I have kicked into party planning mode. I orignally had designed an owl theme for Ainsley's birthday. However, I decided to list this in my etsy shop & it has quickly become my biggest seller! Knowing that I wanted something unique for my baby girl, I decided to design a new theme. This will not be listed until after her party, but I did want to give a little sneak peak! It was inspired by Woodland Animals & Little Red Riding Hood...making it Ainsley's Forest Friends party. Perfect for a late autumn birthday party. No...I did NOT want a halloween themed party. How tired would that become after years of birthdays? (not to mention that it goes against our Christian beliefs) Every kid gets to have fun getting candy on that day. I want Ainsley to have her own special day each year anyway!

Aisnley at 11 months

So, enjoy the sneak peak at Ainsley's party theme. Look for the invitation & printable party decor to be listed in the store starting the first weekend in November. I will share my planning details as they are available.

Party sneak peak...this isn't her exact invite, but it's close!

♥B

New Sale!!

Thanks to those that took advantage of our early bird sale the past 2 weeks.  I hope you enjoyed the savings!  Our latest sale is on now through March 31st, 2011.

Buy the $20 personalized version of any of our decor & get 25% off your invitation!  Just purchase the personalized pack sale & I will set up a reserved listing for you that reflects the discount!

Enjoy!
 
♥B

**Just Arrived!**

Just added to our etsy shop:

Wild Zebra













and party decor to go along with our Fairy Garden invite

Enjoy!!
♥B

**Just Added....Tiny Dancer

Just listed in our SHOP is our adorable Vintage Ballerina set called Tiny Dancer.  Inspired by a tee, this item is pretty, and all girl!  Enjoy...

♥B

Here I Go....

It's obvious that I haven't spent much time on this blog!  With a new baby, a 5 year old, among what seems like a million other things...well, I'm sure you've all been there!  There just isn't enough time in the day to accomplish everything that I want.

I do plan on blogging more often.  Sharing my thoughts, ideas, new designs.  It's my goal to turn this hobby into a business.  Something that not only allows me to spend time at home with my girls, but to also bring in a good income that will cover those "wants"! 

So, here I go.  A thousand different design ideas are running through my head.  Time to be inspired, imagine, create.  My love of design, party planning, and children's items all rolled into one.  Now that's what I call a dream job!

♥B

**Spring Sale!!**

Shop early & save this spring with our early bird sale!  Enter EARLYBIRD2011 at check out on etsy & you will save 5% off your purchase!  Offer good now through March 21, 2011.

♥B

Coming Soon!

Here are our current party decor packs & invites available:

~Pirate

~Circus
~Sweet Owl
~Ladybug
~Goldfish

The following designs are coming soon, so please check back soon. 
~Sunshine Sweetie


~MVP (Baseball, Football, or Basketball)
~Jungle Safari
~Tea Party
~Royal Princess
~Garden Party
~Under the Sea
~Mermaid
~Giraffe
~Watermelon
~Sillybration
~Ice Cream
~Candy Store
~Super Hero
~Sock Monkey
~Pop Princess
~Rock Star
~Dress Up
~Pink Poodle
~Paris Party
~50's Sockhop
~Ballerina
~Wild West
~On the Farm
~Trains
~Cars
~Planes

Have the perfect party theme in mind but don't see it above?  We can create a custom pack for you!  Just email us or send us a message on etsy for more details.  Prices for custom packs are just $25 and include the photo invitation!


♥B

Mother's Memorial

Avery and I have been busy making hair bows, headbands, flower clips, etc to sell for Mother's Memorial.  I will also donate a portion of the proceeds for our children's letter & name art prints as well.  Please help out a great cause!

For those that are not familiar with this fundraiser, you can find out more at this link: MOTHER'S MEMORIAL

♥B