A slice of pride pie...

So we know you shouldn't brag about yourself, but is it o.k. to brag about your kids? We think of our paper lines as our children so we feel inclined to brag a little. It's been a few months since CHA but the June 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes had something in it that made us smile. Mimosa was voted CK's #1 Favorite Find from CHA! This was their reason for loving it so much:

"With its warm, pink tones, big flowers
and beautiful, golden highlights, this Mimosa
line reminds us of a splendid summer morning."

We were pretty excited to see that we were given this celebrated award. With summer here and beautiful weather, it's a great time to use Mimosa. Have a tea party, make some invitations, frame some gorgeous pictures on a layout... Whatever your summer needs are, Mimosa can be your best friend.

baby blocks

As you might have learned in our introductions last year, Maria really likes babies. To our surprise she announced to us earlier this year that she was having a baby! As soon as we knew, we decided that we wanted to make her something really special. When she found out that she was having a baby boy we knew we wanted to use chick-a-doo.

Chick-a-doo has these great monograms and how cute would they be as blocks? Pia had a an electric saw at home and cut 3.5" x 3.5" squares from wood. There were 4 of us in the art room so we scrambled up the alphabet and each took home 6 or 7 wooden blocks. We decorated them individually with paint, patterned paper, velvet paper and of course the monogram alphabet. Maria was so surprised when we gave them to her and we all loved looking at how each person executed their individual design on the blocks. It's really a simple project (max. time= 2 hours/person) and a fun way to give a group gift to a special friend.

Maria's older boy hasn't stopped playing with the blocks. He's warming them up for his baby brother. Since they're a larger size block, they're really fun to build with. Hope you like this gift idea as much as we did!

Happy Memorial Day

garden anywhere / wicker pot / apple tree / gloves / wind chimes / journal

Did you know that Memorial Day used to be called Decoration Day? I think I like the sound of that better. It's literal and explains it's purpose. I have always really enjoyed Memorial Day. Not only because you get to show respect to those who have passed away but the activities you get to do throughout the day. After you visit memorials or cemeteries, don't you feel reinvigorated to live the life you have? Well my sister and I felt very grateful for life and planted a garden. We're hoping that we're not marching our little plants to a horrible fate, since it's our first year gardening. I found some wonderful gardening items on Anthropologie.com that are all under $25! Maybe if we have the right tools we'll be more successful with our garden... even if that's not true at least we'll have some cute memorabilia. How do you spend your Memorial Day?

Don't forget to check back tomorrow. We have a wonderful gift idea!

Happy Weekend!

Wishing you a lovely weekend filled with fun and whimsical ideas!
Image via fffound, by illustrator Chris Silas Neal.

Thurd Thursday's!

We wanted to give our viewers and especially our Club SEI members a day when additional ideas will be posted pertaining to their upcoming club kit. Thurd Thursday was born! On the third Thursday of every month we will give a few additional ideas on how to use the supplies provided in their upcoming Club SEI kit. These ideas can also be completed at home with other products if you're not a member.

Today's post is spotlighting En Route. Club members will receive this as the June kit. In addition to the projects included in the kit, we came up with Road Trip Games:


This project was completed using the Click and Prints available on the Club Member's website. We also used a few items from the add-on pack. (An add-on is a pack of extra items that can be added to a monthly Club kit.) The Road Trip Games include travel bingo, scavenger hunts, 8 game starter instruction cards and a folder we made to hold them all in.

For all of you travelers out there here are some summer road trip ideas:

• Take small toys that your children haven't played with in a while and mix in a few new toys. Wrap them all up and let your child open one "present" each hour.

• Put together a song book of your children's favorite songs. Sing them in the car as you travel along.

• Get a map of the place you're traveling to. Let the children mark off different landmarks and towns on the map as you pass them.

Club Member's, click here and sign in to download your Click & Prints. If you're not a Club SEI member, this is a wonderful month to join!

Giveaway Winner! (+ something for the non-winners...)

I'd like to say congratulations to our winner... Lorraine who said:

We used random.org to configure the winner of our En Route giveaway. Lorraine, please email us your shipping address to seiblog(at)shopsei(dot)com. Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to enter our drawing. Heather had a lot to teach us, so I think we're all walking away with great ideas.

So here is my consolation prize to the people who weren't so lucky to win. I think it's amazing. I was visiting my friend Rachel's blog and she had the funniest link. It's a link to an ad campaign for Volkswagon's new car, Routan. It's called the Routan Baby Maker 3000. It's just what it sounds like. You can put in two people's faces and it will predict what your baby will look like. It's so much fun. Mandi and I decided to experiment to see what happened and this was the result:


It was just something funny that we found and thought we'd share it with you. So, we were wanting to see your creations. Click here to create your own baby and when you're done, email us your result. The person with the most creative looking child will be posted on the blog. Remember celebrities and animals are not discouraged from being parents.

Paisley & Petals Ideas

(Don't forget today is the last day to enter the guest blogger En Route giveaway!)

We promised all of our newsletter recipients the how-to's on the project ideas above. This week our newsletter is spotlighting Paisley & Petals and reducing the prices. It's sad to see this member of our sei family leave. Once these products are gone, they're not getting reordered so make sure to pick up Paisley & Petals before it's too late. To read our newsletter, click here.

The 3 products on the left side of the picture are just simple cards and layouts. There's really no instructions for these but let us know if you have any questions.

• The box in front is made from a simple box template. A similar template was used on the Mimosa Mother's Day ideas. You can just adjust the size to what you need and take off the scalloped edge. What I thought was really cool about this box was that Maria curled paper to create a bow. I always hate having to find a matching bow at the store for a gift box but with this idea you'll always have a bow that matches.

• The folded frame behind the box is a twist on our Mother's Day goodie bag idea. The difference is that Maria made slits and wound a piece of paper through the top rather than punching a hole.

I always think it's fun to see similar projects done in different paper lines. When you add unique details, it looks completely different.

Giveaway...

We sent Heather some product from our En Route collection to show us how she would display her beautiful photographs. Her idea was to make a quiet book for her baby. So in honor of having Heather as our guest blogger this week, we are giving away all the materials to make the same quiet book. Here is a little explanation and photos from the finished product from Heather. Aren't the photos beautiful? Not to mention the scrap booking (it was Heather's first time, amazing huh?).

The idea behind this project was to make a quiet picture book for Cole (the baby) for Church. He could look at his family and extended family and see where they are around the US! I really LOVED the En Route line and there were endless possibilities with it!

(I give props to scrap bookers and their creativity! It was SO fun creating this, but it was a bit difficult too just with so much fun stuff to work with. How could I choose which paper to use where, what embellishments to use...etc. I was a little intimidated knowing that "real" scrap bookers would be looking at this!) Thanks again for letting me be a guest blogger this week! I had so much fun coming up with posts and ideas. Oh, and I really love everything you sent me from the En Route collection! I'm seriously OBSESSED with those clear stamps! I feel like a kid in a candy store!

The giveaway includes the following products:
• En Route Assortment Pack
• En Route Chiplets
• En Route Stamps
• En Route Rub-On Words
• En Route Ribbon
• 4" x 6" Black Preservation Album
• Blueberry Alphabet Stickers
• Clear Stamp Block
To enter the giveaway, let us know which one of Heather's post was your favorite and why by Monday the 18th at midnight! Simple as that and good luck. Thanks again Heather for the lovely week full of ideas and inspiration!

DIY Housewarming Gifts

I love making treats look pretty and then giving them away. The process and assembly of projects like this are very therapeutic to me, and also extremely satisfying. And who doesn't like to get cute treats? I've compiled some of my favorite DIY projects so hopefully you'll get into the giving spirit and make something for that neighbor that you haven't met yet!

• Homemade Bread and Jam



• Chocolate Bark and Candied Pecans




• Planted Banana Nut Bread

Spicing Things Up

The baby tie tutorial was so much fun that I almost feel bad posting something new today. Trust me though, I think this tutorial from Heather is worth it. Maybe we can all become fabulous photographers... or at least improve. Thanks Heather! (P.S. Visit Heather's blog to see what else she's been up to this week.)

I've compiled some easy ways to get fun, candid, unique photos! I'll just jump right into them:

Capturing Their Personality:
The BEST way to get great photos of your child is to just let them be themselves! I think that candid photos are the best! Try to pick out their happiest time of day to bring the camera out. Try not to get too pose-y with them because most likely they'll get bored and not cooperate with you. Try to capture you child expressing their unique personality. Follow them around the yard, or put a fun toy by a window inside, let them go at it, and shoot away (with your camera, of course).




What To Wear:
I'm always a big fan of color! Bright, bold colors are always great, especially on kids! If you want to go for a print, choose a large print. Sometime small, detailed prints are too busy and don't look the best in photos. Accessories and layers add a lot to a photo, too. Scarves, fun shoes, hats, and bracelets are just a few ideas.





Props:
A great way to get fun photos is spice things up a bit! I always encourage clients to bring props to use in their shoots. I think it adds dimension and zest to the photo and just brings in the "wow" factor. I've used couches, a big sucker, picture frames, brightly colored chairs...the options are endless!

Baby Tie Tutorial

A few weeks ago Heather needed a tie for her baby. She came up with this ingenious technique and today she's going to share it with us. Hip hip hooray! (p.s. isn't the model adorable?)

For the Love of Light

I believe, actually I know that it's possible to take a great photo with a point and shoot camera. You don't have to have a big, fancy professional camera to achieve great composition and lighting. When I'm about to take a photo, the first thing I do is turn off the flash. When it's the middle of the day and there's pretty sunlight coming through your window, that's the best time to take photos!
I have a mini photo shoot with my 5 month old son every Tuesday to document his growth. I open all of the windows in the room so it's nice and bright, turn off my flash and snap away! Here's a checklist of reminders for taking pictures with window light:

*Don't use direct, harsh sunlight, just the pretty luminosity from the afternoon sun
*Make sure your flash is off
*Hold your camera as still as possible when you're snapping the shot
*Make sure your subject (or your child's face) is facing the light to avoid shadows

Although there are circumstances where flash is necessary (night time, dark rooms, etc.) I try to avoid it at all possible so that faces don't look too washed out and colors are more natural. Experiment with it! Have fun!

(I didn't edit or change anything about these photos. They're straight out of the camera)

Getting Acquainted

Hi friends! I was so excited when I was asked to be a guest blogger at SEI! This week I'm going to touch on some simple tricks to boost your photography skills and also throw in a little craftiness here and there! Before I get into all of that though, here's a little bio to help us get more acquainted.


I grew up in a small town in the mountains of San Diego. I love the outdoors and started taking pictures of nature when I was very young. I have a passion for landscape photography, although I enjoy taking photos of children and babies as well. In high school I took my first photography class and ended up becoming the photographer for the school newspaper.



In college I started taking engagement pictures for friends and my photography business took off from there. Now I shoot everything from headshots to family portraits, to tabletop photos. I thrive on beautiful lighting and love a good sunset. Although I have a passion for photography, I love cooking goodies and getting my craft on!


I'm married to a wonderful man named Matt and together we have a beautiful baby boy, a dog named Wanda and a fish named Tuesdee. We have a simple, yet wonderful life together.

Heather's beautiful family portrait and bio photo were taken by Nicole Christensen. Watch for Heather's lighting tutorial coming later this afternoon.

Guest Blogger- Heather Mildenstein

Next Monday May 11th, Heather Mildenstein will be guest blogging with us. Heather is an awesome photographer and has a blog that is one of our daily inspirations. Visit thecoterieblog.com to get to know Heather a little better. Here is what she had to say about herself.

Heather said,
"I'm so excited to be the guest blogger at SEI this month! Here are some tid-bits about me:
•I'm a full-time mom, part-time photographer, and on Saturday mornings I'm a massage therapist
•I've had an interest in photography my entire life and inherited the love from my mom
•My favorite subjects to photograph are babies, still-life, and landscape
•I really enjoy creating new things and sharing ideas
•I love life!"

Breakfast in Bed...?

Mother's Day is coming up... yay! It's such a beautiful day to thank our Mother's for the sacrifices they have made for us. No mother's perfect but I think they're pretty close. Not to mention that they have the most important jobs in the universe, really. I know most of you readers are mama's and so here are some recipe ideas you could print out and leave around the house. Maybe the kiddies and husband will pick up the hint and make these breakfast ideas that don't take all morning. Here are some Mother's Day recipes I found on the Food Network.
The Deep-Dish Ham Quiche is for the savory taste budded viewer. Then for the sweet toothed viewer, I thought this Strawberry Rhubarb Tart looked divine (minus the rhubarb, for me). Whatever it is that you get for breakfast, it's made with love!

Cinco de Mayo, make some banners!

Arriba! Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day. Although I'm not of Mexican descent it's a wonderful holiday to celebrate my appreciation for Mexican culture. I love Mexican food above all foods and so it's a great day to bring out all my favorite recipes. Cinco de Mayo cannot be complete without colorful decorations. My favorite decorations have always been the hand cut banners that are displayed on streets. Josh helped us figure out how to make our own. I know it's a little short notice but they don't take long.

Here are the Banner Instructions:


• We just took a 10" x 10.5" rectangle of tissue paper. We folded it up (like a fan) as shown above.
• Once folded, we cut out shapes (kind of like a snowflake). It took a few practice sheets before we got it right.
• Use different materials to cut out shapes. Mandi used an exacto knife, Josh used scissors and I used different paper punches.
• When we were done cutting, we used an iron on low heat to iron out the fold lines.
-You can use this idea to make your own lace paper for scrap booking or have these banners up for a birthday or party.

Mandi also came up with a custom drink sleeve to use for your celebrations. These along with some store bought pom-pom toothpicks should be a good starting place for your festivities! Just click the image to enlarge and print.

How many of you Celebrate Cinco de Mayo? What are some of your traditions?

Mother's Day Projects

If you signed up for our newsletter, you know that we have an amazing deal going on right now. If you you spend $30 on our website www.shopsei.com, you get an assortment of Morning Meadow & Winnie's Walls papers and embellishments (over $30 value) for FREE! Click this link to see the newsletter and get the promo code. Below are some Mother's Day projects we made from the assortment.


These gift bags are super easy. You can use this idea and make it the perfect size to fit your gift. Mandi came up with the clever card idea. You just cut along the edge of the flowers to make a fun shape, fold it in thirds, then add your rub-on.


I love the way Pia cut out the scroll on this layout and wove it around the photo.


These cards are simple but elegant. You could add a pocket inside to hold a gift card.


Mandi came up with these cute goodie bags and coupon book. She wrote the coupons on tags from the Morning Meadow tag sheet.


These projects are really fun and unique. The card has a poem written on the tag.

Don't forget Mother's Day is May 10th!

**Due to requests here are some instructions for the gift bags:
• The large bag has two templates. One for thebottom & one for the sides.
• The template for thesmall bag can be made out of 1 piece of paper.

Hope this helps!