.:Sock Monkey Baby Shower - Paisley Palooza:.

Hi! My name is Becky and I am so excited to be the party contributor each month here at Sumo's Sweet Stuff. I have lots of fun things planned and to kick it off this month I have the most darling sock monkey baby shower to show you. My little sister gave birth to the most beautiful little baby boy, Carter, about a month ago, so at the beginning of January I threw her a little baby shower. I settled on a sock monkey theme and it turned out too cute.

For the decor I borrowed lots of sock monkeys from friends and stick with the brown and red color scheme. I created a fun little banner with baby Carter's name on it and just wrapped a bunch of presents with brown and red wrapping paper. I also got lots of red and white polka dotted balloons to place around the room.

For the food menu I tried to stick with items that were brown and red or "monkey" themed, such as banana flavored items. The menu included the following:

• A candy bar full of brown & red treats.
• Coca-Cola & root beer (with pebble ice, of course!)
• Chips & salsa
• Veggie platter
• Dried bananas & pretzels
• Mini trifles in mason jars (I did a banana version and a chocolate version)

I also designed a cute invitation to the party with the same sock monkey theme. I have made it into a free download for you to use for your own sock monkey party. Just download the Photoshop file and add your own wording to it. I just printed mine as 5x7 photos and they turned out great!

Download the sock monkey invitation here (or click on the picture below).

And I thought I would also do a little giveaway of an item in my shop. You can enter to win a set of 25 of the red and white striped paper straws I used as party of this party. You can enter the giveaway below. Good luck!
(You have until Sunday, March 3rd at 11:59 pm to enter. Winner will be chosen Monday, March 4th.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 A few of the items I used for this party are available in my shop: 

Red Baker's Twine | Red Striped Paper Straws

Enjoy!

xoxo Becky, Paisley Palooza

"My name is Becky Young and I've always had a love for planning and throwing parties. When my baby girl turned one and I was planning her 1st birthday party I couldn't find reasonably priced party items that were also cute. That's when I decided to start Paisley Palooza.  A little shop with all kinds of cute, inexpensive party items. I also enjoy taking lots of pictures of my baby, spending ridiculous amounts of time with my husband, getting addicted to tv shows and trying all kinds of new restaurants with my family."
Website | Etsy Shop | Facebook | Instagram

.:PYP + Washi = Happiness:.

Have you jumped on the washi tape bandwagon yet? 

If you haven't, then today would be a good day to start.

And if you have, well, then this is for you, too!

Pick Your Plum is selling washi tape for $1.50/roll today. 

No, I am not kidding. $1.50/roll.

Yes, it will sell out fast.

Definitely yes, get on over there and place your order before it's gone!

.:University of Utah Health Care GNO:.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a local event at the University of Utah South Jordan Health Center in Daybreak. One of the doctors from my husband’s clinic recently transferred there, so I was anxious to see the new center and check out what is offered.

Once I got checked in and received my little swag bag, I was greeted with an array of delicious finger foods to munch on as we waited for the guest speaker to begin. I mean, come on, look at that spread. The good people in charge of this event certainly didn’t skimp on the food! I’m pretty sure I could have eaten my weight in those mushrooms.

I was flying solo (and kid-less!) that evening, so I sat down and made a couple of new friends before the event really got going. It is always fun to meet people from different stages in life, and hear their stories. One of the ladies I sat with shared some of her story of battling infertility for 10 years before finding success naturally. It was an incredible story, and we were joking that maybe she should go hang out with the infertility doctors that evening to offer hope!

The main speaker of the night was Mary Nickles from KUTV News here in Salt Lake City. Again, another incredible story! She had a mammogram for a story, where they ended up finding cancer. She might not have found out for a long time if she hadn’t have done that story! It was a good lesson in taking care of my own personal health, and staying up to date on the tests and preventative measures that we have available to us.

After listening to Mary Nickles, it was off to do some exploring of all of the classes that were available. I headed first to the vision screening. I’ve been blessed with good eye sight, but feel as I get older that I can’t see very well at night. Throw in any weather conditions, and I’m gripping my steering wheel for dear life! I found out that my right eye is weaker than my left eye, but they are both still good. The doctor who did my screening had some recommendations of what might help for my vision at night. I need to get back to the Health Center to follow up on that!

There was an area where free massages were being offered, and fitness advice. I definitely could have gone for a massage, but the line was way too long! I spoke to one of the fitness trainers, and she pretty much made a friend for life when she told me that I looked fit. I’m pretty sure she was lying, but maybe my workouts do more than I think! Either way, I was ready to give her a hug for saying that.

I wandered around to some of the other stations available. There was a healthy cooking station, where a nutritionist was on hand to offer advice on healthy eating. Recipes were given out, and a cook was demonstrating as well.

I found myself up at the dermatologist and skin care station. For one thing, my oldest daughter has struggled with dry skin since she was a baby. She had her first dermatologist appointment at the ripe age of four months old. She has severely dry skin that really flares up in the winter. It was nice to be able to discuss some treatment options with the dermatologist that was on hand.

There were also some aestheticians available to share some new skin care products. I’m always on the lookout for good skin care products. For some reason, the older I get, the more my skin hates me. I’m not sure what I did to deserve having worse skin than I had when I was a teenager, but alas, I am lucky that way. They were also passing out samples of a mineral powder sunscreen. Genius! I think it will be so much easier to put that on my kids’ faces this summer than worrying about smearing on a cream!

The GNO at the South Jordan Health Center offered a variety of other stations as well. There was everything from cancer prevention to plastic surgery (I watched someone get a Botox injection!) to infertility to self-defense. Seriously something for everyone. It was kind of empowering to see all those women there, taking charge of their health and seeing what the health center offers. I had a fantastic night, and came away with some new knowledge and new resolve to take care of myself and my family! Thank you to South Jordan Health Center for a wonderful evening!

.:Tutorial Tuesday - Wood Bead Necklace:.

I originally shared this post on the DownEast blog.

I’ve been seeing wood bead necklaces pop up all over the blogosphere, and figured it was high time that I tried my hand at it. Jewelry is a love of mine, so I love creating and finding new pieces to wear.

Here’s what you need:

- wood beads (usually found in the wood section of a craft store, not the bead section)

- leather cord

- paint

- painter’s tape

- paint brush

- chain (I used a necklace already made, but you could use chain and attach a clasp just as easily)

- pliers

Start off by taping the beads all the way around, right in the center. I eyeballed this and it was just fine!

I taped off six for the style I am making, but you can easily do more or less!

Paint the top halves of the beads and allow them to dry. You may want to spray them with some sort of finishing spray to help ensure that the paint won’t chip or scratch off.

Aren’t they lovely?

Now it’s time to get the chain going. Pick your color of leather cording, and tie a knot with it at one end of the chain.

Weave it through the links until you get to where you want to put some beads.

Use the pliers to separate the links in the chain.

Tie a knot, and then add the first two beads. I wanted the color sides to face each other.

Tie another knot in the cord, and start weaving again.

Repeat the process until you are at the end of your chain. Tie it off with yet another knot.

That’s it! Now you have a bold, new necklace to wear!

The best part about this is that you can get super creative with colors, the amount of beads, the size of beads, and what sort of necklace or chain you use.

Happy Creating!

.:Review & Giveaway - Frizzy Lou's:.

There are a lot of girls at our house. Which equates to lots of accessories, glitter, pink, and dressing up. I have a love of these things, and it certainly hasn’t been lost on my girls. In fact, I pulled some lint out of the dryer the other day that was loaded with glitter! I’m not sure where it all came from, but I’m totally okay with even our lint having a little sparkle to it.

I was over the moon when I was contacted by Sarah from Frizzy Lou’s about doing a review and a giveaway with her. Darling accessories for both me and my girls? Is there any other answer but YES?

Before I start showing you all of the fun goodies we received, here is Sarah to tell you a bit more about herself.

“I am a registered nurse turned stay at home mom, married to my sweet husband who I met in third grade. We had three kids in three years and things were very crazy!  Once we settled into parenthood and the kids got a little older, I began crafting again.  I have always loved creating since I was a small child.  All three of my grandmothers and my mom are super talented, creative people...so I came by the crafty gene honestly. I adore anything shabby chic or vintage, I seek out fun ways to repurpose old items and I've yet to meet a craft I don't like! I began my business with hair bows when my daughter was a baby. I wanted affordable, good quality hair accessories for her and had trouble finding them...so I decide to make my own! :) I started slowly with small craft shows, then I began selling them wholesale online, in local boutiques and participating in large venue shows.  This past October I decided to take the plunge and open my etsy store....Frizzy Lou's ( named after my beautiful, curly haired daughter). Etsy has been a wonderful experience so far! I am learning so much and enjoying the interaction with my online customers and the support the etsy community provides. Currently on etsy, I am selling a variety of hair accessories for girls and women...including fun elastic hair ties in popular prints and solids ( surprisingly my best seller by far has been my aqua and gray set of chevron ties! :)) and I've also been concentrating on hand dyed venise lace earrings.  The earrings are the newest addition to my crafty adventures.  I just love making them, each one is different, so they are like mini pieces of wearable art! :). My daughter is my assistant when it's time to make earrings ( she's 6) she loves choosing colors and seeing how they mix.  All three of my kids designed and made their own for teacher gifts this past Christmas :). I am opening an additional shop on etsy this month...craft shack supplies...where I will be selling some of the awesome supplies I've found over the years.  I wanted to have an opportunity to sell not only ready made items, but also supplies for those who are more do-it-yourselfers and in need of good quality, beautiful supplies.

So, that's where I'm at in my crafting adventure!”

 

Three kids in three years? I can totally relate to that! And crazy doesn’t even begin to cover it!

 

My girls are usually with me when I get the mail, and my two oldest were pretty excited to see the package we received. They were so anxious to open it when we got home! Can you believe what we were sent?

 

 

 

I felt like it was my birthday! (Which is coming up, if you want to take note of that). We were totally spoiled! There was definitely lots of ooo-ing and aah-ing as we checked it all out. My girls especially appreciated the flowers drawn on the cards for the bobby pins.

 

I love that Sarah totally ‘got’ me. She sent things for my girls that coordinated. You all know I love me some good coordination between my girls! Are you loving these chevron hair bows as much as me?

 

 

 

 

 

Darling, am I right?

 

I also have been loving my new headbands; perfect for exercising and for washing my face at nite. I just got a haircut and have bangs now, and they do a great job keeping the hair out of my face. I’ll even share this ridiculous picture of me to prove it.

 

 

I didn’t catch a picture of it, but my daughter wore some of the bobby pins to church today. We curled her hair so she could leave it down (like Rapunzel of course), and the bobby pins were perfect for pulling the front pieces away from her face. And the lace earrings? They are gorgeous! I love how unique they are, and feel a bit smug that I have some and none of my friends do.

 

Basically, we are loving our new accessories. They are beautifully crafted, well made, and came packaged adorably. What else do you need?

 

Well, today Frizzy Lou’s is offering a $25 gift certificate to one of you! Go ahead and use the widget below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

.:Market Yourself Monday:.

Happy Sunday!

How has your weekend been?

Ours has been pretty quiet. We’ve mostly just stayed home because we’ve started potty training our two year old. We haven’t hit it too hard yet, but I think it’s about time to really dig in. I really, really, really dislike potty training and have put it off as long as I can. I would seriously consider paying good money for someone to do it for me. And I don’t think I’m kidding about that. Hopefully it will click soon for her; it would sure be nice to not have two kids in diapers!

Anyway, enough of the potty talk, right? Let’s get down to business.

The most viewed link from last week’s party was:

Parmesan Chicken

Yum! That may need to go in to the rotation this week!

Now let’s get this party started!

(And be sure to check back tomorrow for another fun giveaway!)

.:Showcase Saturday–Sewing Edition:.

Are you ready for some showcasin’?

Be sure to click over to the original source before you pin anything!

Bella Ruffle Dress Sewing Pattern

Ugly Skirt Refashion

Princess Play Apron Tutorial

Free Hobo Bag Sewing Pattern

How to Use Pins

DIY Maxi Dress

Knee Pad Unisex Pants

Be sure to grab a featured button if I showcased your idea today!

Happy Weekend!

.:Feature Friday - Simply Clean Living:.

Hi everyone! I'm excited to be posting here at Sumo's Sweet Stuff today. My name is Katie, and I blog over at Simply Clean Living.

I'm a full-time teacher and mom to 3, and I normally post about ways to keep tidy and organized with small amounts of space/time/money, deals I find, crafts we try, parenting ideas, books I read, recipes and monthly menus, and anything else that comes to mind!

Today I'm going to share a recipe that's been a family favorite for many years - Poppyseed Bread. I love this recipe because it's simple yet delicious - once you collect the ingredients, you'll be able to keep them on hand and whip this up whenever you need to. It seems that in the spring, I find myself constantly needing to contribute a dish for one event for another. This is perfect for baby showers, teacher appreciation events, brunch, or just about anything! You can make it in either loaf pans or muffin tins, and either way it turns out great. 

Katie's Poppyseed Bread

Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 t. salt
2 t. poppyseeds
3 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
2 1/2 c. sugar

Wet Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. oil
2 t. vanilla extract
2 1/2 t. almond extract
1 1/2 c. milk

Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
2 T. milk
1/2 t. almond extract

First, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Then, add the wet ingredients, beating well. Pour batter into two greased and floured 4x8 in. loaf pans, and bake at 350. The original recipe we got from a friend years ago said 30-40 minutes, but for me, these larger loaf pans always take over an hour (about 65 minutes). I'd set your timer to 40, and then check on them in increments of 5-10 minutes and note what time works for your oven. For muffins, bake for 20-30 minutes. Your bread is done when a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean. The edges may darken quite a bit more than the center, but don't worry about it as long as it's not burned. Allow loaves to cool, and then top with the glaze.

Yield: Two 4x8 loaves or 3 dozen muffins

**********

Okay, that looks totally delicious. And I think I have almost everything on hand to make it! Pretty sure some baking is in my future. Yum!

Mini Chicken Pot Pies - Love Grows Wild

Hi new friends! My name is Liz from Love Grows Wild, and I'm over the moon excited to be the new recipe contributor for Sumo's Sweet Stuff! The first recipe I'd like to share with you is a classic comfort food that my family loves during these cold winter months:

  Mini Chicken Pot Pies

This recipe is an easy way to get lots of healthy veggies into your kid's diet! Celery, carrots, onion, and green beans are all cooked into a creamy sauce, and shredded rotisserie chicken from the store is a great time saver to add protein to the meal. 

I made the recipe into single servings by spooning the vegetable and chicken mixture into individual ramekins for each person. It makes the meal easy for the kids to eat and bumps up the fun factor!

Feel free to use your favorite pie crust recipe, but to keep things quick and simple, I use store-bought pie crust from the refrigerated section. Just unroll your crust, place a ramekin on top, and cut around the ramekin with a knife. It couldn't be easier!

The pies bake in the oven until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling over the edges. This recipe is so yummy that your kids will never realize all the healthy vegetables they're eating! 

For a printable version of this recipe, click here!

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small yellow onion, minced

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

2 carrots, thinly sliced

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt and pepper

1 refrigerated pie crust

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, roll out pie crust and cut 4 circles, using the perimeter of a ramekin for size. Set aside. 

Stir chicken and green beans into vegetable mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide filling among four 8-ounce ramekins. Top the pies with crust and press along the edges to seal. Cut a small X in the center of each pie to vent. Place ramekins on a baking sheet (in case of drips) and bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until filling is bubbling and crust is golden. Serves four. 

Enjoy!

I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much as my family does, and I cannot wait to see you at Sumo's Sweet Stuff again next month! Until then, you can check out more recipes like this, along with my projects and organizing tips at Love Grows Wild. I hope to see you there!

Liz is a wife and mother of two rough and tough little boys, and when she's not chasing her little super heroes, she is sharing her creative passion on her blog, Love Grows Wild. Liz writes about her crafts, DIY projects, home decor, recipes, organization tips! She always has a new project up her sleeve and loves making new friends, so stop by and say hi anytime!

  Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram