Princess Alexa

Planning for  a Princess is hard work!

Alexa has dreamed about having this Princess party since last year! Finally I will be able to make all these “plans” happen.

We are going to have a “costume” party so each girl will come dressed in Princess attire! They will decorate crowns, make jewelry, and decorate their own jewelry boxes!

They will then feast on a Castle cake, have a pinata, and some ice cream.

Birthday’s in my house are HUGE!

Especially Alexa’s!

EVERY year I ball my eye’s out when we sing happy birthday to her! I think because since I was pregnant I was always fighting for her-to be here-alive and well. Each year Im thankful for her, and am so emotional.

She amazes me with what she overcomes every year, and that little feeling that we are never guaranteed  NEXT year -wth anyone- always hits.

She is a fighter-always has been. I cannot believe all she has done in her little 8 years of life. What she has taught me, and changed in me as a mother and person.

I am so thankful to have her-another year.

So back to the big bash!

We are of course going with the Princess theme. My thought for the invites was like a scroll-you know like one you would get a long time ago for a invite to the ball.

Well, as suggested, I had to incorporate Alexa’s set-so came up with this idea. Remember the key being simple! These only took me 1 hour!!!!! Not including drying time for the stickles!

 They are modified scrolls!

The invite inforamtion is printed on computer paper, rolled up, and placed through a cardstock “holder” I designed, so they stand, and wont get squished.

  click photo to enlarge

 I also thought it would be better than just tying with some ribbon. Think getting sent home in a childs backpack! Oh the horror!  So I wanted pretty and detailed but not so much so that when these are trashed I wont want to cry!

Alexa LOVES pink, and chose Pixie Pink for the colors.

I used stickles on the dress, and star adhesive Rhinestones (from A Muse) for her “crown”.

The invite reads the following-

Alexa came home with this cute little book the colored in school. She came home and read it to me. I am so excited that her reading skills are improving in leaps and bounds! She can read most on any stag 1 reading book. She is doing well with sounding out words she doesnt know. This is a HUGE milestone for Alexa. People with Down Syndrome have a harder time learning to read, and seeing her be at just about grade level of “normal” kids after missing 1 1/2 YEARS of school is just proof that you should not limit ANY child-weather they have a “diagnoses” or not!

Personally I find if you have low expectations of ANY child they wont really strive to go past them. But if you challenge your child and make them feel anything is possible they try harder!

I am proud to say I have never limited Alexa-EVER! Nor have I let our public school system. She has amazed many people, and I am so proud of her!

There was a BIG deal about holding her back in first grade due to the No Child Left Behind policy. While it may be a good policy for some-I found that they may also be PUSHING kids who aren’t ready for the next grade through, just because. That is not necessarily a good thing IMO.

OK I feel like I could get into a whole big thing here, along with my personal expieriences and this isnt why I was posting this! LOL! I am just a proud mama-who had to share this cute little event!

So here she is reading the story to Amber

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

 Its been a while since I posted a review and I’ve gotten alot of questions about the Scor-Pal since posting my Window Box Tutorial link , and my Make your own envelopes link.

What is the Scor-Pal?

Well in my own words, its a lightweight, heavy duty plastic board, with deeply etched grid lines, that enable’s you to make nice, deep, straight, crisp scores on the lightest weight paper, to the heavy duty cardstock without problems! You don’t even have to move your paper-unless you need to score going the other direction!

This tool was designed by Diana Crick, and can be seen HERE. It costs $39.95 plus S/H for US.

It arrives with instructions and a mini tutorial when you get it!

There are lots of great tutorials on the site, with photos, and step by step directions, which are very helpful. I myself an a very visual person! I often dont need directions but can figure it out by examining it. Must be my nursing skills shining through! LOL! More tutorials are planned in the future, which I think its neat for her to be so concerned that you get the maximum use from your Scor-Pal once its purchased! Alot of places dont care to continue to entertain uses for their product once its in your home.

Let me start by saying that before getting a Scor-Pal, I rarely scored my cards! I would often just fold them in half-then use a Pampered Chef stoneware scrapper (if even that) to get a crisp seam.

The result of that-due to heavy weight cardstock, would often be a cracked looking seam, sometime’s a bit crooked, and I would have to turn the card-inside out! NOT COOL!

The other way I would score my own designed boxes and whatnot was using my Fiskars Paper Trimmer

https://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/viewlarge.aspx?img=/tools/12-euro-personal-paper-trimmer/large.jpg

It had a scoring blade, that you could attach to the rail. While I didnt mind using that from time to time, it was annoying to change out the cutting blade, then keep sliding my paper along the the measurements I needed scored!

This is where the Scor-Pal comes in. I am now wondering HOW I made all that stuff I did without it! Since getting it, it has saved me time, and frustration, and gives me a real professional crisp line.

I planned on putting it under my desk after using it, but it hasn’t left my workspace since day 1.

I LOVE the fact that I dont have to even pick up my paper ONCE! I just score along the grid.

The grooves are deep, so no slipping out as you run your Scor-Tool down the line. I really like the little holder provided at the top of the Scor-Pal that holds that little Scor-Tool. I am one who would DEFINITELY “misplace” it if I didnt have that little holder! LOL!

It even had a button that allows you to POP it out of the holder! So no breaking those nails or getting annoyed that its “stuck” in there.

There is also a special slot under the Scor-Pal for another Scor-Tool! You can never have enough of those right? LOL!

The Scor-Tool in itself is cool because it’s shape makes it easy to grasp, and of course it fits perfectly in the grooves. It just has a nice “feel” to it, and isn’t made of anything that leaves those shiny marks on your paper like other tools might.

OK Now for the ONLY part Im not thrilled about. It really does need a few more scored  grooves. Like at 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 inch. You can of course start to score at the 1/2 inch mark, which you can find at the far end- 11 1/2 mark. This gives you that 1/2 groove. But there really is no beginning 1/4 or even 3/4 inch mark.

I have moved my cardstock along the Scor-Pal to get a groove where I need it, and at this point I’m OK with that.

I was told that a NEW Scor-Pal is in the works with MORE grooves! YEAH!!!

Diana is great about listening to what people think, and want.

At this point I use this tool EVERY time I stamp now! I feel like it was money well spent. Since I work on several design teams just mediocre work doesn’t cut it. Even if I weren’t I think we are always looking for ways to improve the overall appearance of our items.

I’m open to any feedback or questions you have!

Hope you get to try one out, or if you have one, lets hear your opinion on it!

Here I would like to share a quick bag cover I made using the NEW! Paper Trey set Beautiful Blooms.

Click on photos to enlarge. I just cut the top off one of her frosted Tin Tie Top Bags, and made a cute coverlet. The top flap slides under the ribbon to keep it closed! How cute would these be for gifts or favors at a Bridal Shower or Wedding even!

Thanks for looking!