Design Menu

My free time has been occupied by the computer these days.

Not only do I spend quite a bit of time organizing photos and layouts for this here blog, but lately, I've been designing. Art prints, invitations, announcements and cards, paper embellishments for parties, you name it.

With my friends having babies, people getting engaged and getting married {not in that order necessarily, but maybe}, I've had the opportunity to create some fun stuff in the past few years.

I've realized the more time I spend designing and creating, the better my creativity and eye for design becomes. And, I find myself searching and discovering new places to find inspiration.

First off, I've never considered myself to be a graphic designer, but I do have enough design sense and software skill to be one.

I have a degree in journalism, where I specialized in advertising and PR. Sitting through college courses and completing group projects is where I first learned all about layout and design. And lucky for me, my day job requires me to use most of my skills from college. Every single day.

But, let's get real, designing a customized nursery print over an ad for the Kansas City Business Journal is much more fun.

So, I've decided to share my design adventures with you. Who knows, maybe I'll even open an Etsy shop someday. Who am I kidding? I don't have time for that. But really, it's a long-shot idea I've kicked around.

I must make mention, in this crazy world centered around technology, that I pull inspiration from numerous sources. Pinterest, Etsy, blogs, Card Web sites, etc.

Most of what I design is not entirely my original ideas.

{Gasp!} Yep, I love finding inspiration from others creative ideas and successes.

While some people may think that's wrong, I can assure you that 10 other people have done the same thing. It's no different than someone recreating a DIY project from Pinterest, or a knock-off purse company making a designer look-alike.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery my friends.

Why else would fabulous people with fabulous blogs share their projects, ideas, crafts and inspirations with others? To have it recreated of course.

I will always give credit where credit is due. Because that's what the right thing to do is.

I've showed you a few things before on the blog, but never had a dedicated section to it. Soon, once I find more free time, I plan to post some of my design projects.

Until then, I'll share my sweet sis-in-law's baby shower invite that just went out last week. I pulled inspiration from this invitation on Tiny Prints and added my own touches.

It involves sweet birdies, polka dots, pink, and the name of my soon-to-be baby niece.

+Designed using InDesign

+Birds: Found here

+Fonts: Baby - Futura XBlk BT, Names - Ma Sexy, Body text - Skinny Jeans Solid

+Printed to cardstock paper, trimmed to bleed, and added rounded corners 

using corner cutter from Hobby Lobby

I'm so pleased with the way it turned out. I love the rounded corners and the patterned back.

My creativity couldn't stop with just the invitation, so I carried the theme to the envelope labels. One of my favorite ways to address invitations is with wrap around labels.

I did this with my wedding invitations years ago and have been using this format ever since. It's super easy and eliminates the hassle of doing a mail merge and using the label wizard in Microsoft Word.

+Designed using InDesign

+Printed to 8.5x11 full sheet Avery labels, trimmed to size, and added rounded corners

Invitations, check. Next up on the design menu is other fun embellishments for the baby shower.

Banner, food display placards, hmmm...Pinterest is calling my name.

I can't think of a title.

Wow, what a weekend.

Saturday was the day the Cats and the Chiefs pulled off epic wins. I had faith in my wildcats, but to be completely honest, I had lost all faith in the Chiefs.

Carson also had his first ever sleepover. With a girl. It may have only been for a few hours while we finished watching the game at a friend's house, but nonetheless, his first sleepover.

Don't worry, we were responsible parents and made them sleep in separate pac-n-plays. He's not allowed to spoon just yet.

It took forever to get the little monster to go down. He just didn't want to stop partying, and I guess he somehow knew the Cats would pull off a smackdown of the Sooners.

It was such an exciting game to watch. And I'm so proud to be a Wildcat.

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Last Wednesday, I got home before the boys so I called the husband to see if he could stop and get something at the store on his way home. No answer. I called again ten minutes later. No answer. 

I don't even know why my husband has a cell phone. He seriously never answers my calls. Anyone else have this problem? Please say I'm not the only one.

Anyways, he gets home as I tell him he can fend for himself for dinner. No answer meant a missing ingredient for the new recipe I had planned to try. "I'm sorry, my phone was on silent."

So we go about our nightly routine...he fixes himself a PB&J (Yep, I'm that serious) and then looks me square in the eyes and says, "Honey, I have something to confess and I need to get it off my chest."

I really had no idea what he was going to say, but I had an idea it had something to do with him not answering his phone. I thought of a thousand silly things at that moment. Did he forget to pick up Carson and had to turn around? Did he get in trouble at work? Did he run into an old girlfriend? Hell, I didn't know.

It's funny how the priority order in my thought process has changed...Carson comes first, then how to provide for Carson, then marriage. I know, it's backwards, but that's a whole other post for discussion.

So, I look at him and don't say anything. I gave the look of, "Just tell me. What did you do?" He lets out a sigh and says he got a speeding ticket on the way home.

No big deal, right? Right. I wasn't mad at all. Shit happens. In fact, I was relieved. Relieved it wasn't any of the other things that popped into my head before he spilled the beans. I wasn't pleased that he got caught in a speed trap in which he knows better, but secretly, I was sort of happy he got a ticket.

If you know my husband, he's the world's best driver. He's only had a "few tickets in life" and "has never been in a wreck other than that one time." He is the smartest, most "efficient" driver on the road and everyone else is just stupid. Just ask him, he'll tell you.

There's just that little tidbit that always gets me, his road rage. He's more patient than me by a long shot, but when it comes to driving, he's aggressive and impatient. Even though we will most likely arrive at the same time, he makes getting there stressful because he gets so angry.

So, I'm hoping this ticket made him think about his driving habits (Babe, are you reading this?) And I am happy he decided to tell me. Even if it hurt his driver pride just a little.

For the record, Brian is a good driver. And he's safe. I'm always the passenger and he's always the driver. If his driving was that bad, he wouldn't have the privilege of driving around a hot blonde so often.

Clearly, I'm talking about Carson.

Watch Me Grow: 10 Months

Well kid, you've stepped into double digits. And are getting closer and closer to taking your first steps.

I'm starting to plan your First Birthday and trying to do it without flooding the computer.

It's just crazy little man, I can't believe you are almost one year old.

Your daddy and I have had so much fun with you this past month. Not that you weren't fun before, you always have been, but you're becoming more interactive and understanding how things work.

Last week, you discovered that if you throw your food on the floor, Jake will come over and eat it. You thought it was absolutely hilarious. At first, we thought it was just the foods you didn't want to eat, but once you started giving him your favorites, we realized you really understood what you were doing.

Watching you entertain yourself was priceless, so we watched and laughed with you. Until we put a stop to the habit and decided you need to eat.

Speaking of eating, you don't miss a meal. You love your food. It seems you have a bit of a sweet tooth, because you always go for the fruits/sweet foods first. You get that from your mama. I see movie dates loaded with Sour Patch Kids, Nerds, Hot Tamales and Raisinets in our future. Please share your Halloween candy with me someday. Pinky swear?

We hit a big milestone about two weeks ago. You stood up. By yourself. Unassisted.

You love to stand now. And squat like a frog. And crawl with one leg.

Your a bit of mama's boy right now, but also love reaching for dad when others are holding you. You don't have stranger anxiety, but you reach for us when you're tired or cranky. It's nice knowing that you depend on us, but I hope you aren't shy. You don't cry at all when dropping you off at daycare anymore. In fact, you will look up from playing with your friends and wave goodbye to me. It's so stinkin' cute.

You also throw your hands in the air for touchdown, clap and high five. Sometimes, you won't do it on command. I guess you make the rules for now.

Another thing you have started doing is mimicking sounds back and forth. If I make a popping sound with my tongue and the roof of my mouth, you'll mimic the sound back. We love watching you do this. You also recently discovered your tongue. It's not unusual to find it hanging out of your mouth, or you chewing/gumming it.

We are starting to get you ready for the next room at school. You will transition at 12 months. In the new room, you will wear shoes everyday, only use sippy cups and take one nap a day. That last one scares me a bit, but we'll eventually get there. Together.

You see, Big Boy, you're powerful like that. You make all the stressful things in life seem distant. All the drama seem petty. And the worst of days instantly better. You can make your daddy cry at the drop of a hat, and mom's moodiness disappear in a second.

You're special. And the best thing that has ever happened to us. If you keep this up, I'm going to have a really hard time not spoiling you rotten.

Love you booger,
Mommy

Carson at 10 months:
In the Closet: Mostly 12 months, but still able to fit into smaller sized pants

Diapers: Size 3

Grub: You're an all formula baby now, went through our breast milk stock pretty fast. You take four 7 oz. bottles a day. As far as food goes, we pretty much give you anything to try now. You love chicken and pork, but aren't too pleased with beef and turkey yet. Your favorites are bananas, sweet potatoes and string cheese. 

Teeth: Just the bottom two, but I think your top ones are starting to come in.

Sleep: We have sleep down to a science now booger. I like to rock you at night still, if you'll let me, but if not, I place you in your crib wide awake and you put yourself to sleep. Same with napping. Your bedtime is 7:45ish and you wake up around 6:45ish. Two naps a day. For sure an hour long. Sometimes, you'll take 2+ hour naps.

New Activity/Development: Standing unassisted! Waving goodbye, high fives, throwing hands in the air for touchdown, mimicking sounds back and forth

Loves: Making messes. Getting into everything. Food and sippy cups. Going upside down. Paper. Cups. Walking toys. Door springs. Putting your fingers where they don't belong...like in my nose. The dishwasher. Jake. Playing peek-a-boo behind walls, furniture, etc.

Hates: The vacuum and the food processor, but you don't mind the blow dryer...weird.

9 Months
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4 Months
3 Months
2 Months
1 Month
Newborn

Gosh, I just love this day

It's the weekend folks!

We have a busy weekend ahead. A birthday party, a baby shower, k-state football, and all that other crap that always muddles up my weekends. Chores, laundry, house projects. Whaa Whaa. Such a buzz kill.

It's supposed to be beautiful, a little brisk, but the kind of weather that screams fall. Don't you just love the fall?

I plan to treat myself to a pumpkin spiced latte from s-bux, dig out the fall decorations, and pull out the packed-away boots and scarves to get ready for the fabulous fall.

What are you doing this weekend?

Here's some instagrams from this week and last. Follow me at kutterchaos if you want to see a lot of pictures of my kid.

TOP | tv dinner #onlymyhusband | mama's monkey

MIDDLE | skyping | not feelin it today | not a clue as to who has more fun with the bath letters

BOTTOM | sure sign of fall in our house | little wildcat | not a bad morning view #houston

Little Wildcat's First Game

Big Boy had his first experience with Manhappiness this weekend.

For those of you that don't know, Manhappiness aka Manhattan, KANSAS, is the greatest place on earth and home of the greatest college in the nation. Seriously. This is how I feel.

We started the day off by hitting up So Long Saloon, the culprit that bought yours truly and husband together. Yep, the bar where we we fell in love.

It was C's request, to go to the place where his parents first hit it off.

Brian was a bartender and I was the typical party sorority girl swooning over an Aggieville bartender. C'mon, how else was I supposed to get free drinks?

Lucky for him, I agreed to date him and the rest is history.

So Long Saloon has the best bar food you'll ever lay your hands on. Resist Temptation with chicken and onion rings is my go-to menu item. One thing they don't have? Highchairs. And no room for a stroller.

So we improvised, got our food to go, and headed to City Park. Gamedays are different these days.

Tailgating with a baby was also an adventure. Keeping him occupied deemed challenging, but nothing a blanket spread out on asphalt couldn't fix. It was perfect, gave him a place to move around.

We had to keep him from putting rocks in his mouth and crawling off the blanket, but luckily we had reinforcements. Uncle Ryan and Aunt Amy to the rescue!

C couldn't get enough of the purple cups. Can't blame him. The greatest school in the nation deserves to have their color on a solo cup.

Come game time, big boy had his touchdown move perfected. Thanks to daycare, he will throw his hands in the air when you say "touchdown" and put your hands up. Cutest. Thing. Ever. 

We weren't sure how he would do in the game. He hadn't napped since 1:00 pm and was visibly sleep deprived. He also didn't want his solo cup taken away. Brian got him to go down for a whole 5 minutes right before kick off, but was then wide awake for the rest of the first half, which is when we headed home to put the booger to bed.

We were so proud of how awesome he did!

Scars

I'm have a feeling that most people who follow this blog probably know me personally or know somebody I'm friends with.

Or maybe, you're a follower who happened to randomly stumble across this blog. If you are, fantastic! I love new followers. But, I do know what you are thinking..."this girl posts way too much about her offspring." Ha.

Well, today, I am not posting about my offspring. Score one for me.

Clearly, I post a lot of photos. And for anyone that doesn't know me, or maybe doesn't know me well enough to know the story, you might have noticed something on my right arm.

A scar I've carried around with me for 16 years.



I received this scar when I was eleven years old. I was in the sixth grade. I was riding on a three-wheeler with my cousin at my grandparents house when it flipped over trapping me underneath.

My arm took the brunt of it, the exhaust pipe burning my flesh pretty severely. I'll never forget that day. One second, we were laughing, and the next, I was screaming as my cousin struggled to lift the three-wheeler off of me. We then ran a half of a mile down a dirt road to my grandparents house, where we broke the news about what happened.

My family and I then drove an hour back to Wichita icing my arm the entire way, where they could take me to a hospital. I received a skin graph the next morning, and underwent physical therapy for a year longer. In 8th grade, I received an additional surgery.

Today, it's a constant reminder of that day. But husband tells me he doesn't even notice it anymore.

I used to be really self conscious about my scar. And honestly, I still am. But not as much as I used to be.

It's funny, the things I do to hide my scar...get on the right side of photos so my arm is hidden...wear shirts with sleeves...Photoshop it...I've even put make-up on it. Weird, I know. But it helped in my wedding photos.

For some reason, I still get that insecure, empty feeling in my stomach when I catch a stranger staring at it*. It didn't help that I was made fun of a lot in middle and high school for it. Seems cruel, but it really did happen.

Even today, people (grown adults) will stare. A few people tell me they thought it was a nicotine patch and laugh it off.

I'm 28 years old. And still get bothered by the people I find staring at my arm. I always wonder, why don't they just ask me what happened? Don't they know what's it like to be a girl and have a scar on your arm that looks like this? It would be so much easier if I was boy.

And then I tell myself, Stop being ridiculous Krista. It's a scar on your arm. This is nothing compared to what some people have to deal with. You weren't in a tragic car wreck, burned head to toe, or nearly blown up in Iraq. Suck it up. You are lucky. You are blessed.

{Look how small C was here!}

The truth is, I am lucky. And blessed. It could have been my face or my hand or something much worse than just my arm. I'm lucky that my stupidity to get on that three-wheeler resulted in only this arm scar and not something tragic.

But, after 16 years of carrying around this scar, I've realized something.

Scars are signs that we have experienced something. Overcome something. Symbols that remind us of that experience. Body marks that hold a story or memory. An imperfection that causes stares, but shouldn't make someone feel less perfect at all.

And if that isn't enough, it will teach a lesson. Carson will ask about it someday and I will tell the story. I will teach him about making smart decisions, insecurities and bullying. I will tell him it's OK to be different, and that we should never make someone feel inferior for looking different.

Since that day, I've received several other scars. Two small markings on my stomach from having my appendix removed and a special line scar that travels across my lower abdomen.

This line scar also reminds me of a certain day. A day, and scar, that resulted in the most precious gift I could ever ask for.

*Sometimes, I like to be a huge smart ass and tell people I was bit by a shark in the Caribbean or attacked by an alligator while vacationing in Florida. The funny part? People actually buy it.

We Love Houston

My trip to Houston was awesome. Such an ordinary word to describe a trip, but that's what it was. Simply awesome.

We relaxed, we ate, we shopped, we sipped on cocktails, we slept in, and we celebrated.

Celebrating wasn't on the original itinerary, but someone had a different plan for us. That certain someone being my bestie's boyfriend who decided to propose to her on Thursday evening.

Yep, a proposal. At a winery. With a beautiful ring. The day before her friends arrived to spend the whole weekend with her.

It was pretty spectacular. He pulled off a totally unexpected proposal, then let all of us crazy girls steal his woman for the weekend and ransack his luxury apartment for three days. What a guy.

Aren't they a beautiful couple? Congrats to my bestie and her sweet fiance.

Big thank you to all my wonderful Texas friends for spending the weekend with me. And to Heather for being my travel date. It was a much needed trip.
 
Houston, you are a fun place to visit. You might be known as being the fattest city in the nation, but I found you to be pretty desirable.

We strolled the Heights, The Woodlands, Midtown, Washington Avenue and Upper Kirby, covering a lot of area in little time. For the fourth largest city in the nation, you don't get as much credit as you deserve. You're a city full of character, a little artsy-fartsy, urban chic with an historic edge.

You will be seeing me again soon. But next time, Megan and I will not be finishing two bottles of wine, a pitcher of sangria and a shot. All that for just the two of us.

Let's just say the plane ride home was less than awesome. I guess that means the trip was awesome.

Here's some awesome photos.

  

Houston Bound

I'm currently on an airplane. Accompanied by a shiner {don't ask}. Headed somewhere that is projecting 20 degrees warmer weather than Kansas City this weekend.

But it's all good, because I am spending the weekend with some of my favorite ladies.

I'll miss my little leg tugger like crazy, but I'm looking forward to girl time. Relaxation, wine, pedicures, shopping, brunching, gossiping. Sounds about right.

I'm the lucky momma that gets two girls weekends only a week apart from each other. Thanks to my dear hubby.

He's pretty dang good at Daddy Duty. I feel pretty special that I can leave without any worries that Carson will be well taken care of. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm not sure every guy would be able to handle a baby all by himself for two weekends out of the month. But maybe.

Here's some Instagrams from this week. There's a lot due to our extra day with the little booger last weekend. You can follow me at kutterchaos if interested.

Happy Friday!

TOP | nakey bums are the cutest | patio lunch at the mixx | i make red look pretty dang good

MIDDLE | mom and C at the legends | big boy now gets his teeth brushed | third eye shiner

BOTTOM | i want these mom | go cats 

     TOP | feed me dammit | trying to find motivation to get back to it | brunch at urban table

MIDDLE | i want some | cheerios at every meal #keepshimoccupied | even c loves nfm

BOTTOM | well good morning | love me some dishwasher | just stuffed my face 

Watch Me Grow: 9 Months

The big ol' niner means we are only three months away from my sweet baby's First Birthday. Bittersweet to think about.
 

Carson's 9-month stats:

Weight: 18 lbs 4.5 oz (25th percentile) 
Height: 28.5 in (50th percentile) 
Head circumference: 17.8 in

In the Closet: 9 months and 12 months, depends on the brand.

Diapers: Size 3

Grub: You've been taking 1/3 breastmilk, 2/3 formula bottles for a few weeks now, 6 oz. at a time.

You've made it clear you don't want anything to do with a spoon, so you feed yourself exclusively now. You're better less messy with finger foods you can actually pick up, so you still take pureed baby food from a spoon at daycare some. Newer foods you now eat are pasta, quinoa, yogurt, avocado, kiwi, cheese, blueberries, watermelon, plums, cantaloupe, craisins and animal crackers,. We've tried several meats, but you aren't interested just yet. Oh, and you love your sippy cup. We can't take it away from you during din-din or you scream.

Sleep: You were going to bed at 8:00, but we bumped it back to 7:30 this week. You sleep 11-12 hours. Teething and sickness has kept you {and mom and dad} up and restless on occasion, but...you are officially back to normal after some tough love. And you're now a better napper! Two 1-hour naps a day. Sometimes longer and sometimes shorter, but this is the most consistent you have been with napping since birth.

New Activity/Development: Pulling up on everything, walking with support, lots of jibber-jabber, signs of possible waving (but we are unsure of what you are really doing with your hand sometimes), starting to clap, saying dadda and ba A LOT.

Loves: New loves are playing chase, watching the washer/dryer, the kitchen blinds, anything that opens...the dishwasher, the kitchen cabinets, the bathroom cabinets. You have a new love for pulling off all the toilet paper in the bathrooms, and pulling out the filler in one of the house plants.

Carson, as much as I'm looking forward to hearing you talk, seeing you throw a baseball, and witnessing your first walk into the ocean someday, I want to halt time. I want it to stop and stand still. So I can cherish all these wonderful small, yet special milestones.

There's many more milestones to come, like talking and walking, but it's all going just a little too fast for me.

For dad too. Just today, he sent me an email with an old picture attached. The subject read, "What happened to this little guy?" and wrote "LOVE him" in the body. There's not a single second that passes by where we don't think about you.

This weekend, I packed away snug-fitting clothes and filled your closet with a whole new wardrobe. Yep, you're a hand-me-down baby. Consider yourself lucky. It's more money towards your college fund. I think you just had a growth spurt because it seems like you skipped a whole size overnight. Yesterday? 6-9 months. Today? 12 Months.

You're still my skinny little booger, but you are growing like crazy. And more interactive than ever. It doesn't take much to get you to giggle, and you let us know when something pisses you off.

It's evident you are all boy. You're becoming more rough during playtime and enjoy banging your toys together...and on the floor, on the cabinets, on Jake, even banging yourself in the head sometimes.

I brought home some new blocks for you the other day, so we played with them in your highchair before dinner. We would stack them up real high, then push them over as they crashed to the floor. Every time they crashed and made that annoying hitting-the-floor sound, you would cackle. Hysterically. Every. Single. Time. We probably stacked and crashed blocks 20 times.

You tried Fresca for the first time the other day. Unintentional of course. Aunt Lyndsey was in town and as we were visiting, you snatched her can right of the coffee table and took a swig. It was priceless seeing your sour face and Fresca-soaked shirt.

I also caught you with Daddy's razor a few weeks ago. I'm the worst mom ever.

You hate getting your diaper changed all of a sudden. And if we take a toy away from you, you'd think we told you that you were never going to see us again.

Which is similar to how you've been acting lately. Like we are going to abandon you and never return.

You crawl to us and cry when we leave you at daycare now. Not every day, but some days. And it's the worst. 

Dad calls you needy, but I like to call you a Stage 5 Clinger. Seriously kid, I can't even go to the bathroom without you tugging at my leg.

Maybe you were just extra clingy this past weekend when we took your 9-month photo, but you did not want to be put down.

I sang silly songs. Made obnoxious faces. And shook toys from above.

But you cried.

And hugged my legs. Begging for me to pick you up.

At one point, I gave up and tried to sit down with you. That helped your mood, but still no smile.

So I tried a couple hours later after your nap, and we got this.

Still a clinger, but a happy one.

I love you sweet boy. Even when you're attached to my leg 24/7.

8 Months
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4 Months
3 Months
2 Months
1 Month
Newborn

Lazy Labor Day

We've had a pretty lazy holiday weekend.

A few errands. House chores. Family walks. A visit to meet sweet Baby Eden. A failed attempt to watch the Cats game. But mostly quality time with Mr. C at home.

His new favorite activity is playing "chase." He crawls away, and you chase him. It might be the cutest thing I've ever seen.

He's conquered the whole staircase all by himself. He'll stop mid crawl to turn around and make sure you are behind him chasing. Then, he giggles hysterically.

Hearing his cackles makes me melt.

His other new fav is hanging out by on the dishwasher.

Just open it and he'll make a b-line. Who knew kitchen utensils were so much fun? 

What have you been doing with your extra day off?