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Turning 1 is loads of fun

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Did you know New Jersey is home to the only construction themed amusement park in the country? When thinking about Emmett Layne’s first birthday, I knew we had to mirror the time capsule we did for Weston (his Back to the Future 1st birthday here) so what better theme than construction –- so he can dig it up in 2038 on his 18th birthday! Because we were moving 750 miles away from our home in NJ a few weeks before Emm’s birthday in July, we headed to Diggerland with a few friends & family in mid June. Caution for the cuteness overload!

I found the adorable construction name banner on Etsy. The balloon garland was a DIY first but honestly it wasn’t that hard and only took 1.5hrs to complete, my 3.5 yr old even helped blow up the balloons using this pump. I saw the idea for the number road balloon on pinterest but couldn’t find a source, so I purchased the black mylar #1 and yellow tape and made my own. I didn’t have any instructions but just mixed the colors & sizes through the strips provided.

We did a breakfast before heading to our adventures at Diggerland. Munchkins served by Tonka Truck, Quiche, Banana Bread and juices served in tire containers I repurposed from Weston’s Monster Truck 3rd birthday.

Emmett’s awesome construction trucker hat is by George Hats, and his shirt Amazon.

The birthday treats; large cupcake, cake pops and breakfast baked goods all came from one of our local favorite bakeries Splurge. The photos I print every few months with Artifact Uprising for my husband’s desk frame and I love displaying them on these wood blocks from Etsy.

I made two series of invitations, one for the few that would join us at the amusement park and one for friends & family to contribute to Emmett’s time capsule.

The birthday crew! Can you dig it? We can dig it. Can ya’ll dig it?

The kids each received a personalized tool box which included; sunglasses, sand roller, #1 lollipop, travel bingo and claw digger.

Diggerland did not disappoint… the kids loved riding the tractors, working the digger and it was great to cool off in the splash pad. The sweaty, smiling, popsicle dripping family selfie is proof!

To carry Emm’s theme to his actual birthday, we sent him to daycare with treats and a take home toy for he and his classmates.

emmett’s nursery

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Our nursery has become my favorite room in the house for serenity. The color palette is calming and the room so very peaceful when the baby is sleeping. Also, having a 3 year old I know what is to come – all the primary colored toys that will soon invade the space. Right now the space is so sweet and I just love to sit in there.

I took a cue from Pinterest for the feature wall which my husband framed out and we chose Benjamin Moore Del Mar Blue for paint color. We knew we were having a boy with baby #2 but this blue/green is gender neutral and a hue anyone can love.

The changing table was Weston’s and came from Wayfair. All the books and accessories we also transferred over.

These adorable leather strap shelves were purchased from Amazon.

The blanket ladder came from Antique Farmhouse. I love displaying the hand made pieces our loved ones have so graciously gifted us! The basket storage came from Wayfair, I love how versatile it is and can truly hold anything in any room of the house. The world map I bought at Home Goods 3 years ago but never felt like it fit Weston’s space and sure enough the coloring is perfect for Emmett’s room. The dinosaur print is Weston’s favorite, it came from Ikea and the hanging system you can find here.

This handmade mobile was a splurge when we did Weston’s nursery and I am still obsessed with it. You can find it on Etsy here.

One of my best friends captured these amazing photos for us. You can find here work over at shannonkachuba.com I love that we will be able to forever treasure the early stage of Emmett’s arrival.

intimate farmhouse wedding

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When the bride was your wedding florist and now is a client of yours we had to up the ante! Kristyn’s wedding venue was a family farmhouse. The guest list was small and intimate. She obviously was taking care of the flowers and for the stationery wanted something timeless and chic with a hint of vintage flair. Her wedding suite was printed on Reich savoy cotton paper and I hand tore the edges and dipped one side in metallic gold acrylic paint. You may have seen the Instagram video I posted of the process here. I also hand painted the baronial flap to match the invitation.

Each menu also served as the place card setting. Chef Ryan DePersio from Battello cooked up the amazing feast. 

Overall the stationery was romantic, classic and exciting. I think these pieces work today and could still work 20 years from now.

Photos by Veronica Lola Photography

A close up of the painted edge, photos really don’t do it justice.

christmas storage solutions

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I love decorating for Christmas but taking it all down and storing everything can be a challenge. I have found a few systems that really work for me and wanted to share them with you here.

I love this stackable ornament storage box. You can separate the layers so you can see all the ornaments at once as you decorate the tree. I wrap in bubble wrap and tissue and fit as many as I can into the slots. The invidual spaces are not that big so below I have a larger container for bigger ornaments. Just carry from the bottom, I do not trust the handle in carrying through our house when full. Similar one on sale here or full price here.

For larger ornaments I like this snap storage box.

For wrapping paper I love this long container from the Container Store. Special trick I learned from my mom, buy a paper for each member of the family or child so you don’t have to label everything!

And lastly my favorite storage solution of all, is this closet hanger system for gift tags and labels. One whole side is Christmas, and the other I have grouped into birthday, love, baby, friendship and thank you. It is so accessible and an amazing space saver.

Weston’s workshop playhouse

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We had a concrete slab in our backyard and we weren’t sure what to do with it… enter Pinterest and all the advertisements for a she shed! But when Corona hit and playgrounds indefinitely closed we knew it would be better suited for our boys. 

Weston knew all summer Daddy was building him a playhouse (with a little help) and we surprised him with the reveal for his third birthday, including a caution tape scissor cutting ceremony.

The windows were delayed a month and therefore we still have yet to paint the exterior, I will update the post with the final results once finished. However, this didn’t stop us from making it as cute as possible. The design was modified from these plans by Jen Woddhouse found on Pinterest. The door is custom made by my husband and I painted it Marine Blue. The kids love their special handle! The lanterns, hooks and mailbox came from Amazon and the come & play mat from Etsy. 

Our son Weston is obsessed with daddy’s workbench and therefore it gave us a jumping off point for the interior of the play house. 

My husband custom built the workbench including fun details for all the tools Wes loves to play with, construction hats, his own drill set and even a garden monster (an inside joke between them).

I found the adorable personalized tool belts and construction truck prints on Etsy.  I added the text below the prints to inspire creativity which we know will come easily within these 4 walls. 

We outfitted the playhouse with a machine washable outdoor rug, brown paper drawing roll by Hearth & Hand with Magnolia for Target, table and chairs and a vintage gumball machine I won as a kid. 

Weston could have stayed in there for hours and we have no doubts it will be a magical place for our family & friends for years to come. 

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About Impressed, Inc.

Welcome to Impressed Inc, specializing in identities for events and entrepreneurs. Helping to find creative solutions that elevate expectation and leave lasting impressions. Everyone has a story – I hope to tell it through paper, process and thoughtful design.

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