I am currently knee-deep in the weaning process with my 7 month old son and have discovered that, while people have been doing this FOREVER, it’s kind of confusing. You can see that my boy isn’t too sure about bananas just yet.

I’ve read flipped through a bunch of baby books and scoured the web for some cohesion of information. My end result was a kind of chaotic mash up of notes. For example, one source suggested that children start certain foods (like meats) at 6 months, but then some sources said to wait until 10 months. Oy vay!

My tendency when overwhelmed with information is to chart it out. CHART. IT. OUT.  I have to see it before me in some sort of visual order to get a grip and understanding.

So, with that…I present the Wee Little One’s Weaning Chart!

I’ve put everything together as best as I could and want to give it away! So, feel free to download this Weaning Chart and print it out for use in your home. Check off the foods as you introduce them to your child and circle whether or not your wee little one liked it or whether it ended up on your face (hopefully not).

It’s legal size (8.5 x 14 inches) and I recommend you take the file to your neighborhood printer (ahem, FedEX) and request it be printed on something like a 60lb. matte cover stock.

I hope you enjoy this little nerdy chart and pass it along to your mom friends to help them out when it’s their turn.

Please note: Every child is different and there are many approaches to weaning. This chart combines several approaches and is in no way an official guide to what is best for your child. All decisions made for your child are your sole responsibility and a consultation with your child’s pediatrician is recommended prior to the introduction of any foods into your child’s diet.

I put together this Photoshop tutorial video for those of you wanting to learn how to transform a photo into a warm and textured image with a vintage feel using blending modes. Enjoy!

The process of designing a logo can be difficult as well as fun. Once I get to talk with a client about the goals and purpose of their company or organization, I can begin to develop a brand concept.

For this particular logo from the Legacy School of Ministry, the client wanted to communicate their slogan, “It’s not what you take, but what you leave behind.” The purpose of Legacy is to educate and train young adults for a life of ministry; a life of serving others and sharing the gospel. Legacy is aimed at confronting a generation deep in consumption and teaching them the value of giving.

Knowing these important values of the Legacy School of Ministry, I knew that their logo needed to meet a couple of requirements:

First, it needed to be something that would visually appeal to a younger audience. I wanted to use fresh colors, fonts and imagery that wouldn’t feel stuffy, too trendy, or outdated to someone graduating high school.

Second, I wanted the logo to represent the concept of this ministry having an effect on people. The final solution, after numerous mock-ups, was a water drop leaving a ripple. After the droplet hits a puddle, the droplet itself is no longer recognizable, but the effect of it’s contact with the puddle is noticed as a ripple that extends outward beyond it’s initial point of impact.

The final result:

While expecting my son’s arrival, I had the rare opportunity to design an entire room from scratch (as well as 9 months worth of time). I scoured the internet for days trying to find design inspiration and one theme kept popping out at me. I fell in LOVE with the idea of a grey nursery accented with bright pops of color. I also loved that this idea could work for either a girl or a boy. AND I was on a mission to make this happen ON THE CHEAP, which meant that I had a lot of DIY projects in my future.

We bought our house just a couple of months before our son’s due date and here’s a picture of what we had to start with:

It’s amazing what paint and well-placed curtains can do to make a room look bigger! Here’s the after:

As I mentioned, my goal was to design this room for as little money as possible so here are some of the ways I saved a little cash:

DIY Mobile: yarn, Styrofoam balls, fishing wire, dowels

Vintage toy found at a flea market, thrift store picture frame spray painted white, my husband’s first guitar hung on the wall.

Inexpensive lamp from Target covered with fabric, cross-stitch frames bought for $2 at a thrift store painted white and vibrant pieces of fabric placed in them, handmade curtains from Ikea fabric (they have GREAT prices!), a free hand-me-down chair, an ottoman picked up from the “as-is” section at Ikea, felt hand-made pennant, and a runner for the dresser also made from Ikea fabric. A side note: I hung the curtains to the side of the window rather than in front of it. By doing this, the window looks wider than it is and makes the room look bigger.

I also incorporated some antique finds like this little ceramic planter that I think is some sort of goat/pig combination and this little horse rocker that I bought from a photographer’s prop sale. *By the way, if you’d like to see some of her AMAZING photography, check it out here.*

And of course, my Parker Dog is a permanent fixture in this room as he loves sleeping in the big chair when he gets a chance.

It’s so fun to watch my son grow and begin enjoying the different aspects of this room. Right now, at 11 weeks old, he stares wide-eyed at the mobile and enjoys walks around the room to look at the different wall hangings. We have to remember that as cute or stylish as we want our child’s room to be, it has to function for them and nurture healthy development. I think this design will do the trick…at least for a little while.

This business card was designed for a dear friend, and church-planter, who was in need of a way to connect with people in a new city.

He wanted something clean, simple and memorable. I chose to make it oh-so-manly with my use of dark grey and a vibrant blue. I also followed the infamous KISS method (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Someone holding this card will know exactly how to get in touch with Erik.

By the way, if you want to learn more about his ministry in Pittsburgh and how YOU can be a part, check out his Diary of a Church Planter blog.