The Invitation Verdict

The invitations I ordered at Walmart.com came in last week.  

It took nine days for the invites to arrived.

Click on the photo to view larger

The Front :

The Inside :

The Back :

now ... THE VERDICT :


I don't want to expect much from this invite since first of all
I chose the CHEAPEST I could find online. 
Second, I ordered it from Walmart and not from a card making
company.
So when it finally arrived (although honestly I was already starting
to bite my nails worrying that it will not arrive on time) 

• it was OKAY ... not bad ... but not marvelous - wedding kind type of invite
• the color is a little on the muted side ... it was more vivid when you view online
• It has good paper weight ... 111 lb. weight card paper (not bad)
• the front of the card has a soft matte finish 

          (although I was expecting for the "J" in front to be embossed)

• the inside is matte for easy writing
• I don't like the Walmart logo at the back
• the envelope is made from a good weight paper too (80 lb) 
• I like the fact that Walmart doesn't have a minimum order
• I also love the idea that you can put a message at the back too
• and best of all the FREE SHIPPING is always a plus factor

Overall I am not disappointed and

I would recommend for you guys to

order at Walmart.com for your invitations

if you are on a tight budget like me.

Snippets

Jayden's birthday is just 4 weeks away and we are now on a
full action prep mode!


This past weekend we had her photoshoot for her birthday invitation.


We held it at Emerald Glen Park near our house.


It was a wonderful Sunday afternoon.  We were supposed to do 
it Saturday but it rained I was so bummed out expecting 
the same kind of weather the next day.  If we do not have the
photoshoot that weekend it means that the invitation printing
will be moved to a much later date...which made me very nervous.


Thank goodness the weather was wonderfully gorgeous that day!!!


I used ONE red balloon for the shoot
Next year there will be TWO !


I cannot use a Mylar balloon since the light will bounce off
I wanted to use PINK but the color will not stand out
So Red is the perfect color

My hubby Joseph was my assistant
He was very good at calling Jayden's attention and 
making her smile!
Thank you Joseph mwah mwah mwah !!!


A nice weather + a cooperative model = a successful photoshoot!


Here are some pictures that we took that day 
(we had a gazillion pictures so I am only sharing a few)

This is a TEST shot of the field ... yep on that big bag are my
camera gears and stuff to entertain my model ... a chair just in case ...
a reflector (but i  did not use it since it was sunny) ... and a RED balloon

TEST shot with  Jayden

HERE ARE THE SHOTS !!!


(click on the photo to Enlarge and get a better view)

I wanted to post more but i don't want to bore you.
For sure I will be posting a gazillion (my fave word) photos
on Jayden's first birthday.


I am just hoping that the invitations will come out okay.
I ordered it at Walmart online since they have the CHEAPEST!
The 5x7 folded photo invitations is only $1.42 and it's
FREE shipping !!!
The invitations will be here (hopefully) next week.
I will post how the invites turned out.


See you next time and thanks for spending time
looking at Jayden's pics and reading my blog!

My Son ... The Junior Masterchef

John baked a Spanish Bread called
Pan de Muerto (Bread for the Dead)
as a project for his Spanish Class


Pan de Muerto is a type of bread traditionally baked in Mexico
during the week leading up to the "Day of the Dead"
which is celebrated on November 1 and 2.


It is a sweetened soft bread often decorated with
bone like pieces.


Okay so let us join my son, John on his cooking adventure.


INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

The whole cooking process took almost 3 hours !!!

Here is the recipe for Pan de Muerto :

(from John's Spanish teacher)

You Need:

• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup very warm water
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups all purpose flour, unsifted
• 1/2 tsp anise seed (optional)
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp sugar

This recipe makes 8-10 servings

1.  Bring milk to boil  and remove from heat.

      Stir in butter, 1/4 cup sugar and salt.

2.  In a large bowl, mix yeast with warm water until dissolved

     and let stand 5 minutes.  Add the milk mixture.

3.  Separate the yolk and whites of one egg.  And the yolk

      to the yeast mixture, but save the white later.

      Now add the flour to the yeast and egg.

      Blend well until dough ball is formed.

4.  Flour a pastry board or work surface very well and place

     the dough in center.  Knead until smooth.  Return to large

     bowl and cover with dish towel.  Let rise in warm place for

     90 minutes.  Grease a baking sheet and preheat the oven

     to 350 degrees.

5.  Knead dough again on your floured surface.  Now divide the

     dough into fourths and set one fourth aside.  Roll the remaining 

     3 pieces into "ropes".

6.  On a greased baking sheet, pinch 3 rope ends together and

      braid.  Finish by pinching ends together on opposite side.

      Divide the remaining dough in half and form 2 "bones".

      Cross and lay them on top the braided loaf.

7.  Cover the bread with dish towel and let rise for 30 minutes.

     Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix anise seed, cinnamon and 2 tsp sugar

     together.  In another bowl, beat egg white lightly.

8.  When 30 minutes are up, brush top of bread with egg white and 

     sprinkle with sugar mixture, except on cross bones.

     Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

     

Friends, thank you for joining us on John's
cooking adventure.