Other – Sew Bake Decorate

Welcome to Sew Bake Decorate!

Published on September 30, 2019 by juliavalley2 Comments

It’s been almost six years since I hit publish on my first blog post on Bunny Baubles blog, and we’ve come a long way. The photos and skills have all improved as you’ve come along on this blogging journey with me. I keep more of the sewing projects I make. I love more of the recipes I test. I’m more comfortable in the home I decorate as I find my style. A little older, a little wiser, and so I felt it was time for a name change.

Though I still love bunnies, I found myself having to explain the name and how it didn’t relate to the blog topics at all. It was a cute and memorable name, but I didn’t post about bunnies, and I didn’t really post about baubles. Also, as it turns out, people do not know what baubles are…

The new name is one I have considered for years now. Sew Bake Decorate encapsulates all of the main topics of this blog, and I love the slant rhyme it has. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? They are my three main passions, closely followed by event planning, but I don’t think I’m enough of a professional to claim them in my name yet.

What can you expect? The same content you’re used to! The only change is the name while the focus stays the same. You can expect my social media handles to change as well (some will take a little time to fully update, so don’t worry if you still see Bunny Baubles in certain places). Take a look at the new links below. Thanks for sticking with me over the years! I hope you love the new name as much as I do.

Instagram: @sewbakedecorate

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SewBakeDecorate/

Twitter: @sewbakedecorate

Pinterest: @juliableck

Feature on Voyage Houston!

Published on March 28, 2018 by juliavalley6 Comments

Today I am so honored to post that Voyage Houston, a website dedicated to all things Houston, has featured me in their Inspiring Stories section! Head over to their site to read about how I got started with Bunny Baubles Blog and what the blogging journey has entailed for me. Thank you to all of my readers over the years for supporting me, reading, and DIY-ing! The link to the article is here.

The Best of Bunny Baubles November 2017

Published on December 1, 2017 by juliavalley4 Comments

HAAAPPY CHRISTMAS SEASON EVERYONE!!!

It’s already December, how did that even happen? Even though it’s Christmas and I have decorated my apartment, drank hot chocolate, purchased presents, and listened to the tunes, I have my mind in 100 other places!

First up is a trip I am taking with a group of friends right after Christmas with my family! I am going to keep it a surprise from y’all until a little closer to the trip, but we are so excited to celebrate the new year abroad and enjoy some chilly weather!

The second thing I have been working on is planning Megan’s bachelorette party! OMG we have so many fun activities planned. In true party planner fashion, I have too many ideas and am trying to decide on how much decor is too much decor (never enough, I know, I agree). The schedule is set, so at least I have that under my belt.

I’ve also been so busy at work – all exciting things and possibly some new avenues to tackle. It’s been a very empowering month and it has me all sorts of motivated!

Because of these major things, I am hoping to still get some Christmas themed posts up for y’all, but it might be lighter than last year. I am still loving this white and pink wreath I made, and really want to recreate these Santa whoopie pies with a new theme this year…

Last month I enjoyed a very relaxing and delicious Thanksgiving with Kyle’s family where we spent 2 days cooking and the rest recovering. It was perfect. I also completed THREE sewing projects (one to come next week!). I don’t know what it is, but I am piling on the sewing projects in full force lately, and it seems like you’re all on board from the love I am getting on Instagram (THANK YOU!).

Check out the posts from last month, which was your favorite?

The Best of Bunny Baubles October 2017

Published on November 7, 2017November 6, 2017 by juliavalley4 Comments

Can I safely say that it’s the most wonderful time of the year? I know it’s usually reserved for Christmas, but I like to think that it starts when the air cools down, and all I can think about is elaborate meal planning and candles and the overall sense of being “cozy”.

Now that Halloween has come and gone, I’m prepping for Thanksgiving with almost an entire week off and hosting the big meal with Kyle as his family comes into town. Bon Appetit November proved to be very inspiring, and I can’t wait to try yet another stuffing recipe. Why don’t we make stuffing year round? It’s so good… going to have to think that over.

This month I’m hoping to get some time to experiment with watercolors and be a little more artistic and creative, in home decor and in cooking. I’ve been obsessing over making an apple crumble for probably three weeks, and it is 100% going to happen this month. Another project obsession? Velvet pants. I want to wear them… so I need to make them.

Last month I spent a ton of time working on a coat that I just shared last week and still kind of can’t believe I made. I know it doesn’t make sense to make three coats this year, especially since I live in a place that’s almost always over 80 degrees, but there are so many good patterns out there! I also binged Stranger Things season 1 and am just diving into season 2 – I am obsessed!

My favorite post this month was the pumpkin painting party. I had SO much fun with my girl friends watching Practical Magic and just catching up over crafts. Not to mention the invites were adorable… I just used Basic Invite to make more invitations for my brother’s fiancee’s shower and used the free addressing feature. Honestly amazing and a TOTAL time saver! What was your fave post?

What We Wore

Bow Tie Sleeve Swing Dress

DIY Ninja Turtles Costume

What We Ate

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Mummy Pizzas

How We Decorated

Yarn Wall Hanging

Reversible Baby Play Mat

How We Celebrated

Halloween Pumpkin Painting Party

The Best of Bunny Baubles September 2017

Published on October 5, 2017October 3, 2017 by juliavalleyLeave a comment

At this very moment I’m cozy on my couch with pumpkin spice candles lit and a full list of pumpkin flavored items that I want to bake… it must be October! I seriously love the Fall, even if my definition of the Fall doesn’t exist here in Houston. On the last weekend of September we took a trip to Charlotte for a wedding, and the weather was in the 60’s – pure heaven for me!

Nonetheless, I have so much planned for October. I am finally not traveling anywhere all month and have so many finished projects that I’ve just been waiting to share and haven’t had time to write up. More home decor is in order, some of which is just perfect for the changing seasons. I also have some recipes in mind, a couple of sewing projects, and let’s not forget Halloween! I’m having my girl friends over to paint mini pumpkins and stuff our faces with candy corn, plus I still need to come up with a costume!

In September I didn’t post much, but I really had a lovely month. Two weddings and a birthday celebration. 27 felt so old to say, but I don’t really feel that old. The more years that go by, the more I realize adults are just older children, so I can’t go crazy thinking into it too much. My close friends came over for a Greek picnic that was Pinterest worthy until a swarm of cockroaches appeared when the sun went down… let’s just say it was the funniest/most horrifying thing I’ve possibly ever witnessed in person.

What are you being for Halloween? More importantly, what are the best pumpkin spice recipes out there? Yes, be as #basic as you can be and please share!

What We Ate

Mini Cheesecake Topped Lemon Bites

How We Decorated

My Bachelorette Pad

Minimalist Fall Wreath

The Best of Bunny Baubles August 2017

Published on September 7, 2017September 6, 2017 by juliavalley1 Comment

Where do you begin with a month like this one? From the exciting moments that I anticipated, to the disasters that no one could have foreseen, I’m coming out of the month just simply exhausted.

This August, Houston saw the worst flooding, and possibly the worst hurricane it has ever endured. Though there wasn’t a lot of wind, we saw over 50″ of rain that caused devastating flooding throughout the city. Though I was blessed enough to have no loss, it was one of the most emotional times I’ve had in a long while. It was almost unbearable to watch the news seeing people lose everything, or even hold back tears seeing people coming out to save their neighbors. There was a lot of pain, but also a lot of love. At a time where this country is being threatened all around, as well as within, it was a light to see people being so kind. It was inspiring and overwhelming. If you’re looking for ways to help, I wrote about it here.

Before things went awry, I really did have a wonderful start to the month. I went on an amazing trip with my girlfriends to Austin where we laughed, relaxed, and had an honestly stress free and wonderful time. We stayed in this stunning AirBnB… someone buy it for me, please?

I also moved! I’m feeling totally settled into my little one bedroom, and I truly love it. Once I moved in, everything I owned felt like new again, so I didn’t end up buying as much new decor as I had planned, but I feel some home decor projects coming – don’t you worry! I promise I will be sharing it in it’s entirety this month. I had planned to show you some photos, but I felt that it might be insensitive to do so in the wake of such a disaster where many people’s homes had flooded.

In September I will be celebrating my 27th birthday. EEEK. That seems rather old and terrifying, so I’m sort of avoiding it and will probably celebrate in a less themed way than usual. May let a restaurant do all of the work (I told you I was tired). As I had suggested in my last recap post, I want to focus on getting better at certain skills, so I am going to work on drafting a sloper which can be used to create a fitted bodice for a dress or shirt that is the perfect size for your body. I’ll be sure to share my trials over on Instagram stories!

I don’t have much planned for the month, but I’m planning to share with you my new apartment, some home decor DIY’s (Fall themed!), and at least one sewing project!

Check out the posts below from August, which was your favorite?

What We Ate

Chocolate Frosting Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies

Chocolate Candy Vanilla Layer Cake for 2

Cream Cheese Swirl Banana Bread with Crunchy Topping

How We Decorated

Pom Pom Trimmed Sheer Curtains

How We Helped

People from all over Texas and Louisiana saving people from the floods. PC: Business Insider, http://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-harvey-texas-photos-shocking-scale

How to Volunteer and Donate After Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey Volunteering, Donating, and Updates

Published on August 31, 2017September 1, 2017 by juliavalley3 Comments

Buffalo Bayou, just a few miles from my apartment. PC: Aaron Cohan, https://www.wired.com/2017/08/photos-capture-devastating-flooding-houston/,

Words cannot express what Houston and the Texas surrounding areas have gone through in the past 7 days. Only a week ago I was leaving work to fight the crowds at the grocery store that was already out of most water, bread, and canned food. We all buzzed about where our homes were located, how they might be affected by the storm, and generally complained about how awful it would be to lose power and AC in the Houston summer. Little did we know what the city was in for. Continue reading →

The Best of Bunny Baubles July 2017

Published on August 3, 2017September 6, 2017 by juliavalley2 Comments

Why yes, it is August, isn’t it? July flew by, but was well enjoyed. Having spent the first week on vacation with some of my closest friends, and then the rest celebrating more wedding festivities and friends visiting in town, I feel like I really made the most of it.

If you haven’t noticed, I’ve started posting only once a week sometimes. After being on vacation and spending time away from my phone, I realized how much I was always thinking about Instagram and what I was going to make next that I could post. All that time spent on MY blog meant less time thinking about other people. Not that I don’t consider my readers unimportant – I love you all so much and really appreciate how much time you spend reading along, commenting, and trying out the projects – but I wasn’t giving myself enough time to do things for my close friends. Birthday cards, fixing buttons on shirts, baking cookies for helping me move… all things I used to love doing for my friends but now find myself only doing for blogging purposes.

In order to get back to what I love and honestly give y’all thoughtful recipes that have been tested, posts with better instructions, and true passion in my writing, they may be coming less often. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a ton of exciting stuff coming, though!

In August I am moving (!!!) so you will be seeing some sneak peeks over on Instagram and then a full post once I’m finally all decorated. Might be September by then, we will have to see how dedicated I am! I’m also going on a girl’s weekend to Austin this weekend with four close friends that I can’t wait for! Posting wise, I have:

some adorable curtains that will be making their debut in my new living space
honestly the best cookies I’ve ever made (REALLY)
hopefully some entertaining tips once I get a few friends over to my new space

In July my favorite project that had a lot of love put into it was this chocolate cake with strawberry filling that was for my friend’s rehearsal dinner. I practiced it four times so I could be really confident. That’s how you know it’s really a surefire recipe! I was also so excited that I was able to get the stains out of my favorite blush sandals. What was your favorite post?