I’m not sure there’s a better combination than sparklers and confetti. Both are at the tippety top of my simple pleasures list.

Did you notice the nicely printed label on the invitation and this favor? I’ve been trying out my new Lifestyle Crafts Epic Letterpress and Die Cut machine and I’ve got to say, it’s pretty awesome. It’s a tabletop machine that you hand crank to deliver letterpress items or to die cut shapes. It’s very simple to use and while I wouldn’t necessarily use it for a massive project, it’s great for simple tags and cards. I love how accessible it makes letterpress materials. I can’t wait to order some custom plates for future projects.

For a final hurrah to end this birthday week, I’m giving one away!

What’s up for grabs: A Lifestyle Crafts Epic Letterpress and Die Cut machine + all the goodies to get you started (like paper, ink and plates).

How you enter: Comment on this post before Tuesday, May 17th at midnight. You must be a US resident to enter. Winner will be randomly chosen and contacted by me through email.

Lifestyle Crafts
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Bonus! Use code MYFAV for 20% off at Lifestylecrafts.com. Code good until May 22nd.

I decided to let the fact that it’s my birthday week trump the fact that I’m supposed to be on this non-chocolate doctor restricted diet crap and make the most chocolatey cake I could think of. I like to call it the birthday cake that dreams are made of but Martha calls it Chocolate Cake with Milk-Chocolate Crunch and Caramel Sauce. Eh, my title is better.

To the untrained eye it just looks like a chocolate cake with an amateur frosting job, but believe me, it’s so much more. Rich chocolate cake with layers of rice cereal covered in milk chocolate and dripping with caramel topped with chocolate frosting that will clog your arteries on contact. The birthday cake of dreams I tell you. The birthday cake of dreams.

You better believe that is the half wall looking more festive than ever. This installation required a boatload of confetti, a sheet of plastic, spray adhesive and a couple runs with the vacuum. It has definitely added some happy to our apartment.

It’s my birthday so I’ve decided to dedicate this week’s posts to my fave party item, confetti.

For the invitation, I took a vintage book from the thrift store and used a razor blade to carve out a pocket for the confetti. The guests brush the confetti away to reveal all the party details. Later on they can use the book to hide their secret belongings. Like a wad of cash, or some love poems, or their ticket stub to Fast Five. Whatever fits their fancy.

While I don’t usually get personal on this blog, please indulge me for one day. I’ve mentioned that Ryan and are in the middle of a waiting game. One of the things we’ve been waiting for the longest is a baby. We’ve slowly come to realize that we are indeed infertile and it has become very much part of our everyday reality.

In my discussions with other women who have gone through the same thing, so many of them have told me, “I didn’t tell anyone about our infertility until after I was pregnant in fear that they wouldn’t understand. I wish I had had someone to talk to. I wish I had shared it sooner.”

This struggle is lonely for many. At the beginning, part of me was inclined to want to run and hide from it. Another part of me – because of many of you – wanted to seek out and identify with others who are experiencing what I am experiencing.

Thankfully, I have been able to lay some of my burdens on trusted and understanding loved ones and, as a result, feel some of the weight lifted. I believe in the power of sharing one another’s burdens. Because I have gained strength in being the recipient of a lot of support, I have felt that I need to do all that I can to help those going through the same thing.

I have started writing about my experience. I’ve joined the team of bloggers at Babble’s Being Pregnant blog.  This is an open forum where bloggers discuss all matters family, pregnancy, infertility, and mamahood. Many people may not choose to share something so personal but, because of the positives, I’ve felt strongly that this is the right decision for me.  Here are links to my first posts:

- Hello, my name is Melanie and my husband and I are infertile
- We need a cheering section
- Ten things not to say to anyone suffering with Infertility EVER
- What TO say

YAMF isn’t going to become Pregnancy Watch 2011. But I will link to my Being Pregnant posts a few times a month and you can feel free to read them if you’d like.

I’m going to take off early for the weekend, we’re going on a trip to NYC for a little getaway. But I’ll be back on Tuesday with the best birthday week ever. Thanks for reading.

Love,

Melanie.

image: Virginia Galvez

Cascading ribbon spotted on 100 Layer Cake

image: Our Labor of Love

Such a soothing photo spotted on 20×200

image: Chikara Umihara

A cozy spot for a plant spotted on Seesaw

Lisa’s May desktop calendar is a birthday present come early spotted on That’s Happy

A list of little things to appreciate (unexpected discounts are the best!) spotted on sorry, I can’t remember

The darling Brooke is raising funds for families in her Alabama community who have lost everything because of the tornado. All money from the sales of the Sweet Home Alabama chalkboard will go to disaster relief.

This is the latest installation for the ever-changing half wall, just in time for Cinco de Mayo. Because everybody likes tissue flowers and an excuse to bust out the seven layer bean dip.

PS This Mexican themed wedding is so pretty and I think this is a perfect week to crank out a surprise cake.

Yay it’s May! Not only is it my birthday month but it’s National Bike Month. So, it’s fitting that my birthday wish is a kelly green bike, polka dot frock and pink boxes of cookies. Wait, because I just shared that does that mean it doesn’t come true? Shoot! Dream destroyed.

images: Julie Hirschfeld