Pokemon Cards: Let's Learn to Play the Game Evolved (again) into Mommy Handmade Sketch in Color Pencil Pokemon Trading Card Playing Mats

A 2016 update: As I reflect on some of our art projects (okay, my art) and I am so glad we/I did. Now my kids draw, create, craft regularly. And we have seen a creative impact on their school work. Are the two connected? Is art at home resulting in an out of the box idea at school. I cant say for certain... But my mommy judgement says yes. This article is about drawing and coloring purely for my kids benefit, but I can't help to think how these moments have impacted (over time) their school learning & my own.

I am no longer the advocate I used to be for play based learning. I think early "pre school" (before school starts) is a balance of play based, motor skills projects and starting on academics (letters sounds, colors, numbers, and yes -- pre reading skills. Strictly within my experience I have seen my approach with older son, versus my means of at home activities with baby girl and younger son, the growth of the latter two in their "work" means younger son starts school with basic math skills. And baby girl writing her name at 3 years old with reading some basic words.

Back to the original post: Happy Reading! Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.


My older son and younger son have recently discovered Pokemon trading cards game - battling playing cards. After watching the YouTube video Mom learned Math is involved!! Yaay! I'm a full supporter. You can of course BUY the placemats, but wouldn't it be really fun to make them?

I can't remember if this made our Summer Bucket List, or we (I being nagged by the kids) felt really inspired? Each boy got to pick a character they wanted on their mat. The boys got really into it, digging through hundreds of cards. We've collected cards Fromm our own purchases and the occasional donation from my brothers collection (I.e., our Dad throwing out his stuff and filtering his room).

Older son chose the evolved form of Charizard. And younger son chose Blazer? I googled their images, we again reviewed options with the boys...

I've posted my inspiration pics from online and the finished product. I used color pencils that we have on hand in our art center in the kitchen. I matched colors to our inspiration pictures.

If you are reading this post, please post a comment below on what you liked - or didn't  - about this read. Does the topic interest you and you want to know more? Submit a question and I am happy to tackle it.
I laid out some paper and positioned the playing cards as referenced in a google search. It helped to estimate a true mat size. Tape the paper together, and start sketching.





The sketch of Chaizard Evolving...  

 Charizard, Final Color Pencil Sketch    

Younger son picked his inspiration photo

The Final Color Pencil Sketch


Make mistakes. Breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Mommy Made Card for a Dr. Seuss Birthday The Party

It's so unfortunate that we lack the time - as in previous century's like we have seen on the show Downton Abbey and in this post - to write, draw, and make handmade gifts for our family and friends. We often have the kids make the necessary cards for all the events in our lives, cousins birthdays, friends baptisms, and Dr. Seuss themed Twins Birthday parties: for thing one and thing two! For Father's Day a few years ago we made the kids handprints into shapes with Dad Messages. These pieces turned out so great we made them into art for the bedroom.

So for the twins birthday party I wanted to do something fun. I recently attended a baby shower and handmade the card for that event. So my inspiration struck across these many events. For the boys I purchased the classic book the Giving Tree. I decorated the book inscription in a fanciful way. How often have you seen a book inscription that evidently took quite a bit of time to complete. I have time. Not much, but I can scrape together an hour in the evening to put a handmade touch that I enjoy doing. And I hope the gift recipients enjoy as much as I do.

For the twin boys birthday card I sketched at home my younger sons hands into the thing one and thing two shapes. I outlined the faces for the two things and also there chest monikers. Then I used colored pencil to color in the blue hair and red shirts. This is the beginning of coloring in. Notice on the final piece the colors are much deeper. I colored in a second time to cover the line marks and get a richer color.

Mommy Made Card for a Dr. Seuss Birthday The Party, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Here is the finished interior. The color is rich but light. The picture was taken on my car dashboard in full sunlight, so a softer interior light would've done this card more justice. 

Mommy Made Card for a Dr. Seuss Birthday The Party, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

For the card cover we chose a whimsical writing and the Inscription is a play on words from the classic Dr. Seuss book "Oh the Places You'll Go."  I know I could've given the boys this book as a part of their gift to really complete the theme.

Handmade First Birthday Card Cover:

"Today IS your 1st Birthday!!!

You're off and away...

Oh the places you'll Go,

Oh the Places you'll play!!"

Mommy Made Card for a Dr. Seuss Birthday The Party, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Here's "Thing Two" handprints that hang in our bedroom from my younger son, which is the art PINsinspiration for the birthday card we made.

Mommy Made Card for a Dr. Seuss Birthday The Party, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Also here hanging above our bed is the complete set of kids hand and foot prints (and how we feel about making it)... my baby girls feet prints, which we tried to make into butterfly wings however her cooperation was lacking at 18 months old. And lastly my older sons lobster hand and foot print.

The total time to make the card took about one hour. But most importantly it was something I enjoyed doing and making. So it's partially a gift for me too, since I enjoyed the process.








Make Mistakes. Breathe. Reflect. and Laugh.Out.Loud!

Mommy made Childrens Book Inscription for a First Birthday gift

I love making handmade gifts for family and friends. I especially love making things for little kids because you often can get a glimpse of their genuine appreciation of the gift. Their innocence, their simplicity, their truth - because if they don't like you, you'll know! Same goes for the gift! My go to birthday gift is books. For the last baby shower I attended I gave baby to be a "library starter set." For my little twin cousins first birthday I chose a the classic children's book "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. The rest of the Handmade Gift is here, as the handmade card.

Mommy made Childrens Book Inscription for a First Birthday gift

I'll be honest, when I first read "The Giving Tree" I didn't appreciate it. I felt so empty inside after I read it. Perhaps like most people who initially read this book, on the surface level we think "that poor tree, she gave everything of herself to that little boy." But I'm thinking like a mom. As I've evolved I've come to realize the try generosity of the tree. It doesn't hold back in any respect. It gives every bit of itself. How romantic the idea of providing what the boy needs during every phase of his life. When the boy needed a playmate, the tree was there. When the boy needed sustenance, the trees apples were there. When the boy needed shade, the trees leaves were there... And on, and on.

Can you imagine giving completely of yourself as a mother during every phase and changing need of your child's lives? Initially I'd like to think I'm that mom. Always providing every need, fulfilling any request, everything (every demand of a child frankly), but in reality I'm not that mom.

Now while I work actively to be a good mom, always giving, always providing, I don't truly give everything of myself (and neither do you). We CAN'T as mothers give absolutely everything of ourselves because frankly there would be nothing left! Not for ourselves or for our kids. We've all heard that we Mom's need to take care of ourselves first, because if moms not well, nobody's happy.

Mommy made Children's Book Inscription for a First Birthday gift, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.
And so is my assumption of the true meaning of "The Giving Tree." True limitless giving, without holding back, with no cost, can you imagine how much we could solve with his type of giving.

Mommy made Children's Book Inscription for a First Birthday gift, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

My inscription to my cousins book was inspired by a few photos I found for hand sketched names.

"Happy 1st Birthday:

May you always know
The Joy if Giving...
Gifts that never cost,
That don't limit,
And which will be there for
Every phase of your long lives."

I hope this inscription captures my love for these kids in their young lives.

I added some decorative elements. Not pictured - each child's names first letter matches the Font of the Cover Page - double lined. But the rest of their name is in cursive, a little fanciful that way.

I also sketched in long vines at the start an ends of words and added leaves with mini branches in between. All the letter "i" are triple dotted, just to be fanciful.

I hope they enjoy reading their book for years to come.

As a separate blog post is the remainder of our gift holder a handmade card.

NEW UPDATE :: YOUTUBE CHANNEL INFO ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT BLOG

Our family has had many adventures through the years. Mom, the @Minstr0Interior had an a-ha moment . . .  Suddenly I See what we will have filled our life with, ADVENTURES! We travel, craft, sing, dance, collect insects and spend loads of time together. Sometimes too much time together. Our kids have recently begun to document their own adventures, and so this channel was born. Enjoy our adventures. Or not. WANT MORE? If there is a blog post accompanying this video we will share it here. Sometimes we will include the ingredients list of the craft or recipe, or the itinerary of our trip. In the meantime click play. 

From our family: 👍 + 🙃 + ❤️ ( Thumbs up, emoji face, hearts! )

See It Live >>> 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2mGpujQIVgxdfTImFnQuLA

Make mistakes - breathe, reflect, and Laugh. Out. Loud!!