Teenage Ninja Turtle Handmade Ornaments - Simple Craft, Keepsake

When our cousin came to visit for a month from Guatemala, I had four kids at home for christmas. It was also one of the coldest Chicago winters in a long long time. Winter is a good time to craft. I take a break in the summer because, well its warm and we are outside mostly. So Winter Solstice brings out crafts.

TMNT are all the rage this year with the kids. There is a new cartoon on netflix, and the movie was available on DVD, which they love. Event baby girl gets into it. You would think she is the "girl" ---nope. She is Leonardo. Partially because he loves blue. I explain to her he was a great artist. As were all 4 of the Renaissance turtles (you knew that right?). 

Making the TMNT Craft ornaments.

• These were once clear bulbs, thrifted. 

• I had acrylic paint in the basement and I filled each bulb and I'd roll the paint around inside the bulb. returning every 40 minutes to roll the paint around. 

• Even once the bulbs were finished, and hung on the tree, I continued to Roll the Paint around inside the bulb --- it takes forever to dry. 

• I used permanent marker to draw in the faces.

• Felt pieces from other crafts served as their masks. 

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.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Handmade Ornaments.
Notice the different smiles.

Names and Dates on the Ornaments.

In addition, the elf left us a cute note this year before he
left for the North Pole on Christmas Eve.

Chrispy Cold Dragon Breath, frozen boogers, cold Chicago
Christmas 2014.

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect, Laugh.Out.Loud.

Fathers Day Gift, Easy Handmade Kids Craft, Summer Fun, Week One

My younger son graduated kindergarten, we actually call it the end of year celebration ceremony (we believe you don't "graduate" until high school and then college. We want to hold school standards in a high regard, and if the kids keep having these "graduation ceremonies" then they will start to lose their value. (Their 8th grade graduations will be recognized with a small family dinner at a restaurant of their choice.)

Younger sons first day of summer starts this Monday, or my older son still has one additional week of school. I asked my younger son what he wants to do on his first day of summer, he said let's go to culvers for ice cream. I said are you sure there isn't more you want to do, we have a whole day of fun we can have, so he said let's go to the zoo. And so we did, on Monday we hit the zoo first thing in the morning with our popcorn made it home. We saw the animals that he wanted to see and that he picked. Baby girl did not mind at all her brother making all the decisions that day. Then we drove straight to culvers and thankfully since it's about 30 minutes from the zoo both the kids took a nap in the car on the way there.

> > It was an all fun day! > >

Tuesday we were bums, and got started on Father's Day gifts (which is coming up this Sunday) and I finished my sanding and painting my frames (for my Chicago Water Colors I wanted to hand in the powder room). Its gonna be a rainy week to boot. I had looked up some ideas on Pinterest and questions to ask the kid regarding their dad. And I knew I would make the handmade card for him.

A picture of my dad, I drew Daddy behind a Rainbow.

"Hanging Out" with Older Son.

All About my Dad, these were fun to ask and write. 

All About my Dad Questions: (Thanks Pinterest)

I loved some of the 1 or 2 question cards for dad - So of course Type A mom decides to make a chart. Specifically with open ended questions so the kids could give me loads of details. 

• My Favorite thing to do with my dad is:
• Describe Dad:
• If I could take my dad anywhere in the Tardis, we'd go: (yes we were going thru a phase)
• My Dad is special because:
• About my Dad:
• My Dad Makes: $____
• The most awesome thing  about my dad:
• My dad works:
• If I could take my dad anywhere in the world we'd go:

That night of making Father's Day cards, baby girl told her dad she's going to make him a card with the sun on it. Well that was not on our list, so of course we added that to the list and made her card the next day.

Baby girl wanted to make dad a card with the Sun on It! 

WE LOVE YOU DAD

 Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Handmade Easy Elephant Paws for Baby Girl or as a Gift.

Homemade Easy Elephant Paws Costume for Kids

After sewing the schools costumes this year, my daughters reminding me that she wants elephant paws (a la one of the shows characters). I finished embroidering my boys jerseys, which was thrilling all its own. I can't believe sometimes how easy it is to learn new things. So of course after I showed baby girl that I had finished the boys names, she asked "Whats for me?" Mommy suddenly remembered the Elephant Paws request. And so a star was born... 

Well a basement singer. My universal sewing machine made in Japan is the rock star of this performance. I had made practice stitches of each setting to remember for future use. Said sewing stitch aid as also used here in this project. Baby girl pulled up a chair and sat next to me the whole 20 minutes of sewing. She asked lots of questions and I answered each one as I sewed. Logistics: the elephant paws were sewn wrong way facing first to be inverted when complete. First sew on nails. Then 3 layers if felt. Between the top two layers I stuffed the bunting (using what I had on hand). Then I sewed layer 1-2 closed. I don't want her hands touching the stuffing, pulling it out, getting it dirty, etc. 

Beautiful Purple Elephant Paws, with pink nails. My Daughters color choices can't be beat!  Getting paws on by herself, "but mommy I need help." Nope! "Just like daddy said, if you want your new bracelet - or in your case paws - you need to be able to put it on yourself."  And she did!! 

Baby girl is so excited to try on her elephant paws! 

Trying on her new elephant paws. Pink painted toe nails. Nice touch! 

Date: May 15, 2015

 Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud. 

Dear Friends, First Wedding Anniversary Gift: Paper and a Note

My two life long friends are celebrating their 1st Wedding Anniversaries... The sentimental friend that I am, I got them the traditional gift of paper! As I walked to the store, and came home from the Dentist (and during my cleaning), I thought about Paper, and Marriage... and their similarities. As is often the case, I mentally drafted the note inscription for my dear friends and their wives. I like symbolism, and practice soliloquy when putting my notes & thoughts in order.

So few gifts are handmade nowadays. We often lack time... But I have found putting a little thought, and finding a half an hour to write a note is such a personal and warm gesture. Very often appreciated and remembered for years to come! 

My note inscription:

"Dear 'Happy Couple,'                Jan, 2015

Happy first wedding anniversary. We are so thrilled you have found each other to love for a lifetime! It's a great tradition that paper is a first wedding anniversary gift. As you probably have experienced in the last 365 days… Marriage is a lot like paper! 

> The days come in many shapes and sizes. 

> Some days are smooth like linen and others are rough like raw fibers. 

> Some days you want to crumble up like a badly worded note and just start over (on a new day / page).

> But most days, I hope you find are filled with a variety of color, texture, feel and surprise. 

Just like on paper, we can erase mistakes leaving only a trace behind, and look forward to the rest of the pages we can fill with Loving Words, Kind Thoughts, and Many Happy Memories! 

I hope your marriage is filled with a variety of Beautiful Pages, like the "paper gifts" enclosed. 

Best Wishes and Many More Happy Anniversaries, 

with All Our Love 

signed

 

Enclosed with this notes was a small stack of 25 or so notecards and envelopes. I keep odd and ends note cards and frequently pick up supply when I am out thrifting. Needless to say I have a small supply to carry me thru needing notes for all occasions until I am old and gray. I gathered a few cute and appropriate:

- notes from my supply

- lone envelopes

- a few sheets from writing pads

- and 1-2 sheets of plain paper, labels, and even index cards.

Paper comes in all shapes and sizes, as does Marriage and the need for a variety in stock at home.

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

Handmade Card for Baby Shower

Some PINspiration started my idea for a "baby's starter library" for a baby shower gift. Yes my inexpensive finds of some basic baby books were the foundation of the gift.

So few gifts include a handmade card or element. And I don't think it's lack of talent, simply a lack of time.

My two PINSpiration photos (top and bottom left side) are included. I liked the idea of the word BABY in a fancy script and a garden theme for the "starter library." My first sketch is included - I guess mated spacing and my colors and flower shapes. Here is experimented with color pencils in sons school supplies.


Handmade Card for Baby Shower, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Total time commitment was about two hours. 30 minutes to find the PINspiration, 30 minutes for my sketch and the final piece took one hour to sketch and assemble with the toile cover glue on and then tied to the books with a pretty ribbon.

The books were added to our pack which included the splurge gift, a pack if diapers.

Happy photo finding. Photo 4 of 5 Final Sketch for cover of the books when wrapped.

UPDATE March 2015

I'll be making 2 more of these gifts for babies we are Welcoming into the World.
My only change to this project is making this "Babies First Library" instead of starter.

Easy Lunch Bag Notes: Mommy I Love my Lunch Note

When my older son started full day kindergarten in 2010 I wanted to expand "being with him" through little love notes. Little did I know how fashionable (and important) of a tradition this is. He'd come home and often say "mommy I love that my lunch note was... funny, made me feel happy, I liked seeing it." Seeing his joy after getting a little love note often brightened my day too.

Kids like (and need) the reassurance of their parents even when we are not around. When my older  son started preschool, his teacher read "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn on their first day with the moms and dads in class. I cried as the mama raccoon kissed baby raccoon's hand and "Locked it up." And so started our tradition. Everyday at drop off I'd kiss the palm of his hand and "we'd lock up the kiss" incase he needed it later. "If you miss mama, you can always put the kiss on your cheek and it'll be like I'm right there with you."

This book reinforces the fact that our children need us, or the thought of us even when we are not with them in person. Recently I'd seen on Pinterest some website advertising a for premade lunch notes. Go for it! Some mamas just can't fathom where to start right?

We often have projects and kitchen table conversations at our home and these feed my little notes habit. Below I'm including some of the "notes series" (little did I know they became a themed series until I started taking pictures) - I keep these in a bowl, handy to grab and throw in with the days grub.

Our Lunch Notes Bowl - quick access to notes from one top of the microwave areyousureaboutthatblog

My sons pointed out thru this year his favorite notes. And sometimes I think it's not my best work, and he'll say it's his favorite yet!? Kids love the notes not because of what they have written or drawn on them, they love um cause there from mom!

You can see what we love at home is echoed in these easy peesy notes:

Some are simple post it's written the morning of the lunch packing, others were sketched and cut out while we watched movies. Then just glued onto construction paper and cut out so they have a little trim.

Most recently we added PSY who sings Gangnym Style

Psy Gangnym Style Lunch Note Sketch - areyousureaboutthatblog

Music / Song themed
We appreciate music in our home. We are always dancing and singing in the kitchen. My son LOVES the Black Eyed Peas - he thinks in Black Eyed Peas Pump It their saying "Monkey Power" (please dont ask because I have no idea?) but there saying "Louder," Theres Survivors "The Eye of the Tiger" (just because they say the word Tiger) "Who let the dogs out," by Baha Men "Shimmy Shimmy Coco Bop," by Little Anthony and "We are the ones under your bed...lyric" "This is Halloween" from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Actually my kids hadn't seen the movie, they only heard the halloween song from one of their playlists I made.

Music Lunch Notes from areyousureaboutthatblog

Favorite Cartoon and Characters
"Mom my friends say your a good drawer" motivated me to make a few new drawings for his bag.

Mom Sketches become Lunch Notes that we treasure - areyousureaboutthatblog

Just things we love including Karate, Pirates, Avatar Nations - these are doodles inspired by images from the web.

Travel
"One day til our hotel getaway" "Grandmas House for the Weekend"

About A Boy
Everyone needs motivation, so ours include: Good luck on your test today, I really like that your trying hard to help out, Take Your Time (because he always rushes thru his work which ends up sloppy), You are my Super Star (created after a particularly hard day), and my favorite "Work Hard, Leave Tracks" (on a drawing of a car I doodled all thru high school.

Little Motivational Lunch Notes - areyousureaboutthatblog

Of Course I love You Notes - areyousureaboutthatblog

Silly Jokes and Sayings

It seems almost everyday my sons comes home with a new joke. So I looked up a few of my own and quickly jot them on a post it. "What do you call a pig who knows Karate? A Pork Chop" and Motivational support "I love you" and "Have a great day - from Dad"

These notes are used in rotation and in no particular order. Which one gets picked all depends on what's going on in our lives. An even though there reusable my son looks forward to his lunch notes.

Lunch Notes Safe and Dry

As for the lunch bag I made a note slot by hot glueing (with caution) a piece of thick clear plastic to the inside of the lunch bags. This way the note stays reusable, dry, and easy to read without being handled by lunch eating hands.

Simple not sexy, A little hot glue and a homemade Lunch Note Slot - areyousureaboutthatblog

So, eventhough in December of his Kindergarten year my son said one morning as I went to kiss his hand, "mama I don't need a kiss anymore." Crush went my heart - I cried in the car. But my notes are still dearly enjoyed, for now.

It's made a wonderful difference in our house an I hope you try some of your own lunch notes too.

The days are long, but hte years are short. - Enjoy childhood with them as best you can...