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.

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.

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.

A Chicago Experience for Our Winter House Guest

Yes I did paint our Guatemalan cousins name on a shovel! And yes i did make him shovel snow, in Chicago on a freezing day!! When we were planning his Visit and his bucket list - his father said to include "shoveling snow" as a Chicago Experience! I said I'd have a shovel with his name on it!! And we did. 

Other Chicago experienced he had that he would probably never have at home included Archery with us and holding several pieces from my fathers gun collection! 

Handmade Gift: Butterfly Feet from Baby Girl

We recently had to accumulate gifts for our cousin heading back home to Guatemala. On the list were cheap tchotchkes like Chicago keychains and magnets. But when I was a young traveler my parents taught me not to spend money on - well - crap. Unless it was something I really wanted or was requested specifically. (I'll post the full list of guft ideas for families abroad shortly.) 

So I convinced our cousin that we would send food and drinks that couldn't be gotten at home. In Guatemala culture there is a lot of coffee drinking, so cookies and biscuits go well with their breakfast and dinner coffee. Amongst ither edibles like Wendel Polish Chocolates. But all this guest shopping brought me to grandmas birthday. Aren't we all tired of crap gifts?

Maybe I am overly sentimental but I love handmade gifts, both giving and receiving. Who has time to make things anymore? And that's partially what make these type of gift all the more special! The thought is time consuming as is the making of it. 

And so came the first "gifts" for 2015. And Baba got this glorious painting, framed. It was inspired by my baby girl who was excited her own birthday was coming one day after Babas. And when we were sharing her bday present wish list, she said "I will give Baba a Kiss and a Hug for her Birthday." That was sweet enough - amd when I happened to see a pair of baby feet on Pinterest, I knew where the quote belonged!!

 

Here are nearly 3 year old baby girls feet, in Pink Acrylic, pressed on. With sharpie marker outlining the details of the butterfly image form, and the quote.

Happy Birthday Mom's, Grandmas and Baby Girls everywhere!!

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

Inspirational letter for my Brother on his Special Occasion

Inspirational letter to my Brother Matthew

When my brother was completing his Confirmation, the woman who was running the program was very thorough and serious about her role and what the children were learning. She did an excellent job to run the program and the class. The family received a letter and, parents and sponsors (thats me) were asked to give him an inspirational letter that he would read on his retreat. This is what I wrote....

For the purpose of this letter you should know he is my brother, 20 years and 5 days my junior. I was in the room when he was delivered (as lamaze coach), I was the first person in our family to hold him, I filled out his birth certificate, and he is so much more to me than my brother!

My father is remarried, and my stepmom and I are very close as well.  She knows me since I was a little girl and luckily we've stayed close. I grew up as an only child, a happy but lonely childhood. So, when I found out she was expecting I was so incredibly joyful. I was attending Junior College and deciding where to go "away" to school for my Bachelors Degree and beyond... But LITERALLY that night it all changed. I decided to continue school and live at home. (For the sake of story telling the night I found out my step-mom was expecting I had to tell someone. I couldn't call my mom, just be because she wouldn't share that same level if enthusiasm. And I discovered I really had no one who would've shared that level if enthusiasm. (I'm so glad I had 3 kids JUST so they have someone to share these moments with, on their level, from a shared background and history.) 

I drove to my uncle's house (where I'd actually start living and renting an apartment a short two years later) to share the news. He was happy for me, but not nearly at my level of joy. (In all fairness I cry when I'm happy when my kids get something cool, like a movie pass, or off to pumpkin picking.)

That's some background. I did some research on "Inspirational Letters" and googled terms along those lines, but I wanted to share my enthusiasm for him as a person, someone I loved (more like a mothers love then a sisters), and I treasure him. How could I convey that importance? 

I also held values and beliefs about what family is and how ti find your purpose that varied a little from his parents... My brother and I have talked about this. But this was a moment to solidify our shared thoughts and feelings on the values we had discussed so many times.

Their were lots of poems, generalities on what to include, but each reference gave ME inspiration for my final letter.

The letter was handwritten on white paper and glued to a "fancy paper" for a nice handmade, time invested, touch."

"All About Matthew."

You are important to me and here's why...

I was planning college, going of to school, life - at that time - was all about me, and when I found out your mom was pregnant I was  thrilled because I always wanted a brother or sister. You were so important before you were even born. That moment changed my life because I knew I wanted to have a relationship with you. 

Age 2 running in the yard, giving hugs and kisses. I saw you at least once a week for years - to be sure - we would know eachother well.

Spending time with you growing up filled a big gap in my life - sharing things with someone you love, secrets from parents (even if it was just eating ice cream before dinner) was amazing. And you were always so happy to share with me - dinosaurs and books - letting me read to you and snuggle at bedtime.

Do you remember our family trip to Canada and talking about the stars?

It was always a special part of my day to see you. I hope you have felt that I always wanted you to be a big part of my life.

So when it was time for me to have my own kids, you are apart of the inspiration for my decision to stay home and raise them. You grew up so fast - I didn't want to miss a moment of the magic we shared  with my kids too. I see how important a relationship is with the people we love. With teaching kids everything we know to give them the best chance in life.

...  And now, since you know how important you are to me, I want to share with you some important things I've learned to help me in life... And to help you be the Man you are meant to Become!!

...I want you to continue to be who you are, and don't be afraid to push yourself to be the best you can. I want you to push boundries and dream big because so far you have shown you really can do anything.

... Completely immerse yourself in new ideas and things that interest you, it's great how you keep learning new things and really LOVE learning. I envy that your so young with a whole life - to dream and create - in front of you.

... I know when we hear "thank you's" it can make us shy or feel weird, that's normal. But still it is really important to tell the people we care about how we feel.

... You have great enthusiasm, and sense of humor, you are quick to learn new things, you are so lovable, caring to your family and friends, and very generous. Don't ever stop these things!

There's a few things I learned growing up from those around us:

-- When you know something people around you know that you do - feel secure in that.

-- Always give people a chance, especially those you love or care about. That means sometimes giving a 2nd chance too.

-- Remember people are usually more good then bad, but try to learn something from everyone you meet, even if it's what not to do. Be sure to stop and listen most of the time.

-- Remember lying is always wrong, especially to those we love. The few times I've lied in my life it has been to try and protect someone's feelings, which I felt was more important then the lie. Being upfront about the issue is sometimes a better choice!

-- When u get a compliment just say thank you, all of us get uncomfortable so just having something to say makes taking praise easier. Smile and say Thanks!

-- Keep pushing boundries and limits, keep building with legos, keep writing and aspiring to be an author, if you follow your passion you will be successful. And most importantly happy with yourself.

-- In life, with growing technology and daily tasks keeping us busy, it's hard to remember to tell the people we care about why their important. Sometimes saying what we feel is hard. But more important to say something then keeping it to yourself. So I wanted to be sure to take the time to tell you how important you are to me.

Sometimes we will argue, and as you get older and form your own opinions we might not see eye to eye. But that's ok! We may differ, that's normal, but know I'm always listening to you and care about how you feel. And I'll want to hear what your opinion is.

Family is important because those are the people you are tied to in your life. We are rubber bands, and even when we stretch and go far away from each other, we always spring back to each other. I'm am happy you are a part if my life and I look forward to you "Uncle Matt" and hopefully my sons having a similar relationship. I hope they can learn from you and the things you love.

I am proud to walk as a companion in your journey thru faith.

Know that I will always love and care about you no... matter... what...

I love you always! 

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

Our Insects Pinned Wasp as a Gift and How To Pin Insects Guide

On a nature center visit in summer of 2013 all the cousins have a Nature Scavenger Hunt to complete. On our list was find an insect, of course! Each child found one, alive or dead. Our young cousin A (age 5 at the time) found this dead wasp and another insect, unidentified. 

Our Insects Pinned Wasp as a Gift and How To Pin Insects Guide 

So I pinned them for her. I have many many baby food jars still in storage from the days when I home made baby food for my little ones. I never threw out the jars because they have so many uses: seasonings jar, lost and found trinkets in the laundry room, leftover storage for sauces and condiments to refrigerate, and now, EXCELLENT bug storage.


I want her to have her bug from our outing (which the kids all still talk about today). It's a unique treasure. She can see the bug from all angles and access it by unscrewing the lid. 

I'll be sure to instruct her (and mom) to keep it well away from her two younger siblings and find a special home for this keepsake. And really the gift will be able to survive for generations if they want.

Our Insects: Pinned Wasp as a Gift, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

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!!

A Gift of Strength and Endurance for my Husbands Month Long Training Away from Home with a Mommy Made Homemade Gift

When my husband was going to be away from us (at the time my Older and Younger son) for nearly a month, we were struggling with the thought of being apart so long. We had never been away from each other longer then a few days when I traveled for work. When I was in Minnesota at a Native American reservation with my Older and Younger son, we had seen these types of "gifts" for sale. It would be a silver, or plastic, Indian symbol and then some detail written about the beautiful object, its significance, its symbolism, and how it gave inspiration to the person receiving or wearing it. This was a mommy made inspiration a long time coming.

I really wanted to give him something inspirational - to remind him of his own courage and strength. He was going to be away for so long, it would be easy to forget why we are working so hard for, while we are so far away from home.  

I have many beautiful silver and turquoise pieces from my travels as a child with my dad to the South Western states. This silver and turquoise eagle was in an earring set. Its about 1 1/2" tall. I mearly needed to polish it for this display.

A Gift of Strength and Endurance for my Husbands Month Long Training away from Home Gift, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

I went ahead and looked up the symbolism of eagles. Mostly Native American inspirations came up in my search. There was such specific detail - down to a West or Eastward facing eagle. This one faces East.

I edited down a section of inspiration to fit the frame in MICROSOFT WORD. I set up the page size to match my photo frame. This helped with the editing down of what the final inscription would say, Then I changed the color to match the turquoise in the earring. Color of course also comes with its own symbolism. I made a TEXT BOX for the eagle earring to sit in, then it was much easier to frame the words around the box in word.

I already had this deep photo frame in my stash from my many thrift store excursions. I loved making this gift for my husband. He later sent me a photo, it was on his bed ledge next to the photo of us.

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

Mommy Made Hand Assembled Toddler Hospital Homecoming Gift

Our little cousins had surgery recently. As a home coming gift for him and his siblings we assembled a hospital homecoming gift.

Kids are stellar in play based learning. Kids understand the basics if what's happening to them and these ideas are solidified in play. This was a mommy made gift when I didn't find much in ideas online. I wanted something simple that the kids could play with based on their understanding of the experiences that were happening not only to the sick nearly one-year old, but for his brother and sister, who were also experiencing this illness crisis (because when our kids are sick it really is a crisis).

This little Hospital Homecoming kit makes a fun gift, but it's also a fun simple kids activity to assemble at home too.


Handmade Kids Birthday Gift and Hospital Homecoming, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Our Homecoming from the Hospital Kit:

- A new Elmo doll
- Elmo wrapped in a stretchy piece of bandage (from home)
- a bandaid on the bandage
- a box / container for our Doctor supplies: a small sponge square, an empty travel size shampoo container (which we use in the tub so we have plenty), a small notebook for writing down symptoms and a pen, get better stickers, pill bottle, bandaid box with 5 real bandages, and a small cup for water or syrup sipping.

Some parents feel children shouldn't open pill bottles, we advocate for teaching responsibility and never playing with real syrups and medicines. Also, parental supervision should be included so the blue bandage which is removable doesn't go around a toddlers neck.

Of course my kids made a handmade get well card too. We don't feel spending loads of cash is necessary to make fun, heartfelt gifts.

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