Handprint Christmas Tree

Today I'm sharing a very simple and fun project for kids of any age to do. I got the original idea for this from Earning My Cape. 

All you have to do is trace your child's hand onto a sheet of green construction paper, then cut it out. Use the handprint to trace 5 more hands, so you then have 6 total. Next, glue the handprints onto a separate piece of construction paper into the shape of a tree like in the picture below. You can add a trunk with marker, or by cutting out a rectangle shape out of brown paper. Have your kiddo add decorations such as stickers, pom-poms, small pieces of paper, foam shapes, etc. to the tree, then put a star on top. Very easy and kids ages 2-12 should have fun with this. Younger children will obviously need assistance with the glue and scissors. 

Lily and I started making some new glittery bell ornaments last night, but she wasn't really into it, so we'll try again tonight or tomorrow, depending on how she's feeling. Here's a little sneak peek of how far we got before she had enough of the glitter glue:

Other than crafts and such, I've been busy making cookies to give as gifts, finishing last minute Christmas shopping, and getting the house ready for the little holiday party we're having Sunday. I've also been a bit under the weather- courtesy of Lily's sickness last week, most likely -but, I'm holding it down and drowning my yuckiness with vitamins, tea, hot soup, and healing herbs propolis and echinacea. I'm excited for the holidays and that's all I can really focus on at this time! I'll have something up for Sweet Saturday this week, so please come on back Friday! I won't be doing a Meatless Monday link-up Monday, but may share a Christmasy post just to wish you all happy holidays :)

 

Sweet Saturday #31: Cottonball Snowmen Decorations

I meant to post these simple, kid-friendly projects on Wednesday, but my little sweetie has been sick this week, thus placing me into Mommy Overtime. She's on the mend now, though, and the other day we did have the time and energy to make these cute and easy snowmen using cottonballs, construction paper, glue, and a few other things...

Happy Cottonball Snowmen

Materials:

Cottonballs
Construction paper
Glue
Glitter glue
White paint
Q-tip

Step 1: Paint white dots with Q-TIP
Step 2: Glue on cottonballs
Step 3: Add stick arms and face with glitter glue
Step 4: Add some random splotches of silver glitter with an extra cottonball (Lily's addition)  

The large piece of cotton came from the inside of a vitamin bottle

Voilá! Cute little happy snowmen to hang up in your home. Due to my lacking craft skills, it looks as if my 2 1/2 year old did this one all by herself. Martha Stewart has nothing to worry about.

In continuation of our DIY decorations, Lily and I also made these cottonball snowmen ornaments-

She could not be bothered to stop doodling in her doodle pad while sticking on the cottonballs

For these babies you will need:

Cottonballs
Construction paper
Scissors
Googly eyes
Glue
Glitter glue
Pipe cleaners
Ornament hooks
Add-ons: yarn for a scarf, felt top hat, mini pom-poms for buttons, actual buttons (all things I did not have handy, but wish I had to make these snowmen look less like fluffy fat ducks)

The images above should clearly show you how to make them- and, yes, the "carrot nose" is a very small piece of orange pipe cleaner. I used red paper thinking it would create a nice shadowy effect on the snowmen, but in hindsight, I think white paper would've been better, just a tip. What do you think?

Now for last weekend's most-clicked holiday features!

 

Our most-visited link last weekend were these sweet little trees from With A Blast. And they're edible! Thanks, Linda!

New linker, Mellywood's Mansion, shared this super cute bauble hair clip. Simple to make and the perfect adornment for the holiday season. Thanks, Mel!

I found Finely Ground via Full Hands, Full Hearts' Christmas Link-up and fell in love with this thrifty and original DIY wreath- I just had to invite her to the Sweet Saturday party! Thanks for joining, Marissa!


Thanks to all the new linkers! We had quite a turn-out last week, and I greatly apologize for not getting to visit everyone yet and personally thanking them, but I promise I will as soon as I can! I'm sure you all know where I'm coming from to at least some extent when I tell you I was busy with a sick toddler all week :( 

Grab a button if you were featured!

 

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Now on to the party!

Just follow these simple rules:

1. Link up something sweet to really WOW us all- your blog, Etsy store, Pinterest, Facebook, whatever you want! 

2. Link-up as much as you want and please follow me if you are not already via GFC, Linky Followers, Networked Blogs, or subscription. Leave me a comment if you are a new follower so I can follow you back!

3. Don't forget to hop around and say hi!

4. Share my button so more people can join us (not required, but it would be nice!)

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Thanks for stopping by, this little get together really makes the weekend even more enjoyable for me, and gives me the encouragement to keep my little blog going :) (as difficult as that can be sometimes!)


 

Paper Ornaments for Kids

I have decided that for the month of December I am going to do at least one holiday-related project with Lily (and then blog about it). This week we made ornaments! It took me a bit to think up a way for a 2 1/2 year old to make her own ornaments, but this is what I came up with, and she did do quite a bit of the work all by herself!

Paper Ornaments

Materials:

Green construction paper
Red washable paint
1-2 Q-tips
Scissors
Cotton balls
Stapler 
Twine or other string

First, get a smock on that kid if you want less mess to clean up. Give them the paper, paint, and a Q-tip and instruct them to make little red dots on the paper- these dots will represent ornaments on a tree, or berries on a wreath. (Lily insisted I make one, too. You can see the side-by-side of our dot work in the top right corner of image below). Allow paint to dry, then using something to create the desired shape, such as a stencil (I used a wooden shape), trace a Christmas tree or wreath onto the polka-dotted paper. Or, if you have some artistic talent, draw it free hand- the shapes just have to match up exactly so that they can be stapled together.

Next, place a couple of pieces of cotton between 2 of the cut-out shapes, then staple closed, as if you are making a little paper pillow. Staple a looped piece of string to the top so it can be hung from a tree branch. Add glitter glue, sequins, or other adornments if desired.

Lily added some glitter glue drops, and she really had fun with that- so much so, that she decided to decorate the packaging from said glitter glue.

Decorating her ornament

Decorating her piece of trash

I made one shaped like a wreath, but as stuffing I thought it would be clever and less wasteful to use crumpled up scrap paper, and it turned out just as well. So feel free to stuff your ornaments using either method. 

This is a fun and easy project for kids 2 years or older. Have fun!     

Shared at:

Post- Post-Halloween Wrap-up

For most of the world, Halloween was celebrated 1 week ago on October 31st. However, those of us who were effected by superstorm Hurricane Sandy didn't get to "officially" celebrate until November 5th, this past Monday. It was cold, and the trick-or-treaters were scarce due to most people still more focused on recovering from Sandy's devestation than on collecting free candy and dressing up, but I was pleased to get rid of at least 2 of the 4 bags of candy I'd bought! 

Best of all, this was Lily's first time trick-or-treating, so it was fun to take her around for the first time. I had debated over the possible ramifications of celebrating this holiday with her- i.e. receiving free candy from strangers, having more than enough candy than she would ever need, me debating whether or not I should even allow her to eat any of the candy...In the end, I decided to focus on the positive parts of the holiday that was a favorite of mine as a kid- and still is! I love spooky stuff and dressing up and all the fall fun that goes along with the month of October. I felt it wouldn't be right to not allow Lily to participate with the other kids, even though she is still a bit young to even really know what Halloween is. Our night went something like this:

"I can has Halloween?"

The trick-or-treaters started arriving around 5ish, and at first Lily was confused, and then a little frightened by some of the costumes. But, after a while, and after I explained it to her a few times, she became curious, and said to me: "Mommy, I want to do Halloween". So, after dinner I dressed her up in her super cute Alice in Wonderland costume my dear friend Kristen had given her, and I bundled her up in a warm coat and sweat pants over her white stockings. Armed with her jack-o-lantern bucket, we set out and went to our neighbors homes who we already knew (so she wouldn't get too nervous), and after just 3 houses she told me she was ready to go home. Her bucket was already bursting as you can see from the picture below! She was so cute, she got extra goodies at each house we visited!

Happy with all her goodies

Inspecting her loot

I haven't let her eat any of the actual candy and don't intend to, although she "allegedly" opened a Tootsie Roll on her own and ate a small bite of it (I say allegedly because Paul was present when this happened, so I suspect he may have assisted). She still doesn't really know what candy is and is happy just to play with it by dumping it out of her bucket, looking at it all, and then putting it back in. Our neighbors were thoughtful enough to give her some treats that were less sugary, such as potato chips, oatmeal cookies, and a juice box, so we're letting her have those. They are working well as rewards for her good behavior :)

Happy Halloween!

Before the big day, we decorated some pumpkins in various ways. Holli from Full Hands, Full Heart shared this very clever way to allow toddlers to easily paint pumpkins with minimal mess and including a cute jack-o-lantern face! 

First, cut out shapes for the desired face, then pin directly onto pumpkin with sewing or safety pins.

Then let them paint away! The tacked-on face blocks the paint, and once the decorated pumpkin is all dry, you can remove the pins and paper and voilà! Here are our finished pumpkins:

I really gotta stop giving her black paint..

We added some glittery pom-poms, and I made a Mardi-Gras-themed pumpkin myself. The little green one is the one Lily picked from the patch at the farm we visited, and I painted the face on it. The pumpkin on the far left is Lily's first decorated pumpkin, which you can see more of here. 

All-in-all, it was a pretty fun Halloween, despite not being what I'd hoped it was going to be. You can't predict what Mother Nature will do sometimes, but that's okay. We are alive and well and our home is still standing. That's all I needed to make this Halloween a success. Keep others less fortunate in your thoughts and prayers. 

 

Some Fall Fun

On Sunday, we went to a local farm area for the yearly Fall Festival. It was quite windy, but sunny and warm. We explored the gardens, Lily painted a pumpkin and made a potpurri cup, we enjoyed freshly picked apples, and hung out in a hammock. It was a nice time. 

Running to the festival

"I picked my pumpkin!"

Painting her pumpkin

This is fun!

Taking a break in the hammock while clutching her potpourri cup

A Girl Scout there with her mom had a table offering free DIY potpourri cups. Lily was instantly drawn to this table because they had markers! I don't normally let her use markers at home since she makes such a mess with them; they've been reserved for "special" occasions only. I let her have fun this time, and here's what we put together:

Potpourri Cup

Materials:
Plastic cup(s)
Potpourri
Markers
Stickers (optional)
Foamie shapes (optional) 
Small piece of lace
Rubber band
Ribbon

First, decorate the cup with markers and stickers. Next, fill the cup with the potpourri. I also added a foamie dragonfly that I thought was cute to the top. Place the piece of lace on top of the cup and secure with the rubber band, then tie ribbon around it. Ta-da!

Lily's pumpkin masterpiece (she used all the paint to cover the entire pumpkin!)

Now on to another potty training update...Last night I got her to try the potty for me twice- the first time she has done so since I don't even remember when. She will sit on it if her Daddy is in there with her, but as far as Mommy is concerned, she just says "No" and runs away, screaming if I ask her twice. Maybe it had something to do with the new Ariel doll I got her...I accidentally broke her former one when draining the water out of it, and she had a mini meltdown. So, I did the right thing to do when you break someone's possession- you replace it.

Now she's asking for Flounder and Sebastian as well, so I just tell her whenever she chirps "I want Founder. I want S'bastian", that she can have them if she keeps trying potty. Now I told her if she tries to use the potty at least three times this week, we'll look into getting them; she's already tried it twice, so let's hope this keeps us. I just need to get her to start actually making something into the potty again...

Stop by Friday for this weekend's Sweet Saturday link party! Have a great day!

 

Sweet Saturday #24: Happy Fall Foamie Banner

Lily and I have been busy doing fall crafts, at home and at school, and our recent project used foamies- lots of them! They always have them in the $1 Spot section of Target right when we walk in, so we picked up some fall-themed shapes: apples, leaves, acorns, and pumpkins. Here's what we made.

I made the ones that say "HAPPY" and "FALL", and Lily decorated the two apples on the ends (I know, as if you needed me to explain that...). It was a fun and simple project to do with her. After we were done sticking the foamies on, I punched holes into the stems then  strung them together with a piece of ribbon. Easy-peasey and cheap! Gotta love it!

Lily enjoyed decorating the foamie apples with me, but she enjoys real apples even more!

We picked up some pumpkins earlier today, so stay tuned for what we do with those. I'm not sure if I want to do some classic carvings, paint them, or something completely different. What do you think?

We had lots of goodies linked up here last weekend- thank you all for joining! Here are the top 3 fall-themed features:

Just look at this delicious and creative slice of cake! It's made with apples, chocolate, and honey! Wow! This cake just took my breath away, and many others as well! Thanks, Winnie at Something Sweet!

Still looking for the perfect Halloween costumes for your whole family? Look no further than Carpe Diem for instructions for this creative set of Wizard of Oz costumes. Simply amazing! Thanks, Ana!

I featured Kim from Made in a Day last weekend, but I just couldn't help but feature her again with this awesome Halloween Mantel of hers here today. The lady has creativity!

The Top 3 clicked on overall were:

The Only Way at Saved by Grace

Eat to Beat Cancer at Back to Basics

No-bake Peanut Butter Fudge at Good Girl Gone Green

Thanks, ladies!

Now on to the party!!!

Just follow these simple rules:

1. Link up something sweet to really WOW us all- your blog, Etsy store, Pinterest, Facebook, whatever you want! 

2. Link-up as much as you want and please follow me if you are not already. Leave me a comment if you are a new follower so I can follow you back!

3. Don't forget to hop around and say hi!

4. Share my button to get more people to join us (not required, but it would be nice!)

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