On the Seventh Day of Christmas...Signs!

I've seen the signs! Well, I've seen a lot of these signs, anyway, and they make a beautiful decoration in any home. I made this sign a couple of years ago, and it was easy and fun to do! All you need is a length of board, available in any home improvement store or lumber yard, some sandpaper, paint, and a few nice words. If you aren't great with lettering, you can use a stencil or adhesive vinyl lettering (like the one above) which you can have custom made at any sign shop, or even find a company to do it online (eBay has a lot of listings for these).

To create this board, I simply sanded down the wood, then painted it with acrylic paints (available at craft stores). After the paint had dried, I applied the vinyl lettering, then added some dimension by sanding down the edges and corners, allowing the natural color of the wood to peek through. Finally, I sprayed the whole thing with a sealing coat of varnish. It all took less than 3 hours.

These are easy to make in "bulk", and you can make each one as different as you want. For ideas on words to use, visit a home decorating store or craft store- they almost always have similar signs like these in stock, and you can snag some great ideas. You can also experiment with different finishes like antiquing or even a crackle finish. Just have fun with it and as always, keep the gift recipient in mind.

Ho, ho, ho! Have you started any holiday projects yet?

On the 6th Day of Christmas...Peek-A-Pockets!

It's the ultimate game of I Spy- a pouch filled with exciting treasures to discover! My mom made these for each of my children (Thanks, Mom!), and I have several friends who have made them before as well. Basically, it is 2 pieces of fleece fabric sewn together like a pillow, only one side has a window cut out, with clear plastic material sewn in. The pouch is then filled with tiny clear beads and miniature objects, such as toys, erasers, blocks, and beads in different shapes.

This particular Peek-A-Pocket measures approximately 7"x7", and has 47 items inside to be found, along with an attached laminated list of every item. A few of the items include:

- red rose

- black cat

- diamond ring

- soccer ball

- spider

- alphabet block

- flip flop

- jewel

- safety pin

- bell

- dice

- dinosaur

- car

These are so much fun for my kids, and I have heard great things about them from my friends as well. One friend said that one of these kept her 4-year-old busy for the entire length of a plane ride across country! And to be truthful, I had a hard time putting it down too...

This would be a great gift for any kid (or any kid at heart!). Much like the paper crafting tips from yesterday, if you're going to make these, the most economical way to do it is to join forces with your friends, or else make a large number of them yourself. That way you won't be buying a whole pack of erasers or beads and using only one. And don't forget to double-stitch- definitely a choking hazard if anything came out!

How is your Christmas "making" going?

On the Fifth Day of Christmas...Greeting Cards!

I have written on here before about my love for paper crafting, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to share a few of my creations with you. Handmade greeting cards can be a nice gift for someone you know who doesn't have a lot of time. They will have a nice stash of classy and beautiful greeting cards to give to their friends and loved ones all year long! 

You can also choose to make them to accompany your Christmas gifts, as an extra special homemade bonus. In the past, I have even used photos to personalize a card and make it part of the gift itself. Once for a friend's wedding, I used the photo from their invitation and matted it onto a card with a quotation about love. It was an artistic memento that they could frame and keep long after the gift card inside was gone. 

If you've never tried paper crafting or cardmaking before, it is an easy craft to learn, and it is fairly inexpensive (until, of course, you get really into it and you end up wanting every supply under the sun!). The basic materials a beginner needs are:

- patterned paper

- solid paper (preferably cardstock)

- a paper cutter (quickly and accurately cuts straight lines)

- adhesive like a glue stick or double-stick tape

- embellishments such as stickers, quotations, fabric flowers, metal brads, and ribbon (sometimes I just print words or quotations onto cardstock from my computer)

- a creative imagination!

The most important thing (I think) to remember when starting card-making is to mat every element in your card. You will notice that every card and nearly every word embellishment has a thin solid-color border around it- that is called matting. Basically, all you do is glue your square of patterned paper on top of a slightly larger square of a complimentary solid-color cardstock. It gives the card a nice, finished look.

Here are a few more ideas for you:

As you can see, for this card I double-matted the quotation, using green and white to make it pop even more.

For this Thank You card, I stayed with a simple black and cream color palate.

I off-set the yellow in this card by matting it with a light blue cardstock, which matched the blue of the Happy Birthday embellishment.

For this card I used a simple and classic pattern which is great for any beginner- center the embellishment and the text, and just add a few extra touches like buttons and ribbon.

This is a box I decorated to hold the cards- when it's open, the cards can stand on end. It's not a perfect fit, but it was all I had handy and it turned out cute when I dressed it up with paper.

A few more tips:

-To save money when paper crafting, try to keep your project in mind when shopping for materials. There are a lot of pretty embellishments out there, and it's easy to get sidetracked. Choose one color palette or theme, and focus your shopping on that.

- Another great way to save money is to join forces with your friends. Often, you will purchase a pack of something, whether it be flowers or brads, and you may only need a few to complete a project. When everyone comes together and shares supplies, you can all enjoy a wide variety of items to choose from without paying for everything in bulk. Plus, you may just get the inspiration you need from someone else's stuff!

Don't be afraid to try something new! You might be surprised at what you can create...

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...Herbal Aromatherapy Packs!

Again today, this is a gift that I can take no credit for- my good friend Crystal showed me how to make these, and a few years ago we made lots of them as gifts. As a matter of fact, she made this one (pictured above) for me! It is basically a sewn "pillow" but instead of stuffing, it has rice, lavender, rosemary, and any other fragrant herb you choose. The pack can be placed into the microwave to be heated (and it smells so good!), or even into the freezer for use as a cold compress.

I made two of these a few years ago for my mom, one in the neck warmer style shown above, and one in a simple rectangular pillow (great for tummy aches). I chose a burgundy flannel for them, since burgundy is one of her favorite colors, and prior to sewing and filling them I used some embroidery floss to monogram her initials into them. I am nowhere near a skilled seamstress (sweet Crystal talked me through every step!) or an embroidery expert, but I thought they turned out beautifully, and my mom still uses them frequently.

The great thing about this gift is that you don't have to be particularly skilled- just cut 2 squares of fabric, put them with right sides together (wrong side out), sew them together leaving a hole for filling, then turn them right-side out and fill with rice and herbs, then sew the hole shut by hand. You can personalize it for the recipient with the fabric you use, or even by monogramming it like I did.

If you choose to make the neck warmer like the one pictured, you will use a U-shaped pattern, and be sure to sew some seams going partway across it to make compartments for the rice (otherwise it would all fall to the bottom when you're wearing it), but leave a little space near the edges for the contents to move between compartments. 

Here is another view:

For more photos and ideas for aromatherapy packs, check out Momma Earth Herbal Gifts.

Have you started your homemade Christmas list yet? What kinds of beautiful thrifty gifts do you plan to give this year?

Today I am thankful for my freedom...to use coupons! Happy Election Day to Me!

It may be a dark and dreary election day here in Virginia, but inside Kroger, the lights are shining brightly! This week Kroger is having one of my favorite kinds of sales- the kind where if you buy 10 participating items, you get $5 off your purchase. And also the kind where so many of the participating items have corresponding coupons!

My triumphant haul is posted above:

- 5 boxes of Betty Crocker potatoes

- 3 boxes of Betty Crocker muffin mix

- 3 bags of Betty Crocker cookie mix

- 2 bags of Domino sugar

- 2 boxes (cylinders?) of Quaker oats

- 2 boxes of Swiss Miss hot chocolate mix

- 1 box Pillsbury toaster strudel

- 2 boxes of Hefty One-Zip gallon freezer bags

- 2 Scotchbrite sponges

- 4 boxes of Edwards pie singles (2 slices of pie/box)

- 2 packages of Bic razors

- 2 Dial hand soap pumps (not pictured)

- 10 cups of Breyers yogurt (SCORE!)

Grand total for all of the above? $13.88 (includes tax). Not too shabby, if you ask me. The Breyers yogurt cups ended up being $0.59 apiece, so using the doubled $0.50 coupons earned me about $4 in overage. Which helped, because 2 of my coupons were expired (Edwards pie) and I had forgotten that printable coupons cannot be doubled. 

That was only the first trip- there were several things they were out of, so I'm going to try a different Kroger possibly later today or tomorrow, and hopefully buy the rest of the items (like Deer Spring water, Scotch lint rollers, and Nestle evaporated milk). 

Lest you think I am an unpatriotic, materialistic opportunist, I would also like to mention that yes, I did go out and vote today! I loaded the kids into their wagon, brought plenty of books, toys, and snacks, and only had to stand in line for 45 minutes. I truly am grateful for democracy, and for living in a land where we are free to act of our own free will and choice (even if that includes peculiar habits such as hoarding coupons). ;-)

Happy Election Day, everybody!

On the Third Day of Christmas...Folder Games!

First of all, I must say that I can't take credit for this idea- my good friend Brooke is the one who was generous enough to share her family's collection of folder games with me (she is such an awesome mom!). Her little ones get very excited when it's time to do folder games. What is a folder game, you ask? Read on and you shall find out...

Brooke has this magic file box filled with over 60 file folders. Upon taking out a folder, attached to the inside you will find instructions for that particular folder game, along with all the materials/objects needed to play the game. Some of the games are more elaborate than others, but some are as simple as this one:

String Fun (pictured above)- Folder contains strings of different lengths and colors and the following instructions:

Ask the child,
a. Which string is longest?
b. Which string is shortest?
c. Put the string on the floor in a line
i. Walk forward on the line
ii. Walk backward on the line
iii. Jump over the line
d. Put the string on the floor in a circle
i. Hop around outside the circle
ii. Walk on tiptoes around the circle
iii. Walk on heels around the circle
iv. Jump inside and outside the circle

This may seem pretty silly to you, but trust me- to a toddler or preschooler, this is a roaring good time! (Seriously, I did it with my 4-year-old son this afternoon, and he just loved it!) Not to mention that it helps develop their motor skills and helps teach them their shapes, body parts, and directions. 

It would take hardly any time at all to put together a set of 3-5 (or more) of these sorts of games and give them as a gift to a family with young children (or even to your own children!). For older children, you could do more complicated games involving math and reading. You could even continue to give additional folder games for future birthdays and Christmases and eventually give your recipient an entire collection! 

I was at Wal-Mart today, and they have a box of 100 file folders for $3.88. However, they were not great quality, so I picked up a box of 24 (higher quality = will last longer) for $4.88, along with a cool little vinyl zipper pouch big enough for files for $1.88. For $2.69 you could give someone 4 folder games in a zipper storage pouch (not counting any supplies, like felt, stickers, or fabric that you might not have on hand). 

As a mom, I know that sometimes I am just at a loss for things to do with my little ones. These games are an easy, fun, and educational way to interact with your kids and share some special time together. 

Here are a few more of my favorites:

 Concentration Stickers- Folder contains cards with stickers on them, 2 of each sticker

a. Place cards on table with sticker-side face down. Pick up two cards. If the stickers match, you keep them and pick two more cards. If the stickers do not match, you put the cards back and it’s your opponent’s turn.
b. Keep playing until all cards are matched.

Mailman- Folder contains brown paper “mail bag” and 5 envelopes with names and addresses, along with a bag containing 5 different colored and numbered houses (ex: envelope reads: Princess Alice, 16 Castle Road, London England; match with small castle cutout with number 16 on it); other houses: igloo, teepee, hut, regular house
a. Place houses around a room or in different rooms in the house. Have the child place the envelopes in the appropriate locations (matching the numbers on the envelopes to those on the houses).

Counting Apple Trees- Folder contains 10 numbered cards with felt trees on them, 12 circular red felt “apples” (you could even just make one tree attached to the inside of the folder, and have cards with numbers on them for the child to pick)
a. Place the correct number of apples on each tree

Get Rich- Folder contains bag with paper coins, each marked with amount (1, 5, 10, 25 cents), each amount a different color
a. Roll die. Calculate money amount according to chart and withdraw that amount. At the end of the time or number of turns, player who is richest wins.

b. Chart for die rolls:
i. 1 = 1 cent
ii. 2 = 5 cents
iii. 3 = 10 cents
iv. 4 = 20 cents
v. 5 = 25 cents
vi. 6 = 50 cents

Just Suppose- Folder has bag containing cutout images of different animals (kangaroo, cat, elephant, whale, owl, frog)
a. Just suppose you were a _______. How would you walk, talk, eat, run, crawl, sing, laugh, cry, etc.?

 Sink or Float- When open, folder has sink image on left side, float image on right
a. Open folder and stand it up in front of child. Place a bowl of water between the child and the folder. Let the child drop items from around the house into the bowl one at a time. Have the child retrieve the objects and place them in front of the appropriate side of the folder.

Feel the Fabric Game- Folder contains 5 matching pairs of scrap material with distinct textures
a. There are 5 pairs of scrap material. Spread the pairs on the table and divide the pairs into 2 areas.
b. Close your eyes and move the scraps around in each area. With your eyes still closed, match the scraps by feeling them with your hands only. Stack the pairs in front of you.

As far as additional recommendations, just try to use games that are age-appropriate, don't hesitate to get creative and make up your own games, and for added durability you can use lamination on all or parts of each game. Ziplock bags also work well when stapled inside the folder to hold small game pieces.

Can you think of a good folder game?

Spiritual Sundays: In Weakness We Find Strength

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, aka a "Mormon", and on the first Sunday of every month we practice Fast Sunday. On this day, we abstain from food and drink for 24 hours or 2 meals (usually we begin after an early dinner on Saturday and then break our fast with dinner on Sunday evening). 

We believe that through fasting we can become closer to God, because as our bodies become weaker, our spirits can become stronger. It is also a way of simply practicing "mind over matter" and demonstrating that although we have mortal bodies, the desires of our bodies do not outweigh the desires of our hearts and spirits. In that way we practice a sort of "spiritual control" which is essential when resisting all forms of temptation. Furthermore, by fasting we signify our dedication to God, and give up our will for His will.

Well, today is Fast Sunday, and I fasted (which, by the way, I discovered is remarkably easier to do when you have a cold) and as I was fasting I reflected on why we fast, and how suffering a weakness in one part of our lives can create strengths in other areas, much like someone who loses their sight reports developing a heightened sense of smell, touch, or hearing.

I think that we can even relate that principle to our financial lives- I have found that when my bank account becomes weaker, my creativity somehow manages to become stronger. When I have less, I seem to appreciate more. I thought back to last Sunday's post about the beauty I saw in the world around me, and I couldn't help but wonder, If I was a multi-millionaire living in a mansion somewhere, would I still appreciate the beauty of autumn? I would like to think that I would, but I honestly don't think I would draw the same kind of inspiration from it that I do in my current situation.

Don't get me wrong- this is not to say that rich people don't appreciate the beauty of God's world- I'm sure that most of them do. I just think that living simply eliminates a lot of distractions, and allows us to focus on the world around us in such a way that we appreciate beauty differently, just as a hungry person has a different appreciation for food than a well-fed person might. 

And it is for this reason that today I thank Heavenly Father for my weak bank account, because it helps me to see the value and beauty in the world around me beyond the monetary amount. It helps me to develop talents and skills I might not have otherwise tapped, and it allows me to be grateful every day for what I do have- my health (aside from the cold, of course!), my family, the gospel, and the earth in all its splendor. 

I know that even if I had not one dollar left to my name, no home, no possessions, that those things I value most would still be there and nobody could repossess them but God, and nobody could make me pay for them because they are gifts from God. Should He choose to "repossess" them, I know that He has promised me that if I keep His commandments and just do the best I can, then someday He will return them to me an hundred fold. I thank Him for giving me this beautiful thrifty life, that I may grow and learn and be grateful, and I pray that I may fulfill His plan for me and find strength in all my weaknesses.

It's the beginning of November, the month of Thanksgiving. What are you thankful for?