DIY String of Hearts Valentine

05 Tuesday Feb 2013

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HeartString1BHeartString2HeartString3HeartString4HeartString5HeartString6HeartString8This glittery valentine is easy to make and folds flat for mailing.  To make your own String of Hearts Valentine you will need:

*Card Stock

*Scissors

*Hole Punch

*Craft Glue

*Soft Paintbrush

*Wax Paper

*Glitter in Red, White and Pinks

*Twine

*Envelope

*Washi Tape (Optional)

*Permanent Pen (Optional for note writing)

1. Make heart pattern by folding card stock in half, drawing half a heart with center along crease and cutting out with scissors. Make three sizes of hearts, trace onto card stock and cut out.

2. Punch holes in all hearts.

3. Lay hearts out on layer of wax paper.

4. Squirt a layer of glue onto one side of each heart and spread evenly with paintbrush.  Be sure to go all the way to the edges.

5. Generously sprinkle a layer of glitter on to each heart and allow glue to dry, (about an hour).  Hearts may bow with glue moisture, but they will flatten after you glitter both sides.

6. Shake off excess glitter and repeat steps 3-5 for the other side of hearts.  (Extra glitter can be put back into containers at the end by folding wax paper in half and carefully shaking glitter back into jars).

7. Tie dried hearts on to twine. 

8. If you are writing a message, fold washi tape in half along twine and stick back on to itself.  Cut ends in flag shapes as shown and write your note along the tape pieces.  (We wrote ‘Sending Lots of Love!’).

9. Carefully fold up hearts along string to fit inside card, place in envelope and send off to your valentine.

XOXO

 

DIY Woven Washi Tape Valentine

01 Friday Feb 2013

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Woven1Woven2Woven3Woven4Woven5Happy February!  February 1st kicks off Valentine season around here.  We are digging out the decorations today, hanging wax hearts in the windows and fabric garland across the mantels.  I know some people like to hate on Valentine’s Day, but I really do love it.  Flowers, chocolate, pretty cards and grouping of red colors are some of my favorite things.  We are working on a few different DIY Valentine cards and will post the how-tos over the next few days.  This is a good project to make with kids as the washi tape tears easily by hand.  To make your own version of this Woven Washi Tape Valentine you will need:

*Card Stock

*Washi Tape in Red, Pink and White Colors

*Scissors

*Pencil

*Envelope (Optional)

1. To make heart shape, fold card stock in half and draw half a heart with the folded line in the center.  Cut out half heart while folded and then unfold.  Reuse this pattern by tracing on to other pieces of card stock.

2. Stick tape down on heart in alternating vertical and horizontal lines.  Be sure the tape extends to edges of heart, as you will trim excess at the end.

3. Once desired pattern is achieved, turn heart over and use scissors to trim excess tape.

4. Write your message and place in envelope.  These square vellum envelopes from Envelope Mall are our favorites.  We buy them in bulk and keep them ready for letter writing.

5. XOXO

Kid Gifts: Target Art Supplies

31 Thursday Jan 2013

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GiftsArt supplies are one of my favorite gifts for kids.  I try to keep a supply on hand for birthday gifts and moments of desperation.  These Kid Made Modern art supplies by Todd Oldham for Target occupy a large section in our emergency party box.  The quality is great and I love the Kid Made Modern packaging and smart, thoughtful art kits.  This Construction Zone block of paper has lots of great colors and patterns and different weights of paper.  The Mini Colored Pencils are perfect for little hands and the colors are beautiful.  I recently added these paper tapes from the Target office section to our arsenal.  The tapes come in packs of four and are $4 per pack.  My kids can spend hours tearing and sticking paper tape (exhibit A here).  It is good to be prepared.

Flea Market Finds: Vintage Down Pillow

29 Tuesday Jan 2013

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PillowThis pillow is one of my favorite vintage finds in the kids’ room.  It is stuffed with feathers, covered in pretty vintage stripes, and the perfect size for a little head.  I throw the whole pillow in the washer and dryer as needed.  This vintage find is much nicer than most child-sized pillows I’ve seen, and it was only $10!  Etsy has some pretty examples here.  Sleep tight.

Welcome Home Daddy!

28 Monday Jan 2013

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DaddyWe missed you!

I have a new-found appreciation for single parents.  It is hard hard work with little break and it is totally exhausting.  We are so happy to have Daddy home again.  Ada worked on presents and built block towers for Daddy all week.  She had me write out the words ‘Welcome Home Daddy’ and copied the letters to made this big banner.  Josie helped work the glue stick for attaching the decorations.  We punched holes in the corners and threaded the papers on ribbons for hanging.  Ada gave a little squeal in her sleep when Chris told her he was home last night.  Happy girls, happy family.

Inspiration

25 Friday Jan 2013

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Instagram25Instagrams from the week:

*Gifts for Daddy

*Sleepy Jo

*Towers for Daddy (We miss Daddy!)

*Sleepy Jo

*Circus Tent from Recycled Umbrella

*Sleepy Jo

Have a great weekend!

DIY Knitted Hot Water Bottle Sweater

25 Friday Jan 2013

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WaterBottle1WaterBottle2We caught a family cold this week and this sweater-covered hot water bottle has been in heavy rotation.  Luckily the girls were angels when it was Mommy’s turn to be sick.  Yesterday Ada took Josie downstairs, made butter sandwiches for them both (yes butter, not peanut butter), swept up the crumbs and put them in the compost bin.  Sometimes four-year-olds can amaze you when you really need them to.

The hot water bottle’s knitted cover (or sweater as Josie calls it) keeps it toasty for most of the night but also buffers little tummies from too-hot rubber.  I modified this pattern from Garment House (formerly Green Olives Design).  (Elly’s pocket water bottle cover is even cuter).  The pattern is simple, quick and takes less than a ball of worsted weight yarn.  We used a simple loose stitch to close up the bottom and stitches can be undone for a good hand-washing.  A hot water bottle and a box of clementins are high on our list of cures for the common cold.

The Magic Garden

23 Wednesday Jan 2013

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MagicGarden1MagicGarden2MagicGarden3Do you remember these?  We used to get smaller versions when we were kids, but I’d never seen one quite so elaborate until I found this at Pearl River.  This Mystical Garden by Toysmith has cardboard trees, grass and a mountain to assemble before the mystery liquid is poured into the base.  (This assembly is best done by an adult).  Our crystals formed within the hour and were done growing within 10 hours.  The mountain really looked like it was growing snow and the trees bloomed cherry blossoms.  Kids should not touch the crystals or liquid, but these are pretty amazing to watch grow on a shelf.  The small price tag makes this Mystical Garden a fun party favor or add-on gift for kids.  Magic.

Flea Market Finds: Tall Plant Stand

22 Tuesday Jan 2013

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 Stand2Stand1I hope you all had a good Martin Luther King Day!  We were a bit under the weather here, but did manage to make it out to one of our favorite building salvage places: Build It Green.  We found this super-tall, 50 inch plant stand for $20.  Build It Green is an amazing, dusty place full of architectural salvage from New York City buildings.  Their mission is to keep building waste out of landfills, and promote recycling of salvaged materials.  The BIG warehouses hold an amazing array of tile, sinks, mantels, shelving, bathtubs…and we found five matching (!) radiators for the house.  The heavy cast iron radiators have been stacked in our downstairs room next to the clawfoot tub while they await their sandblasting and powder-coating.  That room is starting to look like our own salvage shop, but some day the pieces we find will all be put in their proper spots.  The plant stand is now holding up the geranium I took pity on and brought inside this frigid weekend.  We have been wanting more plants around here and this tall stand is the first of more to come.

Inspiration

18 Friday Jan 2013

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Instagram24Instagrams from the week:

*Sisters, Coloring

*New Clay

*Magic Garden

*Angel

*Dress-up

*Ada’s Shoes