Custom Baby Plaque

Fun gift idea for a new baby. Based on the LDS song "I am a Child of God", personalized for the new little one...

Document your Travels

I LOVE to travel. I love to take pictures. In my office, I made my own "travel" wall. I purchased a shadow box at Michaels, and cheap frames (that I will always be able to find). As we travel, we try to find a keepsake from that location to set in the shadow box, and we add a new picture to our ever growing (I hope) wall.

My sister loves to travel. She's been a lot more places than I. She opted to hang a large map pinpointing all the locations she has been. She then added a few clocks of some of her more "special" places, and a vinyl quote.

Just throwing it out there for others that perhaps love to travel and reminisce about going somewhere again soon!

Birthday Chart

I gave this to my mom (the grandma) last year. It's a fun way to keep track of all the extended family members birthdays. Her home has a lot of wood, so I wanted it to blend with her decor. You could make this really fun and colorful instead.

What you need:
1. Everyone's birthdays.
2. 1 piece of large wood to hang from and put the months on.
3. Many small pieces of wood to put the names on. Mine are 2" wide.
4. Hooks: Find at Home Depot. 5/8" "Hooks & Eyes". Good luck finding anything besides brass. Place a hook on top, and a hook on bottom, that way you can add family members anywhere in the line whenever new members marry in, or are born!
5. Lettering: Of course, I used vinyl again, but you could just handwrite the names.

TIP: While you're making this, make lots of EXTRA small woods. Then, when you need to add someone new, you will have it all ready to go!

TIP 2: You could color coordinate for families. I just did blue for boys, green for girls, but you COULD give each family a different color. In that I have 7 siblings, I opted NOT for this option. :)

Mailman Fun

We've been having fun playing mailman.

1. Envelopes: cut out of felt, sewn with a simple blanket stitch.
2. Stamps: cut with pinking shears out of felt.
(They stick together well enough for play time fun without velcro)
3. Letters: First I cut out pieces of cardboard. I then covered the cardboard with white vinyl. You could easily use contact paper. The kids can draw pictures with erasable markers, and it wipes clean.
4. Mailbox: made from an old cardboard box, covered with paper, cut a hole in the middle. I would love a mini metal mailbox in the future, but until then...

Of course, the vinyl machine came in handy for labeling, and lettering, etc. but I'm sure your handwriting is cuter than mine! :)

Love You Blocks

This is my new gift to newlyweds. It's always nice to do a good deed for someone, and it's always nice to be the receiver of a good deed, right? So, I'm making these little blocks...with the idea that you do something kind for your spouse, and leave the block, and then he gets a turn next, etc. It doesn't always have to be a big deal, just make the bed, and leave it on his pillow, or something fun. And, the block may disappear for a few weeks, then reappear, and it starts all over again. Block is 3.5" x 3.5" (small). I use this in my house with the kids, and it is great fun...it teaches the kids about service and kindness, and doing good deeds for others.

Table Setting

I sort of made a goal with myself to give "homemade" items at bridal showers and baby showers...and I needed a fun bridal shower gift. This is what I put together. Material found at Walmart for $3 a yard. Placemats from all a dollar. I made the centerpiece with a chunk of wood, and used the drill press to drill out the holes for the candles. I think I'll be making more of these!! And, I couldn't resist the classic "name" plaque for a newly married couple...right?!

Hanging Dots

If you don't have access to a vinyl machine, you could just buy the dots at Staples (like you use for garage sales to write the price on). I was doing blue and brown for a wedding, and it was fun, but a rainbow of colors would look cute too. I guess you could even use paper...

What you need:
1. Sewing thread
2. Dots
3. Fishing weights

Cut your sewing thread as long as you want your strings of dots to be. Place two dots so they stick together, catching the sewing thread in between them. Space them out as much or as little as you like. Add a metal fishing weight to the bottom of the string, or in between your last 2 dots. Hang with tape or tie to a nail...

Suggestion: Don't hang them too close together or they will tangle.

Have fun watching the dots twist and dazzle in the light breeze!

Mother's Day Quote

I can post this now, because my own mother doesn't check this blog very often! :) I made this mini stacker block set with a cute quote that was actually said by Abraham Lincoln. The set is about 3" tall, by 6" wide. Just a cute little stacker set for in her bedroom, or on a desk.

Teacher Appreciation

End of the school year is coming up!! I saw an idea similar to this somewhere, so this is what I made. As I volunteer in the classroom, I've just had the kids choose a permanent marker and sign their name. I thought it was something fun and different to give the teacher as an end of year gift...

YW Birthday Idea

I just made these for a YW birthday gift for a ward in the area. I thought it was a cute idea for not just YW, but anyone!!

Allergy Safe Snacks

If you know us, you know our oldest son has a life threatening allergy to peanuts (and other nuts). I was SO nervous with him starting school. I looked all over the internet for ideas, and didn't find much. One of my biggest concerns was having other children bring "birthday treats" into the classroom. I made these boxes and gave them to his teacher full of fun snacks just for my son. This way he feels special, I feel good knowing he's not going to be given something contaminated, and it makes the teachers job SO much easier.

Cheap Curtains

My boys room needed some curtains. At the time I was sure if I could block the sun out, they'd sleep in...guess I'll have to wait until teenage years for that, and by then I probably will be so old I won't sleep in!

I didn't want heavy fabric curtains, and I needed something cheap. I went to Home Depot, bought the cheap "roll-up" shades and added a little vinyl to go along with their "boat/pirate" themed bedroom. A fun little touch...

Nursery Mats

I was in the nursery last year. We had a problem with the kids drawing on the table (or course), and apparently we weren't supposed to have playdough...but it was SO fun! So, I made these little mats. They served MANY purposes. Protection - from crayons and playdough. Cirle Time - set them in a semicircle for the lesson, and after singing time they'd come in and choose which mat to sit on. I bought cheap plastic (like for a table cloth) at Walmart, and cut it into rectangles. Any size or shape will work.

LDS Primary Gifts

Came up with these for our wards primary gift. Would be cute for any age, any gift for a teacher to give.