DIY Gift : Photo Book

First of all, I have to credit my mom for this crafty gift idea with a personable touch. She started doing this when my sister and I were little. So thank you mom for this simple yet effective project and handing down your gift-making skills!

The best part about this gift, is that the person receiving the gift thinks it's just a regular book, but when they open it, it's a personalized, one-of-a-kind, heartfelt book!!!


Materials You'll Need:

•  A book (preferably with a story that relates to the person you're gifting to)
•  Printed Photos (from the store or printed from the computer)
•  Scissors
•  Glue stick or double stick tape...regular tape will work fine, too.
•  Thin Sharpies or colorful markers and pens (optional)
•  Stickers (optional)
•  Decorative tape or washi tape (optional)


Production Time:
Approx 1 hour (depending on how much you'd like to get creative with yours, it could take longer.) 


Step 1:
Buy a book from the store to give! It can be a favorite book of yours, a special book that has meaning to you, a silly book, one by your favorite author...really any type of book works. I usually choose a children's picture book because it has a lot of cute illustrations that we an relate to. When choosing a book, it's best to keep in mind what type of pictures you have. It'll make it easier for you in the long run.

Step 2:
Go through the book to distinguish what pictures you should print from your photo albums and how big to print them. If you have time and don't mind spending a few bucks, get some 3x5's printed at Ritz Camera or Walmart or wherever you get your photos printed. The reason why I suggest 3x5's is because they're one of the smaller size prints. They're also one of the cheapest. You probably won't need larger prints for the books since the illustrations are small. Also, prints from the store look nicer than computer prints, and they'll last longer. Computer prints are cheaper, however they might fade over time. They are also more convenient. I've done both, and either work great, so it's up to you.

Step 3:
Separate and categorize your chosen photos by page. I choose photos that pertain to what's going on in the story. For instance, if the words from the story say, "I gave daddy a hug", then I try to find a picture of my daughter hugging her daddy to place next to that wording. Make sense? Sometimes it's difficult to find the "perfect" picture to go on a particular page, but if it's close enough and it's cute, just go with it!

Step 4:
Simply cut and paste! Treat the book as if it were a photo album or photo collage! You can secure each photo down with a glue stick (which is what I use) or double sticky tape or regular scotch tape. If you want to get crafty, you can use decorative tape on the top, bottom, or the sides for a fun touch! You can cut right along the shape of the people (like a silhouette), or a circular crop or even just a rectangle or square. Whichever you have time for or whichever fits on the page best works fine.

Step 5 (optional):
Embellish your book!! You can use your own creativity to add decorative tape or stickers! Try adding some fun captions. You can use personal jokes or phrases using that person's name or of friends and family. Even drawing some fun doodles to go with your photos is personable, too.

Here are some examples of how we've done it in the past!

You cannot go wrong with this! Actually, this idea can go for anyone...not just dads ;) Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!! Enjoy your weekend!

Keeping the Kids Busy : Toddler Boredom Busters!

Are your little ones bored these long summer days? Or are you starting to run out of ideas to keep them busy? Well, I've compiled a list of fun things to do, when you're in doubt! Since I work part-time, from home, I need to find ways to entertain my two and a half year old while I'm working. Since we have the twins, I also want to be able to do fun things with her on our own, just mama and Ellie time. Below, are some super FUN & EASY things I've tried with my toddler to keep her busy and most of all HAPPY! Enjoy!

1. Pouring soapy water into measuring cups and buckets! Inside or better yet, OUTSIDE! Don't forget to bring trays and towels to dry with and sit on.

2. Make a bird feeder out of a toilet paper roll, peanut butter and bird seeds!

 

3. Make music!! You can use play instruments, real instruments or even just plain 'ole pots and pans!

 

4. Cook fun meals together :) Have your little one mix ingredients together or garnish a dish.

 

5. Decorate desserts or snacks with chocolate and sprinkles! Mmmmm...chocolate covered pretzels! Baking cupcakes and cookies are just as fun!

 

 6. Have them put on a puppet show or tell them a story, using their stuffed animals as the characters! We made our puppet show theater out of cardboard and painted it with acrylic paint!

 

7. Draw a picture together using chalk on the sidewalk or even markers on a regular piece of paper.

 8. Dance while playing some good old fashioned music! 

 9. Finger paint on canvases to hang up in your house or give as a gift!

 

10. Take them to a hands-on art class! I took Ellie to an Art Spark class held at a local children's store, The Spotted Goose. SHE LOVED IT! They had lots of fun projects for the little ones :) Check out their website for more info here ---> www.theartspark.com

 

11. Paint their face or get their face painted! My lovely sister painted this lovely heart on Ellie! <3

 

12. Pour rice into measuring cups! Make sure you have a tray or something to catch the loose grains. I have a breakfast in bed tray table for her to play on. It's the perfect level for her height! I scored it from Goodwill for $2.00!! My mom bought her those measuring cups (which she happens to LOVE and use EVERYDAY via Discovery Toys). You can find them here - Measuring Cups via Discovery Toys link.

 

13. Once she learned how to pour the rice from up really high...we decided to use beans and different colored buttons! She then separated them by color and it was easier to clean up for me ;)

 

14. Go to the library and borrow books. Sometimes they have free story-times along with arts & crafts, like the Campbell County Library! My sister is the Children's Programmer there. The best part of all of this...it's FREE FUN!

 

 15.  Learning math early on is always a PLUS! Get out those coins and cash them in!

 

 16. Paint color-coded sheets with Q-Tips!   

17. Couch race-tracks with decorative tape! I used checkered duct tape I bought from Target.

 

18. Go to your local book store for a book signing! The Blue Manatee is a local bookstore that has some really great events for the kids. It's one of our favorite places to go :) At this event, the children got to meet and greet the author of Crafty Chloe, Kelly DiPucchio! Be sure to check her website and blog!

 

We've even made fun couch forts, played kitchen, watered plants, played picnics inside and outside, too. The possibilities are endless. Do you have any fun things you do to keep your kiddos occupied? What are they? I'd love to hear some of your ideas, too :) If you have a question about how to do a particular one, from the list above, just contact me! I'll be happy to share how we did any of our projects. Thanks for stopping by again and have a wonderful summer!

Kate, My Best Friend is YOU.

Sometimes this mama needs to listen to some music that's not so kid-friendly, too...

My days have been pretty hectic lately....at times I lose motivation to get some chores and such done around the house. To get my productivity going and spirits up, I gotta have some music playing. Whether it's cranking out some design work or washing a huge stack of dishes, one of my absolute favorite artists to listen to is Kate Nash. This British singer/songwriter's indie pop style is whimsical and catchy. Her lyrics are witty and sarcastic, which often express a brass female point-of-view on relationships and life. She reminds me of Lily Allen and Lenka, with a cheeky twist. Haven't heard of her? Check out her website at www.myignorantyouth.com. Lovin' her latest album, My Best Friend is You and it's collage-y cover (below).

 

Another one of her albums to check out is "Made of Bricks" (below).

I hope she comes out with a new album soon, cause I'm itching to hear something new from her. What music do you listen to be productive?

Jot It Down : Featuring a Free Grocery List Download!

How do you write down your grocery list? I randomly jot my groceries down on the first scrap piece of paper I can find. Usually it's because I'm rushing to get out the door. But the other day, I decided to customize my own personal list. I thought, "How can I make my grocery trip quick and easy?? I need to get home and start cooking!" The answer? Why, by categorizing my list by sections, of course! So I mapped out my local grocery store's layout, in my head, and listed the categories out in order of how I walk through the store. First the produce and bread, then the organic section, and so on and so forth. I just printed it out on a regular 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper and voila! There's two lists per sheet. Just cut, tear or fold the center.

It worked out so well for me, I decided to give this to YOU, too! It may even be the perfect thing, as you get ready for your Memorial Day cookouts and gatherings this weekend!! Quick tip: You can print this on both sides to save paper! Click button below to download the 8.5 x 11 printout for free!




The above download is FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. Thanks! Also, just in case you might need this, here is the link to the Adobe Acrobat Reader  web site - Adobe Acrobat website.

Let me know if it works out for you! Have a great long weekend with friends and family!