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Surrounded With Love Holiday Card

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The Joy of a Handmade Holiday....

Now that the weather is cooling off, and we are forced inside more because of early night fall, I've found we are spending a lot more time crafting as a family. For me, Christmas always brings memories of family and treasured handmade gifts we made. With two kids of our own now, we would like to create the similar memories for our family. At age 2 and 4, they are starting to take ownership of their own creations which will make this a super fun year! We've already made one craft which is a set of silhouettes. The kids painted the canvas, I cut the silhouettes, and they decoupaged them in place. I was surprised at how much of their characters they actually captured. We will be making and framing a few other sets for family members. We will also be trying out a new technique this year. We will be etching glass by using etching cream and my cricut machine. They've chosen mugs, glasses, and clear holiday ornaments to personalize with images and names. Photos coming soon! Because my son is really into building things right now we are also going to make either a north pole or gingerbread type village. I love the idea of having something he built, at age 4, to put out each year... and maybe even show his kids. Today, during pre school, I'm off to the craft store to be inspired with ideas for this project : )I'd love to hear about other handmade holiday crafts.. Please share!

My Newest Inspirations From Nature

My husband Josh and I were so blessed to have an incredible trip in South West Florida last week. The nature was plentiful and absolutely breath taking! We visited preserves and sanctuaries, walked miles on beaches, took hundreds of photos and enjoyed dinners of cheese and wine atsunset, on the beach, each night. I know there will be more, but here are a few pieces inspired by what we saw.



When we returned from our trip we were greeted by lots of 6 legged friends (ants and lady bugs) in our kitchen...GRRRRRRRRR! My thought is if you cant beat em' become inspired by them

Here Comes Peter Cottontail!

Last year, the kids seemed to drop lots of their Easter eggs from their baskets. Plus I hate that the baskets are put away in attic not to be seen until next year or in some cases even thrown away! I decided to try a new approach to the Easter basket this year. After Easter they can be repurposed into a purse, lunch tote, library bag, or catch all : )

Springtime is so inspiring!

All of the beautiful springtime sights, sounds and smells have been SO inspiring these last few weeks. My 3 year old son has been full of incredible questions about the life awakening around us. I couldn't help but design some new wildlife creations : )
Here's a peek of a few new designs-

Beautiful Leaf Printed Easter Eggs

Aren't these eggs beautiful??? I cant wait to try them with the kids and grandma this week. I've read that the leaves you pick must be very tender and delicate. Some suggest they had best success with herb leaves such as parsley, mint, cilantro, etc. Thicker tree type leaves will allow the dye to leak behind the leaf and create a solid colored egg. Here's one version of the directions.

1. Lay a leaf on an egg, then cover it with a section of nylon stocking to hold it in place.

2. Pull together both open ends of the stocking, then twist the ends together and secure them with a rubber band.

3. Carefully submerge the nylon-wrapped egg in the dye and let it soak for about 4 minutes.

4. Use a spoon to remove the egg from the dye Carefully remove the rubber band, nylon, and leaf. Allow the egg to dry completely.


Photo and modified directions thanks to Family Fun Magazine. You can find similar instructions on Martha Stewart's website as well.

Earth Day Every Day!

It's less than one month until the 40th anniversary of Earth Day! Celebrate Mother Earth April 22, 2010 and EVERY DAY! My Earth Day Resolution is to get the family using all cloth napkins. I hate how much paper we waste at meal time and washing up. Does anyone else have an Earth Day Resolution to share?