all the pretty colors.

When my sister and I were wee little things, we went to a preschool that used the Montessori method of teaching. It is basically a teaching style that combines the use of fine motor skills and organizational exercises to produce children that are militant like in their need for order.

Activities that included things like using an eye-dropper to place a single drop of water on each little suction cup on the underside of one of those soap holder thingy-s (you know, the kind with millions of itty-bitty suctions). My sister and I still joke about the ways that our personalities were shaped by the education of our formative years...and how we each have residual effects (mostly good, hehe) of those painstaking little exercises...

So, naturally, I was delighted when she gave Hunter a "Montessori style" gift this year for his birthday. A box full of simple, inexpensive educational activities to help him become just like his momma (basically an organizational freak=).

Tomorrow, Hunter's buddy Declan is celebrating his first birthday, so I decided to make him a set of these wonderful little educational toys! Everything you need to make these treasures can be found at your local dollar store, and the entire gift can be made in under $8!!




To make your own little box of goodness you need to purchase the following:
A Plastic Shoebox
A bag of decorative rocks
A package of pom-poms
A package of balloons
Play-dough
Ice trays
Colorful little bins




The first activity I labeled "Moving and Sorting"with instructions, "Mix all the pom-poms together and then sort them back out, each to their own basket." These adorable little containers came in a four pack, so all I had to do was empty my pom-pom package and pick out the right colors.




The tag on this one states, "One at a time...take them all out and put them each back, or move from one tray to the other". I think this one is pretty self explanatory:)




This last activity, labeled, "Soft and Hard, Heavy and Light", helps kiddos to recognize the difference in how things feel when held and compared. The two red balloons are stuffed with the decorative rocks (heavy & hard), while the orange ones are stuffed with more pom-poms (soft & light), and the blue ones are filled with play dough (heavy but soft).

I put them all inside the box with their proper labels and wrapped them up for the party tomorrow=) now Hunter and his buddy will be the most organized little men around!

(Thanks Nicole for this awesome gift and idea...you know me so well;)

From one hometown to another...

Hi Friends!
Just wanted to share a very simple project that I did this past month. My sister and I decided to only exchange gifts for our kiddos this year for Christmas...but her birthday is the day after Christmas, and I wanted to make a little something special to celebrate. When I saw these personalized mugs months ago on a friends blog, I knew immediately that they were the perfect gift. Because my sister and her hubby live in VA and we live here in PA, they perfectly describe our relationship...a heart for her hometown, and a heart for mine=) (and the dotted lines made us giggle, because the trip down to her house usually results in some wrong turns and wandering, hehe)

I was so happy with the result, and they were so easy. I used a porcelain pen from the craft store, but any sharpie will do! You draw your design on oven-safe mugs, crank up your oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 30 minutes... that's it!

If you would rather have someone else do the dirty work...you can purchase your own set on Etsy at GreySkiesBlue, and if you are looking for really ornate personalized porcelain, check out my friend Caitlin's new shop, Caite'sPlates...she works wonders with a sharpie!

I may or may not have made my hubby and I a set of mugs the other day as well;)

P.S. Sharing this little project over at Thrifty Decor Chick and Tip Me Tuesday=)

Sharing hope.

Every year around this time, a magical little catalog arrives on our doorstep. It is usually sandwiched between colorful Toys-R-Us leaflets, K-mart adds, and Target flyer's boasting beautiful new toys. As soon as I see it, I make myself a cup of tea and peel open its cover.

I immediately find half a dozen things I want to buy...

It's the World Vision Gift Catalog, and it is splendid. Its pages are full of gifts you can purchase for people who you will never meet on this side of eternity. Life sustaining animals for a family in Uganda, education for a child in Ghana, clean water for a village in Niger... an orphanage for children or a safe place for exploited young women...

These things seem so far removed from our cozy little world here in the US. It is as if human suffering is just a bad dream that only exists in our imaginations...We hurry our days with shopping and wrapping and decorating and sometimes it is easy to pretend that that is what everyone everywhere is doing...sadly, it isn't.

Now that I am a momma, I am more determined then ever for my family to grow up knowing that Christmas is a time of giving, not just receiving. And that the hope that lies within us, the birth of our Savior two-thousand years ago, needs to shine brighter than the twinkle lights on our Christmas tree. Its beams have got to cross oceans, climb mountains, and descend valleys...and they need to come hand in hand with a hot meal, warm blanket, and drink of water.

That is why I love the opportunity that World Vision gives to us at Christmastime. With the simple click of a mouse, we can fill our virtual baskets with life-changing gifts and know that somewhere across the world someone is feeling the love of Christ.

This Christmas morning as we open gifts as a family, there will be a few little mementos that represent our world vision gifts, thing like...

This little wooden ornament that represents a "New Mother & Baby Kit" for a momma living in poverty...a gift I bought with our little one in mind. As I deliver our baby in a few months, I want to know that somewhere there is another mom holding a new baby, wrapped in a blanket that our gift provided and covered in prayers from our family.

And this little felt goat which represents the "Goat and 2 Chickens" we bought for a family on Hunter's behalf... I am excited to add to his collection as the years go by, and explain to him how important it is to give to others, even when we can't see them:)

 

Merry Christmas Season Everyone!

Now go "buy" some hope and say a prayer for the ones who will receive it!

On Turning One.

Growing up our family had a birthday tradition that my mom began when we were young. The night before your birthday, you would go to bed with excitement and anticipation, knowing that in the morning there would be a little birthday package waiting by your bedroom door. I remember waking up in the early morning hours and straining my eyes in the dark to see if there was a little bundle in my doorway. They were usually small token gifts...books, cds, or trinkets...in and of themselves they were nothing special, but given their presentation, they were magical.

I knew when I had children one day, this tradition would continue. Last night Mike and I scoured the isles of the local walmart, looking for a little something special to wrap up. After choosing and replacing numerous toys, trucks, and trinkets, we settled on a new box of crayons. 64 perfectly chiseled Crayolas. It may sound anti-climatic, but we are really hoping to teach our children to delight in the little things... So we took them home and wrapped them up. I made a card and we both wrote a note inside. Then I forgot to put it by his door. haha. Good thing he is only one!

This morning when he woke up, he got in bed with me. I presented him with the package and he gingerly tore back the paper and the ribbon to reveal the gift inside...after a brief moment of staring at the contents of his gift, he grabbed the card I made and took off crawling to the other side of the bed. He clutched the little note in both his hands and squeezed it tightly. He couldn't read what we had written, but he clung to our words, and my heart beamed. My mama, who had been staying with us since the storm hit and took her power, read his little card aloud, 

"Happy Birthday Buddy. I'm so lucky to be your dad. I love you. Love, Daddy."

"Hunter Jacob, We have loved every minute of the last year with you...you have enriched our lives with your cheerfulness and smiles...We love you so much and are blessed to call you ours. Love, Momma".

Beach in a Bag

Last week I went to visit a dear friend who had broken her ankle in a surfing accident...leaving her housebound for a few weeks until she heals from surgery.

To cheer her up, I brought her a little gift, tagged, "beach-in-a-bag", including candles, shells, rope rings, anchor napkins, cute little plates, and hand painted salad "oars"...

On the postcard, I inscribed this quote, “The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” --Jacques Cousteau

Sharing with:
Delightful Order
Yesterday on Tuesday 

Catch a Glimpse 

Strut your Stuff

shiny little pendants, close to my heart.

Last week, my husband was over 5,000 miles away from me on a hunting trip in Argentina. On the day he left I sat in the living room, staring at the mailbox, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the mailman. Thanks to the high-tec USPS emails which now tell you where your packages are, I knew mine was arriving that afternoon.

It did not disappoint. Just in time for my hubby-less week, a little reminder of him came right to my doorstep.

I ordered two sweet pendants from Beadin' by the Sea to add to the chain I often have around my neck. A big "M" for Mike and a little "h" for hunter. They are the perfect additions to my scroll-y "A" pendant I already had, and I love having a constant memento of my boys with me all the time.

What about you? do you wear any jewelry to represent the people you love?

Be sure to check out Beadin' by the Sea, she has so many beautiful, handmade lovelies that you just might fall in love with;)

If you want to make a sentimental necklace, check out this bird's nest necklace I made last year! You could easily adapt the "egg-count" to represent your kiddos, hubby, etc., and they are so simple to make!

And now for one more picture I had to include:

Everyone say "hi" to my momma, making a sandwich in the backround...hehe. love you mom!

Sharing with: What I'm loving Wednesday

Apples and Cupcakes...

Hey Everyone...I hope Tuesday is being good to you all! I wanted to put up a few pictures of a handmade gift that I gave to my sister for her little lady due in August. When I saw this idea on pinterest a few months ago, I knew it would be perfect for my sister who has a whole room in her house dedicated to her wardrobe and accessories=) Actually, her boudoir as she calls it is becoming a nursery next week..haha.

Anyway, I made this sweet little felt board and a blondie and brunette for my neice to dress up, and lots of little dresses and outfits to mix and match...as well as two of my favorite foods... cupcakes and apples...

I used a template found here to give me the basic girl outline and some of the clothes, and I simply covered a bulliten board with a doubled up peice of felt, hot glued to hold it in place ...then covered the seams on the back with masking tape to give it a finished look. 

It was a really simple project that will hopefully provide my sister's little one with hours of dressing delight;) I also gave her a small stack of felt scraps so she could add peices of clothing to the wardrobe if needed, and so she could enjoy a little craft with her baby girl when she is a little older.

Sharing with:

Tip me Tuesday 

Mommy by Day Crafter by night

Naptime Delights
Gilded Hare

cottontails.

Yesterday I met a dear friend for lunch. We had not seen each other in a while and she came with a gift for me "just because". She always does thoughtful things like that:)

As I opened the box there were bunches of handwrapped packages. A beautiful scarf with fringe, a box of handmade soaps, and a booklet of recipe bookmarks to name a few. My favorite items, however, were the handmade ones (of course). They are so precious I had to share them with you!

Can you tell what they are?

How about from this angle?

Little wool bunnies! Ahh, how SWEET???

I love them so much, especially since seeing them reminds me of my friend and prompts me to say a little prayer for her as I go throughout my day=)

So thanks Barb for all the sweetness you packaged up for me! These little babies will definitely be a part of my Easter (and other) decor for many years to come!

Have you ever been the recipient or giver of a gift "just because"? Isn't it a wonderful feeling both to give and receive gifts like these?

Stir in style...

Hey Friends! Hope everyone had a fantastic Memorial Day Weekend! I can't believe it's Wednesday already! Today I thought I would share a little project I did last week...based on a little pinterest inspiration...Painted Wooden Utensils!

 

I purchased plain wooden cooking utensils at the grocery store, and taped them to my sewing table, taped off where I wanted to paint wit h some masking tape, and painted the ends using a simple acrylics, and ended with a thin coat of clear sealer.

 

I love the subtle nautical feel they have...don't you?

Sharing with:
Tip me Tuesday 

Get Your Craft On 

Mommy by Day Crafter by night 

Whatever goes
Savvy Southern Style