Activity Days - Giving Thanks

For Activity Days this week, I decided we were going to GIVE THANKS. I took advantage of Oriental Trading Company's thanksgiving crafts and set the girls loose. The night consisted of the following:

1) decorating a small little booklet (with fall leaves from my cricut machine). The booklet is to be their Thanksgiving Journal. Each day this month, they are supposed to write one thing they are thankful for and why. It is to help them remember to be thanksful.

2) From OTC, I bought a "foam kit" door hanger. They are kits that the girls will put together that say "give thanks" and they can put them on their doors to help them remember to give thanks during prayers and to write in their journals.

3) OTC has these accordion cards that spell out "thanks". The girls are going to decorate the cards and think of one person they want to say thank you to. They will write on the cards and send that person the card telling them why they are thankful for them.

This activity is obviously centered on being thankful and very artsy-crafty. It should keep the girls plenty busy.

I also included the quote about thankfulness that they girls will receive to put in their binders.

Let it Begin

So, the hectic gift making season is upon me. I have started about 4 projects so that I can have them ready by Christmas. I am not sure if i have overdone it as for as my capacity to get it all done, but only time will tell. So, the blog might be sketchy the next two months as I work on my projects, but in the end I will have lots to share.

In the meantime, check out this simple yet pretty advent calendar. I love advent calendars and this one goes on my list as a favorite.

Tis the Season

Christmas Card A

Christmas Card B

Christmas Card C

Christmas Card D

Christmas Card E

Christmas Card F

Christmas Card G

Christmas Card H

Christmas Card I
It is time to start thinking about Christmas cards. And I have just the thing for you. I designed some Christmas cards for you to purchase. You send me a high- resolution photo and I will send you your card as a jpg image that you can upload anywhere on the web, (Costco, Winkflash, shutterfly, Snapfish, etc).

It is $7.50 for each card image. Just let me know which one you want, send me a photo and the name/names and you are ready to go! Please send me an email (instead of a comment). In two weeks, I won't remember to look at the comments for this post :-)

What I do every year is turn my card into a postcard (you can print them at costco or Winkflash, you can write a message on the back of each card and the address and stamp and your done. It is easy and they are fun to get! Seasons Greetings are coming your way.

Help me find the Time!

I seriously have to make one of these. They are just too cute and my girls would love, I mean love it! I don't know when i will find the time, but I think after seeing this one, I am going to have to sit my bottom down and get cracking. Isn't it so cute! I love her garden, such a cute idea.

Click here to see the whole house. It is amazing.

And here are a few more cute images of Table tent Playhouses

Playhouse 1
Playhouse 2 You can buy these.
Playhouse 3 A good tutorial on how to make one.
Playhouse 4 more tips on how to make one.

Time for a Change

I had my old blog design up for a long time, so I thought it was time for a change. In time for fall (I should say in time for fall here). It's all new and hopefully improved. Hope you enjoy!

Illustrator Help!

Is there anyone out there that knows Illustrator that would allow me to ask you some questions. I am at a lose and have searched the web for answers for hours and haven't found any answers. Please let me know.
thanks so much!

Simple Seconds Logo Sale

I am asked quite often how much for a logo that has already been created, but not used. So, I thought I would have a Simple Seconds Logo sale. Here are a variety of logos that if you are interested can be yours for $70. If you are interested, contact me and any one of these logos can be yours!

The purchase comes with color change and name change. Dig In!

Halloweening

What a fun halloween.

The girls loved everything about it. From the ward halloween party to the carving jack-0-lanterns to decorate for our party to of course the mounds of candy they collecting trick or treating.

It started with a super fun ward Halloween party where ella won "cutest costume". We had fun carving pumpkins. Hannah designed her pumpkin face and worked hard with dad to get it carved. Ella played Bingo by herself in the other room.

On Halloween, we had a soccer game in the morning. Then we had friends over for a little halloween dinner. We had fun going out with friends hitting the neighborhood with our adorable crew. The kids did great. Hannah could have gone all night, but her costume started to malfunction and other kids were getting tired, so it ended just in time. Ella about half way through, just wanted to eat her lollipop and ride in the stroller. She was as content as can be at that point.

It was a blast and the costumes were a hit. Hannah's costume I made and I loved how it turned out. It is a cross between a costume I saw in a magazine and the pottery barn cupcake costume. My favorite part is the strawberry I made for the top of her head. All in all, it was a great halloween!

Thanks!

The folks over at Today's Creative Blog has given me a huge "shout out" on their blog. Today's Creative Blog is full of fun, creative ideas... if you like my blog, you will most likely their blog too. Thanks TCB!

Can't wait for 2013.

The word is that they are changing Fantasyland at Walt Disney World. I have never been to Disney World, but after reading and seeing the changes they are going to make there... it is definitely somewhere we will be going shortly after 2013. In a nutshell, they are going to double the size of Fantasyland and create all the different villages of most of the princess. So, Aurora's cottage, Belle's village, Eric's castle and Ariels Harbor, etc. You will be able to go to each "land" and meet the princess and interact where she lives. To me it looks amazing and can't wait to see the end result. What magic indeed!

For more information and drawings of the princess' land, click here.

MIA

I have been and might be MIA for a few more days. I just got the new iMac and have a lot of learning, importing and playing around to do. I am so excited and love my new toy. I have to say it was time. My old G5 was starting to become glitchy (only after a mere 8 years), so I ran (not walked :-) to our apple store and bought this little baby, all 27 inches of him. Ahhh, it is so fast, so pretty and so much better. See you in a few days once I get everything situated, organized again and done playing with it all.

My Crew!

Here is an update on my kiddos:

Jake - He is such a great baby. He loves to be played with and all it take is a smile and he is ready to show you his. He smiles a lot. He is about to roll over... he is so close. When I undress him, he ALWAYS laughs when I pull out his right arm. I don't know what it is, but when I pull his right arm out of his clothes, he just giggles like crazy, it is soo cute and funny.

Ella - She is starting to say more words which has been so nice. She is a little behind on speaking, but you can tell she is now trying. She knows the princesses by name and is learning her colors. She is a very coordinated child, she uses scissors like a pro, she kicks and throws with great accuracy and force and she loves to ride her little scooter. She loves to talk on the phone and every time I get off the phone she asks "who was that mommy"? We are working on her screaming less, but other than that she is a blast.

Hannah - Loves school. She loves to learn and loves her friends. She is a fantastic reader and a great big sister. She loves to play kindergarten after she comes home from kindergarten. When she plays soccer, she has a friend that doesn't like to play in the game, so Hannah holds her hand to help her run around the field. She is pure joy and such a good friend to me.

Birthday Treats

For my activity day girls, I asked them all their favorite cereal, candy, and ice cream flavor. I used this information as their birthday gifts. The funny thing is that all my girls were very explicit that their favorite ice cream flavors had to be from Thrifty's. Every single girl told me their favorite ice cream with Thrifty's ice cream, so I went there and got an ice cream cup and gave them $2 to go and get their favorite flavor. What could be more simple and fun.

Sneak Peak

Here is a sneak peak of Hannah's halloween costume. It turned out cuter than I imagined. I am in love with it! She and I can't wait for her to wear it!

Sugar Cookie Scarecrow Lollipops

We had our school carnival yesterday and I made these little guys for the Cake Walk. The idea was from Skip To My Lou who I think got it from Family Fun. And here is my take on Mr. Scarecrow. I loved how they ended up and I was a bit nervous the lollipop stick wouldn't hold him up, but it did and they turned out great.

But the real question is will I do something this creative and labor intensive again for a cake walk... probably not! But probably yes for a fun fall party or friends.

NOTES: I used pecans for the here. I used a bit pumpkin cookie cutter for the face. And this great cookie recipe... thanks Monique!

1 1/2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
5 cups flour

Cream shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Refrigerate for 10 mins. Roll at least 1/2 inch thick... the thicker the better. Bake on greased pan at 350 degrees for 8-10 mins. Don't overcook! You want them to look just barely done. Let cool on pan for a couple of mins. then transfer to rack.
* If cookies are really big you might need to cook them longer.

Carnival

Hannah at her school carnival. Heaven help us!

PS - We had a little chat about holding hands with boys. It is cute and all, but knowing Hannah those two would be holding hands in class come Monday, so we had to put the "kabosh" on holding hands with boys. Oh, to have to start so young.

Activity Day - Family history

Last night for Activity Days, I taught the girls about Family History. We talked about the importance of keeping journals and about our ancestors. We create our own family trees. It was a fun and super easy activity.

NOTES:
1) I got the canvas from Michaels (3 for $3.99), I think they are 9X12.
2) I used my friend's Cricut to cut out 1 1/2 inch leaves.
3) I told the girls to bring family names from themselves to their great grandparents.
4) the trunk and branches are brown yarn.

Here is the invitation/flyer I gave to the girls the sunday before the activity. There are four to a page.


Here are the handouts I gave them to put in their binders about the lesson and activity.



If you click on the images, drag the image to your desktop and print.