Usborne Black Friday Sale

And to make it even better for you, if you buy 3 books you get one FREE!!

Just shop and them email me the 4th book choice!

(mrs.conniekrebs@hotmail.com)

Go here to shop and remember:

There is no greater gift than the gift of reading!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I am so thankful this year for all the goodness in my life....

It has been an amazing year and at the same time a very challenging year.

Here is what I am thankful for:

1. Two amazing and healthy little girls who may drive me nuts, but are my life

2. A wonderful husband who supports me in all my endeavors

3. A beautiful home full of happiness that I love to share with others

4. All my jobs that keep me challenged, allow me to be at home, and provide my family with extra income

5. My husband's job, although it may not be a perfect fit, it is a job with awesome benefits!

6. My creativity that is never ending and has taken me down paths never dreamed of

I am so lucky to have readers like you guys, who comment on my rambling, and keep me thinking everyday about what else I can share- Thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

Craft: Strawberry Walnut Ornaments

 

As you all know by know I am nuts about anything strawberry!

How could I pass up the chance to make some strawberries to hang up on my Christmas tree?

This craft is super easy for little ones and will be a keepsake for years to come! 

Materials

• Large whole walnuts in the shell
• Green felt
• 4 inches thin gold cord or ribbon
• Paintbrushes
• Red and black acrylic paint
• Glue gun
• Scissors
• Magnet (optional) 

Directions

1. Have your child paint a walnut red.
2. When the paint is dry, use a very fine brush to paint tiny black dots all over the walnut.
3. Cut a 1 1/2-inch square of green felt.
4. Then cut a 4-pointed star from the felt. Poke a small hole in the center of the star. Glue the ends of the cord or ribbon onto one end of the walnut shell to make a hanging loop.
5. Slip the felt star over the loop and glue it onto the walnut. Voila - a strawberry! 
6. Or you can omit the cord or ribbon and glue a small magnet onto one side of the walnut.

Make and Do

I am a huge fan of Make and Do and am getting tons of awesome gift ideas from them. I love winter and making snowmen so I think that this wonderfully easy Snowman Kit is a perfect gift for all the little ones in my life. Really, all you need is a few supplies and then sit back and wait for the snow! (Which shouldnt be too much longer for us Clevelanders!)

Another really yummy idea that I am going to make for all the adults I know is this recipe for Peppermint White Chocolate Popcorn. I have had the pleasure of eating White Chocolate Popcorn in the past and found it sooooo addicting. Add in the peppermint and I don't know if I want to share now that I think about it! Super easy recipe and beautiful presentation!

Really, you can't go wrong with any idea from this site. Everything is really easy and will make that special someone on your list feel extra important that you took the time to make them something that they will love. (Unless you make them the yummy popcorn and they eat all of it and can't fit into their jeans.... that might be a problem... better not share that one!)

Pretty Ornament Wreath

Isn't this beautiful?!

I know what I am making now for our door, in pretty girlie colors too, complete with the pink ribbon!

Find easy peasy directions here!

(photo by Eddie Ross)

Some new projects!

Aren't these little gals cute?

You may have noticed but I deleted my Etsy store in lieu of some remodeling and rethinking.

Instead of so much made to order items I am switching gears and am going to create then list.
I got really tired of all the back and forth with strangers who don't get graphic design.....sigh...
but for all my friends reading this

I will still create all your wonderful posters, birthday invites, and baby announcements!

I have a big weekend of book selling and will also be featuring these little present toppers,

but I am thinking that these will be hitting my store soon!

I already created the new store, just have to work out the shipping and store policies!!

Along with these cute dollies I am also going to sell some knitted items, maybe some hair clips...

who knows!

I have a whole craft armoire to choose from! =)

The List 2.4

How is it that I have gone so long without making a List? There are so many things that I find everyday here on the web and with Christmas speedily approaching, the list is a bit lengthy this time...lol! Let me know what you guys out there in blog-land think!

I think that instead of buying AJ an expensive doll from Pottery Barn I will make her a cute Black Apple Doll instead! (@ Martha Stewart)

I have a thing for Kokeshi dolls and so does Gabby now. I am loving these adorable friendship dolls and you can even stick a sweet love note in there for that special girl! (@ Garnet Hill)

I have made legwarmers in the past for my girls using this tutorial, but never did I think about using thigh high socks to make arm warmers for myself! Genius! (@ Little Birdie Secrets)

Parents are always looking for cute holiday crafts for their kids that can actually be taken out and displayed every year. This easy peasy hand stuffed turkey is on my list for crafts this week! (@ Tangled and True)

Sometimes it is hard to find a cute way to package all those little gifts that you want to give, this innovative use for a regular can into a gift can is simply crafty! (@ The Idea Room)

These apple cranberry pocket pies are making my mouth water..... yummo! (@ Birthday Girl)

Finally! A clock that both teaches the kids about telling time and lets them know when it is ok to get out of bed and pounce on sleeping Mommy and Daddy! (@ Amazon)

And last but not least, a beautiful and easy wreath suitable for any home that is bookish and stylish! (@ Living With Lindsey)

Christmas tags from me to you

Hope you like these... a little something from me to you!!
download the full PDF here!

Consuming Childhood

This video is a perfect example of why we don't have TV in our house as all... and definitely opened my eyes to all the other ways markets try to get to our kids! (thanks Prasti for the link!)

Printable: Thankful Turkey

One of my favorite Usborne books is 365 Things to Make and Do. It takes cute crafts from all of our other Make and Do books and created a huge list of crafts to keep little ones busy and creative. There are crafts for princesses, monster lovers, little travelers, and gift givers. I love that no craft takes lots of supplies, usually some tape or glue, crayons, paper, and scissors are as complicated as it gets.

I wanted to do a craft with my little ones about Thanksgiving and decided to do a Thanksgiving Thankful Turkey.  Here is what is will look like when done and there is a lot of room for variations. You can use felt for the body, add some real feathers, etc. The point though is to get the kids thinking about what they are thankful for and let them put that reminder on their doors so they see them when they wake up and when they go to sleep.
Here are the templates I created:

If you want you can also use foam door hangers or whatever, I like to keep these projects open to imagination!

Here is the Door Hanger Template
Here is the Turkey Template
(each makes 2 completed projects!!)