FF- 5 a day

One of my good friends asked me months ago if I would come up with a way to keep track of eating 5 a day-you know 5 servings of fruits and veggies (although is it total or is it 5 veggies?). Anyway, I guess it's up to you. I finally did it. A simple monthly calendar that has five little circles around a number (the day of the month) so you can fill in on each day how many healthy plant things your eating :) It's actually been really good for me to start thinking about adding that extra fruit or veggie at meals. But I may just need a separate calendar for each family member (those picky eaters!)

You can find the calendar here. 

Enjoy!

Freebie Friday: Spring Has Sprung Poster

So, today I just felt like making something. Hooray. We've  had head colds at our house for two weeks and mine is currently residing in my forehead. So this afternoon fighting the little buddy to clean up all the toys in the basement just seemed overwhelming. Instead I made him put away his pj's and let him watch netflix while I checked my email. I had some graphic design work waiting for me, and one thing led to another. But I've been thinking about spring all day noticing little green leaves on the trees! Hooray. It really is coming!

Download the printable poster here. Print on letter size cardstock and cut on the lines to 8x10.

 Enjoy!

Freebie Friday: Pretend Pasta Box

With the new kitchen the kiddos got for Christmas they have all these cute little  pots and pans. But all the plastic and wooden food they have doesn't fit very well inside. One apple in the pan just doesn't seem right. . . So I made them some felt pasta. It's been probably a month since then and I've found felt pasta everywhere. They needed some containment. So our freebie today was born: a pasta box for felt fettuccine.

 Get the box here. 

 I just cut it out, taped some plastic on the holes, folded it and taped it up. Although in retrospect, I think I may go back and laminate it instead. . . last longer that way.

Freebie Friday Repost: Valentines Printables

Enjoy some past fun Valentine Printables! I've determined it's time to start removing past printables and only keep up the last couple of freebies. So start downloading them while you can!

Here is one way to use the Valentine Simple Cards. Click to find lots more ideas.

Catch up quick and do a 14 days of I love you with these Valentine Notes. Or make a chain card or banner to hang up on Valentines Day.

 These Valentine Toppers are great for cupcakes, but also make a nice seal or tag on a valentine package too!

Personalize this Valentine Box with meaningful trinkets or candies. Not too big at 2 inches square, but perfect for a little something to share.

Freebie Friday: Super Mask Birthday Card

I guess January is always kind of an unproductive month for me. December is so crazy I think I just kind of ooze into a blissful indifference to getting much done in January. The first week or so I'm still running off the steam of Christmas and the hope of New Year's resolutions. But after that it just kind of peters out. And that is where I am. I have lots of great ideas floating around in my head. Like starting a quilt like this but expanding it to a twin size, and using this technique to make it faster. I want to start drawing again since painting seems to be too time consuming for this time of my life, and then I've got a paper mache lamp/ light fixture with Christmas lights as the "bulb" floating around in my head . . . and then a gazillion design projects including some Valentine's ones that may or may not get done before that holiday hits. But, instead I sat around reading Parenting and Time Magazine this afternoon for a good hour or so while the buddy watched TV and the sweetie played dolls and tried to figure out how lego's work (don't worry she's past the eating them phase).

Anywhoo. . . I did make a boy version of the printable Birthday cards as a Freebie Friday for you today though: (Actually I made them over a week ago because I had a nephew's birthday come up, but that's beside the point, right).

Click here to download the Super Mask Birthday Card. 

Each page makes two birthday cards with instructions for the birthday boy to cut out and color the mask themselves. I recommend printing on white cardstock so they can color it however they choose!

Enjoy!

Freebie Friday: Birthday Crown Card

When I was a girl I had one uncle who sent me birthday cards. Not every year, but often enough that I felt that he cared. I felt special and important to someone I didn't see very often and it meant a lot.

So as an aunt (and sister and in law), I've tried to do the same thing: remember family birthdays with cards. It's a big job. The hunny and I both come from large families. We're rounding out to about 60 cards a year. This year I've decided to make it a little bit more fun for the nieces and nephews and a little faster for me too.

The birthday crown card is going to all my nieces this year. In the past I've always made them a personalized card, but I think this will be more fun for them, still it's a card with a personalized note from us inside, but they can cut it up and turn it into a birthday crown to decorate and wear!

I thought it would be fun to share: click here for the Birthday Crown Card. 

 A letter size sheet makes 2 cards. I recommend printing on colored cardstock, and then cutting in half longwise. (along the dotted line).

When they cut out the crown they will use the bottom strip to go around the back of their head, and tape it to fit. Instructions are included on the card!



ENJOY!


** I'm also sorry about the poor pictures. My camera batteries died during the photo shoot, and  I'd forgotten to charge the back up set. So these are mostly thanks to my phone. Alas.

Freebie Friday: Advent in 3 parts

This is a three fold freebie friday, which if I'd been on top of my game, I would have shared with you last friday. My apologies. I finished our advent yesterday. Here it is in all it's glory: and the best part of all: FREE. (if you don't count ink).

First off is the envelope. Find the printable template by clicking here.


My take was to use wrapping paper cut to letter size and CAREFULLY fed through my printer (the expensive thick kind works best, but I used cheap too and it works- but can get jammed in the printer too.) I ended up feeding only one sheet through and then stapling three more sheets under it (NOT inside the outlines of the envelope) and cutting out four at a time-which saved time and printer headaches. folded, and glued.

Second are the advent numbers. Find the printable by clicking here.


I used my 1 1/4 inch hole punch to punch them out- but they are an inch around in diameter (I just don't have an inch hole punch). Glued them to the center of the envelopes.

Third are the advent cards. Find the printable cards by clicking here.
 
These I tailored to my family and our traditions and beliefs. It was a last minute idea to share them. Each card has a scripture and an activity. The scriptures found on the advent include the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants (abbreviated D&C on the cards). All the scriptures I included are about Christ and/or his birth. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I believe in not only the Bible as scripture but also these other two books, and really they are all just wonderful scriptures. The list of activities are things that we do in December and so I just made them our advent. That way I fit in all our traditions, have a timetable and an advent too. I love it. It's a simple way to organize December for me. Feel free to use mine if you wish or to just take ideas to make your own advent cards.

enjoy!

Freebie Friday: Last Minute Thanksgiving

Sunday I volunteered to host Thanksgiving for my husband's family. (Our other option was Golden Corral.) So it's been a bit of a frantic week scrubbing my house and trying to figure out details. But I think I do better with the last minute pressure. It gets my mind working and I usually get more done. It doesn't work so well for sharing all the stuff I've been creating though. But, if you happen to be last minute like me, you can enjoy a free printable thanksgiving invitation, don't worry I sent mine out yesterday.

Click here for the Printable Invitation

I've also got a coordinating Thanksgiving Subway Art print. Last minute decorating is getting done. Just print, cut down to 8x10 (following the lines) and frame.

Click here for the Thanksgiving Subway Art

If you need some other last minute decorating ideas, you could try the leaf cut outs from last year (a little time consuming for last minute however)

Or frame the fall forest silhouettes found in part here and in my etsy shop here. 

Oh, and if you need a kid game try the fall memory game here. 

I'm still working on place cards. I want to make them both a favor box and a place card. Still working on how I want to accomplish that. But maybe next week I'll have some super last minute ones for you :)


Sunday I'm also guest posting on Whatever Dee Dee Wants so go check out some other coordinating last minute goodness :)





 



one more thing (I know a bazillion) remember the ABC Animal Poster giveaway ends Wednesday, so go enter to win a cute alphabet poster . . . think Christmas gifts . . . enter here.

enjoy!

Freebie Friday: Happy HOOlloween Cards

About 2 days before Halloween last year I needed some Halloween cards and designed these in an hour or so. I thought they were fun and simple, but it was so close to Halloween I didn't have a chance to share them. I don't think the owls are "in" as much as they were last year. But they are still festive and cute, right? Anyway, print on letter size white cardstock and cut in half to make two cards-then fold them in half.

Get the free printable cards here.

Enjoy!

Freebie Friday Bat Man shirt Pattern

In truth I wanted to do spiderman. The buddy has been finding spiders for me to kill, and then cleaning up the remains with tissue paper and then calling himself "spider man." This needed a spider killer shirt. But the buddy said, no, I want BATMAN! But I didn't want Batman. I wanted a spiderman shirt. Well, sometimes I have to remind myself that with unimportant things it doesn't matter what I want. (As a side note, I'm not super big on the super hero craze he's got going. I'm doing my best to discourage the four year old. FOUR. He's got years to enjoy them. But isn't he a little young? I think so.) Anyway, my evil plan was to put the bat in between the words BAT and MAN it wouldn't be so overly batman. right? Did it work?

Here's the simple tutorial:

Materials:
Pattern
fabric-black, purple (whatever colors you want)
heat 'n bond (found in the sewing notions section I think)
iron
scissors
T-shirt


Print out the "Bat Man Shirt" pattern. Cut out around each of the words and the bat.

Use your cut out paper patterns as a guide. Cut out three same sized peices of heat 'n bond.

Place the bumpy  (not paper) side of the heat 'n bond on to the back side of the fabric of your choice, iron on following the heat 'n bond instructions.

Cut out the bat and words-on the lines. I cut through the B and the A's so I could cut out the inside part as shown.

And use as a stencil of sorts. Draw around the words on the heat 'n bond. Make sure you turn the letters around backwards so that they will be the right way when you flip the fabric over.

 Cut out the fabric backed with heat 'n bond and peel off the paper. 

Position words on your shirt, and iron on

 

Wala. ..

Show it off!! enjoy!