My Christmas Wishlist

Every year my husband asks for my Christmas Wishlist and here is this year's list.  Did any of this stuff make your Christmas Wishlist?  Please tell me what is on your list! 

All links to Amazon are affiliate links.

1. Umbrella Ring Dish
2. Fuji Instax Camera and Film
3. Cards Against Humanity Game (Not to be played around children)
4. America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
5. Presto Electric Knife Sharpener
6. Weber Grill Light
7. An Illustrated Journey by: Danny Gregory
8. Creative Lettering by: Jenny Doh
9. Wrapables Silver Lining Washi Tape Set
10. Family Membership to Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS)
11. Butterfly Art by Todd McKamy (can be purchased through artist or at HMNS store)
12. Singer Rolled Hem Foot

Build Like A Girl

Okay, when I grew up NONE of the girl toys were exclusively pink.  It disturbs me what the toy aisle for little girls look like.  My Cabbage Patch doll didn't have an ounce of pink on her.  I also grew up playing a lot of boy toys, building, destroying, inventing, etc.  I think it's important to encourage our children to use their imagination.  I have found that my oldest son is so obsessed with how his Lego kits go together, he won't take them apart to build anything else with them.  It upsets me that he won't use his imagination to stray from the obvious, he's going to get a big box of Legos for Christmas without any instructions.

So, when I stumbled across this commercial (not getting paid for this at all) I had to share it.  I'm glad to see that there are toys that are being marketed towards girls that encourage building and engineering.  I don't have any girls, but I am probably going to keep some of these toys in mind when my two new little baby nieces are old enough for them.  I might even have to get one for my niece who is seven. 

I also wish this came in my size!  Take note GoldieBlox!  Moms who teach their children to build would like this sweatshirt in their size!!!

Ribbon Bookmark

The first round of ribbon bookmarks for teacher gifts turned out so wonderfully well, that for a friend of mine's birthday, I decided to make her one.  This friend of mine also runs the book club that I am a part of.  I also know that she doesn't have a totally awesome bookmark.  So I made her one.

These are so remarkably easy to make.  Ribbon, ribbon clasps in the same width as the ribbon (found in the jewelry section of a craft store) and whatever charms you want to attach.  I had to bounce to a couple craft stores to find the wider ribbon clasps, but so worth it!  If you can attach jump rings for the charms, you can do this project. 

Do you want to make your own yet?  I need to make one for myself.  I am terrible about making stuff that I keep just for me. 

My Birthday Wish List

I promised my husband that I would give him a wish list for my birthday.  I figured since most of it will be geared towards my artsy/crafty side, that I should share it here too.

This has to be the coolest pencil sharpener I have seen.  Since I have a hard time finding the little itty bitty ones that I get with pencil kits, this would be a great item to have on my art desk.

Kikkerland Camera Pencil Sharpener

I am a visual person and since I love to take things apart, fix them, assemble stuff, this would be a great look book for myself.

Things Come Apart: A Teardown Manual For Modern Living

Since I am on books right now, this one has caught my eye.  I am trying to get better at hand lettering and what better inspiration than a peek into the sketchbooks of people who are far better at it than I.

Typography Sketchbooks

 

I have been doing a bit of watercolor again.  It really is one of my favorite mediums to work with.  I discovered these great self-watering brushes (load water into the handle and squeeze for a few drops of water) from another artist and they are great!  There are some knock offs that aren't as good as the Koi brand ones.  I have the medium one and it's not quite large enough, so I wouldn't mind having a larger one.

Koi Watercolor Brush, Large

And the last thing that is artsy/crafty that I can think of is a variable temperature control for my soldering iron.  It's a 100 watt soldering iron which is far too hot.  It makes me have to work very quickly and that sometimes causes for a very sloppy look.  This would eliminate that and also allow me to work with a variety of solders, since some are designed for a low temperature.  

Inland MiniPhaser Temperature Control

And last, but definitely not least, I have seen some ideas on making your own washi tape, so I would love some white artist tape that is acid free that I can decorate myself with either pen and ink or watercolor. 

White Artist Tape

Is there anything you think I should add to my birthday wish list?  Anything I missed?  Any new products that I need to try?

Source for all photos: Amazon

Teacher Gifts: Round 3

Whew, third and final round of teacher gifts are complete!  You can put a fork in me, I'm done and ready for summer.

Maben has had three teachers helping him out this year.  The PTA had an awesome book where they asked each teacher to write down their hobbies, favorite stores, etc.  Well, they haven't updated it in a couple years so one of the teachers wasn't in there.  I did know for sure that two of the teachers listed reading as a hobby.  Hmmm...so I started looking for great gifts for people who like to read.  I stumbled across the idea of making homemade bookmarks out of ribbon and charms on pinterest. 

Sold!  I was doing that for all three teachers.  And they turned out amazing and were really easy to make.  Ribbon, ribbon clamps, cute charms and some jump rings.  That was it!

So, you think that's it?  Yeah, I'm a little bit of an over achiever and couldn't leave well enough alone.  Just so they knew exactly what these were for, I crafted a handmade journal for each to place the bookmark inside.

I will have to create a tutorial on how to do those.  They are so easy to do.  Okay, it's on my summer to do list.

I am putting these two gifts together with the Washi Tape Thank You Cards and calling it a day.  I hope Maben's teachers appreciate these as much as I appreciated them this year.

Showing this off at:
Not Just A Housewife: Show Me What Ya Got #122

More Gifts: Round 2

Not only did I make gifts for Colton's teachers, but I decided to make gifts for the Director and Assistant Director at the preschool.  Since it's a Christian preschool, I decided to make them each a stained glass cross that is approximately 6 inches tall.

Both of the crosses were cut from the same piece of glass.  I loved the swirls in the glass and strategically placed them so that it would look like rays of light when the sun shines through it.

Both ladies absolutely loved them.  What I didn't know is that they both collect crosses! 

Washi Tape Thank Yous

I have jumped on the washi tape bandwagon.  After looking around for a decent looking thank you card and coming up disappointed, I decided to make my own.  I feel that the teachers and aides in my children's lives need to know just how much they mean to not just my child, but myself as well.

The papers came from my scrapbook stash and the washi tape came on this giant assortment from Target in on a clearance end cap!  It was 10 rolls for about $3.  I hand wrote the, "thank you," on each card.  I plan on writing inside each one a personal note to the teacher/aide that helped my children this year.

I made coordinating envelopes for each Thank You card.  Washi tape, a stamp and one jewel sticker finished with a heart punch.

I feel that giving a gift is great, a personal one is better.  I also feel that saying thank you is great, but writing it is better.

I hope that my children's teachers will know how much I love that they are making a difference and I appreciate them, even if we don't always see eye to eye.  I'm excited to hand these over with hand made gifts starting this week.  Colton's teachers are up first as preschool lets out two weeks sooner than the elementary school.

What do you give to your teachers at the end of the year?  Do you ever write them thank you notes?

Showing this off at:
Sugar Bee Crafts: Take Look Tuesday 
Not Just A Housewife: Show Me What Ya Got #120

Artists Collaborating

For Valentine's Day, I decided that Maben and I needed to collaborate to make my husband's gift.  Maben has taken an interest in drawing.  He comes home with a lot of paper from school, covered in drawings of stick people depicting our family or Star Wars and lots of Angry Bird scenes.  I know most of these will find their way to the recycle bin, but I really wanted to save at least one.

So, I had Maben draw a picture of daddy and write out daddy as well.  He is growing up too fast, it's no longer daddy, just dad.

I took his drawing and glued it to a sheet of copper and cut it out with a jewelers saw.  I mounted it to a scrap block of zebra wood (oops, I meant marble wood) and now there stands, "Dad."  

It turned out amazing!!!  I have immortalized my husband through Maben's 5 year old eyes.  I can't think of anything more perfect.

I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day and leave you with one of my all time favorite quotes.

Marker Caddy

For those of you with kids, don't you hate it how your kids lose marker caps?  I swear I can sit there watching them color and they lose the caps.  This marker caddy fixes that problem and it is incredibly easy to make.

I got this idea from my grandfather.  He use to make them for all his grand kids and also use to sell them in craft fairs.  I made a few changes, his was round, I took the easier way out and just used a 2x4.

You will need a package of washable markers, E-6000 glue, a 9/16 inch HSS drill bit, an untreated pine 2x4, sandpaper and your choice of a non-toxic finish.  I used furniture wax. 

Cut your 2x4 down to 8 inches.  Use a ruler to mark off your spacing of where you will place your holes for the marker tops.  I made a template in Photoshop.  I am sharing it with you, but please only use it for personal use.   Drill, your holes where the lines cross.  Sand your wood to 220 grit.  Then apply your finish, making sure not to get too much into the holes.  Glue your markers in and let the glue cure for 24 hours. 

It's a very easy project that doesn't take very long at all.  I do them assembly line style and can knock out quite a few so I have some around when I get the last minute birthday invite.  I usually pair it with a drawing pad.

And best of all...no more lost caps!

Once a marker dries out, replace that marker and don't worry about the cap because it isn't going anywhere.  Just be aware that some small hands have a hard time snapping the marker down tight until the caps are broken in.  So at the end of a color session, just make sure all the markers are seated tightly in their caps so the markers don't dry out.

Linking up at:
Sew Many Ways: Sew Darn Crafty Linky Party
Sugar Bee Crafts: Take A Look Tuesday

The Gift of Glass

Each year, I like to make gifts for teachers, close friends and family.  This year I mass produced stained glass Christmas lightbulb ornaments that were given to teachers and my close friends.

I think they turned out great.  I used one of my Cricut Christmas cartridges to make the template.  I made 10 and gave away all but one.

I had to keep one to put on my tree.  I kept one of the aqua colored one and it looked amazing.  I love how textured glass catches the light.  On the left, no light bouncing off the front, on the right, how it looks when the light catches it.

I also tried making a paperweight for my mother-in-law.  For my first attempt, I was very proud of it.

The seashells and sand came from the beach that is a favorite of us both: Ridgevale Beach, Chatham, MA.  I used four different kinds of glass.  Clear with ripple, white and milk swirl, aqua with ripple and dark blue.  I cut enough glass to finish one for myself and plan on doing that soon.

Last Day of School and Teacher Gifts

Yesterday was Maben's last day of preschool (he went to two separate preschools).  He loved the preschool through the school system that he was a part of.  He really loved his teachers there and is a little sad he can't go all summer long.  Here is Maben giving me his best pose before we walk to school.

We took in his teacher's gifts today too.  They turned out so great!  We put together gardening baskets for his teacher and the two para professionals in his class. 

Each basket was contained inside a watering can.  It included flowers that Maben picked out from Lowe's, gardening gloves, a spade, a mini pinwheel, stained glass dragonfly made by yours truly :) and a handwritten thank you note.  On the outside of the note it said, "Thank you for helping Maben bloom and grow."

The dragonflies were a lot of fun to make and an original idea to put them on an eye bolt.  Now I need to make a few up for my garden!  Doesn't it look great hanging out amongst my chenille? 

Dammit Doll

Here is a great last minute Christmas gift idea for any sports fans out there.  It took me less than 30 minutes to make and that included making my own pattern for the doll.

I attribute the Dammit Doll to my grandmother.  I am not sure if she found it or made it first, but she is who I got this idea from and now I am sharing it with you.  So, if you are panicked in the middle of the season that I call, "The Christmas Crunch," (the two weeks prior to Christmas) feel free to whip up a few of these for any of those sports fans in your life.  I have a few of these made for various friends this year.

The poem attached reads:

When you want to climb the wall,
And stand right up and shout,
Here's a little Dammit doll
You cannot do without.

Just grasp it firmly by the legs,
And find a place to slam it.
And as you whack the stuffing out
Yell Dammit, Dammit, Dammit!

Linking this up at:

Origami Paper Boxes

I have always loved origami.  I can't even begin to tell you how many origami calendars I have had in the past.  So, when it came to needing to box up a few small gifts for friends, I turned to an origami box.  Not only is it a unique way to box up a gift, but definitely a money saving idea too!

I pinned the instructions on how to do this on my Pinterest board.  I ♥ Pinterest.  If you want to see what I am pinning, come check me out.