Independence Day

Okay 4th of July is coming up in just another 2 weeks. Yay!  Time to find more fun crafts to keep the kids busy on their summer break.  So today I was looking up fun crafts for the kids to decorate the house for the 4th of July and I found a few other projects that they might enjoy also.  Here is one that I thought was easy for children and I really liked.

This one is the Sparkles Sparkler.  I found this project on the Merriment Design website.  It can also be found on the Daily Candy Kids website.

Supplies Needed:
2 Chopsticks (or 2 thin dowels)
Red, White, Blue, and/or Silver Ribbon and Party Garland
White 3/4" electrical tape
Scissors
Optional:  Personalize with Wooden Letter

For full instructions on how to make and manipulate this project visit Merriment Design website by clicking on the link.

Change this project up a bit by making them for birthday party's, decor at showers, center pieces for gatherings of all sorts.  Merriment Design says "This project can be easily adapted to making fairy and wizard wands, birthday party shakers or pom poms in your school’s colors."  So you can make this design even when the kids are at school.  Sounds like a plan to me. 
 
I can't wait to try this with my nieces.  I'm gonna post my own pictures of this project after my nieces make a few. 

Our Handmade Father's Day Gifts

Happy Father's day to all of you wonderful father's!

Today, was filled with lots of excitement and handmade gift giving. I celebrated Father's day with my wonderful brother and all this last week his wife, my nieces, and I have been getting our craft on with all of his gifts. Our day started out with my brothers daughters (my nieces) and I making my brother breakfast in bed. He was so surprised and really enjoyed his breakfast. After we all gathered in the living room, we had the girls start presenting their gifts. Starting with the homemade cards.

My brother use to have some aquariums and use to love them; unfortunately, after hurricane Katrina hit he stopped messing with all of his fish tanks and hasn't gotten any new ones yet. Then again he has his hands full with four beautiful little girls. The last two years I have come up with ideas for him to be able to have his fish tanks without having to worry about feeding the fish or cleaning the tank and the girls always help me put my ideas into action.

Last year we made an aquarium photo tank. We used construction paper, fish stickers, and a frame. Of course you can't forget your glue and scissors. Now I traced the different sea animals because I didn't have access to a printer at the time it was made but this project would be so much easier if you have a printer to print the animals. You also need the pictures to put in the middle of each animal. This would be best with the most recent photos.  To make it more special and personal, we added my sis-in-laws hand print in the middle with his four girls hand prints next to hers to look like sea weed.  This also serves as a special remembrance to look back on when the children get older.  You will always be able to remember how small they were just by looking at their hand print.  

This year we made a fish tank out of a pet carrier.  We printed photos of the girls and then cut them out of the shape of the animals instead of putting them inside of the animal.  We got real aquarium rocks and seashells.  We also added the construction paper to the background of the tank so to give it the illusion of water.  We also added the fish stickers again but no hand printed sea weed this year.  :'(

Well I hope you all enjoyed my projects and if you have any questions, please email me at jesstastic.creations@gmail.com.  Happy Father's Day!

GARAGE SALE!

Okay so all of you young married couples, single parents, or retired collectors, you all should go check out some of your local garage and/or yard sales. 

Today I went and was able to save a bunch on my decor for my (soon-to-be) living room.  Yay!  I have always loved garage/yard sales, but as a young kid I never knew that I could save so much.  I've loved my last few experiences with sales. 

These sales are also great if you are a "crafty" person.  Today my sister and I went and got 2 small buckets and  a cute bag to keep all of her stickers in.  She also got some sort of "grab bags" for my nieces for 5 cents.  How awesome is that?!  Last week we got 2 baby bikes, that should have sold for $44, and only paid $5 for each.  This bike has buttons (that you can't see in the picture) to "start" the bike, it sings, and teaches though different rhymes and other voice activities. 
I found the price for this bike here.  This is the EXACT same bike that we got for the my twin nieces.  Total bargain and I can't wait to save more when we go back again Next weekend. 

I can't wait to hear about your Garage Sale saving adventures so be sure to post and let me know about your experiences.

Cute Photo Magnets

Okay so I have been searching the internet for cute inexpensive Father's day crafts, since Father's day is this weekend, instead I came across some adorable photo magnets.  They look like Tiny Polaroid photos.  Now we all remember the days of the Polaroid camera's, right?  These look so cute and very unique.  Perfect for photos that you don't have any special frames for.  Make some magnets and stick them on the refregerator or on a metal door or mirror and look at them ever time you pass.  Then those pictures that you NEVER see (because they are always put up in the attic, basement, or other storage box) will become new conversation pieces to show family and friends when they come over. 

I found the information about these and the pictures on Ambrosia creative is Jennifer Kirk Graphic Designer's blog.  On Jennifer's blog you will find the full instructions on how to make these cute magnets and there is also a place to download the Polaroid layout that she used to make them.   

I hope you try these and let me know how they work for you. I am moving soon and I can't wait to put these cute little magnets up in my new home.

3D Father's Day Paper Craft from the Kids

Father's day is a very special day for all of our dads and sometimes can be quite expensive.  However, father's everywhere LOVE to get homemade gifts from their children.  Just like cards, kids can make other items too for there dad on this special day.  This item I'm talking about now is a craft that children ages 4+ will be able to make will adult supervision.

The Materials you will need for your child to make this are all very simple and inexpensive.

• printer
• paper
• scissors
• something to color with (if using the B&W version)
• hole punch
• string, thread, ribbon or wool
   
• Optional: thin cardboard

The full instructions are here at the DLTK's Growing Together website. Just click the link or go to http://www.dltk-holidays.com/dad/m3ddad.htm.  When finished, this would be a great project to hang up in dads favorite area to surprise him after he gets up from his breakfast in bed.  Ha, ha.  I hope you and all of your wonderful father's enjoy them too (I know they will).         : )

Spoil your Dad

Father's day is a special day to tell the most important man in your life to tell him that he is so very special to you. Instead of giving him that traditional shirt and tie gift for this day be creative. What better way to tell dad "I Love You" than with a homemade card from their child/children. The folded shirt card is creative, unique, easy, and fun to make. I found out about this shirt card on the Martha Stewart website.  Click on the link to go to the site and get full instructions on how to make this unique gift for dad. 

You can make these cards even more special and unique by adding extra special touches to them also. Adding real button with just a few threads in them will make these have a "real" look to them or adding a piece of material from dads favorite old shirt or tie that he can't or doesn't wear or doesn't want to wear anymore. Well I hope this will help with your card ideas for all of your dads. Enjoy!

Wedding Location

I'm so excited! I finally picked a place to have my wedding. A pavilion at Pelahatchie Shore Park. It's not a big place and its not very elegant but I will also have some decorations to add to the appearance. Also, nature is a great plus for adding a little style. The building is right on a lake and the view is so beautiful. The only down fall to this place is that I won't be able to reserve it until next year (2012). That won't be a big deal as long as I remember to call the first of the year. Hee, hee.  I have faith, though, because I have lots of people helping me to do what I need to do before the time gets here.

I have a few pictures that I found on the park website that I have posted to show you all what the area looks like.

I can't wait to Mrs. Jessica Marie Hackney Elam!