Turn Your Kids Art into an Embroidery [DIY]

I'm so excited to share with you today one of my recent projects. The idea came to me out of the blue and although the craftsmanship needs a little work (I'm still learning) I am so pleased with how it turned out.  Better yet? Since the project was based on a drawing my son made, he was able to present this gift as his own but with materials that will likely last much longer than a piece of paper. #winwin

[Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to products you can use to make this project. Purchasing through these links earns me a small comission at no extra charge to you, which allows me to bring you more new content! Thank you for supporting my blog.]


I have been bitten by the embroidery bug... HARD. I was so excited to begin that I had all these great ideas for projects in my head without really slowing down to learn what to do first (oops). So please don't judge my stitches as they are not perfect and probably not done the "right" way.  They are however full of so much love and it turned out wonderful in the end.



Want to know how to turn your child's work of art into a long-lasting embroidery design?  It's super easy.  Here's how:



FIRST: Have your child draw a design.  I asked my son (4) to draw a photo for his mamaw (my mom). He opted to draw a photo of her with her name at the bottom. [and some other letters and his name because he got excited.]

NEXT: Gather the rest of your supplies.  You'll need a fabric to embroider on.  Muslin or Osnaburg are common ones but really anything with a fairly tight weave that you can still push a needle through works great. Do a litle research to see what's best for your project.

You'll also need DMC floss (embroidery thread), a needle, scissors, an embroidery hoop and a pencil.

TO TRACE the artwork, tape the paper up to a window with lots of sunshine (or anything else that light shines through).  Then tape your fabric on top.  Using your pencil, simply trace your design.

[What I learned: If possible, have your child draw in a dark color. The light blue/green was hard to see through the fabric.  Also- the more they scribble, the harder it's going to be to trace.  Just do the best you can and create an outline, leaving "holes" where there is empty space in the photo]

and once traced...

I moved down the "W" from his original drawing because he kept writing an "M" and then writing another and another until he got it the right way. (because Mamaw ends with a W) but I wanted to use his actual handwriting.  I also left out the extra letters and his name to keep the design crisp and focused on his original drawing.



NOW START EMBROIDERING! Start with an outline and fill in after that. I wasn't really sure how to space my stitches in something like this (since his original lines may have spanned her head to her feet!) but I think it turned out fairly well.

I kept the original drawing next to me so that when I came upon a "hole" I could figure out how the original lines went to keep it closest to the drawing.  It's a little bit off, but again- I'm pretty proud with how it turned out. I feel like the essense of the drawing is still definetly there.

My son gave it to my mom on Christmas and she loved it.  He is proud that his drawing is now framed and can last for years to come in a fun new way.  I'm excited to have actually finished a project and be on my way to learning something new. I couldn't have picked a better project to begin my journey with (this one and another for my cousin were my first, both done this Christmas).

I'd love to see a photo of the drawing you'd love to embroider.  I have a few more of my "favorites" that I'd like to maybe put on a tote bag or something for myself! This would make a GREAT gift for Valentine's/Galentine's Day or for upcoming Mother's Day! Feel free to share your dream project or your completed one on our facebook group or tag Cut, Craft, Create on Instagram in your DIY post!

"Favorite Things" Christmas Ornament

I love Christmas. I love the spirit of it, the magic that just happens to come with the season. I love how time seems to slow down (even when we are rushing around) and the extra time with family.  I also love being able to create yearly traditions that help me hang on to these memories for just a little longer.  Last week you may have seen me talk about our Christmas Eve Boxes,  which always include a (usually DIY) ornament highlighting something special that happened to that child in the last year ("firsts", big events, etc.). For example: my son's 'first flight' (blog post) or my daughter's "first flight" & "first trip to the ocean" (facebook video post) ornament. These are special ornaments that they get to take with them with they grow and move out, starting their own family tradiations.


[Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to products I used for this projects. Purchasing through these links earns me a small comission at no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting me blog.]



This year I couldn't think of what to do for my daughter's ornament.  She did so many of her big "firsts" last year and although she changed a lot this year, it wasn't anything I could make into an ornament theme.  So I opted for a "my favorite things" theme.  It was SO easy to put together, I wanted to share it with you all!

Let me start by saying that although I run a craft blog, I'm really not artistic in any way. I don't draw or paint or sculpt or anything like that so drawing designs on shrinky dinks and cutting out shapes with felt is not something I'm naturally gifted in.  So if you are like me, fear not- you can still make this and it'll turn out just fine.  Let's begin:


First, you need to get a clear ball ornament. They come in round or flat and a variety of sizes but that link is a good place to start.  I got mine at Michael's Craft Stores for a steal (you can buy them individually there)

Next, pick up some Shrinky Dink material and a pack of Sharpie markers. Draw your designs. I like to use the "crystal clear" Shrinky Dinks because they are see-through and it's so easy to trace your design (you know, if you have 0 artistic skill like me!) I traced the bird from my daughter's favorite book: Are You My Mother so that it actually looked like the book.

Remember that you need to make your design 3x bigger than you want it to end up.  The colors will also darken up a lot as it shrinks, so don't worry when it looks like it's barely showing up.  For my 'book' I creased the shrink material before cooking and then right when it came out of the oven I lifted one side off the pan (with a spatula) so that it had that open book look.

I also made some regular shrinky dink shapes:

There were a few things that I felt I couldn't make in shrink plastic so I made them out of felt.  This gave them a more dimensional feel, which is perfect for her beloved bunny and her baby doll(s).  Okay and a truck because I felt it was more forgiving than a drawing!

Felt is perfect for adding a little dimension.  I thought about stuffing the bunny but opted not to.

Once all your parts are made, it's time to put together your ornament.

First things first, MAKE SURE YOU BOUGHT PLASTIC.  Some are glass so please do not try to cut a class bulb with an exacto knife.   Draw a line around the bottom of your ornament in the size you'd like cut out.

I'm so sorry for the photo quality. As always, my house has terrible lighting and I was making this in the middle of the night!  Next, carefully cut on the line you drew with an exacto (utility) knife.

Cut it all the way off and throw away the extra piece.  Next, grab whatever you want to use as your bottom piece. This will depend on the size of bulb you purchased. You could even just use a piece of cardboard you've cut into a circle if you wish.  I used an old mini Play-Doh lid.  Paint and let try.  If you love glitter, add a little sparkle like I did!

I need to do a little touch-up on mine. Some paint came off when I lifted it off the paper to dry the glitter!  That's what happens when you try to get everything done in less time than it actually takes to make.


Finally, glue any pieces you want standing/stationary onto your bottom piece.  Then glue your globe on top.  Drop in any moveable pieces into the top hole (or carefully lay them on the inside before you glue the globe part on).

I opted to have most pieces stationary but have a few small pieces (glasses, water and a couple colored beads) able to move just for fun.  I'm considering adding some "snow" inside of it as well that can shake around but haven't decided for sure if I want to or not.

That's it!
What would your child's ornament be?  Something special from the year or a "favorite things"?  You could use this same globe idea for a 1-themed ornament as well or make it a mash up like we did!  Merry Christmas and happy memory making!

Christmas Eve Boxes [Stuck On You feature + Giveaway]

It's December!!! It's December!!! I'm so excited to share with you maybe my favorite holiday tradition (and we have quite a few!)  We do it every year and it's not only simple but makes for years of special memories that we get to relieve every time we decorate the tree.

You're going to want to start this with your family this year, I know it!  It's the Christmas Eve Box and it can be customized any way you'd like, but I'll let you know how we put ours together:


[Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Stuck On You but all opinions are ideas are my own. Giveaway voucher is a gift from Stuck on You to one lucky winner chosen at random by Rafflecopter.com]

The concept is simple: Create a box for each child in your family.  Let them unwrap this "gift" on Christmas Eve.  They'll be excited about opening a gift early and they can wear their jammies that night!  Here's what (and why) I include in our boxes:

1-Pajamas.  Usually a "christmas" or winter theme, something that they'd look super cute in on Christmas morning!  I've never gotten my kids matching ones but this year I knew they would love it because they love their other matching outfits that they own.

2-Books.  Books are so very important to our family and my kids adore reading. I always include a Christmas themed book inside their boxes.  We are all excited to crack the book open and read it together that night. This year I changed things up a little and included two extra special books for my kids.  For my daughter, a custom book with her name in the story and for my son a wipe clean activity book to use in the car as we do all of our holiday traveling.

3-Special Ornament. Every year I (usually DIY) an ornament based around a "big event" that happened to them that year. In the past I've done things like: 'first trip to the ocean/beach", "first flight", "becoming a big brother", etc.  This year I highlighted my son starting preschool and since my daughter reached several "biggies" in her first year of life, this year we opted for a 'favorite things' theme instead.  *keep an eye on the blog next week and I'll detail these a little more*

[His actual ornament has a vinyl logo of his preschool on it but I changed it here for privacy reasons!]

I'm so excited for the kids to open their boxes this year.  I also really like that my daughter is going to finally have her own name book.  Her brother has several of his own (we're big fans) but this will be her first.  There aren't a lot of good Christmas ones out there and this one is absolutely perfect.  Here's why:

1. I LOVE the messages within the story.  I chose The Christmas Deer and it tells about all the different reasons that Christmas is important to the different animal characters. It covers a wide range of reasons including music, food, time with those we love, Santa and baby Jesus.  I love this because no matter who receives this book, they can find something that they connect with.

2. It also includes the child's name within the book multiple times.  It's not just slapped on the cover but worked within the story.

... it also includes the name (front) and date (back) of the book so it can be preserved in their memory box if you wish!

3. It comes with an activity book!  I'll be honest- I thought this was attached to the book at first and I wished the book just came by itself (my daughter is still a little young to do the activities) but when I realized it was separate, I was thrilled! I can either save it for her when she gets older, or give it to my son to do now.

[The coloring pages are perfect for my daughter though!]

Counting, coloring, mazes, puzzles, spot the difference and even craft projects are all including in this little workbook!  How darling is this?!

My only complaint about the book is that I wished it would come in more "neutral" options.  Of course they need to know "boy or girl" for the "s/he" references in the book but I don't love that it has to be pink for girls and blue for boys.  My daughter does love pink, but not all do.  However, the Santa Town story book is set in more neutral tones for someone who is really looking for that, so I love that they do have that option available.

No matter what you choose to put in your Christmas Eve Box, make it special for your little one(s).  We've only got 18 years  (or so) to make memories like this, so let's make them count.  Psst: These Christmas books are even on sale right now on their website, so you can get custom books for way cheap!  Order by December 7 to get your book in time for Christmas!

How about we give away a $40 voucher to shop at Stuck on You?! You can get yourself TWO personalized books with that!!!  Just enter to win using the widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What would you put in yours?

DIY Wooden Work Bench

You may remember me saying that my husband and I are big fans of giving one large gift for Christmas over a million little things.  Most of the time, we try to make this gift handmade.  Why?  It's just something we value and let's be fair... handmade quality is far superior to crappy store quality.  Last year, my husband not only made a gift that my son loves but also held memories for himself.  He recreated a work bench almost identical to the one his father made for him as a child.

[Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing through these links earns me a small commission at no extra charge to you. The products listed are similar to the ones I used in this project. This helps to fund future projects to bring your more DIY content!  Thank you for supporting my blog.]

Little ones love to build and create things. It's just part of being little.  We as adults, should encourage this because it helps them with their fine motor skills, problem solving and imaginative play (among other things).  There are some plastic work bench toys on the market such as this one and this one (a cheaper alternative) but if you are anything like us, you might want to build one yourself.

Here's a peek at the original bench that my husband owned as a child:

 

Ahh he's so little and cute!  It's also totally clear where our daughter gets that blonde hair!  My husband used this picture and what memory he had of it to build our son (our daughter enjoys it some now too as she gets older) his own for Christmas last year.  We set it out right next to the tree so that it was waiting for him on Christmas morning.

We put some peg hooks on the pegboard and hung up his hammer, which he already owned.  The toolbox was a gift that he received the day before from grandpa, which was filled with real tools of his own, such as a wrench, a level, a mini measuring tape, a plastic putty knife, some pliers, a carpenter's pencil, these adorable mini sized screwdrivers and more.  It's easy and fairly inexpensive to stock up on some basic tools and they really do have a lot of "real" tools in compact sizes- perfect for little hands!

Yep... he even got his own little hacksaw and vice.  This should go without saying- please use your judgement on what your child is capable of. Our son was very familiar with tools and tool safety so he knows how to use this tool without harming himself or others.  Our daughter is still too young to be trusted with it so it's put out of her reach when he's not using it or when she is around.



I can't tell you exactly how it was made but it's a simple shape made from wood pieces and a pegboard backing.  You can make it as fancy or as basic as you wish.  Since my husband was using his childhood work bench as inspiration, he made it look like that.  We love the simple wood look to it.

As you may have guessed, it was a hit!  When it got warmer out, we moved it into the tool shed so that our son can work at his work bench while my husband works at his own.  It's very cute to see. (I should probably come back and add a photo of that later- the downfall of writing blog posts at 11 at night is that you can't take last minute photos!)

What do you think?
Do you believe in giving "big gifts" at Christmas/holidays too? Do you ever DIY them?  If you have a little "maker" and "builder" in your life, you should whip them up a work bench just like this one! It's easy but makes for a lifetime of memories.

The ONLY gifts for babies & toddlers you'll need this Christmas!

I've had lots of people ask my opinion about kid's toys and Christmas gifts.  I'm not sure I'm the most knowledgeable source on the topic but I do know two things:

1- I know that I (and most parents) don't want a billion toys lying around the house. They get left everywhere and more importantly, kids don't really care about most of them.  This brings me to my next point...

2- I know what toys my kids like.  Every kid is different but I think there are general types of toys that seem to be "winners" across the board.  There are also toys that are good for kids because they teach life skills, motor skills and encourage imaginative play.

[Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing through these links pays me a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps me to continue bringing you new blog posts & stay home with my babies. Thank you for your support!]



Gifts for Babies:

{Photo credit: Shania Bordner}

Let's be real.  Babies don't need a lot, but everyone insists on buying them things anyways.  Put these items on their Christmas list and make everyone happy.


1. Wood Blocks

This is #1 on my list for a reason. These blocks are perfect for little hands to pick up, roll and stack. They are made of a soft wood and safe paint so baby can chew on them.  They come with multiples of each letter and number so baby can learn and you can use them for photo props! Blocks are also a Montessori type toy so your baby isn't going to "grow out of" playing with it for years and years. Similarly, Stacking Cups are perfect for helping babies learn colors, shapes and fine motor skills- and they cost less than a cup of coffee.



2. AlphaPup

This toy is a little more electronic without being too stimulating for little minds (read more about delaying screen time here). It's also a personal favorite in my house. My son received this for his first birthday and 2 years later STILL loves it! My 9 month old is currently obsessed with it. Why do I love it? Alpha pup is teaching letters and sounds without any electronic visual stimulation.  It's also says very cute things ("E is for Elephant *elephant sound* Elephants have a funny bark!") and can be pulled behind your child like he is being walked.



3. Books

I am a big believer in the power of books. Reading to your child from the beginning is critical for language development, exposes them to visuals, encourages imagination and is a perfect opportunity for snuggles! Although all books are good, I've become obsessed with Usborne Books, (link to my consultant's wesbite who I buy from) especially for little ones. Their "That's not my" books are the best sensory books out there because the "textures" are LEGIT.



4. Clothes & other things they "need"

{Get matching clothes to make it even more fun!}


Some people *cough cough my dad* can't help themselves and buy toys even when told not to. However, babies are the ideal age for this because they don't realize what this whole "gift" thing is all about. Seriously, my 3 year old enjoys opening gifts but still said that all he wanted for his birthday was "candles" (on the cake) Take advantage of this while you can. I'm putting a fitted sheet on my daughter's Christmas list.



5. Basic puzzles.

Hear me out: I'm not talking a 20 piece puzzle here, I'm talking a Melissa & Doug Mini-Puzzle Set (we have a few of these, they are our personal favorite) or something similar. Something that baby can easily pick up and learn the animals, shapes, etc. and start to practice hand eye coordination. They also come in a great storage box that travels without spilling!  Magnetic Puzzles are also awesome for babies & toddlers and can become a "refrigerator" toy too! Disclaimer: Both puzzle suggestions have small pieces so babies do  need to be supervised when using them.



Gifts for Toddlers:

{Photo Credit: Shania Bordner}

1. Books

Do I need to repeat myself? Besides the obvious classic reading books, search and find books are awesome because they get your child thinking, are perfect for car rides or other times that you can't be reading to them and I like to use them to prompt my toddler to make up his own story using elements from the page. Very First Book of Things to Spot is my personal favorite for this age group (links again to my Usborne Consultant's page) If you have an older toddler or one who loves to learn, you can't have enough Preschool Activity Books. Just pick up a handful of them (only a couple bucks each) and stock up!



2. Imaginary Play Items.

This can be superhero costumes (inexpensive and tons of options), Workbench & Tools (under $20 for the whole thing!) or the favorite at our house, a Play Kitchen *this is not the play kitchen we own. My husband DIY ours. I'll link the post as soon as I write it up! But this one has great reviews!*

Let be elaborate on the play kitchen. It is THE. FAVORITE. TOY. in our house. It is played with by my 3 year old and 9 month old constantly through the day. I love watching my son play out things he sees us doing in the real kitchen (he washes his grapes in the sink y'all. And pretends the water is too hot...it's adorable.) I also love that you can have one stationary item full of other smaller items. It allows for lots of different play with one big storage box for it all! My favorite play kitchen items that I would recommend are the Melissa & Doug Grocery Cans (way more sturdy than any others I've seen), the Melissa & Doug Cutting Fruit (or really any of the food that "cuts" apart), the Melissa & Doug Stand Mixer the Melissa & Doug Stainless Steel Pots and Pans and the Melissa & Doug Ice-Cream. Uhh, I didn't realize that all my favorites were M&D until just now. I might have an addiction. 

Learn how to DIY a custom apron for just a few bucks & in just a few minutes in this post.



3. Little People

It doesn't matter which ones, they are all amazing. The size is perfect for their hands and they open themselves up to a whole world of imagination and story telling. Some of my son's favorites are the Camper, the School Bus and the Photographer & Police Officer people. But we also have barns and tractors and a few dozen animals that he loves as well.  Bonus: Babies love these too so if you have more than one kid- dual gift!



4. Anything Creative

Some kids like drawing, some like painting, some like directing stories, some like creating music. Whatever your kid is into- find something that gets them involved in that creatively.  If they like to draw or paint, pick up an Easel (3 in 1) or simply stock up on Markers (40 pack!) and paper. If you're feeling creative, make a DIY Dry Erase Table! If they like creating stories, get them a Puppet Theater of their own!  If they like creating music, start them out with their own Toddler Drum Set, or Keyboard Playmat.


Thoughts?

There are lots of random toys I could tell you about but nobody wants me chattering on and on and on and on and... oh- what was I saying? Really though, this Christmas (or whatever holiday you might be buying for) consider getting toys that aren't just going to wind up in the never-ending toy pile. Find items that the child isn't only going to play with but something that will help them learn and grow, use their minds and imagination, interact with others and learn about who they are and what they like. That is the best gift you can give a child.

I hope this list was helpful for those who have wanted my opinion. If you or your kids have a favorite toy or gift, share in the comments below!