DIY Greeting Cards for Kids

We live in a fantastic neighborhood. The kind of neighborhood where everyone really does know your name and people look out for your house when you're out of town. I hope to live here forever and a day. 
All of our neighbors welcomed us with kind words and treated our little family as though we had lived here for years. I wanted to extend the kindness we felt to the newest members of our neighborhood. A sweet family with 2 adorable little girls. 
Because kids were moving in and I had a 2 year old to entertain, I decided to let Ellington make her own little welcome cards for our new neighbor friends.

This idea has endless possibilities. Simply choose a word or phrase and let your little one color away. By the way, the markers we used came from the Kiwi Crate that Ellington got for Christmas.

The only tedious part was cutting out the painter's tape. I just cut small strips of painter's tape and stuck them to a blank greeting card to create the word 'Welcome'. 

After Ellington announced that her coloring was complete, We peeled off the tape and were left with a colorful + FREE + personal + homemade 'Welcome to the Neighborhood' card for our new neighbors.

Towards the end of our little art project, Winsley woke up from her nap and wanted to join in on the fun. Of course, older sister Ellington couldn't resist "helping" Winsley color the envelopes to go with the cards.

If you need to create a quick note or greeting card or just want to waste a little time with your kiddos, this is a wonderful little project. Considering the cold weather headed our way, I'm considering preparing some thank you cards for Ellington and Winsley to color or maybe even DIY Valentines.
Tons of ideas! Now I just have to get everything prepared in case we're stuck inside all day because of the rain + cold weather.
Do you have a go-to craft for rainy days? Or maybe some kid friendly neighbor gifts? I'd love some more suggestions to add to my craft closet.

A little Sunday Giveaway!

Checking in on a Sunday to announce a fun giveaway put together by the lovely Chelsea, who blogs over at Lost in Travels - she's a blogger friend that is pretty awesome, so you should definitely check out her blog. In fact, this giveaway includes ladies that are all pretty awesome!

And on to the giveaway! Enjoy. 

The season of 'GO GO GO' is upon us, so why not GO in style? That's why I've teamed up with some very lovely ladies to give away one ONA Bowery Canvas camera bag, Little Miss Gee camera strap and a Starbucks gift card (because we all know coffee is needed when we go anywhere.) These are such great bags to carry all of your camera gear in without screaming 'tourist' wherever you go! Enter below for your chance to win and spread the word!

Lost in Travels // The Nectar Collective // Postcards from Rachel // Until Only Love Remains // Brachel Boulevard 

Perpetually Caroline // Lego House // Side Street Style // Daisy Bisley // Kimchi Sweet Tea

Mr. & Mrs. Foster // Found Love, Now What? // The Happy Type // Treasure Tromp // Home Sweet 'Homa

Oh the Places We Will Go

ONA Bowery Canvas Bag // Little Miss Gee Scarf Camera Strap // $10 Starbucks Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules

1. Open to all participants living within the United States.

2. Winner’s entry validity will be verified by me and if an entry proves to be invalid, you will be disqualified.

3. Giveaway ends on the 27^th of July at 12:00 AM EST. Winner will be chosen by Rafflcoptor and contacted by email no later than the 28^th of July. Winner has 48 hours to respond, if the winner does not respond, a new winner will be picked.

4. Lost in Travels is responsible for the payment and ordering of won items but not responsible for any packages lost in transit. 

Quick Notes from the Week

Dearest Winsley, 

I sure do love you and I think it's awesome that you have learned to flip yourself over. However, I would really appreciate it if you would kindly stop waking me up at all hours of the night to show off your new skills. 

LYMI, 

Mommy

Dear Mother Nature, 

I know I was complaining for the last few weeks about all of this rain, but you are now making me miss that darn rainy weather. This heat is just too much for me and my two little girls to handle. Can't we come to a happy compromise, so that I can enjoy the outdoors with my kiddos at some point during this summer. 

Thanks in Advance, 

Quinn

Hey Coconut Oil!

You are pretty much the best thing ever! I love that you are always up for anything (cooking, baby moisturizer, face wash). Just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate our friendship. :)

-Q

And because I love the way Jimmy Fallon writes his Friday letters. . .

Father's Day Ideas

Didn't we just celebrate Mother's Day? Sometimes I feel like we are celebrating a holiday every week! However, this is one of the holidays that really deserves to be celebrated. Father's Day is just around the corner (June 16th). Whether you're thanking your dad for not disowning you during those rough teenage years or giving your hubby a pat on the back for being a such a great dad to your little ones, here are two great ideas for Father's Day gifts from some very cute etsy shops:

I wrote about this incredibly adorable Etsy shop when I was hinting to my husband what to get me for Mother's Day. Rain from Cheeky Kumquat makes the most hilarious cards that I have seen in a while. Go check out her shop, you will not be disappointed!

I have seen a lot of these road shirts on Pinterest and you could certainly DIY your own, but look at what a great job they did on this one! The Blue Basket Shop did a fantastic job on this shirt. In fact, this is the ONLY item listed in the shop. I would say 'go check them out,' but this is pretty much it. If you want to get a t-shirt for the dad on your list that doubles as an activity for the kids and a back massage for dad, go buy this one now. I'm thinking I should get one for myself now. :)

Yeah, so I could only come up with two good ideas. It's hard to find a guy a good gift. 

Hope you find the perfect gift for your father / grandfather / husband / brother / uncle or whoever you are celebrating on Father's Day! :)

5 Teacher Gift Ideas || Guest Post by Susanne

Just a quick note and then I'll hop out of the way. I've invited a sweet friend + fellow blogger + teacher over to give some advice about teacher gifts. She has some great advice and there are many handy links to creative teacher gifts throughout this post. 

So, get your teacher appreciation gift(s) ready with these helpful tips and then go check out Susanne's incredible blog. She has quite the knack for interior design. In fact, Susanne's bathroom remodel was even featured on one of my all time favorite DIY blogs - Young House Love. 

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Hi! I'm Susanne from Tenth Avenue South. I blog about "making our house a home" but what I really spend most of my day doing is teaching 16 little ones how to read, write, and act politely. I'm a kindergarten teacher and I love what I do! There is something so magical about kindergarten and watching my students read and write their first words. 

That being said, it is tough, ya'll! When it is your job to mold a little one into the person they'll become, your day doesn't end when the school bell rings. But, it's the little things that keep me going... a beaming smile from a child reading his first sentence, a random hug just because, or a sweet little note telling me, "You rock!" 

With teacher appreciation week here, Quinn asked if I would share some of my favorite teacher gifts. So, without further adieu, here are my top five.

1. Make it Personal

At the beginning of the year, my "room mom" asked me to fill out a list of my "favorites." I can't tell you how much it makes me smile to receive a little something that I love! Diet coke & peanut m&m's make my day. Better yet, bring me a decaf skinny vanilla latte and I'll be your friend for life! There are plenty of fabulous ideas if you want to "jazz up" an everyday item: here + here + here

2. Books

Our school just held it's book fair and a few of the families generously bought books for our classroom! I can't get enough. Here are a few of my tried and true favorites: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane,  Pete the Cat, The Kissing Hand, and Stellaluna. {Creative Ideas: here + here}

3. Gift Cards

I know that gift cards seem generic, but I can't tell you enough how much we appreciate them! I spend WAY more of my own money in my classroom than I'd like to admit. I cringe a little each tax season when I hand over my envelope of school receipts. A gift card to my favorite store, restaurant, or spa is such a kind gesture... and makes me treat myself to something nice. There are some pretty precious pinterest ideas for personalizing gift cards! {here + here + here}

4. School Supplies

Teachers can never have enough hand sanitizer, crayons, or colored copy paper! Ask your child's teacher for a few needed items... I have a list ready on my website! :) Or, in most schools, you can donate to your child's classroom fund and your teacher can purchase the needed items at a discount and tax free. {Creative Ideas: here + here + here}

5. Handwritten Note

Most of all, a thoughtful handwritten note is the best gift of all. I adore my notes and drawing from my sweet kiddos, but a note or email from a parent telling me just how much I've made a positive impact on their child means the world to me. Last year, each of my students wrote why they loved me and made it into a book. I will treasure it forever! {Creative Ideas: here + here}

All in all, it is the thought that counts. Your little ones are always on our mind, and it is wonderful to hear that you appreciate us for it! See a few things my students gave me last year here. Thanks again for having me!

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Now go show Susanne some love on her blog Tenth Avenue South. Also, if you happen to be a teacher, Susanne has some very cute and useful products on TeachersPayTeachers. 

This Guy :)

Happy Birthday to one amazing guy!  Your birthday gift this year is another little girl to love you as much as Ellington and I do... although, delivery of this gift will be a little late. :)  Love You John!

Many Many Thanks

I missed last weeks post on who (or what) I was thankful for that week, so this will probably be a longer than normal post on the ol' blog... feel free to skip this one & come back tomorrow for something more interesting.

If I still have your attention, thanks for hanging in there.  This series is just a reminder to me to tell people how much I appreciate them.  You know... actually write them a thank you note & not just think about it (only to forget to follow through later because that's what happens when you're trying to keep a 8th month old from eating the dog food).  So without further ado, here are my 'thanks' for the last 2 weeks:

October 7th - Steve Jobs.  Do I really need to say why?

October 8th - Bennett Place.  We had so much fun there & it was all FREE!

October 9th - Pinterest.  It's one of those 'Why didn't I think of that?' ideas.

October 10th - Giselle.  A wonderful woman, sweet friend, & gracious host.

October 11th - Arrowroot Cookies.  They may be messy, but Elli loves them!

October 12th - Leslie.  If it weren't for this sweet girl, I would probably still be stuck in the house having conversations with an 8 month old.

October 13th - My mom.  Such a loving grandmother & a big help.

October 14th - My sister, Carney.  I don't even know why we brought the stroller to the fair... Carney held Ellington the entire time.

October 15th - My sister-in-law, Esther.  The only thing better than the free state fair tickets that she got us is if she was able to come with us.

October 16th - Rachel.  She is always so full of optimism & encouragement.

October 17th - Semi-Homemade Cooking by Sandra Lee.  Love her cookbooks & Love that everything is so easy to make.

October 18th - My cousin, Abbey.  She makes cooking look so easy!

October 19th - The Daily Show.  Laughter really is the best medicine. :)

October 20th - Whoopi Goldberg?  Yep.  She says what everyone else is thinking, but too afraid to say out loud.  Love her!

Thursday Thanksgivings

One of my resolutions (mentioned here) is to write more thank you notes to let those around me know how much I appreciate them.  Every Thursday I will post a list of who I thanked that week to keep myself from adding this task to my ever increasing list of 'I'll do it tomorrow'.

On the list this week:

Oct. 1 - FiberOne

What?  I can't be thankful for a granola bar?  I just thought this company deserved a little 'thank you' for making an extremely delicious fiber bar.  I have to admit that I ate an entire box in one week... by myself.  I am not very good at sharing tasty treats.

Oct. 2 - Anne Flint

Isn't this painting gorgeous?!  There are actually two of them that are now happily living in my living room.  One of my mom's amazing friends is lending them to our home for a little while.  Anybody else need us to 'store' their items in our home?  We would be happy to take any art / furniture off your hands or just borrow them until you know where they will live.  :)

Oct. 3 - Jessi Connolly

This amazing woman has encouraged me to be a better blogger and write like I am writing to my best friend (even if my mom is the only one reading).  Jessi writes for Naptime Diaries and has her hands in tons of other projects like her Etsy shop.

Oct. 4 - Melissa

Melissa is a sweet Durham friend who has a 'Mommy Group' in her home every week.  Some weeks, I don't know what I would do without these weekly visits that keep me semi-sane.  She is a blessing!

Oct. 5 - NoseFrida

As if I wasn't weird enough for thanking a fiber bar... The NoseFrida is a baby snot sucker.  I know, it sounds disgusting!  However, this little thing allowed me to sleep more than 2 hours at a time last night.  It's amazing & no, you don't actually suck out the snot (there's a filter).  This gadget works so much better than the bulbs to help clear out the noses of congested little ones!!  It has earned a place on my medicine shelf - right next to my Neti Pot.

Oct. 6 - Chock full o' Nuts

Last, but certainly not least is coffee!  This week (thanks to coupons & a sale ) Chock Full o' Nuts helps me wake up each morning.  I don't know how I could have survived this week with a sick baby and many sleepless nights without this tasty bean.  I just might be addicted. :-/

Who or what are you thankful for this week?  Do you think I am a super weirdo for using and thanking NoseFrida?  Are there any items that you couldn't live without this week... like COFFEE?