Cup Cozy Giveaway

You all know how much I love making cup cozies so I decided to do a giveaway just in time for the holiday.   I'll be making a bright and funky colored cup cozy to give away to one of my readers.

Just leave a comment here letting me know you want to be entered.  Tweet or blog about this giveaway and you get an extra entry (just leave an additional comment).
I'll choose the winner at random this Saturday.

These colors will be sure to brighten any dreary winter day.

Great gift ideas: Wee Wonderfuls

Ever since a friend made us this bunny I've been in love with Wee Wonderfuls.
After having so much fun making my own bunnies for family and friends I decided to make their Pointy Kitty.  I had a lot of fun making it and I hope the recipient loves it as well. 

Wee Wonderfuls have some adorable free patterns and even more patterns you can buy.  I love that their patterns are simple and easy to follow even for a beginner like me.  In not time you can whip up your own set of animals for the munchkin in your life.

A total mommy moment

I can't help it, maybe it's just me, but I love watching Garrett eat.

 

I just find it adorable, amazing and hilarious at the same time.  He's such a wonderful eater and he enjoys doing it himself.  He eats just about anything you give him and does so with such gusto. 

I love my little guy!

Going to McDonalds does NOT make me a bad mom!

I'm hearing so many parents today who say "my child will never eat that" or "we don't allow that kind of crap". Now I'm very careful with what my family eats especially since I'm a diabetic.  Our meals are balanced and there are lots of fruits and veggies.
So when Ben says "McDonalds tonight?" I don't have a problem with it.   Admittedly ours has a playspace and it's great for Garrett to run around and play (especially during the colder months in New England).
While visiting Western MA for Thanksgiving we got together with my friend  Ali and her husband and daughter.  We decided to meet at McDonalds since it has a play area. 

Putting shoes in the cubby

Garrett and Ro got lots of time to play and hand lots of fun while us parents got to chat.

"But you let him eat that stuff?"  Yes, yes I do.  We get him either nuggets or a burger and apple dippers.  He'll invariably reach for fruit before anything else. He'll even eat bits of my salad.  Garrett is a good eater, he's not picky and will eat just about anything set in front of him.  I'd be more worried if he never got a treat, never got to eat anything different. Maybe it's not a mommy perfect meal but he doesn't eat it all the time and certainly knows that McDonalds is a special treat.

So don't worry mom it's ok to go to McDonalds once in a while.  It's all about balance.

Family Fun Day: Enchanted Village/Jordan's Furniture

Family Fun, at a furniture store?
It's why we love Jordan's Furniture.  Different locations have different attractions.  One location has a Mardi Gras show every hour.  Another has a village made out of jelly beans, a dancing fountain and a trapeze school.  It's even fun just walking through their store and looking at everything.

We decided to go to the Enchanted Village.

The display used to be in Boston but the city had to sell it.  Jordan's bought it and keep it on display during the holiday season.   
The line was long but it moved.  I'd hate to think of how long it will get in the next few weeks. 

They've done an amazing job of restoring everything and making it look so realistic.  Garrett had a lot of fun watching the displays.

Every 10 minutes or so they'd have a machine go off and make "snow" (it was really just bubble foam) and Garrett found this amazing and hilarious at the same time.

We had lots of fun and like my other Family Fun Days we didn't have to spend anything on our adventures.

Great gift ideas: fused plastic

Plastic?  For a gift?  What about reusable bags, biodegradable and things that are safe for the environment?  You know that tube of plastic bags you have?  Well this is the perfect way to recycle them into something really cool.

I love the colors on this bag

Once it's fused the plastic gets very rigid.

There are tons of tutorials online or you could pick up a book such as Upcycled Accessories to get ideas.
I'm really enjoying working with plastic and coming up with funky creations.  One of my favorites is a purse I made for a friends daughter using the bag from our Halloween candy. 

You can even get more adventurous and add crayon shavings or confetti to your fused plastic to make different colors and pattern. 

Plastic bags are perfect for making bibs as well.  The best part is that you have all the materials at home and are reusing plastic bags in a fun way.

Upcycled gift bows

A few days ago a crafty friend of mine (who also happens to be Garrett's god mother) posted a link to a great DIY project for the holidays.   It isn't a gift, but a gift bow tutorial.  Not just any gift bow, but gift bows made from recycled magazine covers.
I had to try it.   It was fast and easy (2 things I love when it comes to getting things done for the holidays).   Here's my gift bow:

Instead of using a magazine cover I used a page from an advertisement I got.  It wasn't shiny but the paper was a nice weight and I love the jewel tones in the ad.   It took me about 10 minutes to cut, staple and then glue everything together.  Now I only wish I had more packages to make bows for.