Primary Song Memory Game

Now that my daughter is getting older, I have been wanting to come up with good Sunday activities to help her better distinguish Sundays verse other days. She loves the game Memory so I thought a Primary Song Memory game would be fun. So far she is loving it.

Print the attachments on cardstock and then glue to cute scrapbook paper. Try to choose scrapbook paper that won't make matches obvious. I chose a pattern that had shapes that were random.

Memory Game Page 1

Memory Game Page 2

Noah's Ark Quiet Book Page

Awhile back, I posted a link on how to make animal puppets.  Today I am sharing a pattern for making a Noah's Ark Page for a quiet book. My book is 8" by 8".

Cut out the pieces for Noah. I had "dress" piece in orange and red. A belt in yellow. Two pieces of red for the vest - which matched the other red dress piece so it would look like a robe. Use whatever colors you would like. I waited until I had all of the pieces sew together before I did his hair. Sew his face on, and then do the hair so that the hair on the back of his head will cover the stitches.

Noah Pattern.



For the ark, cut out the boat pieces (there are 3) and then 3 windows (I chose to do grey).

Ark Pattern

30th Birthday

30th birthdays can be hard for some people; I made this fun little birthday kit for one of my friends 30th birthdays.

"Now that you're 30 (and a mom), you may find yourself wondering where the years went.
In case of emergenc, the items in this kit can make you feel young again."

There are so many options of things you can include in this kit and even specialize it to the friend you are giving it to. I thought Target was helpful in coming up with items, but really you can shop anywhere or use several different stores. 

I had one item for every category.

Slumber Party Ideas:

• Sleeping face mask
• Fleece blanket
• chick flick and popcorn
• new pjs

Give yourself a makeover:

• favorite makeup products (mascara, eye shadow, etc).
• Nail polish with nail files
• body spray
• Hair accessories

Play dress up:

• Fun socks
• jewelry
• hair accessories
• gift card to a clothing or jewelry store

Have girl time (this category may have overlap with the other categories so either don't include it or use an item you haven't used yet).

• magazine
• book
• chick flick
• nail polish
• hot chocolate and mug
• brownie mix

When all else fails eat chocolate:

• include favorite candy bar
• bow of chocolates

Printables:

 Jpg version
Pdf Version

Family Picture Outfits

The outfits you choose for family pictures can set the mood for your pictures.  Even though it can be stressful, expensive and overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be! I am definitely not an expert on this, but today I am sharing a couple of tips that have helped me as I plan what my family wears for our pictures.   

Picking a color scheme
There are so many wonderful sites that can help you find what colors work together.  A couple of great sites are: 

• *http://www.kristendukephotography.com/inspirational-artist/ I love this one! This site gives you ideas of color schemes that go well together.   
• *http://www.kristendukephotography.com/category/what-to-wear/
• She also has some great posts that are organized by color so you can get ideas of what items to piece together.  
• *https://color.adobe.com/  Janey introduced me to this site! You can choose a color and it will show what colors compliment the color you chose. 
• *Pinterest is a great site to use! Pins like this one https://www.pinterest.com/pin/423690277422279448/ are great for giving you ideas of cute ways to wear the colors you choose.

Choosing Outfits 
Don't be afraid of using colors, layers and patterns.  They can all add great depth and fun to your family pictures!

I always look through our closets and pick at least one outfit that someone already has and then plan around that.  This helps you find a color scheme and also helps you save money. The first time Janey did our family pictures I already had a dress I really liked for little C so we used that and planned the rest of the outfits around it.  The colors were bright and fun! This was especially nice, since that particular fall the colors weren't super bright so we stood out with all of the brown. If the fall, had been luscious with color these bright colors may not have worked. 

For our most recent family pictures in May I was really liking the coral and navy theme.  I already had a fun coral necklace and I had a cute coral dress for little C. We had decided last fall that we wanted to do pictures in the spring, so I had a long time to look for color schemes and outfits.  I love to find good deals anyway, but for family pictures I always try to get good deals shopping clearance and sales.  It’s takes a little time, but in the end I always end up saving enough that it’s worth it!  It helps too if you pick your color scheme ahead of time. Plan a budget for your outfits and stick to it! With all the green at the park we went to, the colors we picked worked great and stood out. We love how they turned out!

Once you get your outfits all together, send a picture to your photographer so they can see what you’ve planned.  It can help as you plan where to take your pictures.  You want to stand out so location can be such a big part, since you don't want your outfits to clash or blend in with the background. The photographer can help a lot with this, but as you pick a location you will need to keep this in mind so there are a lot of places within the location to pose.

       

As Janey said in her post earlier this week, family pictures can be hectic, but they don't have to be.  Hopefully some of these tips we’ve shared will help you plan for your family pictures and make it an enjoyable experience!

5 Family photography tips

Summer and fall are some of the most popular times to get family pictures. Schedules are more flexible. The colors are beautiful. Weather is more predictable. Today, we are giving some helpful tips to make sure you get amazing family pictures!

(Note: I am not trying to endorse my work but I will use my photography to help show examples)

1. Chose a photographer that YOU like.
Every photographer has a different style and it's so important you pick a photographer that uses a style you like. A photographer can be a fantastic photographer but if they don't shoot or edit in the style you like there is a good chance you will not be happy with the photos. Extensively check out their portfolio. You can look at all of their photos but specifically check out the family photos (since that's the kind of pictures they will be doing). Many photographers specialize in a certain area and just because you love their newborns doesn't necessarily mean you will love their family photos. Make sure you check out the editing as well do they did to have warmer tones to their pictures or brighter or more vintage and make sure they do what you want.

You also want a photographer that has a personality you can work with. If your personality clashes with the photographer, it can be hard for you to communicate what kind of pictures you are wanting.

If there are certain poses you want, be sure to ask! Most photographers will be willing to try out some of your ideas to make sure you get what you want.

2. Chose a location best for your family.
Families often will ask me where they should get their pictures done, I hate to choose the location for people since I don't always know what they are looking for, but I often give them a few suggestions providing a couple of different types of scenery. It doesn't hurt to ask your photographer if they have any favorite locations to shoot at and have them give you a couple of places to chose from. Chose a location that you love or goes with the chosen outfits or something to help describe your family.

This couple wanted to take advantage of the beautiful falls here and we found a park with lots of leaves and multiple trees in different colors.

While some chose to use nature as their backdrop others prefer to show off their city.

Any location can be great, as long as it works with your family. A location with few distractions is often best to keep the family focused.  If you have little kids, try not to pick a place that is too distracting for them. Parks are great, but if it's right next to a playground you might have a hard time keeping your kids where you want them for the pictures. Beaches can work great for some kids, but for others they may just end up wanting to play and get wet and/or dirty.

It's also a good idea to have a location that will have several different backdrops. I love places that have a couple of "good" areas so the pictures can have variety without changing location.

3. Time of Day
Timing of the day is important to avoid shadows and squinty eyes. Obviously, a cloudy sky is best but since you can't plan your pictures around the weather the next best thing is the time of day. I like to shoot a couple of hours before sunset. Fortunately, you can google this and find out when sunset will be for your city and exact date. A couple of hours before sunset is ideal, since the sun is less intense and with it setting soon you get less sun in people's eyes.

If evening doesn't work, morning is also great. I try to avoid shooting between 11-2 since the sun is the strongest at this time. If you have to shoot during the late morning or early afternoon, find a location with a lot of shade  (enough shade that you won't have shadows).

But it's also important to pick a time of day where your family will be most happy! If your kids are cranky in the morning, morning may not be your best option. :)

4. Outfits
Kim will talk more about choose an outfit, but I wanted to point out that you can have great outfits chosen but if they don't go with the location you chose the pictures won't turn out as well as you hope. I generally like to go with bright colors for pictures, but if you have a location that has a lot of bright colors then neutral colors can look just as good.

This family went with grey and blacks but since there was so much color behind them it worked great!



This family went with white and lighter colors, but since the green was so vibrant it worked so well!



5. Have Fun!!
Let's face it, family pictures can be stressful. I always stress about finding the right outfits and location and then hoping my daughter cooperates for the pictures! But it's also important to be relaxed and have fun. I think the best pictures are the pictures where the whole family is easy going about everything and just having fun. The whole family is more relaxed, including the mom. This helps since there is less stress but you can also get some cute candid photos! Enjoy your time with your family and your photographer!

Burp Clothes

I love sewing and love being able to make baby presents for people. These burp clothes make great gifts, and I have gotten several compliments on them as well.

Download the patterns below for the burp clothes. I like to use the pattern on a paper bag since it's a sturdier material.

Buy flannel fabric (you can probably buy cotton but I like the softness and the absorbency of the flannel.) I generally buy 1/2 yard in several fabrics and then mix and match the fabrics, you will need at least 1/4 yard of fabric to make the burp cloth.

Cut your fabric.

Put right side fabric together.

Pin the fabric together.

Sew around the burp cloth, leaving enough of a gap that you can flip the fabric ride side out. Sew with a 1/4 inch allowance, or as close to the edge as you feel comfortable.

Once you finish sewing, flip the fabric ride side out.

At this point, you have two options. 

1. You can sew around the burp cloth, sewing the gap together, but also giving the burp cloth a nice finished stitch.

2. Hand stitch the gap closed.

For this project, I chose option 2.

 

(This is a good tutorial on doing a hidden stitch, and easier to see then from my pictures.)

Now you have a finished burp clothes. These burp clothes are seriously so easy to make and so practical.

Father's Day Coupon Book

Do you need a quick and easy Father's day gift? 

This year my kids are giving Jeff this fun coupon book.   They came up with some of the ideas on their own and I helped with a few others. This is the perfect gift for young kids to give to their dad or grandpas. And it couldn't be any easier, since most of the work is already done for you!














Just print out the free PDF's below.  Then cut them out and put them in an envelope.  You could hole punch them and tie them together with string if you'd like.    
















Father's Day Coupons page 1 
Father's Day Coupons page 2
Father's Day Coupons page 3





Happy Father's Day!

All images used on the coupons came from clker.com

DIY Animal Puppets

My daughter loves animals. These animal puppets are easy to make and she loves them! We have them in our quiet book for our Noah's Ark page, but they are also just as fun by themselves. I have also used these as gifts!

Materials:

• Felt Scraps (the colors will depend on the animals you chose and what colors you do for the animals)
• Needle and thread (ideally matching the felt)
• Spray Adhesive (optional but does make it nice)
• Sewing Machine (could do without but makes the process a lot easier)
• Pattern pieces 

First step is to print out the pattern pieces and then use those as guides to get out your felt. I tried to color coordinate my pieces but you can obviously use whatever colors you want.

For this tutorial, I just made the elephant, bear, and monkey.

Here are my cut out pieces:

I chose to work on the faces first but you can do it in whatever order you want.

If you chose to glue your pieces on:

I used this spray adhesive and spray it on a paper plate and then I dip the brush in the glue and then brush the glue on the small pieces to add to the head.

If you sew it, try to use thread the same color as the top piece of felt and carefully sew around the piece in even stitches.

I use both methods and I think a lot of it is personal preference (and if you have the right thread color). I didn't have a cream color thread for the monkey so I glued it on so I wouldn't have to buy thread just for this puppet. I also found it easier to glue the stripes on the zebra rather than sewing them on.

I stitched the eyes, by making a knot. I wrap the thread around the needle several times (about 7) and then put the needle back down into the felt. You can also make the eyes by stitching by the eye several times until you get the size of eye you would like.

The finished faces:

I didn't add the bear's ears until the face was attached to the body. You can add it now though if you prefer.

For the monkey, giraffe, and zebra you will want to add all of the details to the body before sewing the body together. For the monkey, I just glued the belly piece in the center of one of the brown body pieces. Put the pieces right side together, or in other words have any of the detailed pieces be facing inward so you no longer see it.

Using a sewing machine, stitch around the edge of the body. I sewed as close as I possibly could to the edge.

Be sure to back stitch at the ends so the stitches won't unravel as you flip.

Flip the puppet so it is now right side out.

Attach the head to the body of the puppet by carefully stitching the back layer of the body with the head. (You will want to sew carefully so you do not accidentally sew the puppet closed!). You can use a basic running stitch, but really any stitch should work.

Now you have cute puppets that should hopefully get a lot of love!

Tie Onesies

I think little boys are so cute in ties! These tie onesies would make a great gift. I seem to have so many friends' having babies lately and I am always looking for a fun homemade gift! Or if you have a little boy of your own stick this in his Easter basket so he can have a cute new Easter outfit.

Supplies:

• White Onesies
• Tie Pattern or create your own
• Fabric for tie (scrap fabric or fat quarters)
• coordinating thread
• scissors
• sewing machine
• Pencil / Fabric Marker
• Pins or Spray Adhesive 

First cut out the tie (or bow tie) pattern.. My pattern is just for 0-3 months and 3-6 month onesies but you can make it bigger quite easily by extending the tie to fit larger sizes)

I used the fabric marker (but you can also use a pencil) to trace the pattern on to the fabric. If the fabric marker or pencil don't show up on your fabric, you can also use a pen but trace on the wrong side of the fabric so you won't see the outline on the tie.

Cut your fabric.

Take the tie you just created and place it on the onesie to get the right position. 

I had spray adhesive on hand so I used that, but you could also pin the fabric onto the onesie.

I like to spray my adhesive on a plate and then use a brush to brush it on- I feel like it's less messy this way.

Use a medium width zig zag stitch to attach your fabric tie to the onesie. Every sewing machine is different so please use some test fabric to figure out the width you like best.

You can end here or you can add another line of stitches at the end of the "knot" in the tie. For the above fabric I preferred it as is, but I have an example below if you choose to add more detail.

If you do this, we would love to see the finished project!