Children's Art - Frame it Edition

What do you do with your children's art?  A friend asked me this question and I wanted to share how we display ours. Since we have a never ending flow of pictures and drawings coming home from school, I thought it would be important to have a place I could change out the pieces easily.

Found the curtain wire and hooks at Ikea 

And added some vinyl ...

My next project? To add more wires like Style Files 

I display our Valentine's art with an empty frame (tutorial here)

I also love these ideas for displaying art work

Ikea

Ikea- $.99!

Ikea $5.99!

A simple way to display framed art from Apartment Therapy

And finally, someday I would LOVE to do this in our playroom

(wonder how long it took to collect all those letters?!!)

Linked up to:

A Shabby Apple A Day Keeps a Mommy Happy!

Have you  heard of Shabby Apple?  If not, you should check out their site. I was hooked when I first read that owners Emily and CK wanted to make a line of stylish dresses that covered enough skin that they were comfortable (without needed a cardigan, tank top, or long slip).

Shabby Apple held a giveaway on TomKat Studio, I reeeealllly wanted to win. I didn't. So I bought this beauty for a Christmas party. It was comfortable and I received so many compliments.

Black Oak

A Shabby Apple Facebook contest caught my eye and I decided to enter. The topic was intriguing, heroes. They wanted to know what woman in our lives had inspired or impacted us. Mine was easy, my mother. My mom has a different story than most. Here is my entry, 

My mom is my hero and I don't say that enough. She is a true feminist and always stands up for her beliefs. I was born into a hyphenated last name to illustrate the importance of equality. I should have known then that life with my mom would be no ordinary life. At age 7, my mom sat me down and explained that "mommy might go to jail for not paying her taxes". She did not support the war and this was her way of demonstrating her frustration. While my friends were hanging out at the mall, I was attending my first march on Washington. I protested Apartheid in South Africa with three generations of Smith women in my family that day. I was 12.

My mom is no ordinary mom. She found a way to raise 2 children and work full time. Her job is no ordinary job. My mom is known to everyone else as Reverend Jan. She was one of the first women ordained into ministry in the Methodist Church. She baptized me, and thirty years later my two children. I admire her commitment to do what is right and just at all times. I wanted to nominate her for this because she never splurges on things for herself. She buys her clothes at second hand stores. She wears the same pair of dress shoes until they have holes. With all the events she attends, I would love to see her have an amazing Shabby Apple dress. Something brand new, for someone who is so not ordinary. 

The stories people shared were heart breaking, inspiring,  and life changing. I read them all and cried through a few. When I received word that I had won, I was stunned, honored, speechless. I had the pleasure of calling my mom and telling her about the contest and the results. I read her my entry. She was speechless (I hadn't even told her I had entered). I do not say those words enough to her. This was my chance to thank her for raising me to be a strong, independent woman. This was my chance to give her a gift that she would never splurge on for herself.  So the fun began picking out our dresses....

My mom's top choices:

Upper East Side

Carnival

Lois Lane

Martha's Vineyard

West Coast Swing

My top choices:

L'Artiste

Yorkshire

This Side of Paradise

And winner is...............

L'Artiste and West Coast Swing!

Thank you Shabby Apple!  This was such a fun mother bonding experience for us. I LOVE my dress-- it looks like 2 pieces, but it really is just one. WITH pockets!!!!  Love, Love, Love the pockets! My shoes were a super fun and inexpensive find from Fergie's Fergalicous line.

My mom looking STUNNING and she loves her dress. We just now need to convince her to splurge on some new shoes : )  Which one would you have picked? Have any favorite dresses from the site?

***Update***  There are currently Shabby Apple giveaways going on over at Domestically Speaking and My Repurposed Life !!!   Go enter and let me know if you win!

My Love Don't Cost A Thing

As Valentine's Day is getting closer, I wanted to share 5 really cute {FREE} Valentine's ideas:

The Bookstore Date 
by Tip Junkie

Give this FREE invitation to your favorite date and meet at the bookstore. 

This date is already planned for you, just follow your tasks and have fun!

Here are examples of some of the tasks:

#1 - Visit the COOKING section & chose a recipe that you would like to make for your spouse.

#2 - Visit the MAGAZINE section & find a quiz in a magazine that you and your spouse could do together.

#3 - Visit the CHILDREN’S section & find a book that was a favorite when you were a child or that holds a special memory for you…and read them to each other when you meet back up.

 Teachers Appreciation 

Valentine

by Givers Log

  {FREE} MOVIE NIGHT 

Like Red Box on Facebook and they will give you one free movie rental!

    Bake something special

Sweethearts Bark by ValSoCal

Peanut butter Snicker Brownies from Cookies and Cups

 

Valentine's Day Prints

frame 'em, make them into cards, make them into whatever you want!

The Bonjour Family

Craftily Ever After

Sprik Space

Little  Miss Momma

Our Humbled A{Bowe}d

 I displayed mine like this:

Anyone planning anything fun for Valentine's Day or have some ideas to share????

Bookplates Make The World Go Round

I just adore bookplates and can't stop thinking about them since I tucked them into my sister-in-law's baby shower invites with this poem:

Just one last request, and we hope it's not hard

Please bring baby a book in place of a card

By signing the bookplate, we will remember and share

Your special gift, even when you're not there!

I had bookplates made by Social Butterfly Ink to match the invitations, but I have also seen some adorable custom ones on Etsy.

Oodles Of Color Shop

Our own personal library has these beauties from Jack and Izzy. 

A stamp would also be cute!

Many sites offer FREE downloads:

{insert happy dance}

Bookplate from Nested

For the Love of That Sillie Smile

ohdeeoh

Happy Doodle Land

From one of my favorite blogs, Our Humble A{Bow}d

Pluff Mud Studio Valentine Creations

When the amazing Pluff Mud Studio offered 5 readers the chance to have their Valentine's Day Printables for FREE, I jumped at the chance. I fell in love instantly with the sweet lion and turtle and knew exactly how I wanted to use them.

Seriously, LOOK at that lion!!! Doesn't get much cuter!

Here is how I used my Valentine's Day printables:



The ice cream bowl was made by Simply Pretty Prints. She sells the most adorable custom cards, hand painted porcelain and ceramic items. I think I really need this dessert dish  next...

I digress. Back to the bowl. The other side of the bowl is a super gorgeous flower design and name of the lucky little girl this is going to! I filled the bowl with yogurt raisins, added a spoon and red ribbon. Instant cute present. Ready to go!

I had extra candy canes so I glued them together to make a heart and added a cute Pluff Mud Studio Valentine's Day circle in the middle.

Lastly, I thought I would make my Valentine's Day prints look extra special with my new Valentine's Day printables and Potter + Butler garland (remember I used this at Christmas time to make my countdown?)

Thanks so much Christina for letting me have so much fun with your Valentine's Day printables. If you are looking to buy your own set,  you can find them here .

Valentine Kisses, sort of.

I was playing around in Picnik and created this Valentine for my littlest bugger. Picnik is a free download and can be used to edit pictures, add backgrounds, or just create something completely new.

To make this card:- First, took pictures of little bugger against a white wall blowing and catching kisses- I chose four pictures and added them to picasso using "create collage", cropped and saved draft- Took the saved draft and chose the edit in picnik option- Then chose picture pile to create the staggered look- Changed the pictures to the instant camera frame in the picture background option- Added text and hearts (I used the fade options to lighten the hearts). - Viola!  A homemade Valentine!

Picnik also has a mustache application that I am dying to use!

Valentine Lovefest, Navy Edition

Beautify Your Blog Results

I have been learning leaps and bounds from Nina over at Momma Go Round  during her Beautify Your Blog series. HTML code doesn't seem so daunting anymore! I was able to change my template, widen the page, center my widgets, diversify fonts, and add a signature. I am still working out the kinks on a button and header.                                         
Thank you Nina!