Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Can you believe Mother's day is May 8th this year? Just in case you want to get started on a few projects over the weekend, I'm going to recycle a couple of Mother's Day gifts that have become favorites at our house for all the special ladies in our lives. This first one is something that kiddos can actually help out with.



Supplies needed:

Box of tea bags
Photographs (or your kiddos can draw tiny pictures with crayons, markers and paper)
Scissors
Tape

Step 1. Open up a box of tea and pull out the individual tea bag envelops.

Step 2. Unseal each tea bag envelop and carefully pull out the tea bag.

Step 3. Take a bunch of pictures and cut them to fit onto the paper that is attached to the tea bag string. My printer actually has a photo ID function which allowed me to print them off quickly in smaller size which I then cut apart.


Step 4. Attach a picture to the tea bag string with glue or tape and then place the tea bag back in the original envelop (this is the most time consuming part).

Step 5. Repeat steps 1 - 4. Get the kids involved in this project. They might not be able to take apart of the envelops without ripping them, but they can help with assembling and taping the pictures. Your kiddos could also draw tiny pictures that you could scan and cut apart if you have two sets of grandmothers that need this gift.

What a fun way to start out each morning seeing a special loved ones face over a cup of tea!

For my adoptive Mommies who enjoy Jasmine tea, my favorite online store is Pearl River. Their prices are amazing (100 bags for $3.25). I've enjoyed this brand for the last five years.

While I'm focusing on tea, I have to show off my favorite tea set. When we were in Josie's province of Nanchang, I picked up this set. The teapot and six cups are handpainted and the butterflies are just gorgeous.

This second gift idea is a decorative candle project that I made last year for my mother, sister and aunts. I've made some new ones this year with a couple of beautiful images that I found on Miss Rhea's Sweet & Shabby Roses blog.

*Mom, Sis & Aunties...skip the rest of the post.

Supplies needed:
Sheet music (additional graphic optional) you can find sheet music all over the web
Jar candle
Lace/tulle
Silk flowers
Costume clip-on earring (optional)
Glue
Brush
Hot glue gun


1. Remove the label from your jar candle and cover your jar in glue. I poured my glue onto a paper plate and used a paintbrush to evenly cover my jar.

2. Cut your sheet music to the width of your jar and cover. I overlapped the edges of the music.


3. Take your lace and cover the sheet music. Use your hot glue gun to secure the lace in place.

4. I then covered the lace with a strip of pink tulle and tied the tulle into a knot. I secured a costume jewelry earring onto the center of my tulle knot and hot glued a couple of silk flowers around my earring.

Linking up with these fabulous parties:
Thrifty Thursday Blog Hop
Thrifty Things Friday
Inspiration Friday at the Picket Fence
Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge
Feathered Nest Friday
Crafty Soiree #35 from Yesterday on Tuesday

More ideas coming on Monday. In between watching the royal wedding and catching up on laundry, my craft room is going to get extra messy.

Have a thrifty/crafty/fairytale weekend!

XOXO

♥

Jolly Good!

Friday will be the first morning I won't mind the 5:40am alarm clock. I secretly can't wait to watch coverage of the royal wedding (guess it's not a secret anymore now that it's on the blog). These are just two of the many books I own on Princess Diana.

I was in love with Princess Diana and remember being glued to the television during her wedding and then during her funeral procession. Chris bought me this special tea mug during our recent trip to her traveling exhibit.

In case you are planning a royal party of your own, there are two fabulous sites with free royal wedding printables. I only printed off a few things..aren't the crowns delightful?

Royal Wedding Bunting

Royal Wedding Party Printables

This tea towel is from Cath Kidson which was recently featured on one of my favorite blogs birdie blue. I think I need one.

I was exactly Emma's age when Diana and Charles married and I can't wait to share this event with her. I hope this wedding continues to have a fairytale ending.

Have a jolly good time watching the royal coverage!

XOXO

♥

Insulation...CHECK!

While the weather cooperated earlier this week, insulation was blown into the treehouse. Doesn't it look official?It's now ready for beadboard walls and a wood ceiling. Woo hoo! Keeping our fingers crossed for a dry weekend so that Chris can start doing some interior woodwork.

The update from yesterday's blog post...Shanna has new chicks again. Yippee!!

I just love happy endings.

PS. Tomorrow morning, I'll be posting
a couple of Mother's Day gift ideas.
Be sure to check back.

XOXO

♥

Target $1 Bin & Chicken Coop Makeover

Before I forget and while they are still in the $1 bins at Target, grab these little pocket books.

We're going to be giving them a quick makeover in a few days. They are perfect for tucking a cell phone and some lipstick. They would also be fun birthday party favors. AND don't forget, Mother's Day isn't that far off either! They might even be 50% off right now because they were with the Easter items. Run, ladies!!!

Now, onto some amazing eye candy!

We have a very special adoptive family in GA who we spent some time with this past summer. While we were there in July, the kids enjoyed getting eggs from their real-life chicken coop.


Soon after we left, several wild animals got into the coop and the chickens were no more. My friend Shanna (with a lot of sanitizing and help from her family) decided to convert their coop into a dreamy play house.


Isn't this a beautiful space? It looks like it should be featured in Romantic Homes magazine. Shanna's inspiration came from this cabin that was featured in the NY Times.

You really need to go visit Sandra Foster's blog for more shabby inspiration.

If we ever get back to GA, I told Shanna that us "big" girls are going to hide out in her playhouse. I'm pretty sure Chris and I are going to be escaping to the treehouse just as much as the girls, when it gets finished.

Have a beautiful Wednesday!
XOXO

♥

Let there be LIGHT!!!

Despite chilly temps and annoying snow week, check it out!!

Isn't it awesome??

Next up, insulation and then finishing the interior walls of the treehouse.

I can almost feel the paint brush in my hand!!

XOXO

♥

Can you stand one last Easter post?

I think I've been celebrating Easter for nearly six weeks on my blog. Can you stand one final post on Easter? I didn't realize how many food pictures I took until I started editing pictures. There's no shortage of calories on Easter with my family! Yes. Those are chocolate covered peeps with LOTS of sprinkles. Thanks for the tip, Vivian.

Emma gave up macaroni-n-cheese for Lent.
Her smile says it all.

And their off!!

My mother made a very special bunny for Josie.

If you are a fan of Jenny B Harris (allsorts), it's a creation that she featured on her blog. Her clothes are reversible. I just love all the trims and special buttons. You can find her tutorial here.

And while Josie is enjoying her new fuzzy bunny, Emma got a whole magazine devoted to Justin Bieber. Thanks, Aunt Michelle!

Easter blessings from our family to your own.
Excuse the" extra bright" cell phone picture
of the girls taken at church.

PS. Major treehouse construction will be happening this week and with Mother's day on May 8th, I've got a list of projects I want to work on in my craft room. Never a dull moment!

XOXO
♥