Free Halloween Font - Evilz

Although it seems ridiculously early to post Halloween stuff, when it comes to DIY projects it I think the earlier the better. This is a little bit of a recycled post from last year but it's too cute not to share year after year. Download this free font - EVILZ. I used the font last year to make some cute bags for Oscar's friends (shown below). Ps., Instead of candy we filled the fun little bags with toy bats.

 

Also, Jennifer blogged about a free template you can download to do a similar project. Super cute.

 

Ps., Bags available in my shop.

Modern Easter Egg

Last year I posted this DIY project on my modern approach to the Easter Egg and I loved seeing everyone be inspired to do it. [It was even on Craft.com] But like many of you, I get inspired to do holiday carfts, maybe um, the week of the holiday, so it doesn't leave much time to do the project and post it for inspiration for others. I'm seeing Easter projects pop up everywhere so I felt like I could respost it now ahead of time for you to try. I think it's a pretty fun thing to do with kids. All you need are some rocks + paint. It's that simple. But if you want to see the original project, click here.

I'm *almost* there

I've successfully ironed on 24 numbers onto Oscar's Advent Bags. I was fully inspired by Kai Ethier for House & Home Magazine who did these. And, it only took me a full YEAR to do it. I'm not kidding you, I actually started this last year. But I suck at iron on transfers, maybe trying to peel them back too soon, and 1/2 of the project was a disaster. With December 1st creeping on me way too quickly, I managed to perfect my skills at ironing on, letting them cool off and peeling back. Like my numbers? Because freebies are fun, click here to download my design of 1 - 24 so you can do your own. Now I just have to figure out 1. what to fill them with and 2. where to hang them. :)

Another DIY Advent Calendar

Image credit: Oh Happy Day

I'm working away on my advent calendar/bag project still - ALMOST done! But when I woke up this morning and read this post on Oh Happy Day, with my morning coffee, I thought it was soo good not to share. You can download the free template from Jordans site when you visit the post, and these are actually the exact same bags you can buy in my little shop. Oh, the uses of bags - the only limitations are your creativity. :) xo Linds

Most popular holiday crafts that you've pinned...

I see a lot of people pinning our Holiday crafts that we've done, or, in the case of #3, blogged about (I'm almost done making my own version!) Since last Christmas my little blog has new readers who may have missed these - so I thought I'd just do a quick roundup of the popular ones for you.

1. An acorn tree that my Mom made me
2. Simple Candy Cane bark wrapped up in celophane or, maybe a pretty bag make great inexpensive gifts
3. DIY Advent Calendar by Kai Ethier that I adored - I'm in the process of making now for Oscar (stay tuned) and
4. Easy ornaments, perfect for babies first Christmas - I plan on doing this for Oscar many, many years to come. [Blogged here]

xo Lindsay

DIY Train Board

Oscar loves trains. When you go to places like MastermindToys they have an awesome train table by their Thomas section. As much as those tables rock, they are problematic for us. 1. A train table is expensive (A few hundred dollars for just the table) 2. It is also HUGE - It takes up a lot of room and 3. I don't like the look of the tables that they sell. They are really decorated and branded, and not really to my taste. Part of me thinks many times, simpler is, better.

Taking a trip back in time, when we were young, my Dad had actually made the nicest train board for us. It is still is around and Oscar plays on it every week when I visit my family. The minute he is in the door, he bolts to the living room, to where my brother has set it up for Oscars visit. It's SO cute.

The reason why this is awesome vs. a table is that you can slide it under a couch, or, store it somewhere easily compared to a table. Having a party? Pick that board up, and hide it in the furnace room. Aubrey and I spent the last few weeks constructing Oscar his very own board. The board itself is very inexpensive, the expense is all in the track + accessories. And, in terms of time - the most time you will also spend on it, is figuring out a train layout. (I think Aubrey spent a few hours trying to figure out exactly the pattern of the track) You can see the finished product below...

For full instructions, and to see the original that my Dad make, click to see more after the jump...

Read more »

No Sew Bunting Flag

Oscar's 1st birthday is coming up at the end of the month. We're going to host a small family get together & I have started to collect some fun things to make the day special for him. One thing I decided to do was make a "No Sew Bunting Flag" as a keepsake, that we will hang on his special day. After his birthday we'll pack it up, and use it year after year. I'm a sucker for traditions.

Check out my full instructions over on Style at Home Magazine's Blog.

Shopping Resources: Felt from Etsy Seller ILoveFelt.

A modern approach to the Easter Egg

We are lucky to live within walking distance to the Beach, something I hadn't fully appreciated how much I would love when we bought our house. Last week, my little brother and his lovely girlfriend visited Oscar and I, and we trotted down to the Beach to grab a drink and walk along the boardwalk. And, of course, search for beach glass by the water. While searching for beach glass and I noticed that a lot of rocks looked like eggs. And, I thought to myself...Easter!

 

So Oscar and I collected some, and brought them home, washed them, and pulled out the paints I had actually bought earlier that day - not realizing they would come in handy for my project. While Oscar napped, I proceeded to paint the rocks. 

It was neat, the rocks soaked in the paint, so there was still a natural element poking through. If you wanted richer colours a second and third coat would do the trick. Or, you could prime them first.

I loved how they turned out.  

I adore these, it could have proven to be a disaster, but seeing them grouped together makes a modern display. Perfect for Easter decor. And for those wondering about Oscar, they are out of arms reach for obvious reasons. ;)

Baby Handprint Ornament/ Gift Topper

We're doing some last minute crafts around here. Here is one we finished today, I think it is the sweetest ornaments or gift toppers to do if you have a child. And there is NO mess.

I cannot take credit for this. I found it on one of my favourite Canadian Mommy blogs Mon Petit Amour . (See her post here) Having worked in a Toy Store for a good period of time (from 16 years old to 25 when I worked at Head Office) I was familiar with Model Magic. Thought it was a genius idea!

Step 1: Roll out some Model Magic (Available at MastermindToys.com)
Step 2: I cut a circle with a cookie cutter
Step 3: Stick that baby hand in it and make an imprint (Wash the hand)

Step 4: Take a pen and put a hole in the top for a ribbon
Step 5: Let dry for 24 hours and put a ribbon through. Tie to a gift or hang from the tree!

It makes the cutest gift topper! Once dried, I wrote how old Oscar was, and the year.

Mommy Week - DIY Advent for Children

One thing that has been so special for me this Holiday Season is knowing that I get to relive the magic of Christmas through Oscar. The feeling of going to bed Christmas Eve, knowing Santa was somewhere out there. The Christmas music, the Christmas treats. :) As we pass down amazing traditions to him, I look forward to also starting our own. I saw this post over at House & Home by Morgan Mitchener titled "25 Days of Christmas" and she talks about her colleague Kai Ethier's project.

This is going in my "to-do" project list. I adore it so much!

"Instead of an advent calendar with sweets, Kai filled 25 little bags with ornaments that she already had at home. The Christmas tree went up on December 1st, and every day her little guy opens a bag and hangs an ornie on the tree. I love this idea — it’s so simple and such a fun tradition to start. You could hang or place the little bags around the mantle or simply pile them in a pretty basket, and even adorn them with numbers from 1 to 25. All you need are the little bags, which are easy to find at craft stores." See Post Here

Photo Kai Ethier for House & Home Magazine