Valentine candy bar wrapper...

When looking for a cute cheap gift to give a few special friends of my daughter ... I thought of a candy bar with a new valentine wrapper.  It's just a little bit cooler (not to mention tastier) than the old box of conversation hearts.

 

It's super easy.... (and inexpensive)

Just download the wrapper (click on the image)... print it out ... trim the excess paper... write your message on the blank note space...fold on the white strips around a regular Hershey bar...and tape the back flaps together.  Tie a ribbon or ric rac around it if you want to get REALLY cute!

This is perfect 'little something' to give to Sunday school  or Mother's Day Out teachers ... or to add to any bigger gift.

Free Valentine Photo Card templates...

Welcome to the new and improved vanillabean-designs 'bean blog'!

We'll still have handmade collage art... but we now have a FREE site and offer our designs on original photo cards and announcements as well.

Here are a few of our most recent... (click on the links to the right to view the whole collection)

My sister is joining me in this new endeavor as we found a common creative interest to pursue. After searching for birth announcements and holiday photo cards, only to find the cute ones where WAY too expensive and the affordable ones were SOOO not cute or original... we started making our own... (and got a little carried away!)

Therefore, vanillabean-designs will now be offering a selection of digital photo cards, invitations, and announcements. (View 'how it works' at the right side of the page.)

Bookmark this page, our new 'bean blog'... http://www.vanillabean-designs.blogspot.com

to catch all of our attempts at creativity in motherhood and all our newest designs.

Just as a welcome gift and just in time for Valentine's day...

we'll offer some card designs for you to download free, add your digital photo and have printed at your favorite spot. For less than 10 cents a 4x6 print on some websites, like snapfish, and being able to printing as few as necessary at walgreens or walmart... you can even just make just a few to send to grandparents for fun. Heck... it's practically free.

***crafty tip*** after printing your photo valentines... cut two slits or hole punches into the side and attach smarties or lollipops to give to your kid's friends.

Click on image to download the .PNG template file.

***if you don't have photo editing software, but really want one of our VBD valentines. Email us your photo and we'll do it for you and email you the valentine with your photo and message to have printed.

Toddler friendly gift tags...

Piles of presents and they all belong to me... is what has to be running the the head of a toddler at Christmas. To get my 18 month old and her 2 year old cousin involved in the present passing this year, I made these:

(I did them in Photoshop Elements with digital scrapbook products by Lauren Grier and Shawna Clingerman and KimB's cute elf-a-bet alpha freebie.)

You could easily add to: and from: text on the photo in any photo editing/storing program and print them out on your computer. Print multiple small photos on a page by selecting the wallet print option in your printer settings or by inserting the photos into a Word document.

Or for those who like to kick it old school... just print out the photos and glue them to cute Christmas papers or tags and add stickers, ribbon, glitter, etc. You could even get the kids involved as a fun craft project to make the tags for brothers, sisters, or cousins.

As a girl who likes options... let me offer another to those completely against the digital age. Cut faces out of those unframeable shots you already have printed that are too far away, have flaws or blurs or squirrel faces, but at least one salvageable smiling cutie.

Christmas crafts for kids...

My daughter got to make 3 super cute Christmas crafts last week thanks to my new friend and craft queen, Shanna. So, here they are... and easy enough to do today!

Icing Christmas tree... edible decoration (your's WILL look prettier... keep in mind she's under 2)

Supplies: ice cream cones, can of white icing, green food coloring, candy ornaments (marshmallows, m&m's, sweettarts, smarties, gumdrops, redhots, sprinkles, etc.)

1. Mix food coloring with icing to make it green

2. turn the cone upside down on a plate

3. spread icing all over the cone

4. decorate the tree with candy

5. enjoy... my daughter takes an ornament off everytime she passes it

Lid ornaments... full of kitschy charm

Supplies: lid from old container, school glue, random baubles (sequins, buttons, beads, noodles, crayons etc.)

1. fill a lid with glue up to the top.

2. place sequins, buttons, etc. in the glue

3. allow to dry completely

4. poke a hole through the top

5. tie with ribbon

Detergent Snowman... cute and he smells good too

Supplies: detergent, cloves, sticks, sequins or buttons, toothpicks

1. mix dry flake detergent with water to make a paste

2. let your child roll 3 balls, big, medium, and small (paste dries quickly so work fast)

3. use a toothpick to keep the balls together

4. let your child decorate him: dried cloves as the eyes, pre-gathered sticks for arms, sequins or buttons for buttons, etc.

Bibs from BEBE AU LAIT... am I dreaming?

Not since my HOOTER HIDER was the cutest thing in my post-pregnancy wardrobe, have I thought that BEBE AU LAIT could get any better. Though nursing is a thing of the past for me (until the next one shows up)... I still have a messy baby.

Just in time for Christmas... they've introduced their LATEST STROKE OF GENIUS - THE DOUBLE BIB.

I can remember, not so long ago, walking through a fancy baby store and purchasing a $20+ bib just for the cute fabric... only to get it home and filthy and read "DO NOT WASH... damp cloth only." It was ruined in less time than it took to get it home from the store. This bib comes in the super cute fabrics ... but gives you 4 chances to use it and then can be washed! The best part is that there are no food trapping velcro to clean out... magnets only.

To make it EVEN better... BEBE AU LAIT is having their first ever sale (through Monday Dec. 1st midnight)... so go stock up!

Up for grabs...

30 days is a super cool site that features collections of tutorial links for making your own crafts of all kinds. I have it on my Google Reader and have a ton of her links bookmarked to try out when I get a chance. I especially love her holiday collections... can't wait to see the Christmas stuff she finds! Mique also does giveaways on Mondays from certain featured sellers of handmade goods.

Today... it's us. The two pieces above... 3 if by Sea and Pink 'Pair' Tree are up for grabs to a lucky commenter on this post by tomorrow :

http://thirtyhandmadedays.blogspot.com/2008/11/little-late.html

(a goof from me gives you only one day to do so... but that's better odds for winning with less time for more comments right? so go comment... QUICK!)

Bows-oh, is that all?

Making your own bows is really more intimidating than it is difficult. At the rate we lose the ones put in my toddler's hair, I hate to spend too much money on the everyday ones. Here is a simple way I make bows for my daughter.

Gather your supplies: cute ribbon, clear mini pony-tail elastics, craft glue or hot glue gun, clips (available 100 for $4 at Sally's Beauty Supply), foam 'no slip' cabinet liner (available at wal mart or hardware stores), thinner ribbon for bow's center, buttons or accessories for finishing

Start by making a loop at one end of your ribbon. Decide the width of your bow by making another loop on the other side and hold in the center.

Then, make an 'X' shape with another set of loops

Pinch the ribbon 'x' in the middle to make a bow shape.

Double loop the clear rubber band around the center of the bow and make final bow arrangement.

Cut a small piece of thin ribbon in a coordinating color to be the bow center. Glue one end and hold.

Glue the other end in place, trim excess and allow to dry. I like to use an extra clip to hold it tight while it dries.

While drying, prepare a thin ribbon strip with glue. Start at one end of the ribbon near the inside hinge of the clip. Continue wrapping the gluey strip of ribbon around the clip, ending near the inside hinge of the clip on the other side. ** Be sure to account for the ribbon needed to expandwhen the clip is released.** I use several spare clips to hold the ribbon in place while it dries.

To make the clip 'no slip' for fine baby hair. Use a small strip of foam no-slip shelf liner glued to the inside of the clip.

Get as creative as you want with various ribbons and accessories and create handmade bows to match your daughter's favorite outfits.