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.

Finally cash in those free photobook coupons...

Every time I open my email... it seems I have a free photobook waiting at one of the online photo printing services I use... especially when you sign up for a new account.

Here are a few I have used:

www.snapfish.com

www.shutterfly.com

www.artscow.com

These free coupon codes usually only last a short time and always seem to expire on me... because I don't have any idea which photos to put in book form. With Christmas coming up... what a creative way to save money and make a truly unique gift.

Using pictures you already have:

-make a child's personal family photo album. Use and label pictures of family (like grandparents or cousins that they don't see everyday)

-find out your child's favorite subject (ex: dogs) and collect pictures from the internet

-make a themed timeline book from your photo stash ... like Halloween costumes that your child has worn or first days of school or Christmas mornings

Easy picture taking around the house:

-make a book of your child's favorite things around your house (for example: pacifier, cake, doll,)

-take pictures of your child making faces (sad, happy, surprised, silly...)

For those with a little more time on their hands...

here are some fun learning projects to do WITH your kid:

-go on a color hunt with your child and camera and make a color book

-go on an abc hunt with your camera (keep in mind most photo books charge for more than 20 pages... so you may have to double up on a few)

-go on an animal/bug hunt around your home to see what else lives where you live

-find examples of opposites (like hot/cold, dirty/clean, big/small, heavy/light...)

Star spangled snacks...

Fourth of July picnics and barbecues make the perfect excuse to create a fun snack with the kids. I almost always do my fall-back "flag cake." But this year, I'm excited to try a twist on the old "cake ball" recipe! (thanks suzanne) :)

To make the cake balls a little more festive, try using red velvet cake mix. That way, when friends and family bite into your scrumptious snacks, they not only get a mouth-full of yummy dessert, but a tribute the red, white and blue.

recipe and photo from bakerella

Red Velvet Cake Balls
1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper
1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Flag Cake

1 angel food cake

1tub cool whip

1 package instant pudding mix

strawberries

blueberries

1. make instant pudding using shaker method (kids can do this)

2. tear up angel food cake into bite size pieces (let kids tear away)

3. mix pudding and angel food cake and dump in 13x9 pan

4. smooth on cool whip layer

5. arrange sliced strawberries and blueberries to form a flag

Personalized patriotism... in a snap.

Blame it on my daughter being born on the 4th of July... but I've become obsessed with red, white, and blue outfits. However, I was having trouble finding the perfect shirt that told the world... "HEY... It's Independence Day AND my birthday!"

My solution was a pack of iron-on transfers. I designed my daughter a shirt using photoshop elements and the 'liberty' kit from Little Dreamer Designs.

This would be especially good for matching shirts for the whole family, birthday parties, etc. It's too easy NOT to do it.

Just buy a plain t-shirt or tank top and a pack of iron on transfers.

Use a photo or fonts to create the t-shirts image or text.

Flip the image.

Print it out.

Cut around it.

Iron it on.

Or just borrow this design...

Afterlife of a formula can... (vol. 4)

I'm celebrating my child's first birthday and switch from formula to whole milk with a ceremonial formula can...

10 ways to reuse a formula can

#4 Birthday Party Centerpiece

Gather your materials:

clean can, dowel rods, patterned paper, colored cardstock, glue, ribbon, photos, acrylic paint, sponge brush

Remove and trace paper label to create new wrapper

Decorate paper wrapper with photos of child throughout the year.

(I used photoshop elements and digital papers to create mine... but you could easily do the same thing with regular scrapbook paper, photos, and stickers)

Spread or spray adhesive evenly over the back of the wrapper and attach to can.

Cut 'X' slits in the plastic lid to place dowel rods in.

Paint the dowel rods and can lid green with acrylic paint and a sponge brush.

Cut out flower shapes out of colored cardstock. You will need a front and back for each one. (Any asymmetrical shape will need a mirror image for the back)

Cut photos of child in circle shapes to create the flower center.

Spread glue over the back of the flower, place dowel in position and press the back flower down evenly. For different heights of flowers without sawing the dowels-- just cover more or less of the dowel with the cardstock flower.

Spread glue over the back of the leaf. Attach the back leaf shape part of the way and press the rest together on the dowel. Use the stem to wrap around the dowel for support.

After they are completely dry... place the dowels into position through the can lid. You may need something inside the can to hold them in place. I ended up using macaroni noodles... because I didn't have any styrofoam.

For a boy birthday, create different shapes on the dowel rods. Try, an airplane and clouds, cars on a racetrack, frog pond with lily pads and cat tails, mickey mouse or other favorite character heads printed out from the internet.

Seaside pool...

Before my family left for the beach, I was worried about taking two young children to spend all day in the surf and sand. But once we arrived, I discovered the perfect solution - a blow-up pool. We bought a small inflatable pool at walmart for five bucks and filled it with cool faucet water. I threw in a few water/bath toys and we put it under the shade of our umbrella. It worked perfectly - keeping my nine month old son out of the sand and gave my two year old daughter a place to play with water in the shade. So next time you trek to the seaside - remember the best five dollars you'll spend, aside from sunscreen, will be on a pool with an oceanfront view.

Afterlife of a formula can... (vol. 3)

Recently when organizing my craft closet, I used a tip from Real Simple magazine to put all of my ribbon spools on wire hangers. It worked perfectly... except that I was left with a box full of ribbon pieces not on a spool. I'm always buying ribbon by the yard and way OVER estimating how much I'll need or receiving cute ribbons on gifts. I hate to throw it away and can always use it for crafts, scrapbooking, gift wrapping, etc.... but need an organized way to keep it.

10 ways to reuse a formula can:

#3 Ribbon Dispenser

Gather your materials:

clean empty can with flexible plastic lid, knife, spare ribbon pieces

Cut various lengths of small slits in the lid of your container.

Fill can with spare ribbon pieces leaving one end hanging over the can.

Poke each ribbon piece through the slits leaving just a small length of ribbon showing.

Reattach the lid on the container.

Kleenex box... for more than just runny noses

My child has a very short lived infatuation with most of the new toys that I buy her. I recently found a FREE 'toy' that my 10 month old has not grown bored of after several weeks. It's so dumb... I almost hate to post it. But, if it brings ONE child joy... it may do so for others.

Joining her love of pulling things out of their container and fascination with paper, I stuffed an empty kleenex box with random junk mail, magazine subscription cards, coupons, etc.

She never tires of pulling each paper out, looking at it, throwing it down, and diving in for the next one.
When I see that it has been emptied and discarded, I stuff them all in again and the fun starts all over the next time she sees it.

The best part is that it's completely renewable. When the pieces get like this:

I just throw them out and grab some new junk mail (arriving daily).

Here are some other household items that have cured toy boredom at our house a time or two. My kid couldn't even stay away from them long enough for me to take a decent photo.

.nesting mixing bowls -- make great drums and toy hiding places
.tupperware -- a classic toy in disguise
.plastic container -- lifting lids is a favorite pastime of my kid and good for building dexterity
.paper towel rolls -- great to look and talk to your baby through for a little fun
.kitchen utensils -- measuring cups, rubber scrapers, spatulas, etc.
.colorful cereal bowls -- make great stackers and when translucent, can open the door for some good lessons in object permanence

Your turn to bring snacks to playgroup?

Sometimes you just want a chocolatey snack from your oven that requires no eggs to crack, bowls to wash, and long wait time.

This recipe, first seen at my sister's, has become a favorite around here as a yummy treat and fun activity to do with kids. The teacher in me sees a math lesson in every step of this process... but my 10 month old isn't feeling it yet.

Pretzel Rafts (a name I coined for them myself)

Gather your ingredients:

pretzels (i like the snaps)

hershey's kisses (the almond ones are great... if you aren't making these for kids)

m&ms

baking sheet (with parchment paper if you love easy clean up like me)

Lay out as many pretzels as you want to make on a baking sheet... a great job for even the itty-bitty kids.

Place a kiss on top of each pretzel... unwrapping them all is a fun time killer for little fingers

Put them into a 300 degree oven until the chocolate is just shiny... not melted. (about 2-4 minutes... almost enough time to gather all the kiss wrappers and wash your hands)

While they are warm, place an m&m on top of each kiss.

Let them cool... and enjoy!

)

Afterlife of a formula can (Vol. 2)

My latest use for a formula can coincides with a little holiday coming up this weekend.

10 Ways to Re-Use A Formula Can (or any food can)

#2 Gift bag

Perfect for presenting a giftcard, jewelry, crafts from kids, etc.

Gather your materials:

empty, clean can, decorative paper or wrapping paper, ribbon, scissors, glue or double sided tape, gift tag

Measure surface area of can and cut a strip of paper or wrapping paper to fit around the can

Affix the paper to the can with glue or double sided tape. (I used a tape runner)

Cut a piece of ribbon long enough to wrap around the can with some extra.

Slide a gift tag onto the ribbon and then tie a bow. **You can easily make a tag from scratch with some heavy paper and a hole punch.**

Stuff with your gift and some matching tissue paper and *VOILA*... not your average 99 cent gift bag.

The after life of a formula can...

As the un-official trash person in our house, I'm quite conscious of the amount of waste my family produces. Therefore, I'm trying to be 'crafty' about ways to re-use things around the house... especially it means something my kid can do with me or play with when I'm done.

Thus, the 'Bean Blog' brings you:

10 Ways to Re-Use A Formula Can (or any food can)

#1 Toy Drum

This would be a great craft to do WITH an older child or FOR a younger child.

Gather your supplies:

can, scissors, ruler, glue, clear packing tape, noise makers (noodles, buttons, beads, etc.), scrap paper, crayons

Measure the height of the can.

Cut a strip of paper to fit the height of the can and to fit around the can... it may take 2 strips taped together.

Let your child decorate the paper strip.

Adhere the strip to the can with glue.

Then, use several strips of clear packing tape to seal the paper and can.

Fill the can with noise makers from around the house. (noodles, beads, buttons... be creative... I found a 'pink pearl' eraser makes a very cool noise.)

If your noise makers are small enough to be choking hazards or to make a mess... seal the lid on with a line of craft glue or another strip of packing tape.

Find some good drumsticks around the house and let your kid go to town.

**If you have any 'crafty' ways that you recycle things around the house ... let us know or challenge us to figure out a way!

A two's tutu tutorial.

I just finished making several tutus for my daughter's second birthday party and thought I'd share a "how to make a tutu" here. ahem. a no-sew tutu. :)

To make a child size tutu, you'll need two spools of tulle found at your local craft store or walmart. You can buy the tulle by the yard as well, but if you buy it in spools you only have to cut the length, and I found it saved lots of time. Also, purchase a pack of 3/8" elastic and cut enough to fit around your child's waist and tie a bow.

Figure out the length you want the tutu and double that length. I wanted my daughters to fall 15 inches from her waist, so I cut my tulle at 30 inches.

Cut. Cut. Cut. until you've finished both spools.

Tie your elastic around something to make it easier to attach your tulle strips. I found a picture frame works great! Then, you'll start knotting your tulle. Loop your tulle so that it's even on both sides.

Then pull the bottom two strips over the elastic and through the loop.

Then just pull it tight. When you start to pull the tulle, the elastic has a tendency to twist and roll, to keep this from happening, I found placing my index finger over the elastic and the tulle while I pulled really helped.

Continue doing this with each tulle strip, making sure that you bunch them closely together. When you're finished you can tie the elastic in a bow around your child's waist. This allows it to be completely adjustable.

The finished product - personal opinion - the poofier, the better!!