DIY Flag T-shirt

Ok...so I JUST made this this morning...July 4th.  It actually came to me last night around 11:30 while I was laying in bed.  Why do my greatest thoughts happen when I'm laying in bed at night?  Who knows?  Ok...so here goes:

Things you need:

1. White Tshirt  (I actually took my shirt from my husband's stash.)
2. 5x7 Red fabric (I didn't have plain red, so I used my red stars fabric.)
3. 2x3 Blue fabric (Again, I didn't have plain blue, so I used my blue polka-dot.)
4. Fabric glue (Sold at Target for around $4.00.)
5. Sewing machine

 STEP 1: CUT YOUR 5X7 RED FABRIC & YOUR 2X3 BLUE FABRIC.

STEP 2: DABBLE DOTS OF FABRIC GLUE ON THE BACK OF YOUR FABRIC AND PLACE ON YOUR TSHIRT WHERE YOU WANT IT.  Let it dry 15 minutes.  This will help keep it in place when you go to sew it.   

****FOR YOU NON-SEWERS***  

You can stop here, the fabric glue will keep it in place for you to  wear! 

STEP 3: ZIG-ZAG STITCH ALL THE WAY AROUND.  Be careful to not sew the front and the back of the Tshirt together!

STEP 4: ZIG-ZAG STITCH THE STRIPES ON THE RED FABRIC.

STEP 5:  WEAR IT!

YES...This is my morning look!  I have on no makeup...been sewing and drinking coffee...don't judge!

Defeating the Dark Side

 This is an easy-peasy DIY project for creating a hanging light using a Vintage Egg Basket.

A corner of my son's room needed light...like really bad.  It held darkness and loved to reflect it back at ya.  However, you can see from the below picture that I don't have a "normal" desk for this small corner of darkness.  

I found a Vintage Yellow booth from a yardsale for $30...I know, right?  So, I decided to use that for his desk instead of a non-traditional one.  But, because of the way that it sits against his wall, there wasn't any room for a table lamp; believe me, I tried.  It sat so bulky in the middle of the table and didn't leave much room for creative writing and playing. 

So became the birth of the hanging light!  I began to search Pinterest for something that would be neat enough to hang in a boys' room.  I knew that I didn't want a paper lantern that so many decor shops sell.  That just wouldn't do for my little man.  Then I found this picture on Pinterest from www.akadesign.ca and loved the way the Egg Basket looked!  And Ta-Da...that was it!

 I already had 2 egg baskets lying around the house that were filled with books and magazines.  I took my cream colored one (the other was yellow), added the light kit to the basket (there is already a hole at the bottom of the basket), hung it the from ceiling, and there you go.  It really is that easy!  But for those that like lists...here you go:

1.  Visit a flea market or antique shop for an old Egg Basket.  Here are some pictures of a few I found.

2.  Purchase the light kit.  I actually purchased mine from Pottery Barn Teen.  They often run free shipping promotions, so you can grab one during that time.  Also, the kit right now is on sale for only $10!  And you can choose light or black cording.  

3. Attach the light kit to your Egg Basket by simply slipping the cord through the bottom hole of the Egg Basket. See the picture below of my Egg Basket. 

 

4.  Attached the light to the ceiling.  You will need another person to help you do this, and you will want to attach it to a stud in the ceiling if you can.  The instructions are included in the light kit.

5.  Screw in a bulb and enjoy by pushing the light switch on/off as many times as you want.....

 

My Dagan loves his new light and it is so bright that we don't need any other light on his his room now.  We kicked the dark side in the butt!

FREE Valentine's Printables

It's that time again.  And we are 3 days away from the big heart day, and we've done nothing to get ready.  The past few years we've made our own Valentine's notes to give to friends and family.  I hate spending $3-$5 per franchised set at the store.  So...this year I enlisted the kids to help me think of 4 great Valentine's phrases that go along with a cute picture (and the help of Pinterest, of course).  Mostly gender neutral so both my boy and girl would have fun coloring and painting them.  We drew the set on paper, downloaded to the computer, and made a PDF of the set to print as much as we wanted.  I am giving you the set FOR FREE. 

We had such a fun time (like 2-3 hours!) painting, coloring, glittering, and googly-eyeing.  

Are you ready to download the cards and make your own? 

Download the PDF here. 

 You'll need to print the FRONT out on cardstock.  Then feed the Front back through the printer to print out the BACK design, so that the saying will appear on the back of the Valentine card.

I purposefully made them appear in a light grey color.  My kids like to make the colors their own...instead of having a black line outline everything.   

Card #1: 
Don't Lego...let's BUILD our friendship.

Card #2: 
I rEELly want you to be my Valentine.

Card #3:
I've taken a VIKING to you.

Card #4: 
You're my love BUG.


The rest is simple!  Cut...Trace...Color/Paint...Address...& Give!

Things you'll need:

1. The Valentine's set printed on cardstock
2. Paper cutter
3. Lots of crayons, markers, watercolors, googly eyes...anything you want!

One more thing you'll need...a bowl full of chocolate M&M's to make the stomach happy.

 Here's our creations!

 

27 Random Acts of Kindness

Did you know that this week, February 10-16, has been set aside as Random Acts of Kindness Week?  I know...who knew?  There is an entire website dedicated to this idea.  It is named, none other than...Random Acts of Kindness.  Apparently, people all over the country feel that it's a good thing to do good to others...for no apparent reason.  I know...who knew? 

While this thought obviously did not originate with the creators of the Random Acts of Kindness website, it sure is increasing in awareness with them.  I'm all for it.  Anything that will get the word out and remind us to give, give, give and then give some more.  A happy heart is a giving heart.  Remember the song we used to sing in Bible class?

Love is Something if You Give it Away

Love is something if you give it away

Give it away

Give it away

Love is something if you give it away

You'll end up having more

Love is like a lucky penny

Hold it tight and you won't have any

But, give it away

And you'll have plenty

You'll end up having more

You're singing it now, aren't you?  It's addictive.  It's supposed to be.  It's got a great little tune to keep it ringing in your head just long enough that it just may stick. 

Ok, all sarcasm aside.  It really is pretty cool that there is a website dedicated just the cause of giving.  You really should browse through it.  They got great "quick list" of  Random Acts of Kindness whether you're at home, at school, at the office, or at college.  

Here's their short "anywhere" list.  It's a great list. 

I love #1, Just smile at one extra person.  

Boy, is that hard one or what?  

The grocery store is the best.  I can't get anyone to smile at me!  It's wretched at times.  Everyone has this mean, get-out-of-my-way-so-I-can-get-my-food-and-get-home look.  What if we just looked up and smiled?  

And then there's #2, Eat lunch with someone new.

What?  You mean I have to smile at a stranger AND spend 1 hour of my day with someone new?  It is difficult.  I get it.  My lunch time is special.  It's my time to break up my day and just sit in peace before my afternoon starts.  But, what if you asked just 1 new person, possibly that person whom you NEVER go to lunch with, to grab a burger with you?.  You may find out you really aren't that different at all.  And what's 1 hour going to hurt? You'll be fine.  Tomorrow's a new day. 

Last year, I participated in an odd Random Acts of Kindness.  It was on my birthday, and I decided to spend my special day blessing other people instead of spending the day with people blessing me.  It was the best birthday I had EVER had.  You can scoot over to the Birthday Project page on my blog and read about it.  I have also put the link here, 36 Birthday Blessings, giving (instead of getting) gifts on your birthday.

For now, I'm going to give you a quick list of 27 things you can do TODAY, with little money required.

You'll also need to print out (free!) this R.A.O.K. label I made and tape to your blessings!  

#1, Send a Cookie Bouquet to your mom who lives far away.  I've used Corsco's cookies and their cookies are delicious! 

#2, Write a thank you note to your employer thanking them for hiring you AND putting up with you!

#3, Make a homemade note card to send to a new friend.

#4, Send a prepaid Gas card to a friend struggling financially.  Everyone needs gas. 

#5, Print out pictures of you and your family and send to loved ones.  No one EVER prints out pictures anymore and EVERYONE loves getting mail.  Especially with pictures inside.  

#6, Leave a box of candies in the mailbox for your postal carrier.  Put on the box my R.A.O.K. sticker and a little blue note of thanks for door-delivering all your packages and boxes!

#7, Take a dozen donuts to work with you one morning.  Your coworkers will love you!  At least for that day.

#8, Buy some post-it notes, paper pads, and new pens and deliver to your child's Preschool or Day School.  The teachers will love it.   

#9 If your kids are extra creative and make Rainbow Looms or Paracord bracelets, have them make a few!  You can have them pass them out at the bookstore to other kids.  

#10, Buy a box of doggie bones and take to your vet's office.  They will be shocked!

#11, Take a dozen donuts to your local firehouse.  They may even let you hop in their firetruck!

#12, Take some of those cute Paracord or Rainbow loom bracelets your kids made to your Starbucks' crew.  No one ever gives them anything!

#13, While at Starbucks, buy someone's coffee.

#14, Take a dozen donuts to your child's school office.  They will love your kid for the day!

#15, Drop a sweet note and a $5 Starbucks card to your Teller when you get your check cashed.  Her smile (or shock) will be worth it!

#16, Take big goody bag full of toys from the Target dollar section to the Baptist Women's hospital waiting room.  Bless the siblings in the waiting room waiting for a baby brother or sister to be born. 

#17, While you're at the hospital, tape exact change on the vending machines.  Put them in a ziplocked bag with a R.A.O.K. sticker on it.

#18, Go to Target and put taped signs in the women's dressing room stalls that say "You are Beautiful".  Isn't this the worst place to EVER be?  I hate dressing rooms.  I always feel completely miserable when I walk out. 

#19, Leave a generous tip to your waitress at lunch.  Put it in this ziplocked bag with a R.A.O.K. sticker.

#20, Go to a Laundromat, run in, find someone in need, and give her 2 Tide packets (3 in each bag) for her laundry.   The surprise and shock will make doing laundry seem like fun for them. 

#21, Stop at Chick-Fil-A  drive-through line and pay for the customer's order behind you.

#22, Take a dozen cookies (a great afternoon treat) to your children's pediatric office.   

#23, Of course, make Blessing Bags and give away to homeless people you may find on the road.   I filled my blessing bag with: peanuts, cookies, spam, kleenex, aspirin, mouthwash, body wash/shampoo, a water bottle, and a $5 bill.

#24, Go to your neighborhood park and hand out bottled waters.   It is a great way to "break the ice" with strangers and just say hello. 

 

#25, Stop by the bookstore, scope out a family to bless, and give them a gift card to help pay for their purchase.  I found this family sitting in the children's section.  They already had several books in their hands that they were planning to purchase.  God is good. It gave me an opportunity to talk about my joy in Jesus and why I wanted to bless them.

 

#26, Tape a bag of popcorn in a ziplock bag on a RedBox machine with a R.A.O.K. sticker on it.  I love giving the "unseen" blessings.

#27, Last but not least...take out the trash! To most of you this may not seem like a big deal, but believe me, is it for me.  I NEVER take the trash out.