Homemade Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

by Craftsdecorandfamily

Mother’s Day is fast approaching. Nothing says love to a mom or grandma more than a homemade gift. But, let’s face it, you can only have so many cupcake liner flowers, right? Here are some homemade gift ideas that Mom or Grandma will love for years to come and truly put them to good use.

Spring is a time for fresh flowers. I love to have brightly colored flowers everywhere once spring finally arrives. It clears out the winter blues and celebrates new life. I decided to have the kiddos paint terracotta pots for Mother’s Day. I’m sure Grandma will love them, too.

What you need:

A terracotta pot of desired size (this is from Joann Fabrics for less than $5)
acrylic paint in desired colors
clear acrylic spray to coat (optional-if used inside, the paint will not have an issue of running)

As you see, one of the pots was painted white. I let this paint dry before helping my son to make fingertip flowers on the pot. I painted stems on the flowers. The other pot was left plain with just the fingertip flowers.

Making a cute flower pot does not have to be expensive or even time consuming. This can be a last minute gift that Mom will love.

What you need:

Plastic flower pot (this is from Wal-mart for $2.97)
Acrylic paint
Kiddo willing to dip their hand in paint and supply the hand print)

Picture frames are always a terrific gift for Mom or Grandma, especially when filled with adorable pictures of the family. For this gift, I bought an inexpensive frame from Walmart and then my 4 year old daughter and I hot glued wooden buttons from Joann Fabrics.

What you need:

picture frame (Walmart for $2.84)
wooden decorative buttons
hot glue

Artwork by little hands is so precious. For this gift, I gave my kiddos a canvas covered cardboard and washable paint. This is a board which can easily be displayed on an office wall or leaned on the fireplace mantel. It can also be framed and proudly displayed.

What you need:

Canvas board (I purchased this at Joann Fabrics for $7.99 for 3 canvases)
Washable kids paint

Trinket trays are the perfect gift for everyone. They can be used for jewelry, keys, or any other small items. These are easy for older kids or adults to make.

What you need:

Terracotta pot tray (size as desired for gift)
acrylic paint (optional)
decorative paper
Mod Podge

For these trays, I painted the terracotta pot trays and allowed them to dry. Then, put the tray down on the decorative paper and traced the bottom. I cut this out just inside the line I drew to fit the inside of the tray. Using Mod Podge, I painted a thin coat on the tray and applied the paper cut out. Then, I sealed the paper cut out by applying a coat of Mod Podge to the top of the paper.

terracotta pot tray with mod podge and paper

5 Rag Wreaths for Spring and Summer

by Craftsdecorandfamily

5 Easy and Cheap Spring/Summer Wreaths

Making these wreaths is therapeutic and super simple. They are a fabulous addition to any door or interior decor. A little girls room would look adorable with the pink and red wreath. A mantel wreath done with your home’s primary colors would be sweet and cozy. Best of all, these spring/summer wreaths are easy and cheap to make so the sky’s the limit on what you can create. They can be changed easily and stored without worry of smashing flowers or other goodies on a typical wreath.

Material for this wreath can come from anywhere; old t-shirts, jeans, clothes the kiddos have outgrown, etc. It’s a great way to recycle and the list is endless. If you are a quilter, you are bound to have tons of scraps that can be used. However, fear not, if none of these are available to you or not in the color combos you would like, you can buy fat quarters or jelly rolls from the craft or fabric store. In the wreaths below, I have used both fat quarters and jelly rolls that I purchased to make specific color combinations.

I cut each piece, rather haphazardly, to be ten inches long and two inches wide. You do not have to be perfect, after all, it’s a rag wreath. I measured the first one and then just guessed at the rest of the cuts. It should look messy and colorful. The appeal of this wreath is the color combination and the ragged nature of the pieces.

*This post contains affiliate links. Purchase of these products will provide me a small commission at no cost to you.*

What you will need:

- Embroidery Hoop (leave the pieces together to provide a hanger for wreath and for reuse) in desired size for your space (I used 12 inch and 8 inch hoops) You can purchase a set of 4 on Amazon at the following link which would give you four sizes to work with.

1 set of Jelly roll strips in desired colors
or 6-10 fat quarters in desired colors (size depends on the fullness of the wreath and size of the hoop purchased)
Fabric Scissors
Measuring tape
Creativity!!

Using embroidery hoops makes these spring and summer wreaths cheap and easy to create. Each strip can be tied just with a standard knot or with a slip loop knot. With a standard knot, you will have tails on the inside and outside of the hoop which makes the wreath look full. Using a slip loop knot, you will have both tails on the outside of the wreath form which allows the wreath to look larger. Either option looks terrific! And, if you do not like the knot you have chosen when you finish the wreath, it only takes minutes to go back and untie and tie the knots again. Easy peasy…

Emergency Contact Info Sheet

by Craftsdecorandfamily

Emergency Contact Information for the Family

When I was blessed with kids, I instantly started to worry about their safety. I am sure every loving parent feels the same way. One of my fears was that if something happened to me, they would not know what to do. I looked for some sort of emergency contact information sheet to post on the refrigerator so that if an emergency arose, any responder to our home would know more about us and who to contact. I was not satisfied with anything I could find, so I decided to make my own. Below is a printable template of an Emergency Contact Information sheet for the family.

My oldest child can read, but is too young for a cell phone of his own. I included cell phone instructions to assist in a time of panic. If your children are too young to use a phone, you can advise them to go to a neighbor to ask for help. I have included a copy of this sheet in a brightly colored folder where the kids have access. We have practiced having them grab the folder in the event of an emergency. This gives peace of mind that the kids can handle the situation if you are not physically able to help.

Easy Spring Decor in 15 Minutes

by Craftsdecorandfamily

Hello Spring!!

I just love these thin wood cut outs!! This made for easy spring decor in just 15 minutes.

The cut outs can be found at most craft supply stores and for just a few dollars. It is a great way to add inexpensive and adorable decor to wreaths, small nook spaces that just need something cute or even to a kids’ room. Since they are raw, painting them is a breeze and they dry in minutes. What a great way to make a craft with kids that they can easily paint and you can bring out and enjoy for years to come.

What you will need:

Something to protect your work surface
Wood cut out
Acrylic paint in desired colors
Paint Brushes
Imagination or willing kiddos

When you complete the painting process and allow the cut out to dry, you can coat it with a top coat of clear paint. However, I have not found them to fade in the years I have used them. They come with their own burlap hanging loop.

5 Ways to Cope When Your Husband Travels Often

by Craftsdecorandfamily

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo

5 Ways to Cope When Your Husband Travels

Almost two years ago, we moved 900 miles from where we called home. For his job, my husband travels often. During these times, when I am left as sole and soul caregiver to my children, I have learned a few things that I’d like to share.

My husband is amazing. He is such a great provider for our family and works very hard. I am so proud of him. When he is at home, he sometimes has to attend evening functions with clients. I am not alone in this. Many women are the primary caregiver to their children. While it’s an incredible privilege to be a mother, it can sometimes be overwhelming. All of the daily tasks still need to be accomplished and our little people need to be loved on and have play time. Here are some ways to make life a little easier.

1. Get outside, regardless of the time of year.

If it’s cold, bundle up, but get outside even for just 20 minutes. Sometimes, the only outside time I get is at the bus stop in the morning and afternoon because of the cold. But, those minutes make a huge difference in how I feel.

2. Make time for friends weekly

This could be as simple as a phone call or text. However, personal interaction is so much more beneficial. Invite someone over for tea or coffee. Take time to talk to a neighbor or seek out a new friendship at the library or kids sporting event. Take turns cooking dinner with another Mom whose husband travels. This has been a great thing for our family and one of our friends. We each get a night off cooking and the kids get to see someone other than us for the evening.

3. Stick to a routine.

It is helpful to everyone in the family if you can stick to the normal flow of life, even if running kids places gets more hectic with only one parent. The kids will only see that everything is normal. If they are less stressed, you will be as well.

4. Say “NO” to extras.

If you are carrying the full load of the house, adding responsibilities may not be the healthiest choice. It is ok to not be the one baking cookies for every bake sale or volunteering at all church or school activities.

5. Cut yourself some slack.

It gets overwhelming sometimes. If the house is not cleaned to your normal standards, it’s not the end of the world. If someone misses soccer practice or karate one night, the kiddo will survive. One person can only do so much. It is good for kids to see that you are human and have your limits.