Free Bookplates

Snag up these little goodies for yourself or your busy student!

Visit Sissyprint to get some of your own!

There are six options to choose from, available today in celebration of Back to School Week!

Free popsicle cozy pattern and gift tag!

My popsicle cozy pattern and gift tag are available today at Sissyprint.

Check it out! 

I think popsicles are a huge part of summer nostalgia.

When my son was a teething baby, I'd wrap a paper towel 

with a rubber band around the ice pop to keep his little fingers from getting cold.

Two kids later and a little experience has helped me make the perfect popsicle cozy.

Believe me, there have been several designs that have been modified and simplified.

There have been pocket cozies, wrap-around cozies, but the sleeve-style cozy is the way to go.

What kid wouldn't love getting a cozied ice pop, topped off with a coordinating gift tag!

Make summer special.

Keeping kids entertained indoors

I hope you all had a fantastic V-day. My husband and I are celebrating Friday, so my day of hearts has yet to arrive. Can't wait. Meanwhile, we are getting a little stir crazy being cooped up in our itty bitty apartment this winter. Any new ideas of how to keep mister J and lady P entertained and happy are quickly slowing down to nada. I'm sure many of you out there are feeling the same way. So, I have asked Ashley from Taking Terrible out of Toddler to do a guest post today on fun ways to fight the cabin fever. She's got some amazing and clever tips, so be sure to read on and visit her blog! And here you have... Ashley.

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Lately the cold days have been dragging on, and on. Instead of taking my toddlers outside, there are other great places to take them, like: Library Programs, Indoor Swimming, Pet Store, Mall, Skating , Play Groups, Bounce Houses or Activity Centers. If for some reason I can't take them anywhere, there are plenty of ways to stay inside and keep everyone sane during the long winter days.

What do I do with my toddlers all day? I bring the outdoors inside! Here are some ideas on how I do that:

Leaf Jumping Party: I got this idea from my friend Lara who did a guest post for me, Teaching Creativity. What to do: take an old newspaper or magazine and let the kids shred it up. Give older toddlers children safe scissors...good practice for them, let the younger toddlers tear it up. Shred enough paper to make a nice jumping pile, this is the pile of leaves. Toddlers love to rake the pile up. My toddlers love to jump into the pile, bury each, throw shreds up in the air and let them fall on their faces. When we are done we clean it up by singing to the tune "first you pick it up, then you put it in the bag...bum bum," I remember it from an old cartoon, called "In The Bag." You can keep the "leaves" for future play times, recycle them, use them as hamster bedding, or even crafts.

Camp Out: Go camping in the HOUSE! Put the tent up, sleep in sleeping bags, use lanterns...the real deal...with the exception of a warm bathroom with running water (isn't that nice). When my family does this, we eat camping food like: hot dogs, chili, dinners wrapped in foil, and smores. You might have your own camping food you like to eat. The food makes it feel more authentic. We also play games inside the tent and tell stories. The kids think they are getting to do the real thing, the parents are happy they don't have to pack and clean all that camping gear, or deal with curious toddlers that think dirt and ashes are as good as chocolate cake.

Picnic: Pack a picnic just like you would if you were going to the park. Lay out a blanket (water proof on carpet floors) in the living room and set up the picnic the same as you would on a hot summer day. My toddlers bring out all the stuffed animals and dolls they can find...sometimes the dolls get plates too. Then we eat our real picnic food (I like to buy a watermelon just to make it feel like summer) and we enjoy the company of our stuffed friends.

Summer Day: Declare the day a summer day and let your toddlers dress in swim suits, shorts, sandals...whatever summer cloths suit their fancy. We wear sunglasses, throw beach balls around, sip lemonade, eat ice-cream...its a summer day! We even sometimes lay out on towels and pretend we are tanning...very relaxing if your toddler lies still long enough. We do this all while staying inside and just pretending. You might want to turn the heat up or find a south facing window on a sunny cold day, open the blinds and lay in the sun coming through the window.

Go Swimming: That is...in the bathtub. Put the toddlers in swim suits and get out all the small swim toys and fill the tub, its a pool party. Put a towel on the floor for precautions and don't worry at all about cleaning the kids. I let a little stream of water run down from the faucet or shower...just for the fun of it. Then they just play, play, play in the water.

Petting Zoo: Go to the zoo. The zoo in your toddlers room that is (it may seem like one everyday). While the kids are occupied with something else, get out the stuffed animals and some of the small hard ones...they are fun too. Then bring the toddlers back into the room (it is more surprising that way) and pretend you are at the zoo. We pet all the animals, name them, feed them whatever it is they eat (pretend), talk about where they live, make the sounds they make...and so on. They can actually feed the lions this way and not get eaten! We have a lot of fun.

Come visit my blog to read more from this post and find other ideas and useful information about toddlers.

Valentine's Day Art Project for kids (or adults...)

It has been a hefty winter, so art projects have definitely been MY saving grace while we're cooped up indoors! I happen to love Valentine's Day, so this is our project for this week. I apologize for the lack of a "finished product," but I'm saving this puppy for after lunchtime tomorrow.

Photo Credit: Just something I made (flower tutorial here)

Remember these tissue paper flowers we all made back in grade school? It was usually the go-to craft for Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, etc. Remember how you'd cut squares out of tissue paper, shape the square over the edges of a pencil eraser, and whala, you have a beautiful fluted flower? Yup, those are the ones. Easy peezy, lots of fun for the kiddos, and they look pretty gorgeous when they're all bunched together. Add those to the tree portion of this free printable and you have yourself a charming little valentine for someone special (like mum or dad) or some memorable holiday art you can pull out each year.

Go here to download the .pdf. It works best printed on white cardstock, but plain computer paper will be just fine also.

Do you have clever ideas on keepin the kids happy inside? I'd love to hear them!

Way to Go Reward System Chart

Let's be honest... I've been the worst blogger mama ever.

It's been a challenging few weeks at our house. Remember my aunt who was diagnosed with brain cancer in January? She passed away. And, although there was sincere sadness associated with her passing, the blessing of her battle drawing to a close brought great comfort.

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Since then, however, I haven't felt much like crafting, blogging, or doing much other than love on my kiddos. We've played hard and I haven't felt that normal empty space needing to be filled by a few hours spent in the sewing room. Time is so valuable, don't ya think?

But, then Buster "J" turned three last week and I made up some good behavior charts to bid a proper farewell to that terrible two and start with age three anew. I hope you guys will find use for these goodies. Puh-lus, they're free and I sure do love free. Happy Monday!

Way to Go { blue-1 }

Way to Go { blue-2 }

Way to Go { rust-1 }

Way to Go { rust-2 }

Way to Go { pink-1 }

Way to Go { pink-2 }

There are two pages per color, so be sure to download both.

Egg Coloring Party Pack

Easter... just another great reason to have a party. Here is a free printable party pack for a fun-packed easter egg coloring party. Be sure to download and print the graphics as a full page, otherwise it will print smaller than intended.Click on the orange links below to download.

Egg Coloring Party {invitation}

Four invitations per sheet, designed to coordinate with the theme of the party.

Egg Coloring Kit {egg carton tag}

This tag is meant to top a 12-count egg carton. Have a dozen eggs ready for each guest. Boil the eggs ahead of time and return into the carton. Print out this 11"x3" tag, mount onto a 12"x4" piece of colorful card stock, and embellish the top of the egg carton to make it a little more special.

Egg-stra Special Tag {part favor tag}

This tag would be great as a cupcake topper or just tied around a sucker.

Happy Easter

Paper Mache Grass Bowl

Sorry guys! I've been kind of M.I.A. with the projects lately! I've been a busy little bee with some design jobs and rehabbing a few craigslist finds. But, I'm back! And, I've got a fun one for you today! Easter is coming and I needed a little art project to enjoy with Buster "J." I remembered seeing this project in a magazine a while back and thought I'd give it a whirl. It's super simple, fun to do with the kiddos or on your own, and just in time for the upcoming holiday.

Shred some lightweight paper using either a paper shredder or just cutting strips with scissors. I did mine in varying colors of green, but any bright color would be fun!

For the glue, mix 1 part water to 2 parts glue. Cover the outside of a bowl with saran wrap and tape inside to hold it in place. Paint a thin layer of glue over the saran.

Lightly sprinkle the strips of paper with water to moisten, and start layering paper over the bowl.

Once finished layering on the paper, apply a coating of glue over the paper. Let sit undisturbed until it's completely dry and hardened. Mine took about 36 hours.

Gently separate the bowl from the saran, then the saran from the paper strips. Take your time and whala! DONE! I can't wait to fill this with some dyed eggs. More pictures to come. I just didn't have anything exciting to fill it with yet.

P.S. Speaking of dying eggs, I have some FREE labels and tags coming to help you host an egg dyeing party. Stay tuned for those little goodies.

Reader Tip Tuesday - Shirt Refashion

Refashions are huge on the crafty blog circuit these days. So, when clever Lyric from Crafty Chic sent this project for Tip Tuesday, I knew it would be a hit. And, doesn't this come in time for an easy little Easter dress? Perfection for summertime. Get the how-to here and be sure to check out more refashions and cleverness at Crafty Chic a la Lyric!

Go ahead and grab her button!

<a href="http://craftychiclyric.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac360/lyricpoulson/button.gif" border="0" alt="Crafty Chic" /></a>

St. Patty's Day { Patch Pin }

Hey all! I am now contributing to Executive Homemaker! If you're NOT familiar with EH, it's a great location to find free printable goodies. There's also some excellent ideas, like how to throw a successful St. Patty's Day bash.

I have a tutorial up today on how to make this patch pin for St. Patty's Day. Use it for a headband, bag charm, or simply pin it onto your shirt to avoid the pinch.

Go here to get the full how-to and free pattern!

Tooth Fairy Pouch

My niece, Kaily, lost her first tooth today. My dad pulled it out. It was quite exciting. It's been loose for weeks now, and she finally let Grandpa string it up and jerk it out.

Since the tooth fairy is visiting her pillow tonight, I wanted to maker her something special to house her first tooth.


1. Cut a piece of wool felt to approximately 2" x 5" and a tooth shape out of white wool felt for the front. I freehanded mine, but you can trace the outline of a shape like this. You can search google images for one you like.

2. Sew the tooth to the 2" x 5" strip. Stick close to the edge of the tooth as you stitch it on.

3. I put a "K" on the tooth with pink embroiddery floss using a basic back stitch.

4. Fold the 2" x 5" strip in half, right sides together. Sew down the sides and turn right-side out.


Very easy. Sorry I didn't take step-by-step pictures of this one. It was a spur-of-the-moment job. If you want to make this and have questions, please don't hesitate to email me. I'd be happy to help you! I hope you guys aren't getting sick of wool felt. I can't help it, I have a craft crush on the stuff.

Kids Tee Applique

My friend, Claire, is expecting a baby girl in the coming months and spotted some appliqued onesies she kinda loved. Well, they were $30! Can you believe that? Thirty bucks! Well, here's a tutorial that can help you get a $30 onesie for $2. By the way, if you don't know what to make for dinner, Claire has a stellar recipe blog. You've GOT to check her out here. I ate her cookin' every day for an entire summer... it was heaven.

First, iron double-sided fusible webbing onto your choice of fabric(s) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Fusible webbing really is the trick to doing a successful applique, especially onto jersey.

Browse google images or some clip art software for an image you like. Print it out, cut it out.

Trace the outline of that image onto the paper backing of the fusible webbing.

Cut out the traced image. Peel the paper backing away from the webbing/fabric and lay the pieces onto your onesie or shirt. Iron in place, adhering the fabric images to the jersey.

CAREFULLY and slowly stitch around the very edge of the images. Take your time on this step and I promise it will be perfection.

Now for the legs... To add a little extra texture, I used brown embroidery floss and did a back stitch to create skinny little bird legs.

Ta-da! A little love bird onesie. Easy, right? I kind of want to design dozens of these for summer shirts for littly lady "P." Applique away, folks! Hope you all had a happy Valentine's Day!

Growing Like A Weed Heat Pack

My son is going through a growth spurt. I remember when I would get growing pains as a child and how awful it was. Hot baths late at night, mentholatum lotion, but my favorite remedy was a nice warm heating pad. So, I needed to make some up for little J. But, I thought I would try to make them a bit more fun than a regular heating pad. So, I found these great prints in snug fleece and designed some "growing like a weed" tags. This way, it seems like a gift and hopefully my kiddo will be excited to give them a try.

1. First "marinate" your uncooked rice. Fill a bowl with an airtight lid (or ziplock bag) with uncooked rice and your choice of scent. You could drop in some scented oils, such as lavender, or use what's in your spice cupboard such as ground cloves and cinnamon. It's up to you. I like to let my rice sit for about a day so it's nice and smelly... in a good way.

If you wanna get real fancy, you could even make different rice packs for different stuff. My bestie from high school, Melissa, knows all about these things and told me certain oils can be remedies for different ailments. For example:

Lavender: good for leg cramps, anxiety, great for calming and can help with sleep.
Wild Orange: good for colds, anxiety, flu, and to calm.
Breathe: respiratory system problems, coughs, colds, asthma.
DigestZen: Can help balance the digestive system, flu, stomach aches, gas, and colic.

If you want to check out some of these oils, visit Melissa here. She's super.

2. There are two options. There's a SUPER easy version and a little more complicated version. For the super easy version (pictured above), just cut out the fabric to the dimensions of your choice. Simply sew around the edges (kind of in a "U" shape), leaving the top open. Fill it with your rice, fold the rough edges under, and stitch it up. SUPER EASY, right?

3. If you prefer your bag to have sections, it's not much more difficult. I did multiple bags in hope to achieve this look and think I found the quickest way to do it. Sew around the edges of your bag, right sides together, leaving one side open. Be sure the side you leave open is the longest side. See here?

4. Divvy up your bag into sections, the measurements are up to your liking, and sew ALMOST to the top, toward the rough edges. Don't forget to backstitch.

5. Fill the sections up with rice, stopping just about 1/2" short of where your stitching ends.

6. Fold the rough edges under about 1/2" and pin in place. Sew it up. I put a folded ribbon at the corner so little hands can carry the hot bag around without touching the hot part. But, that's really it. SO simple, right? Done.

Now, pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and sooth those aches and pains. Although the tag says 1-2 minutes, big boys and girls (aka us adults) can heat it up to 3 minutes. Want to download a pdf of these "because you are growing like a weed" tags and print them out? Go here.

I love comments... wink, wink.

Wishin and Hopin... and a Valentine Box

My lovely, amazing, selfless, kind, adorable Aunt Leslie has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor which crosses over two hemispheres. She is going to the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City today for a second opinion. I know this blog is dedicated to tutorials... but, she sure could use a lot of prayers today.

Want to make a Valentine's Box in ten minutes? There are five pages to download for this PDF. See the orange links listed below.

Valentine Monster Face

Valentine Monster Booty

Valentine Monster Side 1

Valentine Monster Side 2

Valentine Monster Top & Bottom

1. Cut out all of the pieces.

Don't stop at the darker green edge. Go all the way to the end of the paper.

2. Using a bone folder, or a credit card, fold on the dotted line as indicated.

3. Piece the sides together like this... forgive my messy table. It was coloring time for my kiddo.

Super easy and the guess work is already done for you!

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Cape Apron Tutorial

My son tends to believe he's a super hero. He even wears ski goggles around town and keeps them on when we go into the store.

For Thanksgiving, I made him a super hero cape. Not only does he love it, but his cousins play with it lots, too.

Since cousin Kaily had a birthday this week, I made her this Apron Cape. It does double duty, acting as an apron by day and a cape by night. And... you've guessed it... it's easy.

To download the neck template go here.

1. Fold your fabric in half, the hot dog way. Put the neck template at the top and pin in place. Cut around the template. I like this style of neck because I'm paranoid and don't have to worry about ropes, strangulation, and all those cheery things us moms stress about.

2. Lay your ruler at the same angle of the template. And cut down the side.

Unfold the fabric and you should have your cape. You need two of these pieces.

One for the front, one for the back.

3. For the bottom corners, just lay a plate or something round onto the fabric and trace the curve. Cut along the curve so the corners are rounded.

4. I love typeface design... guilty by trade, I suppose. So, I put Kaily's first initial on the cape. I found a font I liked, printed it out to the size I wanted, and cut it out. I then pinned the paper letter to some wool felt and cut it out.

Once I was pleased with the design, I sewed it to the right side of the cape. LOVE wool felt. No need to fold under the edges or anything. Just sew around the edge and that's all you have to do.

5. Now put the front and the back pieces of your cape right sides together and sew them together.

Be sure to leave a small opening so you can pull them right side out.

Pull the cape right side out and whip stitch the opening shut.

6. Iron the cape flat, taking extra care along the curvy parts of the neck.

7. Sew the pieces of velcro to the neck, stitching with a simple "X" shape. You could even do button holes if you'd like. I just thought velcro would be easier for the kiddos.

8. Ta-da! Done! Super easy, super cute, super fun, and very versatile in purpose.

My friend, Claire, made these for her two very cute boys.