Monday, September 30, 2013
Halloween Subway Art
My daughter and I made one of the Halloween Subway Art Freebies that I posted on Friday. Michael's had table frames "buy one get one free." So, I got a black frame for the Halloween art and I bought a brown one for the Thanksgiving subway art (coming soon). I picked up two glitter spider webs that were only $1 each. My sweet Lola helped me hot glue them on. It literally only took me 5 minutes and it looks adorable! I love things that are easy and cute!
Friday, September 27, 2013
FREEBIE Friday! Halloween Subway Art Printable!
We all want cute Halloween decorations, but who has time for every Pinterest project? This is for all the busy Moms out there! Print it, put it in a frame, and done! Click here or on the picture to download. Enjoy!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Superhero Party!
We had the boys superhero party last weekend and it was a blast! This is the first time we haven't had their party at home so packing up all the decorations was a little new to me. Thankfully, I didn't forget anything and the party went off without a hitch.
I really must say having a party at Gymboree Play & Music was so much fun. Added bonus, I didn't have to be in charge, which meant I really got to play and be part of all the activities!
First, the decorations....
You'll notice that I like to purchase things for a party that I will be able to use else wear after the party is over. This helps me sell hubby on spending the money. I like to be all "see how I saved us money- double use items." Haha!
Everyone enjoying all the treats!
Lincoln & Nolan devoured the cupcakes, cake pops, and popcorn!
The kids had a blast with all the activities at Gymboree. It was hard to get pics of these because they were all running around so fast half the pictures were blurry!
This activity was a real hit! They had to climb the "tower" and rescue the kitties!
The kids loved the parachute games with these soft balls. Of course, after this, a giant free-for-all of chasing each other and "zapping" each other with these ensued. This was the activity that brought all the adults in. We were throwing these at each other and ducking down like we didn't do it! It was fun to see all the adults get silly and act like kids!
It was a great party and the best part was that the boys loved it! That's all a Mommy wants to hear, "This was my best day ever! I love you!" Makes every minute of preparation worth it!
I really must say having a party at Gymboree Play & Music was so much fun. Added bonus, I didn't have to be in charge, which meant I really got to play and be part of all the activities!
First, the decorations....
You'll notice that I like to purchase things for a party that I will be able to use else wear after the party is over. This helps me sell hubby on spending the money. I like to be all "see how I saved us money- double use items." Haha!
- The polka dot backdrop is a vinyl tablecloth. Now that the party's over I can use it on the table when we do crafts.
- The Happy Birthday sign is a print I made and had made into a reusable vinyl sticker. It's now on the playroom wall.
- The "Buildings" are dollar store crates with poster board taped inside. The crates are now storing toys in the playroom.
- Tablecloth, Napkins, & Paper Plates from Celebrate Express were so perfect!
- The placemats, pinwheels, centerpieces, popcorn boxes, cupcake wrappers & toppers are all part of our Superhero Party Kit. :)
 |
Everyone enjoying all the treats!
Lincoln & Nolan devoured the cupcakes, cake pops, and popcorn!
The kids had a blast with all the activities at Gymboree. It was hard to get pics of these because they were all running around so fast half the pictures were blurry!
This activity was a real hit! They had to climb the "tower" and rescue the kitties!
The kids loved the parachute games with these soft balls. Of course, after this, a giant free-for-all of chasing each other and "zapping" each other with these ensued. This was the activity that brought all the adults in. We were throwing these at each other and ducking down like we didn't do it! It was fun to see all the adults get silly and act like kids!
It was a great party and the best part was that the boys loved it! That's all a Mommy wants to hear, "This was my best day ever! I love you!" Makes every minute of preparation worth it!
Friday, September 20, 2013
FREEBIE Friday!
We're still celebrating our boys' birthday so it honor of them...here's your FREEBIE!
You can click on the picture or here to be taken to the site to download the file.
I've got a New Release for you! Super cute Halloween owls. Happy Owl-O-Ween!
You can click on the picture or here to be taken to the site to download the file.
I've got a New Release for you! Super cute Halloween owls. Happy Owl-O-Ween!
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Ahhh...the Memories..
Wow! My twin babies Big Boys are 4 today! Last night I got a little weepy about it. I was looking at pictures when they were just 4 pound little babies. We've come a long way!
Last night I posted a quick pic on Facebook of their birthday breakfast table.
I got lots of texts and emails telling me that it was a great idea. But, I must confess it wasn't my idea. All credit goes to my Mom! My Mom has always had a way of making every occasion a very special occasion. We always had a special breakfast with a nice placemat and "the fancy dishes." There were always little gifts all around. I remember sitting in the hallway on Christmas morning while she put the finishing touches on everything and then being "released" to run to the table. I was just telling my husband this morning that the most wonderful joy of having children is getting to relive these feelings of excitement that we had as children. As the boys were saying "Can we go now? Can we go to the table?" I was flooded with my own childhood memories of that crazy-can't-sit-still-bursting with excitement.
Since I've become a Mom I've realized how much my Mom sacrificed and how much time she put into planning every event and every occasion. But, more than that, I see how much love was behind everything she did. Someday when my little girl is rolling her eyes at me or the boys are backtalking, or they are generally just being a teenagers I'm going to (first, have a good cry about "oh what happened to my sweet babies?"-haha) and then pray. Pray that someday they will have children of their own so they can be the ones flooded with great childhood memories. Here's to living every day to make a memory!
Happy Birthday Lincoln & Nolan!
Last night I posted a quick pic on Facebook of their birthday breakfast table.
I got lots of texts and emails telling me that it was a great idea. But, I must confess it wasn't my idea. All credit goes to my Mom! My Mom has always had a way of making every occasion a very special occasion. We always had a special breakfast with a nice placemat and "the fancy dishes." There were always little gifts all around. I remember sitting in the hallway on Christmas morning while she put the finishing touches on everything and then being "released" to run to the table. I was just telling my husband this morning that the most wonderful joy of having children is getting to relive these feelings of excitement that we had as children. As the boys were saying "Can we go now? Can we go to the table?" I was flooded with my own childhood memories of that crazy-can't-sit-still-bursting with excitement. Since I've become a Mom I've realized how much my Mom sacrificed and how much time she put into planning every event and every occasion. But, more than that, I see how much love was behind everything she did. Someday when my little girl is rolling her eyes at me or the boys are backtalking, or they are generally just being a teenagers I'm going to (first, have a good cry about "oh what happened to my sweet babies?"-haha) and then pray. Pray that someday they will have children of their own so they can be the ones flooded with great childhood memories. Here's to living every day to make a memory!
Sunday, September 15, 2013
FREEBIE...Sunday! Editable Kid Bank Labels
So, Freebie Friday turned into Freebie Sunday! Sorry about that. With my computer crash last week and getting all up and going this week I got a bit behind. Thankfully, I didn't have to worry about losing anything, just getting everything all connected and up and running. I can't even tell you though how happy I was that I'm fanatic about backing up my work. I have an external drive and I use Carbonite. This girl is never going to lose her work! My husband has laughed at me for overdoing it but I was vindicated this week when our computer guy said I was right. Doesn't it feel good to be told you're right!?! Haha!
You may or may not know, but we have 3 kiddos around here that are 3 and under. That's about to change because my twin boys turn 4 on Wednesday and our little girl is two and half. I've tried a million different things to keep some order around here and to be honest, it's hard to follow through all the time! I was a teacher in my pre-children life so admitting that is a little hard. We stumbled onto something recently on our trip to Florida and I've been considering making that our system since then but I hadn't got around to it. Our kids like money! I know most kids do, but I really hadn't realized that they actually get it. Fortunately for us, the amount doesn't matter. They're just as happy with a penny, nickel, or quarter as a dollar. So, obviously pennies will reign supreme at our house for most things. You can frown on me for bribing them, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! Plus, hubby is a financial advisor so he loves the idea of them understanding money and learning to save. I also really wanted a way to be more positive. This way when I catch one of them sharing, picking up toys, etc I can let them put a penny in their bank. I'm not going to do it every time because I do believe at this age we have to balance the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Hopefully this will help us as parents be on the lookout for a way to compliment and encourage them even more than we already try to. Just that extra minute of praising them, getting their coin and putting it their bank is another moment of one-on-one connection with us in this very busy household.
The most important thing to us right now is SLEEP. Our little girl has taken to getting up several times a night. Which is really increasing our coffee bill around here. Haha. Which means staying in bed earns the big prize- a quarter. Everything else is nickels and pennies.
We had a trial run last week (before I had worked out the quarters and pennies idea) and they each earned a dollar. I took them to the Dollar Store and they got to pick out their own toy. One of my boys kept saying "This is the best store ever!" Seriously, I hope they never find out about Toys R Us!
All of that to say...I needed to make banks to contain all these good behavior rewards. I wanted something clear so they could see the money adding up. But, I also wanted something secure so they couldn't just pop the top off and empty them out. Seriously, I should hire these children out as toy testers- if it survives our house then it's a great product!
These clear paint cans that I picked up at Michaels were just what I was looking for. So, I whipped up some cute clipart of quarters and pennies and created a label for each one. After I got that done I felt like the top needed a little something so I made circles with a matching chevron pattern on them. I was able to easily make a coin drop with a flat head screwdriver and popped it with a hammer to make it cut through the lid. Little tip- don't do this while the lid is on the bank. Take the top off and put some padding under it before you cut through it.
Here comes your FREEBIES! I've got pink, green, and blue labels and tops for you! They are editable PDF files so all you have to do is open the file in Adobe Reader (not MAC Previewer) and you'll be able to put in your child's name, save it, and print it. If you've never used an Editable PDF just go to my previous post with instructions.
The font I used for the names is called "My Own Topher" If you want this font you can get it here, but make sure to download the font before you open the files in Adobe Reader.
Here's a close up of the labels. Click here to get your FREEBIES! Enjoy!
You may or may not know, but we have 3 kiddos around here that are 3 and under. That's about to change because my twin boys turn 4 on Wednesday and our little girl is two and half. I've tried a million different things to keep some order around here and to be honest, it's hard to follow through all the time! I was a teacher in my pre-children life so admitting that is a little hard. We stumbled onto something recently on our trip to Florida and I've been considering making that our system since then but I hadn't got around to it. Our kids like money! I know most kids do, but I really hadn't realized that they actually get it. Fortunately for us, the amount doesn't matter. They're just as happy with a penny, nickel, or quarter as a dollar. So, obviously pennies will reign supreme at our house for most things. You can frown on me for bribing them, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! Plus, hubby is a financial advisor so he loves the idea of them understanding money and learning to save. I also really wanted a way to be more positive. This way when I catch one of them sharing, picking up toys, etc I can let them put a penny in their bank. I'm not going to do it every time because I do believe at this age we have to balance the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Hopefully this will help us as parents be on the lookout for a way to compliment and encourage them even more than we already try to. Just that extra minute of praising them, getting their coin and putting it their bank is another moment of one-on-one connection with us in this very busy household.
The most important thing to us right now is SLEEP. Our little girl has taken to getting up several times a night. Which is really increasing our coffee bill around here. Haha. Which means staying in bed earns the big prize- a quarter. Everything else is nickels and pennies.
We had a trial run last week (before I had worked out the quarters and pennies idea) and they each earned a dollar. I took them to the Dollar Store and they got to pick out their own toy. One of my boys kept saying "This is the best store ever!" Seriously, I hope they never find out about Toys R Us!
 |
| Showing off their money. We used pretend money and then I actually paid the bill. |
 |
| They were so excited to get their toys opened! |
All of that to say...I needed to make banks to contain all these good behavior rewards. I wanted something clear so they could see the money adding up. But, I also wanted something secure so they couldn't just pop the top off and empty them out. Seriously, I should hire these children out as toy testers- if it survives our house then it's a great product!
These clear paint cans that I picked up at Michaels were just what I was looking for. So, I whipped up some cute clipart of quarters and pennies and created a label for each one. After I got that done I felt like the top needed a little something so I made circles with a matching chevron pattern on them. I was able to easily make a coin drop with a flat head screwdriver and popped it with a hammer to make it cut through the lid. Little tip- don't do this while the lid is on the bank. Take the top off and put some padding under it before you cut through it.
Here comes your FREEBIES! I've got pink, green, and blue labels and tops for you! They are editable PDF files so all you have to do is open the file in Adobe Reader (not MAC Previewer) and you'll be able to put in your child's name, save it, and print it. If you've never used an Editable PDF just go to my previous post with instructions.
The font I used for the names is called "My Own Topher" If you want this font you can get it here, but make sure to download the font before you open the files in Adobe Reader.
Here's a close up of the labels. Click here to get your FREEBIES! Enjoy!
Monday, September 9, 2013
How to Edit Editable PDFs- All your questions answered!
Frequently I post freebies that are editable PDF files and our party kits all have some files that are editable. I personally have always loved being to customize things all by myself. That way you can use them time and time again. They are super easy to use but there are a few basic things to remember. I'm going to answer some common questions and give you a little "How-To" today. That way you'll have the info here on the blog any time you need it.
What software do I need?
For optimal performance, the latest version of Adobe Reader is required.The Adobe Reader software is needed to properly open, type & format text, print and save the PDF file.
MAC Users
Apple’s default PDF viewer (“Preview”), does not play well with text editable PDF files. If your Mac is set to automatically open PDF files in the default program, do not double-click the files to open. Instead, launch the Adobe Reader application and open your files from within the program.
How do I know which areas of the document I can type in?
Once you open the document in Adobe Reader, click on the purple "Highlight Fields" button. Areas that you can type in will be highlighted.
Can I change/edit any of the graphics or colors in your printables?
No! Adobe Reader does not allow you to change the colors or edit the graphics. In addition, all my printables cannot be opened in any graphics design program (such as Photoshop or Illustrator etc) as this would corrupt the editable text feature. They are also secured with a password for graphics editing.
What can I change?
- Change the font selection (to any font installed locally on your computer).
- Change the font color.
- Change the font size.
- Change the font style (bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, superscript, subscript).
- Change text alignment (vertical/horizontal, text indent, line spacing).
- Save your edited copy to your computer.
How To Make Changes:
ENTERING TEXT
- Open your file in Adobe Reader.
- Text boxes will be shown highlighted in light blue/purple.
- Click inside any text box with your mouse/cursor.
- The text box will change color to transparent.
- Start typing your text.
Open the “Form Field Text Properties” toolbar to access the text formatting functions (Control/Command +E to pop open the toolbar):
- Open your file in Adobe Reader.
- Enter text into a text box and highlight it with your cursor
- Available options are shown on the toolbar.
- Click the “More” button for additional options.
Open the “Form Field Text Properties” toolbar to access the text formatting functions (Control/Command +E to pop open the toolbar):
- Click the “More” button for additional options.
- Using the tabs along the top of the dialog box, click “Paragraph”.
- Edit to your liking.
- Click “Close” when done editing.
- In the main toolbar of the Adobe Reader application, click “File”.
- From the dropdown menu, select “Save As”, then select “PDF”.
- The “Save As” dialog box will open up
- Select a location on your computer to save to from the “Save In” dropdown.
- You may change the file name if desired.
- Click the “Save” button.
Friday, September 6, 2013
FREEBIE FRIDAY! It's your lucky day...TWO Freebies are on the way!
Happy Friday!
Lots of great responses and pictures from the last preschool board! I loved seeing all your little cuties holding their signs. Totally made my week! So, I'm releasing TWO freebies today so you can get the whole family in on all the cute pics. There's one for Kindergarten and another board so you can fill in the appropriate grade for your older kiddos. Feel free to share this post and pin!
The technical stuff before the fun...
Just a quick note before you download the FREEBIES- Only open the editable PDF files in Adobe Reader. If you're on a Mac just know that Editable PDFs don't play well with the Mac Previewer. You can download Adobe Reader for FREE so no worries! Included in the zipped file will be instructions for editing in Adobe Reader if you've never done this before. It's super easy!
Also, if you want the exact fonts I used, download those first before you open the file and start editing.
FREE Fonts I used:
Chalkhand http://www.dafont.com/chalk-hand-lettering-shaded.font
FFF Tusj http://www.dafont.com/fff-tusj.font
Grutch Shaded http://www.dafont.com/font-comment.php?file=grutchshaded
Kraft Nine http://www.dafont.com/search.php?q=Kraft+Nine
Return to Sender http://www.dafont.com/return-to-sender.font
So, finally to the great part...the links to your FREEBIES!!!
http://www.grantavenuedesign.com/freebies/first-day-of-kindergarten-board/
http://www.grantavenuedesign.com/freebies/first-day-of-school-board-editable-pdf/
Just add it to your cart and go check your email and you'll have a link waiting for you!
Send me pictures of what you made! Enjoy!
Lots of great responses and pictures from the last preschool board! I loved seeing all your little cuties holding their signs. Totally made my week! So, I'm releasing TWO freebies today so you can get the whole family in on all the cute pics. There's one for Kindergarten and another board so you can fill in the appropriate grade for your older kiddos. Feel free to share this post and pin!
The technical stuff before the fun...
Just a quick note before you download the FREEBIES- Only open the editable PDF files in Adobe Reader. If you're on a Mac just know that Editable PDFs don't play well with the Mac Previewer. You can download Adobe Reader for FREE so no worries! Included in the zipped file will be instructions for editing in Adobe Reader if you've never done this before. It's super easy!
Also, if you want the exact fonts I used, download those first before you open the file and start editing.
FREE Fonts I used:
Chalkhand http://www.dafont.com/chalk-hand-lettering-shaded.font
FFF Tusj http://www.dafont.com/fff-tusj.font
Grutch Shaded http://www.dafont.com/font-comment.php?file=grutchshaded
Kraft Nine http://www.dafont.com/search.php?q=Kraft+Nine
Return to Sender http://www.dafont.com/return-to-sender.font
So, finally to the great part...the links to your FREEBIES!!!
http://www.grantavenuedesign.com/freebies/first-day-of-kindergarten-board/
http://www.grantavenuedesign.com/freebies/first-day-of-school-board-editable-pdf/
Just add it to your cart and go check your email and you'll have a link waiting for you!
Send me pictures of what you made! Enjoy!