Tip for Moms and Moms to Be

Today, as I was looking at my son while he practiced cursive writing, I thought, "Wow, where is my baby? Where did the time go? I need to take a picture of him for his calendar." And it struck me that I should share this with you. 
Who has time to write on baby books? I know I don't. So, since the year my son was born, I have had a calendar hanging in his bedroom wall. I buy blank calendars and put pictures of him on it each month. I also write whatever he does that is special on the date he does it. I have written on  calendars the day he first smiled,  rolled over, walked, said his first word, first day of school, kindergarten graduation, some funny things he has said or done, etc. 
So here are two examples for you. One page from last year calendar, and one from last month. Enjoy.

On our family vacation he conquered his fear of height.

 

 

 Now that my son is older, sometimes we work together on his calendar. I like that a lot. By the way he was born in September, so his calendars go from September to August instead of January - December.

There. Easy, simple, and it does not require much time at all. The calendar is at hand in his room and I can write on it right there, hanging on the wall.

by Vanias Reed    

Baby Boy

Yesterday we learned how to make a card for someone who had or is expecting a girl. So today we need to make one for a baby boy, right?

Here it is

The material needed and the directions to make this project are shown in the pictures below

Light-blue cardstock paper to make a 4" x 6" (10cm x 15cm) card

 A tool to help you fold the paper in the middle.

A 3" (7.5cm) scalloped circle

You will cut your 3" (7.5 cm) scalloped circle in the middle

A tool to make the border on the white paper

Add a sticker too.

Punchers to make the wheels

Add a little bow with a pearl for embellishment

You can create your border with a good glitter pen

 And do not forget the detail inside

VOILA! 

You have a cute card to give to the proud parents 

or parents to be.

by Vanias Reed    

Baby Girl

Today we are pausing our Valentine's Day projects and making a card we haven't made yet:

A Baby Shower card 

You will need:

A polka-dot embossing folder, a bottom for embellishment and a couple of cutting dies like the ones below.

First cut the brown cardstock paper for a 4" x 6" (10cm x 15cm) card.

Emboss the pink paper and cut it 3.1/4" x 4.1/4" (7cm x 10.5cm)

Cut the brown paper with polka dots 3.3/4" x 4/1/4" ( 2.5cm x 10.5 cm)

Tape them together

Paste the brown ribbon and bow where the two pieces of paper meet.

Using a glue dot, put the embellishment on the bow and, and using the die cuts you made, glue the sentiment phrase on the embossed paper. Paste everything on the card.

Don't forget to add a detail inside.

Butterflies die cuts made with punchers

I had so much fun making this card. Hopefully you will too because one of the great things about creating something is being able to use your imagination.  Relax and enjoy your creation. 

Vanias Reed     

Valentine's Day

 Today, driving home from the school where I teach P.E., I was thinking on how much I'm enjoying sharing my ideas with you.  So here is another card for Valentine's Day.
  I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did.

You will need paper to make a 4"x 6" (10cm x 15cm) card:

I like this color palette

 

Hearts embossing folder

Raffia Strings

Make a bow with the raffia strings

Glue the raffia strings ends on the back of the green paper before you paste it to the brown card.

First idea for detail inside

Second idea for detail inside

 Happy early Valentine's Day

by Vanias Reed     

 

Another Gift Wrapping Idea

You saw the previous wrapping technique and are thinking, "what if I have a much bigger box?" You still can do it. Just fold the paper in larger strips.

Here is another way to fold the wrapping paper for any box size:

Just follow the steps shown in the pictures below

 Make sure the paper covers the top of the box, and then secure the paper in place with tape.

Fold one side of the paper diagonally leaving enough paper to cover the side of the box.

Accordion fold the paper covering the top of the box.

It should look like this.

Add your decoration and a gift tag - preferably handmade too.

 All done. 

Remember that the time you invest wrapping a gift is a time invested on saying, " you are special to me."

by Vanias Reed    

Gift Wrapping

A gift should be something we choose thinking on how the other person will react. We should always invest time, not necessarily money, to find or make that one present that will make them smile. Then we should invest more time on wrapping the gift to let them know how special they are. 

Here is today's example

and a sequence of pictures showing the directions:

 

Secure the paper in place with a piece of tape.

Turn the box around

Accordion fold the paper several times

It should look something like this inside

A piece of tape will  hold the folding in place

Turn the box upside down to fold the paper on the sides

The sides after glued.

This gift is from our son to my husband, so he picked the sticker he wanted to put on the tag.

Photo Corners as Gift Tag holders 

 

Decorate  your gift with a ribbon or two - as shown in the picture, a gold over blue- and a special detail.

 

 I know my husband will like this one a lot. 

Vanias Reed