Get Here Quick! North Carolina Botanical Garden

May 20, 2014 by Jill Weinberger

School’s out for the summer! Translation: I’m making a long list of fun activities, projects and field trips to keep Gemma and I busy when we’re not traveling or running to local camps over the next few months. With Kindergarten starting in late August, I’m hoping to make the most of these last few months of freedom.

We kicked off the first day of summer break last Friday with a trip to the NC Botanical Garden. We’re so lucky it’s just a few miles down the road and offers up an afternoon of fun and exploration for kids and adults.

We’ve been to the Garden before but this time I challenged Gemma to a scavenger hunt! After finding our shady parking spot, we set off through the mountain terrain, on the lookout for the “not so obvious”. She had to find two butterflies (each of a different color/family), one dragonfly, one bee, a tadpole and a turtle. Within the first 5 minutes she’d spotted all but the tadpole and turtle; these two beings proved a bit harder to spot.

The Garden is alive with blooming flowers, including pitcher plants and other carnivorous plants. This particular collection is one of the best in the Southeast, so we spent quite a while checking out the Venus flytrap, orchids and other rare species. These flowers are STUNNING and well worth the trip!

There are several different gardens and habitats to explore including a garden, mountain and Piedmont terrains, display gardens, fern collection and water plant exhibits. You can easily spend a few hours wandering through and sighting various plants, insects and water features. And aside from the main Garden property, there are kid-friendly trails, part of the Piedmont Natural Trails system, you can access through back gates located behind the Education Center. The Botanical Garden also manages Battle Park Pedestrian Trails, Coker Arboretum and Forest Theater, all on or near the UNC Chapel Hill campus.

Here are a few more findings from our afternoon adventures:

Special Notes:

Visit the NC Botanical Garden website to learn more about what’s in bloom seasonally, and plan your visit. The center also offers a variety of adult and youth classes, demonstrations and storytime, as well as summer camps (which unfortunately are on a wait list at this point).
There is no admission fee, however the foundation gladly accepts donations to further their mission and maintain the grounds.
The main building also houses a very nice Garden Shop. Be sure to stop in if you’re on the hunt for a unique gift item, including live plants, botanical prints, gardner’s books and outdoor embellishments.

Pickin’ Berries

May 17, 2014 by Jill Weinberger

As promised, I took Gemma to pick strawberries Friday morning. It was shaping up to be a lovely day…72 degrees with blue skies, perfectly fluffy clouds and almost no humidity.

We set off mid-morning to Phillips Farms in Cary, NC (about 12 miles from our house). We had hoped to hit up Jean’s Berry Patch, where we grabbed our flat of berries earlier this week for our strawberry pies; however, we learned their fields were hit by a gang of rogue deer, and they suspended self-picking for the season! Bummer!

When we arrived and began searching for the best row for pickin’, we noticed the fields were full of plump, red strawberries! To our disappointment, we learned Thursday night’s storms and heavy rains left at least half of their ripe berries in a state of mush. Luckily, we were able to weed out a full basket of their best fruits and look forward to bingeing on strawberries all weekend!!

Pre-K Graduation and a Refreshing Teacher Gift

May 15, 2014 by Jill Weinberger

Where does the time go? The end of the school year is upon us! Gemma graduated from Pre-K today, and I was a bit teary-eyed as she performed her last preschool show and walked to get her certificate before shaking hands with her teachers.

We have been very blessed to have such a warm, engaging preschool environment at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Preschool for the last three years. Gemma’s teachers over the years were always such a joy, offering their kind souls, encouragement, guidance, patience and smiling faces every day in each classroom. If you live in the Durham/Chapel Hill area and are searching for a wonderful preschool, I highly encourage you to check out St. Stephens!

To honor the Pre-K teachers at the end of this school year, the parents got together to give our three classroom teachers, a music teacher and the preschool director a fresh, practical gift they and their families can use throughout the year, especially during our warm summer months.

We gifted each teacher with a water infuser/pitcher (Crate and Barrel) filled with lemons, limes and a sprig of fresh mint plus their own potted mint plant (Home Depot). We included a recipe for Citrus-Mint Infused Water, and the kids all autographed a special card.

Citrus-Mint Water

1 lemon
1 lime
4-6 mint leaves
1 half-gallon of cold water

Cut citrus into thin slices and remove seeds. Insert citrus slices and mint leaves into infuser insert. Fill pitcher with cold water. Insert infuser into pitcher. Chill in refrigerator. Sip and enjoy!!!

I also love these four recipes from Lauren Conrad (orange-lemon-lime; lemon-raspberry-mint; lemon-cucumber-mint; and blackberry-cherry-lime). If you get bored with plain ice water, as I do, an infuser is a great way to offer your body nourishment with a wonderful flavor!

Special Notes:

Recycle those paper bags from grocery or retail purchases! Don’t want the Whole Foods logo emblazoned on a gift bag? Just use colorful paper (or some of your child’s drawings on paper) to mask the logo and create a fun, colorful bag appropriate for gifting!

When gifting a potted plant, be thoughtful of your recipient’s ability to transport (if it’s not going to their home directly). I made sure to drain as much water from the pot base before placing the pot on a stack of coffee filters (to help absorb moisture) and then wrapped the base of the pot in a plastic bag to catch additional leaks. You can then use ribbon or a bow to decorate the bag or pot and give it some flair.

mint plant prep

my love is…

March 6, 2014 by Jill Weinberger

I’m so excited to share this latest art project, entitled “my love is…”, which Gemma and I created for her bedroom. I wish I could share a fun story of how the theme came to be but honestly it was one of those “huh, that might be cute” ideas which slowly formed one afternoon as I watched Gemma paint randomness on a cold, winter day.

She took great care creating a night sky, an underwater world, and a rainbow. So, after the paint dried, we embellished each one with glitter, sequins and foil, then stenciled some creative text onto each of the corresponding mats (included with the frames we bought). The main text is “my love is…” and the three art images read:

“deeper than the ocean“,
“brighter than the stars“,
“beautiful as a rainbow“.

She loves seeing her artwork adorn her walls, and knowing we created this together makes me smile each time to walk into her room. This project is super easy, and the best part is your child’s artwork makes each piece unique!

Here’s a brief tutorial to help you create your own “my love is…” art installation. Great for a child’s nursery/bedroom or playroom.

Materials:

4 – 12″ x 12″ (with 8″ x 8″ matte/window) picture frames
letter-sized card stock printer paper
paints, brushes, glitter, foil, glue (and any other materials you wish to create the art…like googly eyes!)
printer
nails, hammer, tissue paper, tape, level

Step 1. Let your child create three basic landscapes. If they’re on the younger side, you can embellish the art or feel free to leave it as-is.

Step 2. While they paint, you create the text graphic “my love is…” in a Word doc (or freehand or let your child write it in their own handwriting!) and print on your 8.5″x11″ card stock paper. Trim paper down and affix in one of your frames.

Step 2. Insert each piece into the matching frames, including the “my love is…” text graphic. This is also a good time to write/stencil the corresponding text onto each mat board, as well (…”deeper than the ocean, etc.).

Step 3. To ensure the frames are hung straight, here’s a little trick you can use. Cut tissue paper to the size of the frames (see above tissue peeking out from behind frames) and use a pen to mark the placement of the sawtooth hanger/hook on each sheet of tissue. Using a level, “hang”/tape the tissue to the wall where you wish to hang the frames. Hammer your nails through the tissue at the hook/hanger mark and hang the frames to ensure they are where you want them. Don’t forget to remove the tissue when you’ve got perfect placement.

Hope you enjoy some creative time with your little one and cherish this art your child’s special space!

Special Delivery: Gift Cards

December 17, 2013 by Jill Weinberger

This year the families from Gemma’s preschool class combined forces to get the teachers gift cards to their favorite stores and restaurants for Christmas. Here’s an idea for how to package those cards and give the teachers a little something extra for all care and guidance they give our kids!

Materials:

Boxwood or other potted plant (We found mini boxwoods in wood planters at Trader Joe’s.)
Gift cards
Pipe cleaners
Drinking straws
Scissors
Optional: colorful tinsel garland, small ornament(s)

Step 1. Wrap your gift cards in pipe cleaners to resemble bows on a present. Wrap your gift card vertically with one pipe cleaner, leaving a long end to thread through a drinking straw. Wrap a second pipe cleaner horizontally from behind, twisting or making a bow with the ends on the front.

Step 2. Insert straw in dirt of potted plant; you may wish to cut your straws to create varied heights for the “presents”. Insert your pipe cleaner/gift card into a straw.

Step 3. (Optional) Tuck some tree garland around the base and add a few ornaments (we used a foam craft gingerbread ornament which Gemma made at home).

This is a fun way to package gift card presents for anyone on your wish list!!

Norwegian Krumkake

December 12, 2013 by Jill Weinberger

The holiday season is the best time to celebrate traditions and feed your soul. My celebration couldn’t be complete without some good old-fashioned baked goods, and this year I’m including a family favorite which represents my Scandinavian heritage. Krumkake (krmkäk), is best described as a fancy waffle cookie and simply translates to curved cake in Norwegian.

krumkake

My mother and grandmothers made this delicate treat each holiday season, and as a child I’ll admit it wasn’t the first item I chose from the dessert tray. No, I lunged for anything with sprinkles, chocolate or caramel. However, as an adult, I have come to love this crispy, sweet-tasting cookie and decided to make a batch myself. Lucky for you, I’m sharing my recipe (a slight variation from the one pictured above) and some tips you can use to make your own krumkake.

To make krumkake, you will need a special krumkake iron, available online from Villa Ware through Amazon or other specialty retailers (~$100). I received mine as a gift from my mother, who incidentally uses a traditional stove-top iron vs. my electric, non-stick iron. Your iron will come with a wooden cone to roll/shape the cookies. You’ll need a large cooking space, a timer, and a spatula to remove the cookie from the hot iron once it’s done. As you can see below, I wasn’t sure what type of spatula would work best. The slotted, stiff spatula did the trick.

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
6 tablespoons milk

Step 1. Preheat krumkake iron. Grease iron with cooking spray or shortening.

Step 2. Beat eggs with a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid mixer.

Step 3. Add sugar, butter, vanilla and cardamom and mix well.

Step 4. Add flour and milk, alternating a little of each and mixing well as you go. The batter should have the consistency of a thick pancake batter.

Step 5. Spoon a tablespoon-sized dollop of batter in the center of each krumkake plate and close the iron. Let the batter bake for 30-45 seconds.

Step 6. Open the iron and use a spatula to remove the cookie from the plate and set on a towel/countertop. Use the wooden mold to roll the cookie into a cone shape. Allow cookie to set a few seconds before transferring to a cooling rack. The cookie will be soft when you remove it from the oven and will crisp up as it cools. Repeat until you’ve used all the dough.

Step 7. You may wish to sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar for additional sweetness, or serve with berries, jam, whipped cream or Nutella. Be sure to store krumkake in a covered cake pan or other airtight container (to avoid humidity as they will stale quickly otherwise).

I love the traditional krumkake cone however I also love waffle cones with my fro-yo and ice cream. After making about half the batch, I decided to experiment a bit using some nesting bowls to create some krumkake bowls for my frozen delights. I was pleasantly surprised to see these turn out so well!

Instead of rolling the cookie on the cone, I simply placed the warm cookie over top of the smaller glass bowl, then cupped the larger glass bowl over the top to mold it into a bowl shape. I let each one cool for 30 seconds before transferring to a cooling rack, placing them upside down to keep their shape until they cool completely.

YUMMO!!!

Yield: 24

Special Notes:

Home with the Lost Italian: Krumkake a delicate delight, Tony and Sarah Nasello, Fargo Forum, December 3, 2013
The Lost Italian blog post Holiday Baking Goal #1: Norwegian Krumkake.
Milk and Cereal blog post Krumkake. Love the author’s alternative to traditional krumkake…she rolls tighter (using chopsticks) and drizzles with melted chocolate for a NYE celebration. Genius!!
And for my gluten-free friends…Celiac Eats blog post Norwegian Christmas: Gluten-free Krumakake.

Tea Time

December 9, 2013 by Jill Weinberger

Well that was the silliest tea party I ever went to! I am never going back there again! Said no 4-year-old little girl ever!

Last week, Gemma hosted five of her classmates at a special tea party playdate complete with mommy’s fine china and lots of sugar cubes. Oh, and an hour of dress-up time pre-tea!

From the moment she hopped out of bed, Gemma was a ball of energy. She happily downed breakfast, helped me prep the table, and hopped into her leotard with no foul or fuss to await her friends’ arrival.

Aside from the girls in her class, we also had the pleasure to visit with a few younger siblings and a group of great mama’s and grandma’s. It was wonderfully packed house as the girls tried on dresses and fairy wings and loads of jewels from the treasure chest. Gemma was a good host, letting her guests choose their accessories first, and finally settled on her chef uniform for her attire. There were puzzles, ponies and dolls strewn throughout the house, as the girls explored the playroom and kept busy entertaining themselves. However, it wasn’t long until the tea table, filled with cookies and fruits, beckoned them. So to the table we went!

The girls got to select their tea flavor – either Passion Fruit or Baked Apple Cinnamon – and judging by their request for refills, I’d say their apple cinnamon choice was a hit…or maybe the sugar cubes kept their thirst alive! The girls were perfectly polite and it brought me great joy to see Gemma engage with her peers throughout the morning.

As the adult host, I must admit I was amused overhearing the conversations between mothers and daughters as the elders asked the little ones to be very careful with the fine china tea cups and saucers. I had to admit to them I was not worried…considering I spent the night before taking price tags off of all but five settings. Needless to say, the cups and saucers were part of our wedding china set (we got hitched in 2005) and most had never been used before. Over the years I’ve adopted a rule to use it if we’ve got it…and in this case if I haven’t used them for my adult friends, Gemma might as well get some enjoyment out of them.

It’s safe to say every little girl deserves a tea party with her best girls. And if you’re thinking of hosting a tea party yourself, I’ll share a few tips to help you prepare a fun, colorful and inexpensive partyscape for your special occasion.

Tissue Paper Poms

I’ve always wanted to make tissue paper poms and this tea party was the perfect excuse. I love the simplicity of the tutorial from Bramblewood Fashion blog. The author, Ashley, offers clear pics and instructions for fool-proof poms in just five easy steps. G and I chose red, pink and turquoise to compliment the holiday decorations we already have throughout the house.

Easy-peasy Placemats

The easiest items of our crafty tablescape were the placemats. We simply placed paper doilies on sheets of scrapbook paper. Voila! The scrapbook paper lets you create any theme, color scheme or mood for your party. And if you don’t want the frill of a doily, place a smaller, solid-colored square of paper on top of the larger, patterned scrapbook sheet, and you have a modern alternative. Next time we plan a tea party, I’ll be sure to laminate these babies so we can reuse them.

tea party placemat partyscape

I’ll also give a shout out here to my grandmother, Lorraine (Weigelt) Schossow Black, who crocheted the white tablecloth I layered on my green cloth. She passed away in 2011, and I’m fortunate to have several pieces of her handiwork throughout my home. She was the original crafter in our family; she made cloths and doilies year-round and sold them at festivals and shows throughout eastern North Dakota. I have great childhood memories watching her work in her rocking chair and seeing her stretch the pieces on a large board to keep them taut for starching. This craft, along with many of her other talents (knitting afghans, playing the organ, making lefse and canning foods, are almost lost arts these days.

Coffee Filter Garland

The last element of our DIY tea party decor was the coffee filter garland I hung in the window. My only regret was not making more to fill the windows.

Coffee filters are great for party garland since they’re easy to find (probably in your kitchen now), inexpensive (in case they’re not in your kitchen now), and are built to withstand water (which makes for easy dyeing). The only con is they don’t absorb colors strongly…i.e. the colors are muted or pastel (perfect for baby or wedding showers), so keep that in mind if you try this at home.

Here are 5 steps to create your own coffee filter garland.

What you need:

Coffee filters (I used the smaller size filters since that’s what I had in the house)
Water
Food coloring
Cake pan (one for each color; or wash same pan between each dye job)
Baking sheet/jelly pan
Paper towels
Sewing machine/thread

Step 1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Place 2 cups of water in shallow baking pan/dish and add 8-10 drops of food coloring. Make a pan for each color you desire. (or plan to reuse same container and dye each filter set individually).

Step 2. Separate coffee filters and set each filter into colored water one at a time. Separate each filter from one another and add them individually; this will help you separate them later when you need to take them out and lay them to dry. Let the filters soak for 5-10 minutes until they absorb the level of color you desire. You may wish to add more food coloring to deepen the color; be sure to mix in thoroughly the additional color so your filters absorb the same color evenly.

Step 3. Set a paper towel on counter, remove filters one at a time and lie them flat on your paper towel to allow excess water to drain from filter. I was able to lie four filters on each paper towel sheet with only a slight overlap at center edges. Repeat this step by placing a new paper towel on top of your previously removed coffee filters and keep stacking your filters between sheets of paper towels. I recommend starting a new stack for each color to avoid cross-color-contamination (lesson learned the hard way as my pink filters absorbed some of my turquoise color).

Step 4. Place your paper towel/coffee filter stacks on a cookie sheet and place in oven for 8 minutes. The heat will help speed up the drying process. Remove cookie sheet from oven and remove filters from between paper towels. Lie filters on dry surface (I used my island countertop but a dining table would work, too). Allow filters to dry for 30 minutes.

Step 5. Thread your sewing machine and place it on a straight-stitch setting. Let out 10-12 inches of thread before placing your centering your first filter under the needle; this thread can be used to tie your garland to a curtain rod or hook later. Sew straight across the center of your first filter then place your next filter (and each thereafter) as close as possible to the end of your previous filter and sew them together.

While the filters seem fragile, the paper fibers are strong hold up well to sewing. I had no issues with tearing or the presser foot bunching the filters on the feed dogs; if you have trouble with this you may try to adjust your tension slightly. If you are hanging your garland (as I did above), you should measure the length you’ll need to ensure your garland is long enough/not too long (mine was too long but I didn’t mind it wisping on the floor). Since this garland is likely for one-time use, you need not worry about closing your last stitch (as that process might just be too much for the filter to withstand anyhow).

coffee filter garland sewing1

For more tea party ideas, click here…..whatever did we do before Pinterest?!

2013 Best Gift Ideas for Boys

November 28, 2013 by Jill Weinberger

It just wouldn’t be fair if I only offered up great gift items for girls so I’m happy to say I also polled parents to get their best suggestions for holiday or special occasion gifts for boys.

Some of the best comments from parents of boys…

“I like giving the kids gifts that will continue to spark their sense of adventure.”

“We try to focus on family trips, tickets (zoo, movies, museums, etc) or lessons (tennis, swimming, music, etc). I find these are things that we can all enjoy as opposed to toys that have fifty pieces which will be scattered all over the house and partially lost within a week.”

“I prefer gifts that are engaging and choose items my son enjoys. Children’s tastes change so much and right now my son is into super heroes, building and cars so those are all fun toys for pretend play. We do a lot of craft kits for both our children and use them as gifts – it is so fun for them to make gifts for others vs just buying something at the store.”

“Honestly, my son wants a real vacuum cleaner for Christmas. He likes things that he can take apart and put back together. He loves his scooter too.” (parent of 3-6 year old boy)

“Boys in this age group are pretty easy – electronics and video games.” (parent of 9-12 year-old boy)

I must admit since I have a girl (my only child), boy gifts are always a struggle. My mind immediately goes to cars, trucks and Legos, and I’m left wondering if my lack of imagination and experience is easily recognizable. Selfishly, I’m so relieved to have the list below next time I need ideas for boy gifts.

All Ages

Sporting equipment (clothes, bat, baseball glove, t-ball stand, soccer ball, soccer goals, helmet/pads)
Outdoor gear (compass, Camelbak hydration pack, hunting gear)
Activity voucher/tickets (paintball, bowling, batting cage, arcade)
“A Day with Dad” and “A Day with Mom” voucher (lunch + arcade = happiness!!)
Things with wheels (bicycle, balance bike, scooter, Plasma car, skateboard)
Tickets to sporting event, movie or concert
Enrollment in lessons (tennis, piano, swimming, martial arts, guitar)
Trip to museum or zoo
Personal entertainment device (iPad mini, Kindle HD, 2DS XL, MP3 player)

Ages 0-3

Puzzles (Melissa & Doug wooden peg puzzles)
Blocks (Duplo, Mega Bloks)
Books (I Spy, anything Dr. Seuss)
Games (Spot It, Bingo, Dominoes)
Animals in a toob
Magazine subscription (Zoo Books, High Five, National Geographic Little Kids)

Ages 4-6

Legos
T-Rex shirt, sports team clothing
Puzzles, books, flashcards
Arts and crafts supplies
Leap Pad reader/early reader/explorer
Toy cars, trucks, machinery, trains (Thomas the Tank Engine train set/table)
Instruments (guitar, keyboard, bongos)
Action figures/sets (Batman, Spiderman, Mike the Knight, Star Wars)
Chalk trail (attach to back of bicycle)
Games (Angry Birds, Hungry Hippo, I Can Do That/The Cat in the Hat)
Magazine subscription (Highlights, National Geographic Kids)

Ages 7-9

Skylanders Swap force figurines & Wii game
Video game console/games
Board games (Hedbanz, Apples to Apples Kids/Junior, Life)
Magazine subscription (Ranger Rick, Sports Illustrated Kids, YUM Food & Fun for Kids)
Donation to children’s charity in his name

Ages 9+

Gift cards (iTunes, batting cages, arcade)
Star Wars Death Star Lego set
Kitchen supplies (hot dog steamer, popcorn maker, personal smoothie blender)
Magazine subscription (Sports Illustrated, Ranger Rick)

I hope this list has helped inspire gift giving to the boys in your life. And just for fun, I’ll wrap up this boy gift post with a few fun snapshots of my little brother and a few of his favorite gifts from childhood…love you, bro!!!

Erik and “Arnold Leo” (an original Cabbage Patch Kid)

Erik and his GI Joe loot (during his 9th birthday party)

2013 Best Gift Ideas for Girls (mixedbagofmoxie.wordpress.com)

2013 Best Gift Ideas for Girls

November 27, 2013 by Jill Weinberger

Wow! I asked, you answered, and I’m so grateful. A few weeks ago I asked a group of parent-friends to share some of their favorite gift ideas for girls so I could ~~steal them and pass them off as my own~~ share them with you! I was blown away with the responses!

I hope this post will help parents, grandparents and all gift-givers as you brave the crowds this holiday season in search of those special items for the young girls in your world.

Here are some general thoughts on gift-giving shared by my parent all-stars…

“I like gifts for girls to be something they can engage with – such as crafts, Legos and dolls for pretend play.”

“I prefer all the stuff leading up to Christmas – getting and decorating the tree, making cookies, reading Christmas stories, ice skating, looking at lights, making things for other people, singing Carols. I would prefer only a few special gifts be given on Christmas.”

“Anything that involves glitter and art is a hit – sparkly pens, glitter glue, shiny/metallic beading crafts always provide hours of open-ended creativity!”

“[I’m] trying to get gifts to foster activity, imagination, and play yet aren’t branded or suggestive with image. There will be plenty of things telling our little one what she “should” be before we know it.”

“Every year before Christmas and birthdays, the girls and I go through their toys and see which items other kids might enjoy more than themselves, and we donate them to different charities. It helps teach the children a good lesson on life and also helps to keep my house clutter-free.“

And while you’re out-and-about this season, don’t forget to SHOP LOCAL! This coming Saturday (November 30) is Small Business Saturday. You can support the health and wellness of your community this holiday season by spending your hard-earned cash at small retail, dining and service businesses in your local town. Visit the link to find a list of stores in your area. I’m excited to spend a few dollars this Saturday in my parent’s mom-and-pop drug store back home in Danville, IL!!!

This is also a great time of year to select a charity and help your kids celebrate the joy of giving to those who need our support. Last week, Gemma and I gathered a cart of groceries to contribute to her preschool food drive, and this will be the second year we’ll let Gemma purchase several items from her Christmas wish list to give to other kids through the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots campaign in NC. Take as many opportunities to instill a passion for community service in your kids…the world will thank you for it later!

Now on to the survey results! A majority of parents (47%) said they prefer giving a combination of both material and “experience” gifts (i.e. tickets to sporting events/concerts). I’m so with you on this one! It’s nice to know so many folks strive to create more meaningful memories with their kids. Keep it up! Your kids will undoubtedly recall fondly the year you took them to a pro sporting event or enrolled them in art class.

This was Gemma and I last December (2012) before we headed out to our first annual mother-daughter outing to the Carolina Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker:

And now…without further ado…the list of gift suggestions for girls…

All Ages

Tickets to an event (ballet, baseball games, live theater, carriage ride and tea)
“A Day with Dad” and “A Day with Mom” voucher (lunch + fro-yo + movie = happiness!!)
Clothes (pajamas, robe, slippers)
Summer camp registration
Travel gear/luggage
Athletic apparel (leotard, swim suit/goggles)
Personal entertainment device (iPad mini, Kindle HD, 2DS XL, MP3 player)
Kitchen gadgets (ice pop maker, popcorn maker, measuring cups/spoons)
Things with wheels (bicycle, balance bicycle, tri-cycle, skateboard, skates, scooter)
Sports equipment (helmet/pads, balls, basketball hoop, zip line, swing set, pogo stick, golf clubs)
Furniture (bed, desk, playroom/toy storage, “hope chest” to store memory-heirlooms/artwork)

Ages 0-3

Books (Olivier Dunrea’s Gossie series, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, anything Dr. Seuss)
Puzzles (rock-a-stack, wooden peg puzzles)
Pretend play sets (doctor kit, baby care center, kitchen)
Melissa and Doug toys (Magnetic dress-up set, puzzles, play food, really anything M&D rocks!)
Music table
Easel, art supplies
Bounce house
Power Wheels
Dolls and accessories
Soft, cuddly bath towels

Ages 4-6

Arts and crafts supplies
Rainbow Loom
Magnatiles
Dress-up clothes
Puzzles
Motorized car
Rollerskates
Legos/blocks (Friends sets, Duplo, Disney and Barbie series’ were offered as popular choices)
“My Very Own Library Card” for your child (and make a cute book of vouchers to redeem for weekly visits to select books at local library)
Books (Pinkalicious, anything Dr. Seuss)
FurReal Friends Pet (there are kitties, puppies, monkeys and horses)
Leap Frog reader/early reader/explorer
Dolls/character figurines and accessories (Hello Kitty, Doc McStuffins, Disney princess, American Girl, Barbie)

Ages 7-9

Dolls/character figurines and accessories (American Girl, My Little Pony and Disney were popular suggestions)
Arts and crafts supplies
Hello Kitty beauty kit
Musical instruments (keyboard, karaoke machine)
Tickets to the ballet
Legos (Friends sets)
Dance classes
Sewing machine and gift certificate to local fabric store

Ages 9+

Clothes
Jewelry (monogrammed necklace, heirloom ring/necklace)
Tickets to show/concert (Broadway series, music, dance)
Gift cards to favorite retail store or movie theater
Bedroom re-do (let your daughter select new paint color for her bedroom and then paint it together!)
Paint-n-pour art class registration for daughter + a friend/sibling/parent (lots of cities are offering these one-night art classes where everyone paints the same image; class is led by a local artist/teacher)

Special thanks to all the parents who responded to the survey. You offered up some great ideas…especially those unique, memory-making “experience” gifts for girls!!!

Update: My mom thinks it’s unfair I put up ancient pics of my bro without putting ancient pics of myself…so here you go…

Check this out! 2013 Best Gift Ideas for Boys

Festive Puzzle Ornaments

November 20, 2013 by Jill Weinberger

“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” -Albert Einstein

I’m so glad to be blogging today and super excited to share this special craft with everyone. For the last few days our kitchen table (and almost every other surface within 10 feet) has been awash in paint and glitter…all in the name of these festive little nuggets of joy!

I can’t quite remember what inspired this project…other than seeing holiday images in magazines and perusing the web for a kid-friendly craft idea. I wanted to create a set of cute ornaments to decorate a small tree just for Gemma. The art supplies I needed were already in my craft closet. Unfortunately, we had just donated some puzzles that would have been perfect for this project, so I had to find another set (which only set me back $1.50).

This craft is super cute and super easy to make. I hope you enjoy the tutorial and catch a creative bug this holiday season!

Festive Puzzle Ornaments

Materials:

Large puzzle pieces
Acrylic paint
Paintbrushes (small and medium tip, firm and loose bristle)
Hole punch
Ribbon
Other materials you might consider: buttons, glitter, string, sticky-back jewels/pearls, glue, etc.

1. I found an inexpensive box of large puzzle pieces at a local kid’s consignment store. It helps to have a few ideas of what you want to create so you can set aside pieces with corresponding shapes before you start painting.

2. Grab your paint and give the pieces a base coat. White is a classic base for Santa, the Christmas Tree and angels. Green works well for the poinsettia and Rudolph. Red and blue are great for presents or gingerbread people. Feel free to play with colors…you can always paint over it if you don’t like the way it looks. Let your base coat dry completely before you start the next step.

3. Use a pencil to faintly sketch the designs, then begin painting. Use the wider or fuller brushes to fill in larger spaces or blot in the paint to create textured looks (like on Santa and Frosty below); use the smaller, fine tip brushes for things like the eyes, noses, polka dots or other dainty features. Once the paint dries, you can embellish with goodies such as buttons, pearls or poms. If you are worried about materials falling off, you can give these a quick seal with glossy, clear Mod Podge (or for more festive-glittery goodness, use the Sparkle Mod Podge…and don’t worry, it goes on opaque but dries clear so only the glitter remains visible). Here are some pics of my ornaments as they were drying:

4. Once your paint/topcoat and all glued adornments have successfully dried, use your hole punch and find a good spot to make your hole. Next, cut about 6-8″ of ribbon or fishing wire (or just use a simple ornament hook) to hang your new decorations. Before you use your hole punch, be sure to think about how each piece will hang on the ribbon. (I.e. I put a hole in the neck of my angels so when hanging, the ribbon covers their faces; I’ll be replacing the white ribbon with clear fishing wire for better viewing as they hang on the tree.)

Here are my finished ornaments all snuggled into the lighted garland on my mantle. Can’t wait to let G hang these on her special little tree!!!