Gift Ideas

Father’s Day Project

Dear Sis,

Today we made some sentimental work gloves for all the grandpas as a father’s day gift.

We bought a three pack of leather work gloves at Menards for $4.99. We pulled out some blue, green, and black paint respectively. We put the paint on a paper plate and painted William’s hand with a sponge brush and then used it like a stamp on the palm of each glove. We only smudged one, which was amazing considering my stamp was attached to a wiggly 2.5 year old:)

We had a soapy water pail and a drying rag at the ready to clean our hands between stampings. 

The idea and poem were found here.

Here is an editable printable, so our readers can put in their Father/Grandfather’s Name and the Name of their tiny gift giver.

Father’s Day Glove Poem

Love,

B

Velcro Sticks

Dear Sis,

I saw this idea on Pinterest and thought William was at the perfect age for it! We made a second set for cousin Ronan. His second birthday is later this month. We will get to meet him and give him his gift in person when we go to Iowa in a few weeks:)

To Make Your Own Velcro Sticks:

  • Wide Colored Craft Sticks
  • Sticky Velcro Circle

It really is that simple!

Love,

b

 

Simple Floral Granny Square Baby Afghan

Dear Sis,

I find out if I’m having a boy or girl at the end of the month, so I thought it best to finish the afghan I started last summer. I figured I’d never finish it if we are having a boy:) Now, it is ready to use or gift as needed.

Floral Popcorn Square Patten

Five Inch Granny Square

Ch 4. Join to make loop.

Center Round: Start with ch 4, counts as first (dc, ch 1). 8 (dc, ch 1) around, join with slip stitch in first ch space.

Flower Round: Start with 3 ch, dc 4 (5 stitch Popcorn). Ch 3 between Popcorn Stitches, 8 Popcorn around, join with slip stitch in top of first Popcorn.

Circle Round: Start with a ch 3 in space between Popcorn stitches, dc 2 (reserving a loop with each stitch so that 3 loops remain) YO, draw through 3 loops to complete Starting Cluster. Ch 2, dc 3 (reserving a loop with each stitch so that 4 loops remain) YO, draw through 4 loops to complete Cluster. (Cluster, ch 2, Cluster, between each Popcorn) Join with a slip stitch in 2 ch space.

Square Round: Start in 2 ch space, ch 3, dc, in same space, 3 hdc in next ch space, 2 dc in next ch space, for corner (3 trc, ch2, 3 trc), for side (3 dc in next space, 3 hdc in next space, 3 dc in next space) Finish round with a dc next to the first st, join with a sl stitch.

Afghan Assembly & Shell Boarder

  • 49 Squares (9×9) Seamed together
  • Shell Boarder
    • Dc Round: dc in each stitch from each square round. On straight, sides also place 1 dc in each (2 ch corner space). On corners (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2)
    • Shell Round: (5 dc) two spaces away, (sc) two spaces away, repeat around.

Happy Stitching!

Love,

b

Hippo Project

Dear Sis,

For the past year, William has played with a stuffed hippo at the quilt shop each time I venture in to acquire some fabric. After our zoo trip this summer where he admired a hippo for twenty minutes straight, I let him get the pattern so we could make one of our own. We decided to make it a holiday project for all the nieces and nephews and the two boys I used to nanny, as well. What kid wouldn’t want A Hippopotamus for Christmas? Thus, one hippo became eight. 

We finished and packed the last four hippos tonight. They will be off to Iowa cousins very soon:)

I hope Evelyn enjoys her hippo. It was great seeing y’all for a few days.

Love,

b

Third Night of Hanukkah

Dear Sis,

Although I printed out a recipe for homemade jelly filled doughnuts this year, and I had high hopes, we ended up picking some up at a local shop on our way home from story time. 

William licked the frosting off and dug a hole in his to get to the jelly. After sucking out most of the filling he decided he was all done:)

William got another new book tonight:

This book is a study workbook. We’ll have to take care not to accidentally tear out pages, as they are all perforated. The wording is simple and the black and white pictures give William something to focus upon while I read. Although we will use this book to pieces, it isn’t exactly what I was looking for. My quest for good torah books for kids continues…

Happy Hanukkah!

b

Second Night of Hanukkah

Dear Sis,

Today we had a playdate. The boys took out every toy they could find and the Mamas made a lot of Candy.

We made Caramel, Spiced Nuts, and Peanut Brittle.

Josh even made the boys a box tunnel to play in:)

William got a new book: 

 

This is a great Hanukkah story for children because it explains why the Jewish community celebrates Hanukkah, how it is different form Christmas, and how it still finds a place in the holiday season. The humor makes it fun for grown ups to read aloud too:)

Love,

b

 

First Night of Hanukkah

Dear Sis,

We made Kugel this morning to kick of Hanukkah. Our recipe makes a 9×13 casserole, which is way too much for just William and I, so we gave half of it to the family across the street that also celebrated Hanukkah:)

Apple Noodle Kugel
Serves 12
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Ingredients
  1. 1 lb. egg noodles, cooked
  2. 1 (16 oz) tub sour cream
  3. 12 oz cream cheese, soft
  4. 3/4 c + 2 T unsalted butter, soft
  5. 3/4 c + 2 T granulated sugar
  6. 6 eggs
  7. 3 c apples, peeled and chopped
  8. 1/2 t cinnamon
  9. 1/4 t nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Beat together sour cream, cream cheese, 3/4 c each butter and sugar, and six eggs, until smooth. Pour over cooked noodles and stir until noodles are well coated.
  2. Panfry apples with 2 T each butter and sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, until soft and caramelized.
  3. Mix apples into cheese noodle mixture and pour into prepared baking dish.
  4. Bake 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before serving.
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

This year, I have one gift for each night. William really enjoys having his own menorah. I looked at a dozen different foam, plush, and wooden toddler menorahs before I settled on the KidCraft set.

Happy Hanukkah!

Love,

b

Mini Soap Apron Valentines

Dear Sis,

I know Valentine’s Day is a few months off, but I also these as birthday gifts, and why not save some for Mother’s Day too:) I hand sewed mine because I found that more relaxing and less nap time disruptive, but they would be much quicker to machine sew. 




Materials

(6 x 8 inch) board cloth fabric remnant

(20 inches) coordinating 1/4 inch double fold bias tape

Mini Soap Apron and Bottle Valentine Template PDF




Assembly Instructions

  1. Print PDF Pattern. Cut out apron pattern.
  2. Press fabric. Fold it in half to make a 6 x 4 inch double layer piece. Place pattern on fold line and secure with pins. Cut out apron.
  3. Turn under and press 3/8 inch hem into neckline, sides, and bottom edge of apron. No need to press the armscye, it will be bound in bias.
  4. Secure pressed hems with machine straight stitch or hand running stitch.
  5. Leaving 5 inch ties on either side, open bias and place it over the raw edge of each armscye. Pin in place. Remember to tuck the raw edges of each tie end inside the tape.
  6. Secure bias with machine straight stitch, or hand running stitch for the length of the bias and whip stitch at the very ends.

One 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of card stock makes 3 bottle Valentines.

Happy Sewing,

b