Timothy Service Project: Operation Write Home

I love that Timothy requires a service project from each class every semester and I always look forward to having my kids participate or coming up with an idea for the class I am teaching.
This semester I chose Operation Write Home for my Rubberstamping Class. I felt the service project tied in well to what the class was about.

Operation Write Home is a wonderful non-profit organization that sends hand-made cards to military units serving overseas. {There are no card stores in Baghdad.} It allows the service people to choose a card to mail back to the States to their family and friends. Having a brother who served two tours in Iraq I know how appreciated these types of services are.

The deadline for Christmas Cards is October 31st so we decided to go with that type of card. The girls did a great job prepping and helping stamp the cards.

Hoping these cards bless some of our brave troops overseas!

Fall Rubberstamping Projects

Pictured above are a few of the projects we made recently in the class I teach at Timothy. {From the left: A test tube holder with fall colored pretzel m&m's; a fall themed card; and a sour cream container we made from fall themed scrapbook paper - filled with caramel Hershey Kisses}

This is such a fun class to teach! I have some more fun projects planned in the coming weeks that I will be sure to share.

Valentine Exchange Project 2011

I was so excited to participate in Michelle Wooderson's Valentine Exchange Project 2011. I absolutely love her blog, and her, and the company she designs for Papertrey Ink. She sent me a bag full of goodies that I was to use to create a Valentine's Day project, to be featured on her blog. As soon as I saw all the great items I knew exactly what I wanted to make ...

A mason jar full of candy hearts (I glittered the lid with Martha Stewart's super fine red glitter) with a tag and Valentine's Day card created with all the goodies. This project is a special gift for my girls' ballet school director, who we just love!!

So much fun, hop on over to Michelle's blog to see what everyone else came up with who participated in this exchange. Thanks so much Michelle for letting me play along!!

{Crafting} Birthday Card for a Skating Party

Lexi is attending an ice skating birthday party tomorrow for her friends who are identical twins ... I thought it would the the perfect occasion to pull out my new Sizzix Die of a skating snowman!

After coloring in the snowman I added Dazzling Diamonds glitter over the whole snowman and flocked the "snow" on the bottom. We decided it would be fun to give one snowman a present and the other a cake so the cards would be a little different.

Tie Dye Cards - an American Girl Doll Camp Craft

Here is one of our projects from my American Girl Doll Camp last week ... this project went along with the historical doll, Julie, whose era was the 1970's.

Tie Dyeing paper is not the same process as tie dyeing fabric. To give our paper that look we used shaving cream, alcohol inks and glossy cardstock.

It was a huge hit!!

To make your own tie dyed looking cardstock just follow these simple directions:

Spray shaving cream onto a plastic disposable plate (do not use gel shaving cream).

Add a few drops from each bottle of alcohol ink (we used three coordinating colors) to the shaving cream.

Using a plastic knife drag the knife through the drops of ink in the shaving cream. This should give your inks a more swirled look.

Place cardstock, glossy side down, into the shaving cream. Tap lightly then pick up the cardstock carefully, turn and repeat. The girls each did this about five times to get the appropriate amount of ink coverage on their cardstock.

Once you are satisfied with the way your cardstock looks remove from shaving cream and wipe with a paper towel.

We then stamped our cardstock with line image stamps.

All the girls just loved this technique and the way their cards turned out. It is a very easy craft to do with kids just make sure all the children are wearing either a crafting apron or tshirt as alcohol inks will stain.

American Girl Doll Stamp Camp

This is my second summer hosting an American Girl Doll Camp. This year I decided instead of offering several one day camps during the summer I would offer a 3 Day Camp for older girls and a 1 Day Camp for younger girls.

It was a lot of prep work but, I enjoyed so much spending time with these sweet girls! Each day we learned about a new period of history relating to the doll we were studying. This year I chose Rebecca, Kit, and Julie. We did two projects each day that coincided with the doll we were focusing on. For example, with Kit we made bottle cap necklaces - which had each girl's first initial stamped in the center. I chose that project because Kit loved to use a typewriter to write articles for her local newspaper and she also grew up in an era where everything had to be recycled and used - hence the bottle cap.

Each camp I also always choose a charity for us to work for. This year, for the American Girl Doll Camp, it was the Ronald McDonald House. The girls brought individually wrapped snacks for RMH and we made cards for the families staying there to use to send back home - (thank you cards, thinking of you cards, etc.). Next week I will deliver everything to the Ronald McDonald House along with a picture of all the girls who worked so hard on the cards.

One camp down and one to go next month!

Spring Rubber Stamping Class for Kids

Yesterday I hosted six little girls for a rubber stamping class. We made two cards and a small Easter basket. All the girls who take my classes are so crafty and I always enjoy seeing what they will do with the projects we are making.

Valentine's Stamp Class for Homeschoolers

On Friday I held a stamp class with a Valentine's Theme for homeschool girls. We made three projects - two cards and a treat holder.
After crafting we enjoyed a snack ... pink cupcakes.

Thanksgiving Crafting

Last night I met up with a few of my good friends for a night of crafting for Thanksgiving ... here is a peek at what I got done, my Thanksgiving card, placecards for Thanksgiving dinner and favors both for friends and our dinner.

American Girl Stamp Camp

Today was the final stamp camp I am teaching for this summer ... an American Girl Stamp Camp with a Birthday Theme. It sounds strange to say the last stamp camp of the summer, but with school starting back so early here in our area and with our end of the year kids' camp schedule, VBS, Grand Slam Asheville and our beach vacation I just could not fit in another camp.


So, today's camp I had a good friend join me and we were able to take 14 girls. It was so much fun and the 4 hours just flew by. We made 4 projects, had a picnic lunch and a birthday party for all the American Girl Dolls. We sang Happy Birthday to each of the dolls individually ... that was alot of "Happy Birthday To You" and the girls had some fun playtime.


Camps ... another reason I love summer!

A Graduation

Congratulations to my sister, Emily! I was so honored to be asked to create her high school graduation announcements. I wanted something special and I found a unique design that would allow her Senior picture to pop up as the announcement was opened.

So with the help of a talented friend we set to work on the design and this is the final product.


My parents are throwing Emily a graduation dinner in her honor and though, due to our kids' camp schedules, we will not be able to make it, we will be there in spirit!! Emily, we look forward to celebrating with you in July!!

Baking, Baking and Gingerbread House Making

The past two days of our Advent celebration have found us in the kitchen, alot! Our first round of Gingerbread House making on Tuesday night did not go well. So, we headed back out to Michael's and found a bigger Gingerbread House to make. Each of the kids were responsible for decorating one side. And, then I had the pleasure of standing in the kitchen for one hour after assembling to make sure the house did not fall back apart. A friend suggested that next year I hot glue the Gingerbread House together before icing. Not that the thought had never crossed my mind but, I am this Gingerbread purist who feels that it should be icing and not glue that holds your house together. Anyway, next year ... hot glue!

This year I decided to bake for all of Devin's teachers at our Homeschool Co-Op we attend on Fridays. Lexi and Ava Mae just have two teachers so it is easy to pick up gift cards for them. But, Devin has seven teachers, including assistants for all of his classes. I would grow broke. Yesterday, we baked Nestle Toll House Bars with M&M's, made Haystacks, Fudge and Buckeyes. A wonderful friend, Jen, came to my rescue and spent the day helping out with all of the making. Plus, the kids were so sweet and spent the day playing together after homeschool - acting out a crazy nativity play with their nativity they have. Then it was some other make believe game that I did not quite understand but, it involved Ava Mae delivering mail and it kept them busy for three hours.

The front of our Gingerbread House:

Lexi's side of the Gingerbread House - featuring a deck:

Devin's side of the Gingerbread House:

Ava Mae's side of the Gingerbread House:

Gift Card Holders for Lexi and Ava Mae's Teachers:

Open:

Devin's Teachers' Gifts Boxed and Ready to Go: