Crafty Kids

Today was the big holiday craft day at my daughters' school. It was the 2nd annual event, and was a big success. Students got to make freezer-paper stencil shirts (thank you Maya*Made), glass bead necklaces, notepads with Amy Butler paper covers, cinamon dough sachets, hot cocoa or spice tea mix in mason jars, holiday cards for the Troops, paper chains, hand-stamped gift bags and tags, and wooden tie-tack pins. For $5, every child got to go home with many unique and beautiful hand-made gifts for family and friends.

I supervised the t-shirt activity, so that is all the pictures I have right now; I'll try and post a few more pictures of my children's creations later.

A big shout-out and thanks to Kelli and Kelly - the ideas and energy behind the event!

Free Stuff! Free Stuff

I've featured AGiveAwayaDay on my blog, and I just did a quick (okay, maybe I got sucked in a little bit) search on Google for "giveaway blog December 2008". Wow - did you know you can win all kinds of really cool stuff through blogs? Many small online retailers and crafters are generous enough to donate items through these blogs (to generate more visitors to their online shops), and all you have to do usually is post a quick comment about the item(s) you like, and then you are entered to win. I figure sooner or later I will win something. So much fun!

Not that I want any competition in entering these contests, but to get you started, here are two that I found today that I really like, Bloggy Giveaways and Tip Junkie.

Tip Junkie is having a 12 Days of Junkie where there will be 2 winners announced each day for the next 12 days! It's to help promote the women who are selling their products in the Mom-preneur Shop-a-thon. Money is tight this holiday season, so spend wisely and shop smartly at these amazing shops. And you might win something too!

Pledge Handmade

As we head into the season of buying and giving, I hope you will strongly consider buying handmade gifts. Handmade purchases are generally better for the environment, provide better gifts, and celebrate the creativity of people across the world. You can read more about "why buy handmade" and take the Handmade Pledge, which states, "I pledge to buy handmade this holiday season, and request that others do the same for me."

To help you get started in your handmade purchases, check out all the great sales on Etsy for Black Friday - Cyber Monday

Modish: The November November Giveaway!! (part two!)

Modish: The November November Giveaway!! (part two!)
Enter by Wednesday, December 3. It would be so fun to win this!

Handmade Gifts

Last year, with input from parents, my daughters' school decided to have a gift-making workshop instead of bringing in a commercial vendor to host a "Santa's Gift Shop". No one really liked the Santa shop because the prices were high and the items sold were poorly made and manufactured in China. Yes, I know it's the thought that counts, but many kids were sad and frustrated because they felt the need to buy gifts but didn't have the money to please everyone. So a group of moms approached the Principal about allowing students the opportunity to make presents. The first annual gift-making workshop was a success - for a minimal charge of $5.00, children had the opportunity to make and bring home several nice gifts: fleece scarf, bookmark, magnetic frame, candle-holder, and soup mix. Everyone, even the parent volunteers, enjoyed the day and the kids were excited to have so many gifts to give to friends and family.

I just got back from a planning meeting for this year's event (Dec. 10), and it is going to be even better. The kids will have the chance to make and give mini notebooks with a cover, spiced tea mix, glass bead necklaces, stencil t-shirts, paper chains, gift bags and tags, and tie tacks and decorative pins. I am lucky to be friends with such creative people and to have my kids attend a school where this type of activity is valued.

Here's a picture of the circles that a friend has been punching out for the last few weeks in anticipation of making the tie-tacks and pins. Look for more pictures on December 10.