Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Hand-Print Card Tutorial

Great grandmas are wonderful.

Don't you agree?
In fact I could probably just close my post there, and it would still leave you with happy feelings and a positive outlook to your day.

But I won't, because I promised you a tutorial.



Today we made thank you cards for the great-grandmas for birthday money and gifts they sent. (I told you great grandmas are wonderful!)
I wanted to make them instead of buying them, because it seemed a little more personal, and seemed like a good way to get Ivan involved. At this point, he may not know a difference, but it won't be long until he does, and he'll learn the valuable art of gratitude.

This is a quick little project you could work on with your kids.

What you'll need:
sturdy paper - I used colored cardstock
newspaper (a page without color, big print or ads.)
glue stick
stamp pad
marker or another color of stamp pad
(I used a cartoonist's nib similar to this one on Amazon.)

Instructions:

  • Tear up the newspaper into bits about 1-3 inches.
  • Glue them overlapping the edges in random directions to cover one paper. (I used scrap cardstock- you're not going to see it anyway) If you need help, use the same method I used for the drink tray.
  • Take the stamp pad and stamp your child's palm with it until his palm is covered. Stamp pad is much easier and cleaner than paint, but you could do that too, if you're feeling ambitious.
  • Stamp your child's hand onto the newsprint collage you just made. Hold his hand still, and make sure to press down on each little finger to get a good print. Then lift his hand straight off the page and wash it off. Repeat with the other hand.
  • Cut around the hand, leaving about 1/4 " all the way around it. 
  • Cut your 8.5x11 colored cardstock in half, so that you can get two greeting cards out of it. Fold each into card size.
  • Glue the cutout to it on the front, and then write "Thank You" on the front. 

(Optional- If you don't like your handwriting, you could use another color of stamp pad for this and a "thank-you" stamp)

Ta da!

I wrote on the inside what age Ivan's handprint was, in case they're in the habit like I am of saving favorite cards.

VARIATION: Change it up a bit and stamp two colors of hands, gluing two hand cutouts on the front instead of one.
You could also use these for just-because, or birthday cards.


Sunday, September 1, 2013

Counting 1000 Blessings - Sept 2013

1          733 Three octaves in the car
            734 Borrowed Bible
            735 Pink pens
2          736 Geocache at cave
            737 cut rock
            738 family laughs
3          739 Red mug of coffee
            740 Precious study time with God

            741 Brother turns 11
4          742 Cool water
            743 Sun soaked tomatoes
            744 fresh ground coffee

5          745 pumpkin spice iced coffee
            746 Oregano! Two big plates and the large pizza pan full. Drying it so I can grind it.

            747 Peppers! I was inexplicably excited when we got this plant for free on earth day at the zoo. Now its producing us some #spice!

6          748 Teal walls
            749 Geocache with baby

            750 baby so proud of his card to Great Grandparents

7          751 Tangerine sun
            752 100 birds on a line
            753 Train stretched over a mile
8          754 lunch with spaghetti squash, eggplant tomatoes and parmesan.

            755 Hubby home after long day at work
            756 Surprise visit from inlaws
9          757 Five leaves falling and the promise of cooler weather
            758 Wind whips through weeping willow
            759 Gift gift that is friendship
10        760 Hospitality
            761 Coffee
            762 Bible study in plane with sleeping baby in my lap
11        763My hubby. ♥ and his sandwich that sits uneaten because he is all wrapped up in writing.

            764 meal planning and grocery shopping
            765 takeout pizza
12        766 My bestie reading to Ivan the new book she got for him. ♥

            767 Fish and crawl-through holes
            768 Creation and senses

13        769 This morning. Pumpkin spice latte and flowers from my honey.

            770 Marriage friendship
            771 Serving a friend
14        772 Unobstructed view
            773 history in houses
            774 delight of people in the park
15        775 Smell of chorine
            776 hawks flying
            777 Church family
16        778 geocaching on vacation

            779 free coffee and revolutionary war sites
            780 rain, ice cream on the balcony, listening to waves
17        781 Showing baby the beach!
            782 warm dinner
            783 Time alone with hubby
18        784 Naps in the pool
            785 Boogie board
            786 homemade waffle cones and old houses
19        787 cobblestone

            788 old man with birthday balloons
            789 wading in the fountains
20        790 crushed seashells
            791 free parking
            792 funky lights at pizza restaurant
21        793 Sandy footprints
            794 glitter in sand

            795 secluded picnic

22        796 Lullabies with waves knee deep
            797 Kiss on the beach
            798 Community in water
23        799 trip to Atlanta went smoothly
            800 chick-fil-a with friends
            801 my husband unlocks a dream
24        802 Clean kitchen! Feels so good! #accomplished

            803 baby lunch and reject pile

            804 dinner from friends in the crock pot
25        805 Chubby baby hands caress my face
            806 weight of bird on branch
            807 I have company this morning for my #bethmoore homework. He's a little sickie yesterday and today.

26        808 reflection of hands typing. Willing, moving and obedient. Proverbs 31:13 “[She] works with her hands in delight.”
            809 Playing catch-up
            810 Baby cat-naps and new thank-you cards made

27        811 Sawdust curls

            812 power drill
            813 pizza and birthday cake
28        814 Slate grey
            815 Boy and grandpa with balloon swords
            816 Old man with suspenders
29        817 silent sounds and cricket chirp
            818 Sun reflects on vine tomatoes
            819 Baby smile at last
30        820 8 a.m.
            821 Splash of sun
            822 Lines