Perfect gift for that special lady in your life!

I have never been a big fan of jewelry but ABSOLUTELY LOVE the necklace that my husband and children gave me for mother's day~! I think that whether or not your special lady likes to wear jewelry, she will also love this necklace especially if she is a mother!

Each necklace is handmade so that each one is unique! I have 3 charms on mine with each child's name on one side and their birth date on the other. Above their charm is their birthstone in swarovski crystal. You can wear this necklace whether you are wearing a casual outfit or dressing up! Check out the link below for more information:
http://www.blissliving.com/moms-name-charm-necklace.html

Handprint Christmas Wreath

Materials needed

Paper Plate
Green construction paper
Red or gold yarn
hole-puncher
glue
ribbon

This is yet another easy one but a little more work involved. I also think this is a great craft to send to family members ESPECIALLY if you can add a photo of your little one to it!

Trace your child's hand approx 12 times on green construction paper. Cut out hands as well as the middle of the paper plate. Use hole puncher to make a hole in the top of the paper plate. Cut a piece of yarn and tie so you are able to hang your wreath when you are finished. Glue the hands around the edge of the paper plate (covering all of it) with fingers pointing outward. Tie a bow with ribbon and staple/glue/tape to the bottom center of the wreath. Your child can decorate the wreath with stickers, glitter, etc or keep with just hands. You can attach a picture of your child in the middle of the wreath either hanging from top or coming up from bottom. You can also get a few different pictures of your child over the last year and attach them to the palm of the hands.

Homemade Wrapping Paper

Materials needed:

Tissue paper
stamps
ink pads

This is also an easy one for the kids where they can be as creative as they want. I'm sure many of you have already done this before-I can remember doing it as a child:) Lay out the tissue paper and let the kids stamp away! They will enjoy themselves and will love seeing gifts under the tree wrapped in their creations! Have fun:)

No fuss seasonal craft

Here is one that's easy for us all-and the kids LOVE it! If you need to do some baking, chores, or get a little time on the computer, sit your kiddos down with construction paper and a box of themed foam stickers! My kids absolutely love doing this project and love that they can do it on their own! I buy these foam stickers at AC Moore but I'm sure they have them available at other craft stores such as Michaels. This is a way for them to be creative as they like and independent-which is a favorite of superman and jojobean:)

Hand Christmas Tree

Here is one of my favorite crafts to do with the kids this season. You can change it up according to the age of the child. For older kids, I like to write "I love..." on the star at the top of the tree and then have them tell me in their own words 14 people/things that they love and write an answer on each hand.

For younger children, you can simply put a picture of them at the top and have them decorate the rest of the tree with ornaments, stickers, etc.

Christmas Cheer

I was thinking earlier today about how much fun it might be to share Christmas craft/recipe ideas with other moms/teachers for our kids to do this month. I personally think there is not a gift that can compare with a homemade one from a child. As I sit in my living room tonight by the lights on my Christmas tree that makes me giggle just by looking at it....will explain in a bit-I have a new inspiration on how I would like to start my Christmas cheer blogging!

Do you pay your teen for grades?

Luckily, I have been blessed with a daughter who is very motivated when it comes to school work. I can remember always making it a priority for her even before grades were given because I wanted it to sink in her head-how important learning, grades, etc are. I believe at first she did so well because of all the positive feedback she received whether it was from me, grandparents, and/or teachers. Then she REALLY started enjoying certain subjects and learning and would always use what she had learned in everyday life and I think that really excited her.

Now, as a 7th grader in a school of 1400+ students, she has to do well for herself and of course us. We still encourage her and congratulate her but I seriously doubt she gets the same kind of recognition from her teachers who have a couple hundred students to those teachers we were lucky enough to have in elementary school!