How to reveal a baby on the way

Before I start I must say, NO. I am not expecting!  my son is only 5 months old, and I am not ready for another baby anytime soon.

Last year, when I was expecting my first baby, I wanted to reveal the pregnancy in a special way to our families.  I researched many ideas.  I thought it would be neat to share how my husband and I revealed our first pregnancy and share some other ideas that we considered.

1) Surprise your family with balloons!
After reading many ideas on how my husband and I would reveal our first pregnancy to our families, we decided to walk into a family meal with pink and blue balloons! We surprised his family over Easter last year, and my family the week after.  I think that balloons are so fun! I think it enhanced the excitement!

Here is a photo of my husband and my oldest  nephew about to surprise his family.

2) Give a children's book to the new grandparents, uncles and aunts.
Since my son is the first grandchild on my side of the family, I wanted to give my parents and my brothers a special book when we revealed the news! I purchased these books, and signed them from the baby.  We gave them as little gifts as we surprised my family with the balloons.

3) Use a jar of Prego spaghetti sauce!
"Prego" spaghetti sauce. get it? You can use a jar of " Prego" spaghetti sauce to reveal your pregnancy in a variety of ways.  You can decorate the Prego jar and give it to your family.  You can also post a picture of Prego spaghetti sauce on your Facebook page when you are ready to make the news " Facebook official"  I thought about useing this method to reveal my pregnancy to my family. Perhaps next time.

4) Send an Ultrasound postcard!
I didn't use this idea either.  My husband and I have good friends who had a baby girl just a few months before my son was born.  They have a very large extended family whom they are really close with.  When they reached the end of their first trimester, it was close to Valentines day. They sent an  ultrasound postcard to all their aunts and uncles! I thought it was a really cute idea!

I am sure there are plenty of other great ideas for revealing a pregnancy.  How did you reveal yours?

( Be sure to check out my other baby projects! Here!)

Bunny Mail

I wanted to send some Easter Bible verses to my Goddaughter, Katelyn.  I guess I got a little carried away. ( Sometimes when I get in a crafty mood, I will turn into a 5 year old)

 I was feeling a little silly and decided to turn Katelyn's Easter envelope into a Easter Bunny.

I made the Bunny ears out of Leftover fleece.  The Nose out of a little piece of Fun Foam, and I drew the Easter Bunny's face out of Sharpies.

I then glued a cotton ball to the back of the envelope as the " Easter Bunny's tail"

I sent it off a few days ago, I really wish I could be at my friends house ( Katelyn's mom) When she gets this in the mail and is like " What the heck is Kristen sending us now?"

I think it turned out cute.

Grilled Baby Cuties!

Last winter I made Roasted Grapes. Roasting the grapes made the sweetness really come out in the grape. 

Well, I had some baby cuties sitting around, so I decided to try grilling them, I was planning on serving them over Gelato for a Sunday dessert. 

I love baby cuties! they are so small and cute!

I cut 6 baby cuties in half.

Grilled them face down for 4-5 minutes.

I served them over vanilla Gelato.

I expected them to be sweet.  The taste of these turned out to be much better.  The cuties had a smokey flavor. Just like summer.

When served over the vanilla gelato, it sort of tasted like an orange creamsicle.  A sophisticated orange creamsicle.

I can't wait to do some more experimenting over the grill this summer.

We will be making these again this grilling season.

Like?  Check out my Kiwi Frozen Yogurt Sandwiches!

Felt Road patrol kit

My nephew Kyle just turned 2.  After making homemade gifts for his brothers and sisters I, of course had to make something fun and creative for him as well!


Some of my other gifts I have made some of the other children in Kyle's family include:

Adam's homemade detective kit
Audrey's Play Pizzeria
Audrey's Madeline Costume
Adam's Red box gift set

I made Kyle " Officer Kyle's patrol kit"

Although this gift is a little advanced for a 2 year old, I know Kyle will get help on how to use it from his three older brothers and older sister. 

I purchased 1 yard of felt and cut them into pieces of road. I made them all the same size by using my first cut piece of road as a guide for all my other pieces.

I made the road lines with yellow 3d Puff paint.

I wanted this gift to be interactive.  I found images of road signs online. Printed them out and glued them on the back of craft foam to make them sturdy.

I packed them all in a box and also included a Hot Wheels police car.

Included instructions.

I packed them all up in a plastic container.

Guest room chalkboard

Now that I live almost 5 hours from my family, having a nice guest room is important to me.  I want my family to want to come visit and feel like they are welcome in my home whenever they like. 

A few weeks ago, prior to painting my dining room table with chalkboard paint.  I made a " Guest room chalkboard". 

I happend to have a frame with no glass.  The glass broke during our move to Iowa.  I painted the cardboard that came with the frame with chalkboard paint.  Drawing on the chalkboard painted cardboard still works great!

The reason why I came up with a " Guest room chalkboard" is because there are always things I always mean to tell guests, but may not get around to telling them. 

As a guest in someone else's home, it is always nice to know where towels are etc.  Its always a little awkward to ask " Uh Can I take a shower?"

Hope you get inspired:)

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Mod Podged Diaper Box

My sister in law and I wanted to make a " Pre wedding relaxation"  gift  for our soon to be sister in law.  I was in charge of making the box.  Normally, I would head to Hobby Lobby and purchase one of those cute paper mache boxes, but I now live in an area with no Hobby Lobby. 

I searched my house and found this old diaper box.  Perfect!

Here is how I " Mod Podged" This old diaper box into a cute gift box!

 I Cut the " flaps" off the box. 

I found some black and white " scrap paper" along with some old wrapping paper.  I cut out shapes and " Modge Podged" them onto the diaper box. I kept the design neutral.

I painted the rest of the box with chalkboard paint. ( just happened to be the paint I had around.)  As you can see it matches my chalkboard table.

I then used some 3d Puffy Paint to make some finishing touches.

Here is a photo of the finished product!  and OH how I wish I would have taken a better photo!!

And that is how you repurpose a diaper box into a gift box!

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Birthday beer labels!

Like my Birthday beer labels?  I am selling them on my Etsy shop

Over a year ago I published my " Valentine Beer labels for him".  I received many requests to come up with Birthday beer labels as well! 

I decided to come up with birthday slogans after thinking about how hard it is to shop for my husbands birthday.  He never needs anything or wants anything!! 

Here are some simple steps on how to make " Birthday beer labels" for the man in your life!

1) Go to a grocery store that sells beer by the bottle.  Purchase 6 different beers for your significant other to try!  Put together a unique six pack!

2) Come up with fun birthday slogans!  The slogans I came up with are just a guide! The man in your life might have a different favorite beer, or you two might have an inside joke you may want to make a slogan for!

3) Make beer labels!  I made my labels decorating adhesive beer labels with Cardstock and 3d puff paint.  You might have other material you might want to make yours out of!

Here are close up shots of my beer labels!

Hope I have helped inspire you on making a birthday gift for the man in your life!  Something he will actually use!

Don't feel like making these yourself? Please visit my Etsy shop above, and I will be happy to make you a set!

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Felt Alphabet Soup

I just finished making a birthday present for one of my favorite little people who turned One last month.  I thought of the idea of making " Alphabet Soup", after this little girl's mom told me about how her daughter likes to play with items in the kitchen and play with the laundry.  It took me a little longer than I thought to make this gift, but I hope she likes it.

I hand sewed all these letters with felt and purchased a pail from the craft store to use as the " Soup Pot",

To make the letters, I free handed bubble letters right onto the felt and cut them out.  I made two for each letter and sewed them together.   I stuffed them with " pillow stuffing".

All the letters go into the Soup pot.  The games that a child can play with these letters are endless!  When I give this gift I will include a wooden spoon!

And thats how you make " Alphabet Soup!"

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