DIY Kid's Summer Scrapbook

DIY Kid's Summer Scrapbook

Lily and I have lots and lots and lots of plans for this summer to have fun. She had asked to create a scrapbook but scrapbooking is expensive so I came up with this budget friendly way to record our fun each day this summer. The scrapbook is made from things I had laying around the house including a gift box top, stickers and ribbon. I want her to have a journal of what we do that she can look back when she is an adult and remember the fun times we had.... now my challenge is to make each day unique so we have something to write about in the scrapbook!

Materials:

Gift box top/bottom or cardboard that you can color

Stickers

Crayons/Markers

Paper (I used computer paper)

Ribbon

Scissors/Paper Cutter

Hole Punch

Directions

1. Cut the edges off gift box then cut in half and punch with the hole punch. (I used a 3 hole punch)

2. Trim your paper to fit your cover and punch holes in the paper

3. Decorate your cover. I used stickers I found when cleaning Lily's play area last week and since the A's were missing I used a crayon for the As in the word vacation.

4. Tie the ribbon into the scrapbook holes and your finished! Time to start to record your summer fun!!

Happy Father's Day to All the Single Moms

As a single mom, we play mom and dad everyday so why shouldn't we be recognized on Father's Day? We most definitely should! Not to take away from the dads out there that wonderful because I do have friends that are wonderful dads. Some single moms are by choice, some are forced into it by the father's choice and some are thrust into it by a horrible tragedy but at the end of the day we are still Single Moms that are Single Dads too. Single moms on a daily basis do the duty of both a mom and dad. We do all the cooking, all the cleaning, homework helper, bathtime, playtime, disciplinarian  and everything else a parent must do times 2. We also get the joys of the fun times that the dads don't get to experience like special cuddle time, boo boo kissing and special dates that only a mommy and child can have. So we play only be one single mommy but we are both mom and dad in action so Happy Father's Day to all the single mommies!

50% off Super Saturday Sale

In celebration of the kids having their last day of school after another successful year, I am having a 50% off sale with coupon code LastDay13 in my Etsy shop! Don't forget that for my blog readers I am offering free shipping in addition to my Super Saturday Sale with coupon code BlogLovers13. Since Etsy doesn't allow for multiple coupon codes at a time please leave the other code in the note to sellers and I will refund the difference. Have a great Saturday!!

Free Shipping for Blog Readers

Since life has been so busy this week with all the graduation activities, Lily's first dentist appointment and trying to find time to work and sleep, my poor blog readers have suffered with late posts or no post yesterday. So today, tomorrow and Sunday you can receive free shipping in my Etsy shop. If you live in the USA, Canada, France, Russia, China or anywhere else in the world you can receive free shipping with coupon code BLOGLOVERS13 which can be combined with my Super Saturday Sale!! 

I hope you all have a great day as summer approaches very quickly! 

Being an Artist is a Job Too!

Now that I am expanding into selling at outdoor markets, I am experiencing a different crowd of customers. This customer is looking for a good deal for the product that they are buying  while enjoying a nice day out. In this economy everyone is looking to save a dollar or ten which includes me. I love going to the outdoor markets to buy fresh fruit that is cheaper and better tasting then the imports at the grocery store. These customers are friendly and love to chat about what you are selling but then they want to negotiate the price of your product. Pricing and selling in person is so different then selling online because you are looking at your customer in the face. Even when I started selling at craft shows 6 years ago, I had a hard time selling to people in person because I was so afraid that people didn't want to pay my prices. 

I had a mentor that sat me down and gave me a lecture on how my skills are a job. My job deserved to be paid just like a cashier, construction worker, lawyer or anyone else that has skills that receive an income. Each of us that create our own items and sell those items are artist. We have rent or mortgages to pay, car payments, insurance payments, food to buy and more which entitles us to get paid just like everyone else. So don't lower your standards or underestimate your skills by under pricing your creations. It has been a long process for me to understand this and I hope that you do as well.  

Gluten Free Recipe Website

I came across Carla's Gluten Free Recipe Box while searching for recipes on Pinterest. Yes my latest obsession.... Pinterest. Well I fell in love with her website! All of the recipes are gluten free and free! You can find anything from drinks, breakfast, kid friendly, allergen free (nut free, lactose free etc), low fat, low sodium, holiday themed, vegetarian, international dishes and more! This is a gluten free gold mine! There is a recipe for everyone! 

I was really attracted to the vegetarian recipes because of Lily's choice of being a vegetarian. I haven't had a chance to try any of them out yet because we have been so busy with shows and other life ordeals but tonight I will be attempting one of her delicious recipes... now to pick one!

**Get Up and GO Update: With my week being so busy with shows, school ending and life I didn't have alot of time to work out but Lily and I took lots of walks. Also, I began using my stairs that go up to my studio to workout. Stairs kill my legs but are great for leg and butt toning! 

Lily's Kindergarten Graduation Day

Today is an exciting day in our house... it is Lily's Kindergarten Graduation Day!! She is so excited after a year of moving and switching schools, making new friends and learning lots of new things like reading, writing and math. After a summer of fun she will be moving onto First Grade!!

Here are pics of her day:

Being silly for the camera

Getting ready for Graduation

Laughing it up!

More Silly Faces

Receiving her Certificate

Hooray!

The Caterpillar she made in class

Getting ready for  the Ceremony to begin