Children's Christmas Apron

Here's a cute and easy way to make a holiday apron for children! 

 All you'll need is a kitchen hand towel and ribbon.

You can find holiday hand towels in almost any store during the holidays.

-Fold the towel in half lengthwise.

-Then take a ruler and measure 3 1/2 inches in on the top and mark it. 

(Make sure it's not on the folded side)

and 9 inches down the side and mark it.  (See picture above)

(Although my towel is not folded in half it shows you where your cut's should be made.)

-Next take your ruler and trace a line from the two points you marked. (like the picture above)

-(Your towel should still be folded in half.)  Now cut the towel on the line that you marked. 

-Open it up.  Your now ready for your sewing machine.

-Fold the cut edges over about a 1/4 inch. twice to hide the rough edges and pin in place.  

-Next pin your ribbon in place for the neck and the ties around the back. 

-Sew in place.

And that's all there is too it!  Easy as pie!  Now your ready to let your children help you make some!

Happy Baking!

12 Days of Christmas Cupcake Tin

Here's a fun way to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas!

First measure the mouth of the cupcake tin to see how wide you need to make each opening.  Have  a lip no less than 1/8 an inch around each tin or it will not give the magnet enough area to hold itself in place.

(Each circle needs to be 1/4 inch bigger than the opening.  That's 1/8in. + 1/8in for each side.)

Cut your circles out of scrapbook paper.  Add any embellishments that you like, then add the number.

Next stick each circle on a sticky magnet sheet.  (You can get these at the craft store.)  Then cut them out.

You can leave your cupcake tin silver or spray it white like mine.

 Next you need to choose what you want to put inside of each tin.  You can put in candy, fun messages, small gifts, activities to do as a family.  Oh the possibility!

Santa Clause Christmas Countdown

Here's a fun way for your children to count down the days until Christmas!

-First find a Santa image on line. (Make sure it has a nice full beard!)
 -Put the numbers on the image before you print it, or write the numbers on the Santa after you print it.  The numbers will be covered up so it doesn't matter. 

-Have your child color the Santa.

-Then for every day of the month have your child glue a cotton ball on that number.

(We pulled the cotton balls apart and only used half for each number.)

In the end Santa will have a beautiful white beard and nicely trimmed hat.

Happy Counting!

Ribbon Wreath

 This wreath is beautiful and simple to make.

 

What you'll need:
-Three Spools of Wire Ribbon (all the same color or three different colors.  8 yards each, 24 yards total)
-12" medal ring

The how to:
-Tie the ribbon onto the ring, alternating colors as you go.  Tie each bow before cutting it off the spool. You will tie about 36 bows.

 

-Once all bows are tied on, evenly space them around the ring and reshape the ribbons. Pull them forward until it has a nice full look.   Trim any long pieces or strings.

Hand Print Snowman Ornament

Here's a fun activity for the family or a school Christmas Project!

What you'll need:
-Blue plastic ornaments (Or any color you choose)
-White Paint
-Colored Sharpie Markers (Your choice)

The how to:
-Paint your Child's hand with the white paint.
-Slowly wrap your their hand around the bottom of the ornament. Making sure all the fingers touch the ornament. Or you'll end up with a floating snowman head like mine.
-Hang up to dry.
-When dry use the colored Sharpie markers to draw the hat, scarf, face, arms and buttons on the snowman.

And there you have it!  

A sweet keepsake ornament your Child will look forward to placing on the tree each year!

Service Tree

About this time of year my Children start to pepper me with all the stuff that they want.  But this Holiday Season I wanted my Children to focus on giving and serving others
  instead of thinking about themselves so much.  Here is an idea that has helped our family.

What you'll need:  

-Clear container of some sort. (Mine is a glass Christmas Tree.)

-Pom pom balls. (Or what ever you choose to fill it with)

What to do:

-Every time your child does a service or is kind to someone else, let them choose a Pom pom to place inside the container.

-Explain to your child that each Pom pom ball represents a gift they are giving to Jesus.  When they are kind and serve others it is as if we are doing it to Jesus. 

-Help your Children learn to look for ways to serve others. Help your Child make the bed of their Brother or Sister and leave a paper heart on their pillow with an 'I Love You' on it. (Make a bunch of paper hearts with I love you on them in advance) Help them see that service,(especially secret service) is fun and will make them, the other person and Jesus happy.   Encourage them to fill the container to the top by Christmas Day! 

-On Christmas Day, before anyone opens any presents, show the whole family how full the container is and praise them for their kindness and service to others.  Express the feelings that Jesus has when we are kind and serve others.

-Now the above ideas a defiantly geared toward younger children. Now if you have teenagers , try filling it with candy or money.  Then pick a family to take it too.  With a note, leave it on their doorstep Christmas morning!  knock and run! 

 I hope this activity helps to make your Christmas Holiday a happier one.

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