Gifts that Keep Giving- Baby Shower Gifts

Posted in Create by Nykiah

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A few weeks ago my sister-in-law had her baby shower. I’d seen some scrapbook journals online about a year ago that I knew I wanted to make into something cool for a baby shower gift. So when she told us 9 months prior to birthing her handsome baby boy I knew I was giving birth to the paper bag journal. I looked online for inspiration to what I wanted to do but I honestly could not find a thing. I was bummed and decided to draw up some inspiration on my own. I collected some cute things for about 4 months and got to work two weeks before the shower.

It took me one weekend to do this plus another day because I procrastinated.

I wanted this to be a blank canvas for her and a way for her to scrapbook and keepsake for the first year or so. So I tried to make it a blank as possible. Inside it included two handmade pockets for pictures or notes, pockets for the first hair cut and teeth and a plethora of “first” and blank pages for journaling.

I used 9 paper bags and turned them opposite every other bag. So on one side there was an opening and on the other it was the bottom fold. There were 9 pockets and 36 pages including the front and back cover.

I also put together a daddy duty tool belt for my sister in law’s hubby. The kit had ear plugs, diapers, tongs, powder, wipes, hand sanitizer, chemical goggles, gloves, a teether, and face mask. It was quite cute!

I was happy to see that they loved my gift. I always like to come up with handmade things that will mean more to a person. My sister in law and hubby are first time parents. Hopefully this encouraged them going forward and warmed their hearts.

Linking Up With: Playdates with God , Titus Tuesdays, Living Proverbs 31, Joy Dare

21Jul2014

Hands on House

Posted in Create, Kids crafts by Nykiah

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I’m that mom. The messes mom. Who pulls out a craft or something fun to in the middle of the day. The hands on mom. My kids love this except when I’m interrupting a current ninja attack.

It’s difficult for me sometimes because I have one child who loves to create anything and everything and can sit for hours on end doing so and another who’d rather not touch gooey glue or sticky paint.

Art has always been a first love for me and it’s super ironic that I married an artist. So much so that my mom gave me a box of things I created over the years after I got married. Fun stuff!

Creativity is something to me that when grasped, can give a child a new perspective on anything. So I’m the mom that that tries to give my children every opportunity to spill on a blank canvas what lingers in their heads.

I’m also obsessed with hands and feet. I cannot tell you how many things I have in my house or give away as gifts that have my kids paw prints on them. So I thought the perfect opportunity to do so was with these two dollar clearance canvas’ I got at Michael’s.

We used acrylic paint and they stuck their hand right to it. Something nice and slow on a hot summer evening.

I wanted to add something to their wall in their room that they did. So when we were finished we hung it right in the middle. Pictures will come when we are done adding things. Right now it’s lonely. 😦

Any Hands on art ideas for the kiddos from you? Tell me about it!

Linking Up With: Playdates with God, Titus Tuesdays, Living Proverbs 31, Joy Dare

3Feb2014

Blogging with a purpose

Posted in Create, Family Fun Days by Nykiah

Me and my stupid pride. Yup that’s right I said it.

For weeks I’ve sat down to write and every time I’d type a word and feel no confirmation that God was including himself in that post.

What happens when there is nothing to write? I seriously have no answer for that.

I remember when I started to take off full fledge in this blogging arena. Excitement would fill me as people would comment and send me emails letting me know how encouraged they were from one of my posts. (I save every last email so if you have sent one, Thank you!) That gave me courage to keep writing and to keep listening to the Lord regarding the way I write. I pretty soon switched from “wanna be” fashion blogger to real-life blogger mom. No college degree. No experience. Just a “free-lance” writer who wanted to be an encouragement and inspiration.

But then it got me.

The constant checking of stats, watching other bloggers grow and wanting to be in the same place. I forgot my mission for this blog. The battle of “do this and you’ll be a successful blogger” syndrome. I forgot that I wanted this blog to say something and plant seeds that could help people. And definitely keep my health.

It’s so easy to let social media, and high blog stats become a god. It’s so easy to push my readers to the side and worry about me. Gosh darn flesh and its desires for greed.

This is pretty good evidence of my sinful tendencies and I’m positive it is evidence of my constant need to be close to Jesus.

So from now on I will continue blogging to plant seeds of encouragement, love, laughter, and edification. Most importantly I will blog about what I love! Food, crafts, and all things children; not worrying too much about being the blogger world’s Jack of all trades.

It’s not always about a picture, a number, or a strategy, though, I’m not at all saying there is not a craft to be honed. I’m simply saying that if you read, blog or inspire to be a writer, do it because you love it. Water it by working on it and your gift will make room for you. Room (Opportunity) for you to expand off of God’s vision and bear the fruit of his glory

So today I am relaunching my blog, sort of like a start over with some big plans and a new focus.

To start my relaunch I am posting about a craft today. My sister made this for my bridal shower not too long ago and ever since I’ve been in love with it. She also made a family date night jar and all the guest’s from my bridal shower put ideas for me, hubby and family to do and share. I keep the family one out in the open and every now and then I look in the date night jar for some ideas to spice things up.

What you will need:

Glue gun

1 sheet cork board card stock paper

1 Mason Jar

Thumb tacks (cut off the stem)

Crinkle scissors (my word)

Paper, a printer or markers

Card stock paper (your color choice)

Beans

Wide popsicle sticks

Directions:

Make sure your jar is clean

Cut your cork sheet 4 1/2 inches wide

Wrap cork sheet around the jar and hit it with some glue

Print the words (one on regular printer paper and the other on the card stock), “Family Date Night Jar” twice with enough spaces for you to cut around with the crinkle scissors for the individual words

Cut out the individual words with the crinkle scissors and glue them in your own arrangement, to the jar

Glue the tacks to the Jar in your own arrangement

Next cut out the Word Phrase and glue it to a popsicle stick

Fill the Jar with beans and enjoy!

Have family members write their ideas and throw them in. Valentine’s Day is coming up! Spend it intentionally.

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Linking up with: wedded wednesdays, playdates with God, livingproverbs31, Titus2sday

10Dec2013

Holiday Gift Guide: DIY Mason Jar Lid Coasters

Posted in Create by Nykiah

I’m so excited about this one because it just makes cents. Yes, it makes sense, but because this is a gift you don’t wanna forget to make, it makes cents. You’ll see because you probably already have a few of the ingredients at home. Well, if you don’t, borrow them or save them from the Christmas gift from grandma you are guaranteed to get.

Anyways, This summer was my first year canning and while my stock is pretty full for me I’m just thinking every time I pop open one of the lids for my go to spaghetti sauce or sweet peaches….”I don’t wanna through these away!!!” I literally have a fit every time I have to throw away a lid or seal, which ever you prefer. Let’s face it, canning saves me a ton of money but having to buy new lids each time does not. You all know me, the bang for the buck girl, I couldn’t fathom the fact that these lids could not be put to good use. So I saved them all, each and every one and you know what? I’m a friggin genius! (I had to laugh at that one. I’m crafty but genius is way to kind. Haha!)

I searched and searched pinterest and could not find one idea that I could do myself. Even something to hint at what I could do would have helped me but nonetheless I dug into my crafting bag and pulled out my creativity. You know the thing about pinterest? It sometimes makes me too reliant on other people’s creativity, but don’t get me wrong, I’m still a pinterest junkie. However, my belief is that every now and again your own creative sparks need to be plugged in. And if you don’t have any? pinterest is a good place to get started. Eh?

I’m sure I could do a lot more with my lids so I won’t have to use up my good rings but I’m not too thirsty on rings so I had some to spare. If you buy a case of jars, you get lids and rings and there are plenty of things to do with the jars (i.e loose change, makeup storage, candy jar, tooth brushes, q-tips and cotton balls, razors, travel lotions and more) I even keep my brillo pads and sink stoppers in one from time to time.

So here’s what you will need:

Scissors
Glue gun
Cork card stock paper
Stamps of your choice (got mine at Michael’s for $1.00)( Make sure it fits inside of the circle)
Used or new wide mouth mason jar lid and ring
Stamp pad in color of your choice ( I used the one’s from our guest book, hubby hand drew a willow tree 🙂
A pen to trace with ( not pictured)

1. With the lid of the Jar face down trace around it as many times as you’d like to get your desired number of coasters. My sister gave me the left over cork paper from a project she did for my bridal shower. Then cut it out.

2. Next with your glue gun place a thin layer of hot glue in the bottom of the ring ( all the way around) facing upward like in the picture above. Only a thin layer or it will ooze out of the bottom.

3. Press your lid on top of the hot glue seal side up. So when you turn it over it should look like it is sealed together, like the top of a canned mason jar. Metal to metal, plastic inside.

4. Once that dries, squeeze out another thin layer of hot glue on to the seal side. Around the edge is best because you want to look smooth and not bumpy. Press your cork circle down on the hot glue.

5. Next press your stamp down on your pad and then stamp it on the cork as light or dark as you’d like, I did mine super heavy so It took a few days to dry. If you use color box it will take a few days. But they have the most vibrant colors in my opinion.

And then you’re done! Just wait for them to dry and voila!

The good thing about these are? You can make them to keep or give away, they can say what every you want them to and you can make multiple ones to switch out for the seasons. This project cost me $1.00 because I had everything but the stamps, but if you were starting from scratch you can just buy the rings and seal here for less than $5.50. It’s still a cheap project if you ask me.

I so hope you try this! And as always with everything good thing I post, I know you’ll love this and add it to your list!

Happy Crafting,

Linking up with: wedded wednesdays, playdates with God, livingproverbs31, Titus2sday