How to Create a Personalized Shadow Box

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ProjectAmazing #CollectiveBias

I know it sounds cliche, but my kids are growing up so fast! Seems like just yesterday I was picking out toys, dolls and clothing for my daughter, but at 6, she has a big personality just waiting to share with the world. She has opinions and things she collects and treasures.

Currently, she loves ballet, anything pink and butterflies.

I have been wanting to create a shadow box for her, made up of her favorite things, to display on the wall of her room.This past weekend I decided to finally create one. And you know, it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I just needed to find the right supplies for my project.

I searched for the perfect shadow box first. It is times like these that I wish I was better at woodworking. I was eventually able to find a shadow box though, that was 2 inches deep. Perfect for all sorts of items and souvenirs. It also had an added feature, it opens in front, and is kept closed with magnets. I love that it will be easy to update and change as she gets older.

Then I picked up a variety of tools to use to put the shadow box together.

I picked up several new items to help me create a shadow box. I picked up a Scotch® Titanium Utility Knife, perfect for opening craft packaging and cutting through tape. It was much more precise than a general box cutter. There were black grips along each side for easy handling. I kept it handy, because while crafting there are always little bits and things that need to be cut or trimmed.

For the back of my shadow box, I cute pink and grey scrapbook paper to fit my box. I secured it to the back of my project with the mini pushpins that were provided in the shadow box.

I knew with my daughter's love of butterflies they would have ot be included in this project. I cut out a few simple shapes with my Silhouette and then added a little pink glitter to dress them up. My daughter also contributed a pink butterfly she created this summer.

I put the 2-peice butterfly together with Scotch® Permanent Double Sided Tape. I love that it doesn't need to "dry" and will keep all my paper goods right where I want them.

I also used the Scotch® Permanent Double Sided Tape to create a little mini-banner with my daughter's name on it. The letters were cut off of a peice of scrapbook paper. I cut the pink paper into triangles and taped the letters on top. With a little kitchen twine and mini clothespins, my banner was ready.

Since I had so much depth in the shadow box I used Command™ Clear Hooks and Strips in mini size to place on the sides of my box. Since they can be removed without residue or damage and rehaning is so simple, I will be able to remove or reposition these for a later design.

I tied a simple knot around the clear hooks to hold the banner in place. The clear hooks are covered by the trim around the front of my box.

Then I added a few more details to the box. I printed out the meaning of my daughter's name. Audrey means, "Noble Strength". I also included a few trinkets my daughter has been saving, a crochet heart I made her for last Valentine's Day, a clothespin doll I painted for her, and her first pair of ballet shoes.

I used Scotch® Permanent Mounting Squares to add the ballet shoes to the box. They can hold heavier object, up to a pound, and are great for handing project. so I will be using them to add my oldest son's Pinewood Derby Car to his shadow box. Yes, once I made one for my daughter, I knew I had to make one for each of my boys as well.

So, is there someone in your life who would like to have a shadow box? Here are my top 3 tips for creating a personalized shadow box:

1. Find a shadow box deep enough for the items you want to display. I used a box that was 2" deep in order to hold my daughter's ballet shoes.
2. Grab the right tools for the job. There are a variety of Scotch® Brand products and Command™ Brand products perfect for creating the perfect shadow box. I like to keep them on hand for all my craft projects.
3. Gather and mix a variety of items. Feel free to mix paper, souveniers and sentimental items to personalize your shadow box. Don't be shy about using the depth and size of objects to make a unique arrangement.

My daughter just loves her shadow box and we already have a spot in her room all picked out to display it. Now I just need to find the time to make one for each of my boys. 

If you decide to create your own shadow box, be sure to check out the crafting aisle at Walmart for a selection of 3M products, now in a handy new location. Same products I love, new, convenient in-store location. Like they say, no matter the task, there's a Scotch® Brand product to match. And from spray adhesives to masking tapes, there is whole range of products for every crafting situation.

How would you personalize a shadow box?

Looking for more amazing summer craft ideas? Be sure to check out the Scotch® Brand #ProjectAmazing hub with even more fun craft ideas http://cbi.as/el2z

DIY Puppet Theater - Expressing Emotions & Creative Play

 This Inside Out shop and puppet theater tutorial has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #InsideOutEmotions #CollectiveBias

For Father's Day, we all went to the movies to watch Inside Out as a family. I have to admit that It was a great movie and was really surprised that my youngest, just 2-years-old, really enjoyed the characters as much as the rest of us. If you have a wiggly toddler at home, you know how big of a deal this is.

So I was excited to let all the kids pick out their own Inside Our plush on a recent trip to Walmart. We love role playing games and putting on shows, and I thought these adorable emotion plush toys would be perfect for putting on our own puppet plays. 

So which emotion did each of my kids choose?

We let my youngest, Elliott, select his favorite character first. I was surprised when he picked Sadness, but he was very sure about it.

Maybe it was the blue he loved, or the big blue eyes that matched his own, but either way it was snuggly love at first sight.

It is hard for my 2-year-old to deal with all those swirling emotions going through him. Recently there have been more tantrums, more spontaneous crying and frustration about not being able to have ice cream at every meal. So, Sadness was probably the perfect choice for Elliott. He is learning that sadness means some things are just too much fun to stop, and it is okay to be sad when things don't happen the way he hopes.

My middle child picked Disgust. An interesting choice for her.

I asked my daughter to show off the emotion, "disgust" for me, but she just couldn't do it. Okay, she can't do it on cue, at least. Anyone with a daughter knows that little girls can turn disgust on and off when the moment is right. Those sensible shoes? Not going to happen... they don't light up or have glitter on them. Oh, yeah, tutus and sparkly glitter go with everything. Hand-me-downs from her big brother, that would be a moment for disgust.

But at this moment she was far too happy to let disgust show.

And my oldest? My almost 8-year-old is a firecracker, for sure! I was not surprised when he picked Anger. He is at a tough age. He is putting aside some of his favorite toys and hobbies in favor of more mature interests. But, he still gets frustrated and doesn't always know the appropriate way to release his anger.

So what happens when emotions run high in our house? Well, it is the perfect time to play! We created an easy puppet theater out of simple items we picked up at our local Walmart. This gave us a chance to role-play all those emotions and talk about how they make us feel.

DIY Puppet Theater

You Will Need:

1. tri-fold display boardred
2. poster board or construction paper
3. utility knife, or box cutter
4. scissors
5. craft glue
6. glue dots
7. ruler
8. ribbon or string
9. gold sharpie
10. twine or colorful string
11. scrapbook paper
12. mini clothes pins

Grab some supplies and let's get started! This project will require help from an adult.

First I created the window for the puppet theater. I left a nice margin all around the window, and put it up high enough my kids could use it while kneeling. The corrugated board is thick, so a utility knife or box cutters work best here. 

Then I measured the opening so I could make the red curtains to frame the window. I wanted them to hang down below the window and also go across the entire middle section of the display board.

Then I cut out a top piece, 2 curtains and used some of my discarded cardboard (glued three layers thick) to make the top piece stand out and add depth. I glued those under my top piece of red cardboard.

Then I added details to my theater. I had some vine ribbon that I used for curtain ties. Then I created a brightly colored bunting out of scrapbook paper, mini clothes pins and gold-flecked kitchen twine.

I had extra triangles left over from the bunting, so I decorated the sides of the puppet theater with those.

And for a final touch, I added some details with a gold permanent marker. That really helped the curtains stand out from the theater.

The finished puppet theater is simple, bright and fun! 

Then it was time to put on a show! Kids don't really need any help in this department. With the cute Inside Out plushes, my kids had lots of ideas for stories.

But, in this house everyone wants to perform. This was a great way to start a discussion about emotions as well as appropriate ways to express emotions, etc.

You can grab your own collection of Inside Out plushes at Walmart. Just look for the cute Inside Out displays.

Then for after performance snacking, we also found Kellogg's Inside Out fruit snacks. Aren't these adorable? They are shaped like each of our favorite emotions from the movie.

Who, in your life, would like their own puppet theater and Inside Out plushes? How do you explore emotions in your family?

Check out the Newest Switch & Go Dinos - Bronco plus Giveaway!

I was sent a VTech Switch & Go Dinos Turbo - Bronco The RC Triceratops in order to create my review.  the VTech products and information have all been provided by VTech. All experiences and opinions are my own.

My kids love remote controlled toys! From cars to airplanes and helicopters they will spend hours driving or flying them around the house. But VTech offers the only car/dinosaur combination I have seen. 

From the first Switch and Go Dinos I blogged about in 2012, to Blister the Velociraptor we loved last year, the new Bronco the RC Triceratops has been an instant hit in our house.

For ages 3-8 years (MSRP: $44.99) this is an RC toy especially for little hands. Just one touch at the top of the controller switches from car to dino mode.  It includes a steering wheel, directional button, headlight button, turbo boost button as well as sounds and talk buttons.

This Switch & Go Dinos  is the first RC toy that my 5-year old was able to use unassisted out of the box. Unlike other remote control toys, it also included an LCD screen display for dinosaur eyes or the car driver (kids can choose from 4 options). 

And even though my 5-year old was good to go, that didn't mean that older kids weren't interested. Her 7-year old brother and his older friends were very interested in it at a recent play date.

Both the remote and car take batteries, but we filled our with rechargeable to cut down on the cost.

And here it is changing from car to Triceratops:

In race car mode the vehicle really moves! The kids have had a great time racing it down halls and maneuvering it around the obstacles of the playroom. 

Overall, if you are looking for a cool new toy to gift this Christmas, the Switch & Go Dinos are sure to be a big hit. They are a great first RC toy for a girl or boy on your list this holiday season.  From personal experience, my kids have enjoyed all of their Switch and Go Dinos, but the toys keep getting better year after year. 

Connect with VTech on Twitter and Facebook to stay up on their latest and greatest toys and promotions.

Giveaway Time!!

Would you like the chance to win your own Switch & Go Dinos Turbo - Bronco The RC Triceratops? VTech has generously offered to sponsor this giveaway so you can share it with your child. US residents only please. Enter on the rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway ends December 1st, 2014 (US residents only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Leap into Gaming" with LeapFrog LeapTV

I received free products in order to host the LeapFrog sponsored MommyParty. The opinions expressed here are my own. #LeapTV #MommyParties

Oregon is known for it's wet weather, dark Winters and annual feelings of cabin fever have already started to appear. It is hard to keep kids, young kids especially, moving and active during the darker, colder months. So our LeapFrog LeapTV was a welcome addition to a rainy weekend and we even had friends over to share the fun!

If you have ever tried using a gaming system with young children, it can be a challenge, especially to find something where they can understand the instructions (often written) and can stay engaged at their learning level.

So what is LeapTV?

Take a game that is focused on kids, with sports, characters and activities that kids enjoy, give it an easy to use controller and then mix in basic learning lessons in a fun way. While my Kindergarten age daughter played the dance game, she also worked on forming compound words, and picking out the "striped fruit" on the screen or the "longest fruit".

My favorite part is the kids can be active while learning and playing interactive games! Targeted for kids ages 3-8, there are currently 9 cartridge games to choose from and 100+ games and videos available by year-end.

Our LeapTV system came with a console, motion-sensing camera so the players can see them selves on the screen, a transforming controller, power adapter, HDMI cable and a camera mount so the camera could be placed on top of our TV.

We were also sent 2 games to try; LeapFrog Sports and LeapFrog Dance & Learn.

Set up was easy. In fact, my husband was thrilled that most of the account set-up could be done on his smart phone. We didn't have to do any awkward typing with the controller or have to find a computer to finish set-up. The easy-to-follow instructions had us go from box to playing in just a few minutes.

The transforming controller can go from a classic hand-held controller for easy button reach and finger toggle to a pointer with both ends stretched out.

Even better, for the dance games, only body movement is necessary, so younger kids can push buttons and select fruit without having to worry about selecting the correct button.

Another feature I loved was that beginning readers were given verbal cues and help, so no one at our party was left out. This is exactly the type of gaming program I have searched for for years. True story, my oldest has always wanted to play on family game nights, but when he was younger it was frustrating that there wasn't an age appropriate system. Luckily, now there is!

One aspect the kids really enjoyed was being able to watch themselves on the screen. Our only issue was for a larger party kids behind the camera had to remain still or they could could interfere with some of the actions. We ended up placing our small chairs around the sides of the room so our guests could take turns in the fun.

From soaring around and flapping their wings...

...to creating compound words for real things...

"The sun did not shine.

It was too wet to play.

So we sat in the house

All that cold, cold, wet day."

- Dr. Seuss

...well, until these Oregonians got their LeapTV and made the most of their blustery day!

Check out a video of some of the fun. LeapFrog LeapTV

You can pick up your own #LeapTV in time for Christmas, along with various games. Look for them wherever other LeapFrog products are sold. 

Protecting my Back to School Investment and Avoiding the Lost and Found

I was provided an Ultimate Back-to-School Combo from Mabel's Labels to facilitate my review. This is a product I already use regularly and am excited to share for Back to School. All experiences and opinions are mine alone.

In the first school newsletter my son brought home from elementary school, I was shocked to learn that every year an entire room of stuff goes unclaimed. From shirts to coats and all student items in between I started to panic about my own forgetful Kindergarten student and the large investment we had just made into his Back to School clothes, backpack, lunchbox, etc.

How much would I need to re-buy over the course of a year?

Fast forward a year and though we had some close calls, a misplaced jacket and a friend of his lost a lunch box, we didn't end up too badly. I credit using Mabel's Labels to clearly mark all his possessions that he took to school regularly.

So this year I am sending 2 off to school, gulp, and am doing all I can to keep my kids from loosing the new items we have been purchasing. As a parent of school aged children, you know how expensive this time of year can be, so why not protect your investment with simple name labels?

For my son I just purchased a simple pack, but this year I got the Ultimate Back-to-School Combo for my daughter. It was a perfect way for me to lable everything easily for the upcoming school year.

Ultimate Back-to-School Combo contains:

• 2 Teeny Tags
• 16 Shoe Labels
• 50 Tag Mates
• 40 Skinny-Minis

The 2 Teeny Tags I am reserving for my daughter's backpack and lunch bag. I still need to get these items before school starts but I used one on my son's items last year and they were perfect!

My daughter's shoes have all been labeled and this will come in very handy for trips to Jungle Jump, a bouncy castle activity center, as well as when we take off and stash our shoes during Skate Nights at the community roller skating rink.

As I put all the labels in I started to realize that almost everything my daughter owns is either purple or pink. The labels match perfectly!

The Tag Mates were perfect for on the back of her bike helmet, as well as in her coats. None of these are items I want her to lose and at 5 years old, she misplaces things frequently.

The Mabel's Labels are so much cuter than just writing on the kids' items in sharpie. I know my Mom put my name on everything for school, but she didn't have an option like this.

Then I used the Skinny-Minis to go to town on school supplies. This is a lot faster than writing her name out 40 times.

 Now is a great time to order your own Ultimate Back-to-School Combo. There are so many great labeling options at Mabel's Labels for all your Back to School needs, and even around the home as well!

Creating your own custom labels is easy! Just design your labels with your child's name, design options and colors. There are options and icons for both girls and boys as well as various ages. Check out the full Mabel's Labels site to see options for everyone in your life.

What would you label in your life?

Passing Down the Growing Gene

I like to say that gardening is in my blood. My grandpa was a gardener, my Mom and her siblings all had the urge to grow things, and now I have the pleasure of passing it down to my kids.

The truth is, they just like to play in the dirt... but at least it is a start.

Today we finally got (most of) our plants in the ground. The big starts we purchased are planted and we just have a few trays of seedlings to transplant tomorrow. Those can wait a little while longer. The lettuce blends can get a little bigger before venturing forth from the greenhouse and out into the ground.

The best part of gardening for me isn't the extra vegetables in our salad or on our dinner plates. No, it is the sense of pride we all have in growing our own food.

My husband is a farmer and doesn't quite understand my need for a garden. Yes, he grows more than enough vegetables for all of us. The big difference is we didn't plant those. My kids helped me plant all the seeds. We watered the trays of dirt every morning as we walked to the bus stop. My kids counted and reported to me every single new sprout that showed up in the past day. And my kids will be helping me pick and prepare those veggies.

Zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, lettuce, chard, tomatillos and bok choy.

No, it isn't about the vegetables. It is all about the hard work you put into that one ripe tomato.

For that reason I am proud to be raising two little budding gardeners. I am working hard to pass down the growing gene for future generations.

Do you have a garden this year?