Pom Pom Friends (Kids Craft)

(Para español hacer click aqui.)

Oh it's a rainy day.  

The skies are covered in clouds.  The drip drip drip sound everywhere.  Happy trees and happy plants (and happy me...the pollen is being washed away.) But lots of rain also means that little ones are stuck in doors.  

Yes, it is the kind of day where lots of crafting goes on around here.  

The kind of days where the craft closet opens and closes a gazillion times.  The kind of day where the craft room gets messier than the usual.  The kind of day where creativity (sometimes with Mami's help) floats through the air.

So I  thought what better than to share a fun and easy craft to keep your little one's hands busy on such a day.

I remember making these as a child.  Do you?  No?  Well, here you go then.

What you need:

*Pom Pom balls
*Felt 
*Feathers
*googly eyes
*glue
*scissors

How to make:

Begin by cutting small hearts out of the felt.  This will become the base (feet) of the pom pom friends.  Then glue the base on to the bottom of the pompom.  Next, glue the googly eyes and finally add a little touch with a feather on top, or make a cute little hat out of felt.  That's it!  Didn't I tell you it was easy?!

Make one.

Or make a whole lot of friends!

What ever you choose have fun with it.  My little ones after making a lot of them decided to also make them a home out of old shoe boxes, and furniture out of recycled materials. 

It would also be a sweet mother's day gift.  Have them create out of pom poms  each member of the family, place them on top of a stand (or in a jar upside down) and write sweet words to mom.  I'm sure she would love it! 

Happy Crafting!

Make a Heartfelt Card for Mom

This year I wanted to make an extra special card for my mom.  Something that shows her how much I love and appreciate all she's done (and continues to do) for me.  After all, I have been blessed with the most fantastic mother in the world! 

After searching through my stash of goodies around my craft room.  I remembered I had been reorganizing some old photos.  Bingo!  I could definitely use one of those old photos.  One of...me!  I choose one of me when I was just a few months old, and began to work.

Do you like it?  Would you like to make one?

It is mighty simple.  First thing though is finding that perfect photo.  It can be one of you as a baby, or one of your kids (hint hint dads out there!)  Because mine was an old photo (vintage for today's standards) I decided to continue with the same vintage feel.  I gathered some lovely vintage lace and trims that, coincidental, my mom had given to me.  Made a flower embellishment (for how to click here) out of old book pages and another out of re-purposed  linen bags.  But you can very well use pre-made embellishments to make yours. 

Ready to make that card?

What you need:

♥ A photograph
♥ Book pages.
♥ Lace and/or trim
♥ Flower embellishments
♥ Stamp & ink
♥ Card stock
♥ All purpose glue
♥ Craftbooking tape

How to make it:

Begin by cutting your card stock in half. Also, if you are making your own, cut out the flower layers for the embellishments.  Then cut to the lace measuring the length of the with of your card.

Once you cut your card stock in half.  Take the top one, and begin to stamp around the edge of the card.  You can do this with a stamp or an ink pad. 

Then tape your photo onto the card.  I just taped the corners, just in case my  mom chooses to remove the photo, but the card itself can become an album page.  Do the same thing with the embellishment.  Again, I only taped on the sides that wouldn't damage the photo.

Glue the trim carefully over the photo (I only glued the bottom part of the trim- not directly over the photo), and then glue the second trim.  Finally, add another embellishment. 

For the final step, place the second piece of card stock (that you previously cut) under the finished card.  Line them up identically and then hole punch two holes, on the upper edge of your card leaving about  and inch of distance from the edge.  Add ribbon and tie into a bow.

You are done!  Open up your card and add beautiful words of love to that wonderful mom of yours. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mami's out there!

To the Mothers I love :: A las Madres que amo

{Clockwise from top left: High School friend Esmy, Ana from Spanglishbaby.com, my every day Mama friends, Sandra- my lovely mom, Tia (Aunt)  Irma,   My abue (grandmother), Dariela from Mamitalks.com, my Comadre Lucia, my sister Leslie.}

(Para Español ver abajo)

There are mothers that hold you tight when you are sad, cheer for you when you are happy, that care for that cut or that listen patiently to your joys and sorrows.  There are mothers that play and those that teach.  There are mothers that stay up late till the sun rises just to make one feel safe.  And there are those that give you advice.  There are mothers that have been mothers for oh-so-many years.  And mothers that just began their journey. 

To all those mothers new and old, that have touched my life in so many ways- I thank you.   I thank my mami for being everything a mother should be (and more).  For loving me unconditionally and guiding me patiently; To family and old friend mamas, I thank you for being part of my youth and guiding me to be the person that I am now.  For continuing in my journey as I became a mother myself and for continuing to guide me with patience, understanding and above all love.  Thank you; To my newest mama friends, thank you for being part of my-every-day life. For sharing with me your joys and sorrows of motherhood. Without you I would go crazy and think I was the worst mother in the world- but you make it okay.  We are human- we are mamas.  Thank you.  Thank you;  To all my lovely blogger mama friends- through your words and actions you inspire me everyday;  And above all to God- for giving me the gift of motherhood.  I am oh-so-very grateful to be a mom of the two loveliest most caring and loving silly munchkins in the world.  They inspire me to be a better person (mother) every day. Thank you. Thank you.  Thank you!

{Photos taken by the hubby on Mothers Day}

Hay madres que te abrazan cuando estas triste, madres que te echan porras cuando estas contenta, o curan tus heridas y escuchan con paciencia tus historias.  Hay madres que juegan, hay madres que enseñan.  Hay madres que se quedan despiertas hasta el amanecer para hacerte sentir segura.  Hay madres que te aconsejan.  Madres que han sido madres por muchos años y otras que solo empiezan su jornada.

 A todas esas madres nuevas y viejitas quienes han tocado mi vida- les doy gracias.  Le doy gracias a mi Mami linda por ser todo lo que una madre debe ser (y mas).  Por quererme incondicionalmente y por guiarme con paciencia;  A las mamas en mi familia y amigas de juventud (que son mamas), gracias por haber tomado parte en mi juventud y ayudado a formar quien soy hoy.  Por seguir mi jornada como madre y seguir guiándome con paciencia y comprensión y mas que nada, amor;  Gracias a mis mas nuevas amigas mamas.  Gracias por ser parte de mi vida cotidiana.  Por compartir con migo las aventuras de ser madre.  Sin ustedes me volvería loca y me creería la pero madre del mundo- pero ustedes me recuerdan que todo es normal.  Que somos humanas- somos mamas.  Gracias;  A mis lindas amigas blogueras, gracias por inspirarme cada día por medio de sus palabras y acciones; Y por ultimo a Dios por darme la oportunidad de ser madre de los dos nenes mas lindos y cariñosos del mundo.  Me inspiran a ser mejor cada día.  Gracias.  Gracias.  ¡Gracias!