Snowflakes Roasting on an Open Fire

I know the title doesn't make sense, but that's what keeps popping into my head, so it stays. We have a somewhat-annual tradition of making paper snowflakes and hanging them in our windows. Most of these are made by me, but a few of them were made by my husband or son. Each one truly is unique! I try to mark each snowflake with the artist and year, so I can remember as I look through our growing collection.


(Marito and Monkey One are so cute, aren't they?) The snowflake in the left corner was made by my husband, I believe, in 2005. This was when I showed him how to cut 8-pointed round snowflakes. The closer one was made in 2007 from thick silvery wrapping paper, which was harder to cut, but the effect when the light shines on it was totally worth it. That year I was playing with a more retro look.


This year I only places the snowflakes on the top half of the windows, as Monkey Two just discovered the concept of step stools.


This top left one is a family classic! Again, my husband is the artist. We call it "Casper the Friendly Snowflake." The other one is another 2007 edition. I was playing around with 6 points.


(Our neighbors' funky yards and horses might ruin the effect for you, but to me it's charming)




These are the windows on either side of our door.


Christmas morning 2008. Can you make out the snowflakes in the windows?

Adventure Log Coloring Rolls

In a sudden burst of energy the night before we left for Yellowstone I decided to make my little monkey boys colored pencil/crayon rolls and mini adventure logs for our trip. I'm so glad I did because they both LOVE them!

Monkey One's is made from a placemat (I got the idea from one Amy made for my sister). I had all the supplies on hand, as I'd been planning on making one for awhile. So it wasn't hard to just grab my stuff and whip it together. Monkey One's favorite color is green, so I gave him the most colored pencils in that color. It's amazing what new life a pencil sharpener and some organization in a nifty carrier will do for old colored pencils! And what a fun journal will do for a family vacation.


I love this Amy Butler scrapbook paper. Again, lots of green. This book is about 6 inches tall and 5 1/2 inches wide. I just took six or seven pieces of plain paper, trimmed them down to about six inches, and stitched them together down the middle with the scrapbook paper on the bottom, then folded them in half to form the book. After that I colored the title and sewed it onto the front. Remember, this was all on a whim very late at night when I was on some sort of creative high. Maybe I should stay up later more often?


Here's a sample page of the finished product. There are a few pages of simple animal silhouettes printed from the Internet for him to circle as he spotted them at Yellowstone. When we got home we printed photos of our trip and glued them in the empty spots (but there weren't many!).


Monkey Two's crayon roll is made from robin's egg colored wool felt (also on hand). The book is about 3 inches square. I knew I had to make a crayon roll for Monkey Two to accompany his brother's colored pencil roll when I recently read Amanda Blake Soule's wonderful book The Creative Family. Anyway, I realized I forgot to take a picture of the crayon roll when it still looked bright and new, filled with a rainbow of newish crayons. Now the crayons are--who knows where?--probably all stuffed down the vents.


Here's a sample page from Monkey Two's adventure log. In the photo we are watching some elk in a field. Both monkeys have their coloring rolls out. They love them! And it made the trip extra special.

For a more exhaustive extensive look at what went inside the adventure logs, take a look at my personal family blog.

Valentines!

1991 to 2009
I need to start back-blogging some of my older craft photos. As a kid my family and I used give each other homemade Valentine cards every year. We put them in our family mailbox, which had a slot for each person in the family. I saved every valentine. I have a whole collection of beautiful handmade cards from my grandma, and I cherish them as a special reminder of her talents and generosity. In fact, I could say the same about the cards from my mom, aunt, brother, and all my hundreds of sisters (actually I only have four). I don't have most of the valentines I made as a kid because I gave them away. I wish I did have them! One year I watercolored then laminated one for each family member. Another year my younger sister Sadie and I combined forces to make pressed flower cards that we trimmed with lace. (If anybody reading this still has any of those--or any that I've made--could you please take a picture or scan it for me?). Another year my family was on vacation during Valentine's Day, and hadn't had time to make some before we left. So I took the little scalloped edge paper coasters from the hotel and drew pictures on them with colored pencils.

These days I still carry on the tradition. Every year I hang my valentine collection up along the ceiling for the month of February. I've never sent out Christmas cards, but Valentine's Day just wouldn't be Valentine's Day without sending pretty love notes to my family and a few close friends.

1991 or '92

This first specimen is the earliest valentine I have that I've made. I made it for my older sister Bridey (who plays the piano) when I was ten or eleven. I must have just learned how to make snowflakes, then modified the idea to apply it to the next best holiday. The piano, pink hearts, and text are glued onto the heart-snowflake. Let's move on.

1997

These I made when I was 16. I mass-produced them and gave them out as a service project. Pretty, aren't they? They resemble some of my Grandma's, but only in a very primitive way. I hand-punched every little whole and edge you see and embossed them all. I used my mom's scrapbooking supplies, paper, and ribbons. Then she drove me all around the other side of the tracks to help me deliver them all. Now who did the service here?

2005

Only a few people got valentines from me in 2005. I had a 3-month old baby. This one was for my husband using a pencil and a ruler, then watercolors.

2006

Now we're getting someplace. This year I incorporated my one-year-old son into the cards by tracing his hand. Also, for one of the first times ever I veered away from traditional valentine colors (for the most part) and used all different bright colors. I love them spread out like this so I can see them all.


Here's the one I made for my son that same year. I liked this photo, even though it was blurry, so I incorporated it.

2007

For my son. I laminated the pencil drawing (gotta love the laminator!) and glued it onto this textured, coated scrapbook paper. I liked the kissing picture from the year year before so much that I had to use it again.


Same year, for my husband.

2008

I was proud of these! I stitched them with felt and embroidery floss. I also made some with the colors reversed, but I guess I didn't get a picture.


Passing on the tradition! I had my three-year-old glue store-purchased cards to hearts, then encouraged him to decorate the backs and write each person's initial.


Here's the 2008 valentine for my husband. I was playing around with a beautiful digital scrapbooking kit found here. Hmmm, I guess I made this mostly for myself. It's not his style at all! The picture was from our engagement photos (taken several years earlier).

2009

Now this was fun. I Photoshopped our heads together and glued them onto the inked edges of this adorable retro scrapbook paper from JoAnn's. Other versions of this year's model turned out better, but I sent out all the good ones before I remembered to take a picture. Does someone want to send me a picture of theirs?

I'm obviously a very sentimental about my valentine cards. I hate to see traditions die, and I love seeing new traditions born. So I encourage you all to tune into your crafty side and spread the love next February 14!