All posts by NerdMom

Contesting Monday

Contesting Monday 12/17

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I can’t believe that we only have about a week until Christmas!!! Please tell me that I am not the only person who isn’t ready?!?!? But winning something makes it all better, right?

So here is the deal. If you are hosting a giveaway or have a post about someone’s giveaway just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and not just the blog or it will be deleted. If you listed it last week but your giveaway is still open, list it again! Also your link must be to something family friendly or it will be deleted.

So now you need to add your giveaways and go enter some giveaways! Let them know that Contesting Monday sent you!

As Seen on TV, Clothing, crafts, gift worthy

T Shirt Infinity Scarf

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I have been seeing t shirt scarves all over Pinterest and every where else! There are so many different varieties so I decided to give it a whirl myself.

All I needed was a cheap, stretchy t shirt and a pair of scissors. I got a cheap, stretchy turtle neck on clearance at Walmart (get the biggest one you can, more material).

First thing, cut off the bottom seam. Then you cut of a measure off between the arm pit and the bottom just however wide you want your scarf. I like a thicker scarf and so I am getting at least 2 out of this 3x shirt. Then stretch! I handed one side to my 9 year old and we pulled and pulled;). The edges will curve in and basically cover the rough edge, the more you wear it the less you will see it.

That is it…. A scarf… It is a great way to get a custom scarf to match something in your wardrobe or just to use up those extras shirts hanging around! It is a nice, cheap, no-sew gift!!!!

It is so easy that I feel a little silly writing about it;).

Contesting Monday

Contesting Monday 12/10

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I can not believe that it is December?!?!? You are out getting gifts for everyone else but what could make it sweeter than winning some of those things… Oh, I know. Winning something for you!!!

So here is the deal. If you are hosting a giveaway or have a post about someone’s giveaway just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and not just the blog or it will be deleted. If you listed it last week but your giveaway is still open, list it again! Also your link must be to something family friendly or it will be deleted.

But before you go running off!!! Make sure to enter my Hallmark Christmas Fun Giveaway!!!

So now you need to add your giveaways and go enter some giveaways! Let them know that Contesting Monday sent you!

 

crafts, Holidays, kids

Kids’ Christmas Crafts

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The NerdFamily Kids got their Christmas craft on over the weekend! They were all really fun and pretty easy! I will do a quick walk through of each one along with materials sourcing!

Snow Flake Wreath:

I bought a whole bin of foam snow flakes from Michaels years ago. So I have 10 million snow flakes and this is a great use! All this wreath is composed of is snow flakes, white glue and ribbon. Just take a stack of snow flakes (I recommend alternating fat and thin ones) and glue them up and under in a circle. Then we just put a ribbon through it! You could do a few and hang them in your front window. Very pretty!

 

Craft Stick Stars/Snow Flakes:

Depending on which kid you ask this is either a star or a snow flake;). It is just 4 thin craft sticks that came colored (I picked them up on clearance at Michaels). Just glue them on top of each other going different directions. Being the nerd I am, we do perpendicular first then 2 45 degrees;). I recommend after each level you apply pressure for a 5 count to help it grab. Then you can put little fuzzy pom poms on the ends if you want. You could also do jewels or glitter. I picked up the pom poms at Joanns.

Poinsettias:

I totally stole this version of the construction paper poinsettia from All Kids Network, including the petal/leaf template;). Construction Paper from the Dollar Tree.

Gingerbread Men:

I found these gingerbread forms at Target in the dollar bins for, you guessed it, a dollar;). I got 10 in the pack so there will be more gingerbread person making around here;). I had little foam pieces left over from the kids’ foam gingerbread house kits. But there were also googlie eyes in the dollar bin at Target. We took a cotton ball and pulled it apart to make the white hair and they drew on them with markers. Anything goes! For the record, the bald one is a cop. The little colored in gingerbread man on his chest is his badge;).

Do you craft with your kids for Christmas? What are their favorites?

 

As Seen on TV, crafts, kids, Smart Living Strategies

Smart Strategies: Kids Crafting for the Novice

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Ok, I am not the fun crafting mom. But I have kids and I want them to be creative and have a fun life but with as little mess and chaos as possible!!!

And if it is the holidays and you are having kids visit you need to have a plan! Kids love to craft and it will keep them happy! When they are done they will even admire their own creation for a while. To this end I have a few tips, just in case you feel like me;).

Tips to Successful Crafting with Kids:
-#1 Tip: Plastic place mats!!!! I don’t care if you have the kids working on a plastic table cloth or outside, always use a plastic place mat. Why? There is some basic convienience to start with. If they beads or some little thing they can just pick up the place mat and dump it into a bowl. But if things get messier, say glue or paint, do you want to have to scrub a table cloth or just put a place mat into the sink and rinse it off? Exactly, place mat it is!!!

-Gather supplies together before you start. Nothing is worse than 2 minutes in the kids calling you saying how they need more stuff. Except not knowing where it is at and everyone waiting as you dig around looking for it.

-Prep the kids! Take a second before the crafting starts to evaluate if the kids should change their clothes, roll up their sleeves, pull the hair back or don an apron. It takes 2 seconds but can save hours of trying to get glue out hair or marker off of shirt cuffs.

-Stay close! I know the goal is to get them fairly independent but that doesn’t mean you are off the hook. Stay close to answer questions, give direction or bail them out of a messy situation before they get glue on the carpet!

There are key things to have on hand. This is a great refresher for those who are just having kids visit and need to shop.:
White Glue
Kids Scissors
Pipe Cleaners
Fuzzy Balls
Craft Sticks
Construction Paper
Magnets
Colored Pens
Cheap paper plates (for organizing and cutting up)

Contesting Monday

Contesting Monday 12/3

2 Comments

I can not believe that it is December?!?!? You are out getting gifts for everyone else but what could make it sweeter than winning some of those things… Oh, I know. Winning something for you!!!

So here is the deal. If you are hosting a giveaway or have a post about someone’s giveaway just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and not just the blog or it will be deleted. If you listed it last week but your giveaway is still open, list it again! Also your link must be to something family friendly or it will be deleted.

But before you go running off!!! Make sure to enter my Hallmark Christmas Fun Giveaway!!!

So now you need to add your giveaways and go enter some giveaways! Let them know that Contesting Monday sent you!