Mommy Has to Work

DIY No Sew Blanket

December 2, 2014 By Anne

I’m going to show you how to make your very own DIY No Sew Blanket. These will make wonderful presents for everyone on your list!

I’ve been wanting to try this for about a year now, ever since my cousin, Merrilee told me about them. So a few weeks ago my daughter and I headed to the craft store and we were pleasently surprised to find the fleece 50% off!

What you will need are a good pair scissors and 2-3.5 yards of fleece in two colors. The yardage depends on how large you want your blanket to be. I went with 2 yards each but will get 3 yards when I make one for my son.

I wanted to get something a bit Christmasy. We found this super cute penguin design and then I matched the red in the design and went with a solid red for contrast.

First thing to do is place the fabric on top of each other design side out. Then trim the edges off and make even. I skipped a step in my pictures. To begin you will cut a square in the corner about 3″x 3″. Then you begin to cut the edge into 1″ strips about 4 inches long. I did about ten at a time. Then you will take both pieces of material and snip a small hole as seen above.

Then you will bring both pieces either up and over or under and through the hole and pull through. I did alternate ties just to be different. You can Google other ways as well.

Here’s a little video that my daughter took…

This is the finished blanket showing the alternate ties.

Here is the red side…

And the design side….

These are the warmest blankets! So soft and cozy!! As soon as my son saw it he asked if I would make him one. Of course he wants a FSU blanket. Back to the store!

Have you ever tried to make a No Sew Blanket? How did it turn out?

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Special Items for Your Child’s Communion and Christening

November 28, 2014 By Anne

As a parent, you look forward to many milestones in your child’s life. Whether you’re excited to celebrate your son’s christening or planning a large event in celebration of your daughter’s First Holy Communion, making the right purchases will help make your child’s special day memorable for each attendee.

1. Christening Candles
On your child’s christening day, you will celebrate God’s gift to your family. Candles are used to symbolized warm, light and unity in the family of God, so they can be incorporated in many meaningful ways on christening day. In order to add a personalized touch, choose candles that fit in perfectly with your theme and reflect themes that are important to your family.

2. Christening Clothing
All eyes will be on your adorable baby during the christening, and each person’s mind will be reflecting on God. When you’re browsing through a range of christening outfits, look for apparel that will make your child look both cute and comfortable. Finding suits or gowns that are made of high quality materials will keep you and your little one happy.

3. First Communion Clothing
Your daughter has been thinking about her first Holy Communion for a long time, and such a special day deserves to be celebrated with a special outfit. There are many different beautiful communion dresses, but you want to locate one that is perfect for your little princess. Your daughter should feel beautiful, supported and loved as she takes this important step in her religious journey.

Sharing your faith with your children and other loved ones is one of the most rewarding aspects of parenting. Find the items that you need by shopping at Lily’s Attic. You can learn more about our commitment to quality and extensive product offerings at http://lilysattic.com.au.

Anne

Celebrating Friends with Netfix #StreamTeam

November 28, 2014 By Anne

I am a member of the Netflix #StreamTeam.

This is the time to be thankful. One thing I’m thankful for are my friends. I can have fun with my friends, hang out or vent about a bad day. And I love to listen and offer advise if wanted if they need me.

There are some great movies to watch that celebrate friendships. Like Toy Story, Charlotte’s Web and Thelma and Louise.

Watching movies that celebrate seemingly unlikely pals can spark meaningful conversations between parents and kids of all ages. Look for opportunities to talk about:

Accepting differences
Realizing that one person’s weakness is another’s strength
Finding ways to get along with someone who’s different from you
Finding something to love in someone who’s unlike you

Toy Story is a great movie for just about everyone. Woody and Buzz are competly different yet complement each other and they form a lifetime friendship. They may be a child’s playthings, but Buzz and Woody balance each other perfectly; Woody’s level head helps get the Andy’s Room gang out of jams, and Buzz’s bravery means things never get boring. They’re a great team.

Charlotte’s Web is another great movie for most all ages. How different are a rescued pig and a barn spider? Yet they form a powerful attachment to each other.

Thelma and Louise is a good movie for teens and adults. It’s been so long since I’ve seen this movie I really need to look for it on Netflix.

What better way to say thankful to a friend is invite them over for some snacks and a good movie and some awesome friendship!

What is your favorite duo in a movie or TV show?

Anne

16 Festive Appetizers

November 21, 2014 By Anne

This a sponsored post by Foodie.com.

The Holidays are here and that means company and food, lots of food. Even though big dinners are planned it’s always nice to add a few appetizers for guests to munch on. I will be hosting Thanksgiving this year and wanted a few appetizers for my guests. Here are a few that I found that would be great for this festive season. I found some amazing dessert recipes too so be on the lookout for those soon.

What is your favorite festive appetizers?

Anne

Hot Cocoa and Leap TV Fun! #LeapTV #MommyParties

November 20, 2014 By Anne

I participated in a Leap Frog, Leap TV campaign with MommieParties.

MommieParites sent us a Leap TV to check out. Leap TV is made by Leap Frog, a company I just love for my children.

The Leap TV was easy to install. It took my husband and daughter about a half hour from start to finish. It’s almost like a Wii but designed for young minds and bodies. The games are educational and fun and get the children moving around. Perfect for the winter months when it’s too cold to go outside.

I had a few of my daughter’s friends over for hot cocoa, snacks and fun! No snow for us here in Florida but we are mighty cold just the same.

The girls filled up their hot cocoa with lots of marsh mellows!

Then the wiersdness took over and they starting filling up their cups with popcorn!

The girls then had fun playing games with the new Leap TV. I need to adjust the levels as the math questions were a bit too easy. But other than that all the girls had fun jumping around and dancing.

There are three ways to play. One way is Body Motion. Children can dance, jump, hop and karate-chop.
Kids’ movements control the on-screen action, and they see themselves on TV! The second way is Pointer Play where children can twist, turn, and move like never before using the controller as a pointer for motion-controlled fun. And Classic Control where you shake and tilt the controller for fast-paced game play and supercharged action.

The controllers are designed for young children. They are made to fit smaller hands. The Motion Sensing camera senses the child’s movements. The interface or navigation system is designed for children to use on their own and the audio instructions make it easy for children who can not read all the words. All the games are age appropriate for your child and they grow as your child does. The games adapt the more your child uses them.

Leap TV retails for around $149.99 and is geared towards children ages 3-8. This would make a great gift under your tree this year.

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