{DIY} 4th of July Burlap Pendant Star Tutorial

These DIY burlap pendant stars are inspired by the ones currently available at Pottery Barn. I thought I would take a try and recreate these myself using some leftover burlap I had from a previous project. The result are these super cute and festive decorations perfect for any patriotic occasion!

Play with different sizes and colors to create a variety of pendants that will make a unique and fun 4th of July display!

Staff Your Weaknesses Art

I heard this statement, "Staff your weaknesses" a while ago and it just stuck with me. I think mostly because I usually try to do it all: be a good mom, have a clean house, make the perfect meal, design the perfect logo, give the best gift...it goes on and on. Realizing that it's okay to admit you can't be the best at everything is freeing. I designed the below artwork to remind myself not always try and be superwoman. It's alright to fail sometimes and you can always ask for help.

To download the FREE printable click here.

Father's Day Gift Idea - Handprint Tree {Free Printable}

Here is a quick and easy Father's Day craft that can be done two ways, on paper or on a different surface such as canvas or wood. Read below for the complete tutorial.

In general, I find it is hard to shop for men. They are not very good at telling you what they want, but they sure are specific about what they don't want! They also tend to be more sentimental than we sometimes give them credit. This hand-print tree made up of your little one's hands is an easy craft that is sure to make any dad smile!

Mobile Phone Scavenger Hunt {Free Printable}

Here is a great ice-breaker game for larger groups to encourage introductions!

 

This past year at MOPS we had about 60 moms sitting at 7 different tables making it somewhat difficult to meet all who attend. To encourage the moms to get to know the women outside their tables we did this fun Mobile Phone Scavenger Hunt. Everyone was instructed to find the items on the above handout by asking the women around the room what was on their phone. They were only allowed to get two answers from one person; thus encouraging them to mingle and meet everyone. Great conversations developed as women met and interacted during this easy 10-minute game. At the end of the activity the woman with the most 'finds' won a Starbucks gift card. Use this game is a quick ice-breaker for almost any large group setting!

To download the free printable of the Mobile Phone Scavenger Hunt, click here.

{MOPS Craft} DIY I Spy Bags

This adorable I Spy Bag is sure to keep little hands busy! 

 

 
One of our most popular crafts at MOPS this year was this fun 'I Spy Bag". We prepped everything ahead of time so all the ladies had to do was fill their bag with little trinkets and poly pellets. A few crafty moms brought their sewing machines to help sew the opening of the bags closed.
To learn how to make your own I Spy Bag,

Teacher Appreciation Gift - Mason Jar Cookie Mix Recipe and Free Printable

Handmade Teacher Appreciation Gift

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a Jar

 

Teachers deserve a cookie break! A decorative jar with pre-measured & stacked cookie ingredients is a thoughtful gift to show your appreciation. A hand tied bow and this free printable tag offers unique gift personalization that any teacher will enjoy. The presentation is as good as the cookies!

MOPS Craft - DIY Journal Welcome Gift

 DIY pocket journals made an excellent welcome gift & craft at our first MOPS meeting.

For our first official MOPS meeting, we wanted to create a "Welcome to MOPS" gift. My clever crafting partner, Traci, came across these adorable pocket-sized journals from cremedelacraft.com. We were inspired and thought it would be great to make this journal our first craft and gift. To make the journals a little more special, I designed some information pages to fit inside. They featured our theme logo for the year, a place to write contact information, a list of all our upcoming meeting dates and blank pages for meeting notes.

MOPS - A Great Get to Know You Mixer

Here is a fun large group mixer you can use to get to know new people.

We called this our "m&m mixer"

The first MOPS meeting of a new semester can be exciting for returning members and perhaps a little nerve-racking for the new members. Many of these moms do not know their tablemates and may need some help in breaking the ice.  To get conversations going and facilitate introductions we provided this fun "m&m mixer".  It was a great way for the moms to get to know one another without the anxiety that can come in first meetings.

Each mom was provided the above printout and a fun-size bag of m&ms.  They were instructed to share a little bit about themselves based on the color of m&m they pulled out of their bag, using the printout as a reference.  For instance, if I pulled out a yellow m&m I would tell the ladies my favorite things about my daughter, (which is her sense of humor and cuddles)!  We set a 10 minute limit on the mixer, just enough time for everyone to learn fun and interesting tidbits about one another!

To download the PDF of the m&m mixer, click here.