MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS

There are just a few days left until Christmas! I can't believe it. In case you are in need of some fun DIY gifts for the littles, here is a little roundup of our favorites from AWP this year! Forget the lines and crowds at the mall. Get out your supplies and make some gifts the littles will really love! The best part about these gifts? No batteries! Ok so maybe that's not the best part, but it's a definite bonus. Happy crafting and merry Christmas!

Hobby horse / Lumps of coal surprise balls / Head tags / Shapelys memory game / Slingshot + felt ball ammo /

SLINGSHOT WITH FELT BALL AMMO

When I was a kid, I was a total tomboy. Like really. One year I got a slingshot for Christmas and I absolutely loved it! Mine came with these little BBs that I shot at trees and targets and maybe my little brother. Maybe. To avoid shot out eyes and lawsuits , I thought of my good friend Aubry who sells these colorful and soft (keyword) felt balls. The perfect ammunition! If you don't feel like creating your own template, you can borrow ours! You can download it here. This project is a little more hands on than most, but I promise the outcome is so much fun it's totally worth it. I can't wait for Elliott to see this Christmas morning!

If you have some scrap hardwood lying around, great! If not, your local lumber yard should have some that will work nicely. Cut and trace the template onto the wood.

Grab your saw and go to work! We used some clamps to keep it in place, but that's not totally necessary.

Once you are done sawing, it's time to sand it down. We don't want little hands getting any splinters! 

Next, we need to cut some slits for the rubber bands to go in. Just a handsaw will work great.

For the pouch, I used some scrap suede I had and it worked great. Cut and trace the template onto the leather then cut. Don't forget the holes! 

This next step is totally optional. I wanted to add a pop of color so I painted the sides with some paint. 

Now tie the rubber bands to the pouch and slide the bands into the slits. You're done! Not too bad, right?

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT PAPER SNOWFLAKES

Is there really such a thing as a perfect snowflake? If there is, we are going to show you how! I literally just learned the art of paper snowflake making. I have always assumed I couldn't do it because, well my mind doesn't work that way sometimes. But Preston is a snowflake genius, so he showed me how and now I'm kind of addicted. So if you are wondering how on earth people make such fun paper snowflakes, now you can join in on the fun! 

First, fold your piece of paper so that it makes a square. Take one corner and match it up with the opposite side.

Then keep folding it the same way over and over. The more times you fold it in half, the more intricate your designs will be!

Now before you start cutting out your fun shapes, you will want to trim the top so it is rounded. Or if you want a square snowflake, cut it straight across!

Now you can cut wherever you like and however you like! Cut out triangles, semi-circles, anything your heart desires.

Once you have sufficiently cut up your paper, unfold it to reveal your gorgeous new one of a kind snowflake! Told you it was easy. 

PAINT CHIP TREE GARLAND

It wouldn't be the holidays with out a garland or two, right? We always love paint chip crafts, but this one for some reason we especially love. Maybe it's the colors? Maybe we're just obsessed with Christmas? Either way, we love it. Check out the tutorial on how to make your own over here on Momtastic. Now you have one to obsess over.

AROUND HERE

The past few days have been chock full of Christmas activities and goodness and it's still going strong! Elliott's Grandma flew in from Florida so we have been having a great time doing holiday things with her around our city and around the house. We made snowflakes, sipped hot cocoa, and walked around the city staring at the pretty lights. We also got our tree this weekend and I have to tell you, a tree full of nothing but white lights is just so special to me. Though I have felt a little guilty and withholding not having ornaments for Elliott to put on the tree. So we got him his own tiny tree for his room so he can decorate it and get even more excited for Christmas. It's better to spoil than withhold, right? I hope you all had a fantastic weekend!