Pretty Notepads: Kids Craft Idea

Angela’s treasures for tots craft blog shares great craft ideas but she also allows people to link their creative ideas off her blog.  One post she shared on her FanPage was a notepad craft from ready, set craft! We modified the idea to make it really easy for a 3-year-old:-) Brianna would like to give her notepads away as Spring/Easter Gifts to her friends. So we are ahead on something for once — JK!

Supplies Needed: 4 pack of small notepads = $1 at the dollar store, scissors, Glue Stick and BEAUTIFUL fabric scraps purchased from ZozoBugBaby (she has one listed now)!  NOTE: For professional looking pads an adult would need to use a permanent adhesive.  If you are simply allowing kids to provide these as gift than just use a lot of  glue stick 🙂 Or you could always add a little permanent glue to any loose edges when your little one is not looking;-)

The 10 Minute Project

1) I had Brianna hold my scissors with me in order to cut through the fabric

2) In order to get the fabric to stick well;  you will need to allow your lil’ one to use a lot of glue stick!  Brianna loved this part because on most projects I am always reminding her, “that is enough.”

3)Let your lil’ one try matching the shape to the cover.  I was surprised how well Brianna matched the “rectangle.”  Help them wiggle it over if needed;-)

4) all done… store until Eater Basket stuffing!

They are actually very pretty!

Notice Brianna’s Popeye Dress?  I just had to snag it when I saw it on Esty (Little Overcoat’s Store)!  Brianna was  ill when she was born and was such a little fighter.  We always tell her she is like Popeye… She is sooo proud of the dress!  Here are her fav Popeye Clips:

Popeye- Riot In Rhythm (1950) AND Popeye the Sailor in Gopher Spinach

Wall Chart Print Test #1

We had a test run today at the printer and have decided to increase the length by an inch so the holes on the top are not so close to the giant’s head and 60 inch mark…  Then I have been debating all afternoon if we should then add an additional 3 inches to the length and start the art at 24 inches.  Too many decisions… Better not but so tempted… I’d love to see this lovely art 4 inches longer:-)

I do have to say Eric at M & B Graphics makes this printing process easier… He sure knows his stuff!

The colors are beautiful and I really like how the wall chart is narrow so it can fit in small areas.  We will test run again tomorrow!

We will announce the Kit Launch on our FanPage! 

Our Final Color Growth Chart Artwork!

The color on the wall chart has been completed:-) Kudos to the artist who was able to bring our beanstalk adventure to life!

The bird ended up being pink and red! He is so adorable that we decided to give him the name Bubble Heart. Thanks for the name Austin and Alison!

Actually all the critters turned out so cute that Brianna decided to pick names for each of them from your suggestions!  Some ended up with two names and some did not as Brianna was in charge of name and that was what she decided?  She’s the boss — lol:-)

Meet Our Jack and the Beanstalk Friends!

Tracy the Fox (Thanks Madison!)

Carter Hopper the Frog (Thanks Serenity and Bailey!)

Rupert the Giant (Thanks Skyla L.)

Bubble Heart (Thanks Austin and Alison)

And of course “Bug” our ladybug… Thanks Skylar!

Our next steps are getting the final art to the printer! Follow printer progress on our FanPage too!

Thanks for the support,

Kim and Brianna

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Kit includes everything you need to bring this imaginary adventure right to your home!

– Jack and The Beanstalk Growth Chart: Measures 8.75″ wide by 36″ long, starts from 26″ and goes up to 60″ tall.  This exclusive, full color, beautifully illustrated Jack and the Bean Stalk wall chart will be used to chart your child’s growth. Created by animal artist Emily Marino, your child will marvel at the friendly colorful animals climbing the bean stalk. The growth chart will be constructed of durable vinyl, suitable for permanent display to track years of your child’s growth. This may also be rolled up and stored as a keepsake.

– Bean seeds and step-by-step instructions

– FaceBook FanPage allows you to watch other kids working on the same projects as you. Ask questions and  brag about your growth progress!

– Jack and the Beanstalk Color Pages

– FREE BONUS! Color print out of the Classic Jack and the Bean Stalk Fairy Tale (Artwork Courtesy of the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library and Dr. Henri Linton, Chair, UAPB Art Department and student Ariston Jacks, August 1998)

** Sorry, we can’t guarantee each plant will grow but we can guarantee any time spent with your children will be worth it! *** Kits contain small pieces… make sure parents are supervising

Congrats to Bug and Skylar!

Thanks Skylar for giving the ladybug a name!

The artist will develop a coloring page using the ladybug and his new name!

Skylar will also obtain a Jack and The Beanstalk Adventure Kit in March!

Everyone please give Skylar a hand!  Great Job:-)

Once our kits are printed we will try to have another contest!

Thanks again for everyone’s support and time!  It means a lot to us and we had a lot of fun…

This weekend we hope to see more of the finished artwork.

Watch a silly video clip for Skylar!

Link to Random #8 Pick: Doc1

The Entries Are In!

Thanks for participating in this fun event with us!  We can’t wait to find out who the lucky animal and child will be!

It means a lot to us that you took the time to check out our latest project!  For those who sent over referrals… Many… Many… Thanks!

We’ll pull a random number later tonight — before 9pm EST.

Check out these GREAT NAMES!  If I win the lotto on my way home, I’ll make them all winners!

Brianna loved ALL your entries!  Thanks again for the support! 

Check Back Tonight For The Winner!

The Start of the Watercolor…BEAUTIFUL!

Just had to share the Growth Chart artwork progress… Look how lovely the colors are coming together! I can’t wait to see this on Brianna’s Wall!

Less than 24 Hours Left For Your Chance to Win This Beautiful Custom Designed Growth Chart!

All you need to do to enter to WIN one is ask your child to pick his/her favorite animal and name it (see art work in progress to left).  Once you have the lucky critter and name then add it to our FaceBook FanPage!

The winner will also win a coloring page designed specifically for your child! This coloring page will be included in all our final kits and include your child’s critter, critter’s name and their first name!

One entry per family BUT extra entries for referrals to our FanPage! Ends Friday at 4pm.

About Our Jack and the Beanstalk Adventure and Wall Chart Kit

Our Jack and the Beanstalk Adventure Kit and Wall Chart provides hours of fun and learning for all ages. Children plant, and then watch the seeds break through the soil, growing inch by inch, day by exciting day. They witness the miracle of nature. They learn the lesson of caring for and nurturing life, by watering the plant regularly. Even more exciting, children learn to chart their own growth on our exclusive Wall Chart. It’s the perfect opportunity to share lessons of health and nutrition, which like sunshine and water for plants, are the essential ingredients to your child’s growth.Watch seeds grow, while charting the growth of your child too!

Kit includes everything you need to bring this imaginary adventure right to your home!

– Jack and The Beanstalk Growth Chart: Measures 8.75″ wide by 36″ long, starts from 26″ and goes up to 60″ tall.  This exclusive, full color, beautifully illustrated Jack and the Bean Stalk wall chart will be used to chart your child’s growth. Created by animal artist Emily Marino, your child will marvel at the friendly colorful animals climbing the bean stalk. The growth chart will be constructed of durable vinyl, suitable for permanent display to track years of your child’s growth. This may also be rolled up and stored as a keepsake.

– Bean seeds and step-by-step instructions

– FaceBook FanPage allows you to watch other kids working on the same projects as you. Ask questions and  brag about your growth progress!

– Jack and the Beanstalk Color Pages (The WINNER’S Critter will be included in all kits)

– FREE BONUS! Color print out of the Classic Jack and the Bean Stalk Fairy Tale (Artwork Courtesy of the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library and Dr. Henri Linton, Chair, UAPB Art Department and student Ariston Jacks, August 1998)

** Sorry, we can’t guarantee each plant will grow but we can guarantee any time spent with your children will be worth it! *** Kits contain small pieces… make sure parents are supervising

Emily Marino will share the final product this week…I can’t wait to see what color the bird will be??

Kits will be on sale in our Esty Store in March!

GOOD LUCK!

Thanks For Growing With Us!

As Brianna and I expand our GWMG Projects we decided we needed a little brand look of our own… So we called Ken Cendrowski, an old agency friend, for help.  I explained to Ken how we have these great nature projects that we enjoy sharing with other families and how families are able to share their planting progress on our FaceBook FanPage.  Ken, who has a track record of creating successful brand images, went right to work and developed the perfect  logo and color scheme to fit our needs!   He chose a color scheme that would be inviting for kiddos and a flowering logo that fits our growing image!  We wanted our first impressions to new customers to convey our fun, loving, family image and will  re-enforce it with our actions.

We included these new colorful logos on our FB Page, Our Project Blog, Etsy Store and our NEW WEB SITE!  Yes, we decided we needed a little portal site so people could access our blog, FB Page and Store from one location.  Plus not everyone is a FB junky; so we needed a little home away from home.

If you ever need creative work done for anything — it’s your lucky day because Ken has recently opened his own company!  You can read more about him below… Man, to only have a bio like his!!! Thanks Ken:-)

Ken Cendrowski is principal and director of design at Ken Cendrowski Design, a multi- discipline design firm in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. Ken is a graduate of College for Creative Studies with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in advertising design. He has worked in a number of positions ranging from graphic designer at a design studio to a vice president, art supervisor at advertising agencies.

As an experienced graphic designer and art director, Ken has applied his talent to develop advertising campaigns that have delivered relevant marketing solutions through a variety of media forms. These include broadcast, print ads, direct marketing, logo design, identity systems, publications, collateral and Web design. His clients range from finance, healthcare, automotive, information technology and travel. His creative work has been recognized through a number of professional creative awards including Caddy, Target, Ozzie and American Corporate Identity. His dedication to client satisfaction and outstanding creative executions typify his work process and product.

Ken is an adjunct faculty member at the College for Creative Studies where he has been teaching visual communications and business and professional practices courses to graphic design students for several years. He is affiliated with the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), which sets professional standards and advances education and ethical practices for graphic designers.

Ken resides in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan with his wife and two sons.  kcendrowski@comcast.net

I LOVE MY CREATIVE FRIENDS — Thanks for GROWING WITH US!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

We had such a wonderful V-Day weekend!  Brianna got soooooooo many gifts from friends and family! I never knew V-Day would be like Christmas:-)

Brianna got a special V-day skirt from her friend Serenity!  Serenity’s mom made the skirt using her Jelly Role tutorial on her Treasures for Tot Blog. We paired the skirt with a shirt we purchased from Julie at ZoZoBugBaby. It was the perfect Party Outfit for the V-Day Church Party!

Speaking of the Church Party… I am a helper in Brianna’s 3-Year Old Class…I LOVE this volunteer  job more than anything… These kiddos are such lil’ hunnys…. I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to work with such lovely kids. Do they have to grow up?!  JK.

We are thankful for all our friends and family who we LOVE so MUCH!

WIN a Jack and The Beanstalk Adventure and Wall Chart Kit!

We are so excited about our Spring Jack and The Beanstalk Adventure and Wall Chart Kit that we would like to give you a chance to take part and WIN one of our final kits ( available in March)!

Our Jack and the Beanstalk Adventure and Wall Chart Spring/Summer 2010 Kit will include a VERY special coloring page.  This special coloring page will be designed based off your child’s fav critter on our beanstalk wall chart art (to the right) and naming it!  Emily, an animal artist , will create a coloring page based on the critter of your child’s choice.  This coloring page will also include the name your child provides the critter and their first name.  AND of course you will receive one free kit (available in March)!

It’s simple to enter!

Just leave a comment on our FaceBook Fan Page after this post topic.  Tell us what critter your child likes best from the work in progress wall chart, to the right of this page, and what your child would like to name the little critter (sorry, you must be a FB Fan to Participate).  Deadline: Friday, February 19, 4pm EST.  On Friday , February  19 we will draw one lucky winner!

Want a Better Chance to Win?
To obtain more than one entry to our contest… Invite your friends to join our FanPage.  If they join, please add a comment on our page letting us know you refered them.

Please one entry per household but you can include all the kids names.

Learn more about our kits here.

Thanks for your support!

About the artist: Marino Arts founder Emily Marino specializes in animal art, pet portraitures, and anatomical illustrations in a variety of styles and mediums. From fanciful art to realistic medical illustrations, Emily has completed works for agencies, publishers, and private collectors for more than a decade. She has worked in the Veterinary field as a Veterinarian’s assistant since she was in high school and has been around animals throughout her life.

“My goal as an artist has always been to make a difference in the lives of animals, animal lovers, and animal advocates. I want to help educate people about important animal issues through my art. Animals cannot speak for themselves, so we must be their voice. I speak through my art.” – Emily J. Marino

 Emily will soon be sharing the COLOR art with us on our FanPage!

Valentine’s Day Is Sunday: Is Your lil’ One Ready?

There is still time to help your little one make  Valentine Gifts for their special friends.  These links will take you to some ideas we created  this year: Heart Door Hanger, Valentine Gloves, Magnet Heart, Heart Hair clip

Speaking of Special Friends… Serenity,  her Mommy owns the treasures for tots crafts blog, sent Brianna a FAB V-Day Gift! Angela has been an inspiration to me as we expand my Grow With Me Gifts Project… She’s always there to listen and best of all always shares pics of her amazing little Gem Serenity… Some day Brianna and Serenity will meet in person but for now… they are great computer pals!  Thanks Angela for ALL YOU DO — you are the best!  Now pictures speak greater than words… here are the pics of Brianna enjoying her package from Serenity! BTW: there was also a skirt Angela made using her Jelly Roll Idea posted on her site… THERE WILL BE PICTURES OF THAT SOON — LOVE IT!

Don’t forget to comment on our FanPage under our Wall Chart Post what Critter Climbing up the beanstalk is your favorite! One LUCKY kiddo will be able to name one of the Little Critters… This name will go along with our Jack and the Beanstalk Adventure and Wall Chart Kit (Available in  March).

Thank You.