3 day weekend love!

Over the 3 day weekend, we did a little of this....

and Monday I did a little of this...
and this...
and I cut some chains for Sugar Plum Bazaar in Denver March 10-11th @ Parkside Mansion

DIY Bookmarks

This idea was actually original. Hard to believe with my long list of pinterest ideas to try!

So easy and so fun!

I also made these bookmarks for my kids in my class for Valentine's day, but they can be used for any occasion. I got the idea because February is "I Love to Read" Month and I was on a no sugar kick.

First, I took the pics on my Iphone using Pocketbooth. Super easy and fun to use. I emailed them to myself and printed them off the computer.

Then, I backed them with some old scrapbook paper for durability and color :) I laminated them at school but you could always take them to Kinkos or something. I backed them with some old scrapbook paper.

Before I laminated, I put a Valentine's day note on the back. Some of the paper was double sided, so some bookmarks had a fun print on the back. It definitely added a fun touch.

Lastly, I punched a whole in the top and added some ribbon to the top. Most of them had different ribbon types and lengths. The kids loved them! Easy, cheap, perfect combo.

I secretly LOVE Valentine's Day

As some of you know, I teach first grade and work on Mountain Love in my free time and when I need a break from my routine :) Anyways, I was searching through Pinterest because it has become my favorite pastime and I came across these Crayon hearts. After searching all over I found a muffin pan at target. I tried Amazon, sold out, Walmart, sold out. I suppose that's what I get for last minute. I brought home a box of crayons from school and started pealing! (Tip: Next year have my students peel crayons first for me!) Chop up the crayons into small pieces and then throw them in the baking pan. Put them in the oven for 15 minutes at 230 degrees. Then, the freezer for about 10 minutes. Viola! The cutest things I've ever seen! The kids LOVED them too. Candy free is the way to be...especially when you're with 20- 6 year olds all day!

Here's a step by step for those visual learners out there....

1. Peel away! You need at least three crayons per mold, if you want them to be a decent size. The lighter, brighter colors the better. Crayola seems to work better than off brand. Go figure.

2. You're ready to cut! Chop those crayons up into half inch pieces. The smaller they are, the quicker they melt. Make sure you use an old cutting board because despite a dishwashing machine and good scrub, it is still nice and colorful. Left just for crafting and no more cooking.

3. Put them cut out pieces in the mold. I'm missing that picture. Woops! Didn't have the time or energy to go back and do it all over again and take it. The project is long done, so you can picture it :) This is the mold that I used.

3. Put them in the oven for 15 minutes at 230 degrees. Sometimes they need a few more minutes depending on how many crayons you used. Put the pan in the fridge for about ten minutes and let them harden. Then they will pop right out!!! So cool. I love it.

4. I just used a craft circle punch to punch old brown paper grocery bags for the tags. A great way to reuse and be green :) I recommend taping them with some strong tape. All glue I tried to use was a total bust.

In summary, for those "advanced" learners who don't need any sort of explanation!

Make these for any occasion! Find some stars, or other fun baking dishes and they'd make great party favors, or a fun craft for a rainy or in Colorado (snowy) day!!!