I painted these eggs with a solid color first and then just painted designs with a small brush in another contrasting color. (I used acrylic craft paint) They’re simple, and they look great when grouped together,

Children ages 5 and up can make this pretty Valentine cut-out card with your help:

Supplies you need:

Simple, every day supplies make this an easy project!

• Cardboard stock in colors of your choice (One 8 x 11 White)
• Pencil
• Black, pink, red and purple markers
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Decorative edge scissors
• Glue
• A homemade heart template cut from cardboard
• One foam sticker back heart

Fold the white card stock page in half longways. Use a ruler and measure 2.5 inches to mark a line at the top and the bottom. Divide those 2 sections in 2 down the center. The middle section of the card will be wider than the top and bottom.

Trace around your heart template in the middle of the center section. Poke a hole in the center of the heart with the tip of the pencil.

Poke your scissors through the hole to carefully cut out the heart shape.

Use your decorative edge scissors to carefully cut a nice edge along the right side of the card cover.

Use a marker in the color of your choice to highlight the lines on the front of your card.

Cut out 4 hearts from colored card stock of your choice, using the heart template. Glue in place.

Cut out a cardboard heart that is 1/4 inch larger than the hearts on the cover. Center this heart behind the heart cutout on the cover. Glue in place and then place the foam sticker in the center of the heart, so it shows through on the front of the card.

Decorate the front of the card with markers as you wish.

Make the inside of the card look pretty by cutting out an insert sheet on the left with a heart cutout. Decorate with markers as you wish and write any message you want inside. Voila!

On this special American holiday, we celebrate the vision and courage of American Civil Rights leader and Nobel Prize winner, Martin Luther King, Jr. Every year on this day, I read his “I Have a Dream” speech, which I have on the wall in my office. And every year I think about how there’s really nothing that could be done to improve that speech.

Today I was privileged to review an extraordinary picture book, My Uncle Martin’s Words for America. You’ve got to read it yourself. Both the story and the illustrations are wonderful.

The Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions (according to the people I know):

http://wordplay.hubpages.com

1. Lose weight
2. Workout more
3. Get control of finances/spend less/save more
4. Change jobs/careers/get job
5. Spend more time with family/friends
6. Remove oneself from toxic people (friends/spouse/co-worker)
7. Get rid of clutter/downsize
8. Take up a new hobby
9. Take an exotic trip
10. Become more decisive/take action

http://free-clipart.net/

My two favorite this year gifts were:

Reusable Bags for shopping – Baggu

Earrings form Beadz and More

What were your favorite gifts?

Hazelnut Nutella Cookies!

Supplies:

• Hot Glue Gun
• Glue Sticks
• Wooden Clothespin
• Pipe Cleaners
• Craft Paint
• Small drum ornament (from craft store)
• Scissors

These little guys are a lot of fun to make! Kids will love these too. Beware of the hot glue gun!  Use your imagination to decorate them. The sky’s the limit!

A few simple supplies and you’re on your way!

Paint the body of the clothespin one solid color but leave the tip unpainted.

Paint the bottom a different color than the top.

Paint a contrasting design on the jacket.

Glue the pom pom on the head with glue gun. First cut out a small opening in the pom pom with scissors so it rests properly on the head. Also cut out some arms out of pipe cleaners.

Hot glue arms on body.

Hot glue drum on body and lay flat until it dries.

Voila! You can line these up or hang them from the tree or even attach them to your gifts!