DIY Circus Party {Midway Games}

When I sat down to write a post about my oldest son's sixth birthday party, I realized I had way too many pictures to fit into one post.  So {instead of overwhelming you}, I decided to list all the Circus/Carnival Games in a separate post.  The games were simple and inexpensive, and the kids had a ton of fun.  You can't ask for more than that.  :-)

Here's what we did:

Tattoo Parlor

Face Painting

Homemade Bean Bag Toss

Basketball

Photo Booth

Penny Pitch

Ring Toss

Can Knock Down

I used stuff we had around the house for a lot of the games, and I covered TV trays with stripped wrapping paper for a "circus feel".  Fun, right?  You can find the rest of the party here.

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

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Felt Stocking Ornaments

When I was in high school , I started making Christmas ornaments for my girlfriends. Over time, I started making them for over 40 family and friends. I like to make a simple ornament that can be slipped in with a Christmas card. Here is the "quick and easy" Christmas ornament I am making this year.

I just love these little felt stockings because they are so simple and inexpensive to make.

Here is what you'll need: scrap white felt, scrap red felt, two red buttons, a piece of ribbon, some red and white embroidery floss, a needle, and a template that you can find here.

Here's what you do:

Step 1: Cut two stocking shapes from the white felt and cut one rectangle (for the top of the stocking) from the red felt.

Step 2: Using red embroidery thread, stitch the bottom of the rectangle to one of the white stocking shapes. This will be the front of the ornament. (Just stitch the bottom of the rectangle. The rest will be attached when you stitch the front piece to the back piece.)

Step 3: Sew two red buttons onto the piece that has the red felt stitched to the top.

Step 4: Stitch a piece of ribbon to the other white stocking shape. This will be the back of the stocking. (I used white thread so that you wouldn't be able to see it on the back of the ornament.)

 

Step 5: Stitch the front and back pieces together using red embroidery thread. That's it!

Easy, right? I can't wait to see these little felt stockings hanging on the trees of my loved ones. 

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Gift Tags from Recycled Cardboard

Looking for a use for all the cardboard boxes you have sitting in your recycling bin?  Why not make some cute gift tags?

Here is a tutorial for a charming Christmas tag {and I have also included a template for an adorable Birthday tag}.

You'll need:  a cardboard box (like a cereal box or granola bar box), yarn or ribbon, scraps of paper in different colors/patterns, scissors, and glue.

 Here's what you need to do:

1)  Use the templates found here to cut two gift tag shapes -- one from the decorative paper and one from the cardboard.  Also, cut out the tree shape in a contrasting paper color.

2)  Glue the decorative paper to the colorful side of the cardboard (so that the blank side of the cardboard is on the back of the tag)  Then, glue the tree to the top of the decorative paper.

3)  Punch a hole at the top of the tag, and loop a piece of thread or ribbon through the hole.

 

Easy, cute, and made with stuff you have lying around the house.  Use your imagination to decorate the tags any way you want... and let the kids try too.  The tree and cupcake templates are just to get you started.  :-)

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Happy 6th Birthday (Birthday Letter)

My oldest "baby" turns six today.  Why does six seem so much older than five?  It hurts my heart a little to see him getting so grown up, but I am so proud of the little boy he is growing up to be. 

Earlier this year, I came up with the idea of writing letters to my boys each year on their birthdays.  Here is my birthday letter to my darling first born son:

You are such a special boy.... my little angel.  Here are just a few of the things that make you my favorite six year old in the whole wide world.  :-)

• You have a kind heart, and you always want to help others. 
  
• You are an awesome big brother.  You are patient and kind, and your little brothers love you very much... and they love all the adventures you take them on.
• Your little boy laugh (especially when Daddy tickles you) makes me smile.
• You always try your best and give 100% when trying anything new.
• You love to draw (and you are great with detail).  Every day when you get home from school, you ask me for a piece of paper and a peanut butter sandwich.
• Your favorite movie is The Fox and the Hound, your favorite food is a peanut butter sandwich, and your favorite sport is Hockey. 
• You have lots of friends, and you love when the girls chase you at recess.
• You still let me kiss and hug you when I drop you off at school.  I know it won't last forever, but I cherish every one I am getting now.

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!  You may be six, but you will always be my first baby.

Lots of Love,

Mommy  xoxo

Magic Elf Key - for our "Elf on the Shelf"... including a free printable

Do you have an Elf on the Shelf at your house?  He arrives at our house on December 1, and it is one of our favorite Christmas traditions.  

I recently posted about a Magic Santa key, and I thought it would be fun to give our elf {"Elfie"} his own magic key.  I was totally excited when I found a tiny key, which was meant to be a necklace pendant.

(This tag is intended for personal use only.  Copyright belongs to East Coast Mommy.  Thanks!)

Cute, right?  I wrote a short poem and designed a sweet little key tag.  I have made it into a free printable that you can find here.  Just print it out and attach a split ring and a key.   (Feel free to use this printable and share it with friends, but I wrote this poem, so the copyright belongs to me.  Please don't reprint it without permission, and please don't link directly to the download.  Thank you!)

Now Elfie will have no trouble getting into our house after a long trip to the North Pole (where he reports to Santa on how "good" my boys have been that day.  :-)

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

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Recycled Matching Game

Do you ever wonder what to do with all those milk/water jug caps?  I have a bunch of them in my "stuff to recycle into crafts" box.  I thought it would be fun to make a matching game for my boys.  It was so easy, fun, and absolutely free.

Here's how we did it:

1)  We decided to do a matching game with numbers from 1-10, so we counted out 20 bottle caps.  (You can do it for letters, colors, people in your family... whatever you want.)

2)  We traced 20 circles onto a piece of paper, and my four year old printed the numbers in each circle.

3)  I cut out all the circles (just inside the lines I had drawn) and put them in the caps.  You don't even need to use glue because the grooves in the lid keep the paper in place.  Easy, right?  :-)

That's it!

To play the game, simply flip over all the lids, and take turns trying to make matches.  If you get a match, you get another turn.  When all the lids are gone, the person who made the most matches wins.



Happy Matching!



♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Magic Santa Key (with free PRINTABLE)

Have your kids ever asked you how Santa gets into your house on Christmas Eve?  We don't have a chimney, so it is always a question at our house.  So, when I saw a bunch of Magic Santa Keys on Pinterest, I knew we needed one.  Here is my version:

Cute, right?  I wrote a short poem and designed a sweet little key tag.  I have made it into a free printable that you can find here.  Just print it out and attach a split ring and a key.  (Feel free to use this printable and share it with friends, but I wrote this poem, so the copyright belongs to me.  Please don't reprint it without permission, and please don't link directly to the download.  Thank you!)

Leave your Magic Santa Key for Santa on Christmas Eve, and he will have no trouble getting in to fill those stockings.  :-)

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (One of my readers suggested giving the key to your child when they leave home -- to use as an ornament on his/her Christmas tree.  Brilliant!  Such clever people you all are!  :-) 

**  If you liked this post, you might also be interested in my Magic Elf Key Free Printable.  You can find it here.

You might also like the fantastic Christmas ideas here.