DIY Trollhunters Sword... and some Netflix news

The holiday season has arrived, the kids will be home from school soon, and it won't be long before they start saying they're bored. That's why, starting December 23rd, Netflix and Dreamworks Animation Television will be treating families to 13 hours of adventure, suspense and limitless imagination with the all-new series DreamWorks Trollhunters. To get you and your kids ready, today I am sharing a fun DIY Trollhunters sword that you can make from cardboard and tin foil.

To make this fun and simple sword, follow the instructions and photos below:

1) Draw a sword and blade (using the picture above as a guide).

2) Print one copy of both blades on plain paper, cut them out, tape them together, and use the paper as a temple to cut a blade from cardboard.

3) Cover blade with tin foil (taping or gluing in place), and decorate with markers.

4) Print the handle onto plain paper, cut it out, and use it as a template to cut a handle from cardboard. 

5) Color the handle, and glue it to the cardboard. (My son added jewel stickers to add an extra "cool factor", but this is optional.)

6) Use hot glue to attach the handle to the blade. (If you want the sword to be really strong, you can make two handles, and sandwich the blade in the middle... but his is optional.)

Cute, right?

My boys are super-excited to play with their new sword and to check out season one of Trollhunters when it comes to Netflix on December 23, 2016!

And, as if this new series isn't exciting enough...

Just in time for long holiday trips, Netflix recently announced that members can now download many of their favourite series and movies at no extra cost. To start downloading today, make sure your Netflix app is updated to the latest version and head to the ‘Available for Download’ menu on your tablet or mobile device.

Happy viewing... and happy holidays!

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (With New Year's Eve around the corner, don't forget the fun NYE countdowns available on Netflix. You can ring in the new year whenever the kids are ready for bed!)

Disclosure: I receive special gifts and perks as part of my affiliation with Netflix.... however (of course!) the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.

Christmas Eve Gift Basket... with free printable tags

My boys have always worn matching PJs on Christmas Eve. I pick pyjamas that are festive and cozy, and I LOVE how the matching PJs look in the pictures I take on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This year, I decided to put the PJs, cookies, and cocoa together in adorable Christmas Eve gift basket with a sweet tag that you can download (below) for free!

Isn't this a great idea? I bought pre-made cookies, a box of hot chocolate, adorable PJs, and little white basket from the dollar store. You could add mugs, whip cream, and marshmallows too... but I didn't have room in my basket.

Then, I made a special, personalized tag for my boys. You can download the generic tag below and use it "as is", or you could personalize it for your kids using Picmonkey.com.

To download the generic tag: right-click on the tag below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

I wrapped my basket in cellophane, tied it with curling ribbon, and attached the tag. Easy peasy!

Do you have any fun Christmas Eve traditions? Would you consider adding a Christmas Eve gift basket to you holiday celebration? I'm not sure how much longer my boys will agree to matching PJs, but maybe bribing them with cookies and hot chocolate will allow me to continue the tradition a little longer! 

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Easy REINDEER Crafts (that kids will love)

The Christmas season is always super-busy for parents and caregivers, so it can be very helpful to have a few SIMPLE holiday crafts to keep the kids entertained. Today, I am sharing FOUR easy REINDEER crafts that are perfect for Preschoolers and older kids too. These crafts are simple to make, the supplies are easy to find, and the children will be delighted with the finished products.

Personalized ornaments are always special, and this simple reindeer photo ornament is absolutely adorable! Cut a circle from a piece of card stock, glue on a photo of a child, draw reindeer antlers, and add a red sticker nose. Attach a string, and give it as a gift or hang it on the tree. Cute, right?

This simple reindeer painting is also easy to make, and it is a sweet piece of holiday artwork. Draw a reindeer head, antlers, and nose on a piece of white paper. Colour the reindeer parts, cut them out, and glue them onto a piece of heavy coloured paper. Add a googly eye (with white glue), and cover the paper with snowflakes made from dipping a Q-tip in white paint.

Wrapping yarn is a fun way for little ones to practice using their fine motor skills, and this yarn wrapped reindeer ornament is sure to delight little ones. Start with a piece of heavy cardboard, cover it with white glue, and wrap the cardboard with yarn. Add googly eyes, a red pom pom nose, clothespin antlers, and a yarn hanger.

Making magic reindeer food is simple and fun, and the finished product can be sprinkled on the lawn on Christmas Eve to ensure that the Santa's reindeer are well fed during their annual trip around the world. You can find the recipe for magic reindeer food and the FREE printable tags here.

Christmas crafting is a fantastic way to spend time with kids, and the simple reindeer crafts are guaranteed to be a lot of fun for little ones. You can use the finished crafts for gifts, you can use them to decorate, or you can simply take them out each year as treasured keepsakes. I hope you take the time to make a simple reindeer craft with your children this holiday season. If you try one of mine, leave a comment below, and let me know which one was a favourite in your house. Happy Crafting!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Simple Santa Crafts (that kids will love)

The Christmas season is always super-busy for parents and caregivers, so it can be very helpful to have a few SIMPLE holiday crafts to keep the kids entertained. Today, I am sharing FOUR Santa crafts that are perfect for Preschoolers and older kids too. These crafts are simple to make, the supplies are easy to find, and the children will be delighted with the finished products.

This simple Santa beard craft is one of my favorite holiday crafts. Download the beard template here, attach a craft stick to the back with white duct tape, and cover the surface of the beard with glue and cotton balls. Easy peasy!

This "Santa going down the chimney" craft is nothing short of adorable. I started by drawing a chimney on a piece of card stock. Then, I drew a pair of Santa pants on cardstock, cut them out, and taped them to a craft stick.

The secret is a slit (made with an X-acto knife) across the top of the chimney. The kids will delight in watching Santa disappear inside the chimney.

This simple paper Santa with a cupcake liner beard is another fun and easy craft for kids. Start with a red triangular piece of construction paper. Then flatten a white cupcake liner, cut it in half, and glue it to the triangle with white glue. Cut a circle from card stock for the face, and attach it with white glue. Cut a belt and gloves from black paper, and attach with glue. Finish by adding googly eyes, a paper moustache, buttons, and cotton.

This popsicle Santa hat ornament is simple to make, and the kids will be proud to craft it and hang it on the tree. Paint popsicle sticks red, and allow them to dry completely. Then, glue the sticks into a triangle shape, and attach a yarn hanger. Finish by gluing cotton balls to the top and bottom of Santa's hat. Cute, right?

Making Christmas crafts with kids is a fabulous tradition, and these simple Santa crafts are guaranteed to be a lot of fun for little ones. You can use the finished crafts for gifts, you can use them to decorate, or you can simply take them out each year as treasured keepsakes. I hope you take the time to make a simple Santa craft with your children this holiday season. If you try one of mine, leave a comment below, and let me know which one was a favourite in your house. Happy Crafting!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

DIY Socks... with free Christmas tags

I love a clever DIY Christmas gift with cute packaging, and today I am sharing a sweet idea for DIY Christmas socks. They are absolutely adorable if you package them up with my FREE downloadable "4 your mistleTOES" tags.

You can find the tutorial for the socks here.

To download the tags: right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

You can also use these tags with nail polish, a nail file, and/or a gift certificate for a pedicure.

Wouldn't these ideas be fantastic for a friend, neighbour, or teacher? I just love the cute packaging!

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Dollar Store Christmas Wreath Alternative

I always have a long list of holiday projects in my head, and I love when I complete a project and it turns out better than I imagined. A few weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to make an expensive (and easy) square wreath for my front door. Today, I am sharing the full tutorial and instructions for the Christmas wreath alternative that I crafted from a dollar store picture frame.

To make the wreath, you'll need: a photo frame, spray paint, wired ribbon, dollar store ornaments, twine, a glue gun, and felt floor protectors.

Then:

1) Remove the glass and backing from the frame, and paint the frame with spray paint that works for the material you are painting. (My frame was plastic, so I used a red paint that was suitable for painting plastic.)

2) Use hot glue to attach a bow to the frame. (I made my bow using wired ribbon that I purchased at the dollar store.)

3) Add felt floor protectors to the back of the frame to protect the door that you will be hanging the wreath on.

4) Attach dollar store ornaments (hanging from twine) to the frame using hot glue.

5) Use hot glue to attach a hanger made from twine.

I am absolutely thrilled with the way this unique wreath turned out, and it looks fantastic hanging on my front door.

Doesn't it look festive and fun?

What do you have hanging on your front door for Christmas? I highly recommend giving this simple DIY square wreath a try. It's easy, inexpensive, fun, and totally unique.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Christmas Tree Crafts (that kids will love)

The holiday season is always busy, so it's always nice to have some SIMPLE Christmas crafts to keep the kids entertained. The six Christmas tree crafts I am sharing today are perfect for Preschoolers, but older kids will love them too.

Making ornaments is a fun activity for children, and this popsicle stick tree ornament is glittery and cute. To craft this sweet little tree: paint popsicle sticks green and allow them to dry completely. Then, glue the sticks together, glue on a stump, and allow the glue to dry. Finish the ornament by adding a string hanger and decorating the tree with gem stickers.

This geometric tree is a fun way to explore shapes and colours with little ones. Create a tree by gluing colourful shapes onto a piece of cardstock. Cute, right?

This sticker tree is simple to make, and it is a great way to work on fine motor skills with kids. Draw a tree shape on a piece of paper, have the child colour the tree, and decorate the tree with stickers.

This Cheerios tree is another simple way to craft and work on fine motor skills with kids. Draw a tree, have the kids colour the tree, and decorate the tree with glue and Cheerios.

This toilet roll tree is fun because it can stand on its own. Draw a tree on card stock, cut it out, colour it, and decorate it with stickers. Then, cut slits in a piece of a toilet roll, and insert the tree.

The counting tree is a simple way to practice cutting and gluing. Cut the strips, glue them on, and decorate with stickers.

I love all six of these Christmas Tree crafts for the holidays, don't you? Do you have a favourite? The good news is that you don't have to choose. All these crafts are easy and require basic supplies, so it is totally doable to make them all with your kids this year. Happy crafting!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Bonus: Here's a fun Christmas tree craft for older kids. You can find the instructions for this felt Christmas tree ornament here.