Simple Felt Ornament - Santa Belly

Every year, I come up with a simple felt ornament that I can send out with my Christmas cards.  Because I make so many, I always design something that is easy, inexpensive, and lightweight.  Here is the felt ornament I am sending out this year.

Cute, right?  My 4 year old calls it a "Santa Belly" ornament.  

Here's how easy it is to make your own:

1)  Cut two identical circles from red felt.  {Mine were about 3 inches in diameter.}

2)  Cut a black strip of felt, and stitch it onto the middle of one of the circles.  {Mine was about 1/4" wide.}

3)  Sew a yellow button onto the middle of the circle with the black stripe.

4)  Attach a ribbon hanger, and stitch the 2nd red circle onto the back of the front circle.

This year, I made 60 of these ornaments.  I think they make sending out Christmas cards a little more fun, don't you?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Elf on the Shelf Donuts... free printable box

Look what our Elf on the Shelf brought us!  Aren't these teeny tiny "Elf Donuts" adorable? The little Elf on the Shelf donut box is simply the cutest... and I'm sharing a free downloadable version below.

These donuts are actually Cheerios topped with icing and sprinkles, and they came in an adorable box that you can download for free here*.  

*Due to a google security update, it is making people request access to the download. If you want to click on the link and request access, I will give it to you.

Or, you can click on the picture of the box (below), right click, save the image to your computer, and print it like a regular photo. As long as you don't change the dimensions, it will work perfectly.

Lately, I've heard some people complaining about Elves that bring expensive gifts... but who wouldn't love this idea -- a few Cheerios in a free box? 

What flavour "Elf Donut" would be most popular at your house? I think they would be fun with iced Froot Loops too. What do you think?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find MORE easy and inexpensive Elf on the Shelf ideas here.

The Polar Express Mini Van Adventure... with free printable golden tickets

Last night, our family continued one of our favorite Christmas traditions -- The Polar Express (mini van edition).

The adventure started when my boys headed to bed and found tickets to "The Polar Express" golden tickets lying on their pillows.  (You can download a copy of the ticket I designed here.)  Excitement ensued, and everyone got on their coats and hats as fast as they could.

When they got to our van, I punched their tickets (wearing my conductors hat), they had a snack of hot chocolate and cookies, we listened to Christmas carols, and we toured our town in search of our favorite Christmas lights.

Then, when we got home, each boy found a bell (from Santa's sleigh) on his pillow.

Fun, right?  Have you ever gone on a Polar Express adventure with your little ones?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS - (Click here for a cute printable tag for your bell.)

Find more easy and inexpensive ideas for Christmas family fun here.

Snowman Soup - Simple Gift for Classmates - with free printable tags

My boys and I always like to make little Christmas gifts/treats that they can share with their classmates.  Here is what we came up with this year... snowman soup.

To make snowman soup, we filled bags from the dollar store with a bag of hot chocolate, some mini marshmallows, and a candy cane.  You can download the tags I designed {for free} here.

I sent the tags {which are a 4X6 jpegs} for one hour photo processing, cut them out, punched holes in the corners, and attached them to the bags with ribbon. 

This is a fantastic easy and inexpensive DIY gift idea.  It would be fun for neighbours too.  My boys and I made 90 of these bags to share with their friends.  That's a lot of snowman soup!  :-)

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS - If you are looking for more classroom treat/gift ideas, you can find 5 more here.

Elf on the Shelf - Candy Cane Scavenger Hunt

Look what our Elf on the Shelf brought last night -- it's a rhyming candy cane scavenger hunt.  "Elfie" brought us eight cards containing clues to the locations of hidden candy canes.  Fun, right?

Here are the clues that "Elfie" came up with... and you can download them here OR you can:

Click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print.  (PS- The answers to the clues are:  bed, shoe, tree, car, bin, sink, hat, sink.)

And.... if you want to come up with your own clues, you can download blank cards here.

Do you think your little ones would enjoy this Candy Cane Scavenger Hunt? My boys had a great time running around the house collecting candy canes. I love this time of year! :-)

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find more Elf on the Shelf ideas here.

Easy Elf on the Shelf Idea {Quick Tip Tuesday #29}

Our Elf on the Shelf is soooo good to us.  He knows that we have special Christmas activities that we do every year, and sometimes he helps us get them done.  For example, last week he brought us a gingerbread house kit.

Fun, right?  The boys were super excited to see it sitting next to "Elfie" when they got up in the morning, and I was thrilled I didn't have to go out and get one.  ;-)

Do you make gingerbread houses with your little ones?  Maybe you should tell your Elf on the Shelf that you need one.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Simple Gingerbread Man Ornament - Preschooler Craft

Sometimes you just need a simple Christmas craft to make with little ones, and this adorable gingerbread man ornament fits the bill perfectly.  It's easy to craft, it uses basic supplies... and it's totally cute!

Want to make one?

1)  First, download the gingerbread man template here, and cut it out.
2)  Color the gingerbread man.
3)  Using white glue, add google eyes, buttons, and yarn embellishments.
4)  Punch a hole in the top, and add a yarn or ribbon hanger.

That's it!  Cute, right?  What kind of homemade ornaments do you remember making when you were a child?  Do you still have them?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Snowman Door

Recently I came across an adorable snowman door (that you can find here).  I knew my boys would LOVE it, so we decided to do our own version.  Isn't it sweet?

It is so much cuter than a plain white door, and I love how easy and inexpensive it was to create.

Here's how my four year old and I made it...

1)  We traced a CD onto black construction paper to make the eyes.
2)  I drew the nose onto orange construction paper.
3)  We used a 2 inch punch to make the mouth.
4)  We used wrapping paper for the scarf.  (It's 3 1/2 inches wide.)
5)  We used a 3 inch punch to make the buttons.

Do you have a white door in your house?  I bet your little ones would love this project.  I know mine did!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Elf on the Shelf Gift - Magic Elf Seeds

Look what our Elf brought again this year... MAGIC ELF SEEDS!

Two nights ago, "Elfie" brought magic elf seeds (which look a lot like tree-shaped cookie decorations) and a letter.  

The letter contained this poem (which you are welcome to use, but please don't reprint it without written consent from me):

Plant them in sugar, 

all in a row.  

Wait for the magic, 

and see what will grow.

My boys followed Santa's instructions and planted the seeds before they went to bed last night.

Then, this morning, we found the seeds had grown into chocolate suckers.  Can you believe it??????  This is our third year planting magic elf seeds, and it is still very exciting for us!  Has your elf brought you anything fun this year?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

MistleTOES Easy DIY Gift

I just love this "For Your MistleTOES" DIY gift idea.  It is perfect for a girlfriend, teacher, co-worker or neighbour.  It's cute on its own, but it could also be a fun addition to a gift basket.  Wouldn't it be fantastic to wrap it up with a pair of socks and a gift certificate for a pedicure?

This gift couldn't be more simple.  Download the tag I designed by "right clicking" on the picture below.  It is set up as a 4X6 .jpg file, so you can just print it or get it developed like a regular photo.  Then, just cut out the tag, and add a little ribbon.

Cute, right?  Who would you give this little DIY gift to?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Easy and Fun Elf on the Shelf Idea

Here's a quick tip for all you Elf on the Shelf owners.  Our "Elfie" likes to bring us little gifts from the north pole.  Last week he brought us an elf ornament.

It's easy and inexpensive, but it's lots of fun.  My boys were super-excited when they saw what Elfie brought us. 

Does your Elf on the Shelf like to bring you little gifts?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Our Favorite Christmas Traditions

I'm sure you have heard me say it before, but I truly believe that family traditions and rituals are the building blocks of childhood memories.  I have blogged about many of our Christmas traditions, but I thought it might be helpful to share a collection of my top five Christmas traditions.  

Just click on the links below for more info.

1)  The Polar Express - mini van edition.  Seriously fun!

2)  Elf on the Shelf - our elf antics are nice... not naughty.

3)  Letter Writing to Santa Party/Fundraiser - our way of giving back during the holiday season.

4)  The Tree - the five things we do every year.

5) Christmas Eve - the five traditions that make Christmas Eve the most special day of the year.

And of course, we bake cookies, build gingerbread houses, listen to Christmas carols, go carolling, and watch our favorite Christmas specials.

Are holiday specials part of your Christmas celebration?  What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Elf on the Shelf Book Countdown

It's December 1, and it's time to start "counting down" to Christmas.  Luckily, last night (while we were sleeping) our Elf on the Shelf decided to put together a Christmas countdown for us.

If you don't have an Elf on the Shelf, this is still a great idea.  Dig out 24 of your Christmas books and movies, wrap them up, and number them.  Then, each day, the kids unwrap and read/watch the book/movie they opened that day.  Fun, right?

Our Elf is usually pretty smart.  He numbers the books/movies to ensure that there is always a movie on family movie night, and "The Night Before Christmas" is always the last book my boys open.  Such a clever Elf!

How do you count down to Christmas?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more fun Elf on the Shelf Ideas here.

Elf on the Shelf North Pole Treats with free printable

Check out the adorable treats our Elf on the Shelf brought my boys this morning?  Aren't these "North Pole donuts" cute?  

Interested in making your own?  The poles are paper straws with a marshmallow stuck on the top.  Then, you just have to attach a "North Pole" sign that you can download for free here.

Fun, right?  I think they would be perfect for an Elf on the Shelf welcome breakfast.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (I think Elfie was inspired by the party he found here.)

You can find MORE easy and inexpensive Elf on the Shelf ideas here.

5 Ways to Count Down to Christmas

In our house, we are always counting down to something -- a special event, a birthday, a vacation, or a holiday.  I think "counting down" is an important part of the fun, as it builds a lot of anticipation and excitement.  Here are 5 ways we "count down" to special events in our house.

1)  Paper chains - I love an old fashioned paper craft, and paper chains are simple, fun, and can be color coded to any special event or holiday.  You can find our more info on our Christmas paper chain advent countdown here.

2)  Chalkboard or calendar -  We have a chalkboard in our kitchen, and it always documents the next special day in our house.  It just doesn't get any easier than this!

3)  Wrapped books or movies - Nothing builds excitement like unwrapping a gift.  At Christmas, our Elf on the Shelf wraps all our Christmas movies and books.  You can read about it here.

4)  Treats/Gifts - A sweet treat each day of a countdown can be a lot of fun.  Check out our "Kiss" Countdown here, and our "Smartie" Countdown here.  You can also purchase a chocolate advent calendar or a calendar filled with little gifts.  My son received this Playmobil advent for his birthday, and is super-excited to give it a try.

5)  Balloon Pop -  Filling balloons with notes containing special activities is a fantastic way to count down to Christmas.  Why not have items like "drink hot chocolate" or "make Christmas cookies"?  Simple and fun!  (You can go here to find out how a balloon pop works.)

How do you count down to Christmas in your house?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

DIY Honeydukes Sweet Shop

Check out the "Honeydukes Sweet Shop" I put together for my oldest son's Harry Potter party.  Isn't it the cutest?

I made the sign using a piece of (dollar store) foam core trimmed with pink duct tape.  Then, I printed some letters onto cardstock and used double sided tape to secure them in place.

For the treats, I bought some jars at the dollar store, and added some labels I made using Picmonkey.com. 

Here are the treats we had:

Bott's Every Flavor Beans - no-name gourmet jelly beans
Ollivander's Edible Wands - black liquorice
Fizzing Whizbees - popping candy
Mad Eye Moody's Eyeball Gum - eyeball gumballs
Chocolate Frogs - chocolate frogs made from frog-shaped chocolate molds
Remus' Werewolf Fangs - candy corn

I also made some "Golden Snitches" by hot gluing feathers onto gold foil wrapped chocolates.

What Harry Potter fan wouldn't love shopping at Honeydukes Sweet Shop?  It's a fantastic loot bag idea.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Quick Tip Tuesday #27 - Pool Noodle Wreath Form

This isn't an idea that I came up with (as it is all over Pinterest); however, it is so clever that I knew I needed it to be part of Quick Tip Tuesday.

I LOVE this idea because it is super-easy and inexpensive. Basically, you use duct tape to secure the ends of a pool noodle together.

I stick a craft stick into the openings on the ends to make it stronger, and I use lots of duct tape.  Once I didn't use enough duct tape, and it came apart.... not good!

Also, if you want a different size/ diameter, you can also use pipe covers (which you can find at your local building supply store).

To make a wreath, just wrap the form with yarn, burlap or fabric.  Then, add whatever embellishments you like.  The dollar store has tons of inexpensive options.

Have you ever made a wreath from a pool noodle?  I'd love to see it!

♥

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

A Pirate Adventure... and our new favorite toy

I have three little boys, so there is always some sort of play adventure going on in our house.  Pirate play is one of my boys' favorite ways to spend an afternoon, so today I thought a would share a simple DIY pirate adventure with you.

Every pirate loves a treasure hunt, so why not write up some simple clues and hide them around the house?  A simple pirate snack is also a must because pirates work up a big appetite searching for treasure!

And, of course, a pirate craft is always fun.  Here is a simple pirate ship craft you can make with your little ones.

First, download the free pirate ship template that you can find here.

Then, have your child color the pieces, cut them out, and glue them in place.  (In addition to the template, you'll also need three popsicle sticks, a few Cheerios, and some glue.)  Isn't it a cute little craft?

And... if your little one loves using his/her imaginations to go on "play adventures", you should totally check out our new favorite toy -- the Imaginext Rescue City Centre.

Rescue City Centre features a city scape with lots of action!  The left side features a gas station, a currency exchange, and a jewelry store.  The right side of the set is equipped with a fire station, police station and hospital.  It also comes with two figures, a fire truck and lots of interactive sounds and actions.  Seriously... it is a lot of fun!  My boys haven't stopped playing with it since we got it.

Also, be sure to check out the Fisher-Price website for lots of new "Ed Venture" content and a great contest.  Contestants are able to play an online game and unlock the next phase of the game by solving clues.  You'll have a chance to win 1 of 5 $300 Imaginext prize packs including the Imaginext Rescue City Centre, Imaginext Mega Apatasaurus, Imaginext Eagle Talon Castle, and Imaginext Batcave.

What types of adventures do your little ones like to go on?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure: I am part of the Fisher-Price Imaginext Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

5 Holiday Shopping Tips

Holiday shopping can be enjoyable, but it can also be extremely stressful.  I remember one year my middle son had his heart set on a tabletop hockey set.  Unfortunately, I waited too long to order it, and I ended up getting it at a store two hours away.  After that, I knew I had to make an effort to make holiday shopping easier, more successful, and more fun.  Here are the rules I try to live by...

1)  Start early - If you start early, the stores will be less crowded, and you will have more time to locate the items you need.

2)  Don't go overboard - Try not to let your gift buying get out of control.  Draw names where appropriate, and set limits.

3)  Shop online -  Shopping from the comfort of your home after the kids have gone to bed can be relaxing and efficient.  It is the best way to easily locate items and find the best prices.

4)  Remember what's important - Instead of going in debt to amass a mountain of toys for your little ones, focus on getting one or two special presents instead.  Put more energy into creating memories than into shopping.

5)  Get organized - Get the kids to write letters to Santa, and make a copy and stick it to the fridge.  A "locked down" list will prevent a last minute scramble.  Also, make a list of all the people you need to buy for and any ideas you have.  Then, check off the names each time you make a purchase.  (Note:  Mattel.ca has some great holiday toys and wish list capability to help plan your holiday shopping.  You can check it out here.)

What are your best tips for making holiday less stressful?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure: I am part of the Mattel Holiday Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.