NEW BLOG

I am happy to announce that I have finally launched my new blog for Birds and Blossoms Gifts. Please follow me over to
http://birdsandblossomsgift.blogspot.com/     for some fun craft ideas, freebies, and updates on my Etsy shop!

Getting into the Christmas mood...

It's a little difficult to get into the holiday spirit down here in the South, so I thought I

would share some winter weather music....enjoy!!!!

Happy Holidays

Well, I can't believe how quickly the holidays have snuck upon us!!! I wanted to share a few fun holiday crafts, but have simply not had the time! However, I have been busy making some fun holiday gifts for my shop including some unique gift tags. These tags have been tea/coffe stained (you can even get a faint scent of Earl Grey and hazelnut) and stamped with cool holiday stamps. I will also be posting some vintage image gift tags as well. I am hoping to have time to include in my next post a tutorial so you can make some of your own tea-stained tags. So make sure to check back. I hope you are all having fun preparing for the holidays.
Mandi

My Favorite Season

My favorite time of year is approaching and I have been busy working on some fun fall decor. I will be listing lots of owls as well as some decorative blocks for Halloween and Thanksgiving. I hope you all enjoy this most beautiful of seasons, especially you northerners who are lucky enough to experience the crisp autum nights and the smell of fresh fallen leaves. Pictured to the left is "Owlexandria". She alreay has a home, but she has many more friends that will need homes as well. So visit my shop if you would like to see all of my new fun items. Have a fabulous Fall season!

Handmade Spark - Birds and Blossoms Boutique and Design - picture frames and shower gifts

Handmade Spark - Birds and Blossoms Boutique and Design - picture frames and shower gifts

New Beginnings

Well, it has been quite some time since I last wrote. I have been extremely busy working on new designs for my photography business as well as opening my Etsy gift shop! I am so excited to finally be able to have an outlet for my creative energy. I plan on designing lots of new items for my store and I also plan to offer some freebies for photographers, digital scrapbookers, and paper crafters....so be sure to check back often.
Items that I am working on include glass tile pendants, party supplies, banners and garland, more nursery decor and some really unique wall clocks. I am also designing digital paper packs and other design elements, some of which I will offer for free right here.
I will also be sharing some crafting tips and ideas as well as some fun stuff to do with the kids. So I hope you come back and join in on the fun. And please feel free to comment or offer your own ideas or suggestions.
Have a great night.
Mandi

"Once Play-Doh colors are mixed, there's no going back" -Dee Ann Stewart

OK, so I guess a lot of people who know me might describe me as a type-A personality. I am the type of person that cringes at the thought of mixing Play-Doh colors. When I was teaching preschool, I would go so far as to assign different colors of Play-Doh to each table. My assistants knew better than to put two different colors at the same table. It also drove me a little insane when I would discover a puzzle with a missing piece. Upon discovery of such an atrocity, I would turn off the lights and yell "Everybody stop!". After finding the missing piece, and happily returning it to it's rightful place, I was then able to resume the daily activities.

Another source of stress for me was art time. Although I am a great lover of art, and used to do a lot of painting myself, doing an art project with thirteen 2 and 3-year-olds is a different story! Just the thought of the possible chaos that could ensue was enough to get my heart racing. I envisioned paint splatters everywhere, little hands covered with glue and glitter, little faces smeared with magic marker.....and the list goes on. So I would very carefully prepare everything ahead of time, taking special care to arrange all cleaning supplies within immediate reach. You get the picture.

I also used to go around the classroom constantly cleaning up after the kids because I couldn't stand when the toys would pile up all over the floor and table. I wouldn't say I'm a neat freak, far from it. I guess it is more a matter of having everything under control (because any one of my friends will tell you that my house is far from being immaculate!!!).

So, fast forward a few years, and I now have a little one of my own. If motherhood has taught me anything (which, in fact, it has taught me more than I ever thought possible) it's that life is too short to worry about insignificant messes, and that a little chaos once in a while is a good thing. I will admit, the change came slowly...the first few times I gave my son play-doh, I only gave him one color at a time. And then, one magical day, I decided to let him have not one, not two, but three different colors. And the first thing he did was mix them all together. As I watched the beautiful bright green, orange and pink slowly transform into a lovely shade of something the cat threw up, I noticed how much fun my son was having. I also noticed that nothing terrible happened.....the earth was still revolving, everyone was still breathing, there were no apocalyptic events!

So, I now have several puzzles in my home with more than one piece missing, the small Lego's mixed in with the big mega blocks, miles of train tracks spanning my living room, and lots of my son's artwork hanging on my walls, and I couldn't be happier!

Life is messy, so roll up your sleeves, get dirty and have fun!!!!

4 tubes of finger paints...... 6 dollars

2 pads of finger paint paper.....8 dollars

cleaning supplies.........7 dollars

his first work of art.....PRICELESS!!!!!

(Just so you know, I did let him paint, but I made sure I had the hose ready to go in the back yard so I could hose him off after his painting session......I'm not quite ready to let him walk through the house covered in paint!!!!)