Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Caught my "Pinterest" ~ 12/14/11 ~ Family and Child Custom Portrait Photographer ~ McKinney, TX

Tis the season for giving!

For this Pinteresting post I thought I would "give" some ideas to the pinning community instead of just taking. I have not seen them on Pinterest before so I will add them and hope they will help others, maybe you :)

1. Our Letters to Santa ~




We started the Elf on the Shelf a couple years ago, about the age when my oldest really started to "get" the whole Santa thing. I selfishly would like to keep those precious letters for myself and not see them stuffed in a mailbox or fake box or whatever. Our Elf takes the letters on one of his flights to the North Pole. We write them, place them on the tree so he can't miss it, and when we least expect it (we have been approved for the nice list) our letters are gone!

2. What to buy Mom?




I think us moms are the hardest people to buy for sometimes. I always thought my mom was when I was little, she's practical like me. Or maybe I am practical like her, hmm. Anyway, I started a new tradition for my kids to help that along. 
        My MIL gave me my first nutcracker. A couple years later my husband got me another one. Then we had our first son. I would have been happy to just stop there with the nutcrackers; I personally am not a collector or knick knack kind of gal. I figure it is more for me to dust. Whenever that is. But for Christmas I always put a nutcracker on my list. That way my kids know for sure they get to pick out whichever one they want me to have and it is always the best one ever. Can be any kind of nutcracker. Like my surfer guy? We went to the beach with my littlest for the first time so it was actually significant for that year. I love seeing what they pick and I look forward to it each year.

3. Advent calendar ~




Got this one this year to go with my nutcracker guys. I have tried all kinds of crazy ideas and finally settled on not being creative and just buying a dang box to hold my little slips of paper. But it is a cute so I am happy. I do not make all the days about candy or treats. I try to just make them "Christmas-y" activities. Shopping for a toy donation, making our Santa Letter, reading a new Christmas book, going in our pj's with hot chocolate to look at lights. Anything to keep the focus on us and not just the countdown to getting the presents.

4. Cookies for Santa Plate ~



This plate is very special to me. I made it at the right age and was able to get both sets of hands and a foot from each kid together on it, had to use the biggest size they had and squish them close but I did it. This plate was actually painted by the studio, not me, but is based on my request and design. I take their picture next to it with their Santa cookies each year.

5. Hand print Tree Skirt ~



I take no credit in originality for this idea, got it from a mom that used to be my MOMS Club group. I loved that she thought it was a great idea when she had one kid and then had to start improvising when she had four! Each year the kids paint their hands and place them on the tree skirt. I chose to alternate their paint colors each year with the littlest one's hand prints always on top. I try to get them close together so we can get as many years as possible on one skirt. Start this when they are little and watch them grow!

6. My Friends Ornament ~


My oldest son and I were lucky enough to be a part of a playgroup from when he was less than one. We have grown up with these friends. I wanted to make something special for our last Christmas party together before everyone started going to kindergarten and we didn't get to see each other as often. I had never seen this idea before when I made it so for myself I claim originality points. Don't burst my bubble if you have seen it before. We took clear ornaments and gave each kid a bottle of glitter. They got to choose the color. We used to-go cup holders (like from McD's) instead of egg cartons to make them sit very still. Paper for funnels. Each kid walked around the table and poured some of their glitter in each ornament, as little or as much as they wanted. Then we glued the lid shut and attached this note with a list of all their names with the color they chose. One of my favorite ornaments each year to put on the tree. Reminds me of play dates and special friends and my kids being little.



Hope you find these ideas pin-worthy!

Angela

8 comments:

Maggie said...

LOVE the idea of this post, and some really cute ideas too! I especially liked the friends ornament one. I pinned it!!

Steve Lewis said...

I need the Elf on the shelf nutcracker. Sweet!

get an eyefull of this... said...

love this! What a great idea. I love the nutcracker advent calender!

Angela Drabek said...

Nutcracker advent was from Kohl's!!! this year :)

Tara Colburn said...

Oooh love these ideas! Thanks for sharing!

Tamara Curry said...

Not only cute ideas, but I feel like I know you better now. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Angela Drabek said...

Thank you everyone!

Maïa said...

Very good ideas ! Now you need pin this button ;)