Painting with M&Ms

Calling all crafty moms and teachers.... I have a fun, unique and sweet project for your kiddos!  Painting with M&M's!! 

Now, now... I know this is not a recipe but it does involve food and more importantly chocolate!!

While I am visiting my family in PA, one of my favorite things to do is go to work with my mom.  What??  Why would I want to go to work while I am on vacation??  You see... my mom is a preschool teacher so going to work with her means hanging out with cute three and four year-old kiddies.  Now I know the idea of spending an entire morning with a group of preschoolers might sound daunting to some BUT I love it!  

This week in school my mom has been teaching the kids about the FIVE senses: sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste.  So when she spotted this craft idea on Pinterest for painting with M&M's she knew she wanted to try it out with her class!

This craft covers all of the senses!

SIGHT - Sorting the M&M's by color.

TOUCH - Describing the texture of the M&Ms while sorting.

HEARING - Listening to the M&M's being stirred in the cups.

SMELL - Smelling the M&M colored water while painting.

TASTE - After the craft was over... my mom let the kids munch on a few M&Ms during snack time.

HERE'S WHAT YOU DO:

• Take a one pound bag of M&M's and empty in a bowl. (The amount of M&M's will vary based on the group size.)
• Have your kids sort them by color into individual cups.
• Once sorted, pour enough water to cover the M&M's and begin stirring with paint brushes.
• Once the color of the water has changed you are ready to paint!!

Check out these beautiful pictures created by some of my mom's students!! 

Painting never looked, smelled, sounded, felt and tasted (afterwards) so good!!  Pretty sweet!!

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Getting Crafty with a Framed Song

"In my mind... I'm going to Carolina..."  If I close my eyes I feel like I am standing on the porch of my grandparents' North Carolina beach house watching the sunrise over the ocean, hearing the waves crash on the shore and smelling the salty-sweet air.  Thank you, James Taylor!!

Music means memories for me.  My parents have always been huge music lovers so they were constantly exposing my brothers and me to different artists, bands and genres.  Even when my mom was pregnant with me she would put earphones on her belly and play Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh and Eric Clapton.  Now, as an adult, I listen to some songs and they bring back these warm, happy memories of my parents and loved ones.  One of those songs is "Carolina in My Mind" by James Taylor.

Topsail Beach, North Carolina is a special place for my family.  My grandparents bought a home there decades ago and almost every summer my aunts, uncles, cousins, second-cousins and other family and friends from all over the country come to gather.  I think it is safe to say it is my mother's favorite place on the planet.  So when it came time to think about what to give her for her birthday I thought this would be a perfect.  A framed song and picture.

To make, all you need is a frame, a picture matte, a favorite song with a photo to match, a ruler, a pencil (with a white eraser), and craft pen.  Using the ruler and a pencil, gently create guide marks about a centimeter apart.  Then using the craft pen, neatly write out the lyrics to the song you have chosen.  I used hearts to separate stanzas.  Then using the white eraser, gently erase the pencil lines.  Secure the photo to the matte and then place in the frame.  

Now this craft project is easier said than done.  It takes a lot of measuring and penmanship but the end product is a special handmade gift perfect for any music lover in your life.  I think it would also be a wonderful anniversary gift for a couple featuring their first dance song.

My mom loved her birthday gift!!  James Taylor's lyrics beautifully surround a picture of a Topsail Beach sunrise.  In my mind, I have definitely gone to Carolina!

Saying Thank You!!

"No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks." - Unknown

My thank you notes this year

Do you write thank you notes?  I do... or at least I try to remember to as much as I can.  Now as we are playing with our new gifts and gadgets from the holidays and feeling all jolly tis' the time to say thank you to all those generous folks in our lives! 

Learn how to make your own Polaroid cards below

I am not sure when my giving thanks streak started but I am pretty sure it was about the time I got my first set of personalized stationary.  I remember the thick, ivory tinted card stock with my name embossed on the top as if I was someone of great importance.  Even now I find myself perusing Minted or Tiny Prints for new and pretty paper products to pen my next hand written note or thank you.

Aren't these thank you notes precious? (via Minted)

There is something special about pulling out the old pen and paper and scribing a little note to someone special.  Especially when you are thanking them!