Valentine Printable: Heart Teasers

Do you remember brain teasers?  Brain teasers are puzzles that require one to figure out a phrase or idiom from the image/words.  I recall having fun trying to decipher these kinds of puzzles when I was in elementary school.  Recently, my son reminded me of brain teasers when he showed me one that he learned in school.  That inspired me to make these valentine "heart teasers".

There are four printable "heart teasers" .  I recommend them for children in grades 3rd - 5th. 

This template was created to be printed on 8 1/2 x 11 card stock.  Click on the image, right click, copy and paste into a document such as word.  You may have to re-size it to fit. Print. Cut out cards.

I printed the valentines on card stock.  I also wrote the answers on the back of the valentines.  You could also tape a piece of candy over the answer so the recipient doesn't see the answer right away. 

Washi Tape Stop Motion Video

 

It should be no surprise by now that I like all things washi tape.  So when I stumbled upon this stop motion video by MT Tape, I had to share. The MT Youtube channel has other videos as well.  I haven't viewed all of them but it looks like most of the videos showcase their events. Enjoy.

Printable: Origami Calendar

With every new year brings the overabundance of printable calendars.  One that stood out for me this year was a modular origami calendar designed by Ilona Taschner (model originally designed by Michael Naughton).  The calendar is comprised of six squares and is surprisingly easy to put together.  I also liked that little ink was needed to print out the templates.  There are two sizes for the calendar and I made the "big" size (about the size of a baseball). You can find the template plus directions to make the calendar at make-origami.com.  Once at the site, scroll down for the template link.

Book Review: Uncommon Cards

Uncommon Cards by Jeanne Williamson

With the holidays over, I'm left with a plethora of paper, ribbon, and packaging.  So, I thought this would be the opportune time to review Uncommon Cards since it's all about making cards with recycled objects.  The book features 52 projects to make stationary using found materials combined with sewn designs.

I decided to test out one of the projects with a leftover nutcracker promotion brochure.  For the green paper, I used a piece of cardstock that comes with the book. The directions were straight forward and the card was easy to make. 

This was the project I modeled my card after.  The projects in the book are versatile allowing one to add their own style to the cards.

One important thing I should point out is that all the cards require machine sewing.  The photo above is a good example.  Even though it is possible to hand stitch the cards, I wouldn't recommend it.  

One of my favorite parts about the book is all the rich textures created from combining different materials and sewing stitches.  Honestly, has a garlic bag ever looked so sophisticated?

To learn more about the Uncommon Cards, click here.

A Belated Happy New Year

I hope all of you were able to enjoy the holidays.  My family and I enjoyed a restful staycation with lots of eating (perhaps a little too much).  In the new year we decided to visit somewhere new and went to Lands End in San Francisco.  It's a lovely park for scenic hikes with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Wishing everyone new adventures in the New Year!