Color Week: Plum

It has been so fun to participate in Fall Color Week! Thanks to Meg of Elsie Marley for conceiving the idea and organizing it, and thanks to my fellow participants!

Today's color is plum, which I had a bit of a hard time with. I even bought plums at the grocery store this week, but their color was not at all right! So here's a selection of purple things; hopefully one of them counts!

purple petunia (looked a lot plummier in person!)



Black Knight butterfly bush in our backyard

Color Week: Chestnut

toasted hazelnuts

Color Week: Goldenrod

I have to say, Goldenrod is one of my favorite colors, bar none. Not even just from the Crayola box. We're talking of all time. I just love it. So happy. Not too dark, not too pale. Sadly, my mom says I shouldn't wear yellow. Ah, the irony of life.

an iris (haha, just kidding)

Color Week: Burnt Sienna

the top half of the chimenea we bought at the coast last year, the bottom half of which literally went up in flames



thyme and rosemary--the only herbs I have ever successfully grown in our backyard; this is three years worth of growth you're looking at!



our japanese maple just beginning to change colors as the weather cools down

Color Week: Brick Red

Quite a while ago, I stumbled across a collection of blogs that were all participating in a magical thing called "Color Week". I've been waiting ever since for another Color Week to come along so that I could join in the fun. And it's finally here! And I'm first on the list posted at Elsie Marley! And I can't find anything Brick Red to photograph! So here is a picture of a September wreath I made on September 1st. I have summer wreaths, and I have Halloween wreaths, but I wanted something to bridge the gap. Apples and pencils seemed like the perfect thing, and I do believe those apples are brick red. Enjoy!

Hearts & Handprints

I found myself without gifts for my mom and mother-in-law a few days before Mother's Day this year. With some scraps of decorative paper, a few inexpensive picture frames, and about 30 minutes, the kids and I were able to create a meaningful keepsake that both grandmas loved. It would also be a great gift for grandparents on Christmas, birthdays, or Grandparent's Day, which is this Sunday! Don't worry, it's not too late! Grab your supplies and get started now!

Materials:

• 2 pieces of coordinating decorative paper, 1 for the handprint and 1 for the heart--For my 2 kids, I just flip-flopped the paper for the second child, but you could easily choose a different set of papers for each child.
• pencil
• scissors
• heart punch or heart template--To make a heart template (one that is symmetrical and can be used on each handprint you make), take a small square of cardstock or thin cardboard, fold it in half, and cut out half of a heart. Open it up, and voila! You have a heart-shaped template.
• white cardstock
• double-stick tape or adhesive of your choice
• regular scotch tape
• 1 picture frame for each handprint--I used a double frame.
• nice ink pen
  

Instructions:

• On a clean work surface, flip over the piece of paper you intend to use for the handprint so that it is wrong-side up. Trace your child's hand print lightly with pencil.

• Carefully cut out the handprint.
• Using either a heart punch or a heart-shaped template, cut a heart out of the coordinating piece of paper.

• Apply adhesive to the back of the heart. Carefully position it in the center of the handprint, and press to attach.

• Cut out a piece of white cardstock that is A) exactly the same size as the opening on your frame if there is no mat, or B) slightly larger than the opening on your mat if there is one.
• Apple adhesive to the back of the handprint. Carefully position it in the center of the white cardstock, and press to attach. Don't worry if it isn't centered exactly or is slightly crooked. You can fix this in a minute.

• If you want to write the child's name and year on the picture somewhere, do that now.

• If there is no mat with your frame, place the handprint into the frame behind the glass, replace the frame back, and you're done! If there is a mat with your frame, continue with the next step.
• Place a piece of scotch tape on the back of the cardstock so that half of it is stuck to the cardstock and half of it isn't stuck to anything. The handprint should be facing up, and the tape should be sticky-side up. Lay the cardstock carefully on your work surface.

• Take the mat right-side up, carefully position it over the cardstock so that the handprint is centered and place it right on top of the cardstock. Gently press where the tape is to attach the mat to the cardstock.

• Gently flip over the mat, and apply another piece of scotch tape to each edge of the cardstock so that it is securely fastened to the mat.

• Place the mat back in the frame so that the handprint is facing out, replace the frame back, and you're done!

• Repeat with as many other handprints as you want!!

Hello September