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We’re celebrating 5 years of The DIY Mommy this month! Have you entered my celebratory giveaway yet worth over $500? Over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to share with you some of the most popular tutorials on TheDIYMommy.com over the last five years. Let’s move on to my free printables. Here are the most visited free printables posts from 2009 to today:Continue reading
When I was scouring the web this week for last minute Father’s Day gift ideas (for my hubby from the kids and also for my dad), I was so impressed with how many great, free printables are out there for Father’s Day! Here are some of my favourite Father’s Day free printable gifts – they’d make wonderful last minute presents this weekend.Continue reading
One of my very creative mommy friends, Jenni (she was the one who created this gorgeous tree skirt this past Christmas), organized a “Busy Bag Swap” to take place later today. It’s such a neat idea: a group of us moms are making busy bags (inexpensive, creative little crafts or games that can fit into a bag for our toddlers and preschoolers to play with) and then swapping them over a coffee & playdate so that we have 11 different bags! What a fun way to visit, get some interesting new activities for our kids, and craft.
I decided to put my graphic design skills to use, and I drew this mini road map that can easily fit into a bag for traveling with. I made a “city” and a “country” map, and I put those in a plastic bag with a little toy car.
Little C played with the mini car mats for a while today, so I think they were a success! I originally planned to have the city map on one side and the country map on the other (so there’s just one piece of paper), but my four year old convinced me it was better to have them separate so that the car could visit both places easily. It made sense to me!
I’m sharing these miniature road map printables with you today – they’re a free download just for you! All I ask is that in return, you share this blog post with your friends (use the sharing buttons at the bottom of this post if you wish).
You can print the map as one double sided sheet, or separate them – it’s up to you (and your discerning toddler/preschooler)!
Click on the following link to download a free PDF of this Road Map Busy Bag Printable: Road Map Busy Bag Printable by The DIY Mommy
Next week, I’ll share with you photos from our Busy Bag Swap and links to the creative busy bags all of the moms are making. I’m so excited to see what everyone is bringing!
How was your Holiday week? Did you stuff your face with too many cookies like I did? Did you get to spend it with people you love?
Tomorrow is the first day of 2013. Not only is January 1st New Year’s Day, it is also my oldest daughter’s 4th birthday – it’s a very special day in our family. Little C was born at exactly 12:22 on New Year’s Day in 2009. She wasn’t the first baby born in 2009 in our area, but she was awfully close! That day – January st 2009 – changed my life forever.
Not only does the New Year make me think of what’s important (or what I need to make important) in my life, it now reminds me of one of my most important new(ish) roles: being a mommy.
I know that a gazillion New Year’s Resolutions are made on December 31st and they’re forgotten and not kept. I know that it’s cliche to make them. But, I am a girl who thrives on goals and lists and things to aspire to. January 1st is a special day and I think it’s fitting for me to make some resolutions and try my very best before God, before you and before my family to work towards keeping them.
Here are my New Year’s Resolutions for 2013:
These are my main resolutions for 2013. There might be a few others that pop up throughout the year, but these are the ones I’m choosing to write in stone blog about and keep myself accountable to.
Here’s a free printable for you if you want to share my last resolution (click here to get to the high-resolution version, right-click and save if you wish to keep it and print it as a reminder):
Happy 2013 to all of you! Will you make any New Year’s resolutions this year?
Tomorrow is December 1st and I’ve finally had a chance to put up our little Christmas tree. I didn’t think we’d fit it in our 800 square foot house this year with now two children (and so many baby and preschooler toys and crafts in every nook and cranny), but I made it work. We’re in the process of building a new home on our acreage (our current one that we’ve been living in for over 6 years will become a garage) and I’m calling to action every patient bone in my body as I do my best to wait for it to be done!
I was so proud of my little 3 year old. She was incredibly excited to decorate the tree, and she did most of it except for the very top and the garland. She spaced out the ornaments ever so precisely and alternated between the silver, gold, red and turquoise colours so well. She’s an artistic little one, wouldn’t you say?
I think it’s country-cute and fun and I’m not going to change it one little bit.
I truly cherish the Christmas season, and it’s fun to start new traditions with our little family (and hang on to the old traditions I loved as a child). We can’t do tons of decorating this year because of limited space, but I’m glad we’ve found room for our tree. I’ve also made some 8×10″ artwork from one of my favourite Bible verses that I’ll put in a frame on our living room side table. If you’d like to use it to, please feel free to print it out from this PDF link: The DIY Mommy Christmas Bible Verse Printable (It’s shabby chic in burlap & red – one of my favourite colour and texture combos for Christmas decor!)
It’s Isaiah 9:6:
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.”
I truly hope you have a blessed first week of advent, friends!
by Christina Dennis
Wow, it’s been one of “those” weeks. Er, couple of weeks. I have a baby that is an angel-girl by day and Frankenbaby by night. There have been some things that have happened to close friends and family recently that have been very heartbreaking to see.
Sometimes a mommy has to slip into “survival mode” and do the best she can amidst lack of sleep and difficult circumstances.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I rely on three things when I have days like these: God’s grace, love for my family, and coffee. Good, strong coffee. If you’re like me, you might enjoy this free printable artwork that I am going to hang in my kitchen.
Download this free printable artwork PDF (for personal use): The DIY Mommy – “This Home Runs On…” Free Printable Artwork
What do you rely on when you’re going through a tough time in mommyhood?
Seriously – I would post a picture of my house right now to show you that I’m qualified to hang up this quote on my wall, but I’d rather not.
I find that between kids, a hubby, crafting, and all of the other things this DIY Mommy loves to do that I have very little time for housework… and I really don’t mind. As long as there aren’t dust bunnies in every corner, I’m content.
Click on the following link to download a free PDF printable of this quote I made up after purveying my little prairie home: This Isn’t A Mess – It’s Creative Freedom – Free Printable by The DIY Mommy Are you a “creative-messy” type too?
by Christina Dennis
I had originally heard this old poem from a friend at my first daughter’s baby shower – it’s a poem I often think of when I’m feeling tired and busy. The precious moments with my children will fly by all too quickly, and the moments spent with them are far more important than any other work I could do.Continue reading
I'm Christina - a DIYer and decorator living on the Alberta prairies in a home we built ourselves. My goal is to inspire you to create a cozy home and life you love!
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