How to Give an Old Frame an Updated Farmhouse Look

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Have you ever walked by the clearance aisle or been at a yard sale and bought something because it was only $1 or so?  That's what this frame was for me...clearance at Hobby Lobby impulse buy.  

From a distance I kind of liked it  (this was about 7 or 8 years ago).  It was big, I love red, and the scrolly lettering looked kind of cool so I grabbed it and didn't even think to read it until I got home.  That's when I fell out of love with it.  We used it for a while but eventually it was shoved in a closet where all of the other items I have bought go until I get around to fixing them.  We're talking years!

Last month inspiration finally hit and I am in LOVE with this frame now!  It now has more of a modern farmhouse look that I love.  It's amazing what some paint, wood, and stain can do.  It doesn't hurt that these are some of my favorite pictures :)

Those pictures are from the night we got engaged.  We look so little!  

You probably don't have the same frame I have but this will work with any frame (canvas, sign, etc.) with a straight edge.  Check your stash of frames or turn some of those unfinished frames you find at the craft store into a showstopper!

Here's how to do it.

Optional step:  If you have any type of design or lettering on your frame gently sand it down to avoid seeing it through your new, beautiful paint job.  Or if its not wood but plastic (I think its plastic..I don't know what it is) gently sand where you are going to paint.  It will give your paint something to grip. My frame is not wood so I can tell you paint will work.

Next Paint!  I recommend chalk paint.  It works on pretty much any surface.  I tried acrylic at first and eventually gave up.  I used this brand in white Adirondack.  It works great, its inexpensive, and last bottle of paint seems to last forever!  Also I use these brushes.  It makes a huge difference in quality and I think speed then using a regular or foam brush.  It took about 3 coats.

Now its time to build your frame.

The edge of my frame was about the same width as my wood so it sits flush if your frame is smaller you will have more of a traditional framed farmhouse sign.  However, if you like the flushed look (and your frame is thinner then your wood) lay your frame face down instead of face up when attaching your wood.  Let me know if you need me to clarify this a little more :)

I use cheap 1x2 furring strips for my frames.  They are around $1 each.  Measure the bottom of your frame and the top of your frame and cut your boards to match. Move into place for the next measurement.

For the sides you are going to measure from the top corner of your "frame" at the top to the bottom of your "frame" at the bottom.  Cut your wood.  Here's a close up of the corners.

Here's a better visual from another project I made. There are some more detailed instructions in that post as well. (find it here).

Here's what your frame should look like.  Now that its all cut to size paint or stain your wood.  (I love this stain).  For this project I used ebony.

Once your stain is dry its time to attach your frame.  Move your wood into place and glue together with wood glue (this stuff works great).  That's all I used but you can add a few nails with a nail gun.  I'm not putting any weight on the actual wood frame so just the glue has worked for me.

I can be Kind (Lesson helps for Primary 2 Lesson 28)

I've created a few primary lesson helps to go along with Lesson 28 I can be Kind (primary 2).  You can find the lesson here.  These ideas can also be used for Family Home Evening.  I also like to print the coloring pages for our church bag that my kids use during Sacrament Meeting.

We are going to do the map activity and act out the story of the Good Samaritan like in the lesson.

I made some story cards for the story about Luisa and Todd.  Print and cut the cards apart.  Show at the appropriate time in the story.

Situation cards-Print and cut apart.  Have the kids take turns drawing one.  Read the situation and answer the question.

Scripture read or cut into puzzle pieces

Enrichment activities:

Goes along with #1.
I can be kind to others drawing page and 3 coloring pages.  Some kids love to draw and others love to color so use what works best for your class.  There are 2 other coloring pages included that are not pictured here.  I found the cutest graphics and just had to use all of them!

I can be kind bucket list.  Works best for older classes.  During the lesson work together to come up with 5 ways they can be kids during the week.  Have them write them down on the lines.  As they complete each task they can check or color the box.  Have them share with you the tasks they complete next week.

Goes with #2

I can be kind game-cake walk.  Print and cut out the hearts (there are 8).  Place them in a circle on the floor.  Have the kids each stand on one.  Play music (there are a few suggested in the lesson-Jesus Said Love Everyone, “Kindness Begins with Me”,  “A Special Gift Is Kindness”).  As the music is playing have them reverently walk around the circle stepping on the hearts as they go.  Randomly stop the music and have them freeze on the closest heart.  Ask each child how they can be kind to the person on their heart.  Once everyone has answered start the music again and play again.

Goes with Activity #3
reminder bracelets-instead of tying a piece of string around their fingers I have some cute little reminder bracelets.  Print and cut.  You can print them on colored paper or have the kids color them.  Once you are done tape them around their wrist.  For some of the smaller kids you might want to cut a little off the ends.

One other idea I had-There is a cute story in the friend this month called A Friend Like Mark.  Share this story and then take turn tossing a ball into a basket.  Each time it goes in the basket have them share a way they can be kind this week.

Download Lesson Helps Here!

Adorable graphics from Graphics From the Pond,  Melonheadz, Oh So Cute O'Flaherty, Krista Wallden - Creative Clips, Educlips  and fonts by Hello Literacy

26 Fun Holidays to Celebrate with Your Kids in August

Can you believe its already August and school starts in just a few weeks (I know some have already started!).  The summer goes by way to quickly.  To celebrate the last few days of summer I've rounded up some pretty fun holidays to celebrate with your kids this month.  

We've been using these calendars all year and my kids still think they are so fun!  We pick a few and for the most part keep it pretty simple.  You do not need to celebrate all of them (we don't) just pick and choose what works for you and your family.

Download a copy of the calendar, print, display, and have fun.  

Download your copy here

I'll be posting ideas as I finalize my plans and also as we celebrate some of these holidays.  My hope is that this will be something fun for your family and a way to create some special memories.  I'd love to hear your ideas and see pictures of your celebrations!

Amazing graphics by:   Prettygrafik, Melonheadz, Krista Wallden - Creative Clips, My cute Graphics, ChalkStar, Chirp Graphics, Educlips ,Empty Jar Illustrations, Designed by Danielle,  P4 Clips Trioriginals, Lita Lita, Rosella's Room, and fonts by Hello Literacy

Free Printable Alphabet Flashcards

I'm so excited to share with you these adorable alphabet flashcards.  If you have a little one learning the abc's this is for you.  I've found some of the cutest graphics to go along with each letter.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Use them to practice letters, for games, turn it into a book, or hang them on your wall.  There are so many possibilities.  I printed mine on cardstock and laminated them.  I keep mine on a ring and we use it to sing our favorite abc songs-I like the tune of this one and this one but we change it up and use what's pictured on our cards instead.

Download your Alphabet Cards Here!

I'd love to hear how you use them!

Adorable graphics from Krista Wallden - Creative Clips, Jen Hart Design, Teacher's Gumbo, my cute graphics, Lovely Jubblies Teach, Creating4 the Classroom,  Melonheadz, P4 Clips Trioriginals, The TLC Shop, Marcelle's KG Zone,  Wish Upon a Teacher, Glitter Meets Glue Designs, Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs, Prettygrafik, DH Kids, Chirp Graphics, Lesya Skripak,  ESL World Store, and font by Hello Literacy

I Can Help Others Be Happy By Sharing (Primary 2 Lesson 27)

I have a few fun lesson helps for you today!  These go along with Lesson 27 "I can help others be happy by sharing."  You can find the lesson here.  You can download all of these for free at the end of this post.  This would also be great for a Family Home Evening about sharing or Jesus feeding the 5,000.

 Story cards for the scripture story Jesus feeding the 5,000.  Print and cut the cards apart.

For the questions that go along with the story I created this cute basket with bread fish.  The kids can take turns pulling one out and answering the question. 

In the download the basket looks like this-Print (preferably on cardstock) and cut around the 2 baskets.  Do not cut the bottom where they meet.  Fold the white part back and tape or staple around the basket to create a pocket.

Print and cut out the bread and fish and put them in the basket.  Here's a close up of some of the bread.

I also included a coloring page to go along with one of the activities in the enrichment activity section.  There's a spot for them to draw a picture of themselves sharing.

Download your free pack here!

Adorable graphics from P4 Clips Trioriginals, Charlotte's Clips,  Clever Cat Creations, Blue Blossom Designs, Chirp Graphics,  and, Educlips,   

Choosing the Right Gives me a Happy Feeling (Primary 2 Lesson 26)

This weeks lesson is so much fun!  Lesson 26 is "Choosing the Right Gives me a Happy Feeling."  (you can find it here).  I am following the lesson right out of book but have some awesome lesson helps to make teaching and planning a little easier for you.  Pick and choose what works for you.  All of these activities are ready for you to print in the downloads at the bottom of this post.  This would also be really fun to use for FHE.

Here's my plan.

Start with the bean activity.

Story of Angela.  I have some cute story cards.  Print and cut apart.

Story Discussion

Happy and Sad face.  I'm going to cut and put each one on a Popsicle stick.

Repentance poster with the 2 steps.  Display while teaching this part of the lesson.

Scripture Story- Prodigal Son puppets

 Scripture-If your class is old enough to read-cut apart the scriptures and pass them out to your class to read.

Make puppets! Give each child 2 of these blank faces (there's a girl and a boy option).  Have them draw a happy face on one and a sad face on the other one.  Color and attach to Popsicle sticks.

CTR board Game-Divide the class into 2 teams.  Each team starts by rolling the dice and moving the correct number of circles.  If they land on one of the CTR spaces they get to roll again. Then pick a card.  Read the scenario on the card (I've included the ones from the lesson as well as many others).  Decide if its a good choice or a bad choice and if it would make you happy or sad.  Have them raise the correct puppet.  If its a wrong choice ask what should you do? 

To set up the board game: Print the board (2 pages), the senario cards (2 pages), and the dice.  I recommend cardstock.    Tape the 2 pages of the board together.  You may need to trim where they meet to match it up correctly.  Cut all the cards apart.  Cut the dice around the solid black line.  fold the dotted lines and tape together.  Use are game pieces you have at home or different colored buttons for markers. 

Sing if you're happy and you know it with the new words-I've included these in the download.  Print, cut apart, and let the kids draw one.

If time:

1. Use the puppets to sing smile.

2. Sing or listen to the song "Choose the Right way."  Bring a ball or two and sit in a cirlce.  Hand the ball to one child.  When they hear the phrase "choose the right" pass the ball to the right.  When the hear the word happy pass it to the left.  Add more balls or change the key words for a fun variety.

Finally I included some little treat bag gift tags.  I'm going to put a few jelly beans in a bag with this  little tag tied to it.  The jelly beans are to remind them of the pebble at the beginning of the lesson.  As you pass them out remind them of the pebble, how uncomfortable it made them feel and how happy they were when they took it out of their shoe.  Repentance is like taking the pebble out of our shoe.  It feels good to have the problem gone.

Download your lesson helps here and here.

Adorable graphics from P4 Clips Trioriginals,Graphics From the Pond,  Educlips, Melonheadz,  Instruct and Inspire, Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs  and fonts by Hello Literacy

Ice Cream Cone Wappers

Tomorrow is National ice Cream Day and I have a fun guest post for you today!

Did you know Americans ate 1.54 billion gallons of ice cream in 2015? That’s 30,000,000 bathtubs full, or 2,300 Olympic-sized swimming pools! But what can we say? Nobody can resist a sweet vanilla cone on a hot summer day. It’s just not possible.

So, in related news, National Ice Cream Day is coming up on July 15th. It isn’t every day we get an excuse to eat dessert all day, so I’m getting prepared! This is a great opportunity to spend the day outside with the kiddos while eating some sweet frozen treats. Break out the swimsuits or yard games, fire up the grill, lay out the sundae toppings, and spend some quality time!

To really make the festivities special, Shari’s Berries designed a bunch of super cute printable wrappers for ice cream cones. Have the kids pick out their favorite ones and help them wrap the cones. They can even add their own personal touch with markers or stickers. They can choose from tropical, fruity, and polka-dotted wrappers (to name a few). It’ll really add a fun and mess-free flair to an already fun activity: eating ice cream!

These are a few absolutely delicious and totally decadent topping combinations:

S’mores: chocolate syrup, marshmallow, crumbled graham crackers

Elvis: peanut butter chips, banana slices, bacon strips (!!)

The Ballgame: caramel syrup, peanuts, buttered popcorn, cherry on top

Breakfast Sundae: frozen Greek yogurt, banana slices, your favorite cereal, peanut butter drizzle

Take advantage of school being out and spend some time with friends and family. Make it even better with some chocolate-vanilla swirl in an adorably wrapped cone! No mess!