Your little ones are home now and looking to be entertained. With a few supplies, you can get started on these super easy Christmas crafts today!

 If you're new to The Makings of Me series, read the intro below.

I like beginnings. The beginning of the day, the beginning of the week, the month, the year… There’s something about the beginning that seems so fresh and opportunistic. It’s like you get a clean slate to start whatever you want to start. A diet, an exercise program, a new perspective, a new you.

I mentioned in a previous post that September is my birthday month and so, it dawned on me that this is the beginning of a new year of life for me. I never viewed my birthday that way before. (I’m telling you…it’s something about the 30s!)I usually only considered January 1, the start of the new year, but really, each birthday signifies a new year of life for that individual. Isn’t that nice!? A beginning!

For the next 12 months, I’ll be taking strides and making efforts to improve this year of life for me. I’ll be doing the things I’ve thought about doing but never followed through on. I’ll be doing the things I know I should do, but don’t. I’ll be intentionally working towards doing and being better in areas of my life that I feel need improvement.

Your birthday may be far off, but really, there’s no time like the present to live the life you want to live. Don’t keep waiting if you’ve felt a tug to do and be a better you! Won’t you join me? Share any things you’re working on and your goals towards self improvement in the comments below. This is exciting! This is the beginning of a new you, and a new me!

Month 3: Mission 3:  Apology Rejected!

It may not feel like it, but there’s still time to bring some holiday cheer into your home that doesn’t involve hanging an ornament, plugging in lights, or using tape, wrapping paper, or scissors! Below are five quick and easy things to do to make your home feel a bit more Christmas-y...in case you needed a few ideas!

 

Today, I just want to point you in the direction of a yummy dairy free and egg free chocolate cake…dessert thing. I’ve been making this for years since my son’s first birthday when a regular cake wouldn’t do because of food allergies. As a nursing mom, I avoided dairy and egg too, so it was a happy day at my house when I found and made this recipe.

 

Have you started an official Christmas countdown in your family? Do you do any special activities each year leading up to Christmas? If not, maybe this is your year to start! Doing things...making memories and starting traditions make the countdown to Christmas morning a treasured journey rather than a rushed event. You probably already have unspoken traditions in place like putting up the tree the day after Thanksgiving, or making cookies, but when you call attention to the little things that you already do or were planning to do, it seems so much more special and that's how memories are formed.

In my house, we've been counting down the days until Christmas on a calendar, but again, I wanted to incorporate some activities and lessons that would help prolong this all too short season. I wanted a daily reminder of the real reason for Christmas in addition to having intentional family fun. Let’s face it, we are all pretty busy and if we don’t schedule or plan for it {even fun things}, it might not happen.

 

 

A colored scarf, a colored bottom, a colored shoe…all these can do the trick of adding a little something extra to an outfit and your overall look. But what about a colored lip? Can lipstick "spruce you up" and make you look a bit more…like something…giving you a bit of color and flavor?

 

Oh friends...

Is anybody still purging, as in cleaning out and getting rid of the unneeded and unwanted items in your home? This is our fifth and final installment of purging in preparation for the holidays so if you missed any, check out the first one here.
 

 

Hey there! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and maybe a day or two of rest thereafter. Whether you did all the cooking, or all the traveling, it’s important to take a breather. I know I needed one!

While I didn’t gather any official statistics, I know this is a busy time of year for travel and many of us will spend quite a bit of time in our cars, dining out, or just lounging with friends and family. This is wonderful and usually quite enjoyable especially for adults, but for toddlers and preschoolers, maybe not so much.  I know many of moms {myself included} who have rushed through meals and hurried through conversations to avoid any potential melt downs or outbursts. Kids may be able to handle idleness for a while, but at some point, they are likely to get antsy… hello childhood!
 

Today, I just want to take a moment to say thank you to my readers! I am soooooo grateful for each person who takes the time to read my posts and comment, either on the blog itself, through personal conversation, and/ or via text. The world is saturated with written information in books, blogs, and all sorts of other publications. So, checking out I’m Mom Me means that you’re reading this blog instead of something else {in that moment} and that makes me happy! Thank you!
 

You know I enjoy a good, simple craft so here are a few Thanksgiving ones you can do with the children in your life!

Pre-reading:  Right before we did each of these crafts, we read a simple Thanksgiving book that discussed why we have Thanksgiving…. the Pilgrims leaving England, the Mayflower, Native Americans {Squanto}, etc.

So, I just finished purging my sweaters and I was pleasantly surprised that at least in this one area, I haven’t been holding on to things that I know I won’t ever wear again. I’m only down three sweaters… probably because I purged sweaters earlier this year when I got an addition to my closet, but none the less, I’ve created a bit more room!

How is your purging coming along? Remember, if you’re behind or haven’t even started, it’s never too late. Set a timer on your phone for 10 minutes and see what kind of progress you can make in any area. Baby steps people. Baby steps.

Let’s keep moving… almost to week five! So, for this week, let’s focus on...

 

During our second purging session, we tackled jackets and coats. While I was in my coat closet, I realized I had a bit of a scarf problem. Not that I had too many, just that they weren’t stored or organized in the most effective way.

Initially, I had them draped across a pant/skirt hanger which worked fine, for the most part, but once I saw some white space in my closet after parting with some old coats, I wanted more...more white space! The scarves hanging on the hanger took up too much space so I needed something different.
 

One of the things that I look forward to during this time of year is receiving Christmas cards in the mail. I eagerly check my box each day anticipating what family I get to see looking great in their Christmas duds. Sadly, many family and friends I know don’t do Christmas cards, but hopefully you’re not one of them. Not only is it a great way to spread Christmas cheer and connect with others, but it’s a great memory and keepsake that I’m sure will be treasured as the years continue to go by.

I mentioned in this post that I say “Awwwww” a lot when looking at things from the past, so you probably aren’t surprised that I have a hard time parting with old Christmas cards. About three years ago, I decided I needed a creative and neat way to store Christmas cards that still allowed me to pull them out during this time of year. If you’re looking for a way to store your Christmas cards, continue reading. This post’s for you!

Is it just me, or does it seem that Thursdays keep rolling around back to back? I mean, it seems like I just did a post about our purging process in preparation for the holidays like two days ago, and yet, here we go again!  

How’s it going, by the way? Have you been purging away? I have to agree with the commenter who said that the hardest part is getting started. Oh, yes it is! But I must say, this is a running theme in my life. I put things off because they seem too hard. I procrastinate because it seems like it will take me forever to make it perfect, so I don’t act. Oh, but when I do… when I stop procrastinating, avoiding, and putting things off…once I actually get started, I am ALWAYS pleasantly surprised at how quickly I am able to get things done. If you’ve been dragging your feet during this purging process, do yourself a favor and just do it! Really, you’ll feel better once you’ve gotten something done.

If you're new to The Makings of Me series, read the intro below.

I like beginnings. The beginning of the day, the beginning of the week, the month, the year… There’s something about the beginning that seems so fresh and opportunistic. It’s like you get a clean slate to start whatever you want to start. A diet, an exercise program, a new perspective, a new you.

I mentioned in a previous post that September is my birthday month and so, it dawned on me that this is the beginning of a new year of life for me. I never viewed my birthday that way before. (I’m telling you…it’s something about the 30s!)I usually only considered January 1, the start of the new year, but really, each birthday signifies a new year of life for that individual. Isn’t that nice!? A beginning!

For the next 12 months, I’ll be taking strides and making efforts to improve this year of life for me. I’ll be doing the things I’ve thought about doing but never followed through on. I’ll be doing the things I know I should do, but don’t. I’ll be intentionally working towards doing and being better in areas of my life that I feel need improvement.

Your birthday may be far off, but really, there’s no time like the present to live the life you want to live. Don’t keep waiting if you’ve felt a tug to do and be a better you! Won’t you join me? Share any things you’re working on and your goals towards self improvement in the comments below. This is exciting! This is the beginning of a new you, and a new me!

Month 2: Mission 2- Eat right!

I’ll admit… I’m feeling a little behind on my Christmas shopping already! I like being prepared and since Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I don’t have many gifts stashed away yet, I’m almost about to feel rushed. But…I have laid the ground work {thanks gift notes} and should be able to knock things out fairly quickly…once I get the ball rolling.

 

It’s week 2 of our purging process in preparation for the holidays! How’s it going? Or, how did you go? Did you part ways with some shoes and books that were no longer useful?

I am proud to say that I am 22 pairs of shoes and 20 books lighter! Yay! My house lost weight! Be sure to leave your success in the comments below. Also tell us what you plan to do with the books and shoes your family no longer needs.

While I am not a hoarder, I do keep A LOT of things. Like, a lot. I say, “Awwwwwwwww” frequently when looking at things from the past and that keeps me from getting rid of items that I really don’t need to keep anymore. I have notes and letters from over 20 years ago and movie stubs and receipts…and many, many, many items…just because. Since we have 4 more weeks of purging, I feel like I need some reminders to keep my focused and out of that nostalgic “Awwwww” mode. I pulled out a few words of wisdom that have helped in the past and should hopefully help now to keep us focused on ridding our homes of unnecessary things.

 

Gift Notes:  A Planned Approach for Gifting

 

Well, I think it’s pretty much official! The Holiday Season is here! I was hoping I could wait until around Thanksgiving to really get underway with Christmas and all that it entails, but no go. It’s here. Sigh. Get ready!

Today I'm sharing my new strategy for not only gift giving, but also keeping track of the gifts I've given. I realize this method may be a bit much for some, but I enjoy making lists and keeping track of things, so this approach is right up my alley. I'm sure there are many ways to adapt this method to fit your style, including using an app on your phone. But for my pen and paper folks, my strategy may work for you!

Have you ever forgotten what you've purchased someone from one year to the next or couldn't remember if a gift you gave was for someones birthday or Christmas? While ultimately, we know this isn't important, it matters when you're like me and want to give nice, thoughtful gifts that preferably, you didn't give them just the year before!  In the digital age, where everything is computerized and synchronized through Google calendar, I still enjoying jotting things down the old fashioned way.

Enter gift notes.

photo credit

 

Have you started thinking about Christmas yet? The process of decking the halls, giving gifts, holiday meals, and generally being merry? Of course, the true joy of Christmas has little to do with the things I just mentioned and everything to do with Jesus...

Christmas always seems to bring more. More fellowship, more food, more time off, and inevitably, more stuff. Even if you don’t receive a lot of tangible gifts for Christmas, chances are someone in your house does {like your children} and if you don’t have any children, you’re probably buying many things for other people’s children, which means you have to have somewhere to store those gifts until the big day.

I’ve been thinking a lot about friendships lately….relationships and connections…community and belonging… all these very natural and inevitable desires we have simply because we’re human. We’re created this way. To want interactions with others.

I haven’t gained or lost a friend lately…I don’t think. Maybe friendships have been on my mind because I marvel at how my children can make friends at the park, in Payless, or the doctor’s office in 1.4 seconds. How my son has a “best friend” who isn’t related to him or imaginary. Maybe it’s because now that I’m thirty-something, I see that my friend circle is more like a semi-circle. I’m ok with that. But with so many things vying for our time and energy, friendships, just like any other relationship require work and effort to maintain.

 
Peer groups aren’t just for children and adolescents, they are important for adults as well. They give us an outlet by which we gain perspective, insight, and knowledge as we venture through life at about the same point on our journey {give or take…of course this varies}. Peers give us that connection and community we crave and can offer advice and affirmation as we do the best we
can to live a happy, fulfilling life.

Because our peer relationships often get put on the back burner, I thought it’d be fun to purposefully peep out our peers with some simple tips to get us feeling good and friendly! You down, Homie?

In my Five Days of Fall series, I talked about attending a fair, carnival, harvest festival or something similar as a way to embrace Falls arrival. The State Fair just wrapped up around these parts, and I’d bet the biggest attraction for most adults is the cuisine! {Can I say cuisine? That word makes me think of fresh food meticulously prepared using only the finest ingredients that’s garnished with other fresh leafy herbs just before serving on nice plates. State fair food is greasy, fattening, and slightly unsanitary at best. I’ll just call it food!}

 

Is it the last Friday in October already? Yep! So that means this is the final installment of Feel Good Friday. Remember, the point of this series was to get in a better place…a place of gratitude and giving, as we enter into the holiday season. Naturally, however, the habits and strategies discussed and started this month would be beneficial to continue well after the holidays are over. They should be woven into our lives on a regular basis.

Are you a list maker? Do you make to-do lists and then reflect on how much you still have to do at the end of the day? Do you sometimes criticize yourself for not getting more done? If so, this tip is for you!

Feel Good Friday Tip #4:  Keep an ‘I Did It’ List

The logic here is quite simple. At the day’s end, instead of feeling like a loser for not doing more, applaud yourself for what you did do and write it down on your ‘I Did It’ list! Whenever I wallow in this space…this space of thinking of all the things I was able to do that day, I immediately feel good! Like, literally a rush of goodness surges through my body because I feel accomplished. While I may not have done it all, at least I was able to (fill in the blank). And my accomplishments are not always grand…I celebrate little things like finally washing the rugs in the bathroom or making time to write a friend back or taking the children to the park. All of that makes me feel good!

Do you do this? Do you focus more on what you didn’t do than on what you did do? If so, I challenge you to keep an ‘I Did It’ list and really feel the goodness that comes from celebrating progress, one baby step at a time. 

Click here to print an ‘I Did It’ list to use for a week. If you feel better by doing this, come back and print it again and again and be sure to leave a comment below!

If you missed any of the Feel Good Friday posts, click the links below to catch up on the good feelings!

 

Feel Good Friday Tip #1

Feel Good Friday Tip #2

Feel Good Friday Tip #3

 

So, about that apple recipe… I went back and forth on what to make and finally decided on making Apple Butter! Have you ever heard of that? I had not…I mean, I have seen various recipes online and read other blogs raving about it, but it always seemed odd to me. What exactly would I do with this Apple Butter if I did make it! Well, let me share some things with you since I did indeed make a small batch yesterday. {I was only able to make half this recipe because 3 of my apple went missing...}

I am not a natural decorator. Meaning…I can just look at a room and tell you what it needs and where to place everything. I have to find inspiration elsewhere, and then I can incorporate my own style and taste. When I said I was going to make a Fall wreath in my Five Days of Fall series, I went straight to Google for guidance! There are so many options out there! At first, I thought I wanted to make a burlap wreath but then I saw this one (on this amazing blog…talk about creativity and craftiness!!!) and decided to make it instead.

 

Check out the link above or click here for step by step instructions!

 

 My supplies after a trip to Michael's.

 

My wreath...but I thought it needed a few more berries at the bottom.

 

 

 There, all done!

 



Having never made a wreath from scratch before, I was pretty proud of myself! Who cares if I copied the entire idea from someone else?! And, if you don’t have a Fall wreath and like the one I have shown today, then please, let’s keep the copying going!

 

Now for the pumpkin...we didn't do much with pumpkins growing up in my family. There was no carving or picking out pumpkins every year. I knew this was something I wanted to do just because of all the fun my children had visiting the pumpkin patch last year. Plus, pumpkins are relatively cheap and definitely speak to Fall and this time of year.

 

Once again, Google showed me there are countless ways to decorate a pumpkin...without carving it! You can stencil it, put ribbon on it, or adorn it with a variety of other things. But when I saw this pumpkin decorating kit at the Dollar Tree, I knew this was the way to go!

 

 One pack of foam stickers from the Dollar Tree.

 

One small pumpkin from the grocery store.

 

One decorated pumpkin!

Did you make a wreath or a pumpkin? Send me a pic! I’d love to see it!

 

You may remember from my Five Days of Fall  series (Try it Edition) I mentioned making a hearty soup as one of the things to try now that Fall is here. Well, I did! See below for recipe!

Got a few extra minutes you need to fill entertaining a toddler or preschooler? Try these super, duper simple pumpkin decorating ideas.

Materials:

Orange construction paper (for the pumpkin)
Green or brown construction paper (for the stem)
Tape or glue
Paint
Crayons
Markers
Stickers (any kind will do)
Googly eyes (optional)
Pipe cleaners (optional)

Prep work:

*Cut out circles or circle-ish shapes to use as pumpkins. I traced a circular object I had, but you can free hand! No pumpkin has a perfectly round shape!

*Cut out rectangle and square shapes to make the stems for the pumpkins.

Cut out at least 5 pumpkins for one child, but I cut out several more just so we could make more than one each day!

Day 1:

Decorate the pumpkin using crayons! Have the child select any colors he/she wants or you can make suggestions that reinforce color recognition like, “Let’s use purple to color in the bottom of the pumpkin.”

Day 2:
Make a face on the pumpkin! Use the googly eyes and pipe cleaner to make a funny face. No googly eyes or pipe cleaner? Use crayons, marker or other pieces of paper to make a face!

Day 3:
Decorate the pumpkin using stickers! Depending on the age of the child you are working with, you may have to already have the stickers pulled up making them easy to grab. For my 2 year old, I take all the stickers off the sheet and place the tip of the sticker on the edge of our table or on the edge of a cookie sheet. For my 4 year old, I don’t do this. Use whatever kind of stickers you like! I used these Fall leaf stickers I found in the Dollar Spot at Target.

Day 4: 

Decorate the pumpkin with paint…using Q-Tips! This is easily becoming my newest favorite way to allow my children to paint! Q-tips are cheap, they don’t have to be rinsed off or washed after use, and they are great for developing pre-writing skills! Set out a few Q-tips and some paint, and let the child create a unique pumpkin!

Day 5:
Decorate the pumpkin using markers! I like to make sure my children use both markers and crayons weekly. While very similar, the functions of these writing utensils are slightly different.

Bonus (and keepsakes): Cover the child’s hand in paint and make a handprint on the pumpkin. Write the child’s name and date on the back. Laminate for durability and you have a keepsake to save or share with loved ones!

Well, hello and happy Friday! 

I hope this post finds you counting your blessings and doing random acts of kindness! I’m pretty excited to share the 3^rd tip for Feel Good Friday because it’s a biggie. I mean, it’s a game changer, but the thing is, like anything else worth having, you have to actually put in work! And quite frankly, I know that sometimes…many times, we just don’t feel like doing whatever it is we know we should do or what we could do. There are many factors that play into why we don’t do things we know we should do or that we want to do. One of the biggest reasons is that we are comfortable where we are and don’t want to push pass those initial awkward feelings because we are so use to doing things the way we’ve always done them. Change can be hard, my friends, but it is so doable and worth it!

Feel Good Tip #3:  Give what you want!

So, what areas of lack do you feel there are in your life? What do you want more of?  More money, more praise and recognition on your job, more romance, more communication with your friends and family? Whatever you feel you need more of…GIVE MORE OF IT! Simple as that.

Tell me in the comments what you plan to give more of and how you plan to do it. For example, if you want more money then you’ll be giving more money in support of charitable causes by sending a check to an organization or group. If you want more recognition, then start recognizing other people for their efforts by verbalizing the positive things you notice in their work.

If you’ve already experienced this in your life (the give to get phenomenon) and know it to be true, share your experience! We’d love to hear it!  

Happy Friday!

Are you still counting your blessings? Like for real…by writing them down on paper? I’ll be honest…I’ve forgotten a few nights so I’ll be sharing soon what I’m doing to combat that. Let’s make being grateful part of our daily lives, forever and ever…

Feel Good Tip#2:  Do random acts of kindness!

There’s something powerful about being kind to someone who’s not expecting it or doing something out of the norm just to show your thanks and appreciation. There’s something special about being generous and doing more than your fair share. It makes the ordinary, extraordinary.

So, you may be wondering what exactly I mean by ‘random acts of kindness’ because the word random doesn’t always evoke nice thoughts. We could easily substitute the word unexpected or super nice for the word random. Essentially, I’m saying do a nice gesture for someone, just because. Do something that you thought about doing for a split second but then decided you didn’t have time to carry it out. Do that thing that you think, “It would be nice if…” The biggest thing here is to DO SOMETHING! So often our good deeds stay trapped in our heads. Let’s act on them and touch someone’s heart.

Here are some examples of random acts of kindness I have done or plan to do.

1.       Give people coupons in the check-out lanes when I see they have something in their cart that I have coupons for.

2.    Write a kind letter to someone or a business.

3.    Prepare a home cooked meal for someone and deliver it to them.

4.    Plan an outing for or with someone just because it’s something they like to do.

5.     Donate things.

6.    Pay off or pay something on someone’s lay away plan at a participating retailer.

7.     Be a good listener, despite being tired.

8.    Give goodie bags to the homeless.

9.    Give of my time, without accepting anything tangible in return.

The possibilities are endless! What random acts of kindness have you done and what do you plan to do in the coming days? Have you ever been on the receiving end of a random act of kindness? How did it make you feel?

I like beginnings. The beginning of the day, the beginning of the week, the month, the year… There’s something about the beginning that seems so fresh and opportunistic. It’s like you get a clean slate to start whatever you want to start. A diet, an exercise program, a new perspective, a new you.

I mentioned in a previous post that September is my birthday month and so, it dawned on me that this is the beginning of a new year of life for me. I never viewed my birthday that way before. (I’m telling you…it’s something about the 30s!)I usually only considered January 1, the start of the new year, but really, each birthday signifies a new year of life for that individual. Isn’t that nice!? A beginning!

For the next 12 months, I’ll be taking strides and making efforts to improve this year of life for me. I’ll be doing the things I’ve thought about doing but never followed through on. I’ll be doing the things I know I should do, but don’t. I’ll be intentionally working towards doing and being better in areas of my life that I feel need improvement.

O to the… C to the…! October is here and so, you know what that means. The Holiday Season is practically here. We just welcomed in Fall and it seems like we’ll go straight from pumpkins and leaves to Christmas trees and presents! Stores all around are already stocking shelves with Christmas décor to usher in this fun time of year. But for many people, the Holiday Season also brings extra stress and anxiety. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of going, going, going during this time of year and feel pressure to keep up and do more. To get our minds right before that time of year is completely upon us, I’ve created Feel Good Fridays. Each Friday in October, I’ll be sharing simple things we can do to help get, and hopefully keep us in a spirit of love and thankfulness. After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?!

Feel Good Tip #1:  Count your blessing!

Ah yes, how many times have you heard this one? The logic and practice of counting your blessing is certainly not a new idea. In fact, entire books are written on the subject of gratitude and the positive implications it can have on your life. Starting today and for the remainder of the month (or whatever you can realistically do…although I’ll bet you’ll want to make this a permanent habit) COUNT YOUR BLESSING! And I mean, really count them by writing them out somewhere. I feel that the act of writing helps draw your attention to what you’re thinking and feeling. Just listing things in your head is good, but it makes your thought much more fleeting. We want to really focus on all that we have to be thankful for and having a written account also allows us to reflect on it and review it at a later date.

Challenge yourself to come up with at least 5 things everyday without repeating, if possible.

Do you keep a gratitude journal? What ways do you like to reflect on your blessings?

Do you ever feel like there is a disconnect between the person you are and the person you want to be? Like somehow your actual self and your envisioned self do not line up? Do you ever set goals and promise yourself you’ll adopt new habits, new perspectives and outlooks and overall just do better? Then, do you fail? Do you not do want you wanted to do, what you planned to do, what you promised yourself that ‘from now on’ you would do? Well, I’m there.

For the fifth and final day of 5 Days of Fall, I’ll be sharing some super simple crafts to do with any children in your life. The web abounds with craft activities to do with children, but I wanted the ones I shared to be really, really easy. The kind that don’t involve spending $50 at Michael’s and buying extra supplies like wire cutters, fabric paint, and foam brushes. Now, don’t get me wrong, those crafts are fun, but I wanted these to be basic.

Supplies Needed

*Computer and Printer (to print a coloring page and leaf letters)

*Markers
*Crayons
*White printer paper
*Leaves from outside
*Children’s paint (optional but recommended)
*Q-tips (optional but recommended)
*Blank canvas (optional)
*Brown construction paper (optional)

Craft Activity #1
Do a simple coloring page and begin a discussion about Fall, Fall colors, what happens in Fall, etc.
You can print this Fall coloring page.

Craft Activity #2
Leaf rubbing. Get a leaf or 2 from outside and place it under your white computer paper with the veiny side of the leaf facing the paper. Using a crayon (on its side) color over the leaf to reveal an outline of the leaf.

Craft Activity #3
Fall leaves are falling down. Take a piece of white paper and draw a tree trunk or use brown construction paper to cut one out. Once the trunk is on the paper, make some branches. Have the child use Q-tips to paint dots/ leaves in Fall colors falling from the tree.

Craft Activity #4
Fall canvas art. Using a blank canvas, give your child a paint brush and allow him/her to create a masterpiece using Fall colors. No canvas? Just use white paper.

Craft Activity #5
Leaf letters. There are many things you can do with these leaf letters. You can create your own by cutting out the outline of a leaf and writing a letter on the leaf. You can create a leaf for each letter of the child’s name or you can use another word like Fall or Autumn. Once you have all the leaf letters, you can hole punch the top of each letter and string together to create garland or bunting effect. You can also leave the letters apart and talk about one letter a day by writing other words your child knows on the back that start with that same letter. For example, if the letter is “C”, you could pronounce the C sound and then write the word cup on the back. These could also be used like flashcards. The possibilities and variations obviously depend on the age of the child. The activities I described are with at least a 1 year old in mind, but of course it’s never too early to talk to a child! Adapt up or down as needed!

Below are leaf letters like those used in the above picture.

Leaf Letters A-B
Leaf Letters C-D
Leaf Letters E-F
Leaf Letters G-H
Leaf Letters I-J
Leaf Letters K-L
Leaf Letters M-N
Leaf Letters O-P
Leaf Letters Q-R
Leaf Letters S-T
Leaf Letters U-V
Leaf Letters W-X
Leaf Letters Y-Z

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to share any Fall crafts you enjoy…for children or adults!

Have a great weekend!