This year, my Mom was showing me the Valentine's Day boxes that her kiddos made. I was pretty impressed. There was a robot one from her youngest
and a plane from another.
I went on Pinterest with my kids to look at ideas. Especially since today was a snow day. We had some more snow and ice. Not enough to make a snowman or snowball fight, but enough to make it slippery.
My kids have basically had a 4 day weekend. And unless they are playing video games, they are getting bored of being indoors. So I showed them Valentine's Day box ideas. And asked what they thought. They were super excited. Mostly because they love doing crafts and are not intimidated by them like I am. I'm getting bolder with my creativity. Much like I used to be when I decorated a wooden doll house I built with my Dad. I created a board on Pinterest for the ideas we liked most. They each picked a theme for their boxes. My oldest wanted a Plants vs Zombies box, my other son wanted to make his look like an Xbox console and my daughter wanted Elsa's castle.
We got started. I scrounged around and managed to find 3 boxes. While looking for paper to cover them, I actually found a shoe box. After I had already started using the tissue box and two small Amazon boxes... But it's all good. I will keep that shoe box for another project later.
We covered my oldest sons box with green construction paper, the middle had black construction paper and the castle was done in blue construction paper with blue card stock paper for parts of it. My husband was a huge help in getting the details just right. After my middle boy had the bright idea to trace a real Xbox controller (I'm so proud that he thought of it himself!), my husband worked with him to create the details and make it look like an actual controller.
For the princess castle, I had beads and ribbon to add little decorations. She wanted a snowy look, so I used pearls to look like delicate snow falling. We printed a tiny Elsa picture to put in the doorway too. We used toilet paper rolls to make the towers on the corners.
I'm not a Plants vs Zombies fan, so I had to follow my sons lead and have him tell me what he wanted. I also found one that had been made on Pinterest and loosely followed the design on the box we made. We printed out characters since he didn't have toy versions.
Overall, I'd say I'm pretty impressed. These look fantastic! And my kids are going to be the cats pajamas when they bring them to class to collect their Valentine's. What about you? Are you and your kids making anything like this? This could even be good for on the office desk... After all, who says employees can't give Valentine's? Share your ideas in the comments below!
I've been searching for unique gifts for family and friends this year. Especially since it can be tiring to give the same old things each year. You know what I mean. Fruit basket. Movie. Gift Cards. Don't get me wrong, sometimes that is the best thing to get someone. But sometimes, I like to shake it up. And this subscription box could be just what the doctor ordered.
*Disclaimer: I received these products free of charge in exchange for my honest review. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are my own.*
Creativity is a dying skill in this world. Rare are the people who can take ordinary objects, add some skill and voilà - you have an extraordinary work of art. I'd like to say that I'm one of those, but the truth is that I'm only trying to be. I don't fit in with most artistic types. I color outside the lines. I march to my own drum. And it can often be messy. But with a little help, I just might be the artiste (come on, say it with the French accent) I wish I were! That is where Busy Bee Stationary comes in handy. They provide you with the products that can inspire you to create something wonderful. Take the products from the August edition box (yes, August. It came a little late.)
What beauties did they send me?
When I opened the box, my husbands attention was immediately drawn to two things: the notebook and the design tool.
He is an Engineering student who is designing a prototype generator in his spare time. Seeing those two items gave him an idea on using them together to sketch out the details. Especially since drawing is not his strong suit.
I, on the other hand, look forward to the uses for the tape and markers.
Silver and gold can make an awesome combination! I can make personalized cards. I could use them in scrapbooks. And even my canvas arts.
The products included in this box:
Tim Holtz idea-ology Design Tool
Gold Sharpie
Silver Sharpie
Pentel Art Pen
Little B Tape
Leuchtturm 1917 Notebook
Who are these perfect for?
Busy Bee Stationary is a great Christmas gift idea for anyone you know who is crafty and/or likes to write. The types of items they provide are geared towards these activities. They provide you with quality products. You can order a subscription for yourself or for another. The month-to-month plan is $39.90, the 3 month prepay plan is $109.70, and the 6 month prepay plan is $214.40. So check them out and let me know what you would do with these things or what you liked most in the comments below. Would you or someone you know like this as a gift?
From the previous owner of Busy Bee Stationary (They now have a new owner)
August Box – Black & White, Silver & Gold
Without doubt, Leuchtturm products are quite possibly the most popular and a huge favorite of yours. So, for this box we wanted to provide you with something Leuchtturm, plus some gorgeous accessories to complement this Leuchtturm. There are so many blogs and videos of what you can create with your notebook, so I encourage you to have a look around and find something that suits you.
Happy Exploring!!!
More information about your surprise supplies!
Leuchtturm 1917 Pocket Hardcover Notebook - White
In your box, our first feature item for this month, is your Leuchtturm 1917 Pocket Notebook. Details make all the difference! Leuchtturm 1917 notebooks are manufactured with the highest quality materials and construction. Each notebook is thread-bound with high quality bleed-proof, fountain pen-safe paper. The book opens flat with a durable hardcover and rounded corners that washes off easily and is pleasant to the touch.
Leuchtturm will help you get organized; the blank table of contents and page numbers will make leafing through your notes easier than ever before!
Your Dotted Pocket A6 measures 3.5” x 6” / 90 x 150 mm / 185 pages
Acid free, bleed-proof, 80 gsm paper
Fountain pen friendly
Pocket in back for loose notes
Elastic closure
Bound-in bookmark
We hope the quality and organizational features of this notebook will make your life easier and more enjoyable!
Pentel’s – Hybrid Technica Gel Pen – 0.5 mm - Black
The Pentel Hybrid Technica is a favorite and classic thin gel ink pen. With its strong needle-point tip, the pen writes neat crisp letters and fine lines. The water-based pigment ink is water-resistant and fade-resistant, and provides a smooth writing experience. The ink is also refillable! A perfect complement to your box this month.
Little B – Decorative Foil Tape – 15mm x 10m Gold Feathers
Our Gold feature product for this month is Little B’s Decorative Foil Tape. We know how much you all love washi tape and we appreciate the fun of adding beautiful designs to your projects. The perfect addition to all your paper crafts and more! 10 meters of 15-millimeter-wide designer foil tape.
Tim Holtz – Idea-ology Design Ruler – 12”
This feature item for this month is this very handy Tim Holtz idea-ology design ruler. After researching the most popular bullet journal tools, this is definitely a must-have! The Tim Holtz Design Ruler is a clear ruler with a tapered acrylic straight edge on one side for measuring lengths and drawing lines and a metal straight edge on the other side for accurate cutting. In between is a grid, two sets of measurements and holes for piercing. The grid is measured in quarter inches. The holes are spaced 1/8 of an inch apart. The ruler is lightweight and sturdy. A great accessory to your Leuchtturm or any other journal you use.
Sharpie – Silver & Gold Metallic Markers
Yep, you guessed it! The Silver & Gold components of your box this month are the fabulous Sharpie silver and gold metallic markers. Make your work shine with these! These fine point permanent markers give a brilliant sheen to writing and design, and they’re great on both light and dark surfaces. The opaque metallic ink is quick-drying for less mess, and it’s perfect for labelling hard to mark surfaces or jazzing up craft projects. There’s no shaking or pumping needed to start ink flow, so you can just uncap and write whenever you need it! The AP certified nontoxic ink is waterproof and smear and fade resistant. We hope you enjoy your Sharpie’s 😊
That concludes this month’s box and thank you all for beeing (busy) and amazing - we can’t wait to hear your thoughts about this month’s goodies!
Two things I have a passion for; all things Japanese and satisfying my sweet tooth. How better to accommodate both than with a subscription toJapan Crate?!
It is a monthly subscription box that will send you a smorgasbord of Japanese imported candies and treats to entice your taste buds as well as indulge your curiosity. I can barely contain my excitement and have been sad to see the goodies dwindling. I had a really difficult time picking what to try first.
First my kids and I dove into the Fujiya Milky Candy.
Its a semi hard candy, sorta like taffy. You have to suck on it before you begin chewing.
But it does have a milky flavor to it which is similar to sweetened condensed milk.
Then I split the Fujita Country Ma'am Vanilla.
It's a light cookie with a jelly filling and chocolate chips.
There was a parasol candy that was chocolate.
The top half tasted of strawberry. That was definitely a favorite! It's called Chocolate Umbrella.
They come in either milk or strawberry flavor.
Giant Caplico Panda is a non-frozen ice cream cone!
There's a wafer biscuit cone stuffed with chocolate cream and then topped with a layer of whipped cookies and cream foam.
The whipped chocolate and airy cream is light on your tongue!
Goes great with the wafer cone.
Look a la mode Chocolates is a pack of chocolate with 4 flavors; banana, almond, strawberry, and caramel.
The filling flavors are rich are and strong within the chocolate. Strawberry was definitely my favorite.
Fits Nightlife peach flavored gum was pretty good.
I like how they have the magnetic strips to keep the flap locked when closed.
I also love peach flavoring. So win-win. Just wish the flavor lasted longer.
My bonus item was a chocolate Super Mario Pop.
Who doesn't love Mario in detailed chocolate form?
I think the Kabaya Panda Cookie DIY kit was my favorite part of this box.
They were so much fun to make and tasty.
I saved the mold from this to make chocolate pandas with baking chocolate. Then I can embellish other things I make, like my brownies and cupcakes. You could even make them look like Mickey Mouse as that's what some people confuse them for.
C. C. Lemon drink is like a refreshing, light lemon soda. It's slightly carbonated. It's supposed to have 35 lemons worth of vitamin C without the super sour taste.
Glico Maccha Collon candy was like wafers with a sugary center.
Each item has a label in English that gives basic information. Nutrition and ingredients as well as where it's distributed from. There's also a list that tells you the name and a short description of each item included. Things that need instructions, don't have English versions. Personally, I like to figure it out with the pictures. It's just more fun to experiment! This one I didn't try... Only because I read the description and saw squid on the list.
This has been my favorite subscription box yet! Having a sweet tooth and loving all things with Japanese culture have made this an awesome experience!
