February 2011

Winter is raging on with no end in sight. The temperatures have been particularly low lately making bundling up to go outside a chore. As I mentioned in my last post, my son has really been enjoying playing board games.

For Christmas he got numerous games and puzzles from his grandparents and aunties. He especially enjoys playing his SpongeBob SquarePants™ Memory Game. Since he also loves playing with flashcards I decided to combine the two concepts and make a fun and educational memory game with my own personal touches. (By the way, our blogger Katie did a great post on flashcards for her daughter last year. This game is a little different, but the concept is similar.)

This memory or concentration game can be adapted for kids of all ages. You can begin with simple concepts such as shapes, numbers, letters, and colors and advance to more complex ideas involving math, grammar, or other languages. ...read more

When a birthday or holiday comes around, I like to show friends and family how much they mean to me by making gifts based on their personal taste. I make everything from customized jewelry and baked goods to quilts and handmade card sets for birthdays, weddings or holidays. For Christmas this year, I made a photo book for my parents with all the memories we shared in 2010.

Last Valentine’s Day I shared with you all a cute photo card idea for kids to give to friends and family. 

I was looking for something that my son could give to his classmates that was both age-appropriate and special. These cards were a big hit and they definitely stood out from the rest of the class!

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and I’m sure all of our Out of Office readers are getting ready for the big day. Whether you’re picking out a thoughtful gift for that special someone or helping kids assemble Valentines for their classmates, February 14th will be here before we know it.  

It seems like for every holiday, I have grand designs of creating elaborate, handmade cards for my family and friends. But the occasion always sneaks up on me and I don’t end up sending anything. This year, I have the same good intentions, but I came up with a solution to help me actually get the cards into the mailbox.

Instead of individually making cards, I decided to create a digital template. This way, I can focus on one design and quickly print all the cards at the same time. I’ve shared my template here, but you can also find lots of good ideas on the FedEx Office Design & Print Center website. ...read more