2019 Hands-on & Keepsake Holiday Gift Guide for Children

2019 Hands-on & Keepsake
Holiday Gift Guide for Children

I am thrilled to share with you my 2019 gift guide for young children! I put tons of thought into making this gift guide curated around our love for hands-on activities. Think Montessori-inspired, high-quality keepsakes, most with an educational component based on our fondness of the outdoors, creating with our hands, and playing games as a family. My hope is to bring joy and creativeness to homes this holiday season, while thinking slightly outside of the box!

State Bags Backpack
gorgeous quality backpack for school, play, or heading to grandma’s!
Milo’s Corner Scavenger Hunt/Nature Bag
we carry this on every walk to collect leaves and sticks, my kiddos love to put their “loot” in it!
Simply Toys Montessori style tools
we play with rice, dry pasta, kinetic sand, water balls, and use whatever tools we can find, so the kids are going to be OBSESSED with these!
Nugget Comfort Play Couch
hoping to get this for our climbers and jumpers, I have heard such wonderful things!
This & That Personalized Name puzzle
a must for every child who is learning their name, looks perfect in their bedrooms on display too!
We are the Gardeners (book)
such a sweet book by Joanna Gaines and her children!
Magna-tiles qubix set
great to travel or when eating out (currently cheaper on Amazon)
Chalkfull Trace and Erase Chalkboards
the perfect gift for preschool/kindergarten age children to practice, packaged beautifully and excellent quality.
Play the Forest School Way (Book)
great for some afternoon adventures around your neighborhood!
Pulp Co Hat
a very rad hat made in small batches!
Wooden Story Vintage Bowling Set/ Wooden Story Rainbow Blocks
A unique bowling set for the whole family to enjoy! Heirloom quality blocks for endless building, love that they come in a sack so you can pack them to go anywhere! be sure to check out their entire site of wooden toys made in Poland!
Project Kid (100 crafts for kids book)
fun for your little crafter at heart!
Rustic Family Journal
want to start journaling as a family, include our nature treasures, highlights from trips, etc. the perfect place to fill with memories!
Gathre Homestead Playmat
we basically live on our wipeable leather gathre mats. this one is so fun for imaginative play! but really, any mat would be a great gift idea!
Fact & Fiction Toys Tangram Set
a beautiful hands on learning activity for your kids to enjoy! build your own creations with these wooden shapes! Pull out on a rainy day or perfect for on the go!
Wooden Balance Board
a fun challenge for everyone in your home, even the adults, can use them in multiple ways!
Kinetic Sand
This stuff is cool! sand that does not fall apart and is easy to clean up! Add some little trucks and your kids will be in heaven!
Personalized Photo Vintage Reel Viewer
perfect for family photos or a special memory like a vacation!
Fin & Vince Bonnet
fin & vince makes the most heirloom quality pieces that are worthy of keeping for your future grandbabies!
Water Balls
if you have not played with theses, you are missing out!

I hope you guys enjoy paging through these spectacular items and that they inspire you to shop small and get creative! Every time we shop small, a shop owner does a little happy dance and we get to support an actual person and their family! This year I am going to follow these category ideas:

something to play
something to wear
something to share
something to read
something to keep(sake)

I know I get asked if my kids will get those character and fun items that every kid loves and the answer is YES! They will each get a paw patrol item that they have been asking for, but they have plenty of toys so we are going to keep it simple. I would love to hear what your kids are getting!

warmest christmas wishes, Dani

Winnie’s Winter Forest First Birthday Party

Craft Box, Mommy & Misc

January 23, 2019 by Drafts & Crafts

Better late than never; I am excited to finally get around to sharing photos from Winnie’s first birthday party!

Hard to believe that its been over a month since our baby girl turned one! Time just flies by these days! Its so bittersweet to watch them grow, well mostly sweet, but I do find myself missing the little baby phase! It truly goes by so fast and you wish those days away when you are so sleep deprived and have engorged breasts! Winsome Rose is a little firecracker though and we LOVE her personality these days! She loves following around her big brother and they are starting to grow into the best of friends! Her first birthday party was filled with our family and our close friends! We kept it pretty simple with a backyard movie! The menu consisted of a hotdog and popcorn bar with some whimsical forest decor! Hope you enjoy these photos from our favorite photographer! Sindy, from Verance Photography, always captures the most dreamy photos for my family!

Winnie’s pinafore: @paperlinen
mushroom embroidery: @urbanpigtails
Winsome birth stat poster: @shop.lovefound
Winnie’s bonnet: @maxandoliviaco
Cake: Made by my friend Courtney,
(I can ask to share contact if you are local!)
Mushroom Cake Toppers: @penny.gem
Wands: Hand made by mama!

Hope you are off to a wonderful start of 2019! My goal for this year is to focus on myself and family! I want to start by doing a little more for myself this year, taking time to do the things I love! Get my health, fitness, and gospel goals together! Secondly, I am trying to take on less this year, put down the phone more, and minimalize my life and house a little more. Just thought I would share since this is my first official blog post of the new year!!

Keep in touch,
Dani

2018 Small Shop Gift Guide, children’s heirloom edition

Mommy & Misc

November 20, 2018 by Drafts & Crafts

Wow! Its been awhile since I made an actual blog post- this year has just flown by! Gift giving and Christmas time are my love language so I definitely did not want to miss out on the opportunity to share some of my favorite items this season and to encourage everyone to shop small! This year we are keeping our Christmas pretty simple and trying to stay true to shopping small. There is so much going on in December for our family (my daughter’s, mom’s, dad’s, brother’s, and my mother in law all have December birthdays- insert the emoji with eyes popping out of my head) and my children do not need much so I am breaking there gifts down to: something they WANT, something they NEED, something to WEAR, something to READ, something fun to learn a SKILL! 5 gifts each- easy and sweet. Plus, we know their grandparents will spoil them and we don’t have any more room for toys in our smaller house!

these photos are borrowed from each shops website**

1. Paperlinen supply- beautiful hand-sown linen clothing items for girls and boys
2. This & That Etc- wooden alphabet puzzle and custom name puzzles
3. Moon Picnic- wooden weather board, amazing design and educational perfect gift for any child!
4. PNW Littles- adorably illustrated onesies
5. Bannor Toys- heirloom wooden toys- tools, cars, trucks, & rattles (personalized engraving for an extra special touch)
6. Misha & Puff- timeless hand knitted booties, bonnets, and sweaters
7. Mud Puppy Kids- tons of fun and educational toys/games, PERFECT STOCKING STUFFER!
8. Hazel Village x Briar Handmade collab– get your babe the perfect plush with a matching bonnet for the doll and child
9. Max and Olivia co- the most pretty pixie bonnet that I ever laid eyes on and very affordable in the knit world!
10. Simple Toy Co- Modern Blush Waldorf Doll
11. Willaby- high quality gauze blankets, worth the splurge
12. Cheerily- Custom name oneies, “W is for Winnie”
13. Homespun Collection- small shop that carries kids and home items with a vintage inspired look
14. June Home Supply- children’s broom, my oldest loves to try and help clean so this will be a great tool for him
15. Gathre- wipeable, leather playmat that features a fun illustration for children to play on

I want to encourage everyone to shop small this holiday: support a person, their dream, and their family. Shopping small carries so much more weight and there is always the person who created an item doing an actual happy dance each sale!!! I curatied this gift guide based on some of my favorite small shops, we have been fortunate to try the majority of these products and we LOVE them! Each product that I shared is an heirloom quality gift, from wooden toys, to hand knitted clothing, to butter-soft leather playmates. Be sure to follow these small shops on social media and learn about their black Friday, small business Saturday, and cyber Monday sales.

I would love to hear about what gifts you will be getting your kids this Christmas!

Keep in touch,
Dani

Count Your Blessings Printable for Thanksgiving

Craft Box, Kitchen

November 21, 2018 by Drafts & Crafts

I am putting together my Thanksgiving tablescape today and at the last minute I decided to create this little, fun printable! My family and I have so many blessings to count this year! I think this will be a fun way to set your heart on all that you have to be thankful for and all your blessings from the Lord! I just cut a little greenery from my yard for a free AND easy table look! HAPPY THANKSGIVING FRIENDS! so thankful for you!

Keep in touch,
Dani

Our go-to Entertainment Items for Going Out with Kids

Mommy & Misc, Travel

August 30, 2018 by Drafts & Crafts

Sharing the details of what is in my diaper bag to help make dining out and traveling with kids easier.

It is no secret that my husband and I love to go out to eat! We usually eat out one night over the weekend to spend some time together as a family, eat a nice meal, and get out of the house with the kids. Having babies and toddlers can definitely make going out (anywhere) a daunting task. We decided early on that we did not want to stop doing the things that we love just because we have kids. Of course, like a lot of parents with young kids we have to pick and choose what we do these days, but we still wanted to be able to enjoy a meal out and not be afraid to venture or travel with our kids. I wanted to share the items that we use with our kids to make going out a little less stressful.

Gathre playmat– We use this as a interactive placemat for Tanner. He can play with his trucks on it while we are waiting for food and then I know he is snacking or eating off of a clean(er) surface.
Small CAT machines– These mighty machines are a staple in our home. My mom picked my son up a set from CVS one time and then I have seen them in several stores since then. Our toddler plays with these nearly every single day. Fun for water, water beads, sand, and play doh activities. I also believe that they are very realistic and small enough to fit in their hands that kids can develop excellent fine motor skills plus learning educational skills when playing with these.
Small playdoh tubs– Call me crazy mama, but I usually have a few of these in my bag. With the Gathre playmat Tanner does not make a mess and play doh entertains him for about thirty mins. We will make silly items, fun items, and all kinds of creations for his trucks to pick up.
Small coloring book- I know I keep saying small, but its true I get tiny items that will fit into my diaper bag and not make it a thousand times heavier. Always keep a color book and some crayons on hand with toddlers.
Magnetic Doodle Board- These are so fun for kids and a better alternative to taking out the phone. Not that I am above putting on a show on my phone, but we try other things first.
Homespun reusable snack packs– We can not go anywhere without a snack, usually some goldfish. We are trying to do our small part in making our earth a better place with using reusable pouches.
Baby Suction Toy- We ordered this one from Amazon and are happy with it. It will entertain Winnie while we are out, Tanner even loves it too.
Carseat Hanging Toy– If your baby is tiny and doesn’t mind staying in the carseat these are nice to keep baby smiling.

I would love to hear if you have any tricks up your sleeve for entertaining your kids while you are out or what fun things you have in your diaper bag!

Keep in touch,
Dani

Travel series 1: Jekyll Island Club Resort Getaway

Travel

July 20, 2018 by Drafts & Crafts

We recently had the pleasure of exploring Jekyll Island and spending two nights at the Jekyll Island Club Resort. It was truly the perfect getaway to hit our reset button so I am sharing all of the details on the blog today.

It has been on my heart to start a travel series for quite some time. As a North Florida blogger, I often get inquries about the best places to travel for the weekend. Jacksonville is centrally located to enjoy several great weekend trips that are ideal for families. The first spot I am highlighting is only ONE hour and TWENTY minutes away from Jacksonville, Jekyll Island! Let’s just say, I am kicking myself for not visiting Jekyll sooner!! Jason, the kids, and I enjoyed a trip to the beautiful Jekyll Island Club Resort. Our trip was the perfect blend of relaxation and exploring. So here are the details that you will want to know about the historic club of America-

Hotel highlights:

The Jekyll Island Club Resort is an historic hotel of America, with over 130 years of history. It feels as if you stepped back in time to old Georgia roots. The resort is lined with old photos of the club that my husband and I loved to study. It was originally a hunting club for the elite and was named the most exclusive club in the late 1800s. Over the early 1900s, Jekyll Island was a destination spot for wealthy families, like Crane, Morgan, and Vanderbilt. Many movies were filmed on site, most notably, the Legend of Bagger Vance, starring Will Smith. The history of the hotel does not disappoint!

Jason and I agreed that the best part about the Jekyll Club is that you do not have to leave to find anything. Once we parked our car, we did not have to get it until it was time to head home. There is also a free shuttle that will take you around the island and to the Jekyll Club’s new beachside resort that is oceanfront. There are several different buildings of the hotel where you can stay, which were originally built by several wealthy tycoons. We stayed in the Anex building where we enjoyed a lovely room with a large balcony with a beautiful view! My family and I walked around the entire property and loved exploreing the grounds. The entire place is kept immaculate and rich in architecture! I am happy there were little signs that gave the history of each building.

Most enjoyed family activities:

Riding bicycles around the resort and island was our favorite activity while visiting Jekyll! The club has the cutest bike rental shop right on site (you can see in the above photos). They have bikes that are suitable for all ages, baby seats, and child trailers. You can see some photos and videos on our bike ride on my Instagram saved under the “northeast travel” highlight, @thecoldcraftsman.

Secondly, relaxing was high on our wish list so the pool was another spot that was perfect for our family. We ordered lunch, smoothies, and cocktails along the poolside.. what more does a girl need? The pool and the pool house menu was what the doctor ordered!

Last, we walked over to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on our last day before heading home (again, located right next to the hotel so you can walk)!! The Sea Turtle Center was really neat experience that we all enjoyed just as much as our two year old son. The center is a hospital where injured or sickly turtles can get treatment and will be kept until they are strong enough to be released. It was eye opening to think about all of the polluting that hurts our oceans and turtles.

Where to eat:

There are four places that you can eat without having to leave the club grounds! This is SO convenient, especially with little kids! We ate at three of the four places on site. We kept it pretty simple since we had our young kids with us. We grabbed a quick (and reasonably priced) breakfast and lunch at The Pantry. The Pantry is an adorable cafe in the center of the club with breakfast, sandwiches, pastries, coffee, wine, and beer. We enjoyed pizza and burgers by the pool from the poolhouse- so yummy! And we had a nice seafood dinner overlooking the water at The Wharf. Next time, we definitely plan to eat in the upscale dining room, as we heard excellent things about the menu.

Pro tips:

Bring multiple bathing suits if you plan to check out the pool and beach so that you have plenty of time to let your wet suit dry.
Order a s’mores kit at the pool house and roast marshmallows at the fire pit while you watch the sunset.
Walk around the entire club and see all of the movie flyers and shows that have been filmed at the Jekyll Club.
Find the ice cream and candy shoppe and treat yourself to a Georgia made ice cream cone.
Ride bikes to Driftwood Beach to check out the beautiful beaches filled with Driftwood trees. A unique beach destination to see for yourself!

Needless to say, we had the best time! If you are a Jax local and are looking for a family friendly, relaxing, and exclusive destination- The Jekyll Island Club Resort is your place! It is a no brainer at an hour and twenty mins away from Jax. We are so grateful for the opportunity to visit the Jekyll Club as a family! We liked it so much that we plan to go back with my family in the spring. I would also like to go back with some friends and their kids and just kick back for a fun and relaxing weekend! Be sure to check out the club’s page on Instagram, @Jekyll_Club, to see more photos of the gorgeous resort.

Keep in touch,
Dani