Making Christmas Wreathes with the Kids

Making your own Christmas Wreath with the kids is very simple. There are a couple of ways to do it.
The first way to make your own Christmas wreath is without an armature. An armature is a wire frame. I always thought I had to go to Walmart to get one of these or the wreath would not turn out. This is not true. This means going outside and collecting your own branches from a pine, spruce or other type of evergreen tree. Collect some pine cones too. Just remember not to hurt any trees that you may be stripping of branches.
Once you have found the boughs that you want to use to all you need is some heavy duty wire. Bend the boughs into a circular shape and attach them in place with the wire. Attach some pine cones to the boughs with wire as well as some shiny red and green ribbons and you will have created the simplest wreath possible. Keep in mind too that you can also string this type of wreath with battery operated xmas lights to make it look more glamorous. The only caveat – don't let really young kids get a hold of wire cutters.
The second way to make a Christmas wreath is to buy a Styrofoam armature at a crafts store. You can then glue or pin any type of object that you want to these circular shapes to make your own wreath.
An easy wreathe to make is one made out of shiny Christmas balls. All you need to do in this case is buy some inexpensive glass balls and then pin them to the armature in a circle. The entire thing can be finished off with a bright big bow at the top.
One of the most popular homemade Christmas wreath ideas is the wreath made out of candy canes. This is a good one for kids, especially if they are good with tape. All you need is tiny candy canes that you can pin, tape or glue to the armature to makes a sunburst shape.
If your kids are older and can handle a needle and thread then make is one made out of popcorn. These look great decorated with green or red bows.
A good example of an easy and clever Christmas wreath to make is the one made by Martha Stewart that was constructed entirely out of gum drops. She simply pushed pins through gumdrops and then pushed them into the armature. The frost on the gum drops made the homemade Christmas wreath look as if it was frosted with snow.
A picture frame hook can be used to help hang any type of wreathe on the front door or a mantelpiece. Another option is to simply hang it on a nail and attach it with wire or looped fishing line. However this can ruin your door. They can also be laid flat on a table with a candle placed in the center to create an attractive holiday centerpiece. Don't place a candle in the center of this type of decoration unless you are absolutely certain that the materials are not flammable.

Dressing Babies for the Cold

When it comes to winter clothes I never seem to be ahead of the game. I think I have it figured out and then it becomes so obvious that I don't when I look out the window and finally see snow.
I have indoor wear all covered, from sleep clothing to walk-around clothing to meal add-ons, along with sturdy footwear for the special moments when the child begins to walk. I have all the necessary outfits to slap on when it's time for a walk in the stroller. However it seems that winter always catches me off guard. Sooner or later it will be time to dress your baby for winter.
It's important to keep your baby cozy and warm but when are you going overboard when it comes to swaddling your kids clothing. So when is it too warm? When is it not enough and when is it too cold?
The bottom line is your baby will be feeling the same things you do. I dress my baby like I would dress to go outside and then add a thin layer more. I always check the temperature on the radio of television or the Net and you try to look ahead for possible changes (this is especially important to remember if you live in a wildly fluctuating weather zone, as exists in Colorado or parts of western Canada). Then you dress accordingly…
It is probably a good idea to avoid swaddling the kid in too much clothing. A baby that is too hot can get just a sick as one that is too cold. The baby can be compared to an engine that is overheating
The key to all of this is layering. I put a t-shirt on the baby, then another thinner shirt, then a sweatshirt and then a fleecy shirt. I also have an extra wool blanket on hand just in case it really gets cold. I also make sure that the baby's head is covered as like adults, babies lose heat through their heads. The same goes for his or her little fingers. The toes should also be swaddle up nicely. If the baby is too young for boots make sure that he or she is wearing an extra pair of warm socks.
If you're traveling in the car through snow, a good thing to keep in mind is that perhaps you dressed down a bit because you know you're not going to be in the cold for long before you're in a warm car. Good, then dress the child down as well. If you're really worried about it, bring along extra clothing but don't use it just yet. Wait until you get a clear signal from the child that it's too cold, and then start piling on the extra layers!