What to do with all those Christmas photos

As the new year looms, and visions of sugar plums have been replaced by visions of organization and order, I wanted to share with you the newest product I now offer: Custom Photo Collages!

If you're like me, you probably took hundreds(and hundreds!) of photos over the holiday. Do you have any plans for them? Are you going to print them? Frame them? Share them? Or (as I've been known to do) just leave them on the SD card in your digital camera until the next Kodak moment arrives?

With a custom photo collage, you can select several of your favorite photos from a single event (for example, Christmas morning), pick and choose the best shots of everyone, and I will crop them, border them, organize them, add a background and any text you wish. I will work with you, using your personal creative input, to select background colors or patterns, font styles and colors, wording, and completely custom-design your very own collage. When we're finished, you will have a beautiful keepsake photograph (in 4x6, 5x7, or 8x10 inch sizes) ready to frame in one single frame.

These are great for holidays, birthdays, weddings, or just a "Girls' Night Out" memory!

Enjoy!

~Lisa

http://www.mylittlerembrandt.com/

Creating Unique Gifts and Apparel

from Your Child's Artwork

(and your photographs!)

Giving Thanks - 25% savings today only

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today only, I'm offering 25% off any purchase http://www.mylittlerembrandt.com/ .

Imagine your child's artwork on your family's Christmas cards this year. Or a sweatshirt or apron for Grandma featuring your little artist's one-of-a-kind creation. A set of notecards is loved by teachers and aunts. Even coffee mugs can be custom created.

This isn't like other "upload your photo" sites.... You send me your artwork and/or photos, along with your ideas, and I will work with you to create a stunning, unique product, adding borders and text, and your personal touch.

TODAY ONLY save 25% with Coupon Code BLACK25 at checkout.

(To qualify for the discount, you need only get your order placed today...you can send me your artwork and/or photos later, and then we'll work together to finalize your creation.)

Gobble, gobble.

~Lisa
http://www.mylittlerembrandt.com/
Creating Unique Gifts and Apparel
from Your Child's Artwork

Veteran's Day - Rural American Style

Happy Veteran's Day - from rural America

Living in rural America has its advantages.

Like our annual Veteran's Day Parade, for instance.

The entire school comes out for it....from pre-school through senior high.

And as I stood in the beautiful 60 degree sunshine, I was moved by so many emotions.

Respect.

Gratitude.

Awe.

Thank you, Veterans, and to all those who are currently serving.

Freedom, it's a beautiful thing.

(I hope you'll enjoy the photos.)

Christmas Cards from Your Child's Artwork

I know, I know! It's not even Halloween yet! But I was just too excited about these new products I now offer to wait a minute longer. Introducing....Custom Photo Christmas Cards....featuring your favorite photo OR your child's artwork!

These beautiful cards make a wonderful way to send Holiday greetings to your friends and family, and are sure to be keepsakes as well.

They're professionally printed with glossy outside, and measure 5x7 inches.

PLUS, you get to completely customize the INSIDE of the cards as well!

So get out those cameras or dig out those colored markers, and get creating! Your little one will be so proud to have his/her artwork adorn this year's family Christmas cards.

For more details, visit http://www.MyLittleRembrandt.com/CustomChristmasCards.html

Enjoy!

~Lisa

http://www.mylittlerembrandt.com/

Most Unique Gift for the World's Greatest Dad

We love to make personal and creative and unique gifts for Dad for Father's Day. We don't see it as a day to buy Dad an expensive gift, but as a day to really show him how much he is loved and treasured.

These "World's Greatest Dad" T-shirts are going to be a big hit at our house this year!

The kids have all been working hard to create JUST the right design that they want put on a shirt that Dad will proudly wear. I've added the "World's Greatest Dad" text to this particular artwork drawn by a child of one of my customers, but I can add any text at all, in a variety of colors or fonts, such as "Best Fishing Partner" ,"Greatest Baseball Player" , "Golf Dad" or "My Dad Rocks!"

These Dad Tshirts are Hanes BEEFY 100% ultra-thick cotton tshirts, not flimsy wimpy things. The design is stretchable, is applied using a professional heat press, is machine washable and dryable, and is never shiny or sticky.

I'm offering a 10% discount on my custom Father's Day Tshirts, or on any of the "Dad" Tshirt designs on my site, with Coupon Code TY10 at checkout. Here's the link where you can see all the designs available, and/or read how to order your own custom dad tshirt http://www.mylittlerembrandt.com/fathersdaytshirts.html

Teaching Problem Solving -- The "Why Do You Think?" Game

In the past couple of weeks, 4 year old Luke and I have created another new game....it's called "Why do you think......?"

The game came about one day while we were riding in the car. We had to stop for a red light, and Luke asked me (although he knew the answer), "Why did we stop?"

Instead of answering the question that he already knew the answer to, I turned it around and asked him, "Why do you think we stopped?"

He immediately responded, "Because the light is red!"

Problem solving is an important skill for toddlers to learn. It's sometimes difficult for us as parents, who have always taken care of our toddlers' needs, to step back a bit and let them 'stretch their brains.'

Many times Luke will try to shrug or say "...because!" but I try to insist that he think of an answer.

Now, several times as day, I'll ask Luke, "I wonder why.....?"

"I wonder why the sidewalk is wet.....?" ("Because it's raining!")

"I wonder why we have to sit quietly.....?" ("Because we're at Church!")

"I wonder why that lady over there is wearing sunglasses....?" ("Because it's sunny!")

"I wonder why that food is hot....?" ("Because Mommy just took it out of the oven!")

"I wonder why Spongebob is sad....?" ("Because Patrick is being mean to him.")

It's so much fun to see that little brain work and grow as he thinks things through and tries to come up with the best answer to my questions.

I also see it as just a little payback, for all the times he's asked me "Why?"

Enjoy!
~Lisa

Have you seen my trendy shirts for moms?!

Teaching pre-schoolers with ryhmes

"I keep the cold air out, and you walk through me to go outside. I'm not a chore, and I'm not a floor, I'm a ______________."

"This is where you brush your teeth and wash your face. I'm not pink and I don't stink, I'm a __________."

"I'm little and creepy crawly. I'm not a rug and I'm not a hug, I'm a _______."

"You see these when you sleep. I'm not steam and I'm not cream, I'm a ________."

Pre-schoolers LOVE to rhyme! This is a fun game 4-year old Luke and I recently discovered, and it keeps us busy while we're waiting in the car to pick up his older siblings after school, or even just snuggling on the couch.

"This is where we eat dinner. I'm not a stable, I'm a _______________."

Use your imagination! See what fun rhymes YOU can come up with!

Enjoy!
~Lisa

Let your child create his/her very own custom party invitations and thank you cards.

Teaching A Love of Reading

Anyone who knows me, knows that I absolutely LOVE to read. My bedside table generally has a stack of 3-4 books, waiting to be read. I seldom leave the house without a book in my hand (you never know when you might have to wait 5 minutes for a child to get finished with practice, or get stopped by a train).

My kids know that if I ever disappear (you know, run away), they will most likely find me in my favorite place on earth ... our local public library.

Because I find so much joy in reading (I'm currently reading eat, pray, love by Elizabeth Gilbert -- HIGHLY recommend it! In fact, I'm considering moving to Italy for a year as soon as I finish reading this book, just to learn the language...and perhaps to get some first hand glimpses of these Italian men with their "liquid brown eyes"), I am always trying to come up with ways to help my children fall in love with reading as well.

Yesterday, since Luke's older siblings all had to go to school, but Luke's pre-school had the day off, Luke and I ran some errands, including a trip to the library and then McDonald's for lunch. I hadn't taken many photos lately, so I grabbed my camera on the way out the door, and snapped pictures of our outing.

While Luke was napping, I spent about 30 minutes playing around with the photos, and created a book, starring Luke, titled Luke's Really Fun Day. I had a report cover in the house, so I 3-hold punched the pages, and put the pages in the report cover. (If you want to take a peek at the fun things we did, you can see a pdf version of Luke's book here: Luke's Really Fun Day -- Click on the title of the book under the letter "L" and then for a really cool view, click on the double page book at the top).

When Luke woke up from his nap, he was ECSTATIC to have his very own book. We've already read it 48 times, and he wants to take it to school next week to share it with his class.

I think he loves reading :)

~Lisa

Check out my new line of Trendy Mom Tshirts!

Reinforcing Numbers and Counting

We count everything! When we set the table, we count the plates and forks and napkins. When we play with toy cars, we line them up and count them. And when we go to the grocery store, we count packages and cans and fruit.



Reinforcing numbers and counting is a great way to help your preschooler learn the basics of math. Many times, after counting books or toys, I'll take some away, and ask 4 year old Luke to re-count what's remaining. When he gets the answer correct, I tell him, "Yes! That's right! We had 8 cars, we took away 3 cars, and now we have 5 cars. So 8 minus 3 equals 5." I'm pretty sure he doesn't yet get what 'minus' means, but I'm just introducing a new word to him and using it in context.



Here are some other ideas for introducing and/or reinforcing numbers and counting to a pre-schooler as you go about your day:

• When you're cooking, read the recipe to your pre-schooler as you add ingredients. For example, "The directions say to start with 2 cups of water." Then let him/her help you count the cups as you add them to the sauce pan.


• When setting the table, instruct your preschooler to "put 4 plates and 4 forks on the table." Then ask him, "How many glasses do you think we'll need?"


• When playing use numbers and counting, "can you put 4 blocks in a row?" "can you jump 6 times?" "Simon Says take 3 steps backward"


• At snack time, count out your preschoolers goldfish crackers or Cheerios, and place them in groups of 4, 5, 6, etc., and ask him/her to count them. Then write the numbers on a piece of paper, and place the paper next to the correct group to reinforce the written number.


• When reading to your preschooler, count birds on the page, tractors on the page, butterflies on the page, etc. And occasionally ask your preschooler "What page are we reading?" and show him/her the page number at the bottom of the book.


• When you're grocery shopping, ask him/her to "put 3 cans of green beans in the cart" or "how many rolls of toilet paper are in that package?"

Enjoy!
~Lisa

Visit http://www.mylittlerembrandt.com/ for unique gifts and apparel featuring your child's artwork....and check out our selection of 100% cotton Big Brother and Big Sister t-shirts.