3 Easter Crafts and Keepsakes for You and The Kids to Enjoy!

Here are 3 fun Easter crafts to do with the kids if you're stuck in on a rainy day this Bank Holiday. Warning: different levels of skill and patience required!

No. 1: Handprint Baby Chick

I love this Handprint Baby Chick that featured on 'Handprint and Footprint Art Blog.  It's incredibly simply to do and makes a really cute keepsake.    Requires: I Background piece of paper, I Large yellow piece of paper or card, some small hands, paint and beady eyes. Patience Level: Low.

No.2: Fold Out Keepsake Booklet 

This one is another crafty keepsake for the kids. I love it and although it takes more time and effort to make, the children can use the time over the Easter break to get it filled, with comments and pictures from loved ones. The original post had thanksgiving in mind, but this could be used at any time.  Involves a lot of cutting and glueing.  Patience required: More than the last.  Source: Family Fun Go
 

No.3 : Easter Cupcakes.

And here's number there. OK - so not so much of a 'keepsake' and more of an "eatsake" but it still works for me!! Love these Easter Cupcakes. 
Requires: a complete recipe, available at the link below.
Patience Level: Probably the highest of the three, but the taste should make up for that!  Source: Family Fun Go

If you get a chance to do any of these - you can post your photos on our FB Page: Facebook.com/forkeepssake.

Have a great Easter!

Easter Gifts for My Kids - Mean Mum or Just Plain Sensible?!

Easter is only a couple of days away now and I thought I'd do something different for my girls this year. 

Aged 4 and 5, they certainly don't need ridiculous amounts of chocolate and sweets and I'm definately not in favour of that for several reasons:

-          Chocolate makes my children go hyper, with immediate effect. Fact.

-          I therefore limit the amount they can have. Fact.

-          Despite this everyone else still buys them lots. Fact.

-          Which means I spend the next few days and weeks (not months) munching my way through it all, piling on the pounds and then feeling pressured to exercise. Fact.

This Easter is going to be different and I can’t wait to give them their gifts.So what I have I bought?

 
On the chocolate front I’ve given in to a small Smarties’ Easter egg as well as one of these Minnie Mouse Easter Eggs - that is really more Minnie Mouse Mug than it is Egg (Strategic!). The girls will love their mugs and will definitely get use out of them. 

I’ve also got them a large colouring book each with lots of Easter themed colouring pages and activity sheets; crayons; stencils for painting their hard boiled eggs (ready for egg rolling) and as a special treat each I’ve bought them both a gorgeous little hand bag that I stumbled upon in Accessorize. 

My girls love personalised things and so I’m also in the process of making them each a personalised bag charm, to go with said bag and and a door sign.  I’m hoping the bag charms will be finished tonight but it’s more than unlikely that the door signs will take a little longer as they are going to be new designs for the website.  I’ll add pictures of both to this post, when they are complete.

I’m really excited about the Easter weekend and love the fact that it’s not ALL going to be about chocolate!  Admittedly this has cost more than buying a few chocolate eggs from a supermarket, but this way they still get to enjoy some chocolates and goodies, but also have presents that they can enjoy and use.  

What are you doing for Easter?  Have you gone down the Chocolate route or have you gone for something different? 

I’d love to hear your comments :o)

In the meantime, have a great Easter.

Ideas for a butterfly themed bedroom or nursery

http://ellieandabbie.typepad.com

If you fancy the idea of a butterfly theme for your little girl's bedroom or nursery and are looking for some inspiration - I've come across some beautiful things that would make a great addition.  Here's just a couple of them.....

I'm absolutely loving Ellie and Abbie's suggestions for creating your very own butterfly wall art.  These gorgeous pieces of artwork are not only an affordable way to accessorise the bedroom but they also look stunning.  Plus, because you can make them yourself you can completely taillor the colours and papers to match your decor.

kidschairworld.wordpress.com

 
I just love this little pink butterfly rocking chair, it's adorable.  And there's no doubt that if my girls were younger, I would be sat here looking at two of them right now! How cute would it look in the bedroom and how much would it be loved..?!


And last, but far from least, my absolute favourite is this beautiful butterfly bed.  It's so unusal and I have no doubt that the quality and workmanship is reflected in the price tag, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate it!

kidsbedroomfurnitures.blogspot.com

 

 

If you want to see some of the other lovely butterfly themed bedroom ideas, take a peek at my Pinterest board dedicated specifically to this. Follow this link to have a look and if you want to see what else I come across, don't forget to follow the board: http://pinterest.com/Forkeepssake/beautiful-butterflies-girls-bedroom/

You can also follow me (and so automatically follow all my boards) if you'd like.  If there's anything you come across that you'd like to share - please feel free to include a link in the comments and I will be more than happy to add it to my board.

Personalised Notice boards for Kids and the Home. Well that's New!

Are you fed up with trying to hide away boring noticeboards so that they don't draw too much attention when people walk in the room?  Well now you don't have to.  Have a look at our wonderful range of personalised noticeboards, designed to be a feature of a room so they look great even if they have few or no notes on them.  They make a truly unique gift and keepsake as well as a great piece of wall art that look great in the home. 

Who would have thought that notice boards could be so exciting??

Photo Magnetic Notice Board

Our photo notice boards look just like a photo canvas, but the metallic sheet behind the canvas means that it also doubles up as a useful noticeboard.  They will look fab anywhere - kitchen, lounge, study or playroom.

Artwork Personalised Notice Board

Just as special is our artwork notice board.  You can create your child's artwork into a noticeboard and include a message such as mummy's notes, or Summer's Artwork.  It's a wonderful way to preserve that special picture.   Again this would look fab in a kitchen or study and would make a perfect gift for mum, grandma or the home. 

And then we have a stylish range of designs both for boys and girls, that can be personalised with their names and hung in their bedrooms or playroom.  These aren't the only designs so do have a look on the website to see what else is available.

Blue Union Jack Personalised Notice Board

Pink Bunting Personalised Notice Board

All of our personalised notice boards are magnetic and come complete with four magnets - you can buy additional magnets if required.  The boards are perfect to hold memos, invites, pictures and even artwork (of which there always seems to be an abundance). 

We're really excited to be launching this new product range and really hope you like them as much as we do.  Visit our website to see our complete range.  Our magnetic notice boards make ideal personalised gifts for birthdays, christenings and Christmas.

We'd love to know what you think, so please do let us know your comments.

Pinterest...? What's it all about..?

You may or may not be aware of this fantastic and, relatively new site that is taking the social media world by storm.  The name..... Pinterest.   If you have never heard of or visited Pinterest before, it's definitely worth a visit, but be warned, you may not be able to stop at one.

So what is it?

Simply put, Pinterest is a virtual notice board.  It's a place where users can place, organise and share all the interesting images and content that they have come across online.  They create their own 'Pin Boards' and 'pin' images to them.  Each board is usually centred around a different theme.  Pinterest members can follow other members and their boards, they can also 'repin' any images they find onto their own boards  (something to bear in mind if you don't want your images shared).

Why all the fuss?

Pinterest is simple and easy to use.  Because of this users are able to share content at the press of a button, making it easy to collect, store and organise some of their favourite images and content from the web (and from the site itself).  Pinterest can be used for so many reasons - have a look at my boards (and feel free to follow).

I have boards to collect recipes that I've come across, gather easy to make craft ideas for the kids for those rainy days, ideas for picture and keepsake frames, home decorating ideas and more (as you will see).  Pinterest is also used a lot to gather wedding ideas and personal style ideas (amongst others!).

Pinterest for businesses?

It doesn't stop there though.  Businesses are also jumping on the pin-wagon - Esty is a great example, with a huge follower base and number of pin boards - all separated into different themes.

Etsy has got it right by including a mixture of content.  For example the Weddings Pin Board includes images with links to items on sale through Etsy as well as links to blog posts that followers may find useful (e.g. tips on how to plan a bridal shower).  With this rich and engaging content, it's no surprise that Etsy has managed to gain over 63,000 followers.

So that's Pinterest in a nutshell.  I'm going back again to have a browse......... see you in a few days.

Personalised Name Frames, Prints and Collages. Unique, Modern Name in a Frame

Boys Personalised Name Frames

If you're looking for a special, personalised gift for a new baby, a christening present or even a birthday present - make sure you check out our range of name frames.

They are available in different sizes, some with different frame colour options and are either handmade collages spelling the child's name using various gorgeous papers, beautiful personalised prints or 3d name frames displaying handcrafted items inside the frames.

As with everything available on our website, these items are handcrafted in the UK and not mass marketed - so they really are quite unique.    Any little girl or boy will love their name in a frame, which will be a keepsake they can hold onto forever.

Girls Personalised Name Frames

Our name frames are not only great quality, but they also represent great value for money, with prices starting at only £13.50!

As they are handcrafted and made to order, deliver usually takes between 10-14 days so make sure that you order in plenty of time.  

If you'd like more information or want to buy any of these items, please use the following links:

Personalised name frames for boys
Personalised name frames for girls

Mother's Day Gift Ideas. Special Gifts that Mum / Mummy Will Love!

Mother's day is approaching - admittedly somewhere in the distance, but it will be here before we know it.  Something to look forward to for mum, but it's sometimes difficult to find that special gift that will really make her feel loved and appreciated.  Well we have a few ideas to help you out....

What mother or grandmother wouldn't love a beautiful and bespoke pieces of silver jewellery that is imprinted with their child or grandchild's fingerprint, handprint or footprint?  These stunning pieces of keepsake jewellery will preserve memories of those very special times and can be treasured forever.

We have a range of charms, necklaces and bracelets, prices start at £32.50 and there is something to suit all budgets.......Trust us, she will love one of these!!

 For more information or to purchase, see our Silver Fingerprint & Handprint Jewellery

 

If you are looking for something a little smaller we have some really cute pewter gifts that have been created especially for mums.

Choose from an 'I Love You Mummy' pewter heart, a 'Yummy Mummy' heart or flower keyring or even a set of Love Tokens to show her how much you care.

Each of these pewter gifts come in their own cream organza bag and will be a special keepsake that she can treasure.

For more information or to purchase see our Range of Pewter Gifts.

 Prices start at £9.99.

Wooden Name Plaques For Girls: New Cute Hanging Name Plaques

2012 promises to be an interesting year, with lots and lots of new products available to buyt on our website.  Over the last few months we have already been adding to our range of personalised gifts for kids, baby gifts and christening gifts, so we'll dedicate our next few posts to highlighting these. 

First up is our really cute hanging name plaques - which can be used on doors, bed posts, on walls - anywhere you think they would make a lovely addition.  We have already introduced a number of different wooden shaped plaques, including a gorgeous owl, cupcake and heart - there will be more to come. 

Each wooden plaque can be painted almost any colours to make sure they will go with the existing nursery or bedroom decor.  Plaque size is approximately 10cm high - these would make a perfect little gift for new babies, christenings, birthdays or just because....

We also have the same size mini plaques in 10cm high letters - using only the initial of the name, but including the name within the design.  These wooden letters are chunkier than the wooden shapes at 12mm thick, and whilst being small look very prominent.  They can be painted any colour or design (where size permits) have a look at our girls wooden letters to see what designs are available. 

Each of these hanging name plaques come with ribbon to hand, but can be sent with sticky fixers instead if you'd prefer to attach them to the wall.

Prices are: Small Wooden Name Plaques Shapes: £6.50 each and the Small Wooden Letter Name Plaques: £7.50 each.  All are handpainted, handcrafted and lovingly made to order.  Despatch is between 7-14 days, depending on stock levels.  For more information or to purchase please see: personalised gifts for girls: name plaques.

Let us know what you think, we'd love to hear your comments.  We are always open to new ideas, so if there's anything particular you're looking for, just let us know.  FKS x

Get Involved! With Our Pre-Christmas Giveaways

In the run up to Christmas, we know that things can get a little tight on the purse strings.  We'd therefore love to give you a chance to win a £40 credit voucher*, to spend on or put towards anything in our shop For Keep's Sake.

We want you to get Involved with For Keep's Sake and are running this giveaway between October and November 2011.  One person will win a £40 credit voucher in October and one person will win a £40 credit voucher in November.  That will mark the end of the pre-christmas giveaway.

How??  

Interact with us on Facebook - "Like" our page.  Comment on our posts, "like" our posts and our comments.   This includes new likes, so tell your friends to like our page if you think they'd like to win the voucher.

Review our products online.  On our website customers can review each of our products - be the first to review what you have bought.

Share your photos of finished products with us.  Whether it's finished fingerprint jewellery that we've created, baby castings you have made and framed with our kits, wall letters on bedroom walls, canvases in bedrooms or a Keepsake Frame that you have filled, we'd love to see them.

We'll add them to our Facebook Album and feature them in our blogs.  Pictures can be emailed to info@forkeepssake.co.uk or uploaded to our Facebook Page.

Win! Win! Win!

At the end of October, everyone that has interacted with us, emailed us photos or reviewed our products will be entered into the draw.  We will then select one person at random, who will receive the credit voucher.  We will do the same in November. 

We hope to hear from you soon!

Love FKS x

P.S If you don't have any children, perhaps it could be a gift for a niece, nephew, godson, goddaughter etc..


Terms and Conditions (aka the Small Print - although we're not making it that small!). Credit voucher can only be redeemed against the value of the products and not against delivery costs. One voucher will be given to one winner in October and one winner in November. Giveaway will close at end November. Voucher will be valid until 31st Janurary 2012.

Butterfly Memorial Letters: A Tribute to Malayeka

When we returned from our 'holiday' we were pleasantly surprised to see that one of our customers had emailed us some photos of the Memorial Letters we had made, as a bespoke request, for her little girl's grave in March this year. 

You may have seen the previous blog Bespoke request for Angel Baby Memorial Letters.

Wow!! I was obviously pleased to see that the letters worked well and looked lovely, but was absolutely amazed at the stunning tribute Julie had created for Malayeka. 

It's So beautiful, I wanted to share the pictures with you.

Thanks again Julie for sharing the photos of something that is so personal and special to you. x

We're back...!!

Wow, it's certainly been a while.  I'm actually surprised at how long it's been since I last updated this blog! How time escapes us....

After the website being temporarily closed between July and September we are now back up and running and ready for the pre-christmas stampede, so you will be hearing a lot more from me! 

We have lots of exciting new products to add to the website and tell you about as well as Facebook giveaways and pre-Christmas promotions.

So sorry it's been a while, but we'll be back in touch again...SOON. x

New! Gorgeous silver fingerprint, handprint & footprint jewellery

Fingerprint Sweetie Bracelet

 We're really excited to have introduced the first items in our new range of silver fingerprint/ handprint and footprint jewellery.  

We create beautiful and bespoke pieces of jewellery using your child's fingerprint, handprint or footprint.

What better way to preserve memories of those very special times than through creating a beautiful and modern keepsake that you can wear and treasure forever.

Silver Charm Shapes

We have a whole range of fingerprint/ handprint / footprint charms, bracelets, necklaces and soon will be adding keyrings and cuff links so there will be something for dads soon too!!

Watch this space.....

Silver Fingerprint Pandora Snake Chain Bracelet

Silver Fingerprint Cufflinks

Even more Pewter Keepsake Gifts available

As promised, we've extended our pewter keepsake range to now incorporate the following items.  Some of the images can be seen below, for the rest - just click this link to visit the page on our website.

I Love Mummy Heart, I Love Daddy Heart. Godmother Heart, Godfather Heart, Christening Tokens, 

Christening Tokens

I Love Mummy Heart

Yummy Mummy Keyring

Christening Heart in Box

Pewter Keepsakes For Mum's.... Coming Soon....

We've added to our pewter keepsake range with these fab gifts just for mums.

They will make lovely Mother's day presents and birthday presents and will be loaded up onto the website soon.

1. I Love You Mummy - Pewter Heart in Organza Pouch
2. Yummy Mummy - Pewter Flower Keyring in Organza Pouch
3. Yummy Mummy - Pewter Heart Keyring in Organza Pouch

If you wish to purchase before they are online please contact us.

Our range of high quality pewter gifts make unusual and very special keepsakes.

These unique items are handcrafted in the UK and will make perfect mother's day gifts, christening gifts and new baby gifts, that will be treasured.

See the rest of our range.

We will have more keepsake gifts for mums coming soon.

Bespoke Request for Angel Baby Memorial Letters

I was approached by a customer with a very special and unique request - to create some memorial letters that spelt her angel baby's name - that she could display on the grave. 

Our MDFs letters weren't up to the job as they would be no good outside, so we used acrylic.  This also meant we could add spokes to the bottom of the letters, to secure them in the ground.

The result - these chunky, pretty metallic pink letters, which will reflect the light, decorated with butterflies and sparkling gems.  We are yet to test the accessories against the elements, so we'll see how we go.  I'll post a picture of the letters on the grave when I have one.

If you are interested in something similar please feel free to get in touch with me via www.forkeepssake.co.uk  to discuss your idea or requirements.