The Origami Shirt - A Personal Gift Card for Dad

My children have enjoyed making this Origami Gift Card for dad.  Each one can be personalized with it's own special message inside the shirt. The shirt works best on quality gift wrap -- preferably without the printed graph on the reverse of many wrapping papers today.  Practice on a plain piece of paper until you've mastered it.  I've tried to make it as easy as possible with pictures and descriptions of what to do.  Be sure to read the instructions so you know when to turn the paper over -- otherwise you may get confused.  I still find origami very fun and fulfilling.

Start with a square sheet of gift wrap. This one is 8.5 x 8.5

Cut the square in half.  You will use only one (& have an extra one too.)

On left, fold over about 1/4" (start of collar)

Turn paper over.  Fold in half, then unfold

Fold up the bottom and top to meet center fold.

Take center layers and fold outwards a little.

Open up the paper leaving the center folds still in place.

Fold right to meet left edge & put just a little crease on middle fold with index finger.

Open up paper.  You will have small vertical crease mark  in center.

Fold right end to meet that center crease.

Fold your top and bottom folds back in now.

Take your center layers and fold out as shown -- sleeves.

Turn it over and when you do, it should look like this.

Now give that collar section another fold over.

Now turn it back over.

Fold down left edges (collar) at an angle to meet each other at center.

Fold the right edge up and tuck it nicely under the collar.  Voila!

Attach to card stock and decorate.  Put a little message inside if you'd like ;-)

see:  Little Boot Napkin Fold
see:  Swan Napkin Fold

Bus Driver Box of Goodies

We decided to go the 'Baked Goods' route for our end of the year gift.  Our driver is such a kind man, and so good with the children.  There is order and seat assignments on his bus.  No one messes with 'Mr. Ron'.  When there is rain or snow or any kind of inclement weather -- our driver drops each child in front of their home.  

I purchased a small, round box from a local craft store and painted it.  I downloaded a school bus template (from play2learnprintables.com), reduced it on our copier, then made stencils to sponge onto the box. A simple octagon was created from my power-point shapes for a stop sign.  My son assisted (but mostly told me what to paint, as he was being lazy). 

If you didn't want to paint, there is a color version of the bus template.  We filled our Bus Driver Box with my little boy's favorite frosted banana cookies.  We haven't met anyone who doesn't like them.  Wrap it up with some decorative ribbon and you're set.  There are other printables available too.

P.S.  We lined our box with foil and put parchment in-between the layers of cookies.  

I can't believe a whole year of kindergarten is ending :-(  (they grow so fast..)

How To Create an Easy Children's Vegetable Garden

Easy Children's Vegetable Garden Plan

I was looking through an issue of Better Homes and Gardens, when I came across this child friendly vegetable patch.  The colorful plot contains varieties such as pacman broccoli, green tiger squash, super snappy snap peas, red sails lettuce, kaleidoscope carrots and many more.  

The Food Revolution Garden, is a partnership between Chef Jamie Oliver and Better Homes and Gardens magazine. This 8x12 foot revolution garden was designed to engage children.  

Gardening has always felt so overwhelming to me, but when I look at this well-planned creation, I can't wait to get started with my little boy.  You can download a copy of the plan, with larger picture, layout and step by step instructions (but it does require you to sign up for the free BHG newsletter).   Chef Jamie Oliver has recently been campaigning against processed foods in national schools.  He has been working to improve unhealthy diets and cooking habits here in the U.S. and the U.K. 

see:  Straw Bale Gardening

Blog Your Dreams to Life - Why You Should Start a Blog BEFORE You Start a Business

Right now all you see are roses..but how will you really feel about your business 6-12 months down the road?  Blog a virtual business to life and you will be prepared for real life business in more ways then imagined..and you can get started today.  You will be EXTREMELY grateful to yourself and very wise to have taken the time. Let's get going with my 'Boys Only' business as an example:

1)  OPEN SHOP:  Blogger is a fantastic place to start your blog (Business).  You can set up your website with color and personality.  Organize pages, add pictures, video and tons of text content. Blogger gives you labels, search tabs, custom headers and many more features to become a functioning website--for FREE.  If you want the dot com at the end of your business name, you can purchase a custom domain for only $10/year with Blogger.  I'm not going to reinvent the wheel -- you can click "Create Blog" in the upper right hand corner of this blog and follow Blogger's easy instructions, or click here to find other instructions.

2)  ESTABLISH INVENTORY:  How do you gain inventory for free and share it with the world?  Virtually of course!  This is the fun part.  You should start out with the idea:  "This is my store and these are the things I would sell in it".  It may only be virtual inventory -- but the benefits WILL be solid in the following:

     a)  Inventory (Wish) List
     b)  Product Knowledge
     c)  Company Contacts   
     d)  Customer/Product Feedback
     e)  SEO functioning and Linking

Inventory:  I truly enjoy finding unique clothing, toys and accessories for boys.  I search daily via websites and actual brick and mortar shops.  I want to share with my followers the wonderful products I've come across and where they can purchase them.  I do so, by posting them in my blog.  When the day comes to start your business, you've only to scroll up and down your blog for what you'll sell.

Product Knowledge:  When I research a product/company I find out their history, and why they began their business.  I discover the materials used and skills they incorporate into their product(s).  Surely, if you're selling something, you'll want to understand all you can.  If I have purchased the product myself, I give a positive review and post it along with pictures I have taken (you must have pictures in a successful blog).   If I can only lust after the product, I download the pictures and post what I consider a custom advert for the company.  (I have never had anyone complain for free 'positive' press).

Contact with Company:  Make sure you contact the owner of the website and send them the link to your post.  Add a little hello, tell them who you are and how much you appreciate their creative work in this field.  Encourage them to add your post to any media linking they may have.   (I was thrilled with my first linking!) When you actually begin your business, company owners will most likely remember you and hopefully be happy to sell their inventory under your business...which isn't always a given. 

Feedback:  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder -- and customers for that matter.  You may absolutely love a product, but find a good part of your audience does not.  Although your ego may be bruised, at least your pocket book won't.  Wouldn't it be good to learn this lesson early?  By allowing comments on your blog you can gain valuable feedback.  Later, when you have a shop, you can continue to use your blog to ask your customers how they would feel about stocking a certain product.

SEO and Linking:   We'll discuss this in detail below -- but understand, this is a great feature in Blogger.  Each time you post publicly, it heads out to Google's search engine.  It is not only free marketing -- it's one of good quality.  You'll want to add an Alexa rating system so you can measure your SEO success, but posting sincerely and often with many links into and out of your blog will be incredibly beneficial in getting people to find you and what you're writing about. 

3) INCORPORATE SEO:  Search Engine Optimization.  It's a love/hate relationship.  A necessary evil and survival food.  This is probably the greatest lesson you will learn about actually having a business.  Any successful business has to have good SEO to be found.  You can spend hundreds on a cool website, logos and expensive inventory and think, 'Okay, here I am!" But...'NOBODY WILL HEAR YOU!!!'  SEO will tell the world who you are.  With your blog you have already told the world who you are.  Every post is a unique label that will bring searchers to you.  Potential customers will come to read your reviews and where to find what they're looking for.  You will inevitably (when selling product) have to pay for some SEO, but a blog is a great establishment for keeping your customer base up...why do you think so many companies have one now?

4)  CUSTOMER BASE:  If you have been posting sincerely and consistently then you will begin to establish followers (future customers).  You may want to create a Facebook Fan Page as well as a Twitter Account.  Holding Give Aways will bring many to your site, but many come for the 'free food' if you know what I mean. Until your Alexa Rating is in the low 700-400s you will probably have to provide most of the give aways yourself.  Product knowledge with witty posting will always top this.  Keep things interesting, playful and respectful.

5)  RESPECT:   My desire to start a boys only shop found favor with so many friends and acquaintances, but I had 0 small business experience.  I started my blog Just for Jack...it's not always about Jill just over a year ago.  What have I gained?  A whole new respect for small business owners, who are doing what I only dreamed of doing.  They work incredibly hard and I am glad to help bring others to their websites when I can.  I have familiarized myself and established contacts with amazing designers and businesses who give me opportunities to review their quality products. 

12 months of dedicated posting have gone by...are you still as excited about your business?  In any case, you will have washed away fantasy and swallowed much reality.  Now, you can stand back and make decisions with much more logic and a little less emotion.  Is it truly time to upgrade to a shopping cart website?

I love blogging on Just for Jack and will continue sharing the best in boys.   Surprisingly,  I have discovered my talents do not rest in small business retail--but in other unexpected places at this time.    I'm so glad I blogged first.  ;-)

Good Luck, and may all your dreams come true.

C.T. Kirkpatrick
JustforJack.com

How To Hard Boil Eggs Perfectly

I'm often asked, "How do you get your eggs so yellow?"  It's really quite simple.  If you follow these instructions, you can also learn how to peel your eggs easily.

1)  Start by using a heavy saucepan which will fit as many eggs as you need on the bottom (without having to place any on top -- this is how they often crack during boiling).

2)  Fill tap water to about an inch over your eggs.

3)  Place on stove and turn to high.

4)  As soon as your eggs begin a real 'rumbling' boil, time the boiling for 3 minutes then remove completely from heat.

5).  Let your eggs sit in this hot water for approximately 35 minutes.  After this point they will be ready to peel.

To peel eggs, dip your hand in to pick up your eggs.  Now, simply take each egg and give it a firm crack onto the bottom of the pan (cracking at the bottom part of the egg is best).  Let the eggs continue to sit in the warm water for a few more seconds, and then take the first one out and start peeling it -- taking the membrane with it as you go.  Dip it into the warm water if it becomes a bit stubborn.  And there you have it! 

Recipe:  The BEST Deviled Eggs

New Year Napkins - Swan Napkin Fold

Here is another one of my favorite Napkin Folds.  Swan hold a special memory in my heart.  I am probably one of the few people on earth who have had a 'herd' of swan take flight from several yards away on the ground to up and over my head.  They were probably only 8 feet above me, and as I looked up I could hear and see their magnificent strength and beauty.  I will always remember that glorious moment in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. 

Note:  I recommend using a fine paper napkin -- fabric is difficult on this one, as it ends up a bit too thick near the breast of the swan.

Step 1:  Start with a fine paper napkin prefolded into four.

Step 2:  Make a diagonal crease in napkin so we know where the center line is.

Step 3:  With your 4 points gathered at top, fold vertically, meeting center line.

Step 4:  Turn napkin over.

Step 5:  Fold edges vertically toward center.

Step 6:  Fold bottom point up to top.

Step 7:  Fold point about 1/3 down (making head).

Step 8:  Take outer edges and 'fold' swan in half.

Step 9:  Take hold of lower edges w/one hand and pull head out to angle desired.

Step 10:  Pinch head together and 'pull-up' and separate tail feathers.

Step 11:  Hold in place on plate by placing swan breast into outer spaces of fork.

See:  Boot Napkin Fold
See:  The Best Deviled Eggs - Appetizer 

If you enjoy napkin folding you may like to check out these titles from Powell's Books:  


         

New Year Napkins - Little Boot Napkin Fold

I moved to a new school when I was in the middle of 5th grade.  As I was shy, it took me awhile to make new friends.  Thankfully I arrived on library day where I would safely put my nose in a book.  On that day I was able to check-out what I felt was the 'neatest' book on the shelf; the title was simply,  Paper Folding.  I later discovered it was called "Origami" and have since taught myself many fun and interesting folding projects.  (The new talent also helped me make many new friends).

Here is a "Boot Napkin" that can be achieved with either a nice paper or fabric napkin.  You can add elegance or whimsy depending on your color and design choice.  It is fun to stuff the boot with a few sweets or dinner mints as well.  

To make, follow my instructions below:  (And special thanks to my little napkin holder who was very patient with my picture taking ;-)

Step 1:  Unfold the napkin with right side facing down.

Step 2:  Fold napkin 'up' once (fold of napkin toward you).

Step 3:  Fold napkin 'up' again (fold of napkin still towards you).

Step 4:  Fold right side down aligning with center fold of napkin.

Step 5:  Fold the left side down in same fashion.

Step 6:  Fold right and left side in once more.

Step 7:  Fold right side over to left side.

Step 8:  Rotate napkin to left so that fold of toe is facing up.

Step 9:  Fold top half of right side to align with left fold.

Step 10:  Fold extended point over the bottom half of right side (you're preparing it to tuck into left side)

Step 11:  Now fold over that right side and tuck it inside the little fold on your left.

Step 12:  Fold point of toe up a bit and stick your finger inside top of boot to open it up.

 

I hope you enjoy this little project.  These boots can be used for just about any occasion.  Be brave -- they look good even when using a simple, every day paper napkin.  Try making a pair of boots!

See:  Swan Napkin Fold 

If you enjoy napkin folding you may like to check out these titles from Powell's Books: