I cannot believe it. Here we are at my last Endless Summer Projects! We've been planning these and posting them for so many weeks now, that I can't believe we're at the finish line already. And that feeling of quick endings is all around us as we squeeze the literal juice out of the remaining two weeks of summer.

In our house, August brings the start of school preempted by one of our favorite (made up) holidays, Siblings Day! To foster great relationships and celebrate the special people we have right around us, our family indulges in a special dinner, a lasting craft, silly games, some storytelling of great memories, and silly pictures together.

My children are 8,6, and 3, and although rather close in age, their ability levels and interests can seem light years apart at times. Lots of "he's not old enough" and "she's too big" get thrown around in conversation. I wanted a way for everyone to see each other on a level playing field... So we spent some time going through baby pictures as a family. Each sibling heard stories of the other sister or brother and their habits as babies, the toys they loved, the ridiculous noises and first words they said.

And each one selected a baby photo of their brother and/or sister to hang in their rooms. Sometimes it's good to remember that your bossy older sister was once an adorable baby, too. And that annoying little brother, well, he was super huggable with those pudgy cheeks.

Once we had our photos selected and printed, we were ready to get to work.

Wanna make some, too? Super simple supplies for this one: sturdy shoeboxes, quality paint, brushes, photographs, scissors, and washi tape

My daughters picked the box lids, and my son wanted the box bottom, (and either side can turn out quite nicely)! Have children paint the boxes, likey 2-3 coats, depending on the coverage.

Once the box lid is completely covered in paint, assist your children in trimming the baby photos to all the same size. For the size boxes we had, I trimmed the photos to 3" x 3".

Line up photographs on the long flat surface of the box or box lid, and carefully adhere to the box with washi tape. I also glued the photos onto the boxes to insure that the washi tape would have some assistance in keeping the pictures in place.

Finished boxes make cute photo bricks on dresser and shelves.

Add fun washi tape patterns to add some visual interest to your frame.

And don't forget to find a spot on the wall to show off your new creation.

Happy crafting, friends! Thanks so much for a fabulous summer of projects.

We'll be back next week with the grand finale post from Jennifer. In the meantime, try these other projects for the waning days of summer:

Mosaic Stepping Stones DIY by Lulu the Baker

Weeknight Barbecue by Alexandra Hedin

Sharpie Dyed Tee Shirts by Pars Caeli

A Bug Habitat by Classic Play

Mini Masterpieces by Lulu the Baker

Bubble Painting by Alexandra Hedin

Memoir Boxes by Pars Caeli

Friendship Charm Bracelets by Classic Play

Shaving Cream Marbelized Paper by Lulu the Baker

Spray Paint Tablecloth by Alexandra Hedin

xoxo, MJ

Hi there, lovelies. It's wonderful to have you back here again. I missed you at the end of last week, but I promise I've been working some magic behind the scenes to move Pars Caeli to a new level of fabulous.

I had a wonderful birthday - thanks for all the wishes - that was topped off by a fantastic performance of Wicked. Though I'd heard the music and read the book, it was my first time seeing the musical, and I loved it!! Many other special, special moments continued throughout the weekend and into Mother's Day.

I have definitely grown into motherhood and grown from motherhood. Lately as they are now 3, 5, and 8, I find myself staring at my kiddos, amazed at the people they are becoming. Where did these lovely souls come from, and how did I get so lucky to share in life with them? I'm not sure, but I am most definitely humbled and grateful.

And on that note, I have an easy DIY I want to share with you. I made these cheeky notecards with vinyl letters last week that I'm stuffing in packages headed out to some of my favorite bloggers who joined in For the Love of Blogging series.

One of my favorite parts to these bundles are some sacred words.

These inspirational quotes come directly from the writers themselves.

I wanted to create something special for these writers, photographers, artists, and stylists. And as any crafter knows, washi tape is the most forgiving medium around so I was able to adjust and rework the prints as I wanted.

Here's what you need: cardboard, fun paper, glue, washi tape, and a bulldog clip for hanging.

I treasure the words these bloggers shared with me. And I hope they treasure their own words in the same way. Sometimes we discount our own wisdom, don't we? I think with these prints around, it will be a lot harder to do!!

STEP 1: Design your print. Load paper. Print.

STEP 2: Trim print and cardboard to the same size. These are 5x7 but make them in any size you'd like.

STEP 3: Glue paper to cardboard. I used rubber cement just because I love it.

STEP 4: Add washi accents. Make sure that you use the washi tape around the edge to combine the cover the cardboard/paper seam.

STEP 5: Add a washi either right next to the framed edge or a bit closer into the center for more of a matted look.

STEP 6: Attach a bulldog clip for hanging!

Have you ever framed your own words?

xoxo, MJ

P.S. A brand new Celebrate the Normal is headed your way on Wednesday; don't forget to tag your photos. And, I'll be joining in Anne's Love Yourself in a special Tuesday post tomorrow. Hint: The temptations of Photoshop.

Hello Friday! You are always such a welcome guest. We're hosting a little BBQ for some coworkers tonight and then heading into Chicago tomorrow for an outdoor concert and time with grandparents. How about you?

Will you be celebrating the opening ceremony of the Olympics tomorrow night (DVR all the way, baby)? Or will Saturday bring a pound of fudge to whoop it up for National Milk Chocolate Day? Don't forget to throw a big gathering for National Lasagna Day on Sunday...what a great meal for a big group of friends.

I've got a Tri- for you to Try this weekend.

                                

1. MAKE SOMETHING WASHI:

The photo above is my shout out to Olympic-ish washi love. This Monday I crafted (for the first time) something washi for Miss Louise. The DIY date challenge was for us to create anything with washi tape...wide open - anything.

I was delighted to see the whole range of possibilities from Paige's cool polka dot bangle to Joy's lovely laptop covering to Whitney's cool tray.

As for me, I wanted a way to show Instagram a little desktop lovin' so I made some mini-corkboards. I purchased some striped mini-washi tape and created a rainbow stripe (similar to that whimsical one you see up there in that header!). I loved how I could pull off and adjust the tape with no issues or re-stick problems. My 7-year old daughter also crafted one with ease. Washi is really forgiving. If you've thought about using it for a project, do it.

I printed my photos to Instagram viewing size...about 2.5" x 2.5".

2. SHOW SOME OLYMPIC-SIZED LOVE:

I can't believe how excited I am to be glued to my television for the next two weeks and watch the Olympics. My oldest daughter is the only one who remembers the Winter Olympics, and now all of them have the fever, with special hopes of watching their favorite sports and athletes compete. How are you all going to make the most of the games?

I have two great links for you. Check out these really well done printables for the Olympics. Erica over at Crash Notes created them for Project Life but they also make just awesome cards to post on your desk. (Thanks for Emily Kate for this great pin!)

And if you want to get the whole fam involved, check out all the great ideas from Laurie over on the Fiskars blog. Note: link includes felt laurel wreaths, world flags, and Olympic torches. Ooh la la.

Lastly, the unbelievable bingo cards, medals, mazes, and board games for the Olympics over at Tinyme Games will make you want to hit print over and over again.

3. UNDERSTAND YOUR STATS:

Hmm, that sounded more interesting in my head. Miss Kelly from Centsible Life sent me over to this great info. Dear blogger pals, here are some insights into all the tools at your disposal and a glossary of those terms we throw around to show that our blogs are fabulous. But, really, who needs stats? We're doing this because it's a whole lot of fun and a welcome distraction from so many other less creative ventures!

Here's to a great weekend. Looking forward to the close of a busy work summer and an extra special coffee date with the wonderful Melanie from Inward Facing Girl next week!! Like, in real life. :)

Have a bright weekend, friends. XOXO, MJ