Free Printable Valentine: You're a Real Gem

It's that time of year again. Moms everywhere are scrambling to come up with cute Valentines for their kids to deliver to all their little friends. As one of those moms, let me just go ahead and say that I shocked myself by getting these completed in time not only to take to preschool next week, but also to post on the blog. I'm never this ahead of the game.

Aren't these the cutest little rings? Last week I was wandering through Target sans kiddos (a rare treat in itself) when I saw these colorful eraser rings in the Valentine section. I knew they would be perfect for Micah to take to preschool, so I whipped up a sweet little tag for her to sign on the back before attaching them to the rings.

She also has to take some Valentines to church for a grandparents' brunch, so I created some cards that she can sign on the bottom without attaching the rings.

If you can't find eraser rings, these Valentines would also work well with ring pops or play jewelry. You can cut out the hearts from the cards as we did, or you can pop the rings in little bags and attach the full-sized cards. If you're anything like me, you're all about options.

I hope you enjoy these little gems. Download your free printable You're a Real Gem Valentines here. Hope your little one loves them as much as mine!

THE SMALL PRINT: You may not accept credit for the design of this card or sell it to anyone. Leslie Ann Jones retains the copyright. If you wish to share the digital file with others, please direct them to this post. Do not e-mail the file all over the world. Please don’t link directly to the download file. Click to download your Free Printable You're a Gem Valentines!

Check out my other free printables

You can see my entire collection of free printables, including these Love Bug Smarties Valentines in the freebies section. Happy printing!

Until next time, grace and peace.

One Short Year

A year ago today, this is what I was doing. Eighteen hours after going into the hospital for a labor that was sure to be "quick and easy," my littlest lady was born. A year ago, I wondered why it was taking her so long to make an appearance. Now I know that she does everything in her own time, not a bit sooner.

She is, without a doubt, one of the greatest joys in my life. My favorite moments of every day are the quiet minutes after she and her sister first wake up. We all pile up in the bed and snuggle together for a few short minutes before the day begins. Kendall lays her little head down on my chest and lets me cuddle with her. Then she demands breakfast.

The years are short, but the days are long. One short year later, and my itty bitty newborn isn't so little anymore. We have some loooooong days. Sometimes I think they're never going to end, but they inevitably do, and here I am after 365 of them, wondering how it all passed so quickly. Crazy, I know.

At any rate, this little girl is one of a kind. Unless it involves eating, she's not in a hurry to do anything. With a big sister and four adults at her beck and call, she has no incentive to crawl, much less walk. She'll get there eventually...just not yet.

She is so, so, sweet, and I'm so grateful that God chose me to be her mommy. My prayer for her today and every day is that she will become a young woman who loves and serves the Lord with all her heart. That He would protect and preserve that tender little heart for the man she will eventually marry. That she would share an unbreakable bond with her sister. And of course, that by some miracle of God, we'll be able to do this parenting thing without totally screwing her up.

That's the goal, isn't it?

We're celebrating my sweet girl's birthday with family and friends this weekend. Expect to be inundated with pictures later.

Until next time, grace and peace.

Minted: 'Oh What Fun' Holiday Photo Card Challenge

I've been getting into the holiday spirit over the past few weeks, working on designs for minted's annual holiday card challenge. I know, it sounds crazy to be thinking about Christmas in the middle of June, but trust me when I say that it's always Christmas in the stationery world. Designers submitted 3,348 truly spectacular designs to the challenge, and now it's up to you to select the designs that minted will sell. I've linked to a few of my designs below to give you a little sampling, but you can see the entire collection on the Felicity Paper facebook page.

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Simply Rejoice - Christmas Photo Cards

Simply Rejoice is hands down my favorite Christmas card this year. I love the gilded type and simple reminder to rejoice during one of the most hectic times of year. It's classic and beautiful, and I hope to use it for our cards this year (yes, I've already decided).

Bright Type - Holiday Photo Cards

Bright Type is a simple and clean Christmas card that highlights the customer's name with alternating colors. It's modern and fun and has just the right touch of whimsy.

Gilded Type Newlywed Christmas Cards

Gilded Type is the perfect card for newly married (and merry) couples. Its claim to fame is gorgeous faux gold foil in an elegant script.

Piled Presents - Holiday Photo Cards

Piled Presents features a brightly colored pile of presents and a large photo. It would make a perfect holiday card for anyone who loves gifts, and seriously, who doesn't love a nicely wrapped present?

Wishful Thinking - Holiday Photo Cards

And finally, Wishful Thinking is a perfect card for all those parents of newborns who are praying for a good night's sleep. Anyone who has had a baby can relate to this tongue-in-cheek birth announcement Christmas card that's sure to draw a chuckle.

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I don't want to bombard you with all 11 of my designs, but if you're interested, check out all of my submissions on Felicity Paper's facebook page.

If you have some free time over the next few days, please rate my designs by clicking on the images above, then, to be fair, spend a few minutes rating some of the other designs you see (your votes won’t count if you only vote for me). Voting closes Monday morning (June 24), so head on over and rate away!

Thanks for your support!

Until next time, grace and peace.