Summer Adventures

It's officially the end of the school year and I'm feeling nostalgic.

My "baby" isn't one any longer - she has leaped into the world of school trips, summer vacations and after-school play dates. For me, the start of this summer signifies her burgeoning independence, and it will be put to the test when she goes to full-day camp this summer. What a milestone! I'm excited for her and I know she will love it.

Camp plays such an integral role in helping children define themselves and build self-esteem. As a kid, I was lucky enough to go to camp a few summers in a row; they were some of the best times of my childhood. Camp was a place where great memories were made, friendships were nurtured and life lessons were learned. For my daughter, this summer is filled with the promise of new adventures and memories that will last a lifetime.

Now all I need to do (aside from keeping tissues close at hand in case I get emotional), is to make sure she's prepared. Needless to say, we'll be ordering some new labels with Found-it on them for all her camp "must-haves" (water bottle, swimsuit, towel, shoes, etc), and she will customize them herself - picking her favorite design and font make her feel like a big kid, which she officially is now. There will be a few safety talks as well because, after all, she's only five... and five-year-olds need a lot of reminders! Last but not least, I will tell her to be herself, have fun and enjoy her first camp experience.

Whether you have a child heading off to camp for the first time this summer, or are a seasoned camp vet, all of us at Oliver's Labels wish you and your family a fun, safe camp season.

Father's Day DIY

It's almost Dad's big day and if you find yourself scrambling for a great gift, I've got a few crafty - yet memorable - ideas for you for kids of all ages!

Personalized Picasso

When my daughter was two, she made a special Father's Day present for my husband - a painting with her hand print on it that my husband cherishes to this day.  It's such an easy and inexpensive project, yet it's sure to be treasured. Simply purchase a canvas at your local art supply store or dollar store (this is where I get mine... they have amazing canvases for only $1-2!), and set up a tray with assorted washable paint colors for your child to use; consider the use of a smock.  
Tip: a plastic egg carton works great as a paint tray - it's the perfect size.
If you have a very young child doing this project and don't want the colors to end up turning into brown on the canvas, hand your child a clean brush every few minutes and gently instruct them to try a new color. Be sure to personalize their painting even more by adding a hand print to their masterpiece. It will be a great reminder just how small they were when they made this.

Want to make it even more special? Be sure to document the entire experience (photographs, video) and either print off a photo and slide it in the back of the canvas, or give Dad a DVD of the creative process. He's sure to treasure it!

Fimo Fingerprints

Every kid that has tried Fimo simply LOVES it. Know why? Because they get to immortalize their creations forever (via baking/hardening)! No matter the age(s) of your child(ren), you can create an amazing - and practical - gift for Dad using Fimo and a few other supplies found at art supply or dollar stores.

Key Chain 

Supplies: Fimo, leather cord, split ring

Cut a rectangular piece of Fimo - any size you'd like your keychain to be - and make a hole using an awl or a very sharp pencil at one end of it (it must be big enough to accommodate two widths of leather cord). Next, have your child(ren) put their fingerprint(s) in it and bake per the instructions on the Fimo package; let cool. Cut a 6" piece of leather cord and fold in half around the split ring; put cut ends of the cord through the hole that you made in the Fimo; then, with both ends together, tie a simple knot at the end. (Feel free to experiment with other ways to attach the Fimo and split ring; jump rings also work well, in place of leather cord.)

Bookmark

Supplies: Fimo, leather cord

Follow the instructions as noted above (for keychain), only cut the Fimo larger (bookmark size) and finish the top off with a piece of leather cord folded in half, looped end through the hole in the top of the Fimo, and cut ends pulled through loop to form a sort of tassel.

I hope these inexpensive, last-minute, low-stress gift ideas help make this coming Father's Day a great one! And if you have any fabulous DIY gift ideas to share please comment below, post on our Facebook or Google+ pages, pin them on Pinterest (tag us so we can re-pin!), or tweet us. We would love to share your ideas with the rest of our fans!

Wordless Wednesday

Playing in the kitchen drawers is better than any toy!

Just in time for Summer Camp...

We know how busy this time of year can be, with the end of the school year approaching and the start of summer activities, camp, and trying to keep your kids occupied for two months.

If you child is going to camp - be it day camp or overnight camp - it's wise to label all of their items. With all of the fun they're sure to have, keeping track of their stuff isn't going to be high on their list! So, we've got a fabulous promotion just for you... but only for a limited time.

Order our Camp Package for only $38.99 (a $58.99 value!) - our biggest and best pack of labels and tags, sure to cover all your camp-labelling needs!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook and join our Google+ circles to stay in the know about all our contests and promotions!