Mo Fun Projects

We are a family that loves Mo Willems!  My son, M, was introduced to Pigeon, Gerald, Piggie, & oh so many mo(re) fabulous characters when he started school.  Thanks to the fabulous teacher, Mrs. R., we have fallen in love with the humor that Mr. Willems brings.  If you have never read one of these fantastic stories, give them a try.  Our absolute favorite is a Piggie & Elephant story called, "We Are In A Book!"  Be warned though.   Once you go Mo, you never go back.

With all this love for storybook characters, you might not be surprised that we've done a number of crafts in honor of them.  My friends have insisted that I share some of these fun projects.  Many Mo fun projects will be making their debut below.  *Some Mo Willems themed projects not pictures have already been showcased on my blog.


Mr. Willems, 
If you happen upon our little bit of this, little bit of that, family based blog, please know that we greatly admire you.  Your books are absolutely the best and we share them with everyone we know.  Okay.  We may not exactly share our books with everyone, but we do tell them about your amazing stories and buy them for some other special kiddos in our lives.  You've inspired these projects with your fun cast of characters and I'm certain you'll continue to do so.  We thank you for the humor, entertainment, and making reading a little mo' fun!  Keep writing & illustrating... we'll keep reading & loving every second!
You Fans,
CMOM Productions (just another cast of characters)




A Classroom Mascot...

This fun Pigeon mascot was hand drawn.  Here he is playing "Pigeon Lips" for Valentine's Day.  Key ingredients... poster board, scrapbook paper, glue, & a large laminating machine.  If you aren't into hand drawing, you could always use a projector to help create Sir Pigeon.

Mascot Accessories...

No mascot is complete without accessories.  Let's face it.  This Pigeon has to show his attitude and what better way to do so than with extra style.  All items were laminated.  *Not pictured:  1 speech bubble, perfect for bus driving requests.  While not all of the props are completed, it's a start.  When I finish the rest (I do have a list), I promise to do another post to showcase them.  

Pirate Pigeon (March is Reading Month theme: Pirates)...  
The palm tree & beach sand were made by an amazing friend & fellow parent volunteer and myself.  Three cheers for Miss J!  The pirate pigeon artwork is amazing!  Bravo kids!

 

Irish Pigeon (St. Patty's Day)...  

April Showers Pigeon (check out the boots)...  

 

May Flowers Pigeon...  

Back to Back Bus (one side school bus, one side "the bus")...  

Per my request, this one was created by my fabulous husband, C!

 

Desk Name Tags...
Mo' favorite characters, including the man himself, plus a speech bubble, some scrapbook paper, adhesive, & a laminating machine.  Write names on with a sharpie and cover with contact paper to stick them to the desks.  At the end of the year remove the sharpie with rubbing alcohol (I learned this trick from M's teacher).

Pigeon Treasure Keeper...
Using my previously seen hand carved Pigeon stamp, recycled containers, white contact paper, sharpies, these treasure keepers were fun little gifts for M's classmates.

Wooden Pigeon Pegs (hand painted)...
Wooden doll pegs, paint, brushes, modge podge to seal it, and patience.

Cat the Cat Clock...
A book with ruined pages inside (picked up at a book sale) was perfect for this project!  We grabbed a clock kit at our local Hobby Lobby, added a little spray paint, used a drill, and here you have it.  We found this book clock idea online.  C & M completed the project.

Pigeon Pencil Block...
Wood block, drill, scrapbook paper, modge podge, stamp, & sharpies.  By far our biggest efforts of team work as a family.  My older brother cut the 4x4, husband drilled the holes, boys picked the paper, & I put it together. 

Hand Carved Stamps...

This is one of my favorite creations ever made.  It was a personalized gift for an amazing teacher & friend.  Made with stamp rubber (found at Hobby Lobby), carving tools, and stamping cling foam, these stamps can be used with clear blocks (Stampin' Up size C = perfect).  The set is stored in a stamp case made by Stampin' Up.  The word bubble can be used for Pigeon, Gerald, & Piggie.  I wonder what they'll say... 

Pigeon (Hand) Prints...

This project was spotted online with stars for "Don't Let The Pigeon Stay Up Late."  We kept it simply the pigeon for our class project.  Paint, construction paper, scissors, glue, & a wobbly eye.  Mrs. R, Miss J, & I had fun seeing all the pigeons take shape.

Well, there you have it...  
CMOM Production's current gallery of Mo Willems inspired projects!  

Stay tuned for future projects.

Everything Is Going Swimmingly

Can you believe that the dreaded first day of the traditional work week has arrived once again?  Yes, it is Monday already.  Surprise!  My day started off swimmingly!  Yes, it's 100% true.  You see, this morning was my sons' last  swimming lesson for the Summer.  Sitting beside the pool and baking in the heat for the past two weeks while my boy swam, left me feeling a bit jealous.  Thankfully, after today's final lesson I was able to join my boys for the open swim pool party!  Nice warm pool water on a sunny summer day felt amazing.  

As our swimming lessons come to a close, I am amazed at how far my boys have come in such a short amount of time.  M removed himself from the steps after 2 days of fear induced sitting.  His instructor was able to bring him out into the water a number of times during those first couple of days, but he was terrified to do much else.  Today, he didn't want to get out of the pool!  He may not be ready to lose the swim training device and kick board, but the tears and nerves have certainly left him.  

O was also very nervous about pool time when he began.  He went from saying "I can't," to saying "watch this!"  Seeing him pick up on the actual swimming strokes and technique leaves me feeling amazed at much he's accomplished.  

My boys lessons of conquering fears and embracing their courage has been a wonderful inspiration to me.  As many of you know, putting yourself in a position where it's sink or swim, fail or succeed, makes you feel very vulnerable.  However, giving up before you try is not a good option.  

With these thoughts running through my mind over the past couple of weeks, I made a decision to step into a role that I've considered for some time.   I'm extremely nervous to fall flat on my face, but who isn't when they are trying something new?  While embracing my ultimate crafter heart, I'm stamping into the roll of a Stampin' Up! demonstrator!

If I'm not suited for this position, I don't know who is.  I love creating cards, scrapbooking, and doing all sorts of different crafts.  As I browse through crafting blogs, I am quick to notice many of the projects I fall in love with are created with Stampin' Up!  products.  They are so versatile and everything coordinates easily.  The best part about it...  it is FUN!  

My Stampin' Up demonstrator website should be up and running soon and you will be able to find the link here on my blog.  I will also update melindamarie.com with the information.  In the near future, I am planning on doing workshops, classes, and possibly even oline/video classes.

My dear friend Ally has encouraged me to step into this role for a long time.  Friends and family members have also boosted my confidence and pushed me towards this new adventure.  I can't wait to get started!

Have you taken on anything new lately?  Do you have any big announcements to share?  How is your day stacking up so far?  Are you longing for Friday to make a speedy return?  Do you have a quiet week ahead?  

Are you interested in having a Stampin' Up workshop with your friends and/or family?  Are you interested in taking a traditional/online class with me in the future?  Do you want to get crafty with me?  

Happy Birthday today to my husband Chris!

I love you!  xoxo

I'm looking forward to catching up with all of my blogger friends this week as I check out all the latest posts!