Phase 2 of The House Behind The Trees ~ The downstairs #TeelsBuildaHouse

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So we are starting the downstairs ... I HATE to say basement because we had a basement in our old home, where you opened a door and went down stairs separated from anything else. It was a finished basement complete with a bedroom, craft room, family/game room and we spent a lot of time there ~ our oldest son moved down there in jr high and stayed through high school ... until we finished the master suite in the attic then he moved back up to the bedroom floor with his brother and sister.  So here our downstairs is open to the rest of the house, you can see through to the outside from the top of the stairs going down because we have a wall of windows down there as well.  We really didn't plan to have a kiddo down there but since we are having to do a switch-a-roo with rooms (I'll explain later) he is moving home soon and will be downstairs. Anyhoo, our downstairs will house our main family room, our middle sons room, a full bath and kitchenette.  I thought it would be fun ...
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Easy-to-Make Family Craft Keepsakes

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Sweet Sock Art
This memento from your tot's early days will help you remember her teeny tiny tootsies long after she's graduated to shoes.
You Will Need: foam core, shadow box (this is 20 inches square), colorful fabric or paper, duct tape, 6 to 10 baby socks, glue dots, card stock and marker
1. Cut the foam core to fit inside your shadow box.
2. Fold the fabric or paper around the foam core and secure it with duct tape.
3. Arrange the socks as shown, then attach them with glue dots.
4. Write your child's name and birth date on a piece of card stock (ours is 3 inches across) and attach it with glue dots.
5. Place the foam core in the shadow box and hang it on the wall.

Simple Silhouette

1. Photograph your child's head from the side.
2. Enlarge the photo on your computer to a size you like, then print it in black and white. (Or you can enlarge an existing print on a copier.)
3. Lay the image on top of a sheet of black paper. Cut around the head and shoulders, through both pieces of paper.
4. Remove the back panel from a frame. Cover the panel with glue stick, then lay on of a piece of fabric for a background. Trim the fabric to fit the panel.
5. Attach the silhouette to the fabric with glue stick. Reassemble the frame, and your art is ready to display.

Thank-You Note Gift
1. Download a flower circle template. Make copies so that you'll have several flowers.
2. Cut out the circles, decorate the flower and write a thank-you message on it.
3. Decorate a 4-inch-wide round papier-mâché box (found at many craft stores). Include a note inside the lid, as shown.
4. Fill the box with the finished flowers. Give it along with a gift card to an office supply store or a coffee shop, if you like.

A Craft That Maps Out Family History
Show the way to loved ones and favorite vacation spots with our tabletop signpost.
1. With strong scissors, trim regular and jumbo-size craft sticks into arrow-shaped signs. Paint them with acrylic paint and let them dry. If desired, paint a plastic animal for the top.
2. Shape a dome base from air-drying clay and insert a 1/2-inch-wide dowel.
3. For the directions, press letter stamps (N, S, E, W) into the base or use a pencil to etch the letters. Let the clay dry (it may take a few days).
4.Paint the base, then color the letters with permanent marker.
5. Use an online tool, such as Google Maps, to determine the distance from your home to your chosen locations. Write the place names and mileage on the signs with permanent marker.
6. Attach each sign to the dowel with a glue dot. With tacky glue and a paintbrush, fill in any gaps around the glue dot, signs, and dowel. Use the glue sparingly so that it doesn't drip.
7. Attach the animal to the top with a glue dot, plus tacky glue if needed.

Photo Candle Holder
1. Choose a digital photograph that's horizontal (not vertical). Choose vacation destination photos for a "family trip through the years" or the first day of school photos through the years for fun tablescapes.
2. Print it in black-and- white on an 8 1/2- by 11-inch sheet of plain vellum paper, available at craft and office supply stores.
3. Wrap the vellum around a tall, cylindrical glass vase (Michaels for $3) and adhere the overlapping edges with double-sided tape. Trim any excess paper.
4. Put a battery-operated tea light inside the vase.

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