Elf on the Shelf: DIY Gratitude Ornament and FREE Printable

Our elf arrives this Friday, and I thought it would be nice to start with an activity that reminds us each of what we are thankful for and what Christmas is all about.  I bought clear acrylic ball ornaments at my local craft store on sale for 75 cents each (originally $1.49.)  I painted the year on one side and the child's name on the other with a paint pen.  I then personalized THIS FREE PRINTABLE of instructions for the ornament with each child's name. 
What are YOU grateful for this season?

Elf on the Shelf: Kringle's Koffee Barista Apron and Printable Logo

I spent a good deal of time creating those lovely little printable coffee cups, and a big piece of that was the logo for "Kringle's Koffee."  I decided to take it a step further and play a little more.  The options are truly limitless!  I have included them in several sizes so regardless of what elf you have at your house, there's a logo big enough for you to use.

Print the Kringle's Koffee logos HERE.

Barista Apron - I took a green handkerchief from my local hobby store and cut a 4.5" x 5" corner of it out and finished out the 2 cut edges (final was 4"x4.5".)  I added a ribbon across it and 2 ribbons at the top.  I folded under the 2 corners (between the ribbon attachments), and I printed out the free printable of Kringle's Koffee logos on an iron on transfer sheet.  (Please note if your transfer paper needs to be printed as a "mirror image" or regular.)  I cut out and ironed on the logo, and voila!  Barista apron!

You can also print these on regular paper or adhesive sheets and cut them out to create branded shopping bags, napkins, etc.  You could even create a sign for a coffee house!  Maybe you just want a shirt for yourself that says, Kringle's Koffee.  ;-)

 

How will you use these?  I'd love to see!

 

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf Ideas and Free Printables here!  Please feel free to pin, link, and share, but link to our blog posts and not directly to the printables.

 

You can easily purchase all of my Elf on the Shelf printables for easy and immediate download in the store to the right.

Elf on the Shelf: Printable Plate and Napkin Ring

Are you having a Welcome Breakfast for your elf and kids?  This year will be our first year to do one.  I don't want to go buy a bunch of Christmas dinnerware, and I didn't want to use paper plates either.  This is my solution!  The printable plate goes BENEATH your glass (or clear plastic) plate, and the napkin ring can go around paper or linen napkins.  I added names to my plate printables, and you could do the same with Photoshop.
I found an inexpensive red and white chevron table runner online, too!  I saw Santa hat chair covers for $1 each at the dollar store, and I think I'll grab those, too.  I have a ton of white candles, and I thought with a box of candy canes and some ribbon, I could complete the look.  If I can find an inexpensive box of red ball ornaments, then, I may make an ornament "chandelier" also.
If you want all of my Elf on the Shelf printables in easy downloads, you can purchase them in the store at the right for immediate download.

Check out all of my other Elf on the Shelf ideas and printables, too!

As always, I encourage you to create some of the "super special" Elf surprises, and then trade them with your friends and neighbors so that the joy (and efforts) are shared!!!

By all means, share this, pin it, print it, blog about it, but please link back to this post. 

DIY Faux "log" fireplace

Gas logs are ridiculously expensive, and in Central Texas, we rarely gave weather that warrants a fire.  My solution? This DIY project that didn't cost me a penny.

I had my husband cut down a scrap of board that we had to a size smaller than the space in the fireplace where I wanted to place it.  I wanted to be able to have overhang on all sides of the board with the wood "logs."  My step-dad had a ton of wood, and I asked him to cut down a few of the logs into 1-4" discs.  He used 3 different types of wood.  I would have loved to have all Aspen, as I think the white would have been really pretty, but I'm thrilled with the outcome.  I painted our scrap piece of wood black with some spraypaint we had, and then I used wood glue to position the discs on the board to resemble stacked logs.  After allowing them to dry for 24 hours, I went back and used decking screws (that we already had) to secure the logs from the back side of the board.  I fit the finished piece into the fireplace and made a couple of final adjustments, and Ta-Da!  I love it.  

Elf on the Shelf: Fireplace FREE Printable

Does your elf need his own fireplace to curl up by to read?  Does he need a fireplace to roast his marshmallows?  Does he need a fireplace to sit around and tell stories with his friends?  Does he just miss the fireplace back at the North Pole?
Print out these 2 pages for a 3-D fireplace, and you can add a few small pieces of red, yellow, or orange tissue paper to the fire to make it really 3-D if you wish.  (I promise to update these pages with pictures of everything made and with our elf once we pull him down from the attic next week!)

Print the FIRE HERE.

Yes, the bricks will really be horizontal on the actual fireplace, but...well, once you print, cut, and fold it, it will be fine.

Print BRICK FIREPLACE HERE.

Cut and fold the brick fireplace first.  Then, print and position the fire behind the fireplace to determine where you want to cut and tape/paste your fire into the fireplace.  They are measured to print with some of the black at the top and bottom of the fire to resemble a real fireplace in the brick surround.

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf Ideas and Free Printables here!

Elf on the Shelf: FREE Printable Grocery List on Letterhead

Yes, you can absolutely scribble down a funny grocery list on toilet paper "by your elf," but my kids know my handwriting all too well.  Besides, personalized note paper is fun!  Here's a FREE Printable Grocery List in ELF handwriting! What would you add to the list?

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf Ideas and Free Printables here!

Elf on the Shelf: FREE Printable Road for Road Race

If you don't want to give your little ones access to 100 miniature candy canes or tape a crazy race track throughout your living room and on your furniture (painters' tape is ideal to create the crazy race track and can be a fun activity for play during the day) to go with your Printable Finish Lines, then you can print out this FREE printable road for the finish line or these FREE printable road extensions to make it travel throughout your home.  You can always have a few miniature candy canes near this finish line, too.

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf ideas and Free Printables here!

Elf on the Shelf: Elves ♥ Wrap Music - FREE Printables

Are you in the midst of wrapping gifts and are so exhausted you don't even have the energy to put it all away?  Blame your elf!  Print out this cute little sign and a couple of elf-sized rolls of wrapping paper, and you can leave your wrapping paper, ribbon, and tape out, too!  Don't forget to leave your music player on to the Christmas music station, too.

Please feel free to share, pin, blog, and print these for personal use!  Please link to this post and not directly to the printable.

Elf on the Shelf: Up, Up, and Away! Hot Air Balloon Free Printable

How DOES your elf arrive each morning?  Does he have his own hot air balloon?  He can.

Paper lantern globes can be found just about anywhere these days: supercenter, craft store, party store, etc.  You may even have some left over from a birthday party or shower.  Grab a paper lantern (I'm using red), some string or curling ribbon (I'm using white curling ribbon), a 16 oz. plastic cup, and print out this cute wrap for the elf's hot air balloon "basket" (a.k.a. red solo cup.)  
  
Punch 3 (or 4) holes equidistant around the top of the cup and at the bottom of the lantern.  Tie 3 (or 4) of the same lengths of ribbon to attach the top of the cup to the lantern.  Wrap the cup with the free printable paper wrap and tape or glue, and hang the lantern with your elf in the "basket."

You can dress it up with ornaments hanging from below the basket or Christmas lights (either the light up necklaces or the ones intended for the mini-trees.)

By all means share this, pin it, print it, blog about it, but link back to this page and not directly to the printable links.

 

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf ideas and printables here!

 

You can purchase all of my Elf on the Shelf printables for easy and immediate download in the store to the right.

Elf on the Shelf: DIY Cinnamon Rolls

Those cute printable coffee cups and newspaper needed something besides Mrs. Claus's Crullers.  (I mean seriously, the donuts are super cute, but an "event" all their own.)  A cinnamon roll would be perfect!  I picked up these tiny plates at my local craft store knowing that they would come in handy for our elf.  The cinnamon rolls are actually really easy and quick to make, and you may have enough leftover scraps lying around to make them.  

Supplies to make 4:

• 2" x 4" tan craft foam (preferably not the super thin foam.)
• 2" x 3.5" brown felt (or any color you choose if you want them to be strawberry, blueberry, or something other than cinnamon.)
• white puffy paint
• hot glue

Instructions:

Cut the craft foam in 1/2" x 4" strips, and taper one end for the outer edge.

Cut the felt in 1/2" x 3.5" strips

Roll the foam and felt into a spiral (like a jellyroll), and secure tapered end with hot glue.  Push the center up, and fill the bottom "hole" with more hot glue.  Let dry upside down.

Once the hot glue has cooled, use white puffy paint to create "icing."  

When your elf leaves, these would still be cute for "tea parties" with dolls.

Elf on the Shelf: Off to the Races FREE Printables

Whether you line your race way with miniature candy canes, cheering crowds, or masking tape raceways, you need a Finish Line!  I've created three - two are intended for a running race and the third is intended for a car/motorized race.  Our elf has not yet returned from the North Pole, so my images (for now) are sans Buddy Kringle.

Print the Car Race Finish Line on cardstock, cut on the 6 red lines, and fold on the gray lines, tape as needed.

If you want a Finish Line for a Marathon, then this finish line is double-sided and can hang easily on a ribbon or folded piece of crepe paper.

If you prefer something a little more Christmas-themed, here is Mistletoe Marathon's Finish Line, and it is also double sided to hang over a ribbon.

Please feel free to share, pin, blog, and print these!  Please link to this post and not directly to the printable.

Elf on the Shelf Free Printable HOLY BIBLE

In our home, we clearly enjoy the fun "magic" of Christmas, but we also hold the holiday and all that it encompasses as very sacred.  Even our Elf on the Shelf has been found adoring the Newborn King in our nativity scene, and this year, I've created a free printable "Bible" with the story of Jesus's birth on the only 2 pages in the "book."  It's a 4 inch square that you can cut, fold, glue with a glue stick, and then fold again for a 2"x 2"  "Bible" for your elf to use this Christmas season.

Please share, comment, pin, or blog about this, but please link to this post and not directly to the download.

Elf on the Shelf Postcard - FREE Printable

Our elf doesn't arrive until Thanksgiving night, but I wanted the kids to get a note from him reminding them of his upcoming visit.  I created this free printable elf on the shelf postcard, and then I followed the instructions on the USPS site to have it cancelled with the North Pole postmark!  The kids should be receiving it any day now.

Print FRONT, Print BACK, Print BOTH on same side of one page

By all means share this, pin it, print it, blog about it, but link back to this page and not directly to the printable links.

 

Check out our other Elf on the Shelf ideas and printables here!

 

Elf on the Shelf: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas printable book

Does your elf need a Christmas book? Ours did!  I created this free printable 'Twas the Night Before Christmas book. It prints on 1 page, and you cut the two 4"x4" squares, fold them, and use craft/scrapbooking glue to keep the pages flat and one dab of glue to keep the center pages inside the "book."  (It doesn't really GLOW, but the bright white paper sure makes it look like it!)
Please share your images of your Christmas elf reading with us!

Check out all of my other Elf on the Shelf ideas and printables, too!

As always, I encourage you to create some of the "super special" Elf surprises, and then trade them with your friends and neighbors so that the joy (and efforts) are shared!!!

By all means, share this, pin it, print it, blog about it, but please link back to this post. 

You can purchase all of my Elf on the Shelf printables in the store to the right for easy and immediate download.

Healthier lunchable

My oldest, to my dismay, loves lunchables. Here is my homemade version for his lunch today; it includes an Asian pear and a cutie. Leaf picks make it a little more "fall."

Bento: Turkey Face

Truly a Turkey sandwich.

Elf on the Shelf: Coffee Cups and Newspaper with Free Printables

If your kids enjoy hot chocolate or cream frappucinos as much as mine do, they'll appreciate this one.  I created a logo, added some Elves, and voila.  Print them on cardstock (cut and tape), and your elf on the shelf can enjoy a cup of coffee with the morning North Pole News newspaper, have an all-nighter studying, or have his own coffee shop experience with some of his best buds.  When printing, do not "Scale to Fit Page" or "Scale to Fit Media."  Doing so will result in larger prints.
You can place a white, tan, brown, or even green pom-pom from the craft store in the cups and top with white puffy paint and a trimmed green stir straw to complete the look.

Click HERE for the free Kringle's Koffee cup download

Click HERE for the free North Pole News printable

I "curled" the cardstock cups with the edge of a pair of scissors before taping/gluing them to help them better take shape.
I filled the cups with white pom poms, but you could use whatever you have.  If you use some that are big enough, they can look like whipped cream on top.  I made lids for mine with thin white foam by cutting out 2 circles (one just slightly larger than the top of the cups and one slightly smaller than the top of the cups), gluing them together, and then gluing them to the top of the cups.

Update: I created Kringle's Koffee printable logos for Barista aprons, cups, signage, etc. too, HERE.


Check out all of my other Elf on the Shelf ideas and printables, too!

As always, I encourage you to create some of the "super special" Elf surprises, and then trade them with your friends and neighbors so that the joy (and efforts) are shared!!!

By all means, share this, pin it, print it, blog about it, but please link back to this post. 

You can purchase all of my Elf on the Shelf printables in the store to the right for easy and immediate download.