Appreciation Day

I found a great blog post about an "Appreciation Day" at Sew Homegrown.  I wanted to use the idea ever since I saw it, and after school started, it seemed like the perfect time.  Tommy had never heard of an appreciation day, so "Tommy Appreciation Day" was a complete surprise for him.  While he was doing homework the night before, I went to buy him a pencil sharpener, and while I was out, I bought him a Dr. Pepper.  We never have soda around, so I knew he would like it.  I took the opportunity while he was distracted with homework to make him a banner and a card.

The banner was simple--I cut out triangles from cardboard-looking cardstock, painted the letters on them, and used tacky glue to attach the ribbon across the top.






I made this card (the directions are at the end of this post):








I also used some of the same paper to make a sleeve for the soda:









Once my things were made, it was time to go to bed.  I almost always get up before Tommy, so in the morning, I had time to hang up the banner, lay out the card, and serve this for breakfast.

Once again, I used a recipe from Food Gawker:  Eggs in Potato Bowls.  I thought Tommy would take the soda with him to school, but he chose to drink it for breakfast.

After Tommy left for school, I took some time to bake him some cookies.  I used this recipe for Hot Chocolate Cookies from Food Gawker.  Mine looked NOTHING like the pictures on the blog, but they tasted good.  Unfortunately, they looked rather like fried eggs that had been burned.  I dropped a plate of them off in Tommy's locker at his work.  He said his boss and co-workers laughed at them, but he enjoyed eating them.

When Tommy finally made it home, I made dinner.  I didn't do anything particularly fancy, but I had saved a meal to prepare that I knew he would prefer.

Overall, I think Tommy liked the day.

Now, for the directions for the circle card.
I used this circle cutter to make two circles of the same size.  If you don't own a circle cutter (I borrowed this one--Thanks Mom!), you can trace a circle, like a dessert plate, and cut it out.

 You will need three circles of the same size.  I did one in white and one with a pattern.  The third one should be out of scrap paper.  (I didn't make the scrap paper one, and my card didn't come out just right.  Hence, these directions for you.)

Cut a triangle into the patterned piece of paper.  Don't make the triangle deep enough to reach all the way to the center.








Now, for the part I wish I had done.  Fold the scrap circle into fourths.  (It should look like a triangle.) Cut the very tip of the triangle off.  When you reopen the paper circle, it should have a hole in the exact center.  Use this hole to make a small mark in the middle of the patterned paper.

Push a brad through the middle of the two circles, and secure.








Then, you can write your message in the triangle.  Next, turn the top circle to the right, and you will have more space to write another message.  I put about 5 different messages around the circle.  I also liked that with the vertical stripes and the brad, the card kind of resembled a dress shirt.  This was a quick card, and something you could make easily.