Mommy Talk Show Candid Conversation with a TV Mom
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When you’re an Atlanta mom, you spend a good portion of the day in the car. I drop our son off at kindergarten, pick him up after school, go to parks for play dates after school, attend martial arts class and run errands. Most weekdays from 2:30 to 6 p.m. I’m IN my car.
While most of that time is focused on our son, I like to give myself a little extra time to work on my goals. Even if it’s just five extra minutes in the carpool lane or waiting for an after school activity to wrap up, I can do a few things to improve my self-esteem. Unfortunately, a few of the things I like to keep handy for my “Mommy Moments” tend to scatter all over the front seat of my new car.
So I came up with a cool way to repurpose a gift bag from our son’s birthday party, use a small box I’d received from something I’d purchased online and add in some of my favorite things to keep handy. I also wanted to make sure the box had a handle so I can easily carry it inside your home replenish it. I wanted to box to be durable and tough like the new Spearmint Extra® 35-stick pack I planned to put inside.
Let’s get to this super simple craft!
Mommy Moment Box Materials
Reusable Gift Bag *with* handle
Glue sticks
Scissors
Box
Cut the sides of the gift bag so that it can be flattened and spread out.
Measure the sides of each box against the gift bag. Consider the design patterns you want to make and display on each side.
Use glue sticks to adhere the gift bag material to each side of the box.
Fold over additional paper to cover the inside of the box.
Cut any additional paper or loose ends.
Quick tip: Line the inside of the box with white paper or tissue paper. I chose tissue paper because I had some that matched the pale turquoise bag.
I filled my box with with everything I’ll need for the times when I’m sitting in the carpool lane, waiting outside karate practice or picking A.J. up from a play date at a friend’s house where I find myself with a few extra minute to chill.
Chewing Gum. I drink several cups of coffee a day and that often leaves me with coffee breath. So I added Spearmint Extra® 35-stick pack to my Mommy Moment Box.
Clear Nail Polish. To keep my manicure in tip top shape, I like to apply clear nail polish each day.
Index cards. Although I have a notes app on my iPhone, sometime I just need to write down my ideas and shopping lists.
Sharpies. I keep sharpies everywhere. I always have one on my purse and I like to keep them in my car for big, bold reminder notes.
Mom Matter Journal. I’m part of a weekly mom’s group from church where we meet and use a weekly journal. This has gotten lost in my purse before. But I’m looking forward to enjoying it more now that it’s in my box in the passenger seat of my car.
Lip balm. I wish I could say I wear lipstick everyday, but I don’t. Keeping lip balm handy sometimes is as good as it’ll get.
I found both the Extra® Gum Spearmint and Polar Ice® packs near the checkout counter at my neighborhood Kroger store. You’ll notice the bright, durable packaging. With 35 sticks in the pack there’s enough to go around for your purse, car or home.
Comment below: Is there anything else you’d like to include in your “Mommy Moment” box before you head our the door for errands and after school activities? If you made this box as a gift idea, who would you give it to?
Remember those sharpies I added to the box? I also used them to write some inspirational messages on the side of my box: Prayer, Power and Position!
This is a great idea!! i love all of the items you included in this post so I would put them all in my box!
Greeting cards for grief or blank to write a prayer card to a friend.
What a great mommy box! It looks like it has just about everything you need in it!
That is such a cute idea! I love how you made it to where it can be hung on a door as a gift. Super adorable.
This is such a great idea, I would love to create a mommy moment box. I need to stop and take a moment, life can get a bit hectic and this would be a help for me.
Having sharpies in there is a great idea – I feel like I need one more than I think! And the Extra gum would come in handy all the time – I always need gum and can never seem to find it at the bottom of my bag so a box like this would be so helpful.
This would be a great cost effective idea for a mothers day gift. Love this idea!
What a great idea. I don’t drive or own a car but I would love to make this for my moms BFF.. perfect for her birthday or mothers day. To keep in her car!
This is a creative plan.
Thanks for the informative article.
That’s a really great idea. I know that I am always searching for gum and lipbalm in my car.
This is such a great idea! I’m sure whoever received this really appreciated it.
What a fantastic idea. I guess I already do a version of this without realizing. I need to be more intentional.
This is so cute and very creative. It looks like easier to make. I would like to make one.
Thanks so much for sharing these ideas! The Extra gum is the perfect addition to your “Mommy Moment” box. #client
Yep, the gum definitely has to go in. 🙂 I laughed that you keep a Sharpie in your car. I used to do that too, always!
You’d be amazed at how often my sharpies came in handy!
This would be a great gift on Mother’s Day to show a special mommy you care. Or you can gift it to yourself. 😉
I love the idea of a Mommy box. I will have to get the supplies i need to make one for myself this weekend.
Super cute idea! That’s a great gift for kids to make for their mothers! Unique and personable.
What a fun surprise box for a fellow mom! I know I would love to receive a moment box like this with all of the goodies
What a great idea. This is much nicer than trying to find what nook or cranny I put something in when I was on the run.
How creative Joyce! This is so innovative and I love the creativity and originality of it any mom would be grateful to be gifted with this!
This is such a great idea! I would definitely need to add hand lotion to mine. My hands stay dry from washing them all day.
This is such a great idea – I’m thinking I might need to make one for my other half as well 😉 lol x
This is such a great idea, I want to make a few, one for my son, he’s a single Dad, my daughter and son-in-law, he’s a stay at home Dad. I think I would add a few more items, travel pack of Tissues, hand cream, a few band aids, with travel antiseptic pads, a small bottle of Aleve, a box of Altoids, a pack of post it’s, chip clips and twist ties. I know it’s a lot more but when I started to add to the box it went on and on.
Love these ideas especially band-aids.
That’s an awesome idea! Us moms do spend time in the car, just waiting, and it would be productive to do something for ourselves.
In my “box”, I keep a small pair of scissors, mini stapler, a roll of scotch tape, and some paper clips. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve used the mom/ mini office box. Most of these items you can find on clearance tables after school starts. Here’s to all of us ladies sharing good ideas, to help each other!
Great recommendation for the scissors and office supplies!
Love the idea. I might add a package of peanut butter cheese crackers or a snack bag of trail mix or dried fruit. Also, when my kids were little, I was always needing a safety pin. I think I might put a small tin of pins in there as well. I am going to make up a few of these for my busy mommy nieces and sisters and sisters in laws who are always running around with their grand kids.
Thanks for sharing!
Yep, I forgot snacks. Our son is allergic to peanut butter so that’s not an option. But crackers can do the trick in a pinch.
A paperback book. I never leave home w/o a book – good entertainment as you wait at the dr. office, for kids to finish sports practice, piano lessons etc. along with the other items mentioned. I’ll make my box asap.
Love it. A small book is ideal. I read a lot of books on my kindle app too.
Great idea! As a nanny, I spend a good bit of time in the carpool line. I always have a bag with a book, magazines, my planner, and a notebook. Never leave home without it! This may be something my charge and I could make for her mom. She is always in her car!