Wouldn't these be such a magical craft to make with the kids?
Showing posts with label Winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Winter. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Angel Craft- Paper Cup Angel Luminaries
Ah, paper cups. They're such a great crafting material because they're versatile and cheap. We've used them to make DIY Animal Nose Paper Cups and popsicle stick ice-skating dolls. Today I'm over at MollyMoo sharing how I turned a couple of plain old clear plastic cups into cozy, glowing Paper Cup Angel Luminaries!
Happy making, friends!
Monday, November 17, 2014
Make Mini Christmas Trees (For free!)
Here's a super easy way to decorate your home for the holidays!
Make a bunch of mini Christmas trees!
(Bonus- All the materials are free!)
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Easy Christmas Tree Advent Calendar
Christmas crafts? Christmas crafts? Ok, I haven't completely gone bonkers... it's just that the stores have started putting out their Christmas things... so I wanted to join in on the fun. Last year I had a lot of fun Christmas crafting (remember the village made from Plaster of Paris?) This year I fell in love with all of the beautiful colors of paint swatches from Home Depot... so I took a bunch home (shhhh, don't tell anyone) and made a bunch of cute paper Christmas trees with Chuck.
Then I wasn't sure what to do with our little army of trees. At first I was going to turn them into a garland of some sort, but then realized that they would make for a really simple and modern take on a DIY Christmas Advent Calendar!
Then I wasn't sure what to do with our little army of trees. At first I was going to turn them into a garland of some sort, but then realized that they would make for a really simple and modern take on a DIY Christmas Advent Calendar!
Easy Christmas Tree Advent Calendar!
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Monday, November 10, 2014
Maple Syrup Candy + Craft Fail book review!
Now that the weather is a bit chillier, I thought it would be fun to do more fall and winter crafts and activities. I loved reading the Little House on the Prairie series as a child and always wanted to try doing the things Laura did. Last year, we made homemade butter from heavy cream. This year, we tried our hand at making homemade maple syrup candy!
Let's Make Homemade Maple Syrup Candy!
(using snow-- ooh la la)
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Ice-Skating Popsicle Stick Dolls
I LOVE popsicle sticks. Today I'm over at MollyMoo sharing these easy-to-make and adorable ice-skating popsicle stick dolls!
So be sure to pop on over there and check the tutorial out. Weeeeeeeee! (I'm pretending to ice-skate away.)
So be sure to pop on over there and check the tutorial out. Weeeeeeeee! (I'm pretending to ice-skate away.)
Let's keep in Contact!
Like this idea? You can always find other fun ideas on my Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts! Or, sign up for the weekly newsletter in the pink bar at the top of the site.
Keep creating, friends!
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Make Shaving Cream Clouds and Paint the bathtub walls
With all the crazy weather that's been happening around these parts, I thought Chuck and I could try creating some of our own crazy weather... indoors! So we made a shaving cream cloud and watched it rain rainbows...
Keep reading to find out how we made it rain rainbows!
Oooh. Isn't it pretty?
Keep reading to find out how we made it rain rainbows!
Monday, February 3, 2014
Make Fake Snow from Diapers
Guess what Chuck and I played with today while it snowed outside? Fake snow! We made some from a Pull up Diaper.
Say what?
Oh yeah. We visited our nearby science center last week and the kids loved playing with their fake snow. I found out that the fake snow was made from the same material found inside of diapers! Wow. Mind blown. So of course we had to make it at home.
Keep reading to find out how we made our fake snow!
Say what?
Oh yeah. We visited our nearby science center last week and the kids loved playing with their fake snow. I found out that the fake snow was made from the same material found inside of diapers! Wow. Mind blown. So of course we had to make it at home.
Keep reading to find out how we made our fake snow!
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Two Bird Feeder Crafts: Toilet Paper Roll Feeders and Ice Feeders
Earlier this week my posts focused on sending some lovin' to the special people in your life (Click here, here and here.) Well, that's all well and good. But what about sending love to others? How about the birds? With the freezing cold weather outside, our feathered friends are bound to need some loving too. So why not try out these two bird feeder crafts? Chuck and I made some toilet paper roll bird feeders and some heart shaped ice feeders. Both were really easy to make and currently dangling on a tree outside our building.
To see how I made the toilet paper roll feeders and ice feeders, keep reading!
Here's an up-close shot of our Toilet Paper Roll Feeder:
To see how I made the toilet paper roll feeders and ice feeders, keep reading!
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Indoor Snow Painting (Make Rainbow snow!)
How are you enjoying this snowy weather? Since Chuck was sick, we stayed inside. But, the snow was just too tempting, so I let him play with it inside the apartment. Currently there are so many blogs showcasing indoor snow painting, but this one from Housing a Forest really inspired me to do this activity.
Keep reading to see our artwork!
Indoor snow painting activity
Keep reading to see our artwork!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
DIY: 5 Ways to update your old beanie
Hubby's away and Chuck and I are currently stuck at home, sick. Boo. We're watching the lovely fluffy flakes falling outside and I'm soooo tempted to bundle him up to play outside. But, I'm holding myself back until he gets better.
(Hrmm... but maybe I could bring some snow inside for us to play with.... thanks Lisa for that idea!)
Anyway, here's a short cold weather post in honor of the snow.
Do you have an old beanie just lying around? Maybe you never really wear it, but you just can't bring yourself to give it away just in case you need it one day? Well, here are five super easy ways to update your drab head wear. And bonus! None of these are permanent changes, so you could potentially wear all five looks this winter!
This update was my favorite. Chuck is beginning to recognize Micky Mouse. So when I saw Eugenia Kim's Pom pom beanie (for $185- holy empty wallet!), I knew that I had to make my own cheapie version. I followed this pom pom tutorial from Crafted. Then, I sewed the two semi-identical (eek!) pom poms onto the corners of my beanie. Bam. Instant mousekateer cool.
And here I am modelling the four other updates....
2. "Hi" Beanie: I cut out the letters "H" and "i" from felt. Then, I just sewed them onto the front of the beanie for some friendly headwear. Make sure you sew the letters closer together because they will stretch apart when you wear the hat.
3. Polka dot Pom Pom Beanie: I bought a pack of mini pom poms from the craft store and then sewed them onto the hat. To help with placement, I marked the hat with chalk first so I would know where to sew.
4. Spiked Beanie: I poked a couple of screwback cone spikes through the front of the beanie. I thought the hat made me look like a punky Statue of Liberty.
5. Sparkly heart Beanie: I cut out a heart shape from felt. Then, I hot glued some rhinestones onto the heart. Then, I sewed the heart back onto the hat. Wouldn't this version be nice for Valentine's Day?
Alright that's it. Time to take a nap. Stay warm and well, friends!
(Hrmm... but maybe I could bring some snow inside for us to play with.... thanks Lisa for that idea!)
Anyway, here's a short cold weather post in honor of the snow.
Do you have an old beanie just lying around? Maybe you never really wear it, but you just can't bring yourself to give it away just in case you need it one day? Well, here are five super easy ways to update your drab head wear. And bonus! None of these are permanent changes, so you could potentially wear all five looks this winter!
- Pom Pom Beanie
This update was my favorite. Chuck is beginning to recognize Micky Mouse. So when I saw Eugenia Kim's Pom pom beanie (for $185- holy empty wallet!), I knew that I had to make my own cheapie version. I followed this pom pom tutorial from Crafted. Then, I sewed the two semi-identical (eek!) pom poms onto the corners of my beanie. Bam. Instant mousekateer cool.
And here I am modelling the four other updates....
2. "Hi" Beanie: I cut out the letters "H" and "i" from felt. Then, I just sewed them onto the front of the beanie for some friendly headwear. Make sure you sew the letters closer together because they will stretch apart when you wear the hat.
3. Polka dot Pom Pom Beanie: I bought a pack of mini pom poms from the craft store and then sewed them onto the hat. To help with placement, I marked the hat with chalk first so I would know where to sew.
4. Spiked Beanie: I poked a couple of screwback cone spikes through the front of the beanie. I thought the hat made me look like a punky Statue of Liberty.
5. Sparkly heart Beanie: I cut out a heart shape from felt. Then, I hot glued some rhinestones onto the heart. Then, I sewed the heart back onto the hat. Wouldn't this version be nice for Valentine's Day?
Monday, January 13, 2014
6 ways to entertain a toddler at home
Looking for some easy ways to entertain your toddler in the winter?
So... how about that polar votex? Boy, oh boy, that was some crazy weather. With the snow, ice, and freezing cold winds, Chuck and I hunkered down at home.After a couple of hours of reading the same books over and over again, and playing with the same toys over and over again, and listening to the soundtrack of "Planes" for the trillionth time, I finally cracked.
Redrum, redrum?
Thankfully, we didn't make it to that point. But, we definitely bounced off the walls a bit. To maintain some sense of sanity, we had to do something to make the time at home more enjoyable. So here are a couple of fun activities that kept us sane and smiling...
1. Yarn family portrait craft
Chuck loves using scissors and the glue sticks, so this activity was a hit. First he helped me cut tons of short, white yarn strands. Then, I doodled a bald family on a piece of paper. Then, he helped me glue hair onto all of their heads. The result is this cute and funny family portrait.Keep reading to see more ways we entertained ourselves at home...
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Making different shaped marshmallows
Merry Belated Christmas! How was your holiday? Good, I hope. Ours was filled with family, food, and a ton of fun. Chuck really loved playing with all of his older cousins. I'll upload some photos from the day's event a little later on.
Until then, I thought I'd share this neat food trick that I learned from here. Did you know that you can make your marshmallows into different shapes? Well, you can.... and it's super easy to do.
Aren't these heart shaped marshmallows lovely?
Keep on reading to make your own fun shaped marshmallows...
Until then, I thought I'd share this neat food trick that I learned from here. Did you know that you can make your marshmallows into different shapes? Well, you can.... and it's super easy to do.
Aren't these heart shaped marshmallows lovely?
Keep on reading to make your own fun shaped marshmallows...
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Four Winter Toddler Crafts and Activities
Looking for some easy toddler winter crafts and activities?
I'm officially over winter. Buh-bye shortened days! Buh-bye cold weather! Buy-bye staying inside! Oh, how I wish it were already spring. But, until warmer, sunnier days come, Chuck and I are going to persevere and have fun indoors. Here are four crafts and activities that have kept us busy, happy, and sane for the past couple of weeks.1. Cereal Box Gingerbread Men
I cut out a whole bunch of gingerbread men from my empty cereal box stash. (Yes, I'm a proud cardboard hoarder!) Then, I brought them to the library and let the kids decorate them with googly eyes and foam stickers. The older 2-year olds had fun making funny men and the babies just watched their moms do the craft.
Chuck's attention span: He probably spent about 5-10 minutes on this activity before he lost interest.
2. Hand and Foot Reindeer Wreath
Here are the different components of the wreath:
Chuck's attention span: He probably spent about 10 minutes on this activity before he lost interest.
3. Homemade Play Dough
I followed this craft clay recipe and we had tons of fun rolling, cutting, and shaping our clay. Unfortunately, our ornaments cracked when they dried. Boo. But, we had such fun manipulating the stuff that I kept leftovers in a sealed bag in the fridge. It didn't dry out and we got to play with it another day. (Right now the "play dough" is still in our fridge... so we'll try it out again this week.)
He used a blunt plastic knife, measuring spoons, measuring cup, and an olive jar (our makeshift rolling pin) to play with the dough.
Chuck's attention span: This activity was a hit! We spent about 30-45 minutes on two separate days playing with our "play dough."
4. Water Bead Play
Here's what the water beads initially looked like ...
After a couple of hours, our beads grew and Chuck had a blast scooping them from container to container.
Warning: Yes, they can be a choking hazard. I repeatedly told him that the beads weren't food and I made sure to watch him while he played. Once we were done with the beads, I threw them away in the garbage can. (You can't pour them down the drain because they can clog your pipes.)
Chuck's attention span: This activity was a hit! He spent about an hour just scooping the beads from container to container.
So, for all you mamas out there who are also stuck at home with young ones... stay strong! We can make it through winter! Hopefully one of these ideas will help keep you sane this week.
Happy crafting, friends!
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Finding beauty in the everyday
Heart shaped candy canes
(bent using this tutorial)Our current car collection
Christmas tree toys
Red and white rice krispy treats
White play dough on our black table
Happy Thursday friends!
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
DIY Earmuffs? (A craft flop)
A couple of weeks ago I couldn't sleep.
Did I drink too much coffee? Nope. Was I worried about Christmas shopping? Nope.
Don't laugh, ok? *Big breath* I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about how I could crapt myself a pair of earmuffs using stuff in our apartment.
Weird right? I don't even wear earmuffs... but for some reason I kept wondering if I could make them. So the next day I played around with some materials ... and I ended up with a pair of these:
I have kind of mixed feelings about them. On the plus side, they look like earmuffs and they also block out some of the cold. However, they feel a little too light and stiff around my ears.
So, while I'm proud that I made a pair of semi-working earmuffs, I think this is probably a craft flop. Now if for some reason you want to see how I crapted these earmuffs (or you wanna see Chuck wearing the earmuffs), keep on reading!
Did I drink too much coffee? Nope. Was I worried about Christmas shopping? Nope.
Don't laugh, ok? *Big breath* I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about how I could crapt myself a pair of earmuffs using stuff in our apartment.
Weird right? I don't even wear earmuffs... but for some reason I kept wondering if I could make them. So the next day I played around with some materials ... and I ended up with a pair of these:
I have kind of mixed feelings about them. On the plus side, they look like earmuffs and they also block out some of the cold. However, they feel a little too light and stiff around my ears.
So, while I'm proud that I made a pair of semi-working earmuffs, I think this is probably a craft flop. Now if for some reason you want to see how I crapted these earmuffs (or you wanna see Chuck wearing the earmuffs), keep on reading!
Sunday, December 15, 2013
What's up Chuck? Weekend Recap
This weekend we had plans to go into the city to see the train show at Grand Central Terminal. Unfortunately, it snowed all day Saturday (eep!) and I was battling a cold, so we ended up hanging out at home. At first I was pretty bummed out, but thankfully everything turned out alright in the end.
Chuck and I played with his cars.... a lot....
We re-enacted scenes from the movie "Mater's Tall Tales..."
Keep on reading below!
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
It snowed!
Yesterday morning we awoke and saw that it was snowing! Yippee, wish granted! So we bundled up in our warmest gear, played outside, and then came back home for some hot cocoa. Here are some photos from our outdoor adventures.
Keep on reading....
We built our first snowman.
(Perler beads and pipe cleaners make up his shnazzy accessories.)
Keep on reading....
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Make Snowflake Window Clings
Tomorrow it's supposed to snow. Chuck went to bed super excited because I promised him that we'd build a snowman.
Cross your fingers that our town is dusted in snow, ok?
Although this will be the first real snowfall of the season, our apartment's windows have already been covered with snowflakes for the past couple of weeks. Every winter I cut out snowflakes from paper, but this year I tried something new and made snowflake window clings out of tulle and fabric paint. I think they make Chuck's room a bit more festive and fun.
To see how I made them, read on...
Cross your fingers that our town is dusted in snow, ok?
Although this will be the first real snowfall of the season, our apartment's windows have already been covered with snowflakes for the past couple of weeks. Every winter I cut out snowflakes from paper, but this year I tried something new and made snowflake window clings out of tulle and fabric paint. I think they make Chuck's room a bit more festive and fun.
To see how I made them, read on...
Monday, December 9, 2013
Make Homeamde Felt Milk Jug Cap Ornaments
Each year I try to make a couple of handmade ornaments for our tree. Last year, Chuck and I made these hand and feet salt dough ornaments. I would have made him a new set this year... but his feet are so big that the ornaments would end up being the size of small plates.
So instead, this year I turned a bunch of milk jug caps (gifted to me by a craft-loving aunt- thanks!) to make these mini felt ornaments. Each one has a different design and they came out so colorful and cute.... I just want to eat them up. But don't worry, I won't because they're made of felt...and glue...and plastic...
Can you guess which one is Chuck's favorite? Keep on reading to find out...
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Make mini Christmas trees from Pipe Cleaners and Cardboard
Yesterday I shared how I made a miniature Christmas village out of plaster of paris. Today I just wanted wanted to show how I quickly made these uber cute cardboard and pipe cleaner Christmas trees for my village.
(And if you like these trees, check out my tutorial for mini paint chip trees!
Directions:
Pipe Cleaner Christmas Trees
Materials:
Directions:
1. Doodle out a tree on a piece of paper.
2. Bend a green pipe cleaner around your doodle. Wrap both ends together to secure your tree. Trim excess bits off. Repeat this for all three tree shapes.
3. Tie the three trees together by wrapping the tops and bottoms together with pipe cleaner.
4. Gently separate the branches and glue small pom poms on with tacky glue.
That's it! Happy crafting! (Chuck was the artistic director for this photo shoot. Can you tell?)
(And if you like these trees, check out my tutorial for mini paint chip trees!
Cardboard Christmas Trees
Materials:- Cardboard
- Cutting Mat
- Pattern (see below)
- Pen/pencil
- Exacto knife
- Scissors
Directions:
- Print out the template to make one large and one small tree.
- Cut out the Christmas tree parts.
- Trace them onto cardboard.
- Cut our your parts with an exacto knife.
- Slide both pieces together and you've got yourself a mini tree!
Pipe Cleaner Christmas Trees
Materials:
- Paper
- Pen
- Scissors
- Pipe cleaners (three per tree)
- Pom Poms
- Tacky glue
Directions:
1. Doodle out a tree on a piece of paper.
2. Bend a green pipe cleaner around your doodle. Wrap both ends together to secure your tree. Trim excess bits off. Repeat this for all three tree shapes.
3. Tie the three trees together by wrapping the tops and bottoms together with pipe cleaner.
4. Gently separate the branches and glue small pom poms on with tacky glue.
That's it! Happy crafting! (Chuck was the artistic director for this photo shoot. Can you tell?)
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