CLOSED- Giveaway Post!!! Win $100 credit to Minted.com!

I’m super-duper excited for today’s post.  *Insert girlish squeal here.* Today Minted.com and I are excited to be offering one lucky reader $100 credit to Minted.com.   Yup.  It’s giveaway time!  It’s giveaway time! 

I’ve wanted to say a big “Thank you” to y’all for your support for a long time now.  So when I was contacted about doing a giveaway, I jumped at the chance because it meant that one of you could win something nice.   

This is a one awesome giveaway.  Minted.com is a beautifully curated online store that sells seriously gorgeous stationary and artwork.  I go goo-goo when I scroll through the pages because everything is so lovely and special.   In fact, here are four of my current favorite items…   

    

Hee hee hee!  This Yeti or not Christmas card is uber cute.  (And bonus- they're currently offering 20% off their holiday card selection until 10/6!  Score!)

Ok....So apparently I have Christmas cards on my mind, but how could you not love this partridge in a pear tree card?  (Did you sing the words like I just did?)

We're still struggling to decorate Chuck's new big boy room.  So this poster and this poster totally caught my eye. 

Did you know that they have wedding cards too? A couple of my girlfriends are getting married, so I have weddings on my mind.  This lovely floral chalkboard invitation is just gorgeous. 

Now if you'd like the chance to win $100 credit to Minted.com, here are all the details:

This giveaway is open all readers worldwide.  (Yay!)  Here’s what you could possibly win:

• For US readers: 
• $100 credit
• Free FedEx Ground shipping on everything except art
• For the international readers: 
• $100 credit
• Free international economy shipping on everything except art
• However, you have to pay your own country's duties/customs 

To enter the giveaway

1. Visit Minted.com and find your favorite item from the store. 
2. Visit my FB page and leave a comment on the 9/16 Giveaway post with your favorite item. 

That’s it!  The giveaway will close midnight Thursday (PST) and I’ll announce and contact the winner via Facebook by Friday morning. 

Good luck friends!  

This is a sponsored post.  But all opinions are mine.  I received $100 credit to give to one lucky reader.  I'm super glad that I did. :) 

DIY Piggy Bike Basket

When Chuck turned 3 a couple of weeks ago we got him his first 2 wheeler bike.  I wasn't sure if he would know what to do with it, but he took to it like a fish to water.  He just loves riding it!  However, there was just one problem.  He couldn't figure out a way to ride the bike AND hold his favorite stuffed pig at the same time.  So I told him I would make him a small bike basket.  After showing him a couple of designs, he selected a basket that resembled a pig.  And that's the story behind this DIY piggy bike basket.

DIY Piggy Bike Basket

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Now I know there are tons of really affordable kid bike baskets out there.  But we have a TON of cardboard lying around from our move AND I enjoy making things.  So it was a win-win situation.  Plus, where else could we get a pig basket?

Ok, enough chatting.  Let's get making!

Paper Plate Toucan Craft

Have you ever felt like you were a circus performer trying to balance a whole bunch of plates at once?  That's how I've been feeling a bit lately.  These past two weeks have been quite crazy for us.  Chuck turned 3!  (Whoa.  Where did the time go?)  Hubby started work!  So we're trying to figure out how to share 1 car.  (Ack!)  Chuck and I are trying really hard to make friends, so we're now regulars at a weekly art class and library story time.  And I've been burning the late night oil completing some much-appreciated free-lance craft opportunities lately.  I love making things, but I just have to get more organized I think.  Oh yeah.  I'm also going to partner with a great company and do a giveaway next week!  *Fingers crossed that all the details work out.*  So definitely tune in for that.

Ok, onto today's craft.  Amidst all this excitement I wanted to share this super easy paper plate Toucan Craft that Chuck and I did at home one afternoon.   I know, I know, there are some awesome Toucan crafts out there (like this adorable one from I Heart Crafty Things.)  But I was just so pleased by this craft because we made the bird out of 1 paper plate.  Yup.  That's it.  So easy and simple, right?

Paper Plate Toucan Craft

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I love easy and fun crafts.  This one was inspired by our repeated reading of this book.   (Actually, if you're going to check that book out, you might as well check out the the whole series.  We love that cat.)


Ok.  Here's how we made our toucan!

Duct Tape Daisy Flower Pens

I miss our old home.  But, slowly, slowly we're growing to love living on the West Coast.  The sunny weather really can't be beat.  Oh yeah, that and the flowers.  When we moved here a month ago there were flowers EVERYWHERE.  Lovely colorful blossoms greeted us from neighbors' yards, in front of super markets, along the highway, near bus stops.... it was so beautiful.  I think that's what inspired me to create these duct tape daisy flower pens.  They're bright and cheerful and make writing really fun.

To make yourself some daisy pens, check out my full tutorial on DIY Candy!

Make Prehistoric Rock Art with Kids

Some of my fondest memories of History classes were times when teachers assigned projects instead of tests.  In 5th grade my friends and I did a presentation on the first transcontinental railroad.  I still remember wearing costumes and using tea to age our documents.  In 9th grade we shot a soap opera style video featuring King Henry the Eighth's wives.  It was fun to write and film... and even more hilarious to watch.   (Picture bad high school acting mixed with Monty Python style humor.  Yup.  Good times.)  Honestly, I don't remember much else from History classes (ack, sorry previous teachers!) but these projects shine brightly in my memory. They were fun to make and really made history come alive.  Hopefully today's craft will help do that for your kids too!  If they're interested in prehistoric times or art history, then this Prehistoric Rock Art Craft is for them!

Make Prehistoric Rock Art with Kids

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The techniques used to make this rock art is pretty much the same that I used to make this super cute mini Plaster of Paris Christmas village.  So if you liked doing this craft, check that one out too.

Ok. Now let's make some rock art!

DIY Cardboard Cash Register

Does your child love going to the grocery store? 

 Does his/her face light up at the prospect of pressing buttons?  

Then today's craft is perfect for you!

(This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support.)

Awhile back I was looking around at getting a cash registertoy for Chuck.  He loves watching the cashier scan our groceries, so it was a perfect toy to encourage imaginary play at home.  After looking around online I then got to wondering.  Could I make my own toy?  And that's how this craft was born.

This DIY cardboard cash register has pressable buttons, a sliding money drawer, a faux credit card scanner, and a changeable money display!  Yup.  Cool right?  It's just right for little hands who love to push, press, pick, and pull.  It's also a great way for kids to practice their math skills too!

Interest piqued?  You can see the full tutorial on Handmade Charlotte!

Happy making. :)  

DIY Kids' Cardboard Art Easel

I love making and creating things with Chuck.  But sometimes I'm surprised by how much arts and crafts supplies cost.   Whenever I go to Michaels or Target I always do a double-take when the bill comes up.   What?  How did we spend so much?  Is this glitter made of 14K gold?  To stretch our pennies (and my own creativity) I love making our own art supplies on the cheap.  We've made our own Paint-With-Water Pages,  2 Ingredient Body Paint, sun prints with construction paper, and even used tortillas as canvases for art!  With dozens of cardboard boxes lying around, I thought it would be fun to DIY Chuck an art easel.

DIY Kids' Cardboard Art Easel

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This DIY easel is so neat because it only took a couple of minutes to make (score!), is made entirely out of cardboard (cheap!) , and can accommodate 1, 2, or even 3 children simultaneously painting.  Whoa! Intrigued?  Well let's get crafting!

5 Ways to Write Secret Messages

As a kid, I loved the idea of being a detective or a secret spy.  They got to wear cool clothes, go on adventures, and solve mysteries.  A couple of weeks ago I tried playing a detective game with Chuck.  I hid his favorite stuffed pig and then left 5 clues for him to follow.  The clues were all written as secret messages.  We had to do something to the paper to revel the hidden words.

5 Ways to Write Secret Messages

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Chuck was onboard with the game.   We've recently been gobbling up Nate the Great books from the library, so he really enjoyed being a detective and solving the case.

DIY Climbing Cardboard Circus Men Toys

I love making interactive toys for Chuck. There's something immensely gratifying about creating something that's beautiful, functional, and fun.... out of recyclable items!  Recently I made these two cardboard climbing circus men toys for Chuck.  You pull on the strings and the men race to the top.

Cardboard Climbing Circus Strong Men Toys

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Hee hee.  Do you dig their leotards, chest hair, and handlebar mustache?  Yup.  These manly men exude quite a bit of style, don't you think?

Ok.  Let's get making!

Shape Touch and Find Game

Now that Chuck is almost 3 I'm trying to do more educational activities with him.  Besides learning our numbers, we're also working on identifying different shapes.  Here's a fun shape activity that we've recently been doing together.        

Let's learn about shapes!

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Early childhood mathematics education is something I feel quite strongly about.  Before I was a mommy, I was working on my doctorate degree in education. Although I never finished writing my dissertation (for reasons that you can about here),  I did spend  many years observing and studying how preschool children learn mathematics.  I also had the wonderful opportunity to work on a research-based preschool math curriculum called  Big Math For Little Kids.

This Touch and Find Shape game is one of my favorites from that curriculum.  It's a great activity because it helps young children to learn the number of sides and corners in shapes in a really fun and interactive way. 

Let's play the touch and find shape game!

Magic Fizzy "Sand!"

Once upon a time there was a mom who found herself with a very bored child.  He didn't want to play with any of his toys.  He didn't want to play outside.  And he certainly did not want to do any crafts.  Finding herself at her wits end, this mom pulled out 2 ingredients from cupboard and within minutes, whipped up several batches of wonderful smelling Magic Fizzy "Sand."  She then gave her child the sand and he played and played. After he grew tired of the activity, magic mom waved her magic wand and poof!  The sand began to bubble and fizz, delighting the child once more.  And they all lived happily ever after.

Ok.  Full admission time... I was that mom.  And yes, I found myself with a grumpy child.  And yes, this magic "sand" ended up entertaining him for over half an hour (which as we all know, is like years in little kid time.)

Let's Make Magic Fizzy "Sand!"

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If you find yourself with a super bored or grouchy child, then this activity is for you.  Magic "Sand" is easy to make, smells wonderful, and really does fizz and bubble with water.

Wanna know how I made it?  Keep reading!

Homemade Finger painted Starry Night

I love Van Gogh's artwork.  The colors, the movement, the textures... wow, wow, wow.  How does someone even do that?  Yowzers.  Gosh, did he make the world so much more beautiful with his art.  *Happy sigh*  Ok, ok... I'm back.  Let's get to today's post!  Chuck and I have explored great artwork in the past by making collages inspired by Matisse and super easy abstract artwork.  So I thought it was high time we tried our hand at making some artwork inspired by Van Gogh.   Except that instead of using real paints... we used some homemade finger paints!  

Collaborative Art Project:  Finger Painted Starry Night!

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For months now I kept seeing Kidzaw Master Art Kits pop up everywhere.  (Have you heard of them?  They're kits that provide kids with all the materials necessary to make artwork inspired the great artists.)  I saw great results with older children and toyed with the idea of buying one to try out.  But Chuck's only 2 and I'll be honest, his affinity for arts and crafts varies daily.  Yurp.  So I came up with this cheaper alternative.  The finger paint is super easy to make and you could adapt the design to recreate any of Van Gogh's artwork.

So let's begin!

DIY Toadstool Stool (Ikea Hack!)

When we moved into tour new home, I really wanted to get Chuck his own little table with chairs.  After looking around, we found some really affordable options at Ikea.  So we brought them home.  I love them, but then thought I could spruce them up a little bit.  Since I have a soft spot for red mushrooms, I did a super easy Ikea Hack and turned them into...

Toadstool Stools!

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Hee hee hee. Whoa. Super Mario super mushroom flashback!

 Ok. I've snapped out of it.  Yup.  They're pretty darn cute and they were super easy to make.  Let's get mushroom making!

Building Play Dough and Rock Houses

Happy Friday everybody!  Today I just wanted to share with you a really, really easy and fun activity that Chuck and I recently did together.  Inspired by fellow Rockin' Art Mom Babble Dabble Do's Clay and Wood Block Structures, Chuck and I built Rock and Play Dough Houses!

Building with Rock and Playdough! 

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We've been going to the beach once a week lately, and I always come home with lovely rocks. To justify my slowly growing pile of rocks, I thought this would be a great way for us to use them in a fun and creative way.

Let's Explore Art Materials like Scientists

Whenever we do art projects, I always hand Chuck certain drawing materials because I know their properties and how they'll look and interact with each other.  In this activity I thought it would be fun to change it up a bit and let Chuck do some exploring.  So we tried our hand at exploring art materials like scientists!    

Scientifically exploring Art Materials with Kids

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DIY Cardboard Rocket Launcher Toy

Apparently we've reached the stage where Chuck likes pretending to shoot things... and people.  (Ack.  Is this common?  I'm assuming so... )  So I thought it would be fun to somehow make a toy that would actually shoot things, like a catapult or a slingshot.  We always seem to have cardboard rolls lying around, so I built this cardboard roll rocket launcher toy.  Then, we had a BLAST playing with it!

Get it?  Rocket launcher?  Blast? Like blast off?   Hee hee hee... wah wah wah.

DIY Cardboard Roll Rocket Launcher Toy

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This rocket launcher toy uses rubber bands and cardboard rolls to shoot aluminum foil balls.  It's so powerful that we can actually shoot a ball across our (small) patio... whoa, right?  Since the balls are made from aluminum foil, they don't hurt. So you could create several launchers, shoot each other, and then not worry about anyone getting hurt.  Excellent, right?

Keep on reading to build your own rocket launcher and see other cool DIY toys that you can make and play with your little one.

Make Egg Carton Bugs

I love a good egg carton craft.  We don't eat eggs too often here, so whenever we finish a carton, I'm always super stoked to make something with it.  Today's Egg Carton Insect Craft came about because ants have been on our minds a lot lately.  For some reason there seem to be ants EVERYWHERE in our new home.  Eeek.  Plus, we recently watched "Honey I shrunk the kids" and Chuck loved Anty the giant ant.   So that's why we had to make ourselves some egg carton bugs!

Let's Make Egg Carton Insects!

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DIY Astro Turf Rug

So... what are your thoughts on astro turf?  Hate it?  Love it?  I think it's really fun and provides a super affordable way to cover a lot of space for a small price.  You're probably asking why I have a sudden interest in the green stuff.  Well, after living in apartments for most of my adult life, hubby and I finally have a place that has a .... wait for it.... small outdoor patio.  Woo hoo!  Chuck was so excited to see our tiny "backyard" that he literally ran around the area for about half an hour when we first moved in.  The space is really a blessing and I love that we can just open the door and enjoy some private outdoor space whenever we want to.  And that brings me to today's craft post- our backyard DIY Astro Turf Rug.

DIY Astro Turf Rug

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We don't wear shoes inside the house, so it's a hassle for Chuck to have to put on and take off his shoes every time he wants to quickly pop outside.  So we made this super easy astro turf rug to act as a very large door mat.   We love it so much because it's a cute area where Chuck can play or go barefoot without tracking too much dirt into the house.

Building Cardboard Bridges (Kid Engineering!)

Ever wonder why corrugated boxes are so strong?  Since we've started unpacking, I'm surprised by how well our boxes held up.  Even after being shipped across the country, our stuff is intact and our boxes still look good.  Wow!  Those folded bits really make corrugated cardboard strong!  This thought inspired me to try building some simple cardboard bridges with Chuck.  This way we could see for ourselves how folds made cardboard stronger.

Easy Kid Engineering:  Let's Cardboard Build bridges!

(Does folding paper make it stronger?)

Build a Bird's Nest

Lately Chuck and I have been going on a lot of nature walks.  Typically after lunch or dinner we'll just walk around our neighborhood and fly our toy planes, or pick up random rocks and twigs on the sidewalk.  Because Chuck loves collecting different objects, I thought it would be fun if we tried making something with the items that we found.  This time, we tried our hand at making a bird's nest.

Let's Build a Bird's Nest!

DIY Paper Slingshot

Hi everyone!  Sorry for being MIA for about a week, but we finally did our cross country move.  Now we're calling California home.... and trying to tackle mountains of unpacked boxes.  Eeek!  Right now I'm taking a quick break and figured I'd upload a fun DIY toy post.  During our last week in Jersey, I kept wanting to craft something... but found it difficult given that everything had already been packed away.  So while we were playing outside with friends, I spotted this Y-shaped stick and thought it was the perfect for making a slingshot!

DIY Paper Slingshots!

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When I told hubby about my idea, he showed me how he used to make slingshots as a kid.  So I took his design and adapted it to the twig.  Now, I know that some of you consider this a weapon... but we made sure to set some ground rules and  only aim at objects and NOT at people.  

Make Toilet Roll Glasses!

Toilet roll crafts are some of my favorite ones to make.  (You can check out our extensive toilet roll craft gallery here.)  Right now we're still living out of our suitcases, so good ol' tp rolls are also some of the few craft items that I still have on hand.  Recently I saw Krokotak's toilet roll sunglasses tutorial and I knew that I really wanted to make my own version.  I've had pineapples and rainbows on my mind lately, so naturally they found their way into this adorable craft.

Toilet Roll Glasses

3 Easy Bear Hunt Activities (with printables)

I love making beautiful things with kids.  But I'll be honest with ya.  Often times making beautiful things takes time to plan and prep... and I just don't have the energy.  Often times I'll find myself at 11pm at night thinking, "Now shoot.  What craft are we going to do tomorrow?"  That's when I resort to fast and easy no-prep activities for the kiddos.  And that's how these 3 "Going on a Bear Hunt" themed activities came about.  Chuck and I love reading the book, so I came up with 3 really easy crafts to go along with the bear hunt theme.

3 Super Easy Bear Hunt Crafts

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If you find yourself semi-scrambling for an easy craft idea too, then perhaps this activity is for you!  (And here's an added bonus, if you don't want to do your own drawings, you can always just printout my doodles.  I've included pdfs of those too down below. )

Ready to go on a bear hunt with us?  Ok.  Let's start crafting!

Make a Folding Popsicle Stick Fan

So our move is currently underway!  Eeek.  The movers just took away our boxes and we're doing some "urban camping" in our apartment (aka sleeping on air mattresses and living without a tv and toys) for the next week. While this is happening, Chuck and I are still trying to find moments to create.  Today I'm going to share with you a super easy tutorial for a folding popsicle stick fan that we recently made.  Yes.  It really folds.  Pretty neat, right?

Make a Folding Popsicle Stick Fan

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The idea came to me after watching a tv show explaining how women make traditional folding fans in Asia. After the episode ended I knew I had to adapt the steps for a kids' craft.  This fan doesn't open as smoothly as its real counterpart.  But it's still a neat kids' craft because it highlights a traditional art form.   Now let's get making!

DIY Fish or Fruit Perler Bead Stretch Bracelet

Awhile back I had the wonderful opportunity to do a post swap with Allison from Dream a Little Bigger. (She's a serious crafting all-star, so I definitely recommend checking out her blog if you want to get seriously inspired.)   While packing the other day I found my collection of DIY Perler Bead Bracelets  (see the bottom of the post for pictures.)  And then I realized that I never shared my tutorial here.  So tada!  Here's a post from the archives.  Today we're going to make these lovely "fish" and "fruit" perler bead bracelets. 

Make "Fish" and "Fruit" Perler Bead Bracelets

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Aren't they both so colorful and summery?  Don't you just want to make one? It feels like summer camp all over again...  Let's get stringing!

DIY Magnetic Transportation Map Game

Our epic move still looms overhead.  The movers are coming next week and then we fly off to California a week after that.  I keep trying to explain what's happening to Chuck, but I'm not sure he gets it yet.  So I came up with this easy craft and activity to help him out.  It's a DIY Magnetic Transportation Map Activity where you move different types of transportation across county using magnets!

DIY Magnetic Transportation Map Game

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Chuck really enjoyed helping me to color in the map and different types of transportation using watercolors.  He also REALLY enjoyed moving everything around using magnets.  It was a bit of trial and error to put this toy together, but at the end we came up with a craft that's easy to make, fun to use, and *hopefully* helpful for Chuck.

Let's get making!

Shaving Cream and Water Balloon Play

Since becoming involved with the Kid Blogger Network earlier this year, I've been introduced to a ton of wonderful new blogs and this new idea called "an invitation to play."  Basically, you provide the child with several objects and inviting him/her to explore the materials.  I love this idea because there isn't a pressure for kids to perform.  They get the opportunity to be curious, explore, play, and have fun.  So, after seeing this shaving cream activity on the Hands on as we grow blog, Chuck and I tried our own shaving cream play... but with an added twist... water balloons!  

Let's Play with Shaving Cream and Water Balloons!

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If your kid likes messy play, baked goods, and facial hair, then this is the activity for you!  Let's get playing!

DIY Felt Shape Activity

Are you looking for a fun, open-ended, creative activity to do with the kids?  Then this DIY Felt Shape Activity is right up your alley!  It's easy to make and provides kids with countless opportunities to be creative, use their imaginations, visualize things spatially, and practice using their mathematical language!    

DIY Felt Shape Activity

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4 Easy Bell Crafts for Kids

Right now we're in the middle of packing.  Not going to lie, our apartment is looking like it's inhabited by crazy people.  So my posts for the next month will probably be fewer and the crafts will be much simpler.  This brings me to today's topic:  crafting with bells.   I love the sound of jingle bells.  They remind me of Christmas, the cold, and reindeer.  I know it's July and Christmas is miles away... but you can craft with jingle bells all year round?  Right? Right! Here's how we've crafted with jingle bells:

4 Super Easy Bell Crafts for Kids

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How to Marble with Nail Polish

Now that our moving date looms just overhead, we're trying our best to hang out with relatives and friends before we leave.  Last week we had an epic craft/play date with cousins.  It was a TON of fun! Chuck loved playing cars with his older cousin and I had a blast crafting with my niece.  She recently received a bunch of nail polishes for her birthday, so I thought it would be an excellent time to try marbling paper with nail polish!

How to Marble With Nail Polish

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Um.  Yeah.  Aren't the results AMAZING?  And they're made just using nail polish and water! We had fun choosing colors, swirling them around, and creating these lovely, colorful works of gorgeous art.  Wanna see how we made them?  Keep on reading!

ezine: Impact with Simplicity and Savings

Last summer, Amy and Lisa came up with the dream to create a series of ezines called Impact.  These free ezines would share easy ways to positively impact other people's lives.  Their first issue, Impact with Crafts showcased some great crafts that could be used to encourage others.  This current issue, Impact with Simplicity and Savings focuses on practical ways that we can live simply and save, so that we have more to give others.  

I'm so thankful to have contributed to this current issue.  As I grow older, I tend to gravitate towards owning fewer things, and living a simpler, but still meaningful life.  I definitely don't have all the kinks worked out (eh hem... avert your eyes from my cardboard stash for example...), but I am encouraged that by the ideas from other like-minded gals who are trying to do the same.  Check out this new issue here!

hello, Wonderful: Maker Mom Interview

Quick question:

If you were stuck on a desert island with the kids, what crafting materials would you absolutely need to have?

Go on, I'll wait.  *Twiddles thumbs.*

Why do I ask?  Well, a couple of weeks ago I had the privilege to be interviewed by Agnes from the lovely website hello, Wonderful.  (It's a great place to find all sorts of lovely kid activities and inspiration.) One of my interview questions was the one above.  Curious about my answer?  Head on over and read my responses here.

And of course, I wish all my American readers a Happy Fourth of July!  Hopefully your fireworks won't be rained out (boo!) and you'll have a great time hanging out with family and/or friends.  I'm actually going to be travelling this weekend to Baltimore to visit some East Coast friends before we make our epic move across country in a couple of weeks.

See you on Monday!

2 DIY Cardboard Fourth of July Hats!

Fourth of July is in a couple of days.  Now if you're like me, you probably just realized that fact just this week.  (Oh wait... am I the only one is in a perpetual time warp and constantly forgets what day it is?)  This year we plan on seeing fireworks with Chuck and I thought it would be fun to whip up some cute Fourth of July Cardboard Hats for us to wear.  Can you believe that these 2 hats were made from cereal boxes, toilet paper rolls, and corrugated cardboard?

2 Easy DIY Fourth of July Hats!

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Cardboard and Pom Pom Soccer Game

Are you watching the World Cup?  Hubby's been keeping track of the games, but Chuck and I haven't been paying too much attention to the scores.  However, because it's soccer season, I still felt inspired to make something soccer-related.  So that's why I crafted this mini cardboard and pom pom soccer game for us to play.

Cardboard and Pom Pom Soccer Game

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Let's Build Boats! (Engineering with Kids)

Lately we've been reading books on pirates around here.  Arrrrgh maties!  So I thought it would be fun if we tried our hands at building some boats from everyday materials.  (I saw a similar idea from i2camp's Instagram feed and really wanted to try it out.)  This was a fun engineering activity that required very little prep and just used random items from our crafting and recycling bins.

Kids' Engineering:  Let's Build Boats!

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Make Bubble Prints! (from 101 Kids Activities)

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About a month ago, I received a free copy of 101 Kids Activities to review.   It was written by the amazing kid blogger duo Rachel and Holly from Kids Activities Blog.  These ladies are like the queens of kid fun and I was super excited to see what they had in store.  101 and activities?  Wowzers.  

After looking through the book, I can definitely say that it is an awesome go-to resource for anyone who wants to battle kid boredom.  (Which seems to be especially prevalent in the summer... right?)  The activities are super fun and use everyday, affordable materials.  Here's an example of one activity that Chuck and I tried out from the book- bubble prints!    

Make Bubble Prints!

Summer Paper Plate Crafts

It just hit me this morning that July 4th is next week.  Next week. Summer is just flying by!  Ahhhh!  So I feel the need to do some summer crafts and that's why I made these super easy paper plate crafts.  I dunno about you, but when I imagine summer, I see outdoor picnics, grill outs, and beach adventures.  These activities usually involve disposable paper plates... which are such a great item to craft with because they're super cheap and super versatile.

Fun Summer Paper Plate Crafts for Kids

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So these are my summer inspired paper plate crafts.  They're super easy to make, colorful, quirky, and just scream SUMMER FUN!

Kids' Matisse Inspired Collages

Earlier last week, fellow Rockin' Arts Mom Kristen from Art History Mom shared a really neat way to introduce young children to the artwork of Henri Matisse.  I was so intrigued by her post that I did a shortened version of her lesson with my 2 1/2 year old son.  Wow.  I was so pleasantly surprised at how Chuck responded.  He loved looking at the artwork, counting the figures, and finding different colors and shapes.  Since Matisse's collages are so colorful and graphic looking, we then tried making our own Matisse inspired artwork at home.

Kids Make Matisse Inspired Collages

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Aren't they beautiful?  Now little did I know, Kristen (from Art History Mom) also had a similar idea in mind.  She ended up making these lovely Playdough and Construction Paper Collages with her son.  I think that using play dough to make collages is such a cool idea, so definitely check out her activity too!

#riskrejection- Confessions of a Kids' Craft Blogger

A couple of months ago, a friend shared some of my blog posts with her sister who has kids.  After seeing some of my posts, her sister said something along these lines... "Wow.  She makes me feel like a bad mom because I don't do those things with my kids."

Ouch.

Now, I think her sister was only half joking... but still, the comment dug in deep and hit me hard.  I started this blog as a way to document all of the fun and crapty ways that I keep myself (and now, my son) entertained.  And I've kept this blog going for because I want to keep creating things... and hopefully inspire other parents and kids to create things too.

In no way did I ever want to make someone feel bad about themselves...

So today's post is an honest post.  Friends, hopefully I haven't made others feel that way.  Let me share some honest, kid craft blogger confessions with you...

1.  Ever notice how Chuck is always cute and smiley in photos?
Confession- I bribe my child to smile.  *Gasp* Yurp.  It's true.  I give Chuck a gummy snack to smile and laugh for photos.  Yes.  Gummy snacks... the sugary, non-organic, artificial color-laden kind.  It works every time and he enjoys working for this "fee." 

2.   Ever notice how the first photo of each post shows a lovely project laying on a clean, white background?
Confession- It's staged.  *Gasp*  It's true.  I take up "office" in Chuck's room, move around his toys, place my artwork and projects on a white board, and shoot like a million photos.... and end up using only one or two.  (Oh and btw- I also recently learned that images are considered more "pinnable" if they're vertical ones instead of horizontal ones... so I've been working on that too.) 

3.  Ever notice how my photos are nice and bright?
Confession- They are edited.  *Gasp*  Yes.  It's true.  I take photos in the morning (for the best light).  Then I edit them on free software like Picassa.  (And here's another confession- I even do this for many of my photos on my Instagram Feed too)

4.  Ever notice that I post a lot of craft posts every week?  Where do I get the time to do this stuff?
Confession- I'm a super hero and have the ability to stop time.

Just kidding!  I hate cleaning.  When Chuck is finally in bed, and I see a dirty bathroom/floor/kitchen/bedroom (take your pick) and an enticing list of craft ideas... the craft ideas win every time.  So if you ever come and visit our apartment... sorry for the dirty toilet and the giant dust bunnnies... let's make something together!

5.  Wow.  So many of my projects seem to work out so nicely and neatly....

Confessions-

• 2/3 of my projects are "duds."  Ideas often don't work out (like my exploding dinosaur eggs) or activities just weren't very fun (like my DIY math game).   
• I usually go through several iterations of more complicated projects to get a version that I like. 
• Of the 1/3 "successful" projects, only about 1/2 of them ever make it to the blog.  The other ones are never posted because... (and I know this is superficial... but I'm being honest here)... the photos just aren't that great.  

 

And now that I've bared my kid crafter soul, I'll end with this post with couple of photos from our latest creative endeavor.  A couple of days ago Chuck and I had a TON of fun painting in our living room.  Here's a photo of our activity:

Yes.  this was in our living room.  Yes. We went a bit crazy.  He ended up painting his feet, hands, bubble wrap, a random tire, and some of his clothes green.  It was a good rainy, day, stuck-inside activity.   

And here are real* (and blurry) smiles from Chuck:
*No gummy treats were offered here

And here's our final artwork (made 100% by Chuck)

Heh heh.  Isn't the image gorgeous?  Isn't it super pinnable?

Friend, this is what a lot of our artwork and projects end up looking like... 




So that's the end of my confession.  I'm just a regular mom, who hates cleaning, but loves making stuff (some good, some really not so good) with my regular kid (who is sometimes happy and smiley and agreeable... and sometimes not).

Thanks for joining me on this crafty and crapty adventure.




Linking up with other ladies who are daring to be honest and risk rejection.

   

DIY Sun Prints with Construction Paper

Make Your Own Construction Paper Sun Prints

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Did you ever make sunprints with SunPrint Paper  as a kid?  I remember eagerly placing objects on that special paper, waiting patiently, and then oohing and ahhing when lovely, vibrant blue and white images appeared.  It was really, really magical.  (And now that I think about it... kinda scary how powerful the sunlight can be. Ack, SPF, anyone?!) 

Ok, back to today's post. The other day I learned through Instagram that you can make your own DIY sunprints at home... without the special paper. What?? Yurp.  After some online searching and experimenting, I figured out a really easy way to make homemade sun prints at home.   Now, the results aren't anywhere as nice as the images from the special SunPrint Paper, but the process is definitely still fun and a whole lot cheaper too.