I cut out some paper snowflakes this afternoon, and Emily thought it would be fun to make snowflake rubbings with them! We used black construction paper, and put the paper snowflakes underneath. Then, she used the side of a white crayon to make the rubbing. She thought they looked like snowflakes at night! Clara gave […]
Cheap Thrills — Indoor Hopscotch
January 14, 2010 by
It was far too cold outside to run around and play. Instead, we made a hopscotch grid in our foyer using masking tape on the floor! The girls got lots of exercise! (I did too.) We have slate flooring in our foyer, so Emily practiced writing her numbers with chalk. You could also add the […]
Fun Igloo Picture
January 12, 2010 by
Emily was so pleased with how this igloo picture turned out, and it was so much fun to do – especially if your child happens to love stickers as much as she does! To make your own igloo picture, you will need: a package of labels like the ones shown below (very inexpensive), construction paper, […]
3-D Paper Lantern Picture
January 11, 2010 by
It’s a bit early yet for Chinese New Year, but that didn’t stop us from creating these fun 3-D paper lantern pictures. They were so easy and so much fun to make! Plus, it uses recyclables. I love projects like these, don’t you? The highlight of this project…… Clara using glue for the first time! […]
Weekend Rewind — Homemade Hockey Table
January 9, 2010 by
Hope everyone is enjoying a lovely weekend! Here’s a fun post from our archives. Our entire family enjoyed many memories of hockey tournaments on our homemade table, and when we were done it was so simple to convert back to our regular coffee table. Be sure to check back tomorrow for a great giveaway from […]
Easy Snowflake Suncatchers
January 8, 2010 by
Both of the girls are so proud of how their beautiful stained glass snowflakes turned out, and they were so easy (and frugal) to make! Clara was delighted to have a go at this craft, and gave a huge smile when she saw her finished work on display in the window. Using a snowflake-shaped cookie […]
Because Mark and I Never Grew Up
January 6, 2010 by
After dinner, we cleared off the table, covered it all using a roll of craft paper and some masking tape, and gathered every crayon in the house for a few hours of family drawing time. Yes, the dishes are still in the sink. No, I really don’t care about them. What I care about is […]
Penguin Playset Tutorial
January 5, 2010 by
We were going through the girls out-grown clothes and deciding which ones to donate to Goodwill, when Emily spotted these old microfiber tights. She declared we could make a penguin from them, and of course I had to agree! To make your own penguin playset, you will need: some felt, thread, old microfiber stockings, and […]
Cheap Thrills — Indoor Ice Skating
January 4, 2010 by
For a good time, wrap sheets of wax paper around your feet into make-shift “skates” with rubber bands. Play waltz music on your stereo. “Skate” over the carpet!! Please note — be careful! It is very slippery, but lots of fun! Check out the look of determination on Clara’s face. She napped quite well after […]
Weekend Rewind — Paint the Snow!
January 3, 2010 by
Hope everyone is having a fun Sunday! Here’s a post from last year’s archives, and an activity we would love to do again while there is still snow on the ground — snow painting! Enjoy! This afternoon, Emily and I took some spray bottles filled with a few drops of food coloring and some water […]
Snowman Vase from Recyclables
January 2, 2010 by
We filled this sweet little snowman vase with some evergreens from the yard to bring some green into the house. He is made from recyclables (aka FREE craft supplies)! To make your own snowman vase, you will need: an empty cereal puffs container (or other container of similar shape), Sharpie marker, construction paper, felt, and […]
Happy New Year!! — Jingle Bell Noisemaker Bracelet
January 1, 2010 by
Emily loved ringing in the new year with this fun jingle bell noisemaker bracelet! To make your own noisemaker bracelet, you will need: felt, thread, jingle bells, and a small button. Cut two long pieces of felt about 1 1/2 inches wide. Measure your child’s wrist and add about 2 inches for the length. Whip […]
Cute Marshmallow Snowman
December 29, 2009 by
I have been wanting to make marshmallow snowmen with Emily for some time now, and when I mentioned it to her, she instantly adored the idea of making a snowman out of marshmallows! We used jumbo marshmallows and pretzel rods. Push three marshmallows through one end of the pretzel rod, and stack them together to […]
Top 9 Posts of 2009 Round Up
December 28, 2009 by
Some of our very favorite posts for 2009: :: Easy Autumn Tree Suncatcher :: Gratitude Activity Jar :: Fun Autumn Treasure Hunt :: Cheap Thrills — Cardboard Box Edition :: Stunning Winter Tree Silhouette :: DIY Reusable 2-in-1 Sandwich Wrap and Placemat :: Modern Art :: Felt Fairy House Tutorial :: Laundry Day Fun We […]
Art So Easy, A Toddler Can Do It
December 26, 2009 by
We had so much going on during Christmas, that I thought the girls could use a little break from all the chaos today. Clara, in particular, seemed to be a bit over-whelmed with it all. So when Emily was off playing with all her lovely new toys, Clara and I snuck in a quick painting […]
Handmade Holiday — Meet Butter!
December 22, 2009 by
This sweet kitty cat was a late night sewing project I made using this free pattern found on Wee Wonderfuls, and I wish you could have seen the look on Emily’s face when she first saw him! She immediately named him “Butter”, and they have been enjoying many adventures together this morning. Butter’s made from […]
Handmade Holidays — Scented Bath Salts
December 20, 2009 by
It’s not too late to make some last-minute handmade gifts for that special someone on your list who is in need of a little pampering… (hint, hint). Mark and Emily whipped up a batch of lavender scented bath salts and it only took a few minutes! To make your own scented bath salts, you will […]
Adventures at the Beauty Academy
December 19, 2009 by
The girls were long overdue for haircuts, and despite my frugal nature, I have resolved to never EVER attempt to cut their hair myself. Too many horror stories, and I simply cannot bring myself to do it. That’s not to say that salons are always perfect. One instance involving Emily’s haircut a few years ago […]
