Recently, Emily and I made a bunch of pretend play sweets from dollar store sponges for her little sister’s holiday gifts. They were great fun, super frugal, AND very easy to make!! Emily cannot wait to gift these to Clara as part of her Christmas gift, and I love how pretend play food can lead […]
30+ DIY Halloween Treats
October 14, 2011 by
Looking for some tasty Halloween treats to make?? There are more than 30 favorites from around the web on our Halloween Treats Pinterest board, and I’m adding more all the time! Here’s a little sneak peek of just some of the goodies you’ll find there…. Halloween Treats I especially love the mini pumpkins (above) made with […]
Quick Craft — Halloween Photo Frames
October 13, 2011 by
Clara and I had lots of fun crafting these festive photo frames for Halloween, and we cannot wait to mail them off to faraway family and friends! It was a super-quick project that she could do with very little help from me. For the spider design, I cut the frame from a sheet of thick […]
50+ DIY Costume Ideas for Kids
October 8, 2011 by
If you don’t plan to make costumes for your kids this Halloween, you may have second thoughts after seeing some of these lovely ideas on our Pinterest boards! Let’s begin with the wee little ones, shall we? Easy DIY Costumes for Baby — I know, right?? Can they get ANY cuter???? The baby turtle almost […]
Catch the Comet
September 12, 2011 by
Using some leftover scraps of felt in lots of bright colors, I sewed a super-easy comet ball that has been used for several games of catch around here! I have seen much more expensive versions in toy catalogs, but it was a lot cheaper (& more fun) to make our own. It is SO much […]
10 Things You Can Make from Cereal Boxes
August 13, 2011 by
Have some empty cereal boxes on-hand?? Don’t throw them away! Here are 10 inspiring ways to transform ordinary empty cereal boxes into amazing home decor items, organizational bins, toys, and more! Cereal Boxes for Organization from Urban Nest from Martha Stewart from Katydid & Kid Cereal Boxes for Home Decor Can you […]
My Secret Surprise Art Project
July 31, 2011 by
A few days ago, I took the girls on a fun trip to do some nature drawing, and Emily drew this lovely seasonal tree drawing (along with big plans to repeat the same tree drawing in Fall, Winter, and Spring). What she didn’t know was that for the last couple of nights, I have been […]
Around the Web — Made from Milk Cartons
July 28, 2011 by
Don’t throw those empty milk cartons in the garbage — they are free craft supplies!! Here are a few inspiring ideas for how you can transform ordinary empty milk cartons into fun toys or crafts for the kids. Love this adorable mouse house for lots of pretend play fun found at belleandrollo.ie OrigamiMommy.org shows […]
Around the Web — Cardboard Play Spaces
July 21, 2011 by
Creating a special play space for your child doesn’t have to cost a lot of money — especially if you have some empty boxes on-hand! Here are some inspiring play spaces (houses, furniture, and more) all made from inexpensive cardboard!! Yay for cardboard!!! This cardboard cottage is oh-so-charming! Found via kimboscrafts.blogspot.com This cardboard barn […]
Calorie-Free S’Mores for Pretend Play
July 17, 2011 by
Want all the fun of making s’mores, but without the sugar-high afterwards?? These pretend play s’mores are SO easy to make, and they are calorie-free so the kiddos can make (and pretend to eat) as many s’mores as they could possibly want!! First, make up your pretend campfire — arrange stones in a circle and […]
Firefly Night Light
July 7, 2011 by
When Emily was getting ready for bed, she asked for a new night light. (Clara has been “borrowing” Emily’s night light for some time now.) Some battery-powered LED holiday lights in a recycled plastic jar made for a fun (and frugal) “firefly” lantern! Shhhhh…. Sweet dreams, little one!!
Father’s Day Gift — Daddy’s Car Wash Kit
June 13, 2011 by
Our girls love to help wash the cars, so for Father’s Day I thought Mark would like to have a special car wash kit to have on-hand to keep all his supplies together in one spot! This way he won’t be wasting time trying to find all the supplies that are “somewhere out there in […]
Father’s Day Gifts Kids Can Make
May 16, 2011 by
Want to get a head start on some Father’s Day gifts?? We’ll be posting lots more gift ideas for Dad in the days ahead, but here are some fun projects from our archives that the kids can make to give to Dad on his special day. Get out some old Legos and let the kids […]
Last Minute Mother’s Day Gifts Galore
May 6, 2011 by
Need a last minute Mother’s Day gift that won’t break the bank?? Here are some fun projects the kiddos can make just in time for Sunday! If Mom enjoys tea 1. She must have awesome taste because everyone knows tea is supreme!! and 2. Invite the kids to make up a quick batch of heart […]
DIY Pretend Play Cooktop from Recyclables
May 5, 2011 by
I made a little pretend cooktop from recyclables, and it’s been a big hit around here! It was super quick & easy to put together, and isn’t it adorable??? Added bonus — practically free! I love that it is small and lightweight enough that the girls can easily carry it from one room of the […]
Mother’s Day “Frank Lloyd Wright” Votive Holders
May 2, 2011 by
I invited Clara to join me with a fun lantern project inspired by the art of Frank Lloyd Wright! These colorful votive holders were fun & easy to make — they would be perfect Mother’s Day gifts!! We cut up pieces of colorful tissue paper into 1 inch squares, and Clara attached them to the […]
Marbled Paper Journals
April 25, 2011 by
After our amazing encounter with the peacocks at the zoo, we were inspired to make some art!! Lots of marbled paper was made using this technique with beautiful peacock hues of tropical blue, cobalt blue, and apple green — so much fun!! What I love about this project is that each print is so unique — no […]
Mini Crayon Wallet
April 11, 2011 by
These mini wallet purses are super-frugal and lots of fun to make! Added bonus — no sewing is involved!! They are the perfect size for a few crayons, small toys, coins, or other tiny treasures. To make your own, you will need one 5″ x 7″ piece of craft foam, colored duct tape, ribbon, and […]
