Emily has been playing lots of Tic-Tac-Toe with Mark lately, and they have been using up quite a bit of our scrap paper to play. This bottle cap version uses just one half of an 8 1/2″ x 11″ piece of paper and 10 bottle caps (5 of each kind). Be careful to make sure […]
10! Show Round Up
June 15, 2009 by
In case you missed today’s 10! Show, here is the clip!View more news videos at: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/video.Here are links to the projects we demonstrated on today’s show: Spin Art Lazy Susan Style Block Prints from Foam Meat Trays Making Paper Kites Beads from Old Magazines Paper Marbling — This is Awesome! This segment was so much […]
DIY: Sticker Book
June 9, 2009 by
When my parents were visiting last week, my mom brought a few stickers for Emily. We realized that Emily didn’t have a sticker book, so my mom made one for her. I think it looks great, and Emily really enjoyed arranging all her new stickers in it! The pages are sheets of waxed paper. Works […]
Fun with Felt — Baby Booties
June 6, 2009 by
I never thought I would be able to sew these cute baby booties, but this was my very first try and I’m quite pleased with how they turned out! If you would like to make your own, I highly recommend you follow the detailed directions and pattern found here. It seemed a bit intimidating at […]
Rain, rain, go away!
June 5, 2009 by
We have been trying to make the most out of these last several rainy days. Thankfully, tomorrow’s forecast is looking much better. This afternoon, I visited a new store in town. They just opened up, and their prices are phenomenal! The selection is a bit lacking, but they make up for it with the absolute […]
More Homemade Chewy Granola Bars
June 3, 2009 by
I am absolutely loving these homemade chewy granola bars! They take very little time to prepare, do not contain high-fructose corn syrup, and the recipe can easily be modified for those allergic to peanuts. They are also less expensive than store bought granola bars. This recipe makes about 18-20 good-sized bars. I wish you could […]
Tutorial — Handmade Pinwheels
May 28, 2009 by
Another wet day here, but we had a tiny bit of time when we could go outside and run around with our newly made pinwheels. I have been meaning to make these for awhile to use in the garden as a way to keep the birds away. Emily needed a little help to make hers, […]
Dress Up Play
May 27, 2009 by
Another rainy day here, so I took the girls on an adventure to our local thrift shop where we spotted this beautiful dress for just $5.00! Emily wanted to use it as part of her growing collection of play dress up outfits. How could I resist? Look! It even twirls! Her favorite dress up outfits […]
Spin Art (Lazy Susan Style)
May 26, 2009 by
We had a rainy day this afternoon, so while Clara was napping, Emily and I had a pocket of time for a fun messy art project. I remember making lots of spin art as a kid, but I had a battery-powered kit which included paper and paint. The kit was fabulous, but once the batteries ran […]
Patriotic Wreath Craft
May 25, 2009 by
Happy Memorial Day! Here’s a simple craft Emily enjoyed in-between picnics, barbecues, and working in the garden. To make your own patriotic wreath, you will need a star-shaped hole puncher (I found this one at Big Lots for $1), some red, white, and blue construction paper, glue, a paper plate, and a pair of scissors. […]
Top 15 Cheap Picnic Foods
May 24, 2009 by
These cheap picnic foods make it easy and affordable to host a picnic. In our household, Summer is synonymous with picnics. We host lots of picnics from Memorial Day straight through Labor Day! You will want to keep some of these cheap picnic foods on-hand for impromptu gatherings with friends or family. Here is a list of […]
Block Prints from Foam Meat Trays
May 21, 2009 by
I started saving our foam meat trays to make our own block printed cards, and Emily enjoyed the entire process of this activity! To make your own block prints, you will need: foam meat trays, water-soluble block printing ink, brayer, cardstock, and a large spoon. We used the opposite end of a paint brush to […]
Bean Face Mosaic
May 18, 2009 by
Emily informed me this morning that she wanted to make a smiley face. I have no idea why she chose to make such an angry face this afternoon, but she kept telling me this was a picture of a bad guy who is very very VERY ANGRY. To make bean faces, you will need heavy […]
Butterfly Paintings — Lessons in Symmetry
May 12, 2009 by
Like most 5 year old girls, Emily adores butterflies. Today we painted butterflies and I introduced the concept of symmetry. To make your own butterfly painting, start with a sheet of paper, and fold it in half. Draw half of a butterfly, as shown. I used watercolor markers (just $2.50 for a pack of 8 […]
3-D Spring Art
May 11, 2009 by
Today we used Q-tips and twigs for a 3-D Spring craft — catkins (a.k.a. pussy willows) in a vase! These buds are one of the first signs of Spring. The one in our front yard has since bloomed, but this was a nice way to remember how the buds looked. Have your child mix black […]
One Mom’s Brilliant Idea
May 6, 2009 by
You are looking at a masterpiece. I wish I could take credit for this, but this is my friend Lisa’s wonderful idea, which she so graciously shared with us during our MOMS Club Cinco de Mayo Fiesta. Lisa is a mom of four boys, three of whom are triplets. Ahem. Triplet BOYS, people! With that […]
10 Tips to Stretch Your Art Supplies
May 3, 2009 by
Over time, the cost of art supplies can really add up, and this is especially true for large families with many children. Here are some tips to help you stretch your existing art supplies, and find great alternative supplies from things you already have in your home: Paint — To stretch paint, combine 1 tablespoon […]
Slacker Saturday — Shadow Puppets
May 2, 2009 by
Today’s Slacker Saturday activity is Shadow Puppets, and there is something to be said for the simplicity here. Mark showed Emily how to make some easy versions of shadow puppets like a dog, butterfly, and duck. Then, she entertained herself with her own little stories. Sometimes the best activities are the most simple ones, and […]
