Emily and I made these adorable little books from empty cereal boxes and deeply discounted craft supplies from Big Lots. The decorative paper, brads, and a complete Valentine rubber stamp set cost less than $5 combined. We will probably make several crafts from these materials combined with items from our Invention Kit. What better time […]
Stained Glass Snowflakes
February 2, 2009 by
A friend of mine recently hosted a Royal Snowflake Ball and it was the inspiration for this twist on classic paper snowflakes using white paper and colored tissue paper. For the Ball, she had story time for all the princes and princesses by reading snow-themed stories, and the kids decorated their own snowmen out of […]
Garden Planning
January 30, 2009 by
Even if you have never planned a garden before, now may be a terrific time to start. Our family just signed up for a garden plot through the local community center, and I think Emily will benefit from watching and caring for all our vegetables, herbs, and flowers. If you do not have the space […]
Fun with Felt – Play Valentine Mail Set
January 29, 2009 by
Emily does not know it yet, but I am going to surprise her with this homemade felt play mail set for Valentine’s Day! Isn’t it cute? I know, I know, 25 cent postage… those were the days, right? As a learning tool, the address labels and stamps can be moved around. She can practice placing […]
6 Tips for Handling Picky Eaters
January 28, 2009 by
Are your kids picky eaters? Are you preparing several dinners each night? Finding ways to handle picky eaters can be a huge help towards keeping a low food budget. Here are some tips that worked with our little picky one (who is not so picky any more!). Do not keep junk food in the house. […]
Create 6 FREE Valentine’s Day Cards
January 27, 2009 by
Stories by Everyone is running a special for 6 FREE Valentine’s Day Cards. You can upload a photo to personalize them — very cute! Shipping is also free. Enter code valentine at checkout. Offer expires 2/1/2009. Not valid with any other offer.
Afternoon Play Date
January 25, 2009 by
Mark worked late almost every night last week, so the girls and I went into “survival mode”. In case you are not familiar with “survival mode”, it goes something like this: 1. Do the bare minimum to get by with housework, laundry, or cooking. 2. Leave piles of dirty dishes on the countertops. 3. Do […]
The Day We Unplugged – Part II
January 22, 2009 by
This is something that has been on my “To Do” list for awhile – organizing the Learning Studio. Last summer, Mark and I (mostly Mark) created this fabulous space in the house for the girls to get creative. It is full of every craft supply you could possibly imagine, plenty of books, and a good […]
The Day We Unplugged — Part I
January 22, 2009 by
I thought it would be fun to outline what we call “unplugged day” in our household. Every so often, we try to have a full day where we do not watch any television or play video games. It amazes me how productive I can be on these days! This morning, I had a conversation with Mark […]
Weave a Placemat
January 20, 2009 by
This craft is so frugal, and keeps kids busy for a good while. Younger kids might need a little bit of help, but the older ones will have no trouble. Use these as a great opportunity to teach patterning! To make your own woven placemats, you will need: Two sheets of contrasting construction paper Scissors […]
Frugal Way to Occupy Kids During Football
January 18, 2009 by
Trying to watch the football game on TV and looking for a frugal way to keep the kids entertained? I thought this would be a fun topic, since the Super Bowl is coming up! Thanks to ThriftyCraftMama for posting about this fabulous frugal activity that will keep kids occupied all through the game. (Worked well […]
Thrift Store Finds — Woo Hoo!
January 17, 2009 by
I have been on the look-out for next year’s holiday dresses for the girls, and at the thrift store today I found these gorgeous dresses (in next year’s sizes)! Aren’t they beautiful? Emily’s cost just $4.99! Clara’s was $3.99, but they had a sale for 50% off all blue tagged merchandize, making this cute dress […]
The Invention Kit
January 16, 2009 by
Several of the crafts Emily and I create are products of the Invention Kit. We love recycling materials and finding new uses for things, so we set aside a separate box with things that might be useful for future projects. Here are some of the things we keep in the Invention Kit: Egg Cartons […]
Fun with Juice Lids — Size Matching Game
January 15, 2009 by
Emily had fun playing this matching game this afternoon. To make your own size matching game, you will need: several lids from frozen juice concentrate white paper double sided tape or glue dots stickers of similar objects in different sizes Trace the juice lids on the white paper and cut out to attach using double […]
Fun with Scissors
January 13, 2009 by
Emily cutting white paper. Much of today was spent with me running around like a chicken with its head cut off in a vain attempt to clean and de-clutter the house. Did I say house? I meant kitchen. Yes, from 9am until 3pm I scrubbed and tidied up the kitchen from top to bottom. Now […]
This Week Find Deals on Craft Supplies
January 12, 2009 by
Photo by Lauren Weinhold We frequently make crafts from recycled items, but we also keep a well-stocked selection of paints, felt, markers, crayons, and glue on-hand. Here are some ways to help build up your craft closet by taking advantage of some upcoming sales and online deals. Click here for printable coupons for A.C. Moore […]
Audacity — Create Your Own Audio Books on CD
January 7, 2009 by
This past Christmas, my mother-in-law made a fabulous set of audio book recordings on CD for Emily. I consider these priceless heirloom gifts. Emily calls the CDs “Grandma Music”. Char choose three or four bedtime story books and recorded herself reading them using a program called Audacity. You can download Audacity for free by clicking […]
New — From PBS Kids
January 2, 2009 by
Emily alerted me to a new find on the PBS Kids website, one of her personal favorites. PBS Kids.org just released a new online learning tool called PBS Kids Play, an interactive virtual activity center that adjusts to your child’s individual level and tracks development with custom progress reports! It is primarily geared towards kids […]
