Emily and I did some Halloween “baking” this afternoon. She thought these marshmallow pumpkins were the coolest thing, and they were super-easy to make. Each marshmallow makes two pumpkins. Very frugal! She made these with very little help from me whatsoever. For a slightly healthier option, try slices of banana instead of marshmallows. I say, […]
Beautiful Autumn Leaf Garland
October 26, 2009 by
We thought the dining room (aka sewing studio) could use some decorating this season, so Emily gathered up some leaves earlier in the day and we got to work on this beautiful garland for some late night crafting. Emily had been begging me to do the waxed paper leaf collage for a long time, but […]
Coffee Cozy from an Old Sweater
October 8, 2009 by
Here’s another cute gift idea that is super-frugal and extremely cute — handmade coffee cozies! Isn’t it adorable? It’s reusable, eco-friendly, and it keeps your drink warm too. You won’t believe how quick and easy this project is. First, find an old wool sweater and put it in the washing machine using hot water, then […]
Eliminate Plastic Bag Clutter with this Easy Craft
September 26, 2009 by
We recently borrowed Ed Emberley’s Picture Pie (Ed Emberley Drawing Books) from our local public library, and it inspired this quick project for a plastic bag organizer that uses an empty tissue box! We used a large circle cutter to cut all the pieces quickly and easily. Then Emily chose a design from the book […]
How to Make Tissue Paper Flowers
September 25, 2009 by
We make tissue paper flowers on a regular basis in our household, and I’ve blogged about them before here and here. We have even been known to make spontaneous deliveries of these to our local assisted living center! During the Fall and Winter months, they can be a nice reminder of warmer weather, and they […]
Easy Autumn Tree Suncatcher
September 15, 2009 by
This cute Autumn tree suncatcher is an easy craft that even the little ones can do, and it doesn’t involve any messy glue. To make your own Autumn tree suncatcher, you will need: clear contact paper, tissue paper, construction paper, and scissors. Pre-cut some leaf shapes out of tissue paper. I folded the tissue paper […]
Review and Giveaway — Printies Design Studio Kits
September 12, 2009 by
When I was contacted by Printies Design Studio Kits to do a review and giveaway, the concept intrigued me. Emily was able to create her own stuffed animal with very little help from either Mark or me and she was quite happy with the results! Here’s how it works: First, your child gets to design […]
Easy Apple Printed Book Covers from a Paper Bag
September 3, 2009 by
One of the first homework assignments many kids need to complete is to cover their books. Why not have a little fun doing it? Using some paint, a brown paper bag or freezer paper, an apple, and a potato, you can make beautiful book covers! I see book covers at office supply stores all the […]
Bacon Bowls — Hey, there is something green in my bacon!
August 29, 2009 by
If there is one thing our entire family can agree on, it’s our love of BACON! In fact, bacon played a crucial role during the courting phase of my relationship with Mark. At the time, I was a strict vegetarian, but I kept packages of bacon in the fridge of my dorm room as “Mark […]
Poor Man’s Planetarium
August 28, 2009 by
It was a cloudy, wet, and rainy evening here. That didn’t stop us from doing a little star gazing! The stars were so close… we could almost reach up and touch them! Coming up… more fun reviews/giveaways from our new sponsors, including some delightful pretend play toys from www.AllChildrensFurniture.com. Their website features fabulous children’s bedding, […]
Light-Up Fireflies
August 25, 2009 by
This was a fun before-bedtime craft that Emily enjoyed. It’s easy, and mess-free too! She loved seeing all the fireflies light up in the picture! To make your own light-up fireflies, you will need: black construction paper, yellow tissue paper, scissors, chalk, and tape. Cut holes out of the black construction paper for the bodies, […]
Easy Flower Painting
August 24, 2009 by
We have been enjoying these beautiful little pockets of time when Clara is taking a nap (hooray for naps!) and Emily and I find a fun project to work on. Emily enjoyed this simple painting project so much that she made two of them! To make your own flower painting you will need: a cork, […]
Easy Block Printed Letterhead
July 26, 2009 by
Ever since we made block prints using foam meat trays, Emily has been asking for more stamping projects. This letterhead stationary is perfect for letters to Grandma, and we plan to use some for our Super Summer Swap too! To make your own block printed letterhead, you will need: Large Craft Sticks Small Foam Stickers […]
Bubble Prints
July 21, 2009 by
Bubble prints are so much fun! It rained here today, so I thought this would be a good alternative to blowing bubbles outside. I’ve seen this project featured around the preschooler circuit, but I was surprised at how much Emily enjoyed this activity. To make your own bubble prints, you will need: 1 Drinking Straw […]
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
July 19, 2009 by
A few weeks ago, my friend Kelly had several health issues all at once, and needed a bit of cheering up. So I packed up everything we needed for an impromptu tea party, loaded the Joy Committee (a.k.a. my girls) into the car, and brought the party to her. We had a fabulous time, and […]
