I fell in love with the look of these beautiful coffee filter butterflies on Kaboose.com and knew as soon as I saw them the kids would love them too. This was a super easy craft and used things we always have in the house which is great (because once my kids love a craft they ask to do it over and over and over again). Another variation that we tried was to use water with food coloring in it. The result wasn’t as vibrant but it was still pretty.

To finish them off we pinched the coffee filter in the middle of a wooden clothes peg which we painted black and decorated with googly eyes. We then put a small round magnet on the back so we can enjoy our creations all summer long.

So simple!

Today we met a group of friends at our local art gallery and after enjoying the art on display (well the moms enjoyed it – the kids enjoyed the long ramps which they were running up and down) we went next door to a park to create our own masterpieces. The medium we chose was PAINT. Messy, yes. But oh so fun!

Today we just gave the kids long sheets of paper off a big roll and let them do whatever they wanted. But in the past I have done some fun painting crafts that I thought might be perfect “un-bore your kids” summer activities:

• Have the child lay down on a large piece of paper and trace around him/her.  Then get out the paints and have fun creating a lifesize portrait.

• Add lots of fun things to the paint such as sand for texture and glitter to add a sparkle.  This makes painting extra special fun and allows the kids to create some very interesting effects.

• Put different colored drops of paint on the paper and then use a straw to blow them around to create unique patterns.

• Spread out a rectangle of playdough or modelling clay the size of an 8 1/2″ x 11″ piece of paper. Carve out an interesting picture in it. Then roller paint over the entire surface and press down a piece of paper to create a print from the carving.

• Think of different objects that you can paint with and test them out to see what effects you can create.  Try running toy cars through paint and then on to your paper, cut open vegetables such as potatoes and green peppers to make interesting stamps, use bird feathers and toothbrushes to add texture to the paint.

Hope you have lots of fun and make lots of messes (after all, that’s what being a kid is all about!)

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already Tuesday and I’m just getting this week’s “un-bore your kids” feature up.  Summer is flying by.  (Oh right, it’s only July 6th. Maybe I should pace myself or I’ll be burnt out before the first of August.) This week we’re planning on being very daring at our house and trying tie-dye. My kids are (almost) 3 and (just) 4 so I don’t know if this is a good idea or not. My husband is, of course, firmly planted on the NOT side of this debate.  But I have always loved to live on the wild side so I am going for it! I did some research and there are two techniques we’ll be trying. One uses squirt bottles of dye and the other uses submersion in a bath of dye. Checkout that second link from MarthaStewart.com for different patterns to try.

To make this even more fun (and much, much messier) I have invited a couple of my friends and their preschoolers to join us.

Does anyone know how badly fabric dye stains the skin?  Will the kids be normal color again by the time school starts?  Here’s hoping!

So whataya say, are you willing to be daring with me?

I don’t believe what my mother used to say “never play with your food”.  I think part of getting kids excited about food is to let them experience it with all of their senses.

I love to cook and bake with both of my kids.  Since they were old enough to stand up on a chair at the counter they’ve been helping pour in ingredients, stir and of course lick the bowl!

A fun craft/snack we make sometimes is paintable cookies.  They are a simple sugar cookie that the kids get to paint with food coloring before they’re baked.  Throw in some fun shaped cookie cutters and you’ve got yourself a great time.

Here are some pictures from a cookie painting session we did with friends…

Paintable Cookies Recipe

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
3 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp grated orange rind
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

* Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy.  Add the beaten egg followed by the orange juice and orange rind.
* In a smaller bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt.
* Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat well.
* Chill the dough and then roll out to about 1/8″ thickness and cut shapes.
* Paint with a mixture of water and food coloring.
* Bake painted cookies at 375F for about 8 minutes or until they are set and slightly brown around the edges.

Enjoy!

My husband’s cousin is having a baby and this weekend as I was packing up some of our baby gear to take to her (sniff!) I got thinking about how much fun she’ll have decorating her little ones nursery.

A child’s very first room is a great space to have fun and be creative!  These are some wonderful ideas I found around the web for unique nursery art.  

1.   Kids love picture books, but somehow they also manage to rip them.  This is an ingenious way to reuse ripped or treasured picture books (or really any images that you like) to decorate a nursery.
2.  This project is recommended as a gift for teachers, but I think it is a great, personalized way of decorating a nursery.  Use crayons to create initials. I love the way this is presented in a nice frame.
3.  Expand the idea of initials to writing out your child’s full name.  This is a really versatile and customizable project from Martha Stewart and it looks so cute!
4. Remember those old wooden letters?  They are charming, but sometimes they can look dated.  This site provides some neat ways to use these blocks for a new generation.
5. These are so gorgeous and you are only limited by your imagination.  Use an easy paper piercing technique to create wall art for the nursery. You can even use a template, so this project is great for people who don’t think of themselves as artistic.
6. This is great for people who are truly not creative, or just don’t have the time to make decorations.  You might want to consider buying these wonderful decals.  Check out the website and be inspired.
7.  I think a growth chart is one of the definitive items necessary to complete a child’s room.  This project provides step by step instructions for a wooden growth chart that will be durable enough to fully chart your child’s growth.
8. This is an easy way to decorate a nursery, especially for people who love words and reading.  This site provides novel ideas for decorating a room with alphabet flash cards.
9.  Making picture frames for your child’s nursery can be both easy and inexpensive; this great DIY will show you how.
10. As the site describes it, art in an instant!  And you probably already have everything you need to complete this project.  I love the big impact for so little effort.
11.  This may be a little hard to see because it is a yellow sun on a yellow wall, but it is a brilliant project nonetheless.  It is as simple as using pins and yarn to create a sun motif on your child’s nursery wall.
12.  This one takes a little forethought, but it is such a fun project!  This website provides step by step instructions to create your very own belly cast. A wonderful way to commemorate your pregnancy and decorate the nursery.

Crafts can be more than just fun, they can resuscitate items that are destined for the recycling bin.  I love being able to give new life to common household items.  Here are some great ideas that do just that.

1. This is a great way to add that special touch to all your presents.  You can use colourful magazine pages to create gift bows.  I’m sure flyers, newspapers, colorful junk mail pages or even old wrapping paper would work too.
2. Here’s another way to reuse all the extra paper that seems to accumulate.  These gorgeous coasters are made using a simple weaving technique.  They are so practical and easy to make.
3. I thought this project was so cute.  Organize the clutter on your fridge and reuse old jeans by turning the pockets into magnets.  These would look so great if you have embroidered jeans that your kids have outgrown.
4. Thanks to the internet, I never actually use my phone book.  If you don’t either, I think this is a great idea for your old phone book; turn it into an organizer for pens, pencils and other assorted goodies.
5. This is a quick project that is sure to entertain your kids during mealtimes.  You can convert a favourite picture book into colourful, personalized placemats.
6. I love this project because it is such a beautiful way to store your pictures and it is made from such an unexpected source.  Chip bags, candy/granola wrappers etc can be used to transform a regular binder into an amazing album.  You can find the weaving technique used for this project on this page.  It has always bothered me that some food wrappers are not recyclable.  This is such a great way to reuse them.
7. This is a easy project to make a birdfeeder from a juice carton.  It is fun to make and your kids can decorate it any way they like.  The birds will love it and your kids will love it.
8. Instead of buying one, make your own watering can from a plastic jug.  You can even make more than one and let your kids help water the plants.
9. I love the idea of sitting outside on a summer evening surrounded by these beautiful candle holders.  Reuse tin cans to make these candle holders that can be used inside or outdoors.  They would be a great place to put citronella candles and keep the bugs away.
10. This is a very versatile project to turn big plastic bottles into door hangers.  On the site they recommend using it as an outdoor planter that can be hung on fence posts, but I think it would great on the door knobs of kids’ rooms.
11. Somehow I always need more containers, so I thought this project was wonderful.  Weave newspapers around different forms to create baskets of different sizes and shapes.  This is great use for newspapers and you can recycle the basket when you don’t need it anymore.
12. Plarn – make yarn from plastic bags.  I think this is an amazing way to reuse plastic bags.  You can watch the video here and once you’ve made the yarn it can be used for just about anything, including making crochet bags.  I can’t wait to try this!

This year I’m planning on having my kids help me with Mother’s Day gifts for my Mom and my Mother-in-Law. Since I’m stumped by what to get the women who have everything, I figure they can’t be disappointed with something made by their grandchildren!

Here are some contenders…

1. You’ve no doubt seen the seeded paper before that you can plant and watch it grow. What a great craft idea with the kids!  This super cute Bloomin’ Handmade Gretting Card would make a perfect gift for the Grandma with a green thumb.
2. There are lots of great ideas out there for picture frames, but this one was so clever I had to include it. See how you can make this beautiful Cardboard Petal Picture Frame using toilet paper rolls (and get extra points for recycling!)
3. These personalized totes are something I want my kids to make for ME. They’re perfect shopping bags.  Have little kids do their handprints in paint for a great look.  Older kids can try different painting techniques and even write a message to Grandma.
4. If Grandma is a bath lover then this Oatmeal Bath Soak is a thoughtful gift. It’s easy for little ones to participate by mixing up the ingredients.  I love that the instructions include the templates for the envelopes so you can print them off and have a complete gift.
5. This is a fun variation on a coupon book. I love the idea of making it part of the card and that when Grandma pulls one out, she never knows what she”ll get!  See how to make this fun Chore Card and let your kids get creative with what they’ll promise on each flower.
6. It takes some work to make your own soap, but when you see these little Soap Cubes it definitely looks worth the effort.  Made using (you guessed it) an ice cube tray, they look so pretty displayed in a glass jar or bowl beside the sink.  Use variations of different complementary colors that will match Grandma’s bathroom.
7.  This fun recipe holder is made from popsicle sticks and is an easy gift for even little ones to help with.  Give them the job of painting the popsicle sticks so they can add their own touch to it!
8. These instructions are for a My Mom’s the Best keychain but is easily adaptable for Grandma. Letter beads are also available in silver for a higher end look.
9. For the Grandma that likes to cook, a handprint apron is the perfect gift. I love this idea because it’s simple but something that is sure to get alot of use. Make matching tea towels and pot holders too for a complete set!
10. These little potted plant butterflies are so adorable!  I can just imagine several of them peeking out from around all of the plants at my Mother-in-Laws. Do a variety of spring colors for a really fun look.
11. I absolutely love these photo marble magnets because there are so many possibilities to create different looks. Use photos of the kids for a great gift Grandma can show off to everyone who comes in to her kitchen. Or select a series that matches her decor or favorite hobby.

My kids are both die hard crafters. And with trips to the store for crafting supplies threatening their college fund, I knew something had to change.

The solution? Getting creative with items from our recycling bin.

They’re things we were going to throw out anyway. So after we’ve enjoyed them for a bit, into the blue bin they go (and since I’m pretty sure pom poms and pipe cleaners are not recyclable I feel better about not adding to the landfill).

Here are some of our favorite recyclable craft ideas…

1. Always a favorite, rain sticks are a great craft for kids of all ages.  If your crafters are older, they can do more decorating or make several with different things inside to compare the sounds.
2. This is the ultimate in recycling!  Save your tin cans of different shapes and sizes to create a tin can train. My son’s eyes bugged out when he saw this one so we’ve started collecting our cans to make this soon.
3. If your house is like mine, you have containers full of broken crayons and no idea what to do with them.  A great craft I’ve done many times with my kids is to melt those bits and pieces down and create fun shaped crayons.  Mike the colors and swirl them for really a really great effect!
4. Egg cartons have so many uses. I use the plastic ones as paint trays or for when we’re “painting” chocolates.  There are also lots of great crafts you can make from them. Like these fun critter disguises.  This article includes great ideas, or let the kids create their own “critters” and see what strange things they come up with.
5.  OK, so you may not have ALOT of scrabble tiles in your recycling bin, but watch for them at yard sales and you can make your own scrabble tile letter magnets.
6. I’ve seen lots of instructions on how to make a kite from a paper bag, but my kids ruin those in no time and then they’re upset.  So when I saw these instructions for creating a kite from a plastic bag, I thought it was a great idea.
7. Believe it or not, this butterfly was actually created from cut up cereal boxes.  How cute is that!  I love, love, love this idea because it’s simple, quick and you can create so many fun things. I think it’s pretty self explanatory how you would do this, but you can read the instructions on creating mosaics with cereal boxes to learn more.  You could also use old magazines or even old photographs for this craft.
8.  What a great family craft to get everyone involved!  Creating this family totem pole isn’t as hard as it looks.  Watch the video for step-by-step instructions.  You will need lots of supplies though so get started saving long before you plan to make the craft (or raid the recycling bins of friends and family).
9. They might look like cookies, but these are actually fossils made from coffee grounds.  Yuck you say?  I thought so at first too. But when I tried this with my kids they had so much fun I would definitely do it again.  Tip: We’re impatient so we opted to bake ours and they turned out great.
10. These adorable clothespin magnets are as functional as they are funky!  Let kids get creative adding whatever they can think of (I bet they can find lots of things in the recycling bin).  These make great gifts for friends, grandparents and even teachers.