^^ Molly haggling with a vendor -- she ended up getting the three metal bins in the foreground for craft-room storage.

 ^^ I was a fan of this mirror but a bigger fan of the vintage trunk behind it.

^^ A pair of truly awesome 70s era side tables.

If you're like me (and you blithely declared you were going to hand-make all of your Christmas presents this year and are now feeling the burn of a deadline looming), you're looking for a few easy, low-maintenance kid-crafts to keep the wee ones occupied while you pull together those last few holiday loose ends.

Voila -- I give you three Christmas crafts that will keep even the littlest hands busy (and out of the way of grown-up projects). Bonus: they all look pretty festive around the house!

1. Baking soda clay ornaments




There are several recipes for baking soda clay floating around the internet; we used this one. Unbaked, the clay is a thick, playdough-esque consistency. Once it comes out of the oven, it is a beautiful matte white, and looks gorgeous painted or plain. We invited friends Z., A., and Miss Molly over to make ornaments with us and used cookie cutters to cut shapes, and rubber stamps and our imaginations to embellish them.

After we'd taken them out of the oven, our ornaments still needed to air-dry overnight, and so Anouk painted them with tempera paint the next day while I wrapped presents. We used a few of our favorites for gift tags, and the rest we hung on our tree, where I am sure to get misty-eyed at the sight of them for years to come.

2. Pinecone pom-pom trees



Anouk and I made these adorable trees when we visited Z., A., and Miss Molly at their house. Mini pom-poms + craft glue + pinecones = kitschy retro decor. We put the glue on paper plates for little fingers to dip the poms into and sat back to watch to see how each kid would interpret the idea of holiday decor. (Anouk's friend A. put one pom right at the top of each "tree" and that was it. So minimalist -- I love it!)

3. Cut-paper stars



These stars are a fun alternative to the traditional cut-paper snowflakes. They are also deceptively easy to make -- it only takes a few folds and one cut. Big kids can find instructions here (or a video tutorial here) and make a bunch on their own; I made a quick batch for Anne after breakfast yesterday morning and coloring them kept her entertained for a solid hour. Strung on a little bit of baker's twine, they make a festive homemade garland.



Aaaaaand, speaking of being in love with things, there's this Christmas cookie recipe, which produces the most perfect, easiest to handle/decorate sugar cookies on the planet. They lift up easily, they don't tear, they don't spread while baking, and they taste perfectly scrumptious. Highly recommended, if you've got cookie plans on the docket for this weekend.

T-minus five days...

The big kids have gone back to school (all of my parent friends of school-aged kids were either bleary eyed and sentimental or joyously relieved in the past few days, depending on their kids' ages), but for us mamas of littles, there's still a few extra weeks of summer left before us, still a few weeks left to cram in some summer reading before the weather turns. I love summer reading -- it gives me a chance to put down the heavier tomes I try to tackle over the rest of the year and indulge in some pure fluff. I thought I'd share some of my favorites of this summer, in case you are looking for something to take with you to the pool or beach over Labor Day weekend.


-The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty: On their first date, handsome Patrick confesses to hypnotherapist Ellen O'Farrell that he's being stalked by an ex-girlfriend, and as their relationship progresses, Ellen finds herself thinking more and more about Saskia, the mysterious woman from his past. What she doesn't know is that Saskia has already assumed a fake identity and is posing as one of Ellen's clients in an attempt to find out more about her. The story is told alternately from Ellen and Saskia's point of view, and it's pretty amazing how Moriarty manages to make both women equally sympathetic, given the squickiness of Saskia's behavior. The end result is a story about new beginnings that is both funny and psychologically complex. Should be read: by the pool, resisting the urge to check your ex's Facebook profile.



-The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan: I read this book late at night while James was out of town, which turned out to be a mistake, given that it is a truly creepy read about survivors of an ocean liner disaster in an overcrowded boat making some tough decisions about the best way to stay alive. It's set in the early days of World War I, and there is a deliciously Downton-Abbey-esque vibe to the flashback (and flashforward) scenes. Should be read: at the beach. On a sunny day. With lots of people around.


-Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman: There was a lot I disagreed with in this book comparing and contrasting the ways in which American and French women raise their children (Note: the French women always come out on top), but there is no denying that it was a fun read. I felt like I could see the little Parisienne children as they frolicked in their striped tops to the sound of organ-grinder music...and there were a few inspiring bits about getting kids to eat veggies. Should be read: At the playground, while your little American beasts take out some of that corn-fed energy on the swings.


-Motherland by Amy Sohn: In 2010, Amy Sohn wrote a razor-sharp satire of rich moms in Park Slope, Brooklyn, called Prospect Park West; Motherland is the followup, and picks up with all of the characters' lives in shambles (divorce, adultery, secret love children). Should be read: Any day your family is driving you crazy. You will be grateful for them by the time you're done with this book.


-Attachments by Rainbow Rowell: Lincoln is an IT guy whose job is to check and make sure that employees of a small midwestern newspaper aren't using company email for nonwork conversations. Beth and Jennifer are coworkers who use email to chat all day, about life, love, and their innermost feelings. When Lincoln finds himself falling in love with Beth, he must decide whether to come clean. A very sweet love story about not only romance but the feelings between good friends. Should be read: Anytime, anywhere. (I loved it so much that I might revisit it over the holiday!) 

What's your favorite summertime book? Please share, I would love to add to my list. 

Happy three-day weekend to all!