This is a quick Easter craft that you can do with stuff you probably already have around the house!

You will need:

-embroidery thread, thin elastic, or dental floss
-scissors
-a tapestry needle (the kind with the big eye)
-peeps, jelly beans, any other seasonal candy your heart desires

Directions: Using the needle, thread (carefully) the candy on the floss/thread/elastic in whatever pattern you wish. Tie (carefully) around your neck. EAT!



Anouk needed a little help with the needle but mostly was able to complete this craft herself. Gus helped by sampling the jellybeans and throwing all the black ones onto the floor where the dog also refused to eat them. I DON'T GET IT EITHER.

Little Bunny Foo Foo bout to get his.

Well, we didn't get a whole lot of snow this past weekend, but we made up for it by sledding a lot in the little bit we did get, drinking lots of hot chocolate and making some of the paper-type snowflakes to hang around our house. After a few dozen we decided to get creative and made some snowflakes out of our names!

It's pretty simple: cut a circle in your paper and then fold in half, in half again, and in half one more time. Write your name in bubble letters (make sure they touch each other in at least one place). Then cut them out (you can use an x-acto knife to get the fiddly little spots in As and Rs). An 8x11 piece of paper was big enough to do our names but if you're a Jonathan or a Cassandra you might want to invest in a larger size.




It's pretty simple: cut a circle in your paper and They ended up being so pretty and just like real snowflakes -- no two were alike.



They're kind of the perfect snow day activity because they keep kids absorbed for a long time and it will look like it snowed inside your house by the time you;re done with all those bits of paper. Convenient AND seasonal!

Seashell crafts! They are the current craze in our house, mostly because we have amassed a giant collection of shells. It's also the easiest candle making process I've ever come across -- all you need is a bag of tea lights (ours were a million for $5 at IKEA) and some beach treasures, and voila.

Safety note before we begin! This is definitely a craft that needs not only adult supervision but definitely adult participation, too. The candles can sometimes be a little unstable, so make sure to keep them on a safe surface while lit and don't leave unattended while burning.

You will need:

• Seashells
• Tea lights in metal containers
• Hot plate
• Glass heat-safe container

Turn the hot plate on a low to medium low heat setting. Remove wicks from tea lights and place in a heat-safe glass container (we used a Pyrex measuring cup). Place the container on the hot plate until the candles have melted completely. While the wax is melting, prepare the shells by wiping them with water and a soft cloth and checking them for holes and cracks (you don't want the wax to run out).

When the wax is completely melted, use a potholder to pick up the glass and pour a small amount of wax into each shell. Place the shell back on the metal tea-light container to hold it steady and upright while it dries. While the wax is still clear and liquid, insert the wick. To speed up the wax hardening process, place on a cookie sheet in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

I think these would make adorable stocking stuffers or teacher presents -- and is a fun way to preserve some of your favorite beach memories. Plus, they look really pretty scattered around the house. Ooh, ahh.

Happy weekend!

This project was inspired by May Day and the old tradition of giving flowers to friends and neighbors. But instead of just sitting and watching your flowers bloom, wouldnt it be more fun to be able to scatter seeds and watch them grow? We got the basic idea and inspiration from this post, and then went from there.

To make the seed bombs, you will first need paper, and lots of it. We used about two dozen sheets of used drawing paper (great way to recycle old art!) and two sheets of pink and blue tissue paper, to give our bombs a pretty springtime color. We tore the paper into inch-long chunks and then soaked it for 4-5 hours.

Next, we blended the paper in a blender until it was chunky but no longer identifiable as strips of paper. The pink and blue tissue paper kind of melded together to make purple, with little flecks that look like flower petals.





Strain the blended paper mixture through cheesecloth to get rid of excess water, then stir in the seeds (we used four packets -- forget me not, zinnia, poppies, and coneflowers). Then break out your mold. We used a silicon heart mold, and pressed the paper mixture into the molds (a little more water will come out, just pour it off). Gently pop the seed bomb out of the mold and lay it in a safe place to finish drying. The end result will be crumbly and imperfect, but I think that adds to its charm.

There you go! Tie up your seed bombs in a pretty piece of fabric or put in a little basket and give to your friends -- and don't forget to chuck a few into the corners of your own yard for a treat later on this summer.

It's been raining up a storm here in #HRVA these past few weeks -- my garden looks awesome but my kid is a little bored (and honestly, so am I). We've been turning a lot to craft books lately, and these two new releases are among our new favorites. I'm a big fan of sites like Pinterest, but they can get a little repetitive, with the same things appearing in my feed over and over -- it's nice to have a bunch of original, super-creative projects in one place when you're looking for a way to fill the rainy hours.

Disclaimer: I received review copies of these books from the publishers. My opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links that may result in a small commission for the blog. 


Maker Dad by Mark Frauenfelder: My first thought on seeing this book's subtitle was to roll my eyes a little -- does a book really need to be marketed to one gender over another? Then I opened it up, and immediately forgave the marketing team. Maker Dad is crammed full of projects that not only look amazingly fun but teach things like computer programming and how to use basic hand tools, skills that girls (and boys, too!) can put to use long after they've put the book back on the shelf. There's a strong emphasis on science and technology projects (how to put a video camera on a kite, create your own podcast, or build a robot that can draw beautiful abstract designs) with a few simpler ones (soap molding and extreme-bubble-blowing) thrown in. For the most part, the projects are aimed toward the older kid/tween set but this is one I'm definitely keeping in mind for when A. hits elementary school.




Project Kid by Amanda Kingloff: Project Kid, written by the former Lifestyle Director of Parents magazine, is definitely on the artsier end of the arts-and-crafts spectrum, no automated robots here (but there is a tutorial for a cute robot coin bank). While a few of the projects were a little twee, even for me (does anybody really need an embroidered flyswatter?), most were adorably innovative, and I did appreciate the emphasis on recycling and reusing instead going out and buying a ton of stuff just for the purpose of crafting (see PK's K-cup mobile, which is so cute it makes me wish I had a Keurig so Anne and I could whip one up). Bonus: Kingloff's tutorials for things like fringing and fabric dyeing are really helpful for those of us new to the kids-crafts rodeo, as are her checklists of things to have in your craft box so that you can stop, drop, and DIY at a moment's notice.

Do you do a lot of DIY at your house? Where do you get your crafting inspiration? Do either of these books sound like something your kids would like?

Happy Tuesday!

Last year, I made a vow that I was going to handmake each and every one of the presents I gave to my family and friends that holiday season. I imagined myself lovingly painting mason jars and embroidering initials on napkins by the fire all through December. In reality, I spent the weeks before Christmas in a frenzy, leading to a total meltdown on Christmas Eve while I sat up at midnight arranging photos in albums that I would give to my mother in just a few short hours. When it was all over, James turned to me and said, "I don't care if it costs ten thousand dollars, we are never, ever doing handmade presents again."

He didn't have to say it twice. I agree: I will never again attempt to make each and every one of my Christmas gifts for others. However, I think a few handmade presents here and there -- made WELL in advance of the holidays -- would be OK. I'm already hard at work on this year's crop, and over the next few weeks I'll be sharing a few of the gifts that have been big hits in the past and some that I am in the process of making. So that you can get a head start, too. :)

The first are these custom state prints. I was inspired to make these after stumbling across the (free!) Stateface font, in which each letter corresponds to the shape of one U.S. state. I downloaded it, immediately fell in love with it, and started using it everywhere. I made nursery prints for my friends with new babies, wedding prints for my friends who had been married that year, and custom notepads and address labels for anybody who came to mind.


Here's a quick primer on how to make these prints in Photoshop: open a text box and type the key corresponding to the state you want. Adjust your chosen state to the size and color that you want just like you would with any other font, highlight it, and then under the Type menu at the top, click on "Convert to Shape." This turns the state font character into an outlined shape that you can fill with whatever you want (other text or even a fun pattern.) For the nursery and wedding prints, I decided to place a heart to mark the location of birth or marriage and then insert the geographical coordinates underneath just because I liked the way the string of numbers looked next to the swirly font of the names.


Then you either print out your work at home on high-quality paper or at a professional printer (they can make so many things -- custom stamps, tote bags, personalized stationery, to name some of my faves.) Pop it into a frame with a nice mat, and you have a holiday gift that looks like a million bucks (but didn't cost it).

Each of these designs took me only a short time to make once I had the hang of things but because it was personalized for someone special to me, it felt like I was working on something special. You don't need any expert graphic design expertise to make these prints, just the right font and a little creativity (and Photoshop, though you could probably do this in other image editing programs). The possibilities are endless.

Will you download the Stateface font? What would you use it for? Are you planning on making any of your gifts this year?

Since summer is officially over, I thought it would be a good time to share some of our favorite fall places, crafts, and treats from last year. If you have any suggestions you'd like to share, from your own blog or around the web, please link in the comments! Also, if you do any of these, please write and let us know how you enjoyed it. :)

I'm cuddled up under a wool blanket as I type this and I love love it. Welcome, fall!


GO:

-Bergey's Breadbasket: Quite possibly the best petting zoo in the area, with a PYO pumpkin patch and a delectable bakery attached. Bergey's inspired our apple dumpling recipe (below).

-Hunt Club Farm: The photos at the bottom of this post is from our visit last October (look how small my Nou was!). Their fall harvest fair runs through Nov. 1 this year and you can bet we'll be there again.

-Apple Picking at Martin Vineyard & Orchard: A recent trip that's going to become a family tradition. Apple season ends in November, but I would call ahead to make sure they're still open (their website doesn't seem to be updated frequently).

-New Earth Farm: A beautiful farmer's market in Virginia Beach, with probably the most interesting and delicious organic and seasonal produce in the area.

-First Landing State Park: So gorgeous this time of year. Try the Bald Cypress Trail, an easy hike for little legs.

-Big Woods State Forest: Some "real wilderness" hiking just about an hour away in Sussex County.

-Bennett's Creek Farm Market: Bennett's Creek is a treat in any season but fall makes us hungry and when the weather turns cool, we crave their she-crab soup.


MAKE: 

-Apple prints: we made wrapping paper!

-Pumpkin pie playdough: Adding pumpkin-pie spice makes everything feel more festive.

-Gravestone rubbing: A spooky craft to get older kids interested in family history.

-Grateful chain: just in time for Thanksgiving

-Pinecone prints: This is a great time of year for nature painting.

-Fall-themed bracelets: Using painter's tape rolls

-Leaf rubbings and painted leaves: two super-easy fall crafts


COOK:

-Maple cinnamon marshmallows: Dresses up hot cocoa; a lot easier than you'd think.

-Marlborough Pudding: basically, fancy applesauce but from a colonial recipe.

-Apple dumplings: A quick and easy version of the famous ones at Bergey's Breadbasket.

-Pumpkin quinoa: The perfect breakfast for fall mornings.

-Sweet potato and apple hash: A savory-sweet treat.

This unassuming mason jar full of pom-poms has become the single-most important weapon in our fight against the Trying Twos, so much so that I want to laugh every time I think of how simple it all is for something so effective. I am sure by looking at the photo you have already deduced how it works -- when A. does something good, she gets a pom, the varying sizes corresponding to the "size" of her acts (a tiny pom-pom for being nice to the cats, a small one for remembering to say please and thank you, a BIG BIG one for resetting her attitude when she gets grumpy or taking a nap without a lot of guff.) Generally once the pom-poms are in the jar they stay there but a couple of times we have taken them away for particularly egregious behavior. When the jar is full, she gets to trade the pom-poms in for a small toy or a special outing to the park or beach.

I liked the thought of Anouk having to really earn rewards, and learn to be patient about reaping the benefits, but I wasn't sure she was old enough to understand the concept of each pom-pom standing for an act of good behavior, or if she would be able to deal with the delayed gratification. But so far, a few weeks in, it seems to be going well. It helps that I printed off a picture of the Sofia the First doll that she chose for her reward and taped it to the side of the jar to remind her what's at stake. It's even gotten to the point where she will do things without being asked, like cleaning up her toys or putting her dishes away, and then come to remind me or James to put another pom-pom in her jar.

How do you encourage your kids to be on their best behavior? Anything that's worked splendidly?

Have a great weekend!

I saw this craft on Design Mom a few weeks ago -- she used balloons to shape tissue paper into beautiful paper mache bowls. We didn't have any balloons in the house, so Anouk and I adapted the craft a bit by using kitchen bowls of various shapes and sizes for our designs.

First, we coated the outsides of the bowls with cooking oil and covered them in plastic wrap. Then A. and I got to work tearing strips of tissue paper into small pieces, and pasting them to the plastic wrap with a thin coat of watered down Elmer's glue. After about three or four layers the bowls seemed pretty completely covered, so we set them outside and let them dry. An hour later, we (read: I) gently turned the tissue paper bowls out and sat back to admire the pretty stained glass effect of the light coming through the paper.





We trimmed the edges of the biggest and smallest bowls, but I thought the ragged edge on the purple bowl (which A. did all by herself) was kind of cool so we left it. Currently, our bowls are scattered around the house holding small things like loose change and pins (I like to throw them in there as I sew, so much quicker than poking them into a cushion) and the random stuff A. collects on her travels around the house and yard.

We really enjoyed this project -- it doesn't take a lot of finesse and there is something therapeutic about turning your mind off and just piling the colors on. I'm currently thinking about ways to adapt this project for the holidays, so stay tuned. This craft will surely pop up again in the coming months.

Every Halloween, my Girl Scout troop would go to the graveyard (right next to our camp! which made for some pretty interesting camping trips) and make gravestone rubbings. It might seem like a weirdly morbid thing to do with a lot of little kids, because of the inevitable conversations that will come up about death and all that. But surprisingly, all of my memories of the activity are happy ones. So much so that as a grown-up, I've kept up the practice. Whenever I visit the grave of a far-flung ancestor or when I'm on vacation and visiting a churchyard, I make sure to pack some paper and crayons in my bag to bring back a truly one-of-a-kind souvenir. It could be because I'm a history and genealogy buff. It could be that I'm overly sentimental. It could be because I'm a little weird. I don't know. I do know that grave rubbing is a great activity for little hands: it doesn't require much finesse, the results are always striking, and it offers a great excuse to acquaint little ones with family lore.

This past weekend I visited the family plot at St. Mary's and made a rubbing of a stone of a relative who died as a child. I've always had a soft spot for her, partly because nobody alive really remembers who she belonged to, and partly because she shares my name. On my last trip to the cemetery, I'd noticed that her grave was getting a little faded and worn, and I wanted to find a way to preserve it before it faded too much. Especially the beautiful Arabic writing at the bottom!

Some tips for making a grave rubbing of your own:

• Use medium weight paper: too thin will tear, too thick won't leave a good impression. I use an 18x24" sketchpad, with 50 lb. paper density.
• Bring a roll of painter's tape -- it's the best for securing the paper to the stone (Scotch tape is too flimsy and duct tape can leave a nasty residue). 
• A lot of people like to use pastels, but I think they're really messy and prefer to use a thick "My first crayon"-style black Crayola (don't go too cheap with the brand of crayon you use -- sometimes they don't cover very well). The thin crayons work well for touch ups after you've brought your rubbing home. 
• St. Paul's and Calvary Cemetery have some of the most interesting and historical gravestones in the area, but they're pretty old and can be covered in dirt and moss. An old toothbrush helps to loosen the grime so you can get a clearer rubbing.  

The last time I was at the art store, I checked out the clearance aisle and found that stamp pads were going for $0.30 a piece! So of course I had to buy every single one of them, I can't resist a bargain like that. I didn't know when I was throwing them into our basket exactly what we would do with thirteen stamp pads in assorted colors but I knew I would think of something.

On our walk this afternoon, Anouk and I gathered up little bits and pieces that we thought might make good stamps. Note: while pinecones were collected and used, the results ended up being pretty underwhelming. I am still going to call this exercise pinecone printing, though, because I like the alliteration. It sounds a little bit more whimsical than "pine straw printing" (fwiw, pine straw worked quite well).

Anouk was especially fascinated with the acorns that we rolled around the edges to make borders for our designs. She called them little balls. And then crammed about five of them in her cheeks like a squirrel, which put a nice cap on our pinecone printing experience for the day. Luckily, we are well-stocked for next time.

Have you ever used found objects as stamps? What did you find made the best designs?

We're going out of town this weekend, so today is a flurry of packing and last-minute chores. But Anouk and I did take the time to make some quick Friday fruit necklaces (as seen on the Artful Parent) for our snack. We used (unflavored) dental floss and embroidery needle to string Trader Joe's frozen berries, some grapes, and a cut-up apple (we also tried a mango, but it was too ripe to stay on the string. Delicious first-world problems!)

We ended up inadvertently fruit-juice tye-dyeing a few shirts and part of the couch, which only added to the overall load of things to do this afternoon, but we a lot of fun, too. And that's what matters, right?


Happy weekend, Blogland!