Due to Blogger being down, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to post today so I went the lazy route and planned on a 3-day weekend. Then, of course, Blogger came back to life and I'm feeling like I have to give you something for today. So how about a little reading-to-kids inspiration? First is this amazing closet turned reading nook I spied over at Ohdeedoh this week by Thrifty Decor Chick. Seriously - I'm about to build a closet somewhere in my house just so I can convert it to a … [Read more...]
How to Make Every Day Feel Like Mother’s Day
Yesterday I promised a post that would "make every day a little more like Mother's Day". I'm realizing now that may be a lot to live up to but I'm still willing to give it a shot. STEP 1: THE KIDDOS Let's start with the biggest gift any mom could receive, a happy kid. Over at momtastic I'm posting on half a dozen ways to keep your toddler busy and content - perfect for when you're trying to get dinner ready and all your tot seems to wanna do is perfect his whining … [Read more...]
Weekend Look Book
Click on the pictures for more info. and happy Mother's Day! … [Read more...]
Got Bored Kids? Get Out the Camera!
I was recently part of a contest that required I make a home movie reviewing a toy. Although I didn't win, I had a great time making the video and, more importantly, so did C. All week he's been asking to see the footage and he cracks up watching himself on playback, in part because of the fast and slow motion effects and in part because he just thinks he's a funny guy. That got me to thinking about what great boredom busters cameras are (both the photo and video varieties). I'm … [Read more...]
DIY Toys that are Totally Worth the Effort
Is it just me or are there an inordinate number of cool DIY toy projects floating around lately? I was planning on doing a Mother's Day gift roundup today but, honestly, you should have already bought a gift by now (I haven't). And if you don't know what to buy yet, then you're either the kind of person that has a hard time making decisions or the type that has a hard time getting things done on time (right here). Either way - yet another "you should buy this" round up will probably only … [Read more...]
DIY Veggie Garden Sensory Box
If you've been here since the beginning, then you'll remember the "diggers and dumpers" sensory box I made for my son as a Christmas present. It was a big hit and he still enjoys it but I've been feeling like it's time to change it up. So a few weeks ago I exchanged the pinto beans for black beans (to imitate soil) and put together this vegetable garden sensory box. I found a lot of my supplies at Target. (The gloves, trowel, and watering can were in the dollar section. The yellow tub was … [Read more...]
Last Minute Teacher Appreciation Ideas
National Teacher Appreciation Day is tomorrow. Since putting together my DIY Teacher Survival Kit, I've found a lot more great ideas for treating the teacher in your life. Some are old and some are new but they'll all make "Teach" smile. First up are these cookies and milk printables at dandee. Click through for the rest of the goods. Free and editable printable for flower picks to put in a potted plant via Skip to My Lou. Apple card at Fiskars. Pencil holders with vinyl … [Read more...]
Weekend Look Book
As always, click on the photos for all the info. … [Read more...]
Every Baby Should Have a Treasure Basket – Here’s How to Make One
photo via The Imagination Tree Remember the sensory box? Well, say hello to his little brother, the treasure basket - a super simple sensory box for babies. The concept is easy - just fill a container with objects of varying texture, weight, shape, etc. and let baby go at it.According to Anna, an early education and art specialist from The Imagination Tree, treasure baskets benefit babies age 6-18 months by: encouraging them to use their senses to discover, explore, … [Read more...]
Stylish and Stimulating Storage for Kids
I've got a few spots in my house right now that are crying out to be reorganized. There's the area in the playroom where a changing table now resides (but will soon be vacant) as well as a little real estate in the living room that's just begging for some storage bins. For the former, I would love to do something like this Montessori sensorial, music, and language arts space at montessori home schooling. The orderly setup of this area makes each item seem so interesting and inviting. I … [Read more...]
Appreciate Your Favorite Teacher with a DIY Survival Kit
Tuesday, May 3rd is National Teacher Appreciation Day. That means you have less than a week to get your act together and find a nice way to show some love to all the hard-working teachers in your life. No worries though, I've put together an educator's survival guide that's brimming with trinkets every good teacher could use. And of course I've included a few free printables so you can make one of your very own. Click through for the goods. For some reason I get excited by … [Read more...]
DIY Vases for Mother’s Day
I love fresh flowers but I'm not great about remembering to buy them. I think a pretty vase made by someone I love would help. These vases couldn't have been more straight forward to make and I really like their simple homemade vibe. To start, I saved a few glass jars from things like spaghetti sauce and peaches and stuck them in the dishwasher. Once washed, it was fairly easy to remove the labels. I rubbed olive oil over any remaining glue and let them sit for 30 - 40 … [Read more...]
Easter’s Over, Now What?
I know it's been Easter-central here for about a month now. I'm just about ready to put it to rest and move on to lots of new and interesting stuff for May, I promise. But before I do, I've got one more post I know we could all use. Because aren't we all incessantly tripping over plastic Easter eggs, haphazardly strewn about the house, right about now? And if you're anything like me, you probably cringe a little at the thought of chucking all that plastic into a landfill somewhere … [Read more...]
Weekend Look Book
As always, click on the pics for more info. … [Read more...]