Modern Parents Messy Kids

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Chevron (Again)

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photo via ada & darcy   I admit I jumped on the chevron bandwagon with the rest of 'em.  There was a time, in fact, when I could have easily gone for a whole room of chevron if I'd only had the means to do so.  But like so many wildly popular trends, this one seemed to be dying down again.  Or so I thought... From home decor to accessories, lately I've been spotting a whole new crop of chevron fare.  Or maybe not chevron exactly but definitely derivative of chevron.  I'm … [Read more...]

Fresh Finds: Birthday Party Themes that Go Way Beyond Pretty

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photos via beth & company   As you could probably tell from yesterday's post, I get pretty excited about fun new ways to pass the time with the kiddos.  Birthday parties are no exception.  In fact my birthday party philosophy has evolved over the years from picture pretty to laid back fun to party-not-entirely-necessary.  Which is why I loved curating this collection of kid parties that value playtime over photo opps.   Pictured above is one of my favorite finds, an … [Read more...]

Fresh Find: Free Printables for Those Bare Walls

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I've recently come across not one but two opportunities to get some stellar art up on your walls for free.  Naturally, my very first response was to break out the measuring tape and start plotting think of you.     First up, Jenna of q.a. design has recently decided to close her Etsy shop and is, consequently, offering up ALL of her gorgeous state/country prints free of charge (only a smattering of which are seen above).  Recognize anything familiar?  Jenna is the talented artist … [Read more...]

Fresh Finds: Starry, Starry Night

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The night sky is so full of wonder and possibility, it's the perfect place for design inspiration - especially for kids.  This month at houzz I'm sharing some of my favorite celestial picks.  Above is a small sample of what you'll find over there.  Head over and let me know which are your favorites.   Similar Stuff: Fresh Finds: Maps & Globes with a Twist More Magnetic Wall IdeasLoveable Robot Decor … [Read more...]

DIY Projects Just to Make the Kids Smile

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One look at The Make & Play Vault and you know I'm not one to shy away from a good DIY.  For playtime, for learning, for getting organized, for sprucing up the place and etc.... but how about DIYing for no other reason than to make the kids smile?  Isn't that a lovely thought?  Today I've got a handful of projects which, while they may not revolutionize your life, your little ones will be sure to think are pretty darn special.   I love everything about the space on the top right … [Read more...]

Check those Christmas Thank You Notes Off Your To-Do List

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Taking a break from the blog's birthday celebration today to share these simple DIY photo thank you notes.  I've seen fill-in-the-blank cards like these all over the web.  While they certainly looked like they'd cut our note writing time in half, they also seemed a bit impersonal.    Not that I think any of our friends and family are expecting a full length letter from my tots - maybe just more than three or four words.  My solution was to add a photo of the kids playing with each … [Read more...]

It’s Almost December, Do You Have an Advent Calendar Yet?

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December seems to sneak up on me every year, which wouldn't be too worrisome except it means that I never seem to have my advent calendar ready in time.  Actually, to be fair, last year was the first year we decide to do an advent calendar.  But I was late then and I can already sense a pattern forming.  The solution to this problem is a simple one - man up and either buy or make a calendar substantial enough to be used year after year (sadly last year's version just doesn't fit the bill).  Then … [Read more...]

DIY Reusable To-Do List

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Today I'm sharing with you the full post of an organizational DIY I did over at U-Create a while back.  Hopefully it'll get you moving in the right (orderly) direction.  You'll only need five minutes and three simple items: a stack of colorful sticky notes, a marker, and a shadow box.  I got my shadow box from Ikea (it measures 19.5" square) but, as I'm sure you all know,  they can be found at any local craft store.   Start by labeling your top row of sticky notes.  I used the headings: … [Read more...]

Back-to-School Party

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  Happy Labor Day friends!  I'm just stopping in for a quick hello but I wanted to share this cheerful back-to-school party from One Charming Party.  I think a celebration like this sends such a positive message and is a great way to start the school year off right.  And since you have the day off, you have time to plan a fabulous party - right?     Along with putting together this shin dig, One Charming Party is also the site that created those super popular sponge balls.  … [Read more...]