DiY projects
Chalkboard Canvas Wall Art {DiY}
I loved having my niece visit a couple months ago, not only because she is a total sweetheart, but also because she loves a good DiY project almost as much as I do. In the week she was here we made several cool projects, including these ombre vases, monogrammed felt baskets, and these cute mason jar candy pedestals. But my favorite, by far, was this chalkboard canvas wall art. Did someone say Mod Podge and chalkboard paint? Seriously, what’s not to love? I’m a little bit of a commitment-phobe when it comes to home-decor–I have yet to actually hang something on this big wall–so for me the biggest appeal of ... read more
How to Make DiY Stepping Stones With The Kids
Looking for a fun summer project to add to your backyard bucket list this year? DiY stepping stones are surprisingly fun & easy to make for kids of all ages, and they cost only a few dollars in supplies! They’d make a great Father’s Day gift for any dad who loves spending time outdoors. For step-by-step instructions and creative ideas for how to personalize your stones, be sure to check out my latest post over at P&G Everyday! Pin It
DiY Doll Stroller Replacement Seat
Since taking (almost) all the girls’ toys away last summer, I’ve had a lot of people ask what toys they still have and what things they play with the most. I’m sure one of these days I’ll get around to writing a more in-depth update, but for now I’ll just tell you that when they are not reading, playing games, or doing artwork, they pretty much play with three things: Legos, Barbies, or their dolls. They used to have a cute little umbrella stroller for their dolls but Trouble literally loved it to pieces, mostly because when she was done pushing her baby she would sit in it herself. Has ... read more
Upcycled Denim Placemats {DiY}
I think I have probably been on a quest for the perfect pair of jeans for my entire adult life. Can anyone else relate to this?Until recently, my closet shelves were filled with jeans that didn’t quite fit just right. I didn’t want to give them up because over the years I had spent a lot of money on this quest. But since none of them fit well–and some didn’t fit at all–I never really wore them either. But with all the de-cluttering we’ve been doing this year, I finally did an absolutely ruthless purge to my closet (more on that later) and decided, once and for all, it was ... read more
Dollar Store Spring Ombre Vases {DiY}
Happy April! Is it just me or does this spring seem to be flying by before our eyes? Maybe it is just this getting older thing that makes time seem to speed up. In any case, I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! I am excited to share my little Easter Brunch birthday party, but since I’ve still got a few photos left to edit, today I thought I’d share this quick & easy ombre vase project that I used as my table centerpiece. Any project that costs less than $7 in supplies (for all 3 vases), takes less than 30 minutes to complete gets high marks in my ... read more
DiY Mason Jar Candy Pedestals
I love to do crafts, but to be honest I don’t always have a lot of patience–or extra time–to invest into lengthy, time-consuming projects. I am all about squeezing in a little craftiness when you can! Luckily, these little candy jar pedestals, (of which I’ve been seeing various versions all over Pinterest), were a perfect project for that! The total time invested, not including the drying time, was probably about 15 minutes, split into short increments over the course of 2 days. It seriously could not have been any easier. What I really love about this project, however, is that though I wanted to make them to display Easter candy, they ... read more
DiY Felt Monogram Easter Basket {Free Printable Pattern}
I am thrilled to be participating today in A Little Clarification’s Spring Fling, which is being hosted and organized by my adorable bloggy friend Claire! What better way to kick off the festivities than with my very favorite craft medium of all time? With all the purging we’ve been doing lately, this year I really wanted to supply my girls with cute baskets that would be easy to store after Easter was over. Obviously that meant creating them out of felt! Did you know that in addition the the little acrylic felt craft sheets you can also buy thicker, nicer, real wool felt by the yard in the fabric section? It ... read more
DiY No-Sew Burlap & Bunny Bunting {and Table Runner}
I just couldn’t start working on our Easter decorations without turning to my two favorite craft mediums: burlap & felt! I knew I wanted some sort of bunting to decorate my dining area hutch, as well as a runner to decorate the table for my Easter birthday brunch. In my head I had envisioned something simple and semi-natural, but our felt choices were a little brighter then I had in mind. The girls–armed with their brand new low-temp glue guns (watch out!)–helped make the first version, which featured very colorful bunnies, chicks, & eggs. They loved it and begged me to let them hang it in their room, which ... read more
Watercolor Thank You Cards {DiY}
In the wake of our battle with the flu last week I wasn’t feeling up to any major creative endeavors, but by the end of the week the girls were begging to do a craft. What can I say? They are definitely my kids! One of my favorite writing activities for language arts is having the girls write thank you cards. (Well okay, Trouble doesn’t write them, but she does dictate what she wants to say!) I have found that the sooner we write them, the more likely we are to actually send them, so when the girls received a fun Valentine’s Day package from their auntie on Friday and ... read more
Valentine’s Day Embroidery Hoop Art {Easy Embroidery for Kids}
We are in full Little House mode over here, and I gotta say, I am loving every minute. As I told Husband last night, our girls may never score a 1600 on their SAT, but my oh my, will they be able to sew, bake, & pickle like nobody’s business! Last week, inspired by one of the projects in the Little House Craft Book, Princess and I took it upon ourselves to learn embroidery. It was something I have never done before either, so we learned together. She was completely hooked almost immediately. I was frankly amazed at how quickly she picked it up! She proudly completed a practice sampler, ... read more
DiY American Girl Doll Bed {and Armoire}, Part 2
I’ve been avoiding this post for weeks now, partially because it was Christmas and things got crazy, but mostly because this “DiY tutorial” is going to be SO LAME that I’m afraid you’ll all start throwing things at me through the computer screen. It’s not that it turned out poorly; the end result turned was just fine. Better than fine, actually. It is frankly darling and Princess is thrilled. It was really just my documentation of the process that wasn’t good. I had a complete and utter blogger fail. I really should never have set myself up for a 2 part American Girl Doll Bed project. Oh, the pressure! My ... read more
Easy-to-Sew Pajama Pants {DiY}
One of our very favorite Christmas traditions is staying in our pajamas all day on Christmas Day–even right through Christmas dinner. While we don’t usually get new ones every year, it has been a few years since our last set, so I decided that this year, in the spirit of our handmade holiday, I would make matching pajama pants for everyone. I have explained in previous sewing posts that I am really not a very technical sewer. My seams aren’t always perfectly lined up and I never bother pre-washing my fabric, and I finish my inside edges with a pinking shears rather than a serger. I usually shoot for function ... read more
Vintage Freezer Paper Bleach T-Shirts {DiY}
It is relatively easy to find handmade gift ideas for women and kids, but guys and teenagers are a different story altogether. Every Christmas I send a small gift to each of my 13 nieces and nephews. (I wrote about this tradition last year when my nephew sent me this touching thank you letter.) While the gifts have varied over the years, they have always been something store-bought. I knew this year I wanted to make my gifts, but I was really struggling to come up with something “cool” that would be a hit with both teenage guys and girls. My friend McKenzie, who you may remember from this pickle ... read more
Felt Snowball Ornament {DiY}
Another felt project! Aren’t you excited? I know, I know, I have a problem. These little felt snowballs are super fun to make. I used my sewing machine to do most of the sewing, but if you don’t own one you could probably do the whole thing by hand with only slightly more effort. These ornaments look beautiful hanging on the tree, but they make a great gift idea as well. Give a set as a hostess gift, or tie one to the top of a present for a little extra flair! I used cream colored felt to make them look like little snowballs, but any color would work. ... read more
Homemade Rainbow Sparkle Playdough {DiY}
I wanted to come up with a small gift for the kids in my Sunday School class as well as a few other kiddos on my list, and I thought little rainbow packs of homemade playdoh would be really fun. The girls and I always enjoy making it but we usually just stick to one color (or white!) It is really easy to make and a great way to introduce your kids to “cooking” in the kitchen, since the measurements don’t have to be that accurate, it doesn’t matter if the kids get their grubby hands all over everything, it is fairly quick, and they get to play with ... read more
