One from the Vault: Fourth of July Clip

This is a simple way to jazz up a plain white shirt for the 4th.

Clip Barrette

Ribbons

Buttons

Hot Glue Gun or Strong Glue

Fray Check 

Tie ribbon together. Apply Fray Check to ends. I sewed the buttons to the ribbon bundle. Glue to clip. Wear on shirt or in hair.

One from the Vault: Box Top Aquarium

Box Top with a Window

Paint

Brushes

Glue

Cardboard fish

Scissors

Hole Punch

Yarn

Cut box top off box. Paint water. Draw fish shapes on cardboard. Paint cardboard. Cut out fish. Glue onto water. Older kids can add plants, rocks, and decorate frame. Punch holes on top and string with yarn. Hang in a window.

Check out the original post here.

The movers are coming next week. We will be without a home and a computer for a few weeks. I have scheduled one old post a week until we return. Hope you enjoy. We'll be back in August.

Pow Pow: Super Power Cuffs

Sometimes it is the simplest things in life...

My girlfriend bought these Super Power Cuffs for my girls (Em's are blue and pink) from Van Ryzin Design. She also makes fleece ponchos that are super cute.

These cuffs are pure genius in there simplicity. They are basically a tube with fringe and a hole cut out for a thumb. The girls just love them! So all you crafty mamas out there...get to sewing! Fleece is an excellent choice of material because they are soooo soft plus a bit stretchy. I also love the girl colors they come in. 

The girls have been running around saying, "Pow, Pow!" Lu ended up adding a cape to her outfit after I took this photo.

We discovered that they make great leg warmers/chaps for unsuspecting stuffed animals. 

"Girl Power!"

Preschool Graduation

A joyful day!

4th of July Craft: Child's Ribbon Crown

Create a festive ribbon crown for your little patriotic princess. This craft can be adapted for any occasion by changing your ribbon colors. Halloween, Valentine's day, Princess-themed Birthday Party...

I created the hoop from the heavy duty plastic strapping material found on furniture or shelf packaging. I roughly measured my daughters head with the strapping material. I overlapped the strapping material and taped it together in sections all around the circle to secure it. The material is wrapped exactly once on top of itself. This made the hoop stiffer. 

I imagine you could use an old glow-stick necklace. Just glue the ends to the plastic connector so it stays in a circle. Cut your ribbon or tulle and tie them onto your hoop. Make sure you fill in to create a nice full look. Tie a long section onto the back.

I'll post a picture tomorrow of one of my peanuts wearing it.

Teacher Gift: Beaded Badge Lanyard

School year comes to a close this Wednesday. Lu made these beaded badge holders for her two classroom teachers. We are going to get Dunkin Donut gift cards to put in the badge part with a note. I liked this activity because it allowed Lu to create something that her teachers will surely get use out of. A simple yet personal way to say thanks. This would be a great gift for anyone who has to wear an identification badge for work.

I bought the badge clips and plastic sleeves at staples. They came in packs of 10 so we will be doing this craft again for next years teachers. We used regular waxed beading string with wooden beads.

Quicky Conductor's Hat

My daughters love PBS's Dinosaur Train. We printed out a Junior Conductor badge from the PBS Kid's Dinosaur Train website.

If you have a badge you need a hat. Not just any hat, like the website suggests. No, they needed conductor hats. Being the crafty mama that I am the kids expect me to be able to make anything. This time I was lucky, because I pulled this out of thin air and made it in two minutes.

All you need is a piece of heavy weight paper, scissor, stapler or tape. Excuse the pictures. My cameras LCD screen is busted and I can't see what I am taking a picture of. I am shooting blindly.

Fold a piece of card stock in half 2 times going in both directions. So you end up with 16 boxes. Hold paper so that the long edge is closest to you. Cut along the folds (see picture) to the first crease. Repeat on opposite side. Cut bill of hat by cutting a half circle.

Staple sides closed. Allow for your child's head size. See how the sides angle to create a V shape. Trim excess over hang on sides. Decorate hat. All Aboard!

Father's Day Craft for Kids: King for a Day

Why not make Dad "King for the Day" with a personalized crown.

Decorate your crown with pictures of Dad's favorite hobby, fishing, golf, baseball, cars...

We raided Dad's old car magazines to create our crown. 

Cut out lots of picture in varying sizes.

Glue them down onto a piece of of card stock.

Be sure to tell your kids (or help if they are younger) to overlap the pictures.

Once dry cut piece of paper in half the long way.

Cut V shaped notches out of the top to create crown shape.

Staple or tape together. 

Roughly measure using one of Dad's ball caps if unsure of size.

Our kids are excited to "crown" Daddy. I have already been asked the question, "When is Father's Day?" 20 times today since making the crown. Be prepared!

Ithaca is Gorges!

If you ever find yourself in Ithaca, NY be sure to check out Robert H. Treman State Park. The park offers long and short hikes along well maintained trails, 12 waterfalls, swimming, picnicking grounds, camping, a playground and bathroom facilities. 

Ithaca was a last minute detour on our way home from visiting my alma mater Syracuse University. It was the perfect ending to a fantastic weekend. We walked around the SU campus, ate our faces off at Dinosaur BBQ, took the kids on a bike ride along Lake Onondaga, explored one of the Finger Lakes in Skaneateles, NY and even swam in our hotel pool it was so warm. We left feeling like there was so much more we would love to do and see. The Cayuga Nature Center is on our list in Ithaca. We love NY State!