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Hello all you crafty Mamas out there!

Do you use Pinterest?

I am still trying to figure it all out. I am behind the times and technically thick. My nearest and dearest are honestly amazed I even figured out how to create a blog. (There is a reason my blog layout is so simple!)

I am trying to decide if I need to go back and place pin it buttons on old posts? If you use Pinterest can you please leave a comment and let me know if you prefer the pin it button on each post? Any advice is welcome. Thanks so much, Mama King



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Kids Craft: How to Make a Quick Doll Closet

This Christmas, Lulu's Grandma bought her an American Girl Doll.  Needless to say, she has been obsessed with her doll Kanani. Just when life couldn't get any better for this 6 year old her Auntie in Hawaii sends her a "real Hawaiian" outfit. Those are her words. The icing on the cake...the outfit came with a doll hanger. This prompted the question, "Where am I going to hang her new dress?!" Followed by, "I need an American Girl Doll Closet."

After I finished laughing in my head knowing there was no chance we would be buying a $$ AGD closet. I told her we could make one. So...I had to think quick. This is what I came up with on the fly. I used an old box but am thinking that we would eventually upgrade to a nice new white box and a dowel.

I used the inside heavy craft paper found at the end of some wrapping paper rolls. Trim the paper roll. Make sure the rod is longer than the width of the box. Wind the paper roll tightly to make it smaller in diameter and stronger.Tape in place (use packing tape) to make sure it doesn't unroll.

Next measure and cut openings on the sides of your box for the rod. I just made an * (like an X shape but with a few more cuts) with a kitchen knife and bent the tabs in. Thread your rod through the openings. Use rubber bands on either side to secure into place.  Lu likes to use these side bits to hang her doll's beach bag and bathing suit from.

Here is the outfit that started the whole thing. Adorable! By the way, Lu is a stickler for rules and once she found out that Friday is Aloha Friday in Hawaii...well, Kuhnani is dressed every Friday in her Aloha wear.

The top is the hanger that came with the dress. Below is one that I fashioned from a metal hanger. You just need a heavy duty set of pliers and a metal snipper thing (can you tell I know my way around a tool box!)

My American Girl loves her new closet and even spent a good part of an afternoon decorating it with stickers and gluing pictures of animals and flowers on the outside.

Of course you can decoupage or paint your box. So many possibilities!

All and all, another crafting emergency averted! Have fun crafting with your kids, Mama King

Girl Scouts: Daisy Flower Garden

For Lulu's Girl Scout Daisy Investiture Ceremony I made a flower box with the GS Promise on the side. Each girl decorated a craft foam flower to "plant" in our troop garden. They "planted" the flower before they recieved their vests.

The stems were made from a bamboo skewer wrapped with green pipe cleaners. I added a foam leafe by unching the leaf onto the skewer then wrapping securely in place with the pipe cleaner.

The flowers were precut flower shapes bought from Michael's. I sandwiched the two together on the end of the skewer using hot glue to secure them in place. 

We took photos of the girls with their vests on. I will add their pictures to the other side of the flowers using my circle punch.

This would be a fun activity for a classroom garden theme as well.

Fancy Valentine Pencils

It is so easy to add a little ooh la la to a holiday pencil! All you need is a pack of holiday pencils, a feather boa* from the craft or party store, a glue gun and some craft gems (optional.)

*Make sure you use the fuzzier boa style not the long feather kind.

Wrap the boa around your pencil 2x loosely - cut. This will be your measurement. Before you cut the whole boa up glue down using hot glue to see if you like the look. Adjust the measurement to your liking.  I placed glue just under the metal eraser collar then took one end of the boa and held it down until secure.  Next wrap the rest of the boa bit around 2x loosely - glue end in place.

I made 14 pencils with one boa.

Optional: glue a gem on eraser. My daughter felt this made it extra fancy!

Perfect for any holiday, birthday party favor, Fancy Nancy themed party...

XOXO Mama King

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