Category: For Mom

Making Food Fun Again!

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I don’t know about you, but we definitely have a picky eater in our house. L is not a fan of most fruits or vegetables, so we have to be creative to get her near any of them! While many parents get upset with their kids for playing with their food, I figure if my kid is actually eating healthy, why not make it fun?! Here are a few of the quick and easy tricks we’ve come up with to make food fun again!

Stack fruits or veggies on a shish-kabob skewer.

 

 

Arrange foods in a funky and fun pattern with a dipping sauce in the middle. It can be as simple and easy as apple slices and peanut butter with a touch of honey. Kids love dips!

 

Put fruit in a silicone muffin cup (or any colorful cup) and give your child a toothpick to eat it!

 

Stack up fruit slices and your kid’s sandwich and tell your them you’ve made fairy houses and rocket ships for lunch. It’s silly, but it works!

I personally don’t agree with forcing kids to eat and try my best to avoid any arguments over food. So far our little tricks and games seem to work! What tips or tricks have you come up with??? Please share in the comments section below…we’re always looking for new ones!

 

DIY Rustic Spinning Stars

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I love these Rustic Spinning Stars. When I first saw something similar here on the “happy hooligans” blog I just knew we had to make them! They’re fun to make with the kids and are beautiful hanging inside or outside. We have ours spinning on our front porch, while my dad hung his (which we gave him for Father’s Day) in their kitchen. I think the stars would be really fun hanging, spinning from the branches of a big tree too!

 

 

Materials needed:

  • sticks
  • glue gun and glue
  • white acrylic paint and brushes
  • colored ribbon scraps, string, raffia
  • florist wire

First, have your little ones collect sticks. You can make big stars with big sticks or use little twigs, like we did, to make little 3 to 5-inch stars.

Use the hot glue gun to glue five sticks together into the shape of a star. The stars don’t all have to be the same size and they certainly don’t have to be perfect…any imperfections give your stars more character! Don’t worry about the glue showing either, in the next step the paint will cover it up.

Next, have your kids help you paint each star with white acrylic paint. This is a great painting project for little ones, since any missed spots give the stars their rustic appearance.

 

After the paint dries, tie one end of your ribbon to the center of the star and wrap it around. Again, no need to be perfect here…another great task for your kids to help you do! After the star is wrapped, tie the end in a knot around one of the star’s arms.

You can attach the stars to each other with string or wire. We used green florist wire, which is weather resistant and sturdy. If you link two pieces of wire together, between each star, the stars will spin a little more than if you use only one wire. We tried both ways…both did the job and look great, so it’s up to you!

Now for the fun part, find the perfect spot to hang your Rustic Spinning Stars! Enjoy!

DIY Vintage Feather Garland

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I love this simple, yet colorful and fun feather garland. The orange, yellow and browns of our garland take me back to the 70s and 80s, and the make-believe games of yesteryear, making it the perfect garland for a kid’s bedroom or play area. You could spruce this garland up a bit for the holidays though, using all white or sparkly feathers. Peacock feathers would be beautiful as well! There are so many possibilities!

 

 
Materials needed:

  • feathers
  • gold wire
  • basic wiring tools
  • string

 

The easiest way I found to attach the wire to the feathers, is as follows… (If you “click” on each picture, the wiring is much clearer when it’s enlarged.)

For each feather, you’ll need a piece of wire about 1 1/2 to 2 inches long.

Wrap one end of the wire twice, making a small loop.

About 1/2 an inch from the other end of the wire, wrap the wire once, folding the excess wire around the back of the mid-section. (Much easier to see in the picture than it is to explain!) Bend the loop you first made, so it’s perpendicular to rest.

 

To attach the wire to the feather, thread the end of the feather through the bent loop. Bend the loop, back down so it’s laying more or less flat against the feather, holding it in place. On the opposite end of the wire, hold the loop still while you wrap the excess wire around the feather. Repeat with each feather.

 

I’ve pictured multiple feathers in their completed state. As you can see each wiring job is a little different, adjusting to the various lengths and widths of the feathers’ ends.

 

The last step is certainly the easiest…thread the feathers onto your string and hang!

 

 

Our feather garland is hanging above the little one’s play area. The brightly colored feathers are constantly in motion, gently dancing as the air moves around the room. I love how it catches WB’s eye while she’s playing on her back, taking in her surroundings. Where will you hang your feather garland for the whole family to enjoy?

DIY Baby Play Area + DIY Baby Toys

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Over the past few weeks I had been thinking of putting together a little play area for WB, now 7 months old. WB is definitely our laid back kid, compared to her wild-child, older sister. She is perfectly content sitting back and observing the world around her. WB can roll over and push herself up on her belly, but she doesn’t do it very often…so I thought a little play area may be fun and may encourage her to move around a little more. And boy was I right…she LOVES it! When I saw some long mirrors for a good deal at Lowe’s last week, inspiration struck and WB’s play area was put in motion!

Materials Needed:

  • comfy, colorful blanket
  • long mirror
  • 2 med-sized boxes
  • 6 to 8 bricks (or other heavy items)
  • colored paper
  • tape or glue

 

 

To hold the mirror in place, in a safe and sturdy way, I decided to fill a couple boxes with bricks. (We just happen to have a pile of them sitting outside of our house, leftover from a patio project.) You can also use heavy rocks, bags of sand, or whatever is most convenient for you! Brighten-up a plain cardboard box by taping colored paper to it. I originally planned to cover the diaper-box I was using as well, but then I remembered how much babies like other smiling babies and kids, so I only partially covered it. The box was colorful already too!

 

 

Other things you can put in or near your baby’s play area include:

Sensory Bags (DIY link here.)

Sensory Bottles for Baby (link here.)

Sparkle Bottles (link here.)

Plush Animals and Toys (DIY bunny link here.)

 

Colorful Garland…I put this feather one up above for WB to look at while on her back. I love how the feathers gently “dance” continuously. (DIY feather garland link here!)

 

 

What will you include in your baby’s play area??? As always, never leave your children unattended and make sure all toys you put in the play area are baby-safe! Have fun watching your little ones explore!

 

Imagination Box!

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I don’t know about you, but our kids always seem to have too much stuff….too many stuffed animals, too many dolls, too many plastic play sets, too many puzzles, etc. When L is going to a birthday party, I hate to buy a toy that her friend will play with for 5 minutes and then toss to the side. Homemade gifts are truly the best, most heart-felt to give and I love making them, but I just don’t have the time some days. The IMAGINATION BOX is my gift-giving solution!!! It is quick and easy to put together and kids of all ages LOVE it! The Imagination Box makes for a fun birthday gift, as well as a perfect “Get Well Soon” gift, plus it guarantees hours of entertainment!

“So, what do I put in the box?” you ask. Anything and everything!

Paper plates and cups, brown paper bags, construction paper, crepe paper, straws…

 

Cotton balls, clothes pins, colored craft sticks, paper clips, sponges, markers, googlie eyes…

 

Buttons, rubber bands, glue, beads, shoe laces, pipe cleaners…

 

Egg cartons, kid scissors, mini-staplers, felt squares, a few sandwich bags (for lil pieces with opened packaging)…

 

Just about anything that will fit in the Imagination Box, that kids can use to create art, works! I usually go to the Dollar Store, walking up and down every aisle, and look for items with crafting potential. It certainly looks like a lot pictured here, but the box can be filled with less than 25 dollars!

 

Last, but not least, you need a cardboard box to put everything in. Try to leave the box mostly undecorated, so the child receiving the gift can use it too! The box itself will make a perfect rocketship, firetruck, castle, table, bed, gnome house, etc.

 

When putting together an Imagination Box, you need to consider the child’s age. It’s best to put things in the box that the child receiving it can create with independently and safely. After all, the box is designed to keep kids busy creating (so mom and dad can cook dinner in peace)! For instance, if you’re making an Imagination Box for a 2 yr old, you may not want to include scissors or a stapler, but an 8 year old would have no problem with them. Always make sure you give parents a heads-up of anything that’s questionable.

Some ideas to get kids started…

  • make a little town or fairy village using paper bags
  • paper plate masks
  • pipe cleaner bracelets, necklaces, glasses
  • puppets
  • robots
  • make pretend food
  • cotton balls for clouds
  • clothespins to make people
  • egg carton flowers
  • egg carton caterpillar

Get messy and have fun!!! Let the kids’ imaginations soar!

Fairy Furniture

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It wouldn’t be fair for me to tell you how to make a “fairy door” without showing you how to make some fairy furniture to add to your garden as well! These tables and chairs are super easy and quick to make and, like most of my favorite crafts, they can be made with things you already have!

 

 Materials needed:

  • bottle caps
  • little sticks and twigs
  • scissors
  • hot glue gun and glue

First, have your kids help you collect sticks out of your yard and select some colorful bottle caps. (Bottle caps are another item we hoard in our house…they can be used for so many crafts!)

 

Using your scissors, cut a stick into four equal pieces…each about an inch long. These will be the legs of your chair.

 

Turn a bottle cap upside down and glue the four legs into place. You can either put the glue onto the leg and push it into the bottle cap, or put the glue directly onto the cap and push the stick in. Whichever method you decide on, make sure you do it quickly so the chair legs are super-secure!

 

 

 

 

Cut two more sticks, about an inch and a half to two inches long. These ones do not have to be exactly equal in length or straight! Cut two or three more sticks about an inch in length.

These sticks will resemble a ladder-back chair. One by one, glue the inch-long sticks to the longer ones, attaching the two. (Easier to see in the pictures below than to explain!) I prefer the small, horizontal sticks to be a little crooked…gives the chair more character!

 

 

Once all the sticks are attached and the glue has dried, flip the chair over and decide which side will be the front and which will be the back. Glue the back of the chair to the seat with two more dots of glue. All done!!!

 

 

If you’ve made the chair, the table is super easy…essentially it’s a back-less chair!

 

 

I just love the color and character the bottle caps give the fairy furniture! Have fun playing with this one! They are so quick and easy to make, you might as well make a few for your neighbor’s garden as well.

 

DIY Tin Can Bird Feeder

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I think what I love most about the Tin Can Bird Feeder is that you’re essentially making something from nothing! It’s also such a fun way to teach kids how to reuse and recycle! We just made the bird feeder on a whimsy for our own backyard, but it would make a terrific gift too.

 

 

Materials needed:

  • tin can and its lid
  • pliers
  • hot glue gun and glue
  • sticks
  • string
  • a few small rocks

 

First, make sure your can has been thoroughly cleaned and remove the paper label.

 

 

 

Next, being careful not to cut yourself, fold the lid in half using your pliers. Our lid was one of the pull-top ones, which made it a little tricky, but we were still able to make it work!

 

 

 

Now, using the hot glue gun, put a little bit of glue around half of the rim of the can and set the lid inside. Try your best to hide the glue, so it’s not so visible from the outside.

 

 

While you’re folding and gluing the top, go ahead and send the little ones off to find sticks in the backyard.

 

 

Find one or two thicker, sturdier sticks and glue them to the bottom of the bird feeder…this is where the birds can perch while they snack.

 

 

Now, go around the can gluing sticks side-by-side until the entire can has been covered. We broke the sticks so they were all roughly the same length, but by no means perfect. If one stick is curved and leaves a substantial gap, go ahead and glue a small stick in to fill the hole.

 

 

On the bottom of the can, glue a few rocks in place…these probably won’t be seen, but will help balance out the bird feeder so it doesn’t tip too far forward.

 

 

Lastly, tie a string around the bird feeder and fill with bird seed. Hang it up where you and the kids can see it from a window…maybe on a nearby branch or off of your porch. Now, sit back and wait for the birds!

 

 

 

We decorated our bird feeder with sticks from the yard, but you can certainly get creative and mix things up a bit. Your kids can paint the tin can, wrap string around the can, or glue buttons on it…anything you all are inspired to do to make it unique!

DIY Fairy Door…Gnome Door…

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In our garden the fairies and gnomes live amongst each other. Their village spreads around the yard with lil houses, patios and ponds hidden beneath the flowers. Throughout the year, L and I like to collect and make things to add to our garden…this morning we made a lil fairy door.

Materials needed:

  • sticks
  • florist wire
  • a button

 

First, have your kids collect some sticks and twigs around the yard. Sort through the sticks, finding ones that are particularly straight. Lay these sticks side-by-side, getting an idea of what your door will look like.

 

 

Next, cut two pieces of florist wire about 2-ft long each. Fold them in half.

 

 

Take the first stick you have laid out for the door and place it in the middle of one of the wires. Wrap the wire around the stick, about an inch from the bottom, and twist the wire once to secure it.

 

 

Do the same with the second wire about the an inch from the top of the stick. Continue adding sticks, one-by-one, wrapping and twisting the wires as you go.

When all the sticks are connected, hold the door in two hands and very gently squeeze the sticks together.

 

 

Cut the end of the wire, leaving about half an inch, and fold back the extra.

 

 

Next, have your child select a button for a door knob. L chose this cute lil heart button…probably not the one I would have chosen, but it was perfect for a fairy door! (Kids just know when it comes to these things.)

 

 

Thread the button onto a 4-inch piece of wire, twisting the wire a bit to secure it. Then, deciding where you’d like the door knob to be, wrap and twist the wire around one or two of the sticks.

 

 

To ensure that the button won’t slide down the door, you can thread the excess wire up and over the wire that holds the sticks in place as well.

 

 

Now the fun part…find a little piece of wall, fence, or a tree trunk to prop the door up against! Add some buttons, pennies, or broken tile pieces for lil fairy stepping stones… Adorable!

 

 

This project was so quick and easy, I think we’ll make another to sneak into our neighbor’s garden. He’s got the perfect tree for a fairy or gnome door…

 

DIY Sock Bunny Rabbit

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This project was inspired by a dear friend Libby, who left this world way too early in life. When I was 10 years old I was diagnosed with type I diabetes. As my doctor came to the hospital that evening to diagnose and take care of me, his wife, Libby, got out her sewing kit. She stayed up late that night making me a precious bunny rabbit that I still have to this day.

 

 

So when one of my best friends’ babies, my godchild, was in the hospital for surgery last week and ended up staying much longer than expected, my first thought was of Libby and the bunny. I knew I had to make one.

Materials needed:

  • one pair of socks (regular or knee high)
  • needle and thread
  • stuffing material
  • embroidery floss and embroidery needle
  • buttons (optional for children 3+)

 

First, take one sock and open it up so the heel is facing you. Lay it flat. The heel of the sock will be the bunny’s face.

 

 

Then, make a cut in the middle of the toe of the sock, cutting towards the heel. This will be the bunny’s ears. Don’t cut all the way to the heel though, remember the heel becomes the face. Next, make a cut from the opposite end of the sock for the bunny’s legs. Again, don’t cut all the way up to the heel…this time you need to leave room for a body too.

 

 

 

Turn the sock inside-out. Starting at the tip of an ear, stitch down one ear and up the other. Next, sew the legs in a similar fashion, but this time leave about a 2-inch opening.

 

 

 

Turn the sock right-side-out. Through the 2-inch opening, carefully stuff the bunny’s ears, body and legs. Sew the opening closed.

 

 

 

Now take the other sock and cut off the toe, close to the heel. Lay this part flat, like you did the first sock, and cut it in half. These will be the arms.

 

 

 

Turn one sock piece inside-out and, starting from the tip, stitch the side closed. Turn it right-side-out again and fill it with stuffing.

 

 

 

Next, fold the open edge inwards and pinch it together. Sew the arm closed, attaching it to the body at the same time. Repeat with the other arm.

 

 

 

Your bunny’s adorable already, isn’t it? But, it still needs a face! Using embroidery floss, stitch on little eyes or attach buttons (if the child receiving the bunny is 3 years old or older) and sew a lil nose. All done!

 

 

 

As you can see from the picture below, using knee socks gives you a tall and skinny bunny and using slightly smaller socks results in an adorable, baby bunny rabbit. Now to deliver them to my godchild and her 3 yr old sister…I can’t wait to see those happy faces!

“Making something is one way to say, ‘I love you.'” -Daniel Tiger

DIY Capes…Wizard Capes…Superhero Capes

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Before I move on to any other posts, I thought I ought to share how to make a cape to go with your magical wand! Now this can be a wizard cape, a superhero cape, a cape for a child or an adult.

 

 

Materials needed:

  • jersey knit fabric
  • ribbon (about 5 ft, depending on the size of the wizard)
  • thread and needle
  • sewing pins

 

First, you must determine whether you want a short or a long cape…both have equal flying abilities. Lay the fabric out on a flat surface and cut out the cape, a little wider at the bottom than the top. If you like, you can measure and draw the cape first…I just eyeballed it. Using knit fabric makes this a super easy craft because the edges will not fray and there is no need to hem the sides.

 

Next, lay the ribbon out along the top edge of the cape and pin it in place. If you know how to use a sewing machine, this next step should be quick and easy…if you want to do it by hand it is also fairly quick and easy. All you need is a simple, straight stitch across the top of the ribbon and one along the bottom.

More cape pics - 1

 

Your cape is done! Too easy, right? If you want to add some embellishments…some beads or buttons…you can sew them on as well. To make my nephew’s cape extra wizardly for his birthday I sewed an owl in the middle. (See above, top photo.)

 

I like to avoid tying anything around a child’s neck, so to attach the cape put the ribbon over the shoulders, then back under the arms and tie it in the back. Off to flying school!