We have a detached garage which we see the backside of when we spend time in our backyard. Half of it is siding and the other half is an old non-functional metal door. It also has a window. Our backyard is surrounded by our chicken coop and vegetable garden on one side and a small strip of soil patch where I plant bulb flowers on the other. … [Read more...]
How to make plaster cast of animal tracks
My kids are part of "nature pal" group. Every season, we go out on nature expeditions, collect treasures from nature, label them, package them and mail them out to our "nature pals". Every season, there is also a specific treasure to look for or an assignment to send to our nature pals. This past Winter season, our assignment was to take an … [Read more...]
Outdoor arts with twigs and branches
Spring is here and hopefully no more snow for this arctic part of the world. The trees have barely started to sprout buds. My early spring bulbs, daffodils, hyacinths, didn't come out at all. We still keep ourselves busy. We went out and grabbed little twigs and some branches fallen from the trees. My daughter started to work on a 2D artwork. We … [Read more...]
Arts & Crafts: Glittery Eiffel Tower
My daughter made this glittery Eiffel Tower for her class project, during a week they learned about France. She needed to build an Eiffel Tower and with what and how to do it was up to her. We came up with this idea. I helped her with the construction.Materials needed:Eiffel Tower print out from InternetCardboard (from old parcel … [Read more...]
Woodworking Project for kids: Squirrel Feeder
We built this "Squirrel Cafe" last summer. My son attends woodworking classes at the park he's going for after school program. They built a race car and raced it at the downhill derby. He's really into these types of projects. My husband found this simple woodworking project template for kids and they all put it together in a few short hours on a … [Read more...]
Customized photo books as a gift
Since the beginning of the digital photo era, we spend more time taking pictures, capturing memories, but less time reminiscing those memories. Especially, in a family like ours where we take about 15-20 photos on a regular day and about 600-700 when we go on vacation, selecting photos, uploading and sharing them with remote family members is a big … [Read more...]
DIY shirts, Father’s Day gift for Simpsons fans
This is the gift we, I and the kids, gave to my husband last year as Father's day gift. I think he's tired of the Homer Simpson themed shirts, I buy for him. So this time, I decided to make a matching set of t-shirts for him and the kids.I purchased iron-on fabric transfer sheets and plain shirts to design the t-shirts. I found the images … [Read more...]
Painting Wooden Jewelry Armoire
This My Look Wooden Jewelry Armoire was one of the birthday presents that I've saved for later. My daughter took it out the morning after we came back from Cancun to paint it. She kept herself busy for quite sometime.It's a pretty decent jewelry box for kids' bead necklaces and bracelets and stuff. I have some concerns about my daughters … [Read more...]
Art Class at Chicago Art and Design Center
I got a groupon for an art class at the Chicago Art and Design Center way back, most probably a year ago. As per the norm, of course, I decided to book my class one month prior to the looming expiration date.I went alone but most attendees were in groups. It is a BYOB event. Everyone had their wines. I recommend that you eat before the class, … [Read more...]
Decorating my daughter’s headbands
When I saw this starfish headband on my friend's blog and I immediately pinned it to my Pinterest board. I ordered starfish, and some seashells while I was at it. As I gathered all the beads, ribbons, laces, old gift decorations and my new glue gun along with the starfish and the shells, I realized this was a headband overhaul.I used only … [Read more...]
DIY: Hand-made Star Wars rain boots
I was trying to buy new rain boots for the kids last fall. As you might imagine, there were lots of colorful boots with great designs for girls but none for boys, especially in size bigger than 1. So I talked my son into getting these plain black boots, telling him we can decorate it as he wants.I got permanent metallic markers. He wanted to … [Read more...]
How to make toy robots from used materials
I see lots of different stores at the airports during my business travels. I saw these robots in one of the stores at an airport. They were adorable. I took few pictures as a mental note, to replicate these at home with all the boxes and stuff I have been collecting to do crafts.The body and head parts were easy to find however I had to … [Read more...]
Pottery work with children
Kids like arts and crafts activities that keep their hands busy and messy. One of "our" favorite activities is pottery.This pottery wheel toy was given to us as a gift, at a birthday party where I asked the guests to bring only arts and crafts related gifts, f they were to choose to bring any. We immediately opened it and put it to use. The … [Read more...]
Painting with marbles
Materials:Tempera paint Old muffin pan to put the paints in Trays Marbles Tea spoonsPut the paints in each cup of the muffin pan. Put a marble for each color. Put your paint paper in the tray. Tell the children to take the marbles with cpoons and put them on the paper in the tray then let the marble run on the paper by … [Read more...]
Souvenir shelf for kids’ room
We painted and installed the souvenir shelf that I've mentioned in my Traveling with 2 kids - Part 4 post.The shelf is a left over shelf from a past planned but never realized project. It's one of those unfinished plain shelves from a craft store.The paint is IKEA's water based furniture paint. The furniture in kids' room is white. My son … [Read more...]
Games and tips to make your next museum visit with kids the best one
During the winter, especially places with colder climates, museums are the top destinations for indoor entertainment. We, as an example, visited, at least, one museum every week during this past month.Children's museums aside, I find museums here in the US quite kid-friendly. Even for younger children, they offer many areas where kids can play, … [Read more...]
Home-made, Mom-made Halloween Costumes
It is way past Halloween, but I wanted to share the costumes of our little ones. I made my son's Spongebob Squarepants costume. I used one of my daughters's diaper boxes. I cut the head and arm holes and took the bottom part out. Then I wrapped around with yellow poster paper. Then I used my sons Spongebob t-shirt to trace its face on a white paper … [Read more...]
DIY: Spongebob Squarepants costume for kids
I am writing this post in a state of sugar-overdose. Here are our this year's Halloween costumes.My son wasn't really interested in wearing a costume. This is the first year that he is aware of the link between Halloween and costume. We dressed him in this leopard costume when he was 5 months old. He had his CTA bus costume, which has half … [Read more...]
Making toy snake with plastic bottle caps
I made this "snake" using the 5 gallon water bottle caps, I have been collecting.Materials:Plenty of water bottle caps Yarn or rope Scissors Adhesive tape A screwdriver or knitting needle 1 plastic cupDirections:Make holes in the middle of bottler caps using the screwdriver or knitting needles. Cut the yarn to double … [Read more...]
How to make a robot with used cardboard boxes
My son recently started to act like a robot. We don't know where he is inspired from but we are not complaining. If we ask him to do something and he doesn't do it, when we ask the "Robot" he definitely does it. If we ask the "robot" to come to the table for dinner, he immediately comes to the table. Or if "mommy robot" asks, "baby robot" kindly … [Read more...]