Bandana Dress

I saw something similar to this on Pinterest (courtesey of Daisy Janie) and had to try. It was really easy, really fast, and really cute. I think it took my kids longer to decide which bandanas they wanted than it took for me to make them! (if you want to make something extra cute...check out Easy Hair Bows to go with the dress ;-)

Here's what you need (makes ONE dress):
2 bandanas (you can get them online - but shipping is often more expensive than the bandanas themselves...I found them at Walmart in the women's accessories section for a buck each)
Grossgrain ribbon of a coordinating color (about 7/8 inch thick) - about a yard
Pins
Thread
Sewing machine (it's pretty quick and easy, so if you don't have a sewing machine you can hand-sew)
Bamboo skewer

Here's what you do:
1. Fold over the top edge of your first bandana about an inch and pin. You want it to be wide enough for the ribbon to feed through.

2. Sew the folded edge.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the second bandana.

4. Place the folded edges facing OUT and on top, and pin together the outer edges of the bandanas. Leave the top (folded and sewn) edge and bottom edges unsewn. Leave approximately three inches at the top of each side for arm holes.

5. No need to hem since the bandanas are already hemmed!

6. Cut your ribbon in half, fold about 1/2 inch on each side and sew the edge (so it doesn't fray).

7. Put the bamboo skewer into the ribbon loops and feed through the top sewn edge of each bandana (one ribbon through each bandana).

8. Fold inside-out so the sewn-together edges don't show.

9. Put on an adorable small child.

10. Watch them enjoy their new dress!

Random Ideas for Summer

I'm a big fan of random tips that make my life a little easier...so here's a few things we've found useful, especially with summer impending.

The Kid Water Cooler

We don't have water in our fridge door and we don't buy bottled water. We do the old-fashioned out of the faucet way. Unfortunately, it's hard for the kids to reach sometimes. So I put a water jug and cups on the counter...so they can help themselves whenever they want!

Fro-Yo Pops
So easy, so simple. Take some small containers of yogurt, do NOT remove the lid, pop some popsicle sticks or plastic knives through the lid. That will hold the stick in place.

Put them in the freezer for a few hours.

Voila. Yummy, healthy frozen treats for the kiddos. Simply peel the lid off, snip the top of the cup with some scissors, and peel off the cup.

The "Help Yourself" Shelf
"Mom, I'm hungry..." is a commonly-heard comment in our house. To battle small-child hunger, we've installed the "help yourself" shelf in the bottom shelf of our pantry. We've got containers of healthy kid-friendly snacks (granola bars, dried fruit, NutriGrain bars, animal crackers, Goldfish, etc.), that they can reach and help themselves to whenever they want.

The Backyard Chicken Experiment

I'm a huge animal lover. Unfortunately, I live in a small house. We've found that a few fish and one dog is the max for our little ranch house. BUT, we have a decent-sized backyard that I LOVE to play in. So this weekend we decided to try some new outdoor pets - chickens! Ok, before you call me crazy (well, I am a little crazy, but in a good way) - I did lots of research on this before getting them. From what people tell me, they make GREAT pets, require little maintenance, AND you get fresh eggs! Before you make the leap, make sure you check out your local zoning laws. We're allowed to have hens, but no roosters within our city limits. Some towns do not allow any sort of farm animal...so check first.

Lucy, Ethel, and Rickie

I talked to a few friends who have backyard chickens and got inspired. Then I visited my local tack and feed store to get information. They're affordable and get along good with kids (especially if you raise them from babies around kids). The biggest expense was going to be the coop. To buy them new, they start around $150. Ouch. You can find plans online to make them yourself, and a lot of people have converted old dog houses into coops. Luckily, I have friends who used to raise chickens but don't anymore that were happy to give us their old coop. A little sand paper, a coat of paint, and it was ready to go!

We got the baby birds yesterday. We also had to get a water container, feed (already had a feed tray with the coop), bedding, and a heat lamp (only needed if you have chicks). My kids understand it is their job to keep the birds stocked with food and water (of course, this will require a little oversight on my part). We'll do the periodic coop cleaning together.

 

 

Bringing home the birds

Unfortunately, the heat lamp wouldn't fit inside the door of the coop (should've measured beforehand...didn't even think about it), so the little gals got to sleep in a laundry basket indoors. 

 

 

They were tuckered out after the big move



So far, so good. The kids are in 7th heaven. The dog is confused, curious, but ultimately fine with them (this was a big concern for me for obvious reasons...the gal at the tack and feed shop says obviously dogs getting along with chicks/chickens varies greatly on the dog. Ours is a very non-alpha Australian shepherd mix, so she's got it in her genes to get along well with other animals and has a very gentle temperment...know your dog before you get chickens). I'll keep you posted as they grow!

Go For a Walk!

A great way to teach kids about charitable causes - and get some exercise at the same time - is through fun walk/run events. A lot of the smaller 5K or shorter events are very happy to have families participate. Most of the time you can bring a stroller along, too, in case your kids get tired before the end (check to make sure strollers are allowed before the day of the event, just in case).


At the top of the mountain!

My family recently participated in the American Cancer Society's "Climb to Conquer Cancer" in memory of a good friend. Not only did my kids get the enjoyment and pride of climbing Tucson's "A" Mountain (with a little help from Mommy and Daddy), but we talked about our friend and how the ACS helps patients and their families and why we should support these organizations. AND we spent some great time together as a family!

Spring Wreath

My apologies for the unexpected/unannounced haitus. It's been a BUSY spring so far...and to think it's only "officially" been spring for less than a week. Anyways, here's a fun project I made last week. The complete instructions (and originator of the idea) comes from p.s. Capture the Details. I've got this wreath hanging cheerfully on my front door and I am totally in love with it.

Here's what you need:
A wreath form from the floral section of your local craft store
Green "fun fur" yarn
Daisy ribbon
Pins
Cardstock
Toothpicks
Hot glue

Here's what you do:
1. Pin or hot glue the end of your yarn to the wreath form.

2. Wrap, wrap, and wrap the green yarn around the form. Wrap the yarn closely, so it forms "grass".

3. Cut the ribbon flowers apart.

4. Pin the flowers to the "grass".

5. Tie loop of yarn or ribbon around wreath to hang.

6. Optional: make a small flag that says something cute like "Happy Spring" or "Bare Feet Welcome" and cut it into a flag shape. Hot glue toothpick to end of flag. Stick into wreath.

More fabulous ideas to come

Sorry for going a whole week without posting, had a crazy one. But I promise more fun crafty ideas coming SOON!!! Hopefully by tomorow ;-)

Get Hands-On at the Art Museum

Why not take art appreciation to the next level and get hands-on? My kids and I tried this out yesterday on a visit to our local art museum. We brought along colored pencils, crayons and paper. When we saw art that was particularly inspiring, we sat on the floor in front of it and sketched drawings. Give it a try - don't worry, you won't get in trouble.

My three-year-old sketches Mexican wood art

The kids LOVED it, and it got them to observe the art in a way they otherwise wouldn't have. In the past when we toured the art museum, they took one quick glance at the objects and were done within 20 minutes. This visit, they revisited several parts of the museum several times, sat and observed the pieces longer, and, after two hours, I had to TELL them it was time to leave (parking meter about to run out). We will DEFINITELY do this again!

My five-year-old aquaints herself with historic textiles

Our local art museum is also home to a fabulous cafe (lucky us - great art AND great food!). So, of course, we had to sample some of their delectables....

The buttermilk berry cake gets two-thumbs up (Anna would tell you herself, but her mouth is full of cake)

Make Every Day a Holiday

Everyone loves to celebrate, but I think kids enjoy it most of all. I recently discovered this super fun website called Holidays for Everyday. They list something to celebrate - EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR. Most days have a few things to celebrate. Everything from historical events, to peoples' birthdays, to fun things to enjoy. I LOVE it!!! It can be a way to have fun with your kids - teach them at the same time! Why not learn a little French on the anniversary of the Eiffel Tower's completion (3/31)? Research some family history on Find Your Roots Day (1/23). Listen to some music on Mozart's Birthday (1/27). Learn some history on Jackie Robinson Day (4/11).

Whew knew Static Electricity Day is January 9? Or Barbie's Birthday is celebrated on March 9. A good day to fly a kite is May 3 (National Kite Day). OMG, I can go on and on.

Some of them are absolutely hilarious - Hairstyle Appreciation Day (4/30), Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day (1/28), Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day (11/7), Name Your Car Day (10/2), Don't Step on a Bee Day (7/10), Plain Yogurt Day (6/20), Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day (11/15).

I find it funny that there's National Pancake Day (2/12), INTERNATIONAL Pancake Day (2/20), National BLUEBERRY Pancake Day (1/28), as well as Waffle Day (8/13) and Maple Syrup Day (12/17). Oddly, Pie Day is celebrated on January 23...I would've expected such a day to fall on 3/14. Go figure. There's a day dedicated to wearing brown shoes (12/4) - but no other colors. Kinda boring in my opinion - I think National Blue Suede Shoes Day or something like that would be way more fun.

Here's a few of my other faves:
Winnie the Pooh Day (A. A. Milne's Birthday) 1/18
Yodel for Your Neighbors Day 1/30
PB&J Day 4/2
Nurse's Day 5/6 (My husband is a nurse)
Make My Day Day (Clint Eastwood's Birthday)
Maurice Sendak's Birthday (think "Where the Wild Thing's Are) 6/10
Day the Bicycle was Patented 6/26
Spoil Your Dog Day 8/10
Nachos Day 11/6
Teddy Bear Day 11/14
French Toast Day 11/28
Stay Home Because You're Well Day 11/30
Cocoa Day 12/13
Day the First Mini Golf Course Opened 12/14

The website also has lists of all the various weeks/months dedicated to various topics and causes. There's "Tahiti and Her Islands Month" in July, which also happens to be "Eat Dessert First" month. September is "Be Kind to Writers and Editors" month (I wonder if that includes bloggers). October's claim to fame includes "Pizza" month and "Dinosaur" month (sounds very kid-friendly). January hosts the most awareness months - including "Prune Breakfast Month" (ewww). My personal favorite is November - "Family Stories Month".

Go out and start celebrating!!

Famous Painting Coloring Pages

In no way, shape, or form can I take credit for this - but it was so cool I HAD to share!!! Famous painting coloring pages!!! I can't wait to print them out for me, ummm I mean my KIDS, to color ;-)

Here's an example:

Image courtesey of Livingston Public Schools (Livingston, NJ)

Click here for the link to the printable ones - great idea Livington Public Schools!!!

They must have an amazing art program there - I also found a list of art projects based on famous paintings on that same school website...check it out here!

Take a Photo Challenge (or Make One Up Yourself!)

Something that always gets my creative juices flowing is having a prompt. I've taken a few photo "challenges" before, and find it really fun, inspiring, and interesting to see everyone's take on the prompt. Kids LOVE to take photos (at least mine do) - give them a little photo challenge - at the end you can make a book! If you need some ideas, here's a few fabulous photo challenges I found on Fat Mum Slim:

Image by Chantelle Ellem - Fat Mum Slim

Image by Chantelle Ellem - Fat Mum Slim

I did a photo challenge last summer...here's a few of my favorite pics and their prompts:

My Favorite Shoes:

A Silhouette:

Breakfast (I happened to be running a marathon that day):

Hands:

Sunset:

Someone You Love:

I have found with photo challenges, the key is to JUST DO IT (with all apologies to Nike) - don't stress about the perfect photo or lighting or whatever, otherwise you'll get stuck. Sometimes the most unlikely prompts/situations will result in some of your favoritest pics. Also - don't feel like you have to have a fancy camera to participate. Half of my pics are taken with my phone!

Coming this summer...Yep you guessed it - the Busy Crafty Mom photo challenge ;-) Something fun for summer break!