Big & Small DIY: Painted Spoons
Don’t you just love the look of dipped or striped wooden utensils? Today’s project is an activity that is pretty, functional and something grownups and kids can make side-by-side. You’ll stripe, while your little one dips! How fun is that?
Afterwards, when you are entertaining dinner guests, or simply tossing a salad on an any-old-Tuesday, these colorful utensils will brighten your day.
If you’re anything like me, you’re going to want to make extras. They’re so much fun to make that both children and adults will want to try variation after variation. Plus, you can use all the extras for gifts!
…Living With Kids: AB Chao
You may call Anna Beth Chao AB, ABC, or Anna Beth, but never Anna. Unless, according to AB, you are her mother. She is a witty writer, insanely talented decorator, and interior stylist with a refreshing editing prowess. Before I run out of effusive synonyms for amazing, I’ll tell you one of my favorite things about Anna Beth. If you saw her on the street, you would probably think that she looks like a super stylish teenager. You would be shocked to learn that she is not, but she has a daughter who is! Which is exactly why I reached out to her. We’ve seen how some of us are living with kids – what about those of us living with teenagers? I just know you’ll enjoy this tour!
…A Midsummer Night’s Dream Quote
Shakespeare’s enchanting work of love and dreams and friendship is full of rich language. And this one is a sparkler. It comes during a quarrel between two dear friends, Helena and Hermia. Although they are thick as thieves, Helena exclaims this — both a warning and a delightful compliment!
…DIY Wooden Keychain Craft
These easy wooden keychains would make such a pretty “just because” gift for a friend, and they would be perfect to celebrate someone’s new driver’s license as well. This wooden keychain craft project isn’t as detailed as you might think. Using markers instead of paint, there is less fiddling and dry-time is non-existent. Then with a little patience and strength, an ordinary blade can cut through the wood. Simple materials, simple tools, simple project.
Here’s how it’s done.
…Living With Kids: Mary Heffernan
When Mary first contacted me about a possible tour, she was sweetly hesitant and sent along a few photographs to share the space she and her husband are living with their four daughters. As I always do, I asked for a few more and added a lot of exclamation points to my request.
And when she sent me many, many dozens scenes from her daily life, I spent a good afternoon poring over them. I had to beg Mary to edit them down for me because I simply could not! This tour would have included at least 750 photos! Because, Friends, this life of the Heffernans is pretty lovely. And busy. And thoughtful. And supremely well-designed. I love it all, and I hope it just makes your day, too.
…Big & Small DIY: Wrapped Washer Necklaces
This side-by-side project is so simple, but at the same time, creates such a beautiful and meaningful piece for both Bigs and Smalls. Grownups, you can create a Mother’s Day necklace, or a gift for anytime, by wrapping one washer per child in a color/colors of your choosing. The disks can then be bound together to create a beautiful geometric necklace full of meaning.
For you Smalls, create a necklace with a wrapped washer, one for each year of your age, in whatever colors you like, and string them on a chain.
We’ve made these for a Mother’s Day gift, and made another set for ourselves — and we’ve been wearing them all the time!
In addition to Mother’s Day, the Small version would be a wonderful birthday tradition, don’t you think? Create the first necklace together and then, every year bind a new colorful disk and add it to your “small’s” necklace. The necklace would be a perfect gift for a friend too.
Let’s start creating!
…Jane Eyre Quote
I confess that it’s been a while since I read Jane Eyre, so the stories’ intricacies are a tad fuzzy. But the big picture, this battle cry of following your gut rather than the norm or expected — well, it makes me grin. Charlotte Brontë wrote this line straight from the heart of her heroine, Jane. Even hundreds of years later and far removed from Jane’s world, the pluck in these words move me. Jane’s independence is a gritty reminder to be unapologetic and satisfied by the pursuit of happiness.
…Living With Kids: Megan Schiller
My favorite part of this home tour is Megan‘s answer to my query “How did this house become your home?” I guarantee chills and a smile. The way life works out so often takes my breath away.
There’s some practical goodness in here, too, especially for those of you who may find yourselves on edge whenever the paints come down off the tip top shelf! Megan runs a design company that specializes in helping people set up kids’ art spaces, and she completely understands that not everyone enjoys a Jackson Pollock-esque living room at the end of a creative session. Enjoy the tour, Friends!
…Cake Decorating for Beginners
I present to you this cake decorating how to for beginners. Think of it as an amateur’s guide to Birthday Cake Decorating.
…DIY: Flower Seed Pockets
Flower pockets are a fun spring project and provide plenty of blooms all summer long. The pockets look sweet, and get buried directly in the soil! Better yet, even the littlest of hands can help make them. You’ll also love giving them to teachers, grandparents, neighbors and friends. They make a great little gift-for-no-reason.
Keep reading for the easy instructions.
…Dyed Easter Eggs With Decoupaged Cutouts
For really eye-catching Easter Eggs, try dyeing, then découpaging.
Find full instructions below.
…How to Grow Wheatgrass
A perfect Spring-time project. Let’s make a wheatgrass centerpiece using some basic things from around the house. This is super easy, even if you’ve never grown wheatgrass before.
Let’s get started!
…Living With Kids: Carla Macklin
Carla sent me the most stunning photos of her home, and I loved every single one. But then she wrote back right away and asked “Did I erase too much of my kids in those photos?” That was something she didn’t want to do, no matter how gorgeous the pictures. I assured her we would understand, especially since there are a lot of good ideas to take from this tour.
Like the large table just behind the couch, perfect for projects and so much more useful with kids than a simple sofa table, right? Or the floor-length tablecloth on the dining table; how many instant forts do you think Evelyn and Wren enjoy on a daily basis? Oh, and the master tub. Yes, I believe living with kids would be so much fun — especially at bath time — in a home like the Macklin’s. You’ll see, I hope! Friends, please enjoy the tour!
…Shamrock Pinwheel Sandwiches & Irish Green Salad for St. Patrick’s Day
What fun to create this kid-friendly St. Patrick’s day meal — perfect for kids.
Feeling lucky? Let’s get to eating.
…Shamrock Pinwheel Sandwiches & Irish Green Salad for St. Patrick’s DayRead More »
DIY: Nail Polish Marbling
I did a bunch of experimenting and found that nail polish and water offer up an extremely easy way to marble just about anything you desire — from glass to wood to metal to cardboard. The options are endless! I used this nail polish marbling technique on glass jars, metal bowls, wooden gift tags, and papier-maché boxes.
It would be a fun technique for bridal shower favors, or making simple jewelry boxes at a birthday party for your kid. Or you could marble a carafe and two glasses as a drinking water set for the guest room. (I could go on and on…)
And with the seemingly limitless color selection in polish now a days, there is sure to be a color scheme to your liking.
Come learn this technique!
…Thai Sweet Potato and Chicken Curry Soup
I thought it would be fun to share a stick-to-your-ribs recipe. Something that is warm and hearty and delicious, but doesn’t feel like the same old, same old. A soup that spoons up like a thick casserole! And it’s packed with tons of interesting flavors.
This soup has all the flavor of a mild Thai curry. It has just the tiniest kick of heat that is perfectly tempered with the sweetness from the sweet potatoes and coconut milk. With the chicken and the additional veggies — broccoli, peas, and bell peppers — this soup has tons of flavor and texture. The rice is conveniently cooked in the soup, making this a fairly low-maintenance meal that yields a large batch of soup that can be enjoyed by many…or hoarded by you to enjoy for days afterwards because it is still that cold outside.
Alrighty. Let’s make this warm and cozy feast!
…Raspberry Milk on Valentine’s Day
Happy Valentine’s Day! Are you doing anything fun to celebrate?
St. Valentine’s Day isn’t a big thing here in France. I mean, you can see it on the calendar. And there are a few stores with hearts in the windows. But there are no Valentine exchanges at school, and I haven’t seen any restaurants offering a sweetheart’s menu. Though I did see quite a few Valentine-themed flower bouquets in the shops today.
Our family tradition is a Valentine Breakfast with pancakes or waffles, our traditional raspberry milk (notes and recipe below), and a little gift on each child’s plate. Something small — a token really.
Wherever you are, I hope you’re offering an extra dose of love to the people in your life. Happy Valentine’s Day!
…The Perfect Gift: Dip-Dyed Treat Bags
Today’s Valentine DIY is a simple and easy project that your kids will love to help you with. These little bags would make a sweet little gift for your teenagers, your children’s classmates, and neighborhood friends. The ‘Love One Another’ flavor is unusual for Valentine’s Day, but I think it’s so fitting. I hope you like it!
Once you have all your supplies together, it really is quite simple.
…Make a LOVE Valentine Gift Bag—Free Printable!
Let’s welcome February with a sweet little project — complete with free download!
Handmade Valentines are the best. Handmade Valentines that include a bag of sweets, the best ever. This little treat bag is simple to put together and perfect for all your Valentines.
With the free printable, scissors and double-sided tape (and a few sweets), your Valentines will feel the love for sure.
…Six Books for Valentine’s Day
One of my favorite things to give on Valentine’s Day is books. You can find dozens of sweet and beautiful choices under $15 (often under $10!). A book is a treasure, but doesn’t feel extravagant, which I think is perfect — I don’t like to go over-the-top on Valentine’s Day.
These picks would be especially sweet for February 14th. Order one today and it will arrive in time — or stop by your nearest local shop.
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