Easy Valentine Cards that Kids Can Make

This is another easy DIY project for Valentine's Day. This is the one you can get you little ones involved. The kids will do sorting beads, threading, cutting, gluing all these fun activities in this project. 

I know you can go to Dollar Tree and find two cards for $1. Wouldn't it be more fun if you and you kiddos can make some?

Pipe cleaner + Pony beads Heart Card

You'll need

pony beads and pipe cleaners, both from Dollar Tree

washi tape, Micheal's

cardstock, Dollar Tree

Heart shape Cards

You'll need,

Scrapbook paper, Michael's

Washi tape, Michael's 

Cardstock, Dollar Tree

Here is the tutorial.

A picture of my 3 yr making these cards.

We made these for the teachers at my elder daughter's class. 

Have fun crafting with you kids.

Thanksgiving Craft for Preschooler -- Family Handprint Turkey

It is a easy fun craft for toddlers. Just some basic constraction paper. We used brown bag for color brown. 

The first day, she cut the hand-prints. My elder daughter is three. She just likes cutting activity.

The next day, she cut the brown turkey body, then glued everything on the big piece of scrapbook paper and drew the turkey eyes.

The final day, the glue was dry. She picked the numbers from two sticker sheets and mark her artwork "2016" on the right bottom corner. We hang it up on her art display wall together.

If you want to display your kid's artwork or all the cards you get for this holiday season. You don't have to make a trip to Ikea or Target and spend 15 or more dollars. Here is how http://cis4crafting.blogspot.com/2015/06/organization-monday-display-kids-art.html

If your kids are still too little to do the cutting, still trace their cute little hands and do the easy work by yourself. It takes five minutes. This is the one we did when we were a family of three. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Baby's First Easter basket

My younger daughter is 7 month old now. She likes rattle toys and books (chew on them, open and close them). I've got some very simple and cheap goodies for her first Easter. Hope you get some ideas and inspirations.


1. Fabric Basket

Basket was purchased from local Target, last year Easter clearance, 90% off. It is such a soft fluffy basket for this little girl who chews on everything.

2. Wind-up Bunny

got from Walgreens, $0.99 

big purple Easter egg is M&M Easter candy egg. I enjoyed the candy myself.

Just wind it up and let the little one watch the bunny hop.

3. Tiny boardbooks for tiny hands

She already got into the tiny books when I was preparing her basket. That is how you can tell she likes it.

4. DIY special Easter rattle/lightning eggs

 jingle bell is from Dollar Tree

washi tape is from Walgreens

Both of these eggs are rattle toys that make gentle but interesting sound.

finger flashlight is from eBay

This is how the lightening egg looks like when it is slightly dark.

Her small basket is full now. Can't wait for her too see the whole thing this Sunday.

Happy Easter and Happy Spring!

5 min DIY -- Personalize Baby Blanket

When my first daughter was born, I saw her wrapped up in her baby blanket. I thought it was so so cute and was determined to keep her first blanket forever.

I went online and ordered some iron-on name tags. I think the name tags are from TinyMe. Good quality but Pricy.

So for my second princess, I decided to go for a more affordable solution. 

I spotted this package of iron-on letters in Micheal's last year. It cost less then 50 cents. I had to get it. What am I gonna do with them? I had no idea back then.

Now, my second baby was born. My mom picked up this beautiful baby blanket for her. It is mint green color with cute giraffe print. The light orange colored iron-on letters are a perfect match for this blanket.

During baby's nap time, I took my iron out and read the instructions. Took me 5 minutes to get the whole "project" done. Yes, the letters are not aligned perfectly because I just eyeballed everything. I like how it looks. Perfectly imperfect.

Love you, my baby Ada. 

Simple DIY Happy Year of the Monkey Sign

You'll need,
printer
red craft paper
red poster paper/construction paper
sharpie in gold and ruler

Step 1, print out. You can use this template I created.

 Step 2, cut around the line, glue onto the thicker poster paper.

 Step 3, cut the poster paper into your preferred size. Frame the letters using Shapie.

Step 4, have fun and take a lot of pictures.

Kid's Fun Wednesday - Balloon Animals

My husband got into making balloon animals recently. He said it is almost therapeutic. Our little one likes the squeaking sound. And our toddler likes to play with them.  

Here are a few cute ones he made.

Parrot

Elephant

Dog

Kitten

Flower

Kid's Fun Wednesday - DIY simple play mat tee shirt

My husband is out of town for a couple of days. I made this really simple play mat using his old (semi-old) white tee shirt to surprise him. 

I have all of materials I need to do this project. 

White tee shirt

Fabric pens. I got mine from Jo-ann a long time ago. I believe you can now find fabric pens from Dollar Tree. How awesome!

Pencil.

Outline the road first using the black fabric pen. Please ignore the unfinished pool.

Then add the details.

What are the places my daughter likes in town?

Playground, pool, Mcdonald's.

Daycare. We like La petite Academy.

We just recently bought her a bicycle. So I added a bicycle in front of  the house.

She just learnt the shape octagon and I've been pointing stop signs to her. 

Since we live in Arizona where there are a lot of saguaras, I added two saguaras.

And her toy cars (from Target dollar spot), toy motorcycle.

Before my husband got home, my daughter is having fun playing with it on the area rug.

Let me share with you these awesome posts that inspired me.

I got the idea of making the play mat out of my husband's tshirt from the blue basket.

Picture from http://thebluebasket.blogspot.com/2011/09/tutorial-car-shirt.html#more

The playground from how does she's road rug is really simple and cute.

Picture from http://www.howdoesshe.com/made-with-love-road-rug/

Cookcleancraft pretty much has everything you need to build your own town.

Picture from http://cookcleancraft.com/2011/02/felt-car-play-mat-house/

I had the road on my play mat zig-zaged just like this from agirlandagluegun's car mat.

Picture from http://www.agirlandagluegun.com/2010/05/car-mat.html

Kid's fun Wednesday - DIY nesting cats

I recently found this great channel in YOUTUBE, The Purple Alphabet. She posts multiple posts on toddler activities. I got lots of ideas from her posts. Make sure you check it out if you are looking for some cheap and fun play with your toddler.

The DIY nesting cats is straightforward from her post. If you want make these cute cats, she's got step by step tutorial out there.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0fosJSaPX0

Now look at my girl playing with them. Good job, girl!

Kid's Fun Wednesday - upcycle old music mat

I bought this mat last year from the local Goodwill. I knew there is some water doodling feature but my daughter was too young to draw anything at that time. I used this mainly as a music mat. It sings "Old MacDonald" and when you touch the animal drawing, it gives you the animal sounds. My daughter loved it for a while when she just learnt how to walk. 

Now it is just a old mat that is wrapped up in the closet. Until....now.

I came up with up-cycling the music mat when I saw this product on Target.com.

This is a pretty cheap toy. However, I already have something I can turn into this. 

I have this "Water WOW" from Melissa & Doug which BTW is a great, mess-free drawing activity book. However, my daughter played with it so many times now she barely touches it.

So, I grab the pen from this toy and have her use it on the mat. You've got a new toy!