AUTUMN CRAFTS
A clay and fall leaves wall hanging for autumn
Can you believe we are already one third done with this year's autumn season! But there is still time to make more decorations if like me you enjoy this time a year. After seeing all the beautiful fall leaves wall hanging all over Instagram, we had make one of our own. This is actually the ...
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HALLOWEEN CELEBRATIONS
Oversized Kirigami Spider Webs -- a quick DIY Halloween decoration (and game too)!
Growing up, I loved Halloween so much! And I hope my children say the same same day. This year I have decided to start Halloween a bit earlier in the month, and to make up for all the things we can't do -- school Halloween discos and trick-or-treating, I have focussed on the things we ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Sustainable halloween costumes - dressing up capsule tips!
Are you in the mood for dressing up for halloween? Even if your area is in lockdown and trick or treating isn’t really advised, it can be fun to have a dressing up party this time of year nonetheless! Sustainability and dressing up By now we are all more or less aware of the true ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Felted chestnut hulls: a soapy autumn craft!
Making wet felted autumn treasures is a fun little craft, it's seasonal and requires soap, and who doesn't want to stimulate hand washing these days?! We love making Lara's felted acorns and decided it was time to add some wet felted chestnut hulls to our collection too! The wool for the hull is felted around ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Nature Soup - A DIY game for little ones learning to count
My daughter loves to cook and can count to 20, but she is just now learning how to count out items. Often when we prepare a recipe at home, I will help her measure and count out ingredients. I made this game for her after seeing a similar mainstream game and thought that it might ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Make your own insect hotel using a tin can and help insects survive the winter months
Let's make our own insect hotel craft! Our gardens, river banks, prairies and forests are busy with a new set of activities. Bugs are looking for a new home... The leaves are slowly starting to change colours. Then they begin to fall and the air becomes crisper in autumn. Soon we will see less insects ...
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AUTUMN CRAFTS
Autumn Equinox -- a day of balance (and fifteen favourite fall activities)
I was talking to Lara earlier today, and she was reminding me of the start of Autumn happening today. Autumn! Today, the bright daylight hours and the dark nightly hours are of equal length. From now on, the days will get shorter, the nights will get longer... until the longest night, Winter Solstice (taking place on December ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
The Sweetest Flower Fairy Wings in the World -- make your own!
Oh to be a little fairy or butterfly. And oh to be one years old again! These butterfly or flower fairy wings (you choose!) are the sweetest little gift that my children made for their baby sister's first birthday. Being resourceful is always a good idea, but especially useful during lockdown, and for a first ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Sorting colours with caps and corks - a fun DIY game for littles!
Lily and I made this colour sorter using caps and corks yesterday afternoon. It was so simple to do, but kept her so entertained (whilst being educational) that I had to share it here. It’s my first post for a while, having been making the most of what has felt like one of the longest ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Make your own paint palette - for all ages
I made this paint palette this morning for a friend’s son, but wanted to share it with you here as I think it's great craft for a range of ages! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I love making toys for my little ones out of scraps. I love creating ways that ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Puzzles using empty packets- make your own
These packet puzzles combine my love for recycled art (making things out of scraps), and my daughter’s love of puzzles. Like so many of us, lockdown has at times had us climbing walls for things to do, make and play. One of the many saviours has been puzzles. Each day we have dedicated time to ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
DIY "ABC" Letter Tracing Chalkboard
My daughter is nearly three and lately she has shown an increased interest in writing. She has been holding a pencil and pretending to write for ages, but now she she is able to identify letters and attempts to draw them. I wanted to find a way to help her practice writing letters. I prefer ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Paper plate birds - a simple craft for little ones
I made these paper plate birds with Lily weeks ago and she is still playing with them and asking to take them out on our walks! Barbecue season has arrived so here is a craft perfect for those barely used paper plates that get left lying around. Materials: Paper plate (one plate makes one bird) ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Minikin handmade paper dolls by artist Adrienne Brown-David
I recently discovered the charming Minikin paper dolls by Adrienne Brown-David. This American artist and mother of four girls created a sweet line of vintage-inspired paper figurines. At first, she lovingly made them as a special gift for her daughters to play with. She wanted her girls to have a uniquely personalised toy. Eventually, that ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Floral Monograms -- collect the best of summer memories in this DIY artwork
The upside to lockdown for us was time. We used the time to be more resourceful, more experimental, and a bit more considerate with what we had and how we used things. I remember the one small container of glue we treated as if it was gold, knowing I could get more, but not as ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Beer box farm – a DIY crafted farm using just one box!
This little beer box farm was a hit with my daughter! The best part for me was that it was entirely made out of the beer box, nothing else is needed. Should you have a beer box going spare, (or any thin cardboard box), here is how to make a little farm of your own. ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Children's art inspired by black artists
Every month, our friends at LoLA (Lots of Lovely Art) assemble an art box with everything you need to create three high quality, artist-inspired projects: an introduction to the artist, recommendations on books and galleries to visit, plus all the materials you need to make a true masterpiece. The boxes are delivered to your front door, ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
A DIY salt dough mobile -- so simple but so sweet and stylish!
The versatility of salt dough is a wonderful thing. Normally I associate it with seasonal decorations, but really, it deserves more! And normally I think of it as a 'kids' material, but it has the same beauty as fine porcelain ceramic art -- without the need for kiln firing. It can be simple yet stylish ...
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FUN
A paper doll chain -- a simple paper cutting craft for all ages
Making a paper doll chain is a craft I remember enjoying as a child with my mother. It's a fun one because it goes fast and is great entertainment for different ages. It can be as easy or complex as you want, and unfolding the chain is always a moment of magic! All you need ...
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VALENTINE'S DAY CRAFTS
Love Heart Chain -- you just need paper and a stapler!
This is a Valentine's Day craft at its finest -- simple, sweet, and fun. It requires only strips of paper and a stapler and can quickly be made. You can choose to make a really long paper chain, and hang it across the room. Or hang it so it falls vertically. But you can make ...
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VALENTINE'S DAY CRAFTS
Make marvellous (non-toxic) Marble Paper -- and hearts, and cards, and bunting too!
This is a mega crafting moment. Marvellous marbleised paper, made with only two ingredients, both of which are non-toxic and kid-friendly. This is the perfect Valentine's day craft -- and we made both cards and bunting with it, using the positive and negative shapes. So it is a zero waste craft project (if that is ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
A Montessori approach to Toddler Creativity
If you have ever had a toddler in your home you will well know how quick they are to spot a ball point pen with the lid conveniently off, and head straight to the sofa. Or floor. Or white wall. It’s almost as though the pen and the clean, fresh surface are somehow magnetically attracted ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Walnut Boat Races -- an easy craft with hours of play
We love cracking walnuts in our home, but those beautiful walnut shells seem wasted in the rubbish bin. So on a lazy Saturday morning, I did a quick google and came up with an easy and instant craft project -- Walnut Boats. These are very simple to make and use a lot of leftovers -- ...
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