All Ages Valentine

I love this project for creating Valentine cards because even younger kiddos can participate. Both my boys did this project this year and it was a hit with everyone (even me - I was so impressed with the end result!)

Supplies:

A roll of clear contact paper
Scraps of paper, tissue, light-weight fabric, foil, etc.
A variety of hearts (in different sizes)
Glitter and/or sequins
Scissors
Ribbon
Hole Punch
Masking or painter's tape

Cut out two pieces of contact paper in the same size. Peel off the backing of one sheet and place it on the workspace, sticky side up. Secure corners with tape to hold the contact paper in place. Let your child use the paper, scraps, glitter, etc. to decorate the entire sheet (if your child is older and can use scissors, have them help prepare the scraps by cutting and tearing them before they begin). When they've finished decorating, peel the backing off the second sheet of contact paper and cover the decorated sheet, sticky side to sticky side. Work from one side to the other making sure to smooth out the wrinkles as you go. Cut out heart shapes from the sheet, punch a hole in the top of each one and tie with a ribbon.

Check out the pictures from our project, including the finished product above.

New Favorite Resource for Kid Crafts

I am creative. I am crafty. I also spent years in my former, pre-mama life as an elementary school teacher. Despite all this, I still seem to find that I need inspiration for projects and activities to do with my little guys. Crafty Crow to the rescue. I just stumbled on a wonderful blog for child craft projects that has so many lovely, inspiring ideas I can hardly stand it! The Crafty Crow has a huge archive of projects and so many different categories (age, event, medium just to name a few), you are bound to find something perfect for everyone. I also love that there are projects for even the littlest of hands. (Plus they have awesome giveaways.) Check them out!

P.S. --I know I've been absolutely terrible about updating this blog. I've got lots of posts from recent plum tot newsletters to add and some great post ideas that have just not made their way here...yet. Check back soon. They'll be here-I promise.

Flower Pressing

I had a flower press when I was a kid. From time to time, I'd unscrew the knobs and look through the different layers to see all the paper thin memories from summers' past. Many of the flowers and leaves that I'd pressed were from my neighborhood walks and from my backyard. This year, my oldest son and I plan to press some flowers from our backyard garden.

If you's like to press flowers with your child, you will need:
*tissue or blotting paper (construction paper can also work)
*cardboard
*large, heavy books for pressing
*an assortment of flowers and leaves

Lay a sheet of tissue paper over a piece of cardboard. Arrange your flowers and leaves on the tissue. It's also fun to include a small note tucked in with the flowers detailing where they came from to help your child remember what you collected and why. Cover with another sheet of tissue paper, a piece of cardboard and a very heavy book (or two). Leave pressed for at least two weeks and up to six months. The longer the press, the better the preservation.

Goody Bags for...Well, Goodies!

These bags are perfect for small treats or used as an alternative to paper gift wrap. They're also reusable and super easy to make!

You will need:.

*Fabric and ribbon scraps
*A sewing machine (unless you want to spend hours sewing by hand)
*Pinking shears

Cut two pieces of fabric in a rectangle size of your choice. (I made a variety of sizes but began with a 6"x 9"). Place them print side in and stitch around three sides leaving one side open. Turn the bag right side out and finish by cutting the top edge with pinking shears for a fun and easy finish. Fill and tie with a ribbon. Voila!

Marble Painting-- Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

I'm always looking for fun things to do with my kids. I found this project idea from FamilyFun.com.
This project is a lot of fun for little ones and looks beautiful with bright colors!

You will need:
*A handful of marbles
*A sturdy (non-breakable) plate or flat-bottomed container with a lip
*A muffin tin (or small dishes) and tempera paints
*Paper
*Spoons

First, trim a sheet of paper to fit on your plate (or in your container). Fill the cups of a muffin tin with different colored tempera paints. Show your child how to gently drop a marble into the paint and roll it around with the bowl of a spoon. When the marble is well coated, transfer it by spoon to the paper-lined plate. Use a gentle wrist action to swirl the marble around until the paint wears off. Or try using two or three marbles simultaneously. To preserve the hues, use a different marble for each color. Lift the artwork from the paper plate to dry.

"Gingerbread" Houses

Instead of taking the time to bake separate pieces of gingerbread for a house, use graham crackers instead. For a pint size house perfect for a child, take three standard size graham crackers (like HoneyMaid brand) and break them in half to total six squares. "Glue" them together using royal icing (four for the sides and two for the roof) and let it set up on a small piece of cardboard covered in foil. Then take a variety of decorative candy and the remaining frosting and let your child decorate away. You may want to make an extra one for you to decorate as well!

You need:
-3 graham crackers
-foil covered cardboard base
-assorted decorative candy
-Royal icing Royal Icing:
-2 egg whites (pasteurized, if possible)
-2 teaspoons lemon juice
-3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

Beat the egg whites and lemon juice together using an electric mixer. Slowly add the powdered sugar at a low speed to mix smoothly. Store in an airtight container when not using (icing dries out quickly). To pipe onto the seams of the house use a plastic bag with the corner cut off or a piping bag. *Please note that this recipe contains raw egg whites and is not recommended for little munchkins to eat. There are alternative recipes for Royal icing that call for substitutions if preferred.