This post is sponsored by Boon Supply.
These days, we have the power to “buy the change we want to see in the world.” (My friend Jane Mosbacher Morris wrote a book by that name. Check it out!) When we shop, we can choose to purchase socially conscious items, eco-friendly products, and even give money away while we do it. We’ve all been guilted into buying mediocre wrapping paper or chocolate bon-bons to support our kids’ school fundraisers, but what if you could actually purchase things you NEED that are beautifully, thoughtfully designed, PLUS they give substantial money (not a measly 2% of the retail price) to the non-profit you choose?
Enter, Boon Supply. Every time you purchase, Boon Supply gives 40% to the charity of your choice. Every time, people! 40%! And you are not buying cheesy gift bows or ugly tote bags…you are buying stylish items that make amazing gifts.
It’s so easy to set up your own fundraiser (I created one for my kid’s school!) or you can choose one that has already been set up. And, you can get 20% off your first purchase by using this exclusive code just for Project Kid fans: BS19PROJECTKID (expires 12/31/19).
Here are some of my favorite items from the Spring catalog, but check out the Fall items too!
Boon Supply sent me this Emoji Pancake Pan and the second I pulled it out of the box I was making pancakes for my kids (even though it was 6pm at night!! So cute and easy to clean.
I bought this cute Vegan leather belt bag (let’s face it, fanny pack!) for myself. I love it!
Missing a lid to your tupperware? Or do you have a half eaten apple? Food Huggies are your answer!
I love the idea that my kids can look down at these Character Building pencils and have a thoughtful discussion in their heads while doing their homework. Double-tasking at it’s best!
If you carry a portable charger and a compact mirror, then maybe you need to get this Compact Mirror Power Bank that does both!
I know where my holiday gifts are coming from this year!
This post is sponsored by Boon Supply.
July 3, 2019
Everyday Crafts, Grown-Up, Jewelry and Fashion, Older Elementary, Tween to Teen
I was born in the 1970’s, was a child of the 80’s, which means, dear friends, that I was there at the dawning of the Age of the Scrunchie. Yes, the original fabric covered hair rubber band…that defined my curly mane during my middle and high school years. I even remember my friend Traci and tried to make them out of a sunflower-patterned fabric (oh, remember the sunflower craze?).
Believe it or not, this no-sew scrunchie will take you ten minutes to make. And friends, it will last…it will not fall apart after a wear or two! I even accidentally tossed one into the washing machine the other day, and it came out just fine!
You can thank me now, because you are going to have a use for all of those fabric scraps that have been laying around. Think of all the cute Cat & Jack patterned t-shirts that your daughter won’t wear any more…just cut them into strips to make these easy DIY scrunchies!
MATERIALS NEEDED:
MAKE IT!
1. Cut your fabric to 3” by 18”.
2. Lay the fabric on the table, pattern-side up, and then fold it in half. Adhere a strip of fabric tape on the top inside edge. Make sure to really press it down so that the fibers all stick to the tape.
3. Peel off the paper backing of the fabric tape and stick the other edge of fabric to the top. Now you’ve made a loop of fabric.
4. Slip the fabric loop around the jar and secure it with the hair tie in the middle.
5. Fold the fabric about a 1/4″ from the top edge and stick on a piece of tape. Again, really press it into the fabric.
6. Peel off the paper backing, and fold up the bottom edge of the fabric and stick it to the tape. Squeeze the fabric together to seal.
7. Continue working all the way around the jar so that every edge of the fabric is sealed. Do your best not to leave any spaces, as those will become holes in your seam.
It may feel a little fussy at first, but you’ll get the hang of it and it’ll get easier and easier. I recommend using a straight cup, glass, or jar like this Bon Maman jam jar so the rubber band doesn’t slip off or move.
Can’t wait to hear what you think of this project!
June 19, 2019
Decor, DIY Home, Everyday Crafts, Older Elementary, Vehicles, Yarn & Fabric
There’s that phrase that I’m sure you’ve heard…it’s like riding a bike, meaning you’ll never forget how to do it. I’m one of those people that took a pretty loooong break in the bike-riding department.
I never really owned a bike as an adult until I met my husband. Obviously I biked around as a kid, but we lived on an insanely hilly street with a lot of through-traffic so it was really just me riding in circles around the driveway. So I never really used a bike to actually GO anywhere.
Michael was an avid cyclist when we met, doing 100-mile rides upstate, out of the city. He convinced me to get a bike of my own, and so I did, complete with biking shoes that clip into the pedals (I went hardcore right away)! We started cycling together and I loved it. I had been a runner, having done a few half marathons and one marathon, so I was accustomed to the long-distance effort that bike-riding took.
On one gorgeous day in September of 2008, we took what we thought was going to be an easy ride up to Yonkers and back down to Brooklyn, but we found ourselves a bit off track (this was pre-iPhone for us!) and had to carry our bikes over train tracks, through the woods, and up a hill to get back to known territory. We kind of laughed our way through it, and when we got home, Michael was all lovey, telling me how proud he was of me (not in a patronizing way), and then, he proposed. Ring and all…standing there in our living room in full spandex. No rose petals or champagne…just sweat and bike grease. It was perfect.
So this long and rambling story is all to say that now, I have a fondness for bicycles, for biking with our kids, and even for watching the Tour de France, which I had never paid attention to before Michael. (I had no idea what the word peloton was!) Watching the whole Tour de France is quite a feat (almost, but not quite, like riding in it), but even if you show your kids a few stages and explain the effort, it’s a great lesson in practice and perseverance.
Most don’t realize that cycling is not a solo sport—it’s team-oriented and is all about project management. You have to allow one person to lead, and then share that role over the course of the race. It’s all about cohesion, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and open communication—all lessons that we all can learn from. (For more detail check out this post.)
The Tour de France 2019 starts on July 7th this year and you can watch the final stage on July 28th. Here’s a fun list of facts you can teach your kids about when, where, and how this famous bike race began!
When I wrote Project Kid: Crafts that Go!, a book about vehicles, I obviously had to make a bike craft. The inspiration for this one came to me one day while I was painstakingly place Perler beads in a circle with Sommer. Here’s what you need to make this miniature DIY bicycle…
1. To make the bike’s tires, place black beads all around the outer ring of the bead form. Add spokes by creating a six-point asterisk with the teal beads, leaving the center hole empty.
2. Following the instructions on the bead packaging, have an adult fuse the beads together using parchment paper and an iron; let cool completely. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make a second tire. Remove the fused beads from the form.
3. Download and print the bike template and place on the cardboard. Tape parchment paper over it.
4. Insert straight pins into the ten marked points on the template.
5. Thread yarn through the center hole of one wheel, and begin wrapping the yarn around the pins to create the bike form, following the numbers on the template.
6.Work your way over to the second wheel and thread the yarn through. Continue wrapping around the pins, following the numbers on the template.
7. Once the frame is completed, knot the yarn and trim the end.
8. Use a paintbrush to apply a generous coat of tacky glue to the yarn, and let it dry. Remove the pins and flip over to apply an additional coat of glue to the back of the yarn if needed.
Excerpted from Project Kid: Crafts that Go! by Amanda Kingloff (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2016. Photographs by Alexandra Grablewski.
June 4, 2019
Early Elementary, Everyday Crafts, Holidays, Jewelry and Fashion, Older Elementary, St. Patrick's Day, Tween to Teen, Yarn & Fabric
As a kid, I remember the excitement when my BFF Traci and I got our Best Friend heart necklaces…you know the ones: The right says “BE FRI” and the left says “ST ENDS.” If that were us today, I’m certain we’d post a boomerang of the heart halves coming together and going apart.
I still love the broken heart necklace, and it is seen in so many forms these days (like this adorable DIY kit from Fair Play Projects). So I thought I’d come up with another, but I wanted something that could also stand alone with its own magic.
With National Best Friends Day approaching on June 8th, you have plenty of time this week to get your craft on! Your kids can make these rainbow charms into two bracelets, two necklaces, or, if you want to keep the whole rainbow to yourself (understandable), as two earrings. Here’s how we did it…
What you’ll need:
Trace the 2 1/4″ circle on one piece of felt. Move down a 1/4″ each time using the circle stencils. If you don’t have this circle template, you can also gather lids from around the house to trace.
Cut out the circles.
Cut the circles in half.
Glue the half circles on top of each other, making sure to line up the bottom straight edge.
Cut the rainbow in half.
Cut the bottom wedge out of each side. (Because the pieces of the felt end up to be so small and delicate, it’s easier to glue them as larger pieces and cut them down, rather than vice versa.)
Cut out white clouds from felt and glue them to the bottom corner (I doubled mine for extra cloudiness.)
Glue the necklace string to the back top of the rainbow and secure with a small square of felt.
You can make your rainbow the traditional ROYGBIV, or go out on your own and mix it up.
May 28, 2019
Decor, Early Elementary, Kids Rooms, Older Elementary, Preschool, Toddler, Uncategorized
(image sources clockwise from top right Ruta Vitasson, Blesser House, Pinterest, and Momma Design)
When you’re little, there’s nothing better than something being “kid-sized”, especially if it’s a hideout. The adult world can feel so big and a space your size feels special. We’ve collected eleven creative ways to transform whatever spare space you have—be it a closet or a corner— into a kid centric clubhouse.
1.
A personal ball pit is definitely every kids’ dream come true! With a sliver of space under the stairs, Momma Society managed to make room for both kinetic and artistic play.
2.
For a cozier space under the stairs Daffodil Design adds polk dots, pennants, and a pile of pillows. The coloring book panels on the wall are a fun way to invite mini muralists to leave their mark.
3.
This closet reading loft requires a little more handy work, but Bigger Than the Three of Us shares their step by step method. With clothes hanging at child height, this diy might even encourage your kids to help keep their closets clean (no promises though).
4.
A small closet can still make a big impact with a set of shelves and some whimsical wall art. This pinterest project could look equally cool with jungle vines or a sea of tropical fish – depending on where your child wants to be transported.
5.
A different decorating option is a rotating gallery of your child’s framed artwork or favorite book jackets. As their tastes change, so can the wall. Via Shabby Nest
6.
If your kids do have an enduring favorite, it can be truly magical to bring it to life. Blesser House’s Narnia reading nook is a child’s fantasy hidden within an elegant armoire. (Just make sure that the furniture is attached to the wall for safety!)
7.
If closet space is at a premium, helllooo New York, it’s still possible to create a cozy nook. When playtime is over, simply fold up this cardboard cottage and slide it out of sight. She Knows shows you how.
8.
A curtain and a corner are all you need to create a room out of thin air. Twinkly lights add to the fairy feel. Via Mommo Design
9.
Another way to take advantage of a corner is to define it with a coat of paint. Ruta Vitasson’s monochromatic palette elevates this kids area but the collection of soft fabrics and friends keep it from feeling cold.
10.
If you’re lucky enough to have a loft, follow Design Mom‘s lead and give it to the family members who can actually fit in it comfortably. Your kids will adore having their own castle in the clouds.
11.
This last space is probably the most daydream worthy of all. If your kids had access to this carpeted cocoon you’d might not ever see them again! Image via Hongikat
