Living with two small kids in a small-ish Brooklyn, New York can be a challenge in so many ways. (You really don’t want to hear me count them.) There’s the toy storage dilemma, the clothing wrangling, and the sleeping arrangements of two kids under the age of six, sharing a room with very different taste in all things.

Five years ago, Parents magazine ran a story about the crafty ways in which I decorated my son Oliver’s nursery, and now, with a second kid and totally different needs, I set out to take that post-nursery hodgepodge of a room and turn it into something airy, bright and fun for both Oliver (age 6) and Sommer (age 4). And this time, FamilyFun Magazine, the sister to Parents, shared these photos on the pages of their August/September issue.

So much work went into this room and so many great companies helped me solve both form and function dilemmas. Stay tuned for more posts soon about why I chose specific products and why I made specific DIYs.

• From Sherwin Williams: Wall Colors— Lemon Twist, Mint Condition, and Carnival wall colors & Dry Erase Wall Coating
• From Hayneedle.com: Walker Edison Bunk bed From Hayneedle.com;
• From Serena & Lily: Quilts and Rug
• From Land of Nod: Knobs, twin sheets, accent pillows, and dip-top bins
• From Spearmint Love: Storage bag
• From Ikea: Flisat Book display
• From the Shade Store: Window shades 
• From Three Potato Four: Letter board
• From Target: Pillow fort Wood Crates

So excited to announce that my new book is now officially on sale! Project Kid: Crafts that Go!  was born out of my son’s love for all things that go. For all those parents out there whose kids only want to play with planes, trains, and automobiles…this book will get them crafting. I promise!

If you tend to look down when you walk around the block, you’ve probably noticed the hipster invasion of studded sneakers like these. What you might not know is how easy as heck they are to make!

Click over to Ebay to read the full tutorial for these gold-i-licious sneakers that I made!

A simpler July 4th decoration has never existed before this one. No paint, no wet glue = no drying time! Glue dots are my savior for tons of crafts with kids and last minutes decorations for parties.

What you need:

• red, blue, and natural popsicle sticks (in multiples of five)
• glue dots
• thin string
• scissors

1. Cut a long piece of string—the length you want you final garland to be.
2. Stick a glue dot to one end of a popsicle stick and slip it under the string, a few inches from one end.
3. Stick another popsicle stick on top of that to seal the string in between the two. Then keep forming a star by using glue dots in between the ends of the sticks to create the classic five-point star. (You may need a glue dot or two in the middle of sticks where they cross for extra security.)
4. Hang it up. And party on!

This project from my first book Project Kid was born out of two memories/bits of info. Curious? Read on.

Just want to make them? Scroll down for the how-to!

1. I used to work at a sleep-away camp, and we had a game called Hula Baloola, and the tag line was, where everyone’s a winner! So I made these decorative award ribbons with no number, no place, and no gold, silver, or bronze affiliation. They make a great gift for a mother’s day gift where you can write a name, add a heart, etc.
2. I had a t-shirt that had a screen print of a 2nd place ribbon in the top left shoulder area, where a name tag would go. When people asked me why it was a 2nd place ribbon and not 1st, I’d say because you took home first place. Cheesy? Sort of.

And now for what you really care about…

What you’ll need:

• Drink-bottle caps
• Cotton balls
• Solid fabric
• Hot-glue gun
• Glitter glue (available at Michaels Stores)
• Grosgrain ribbon
• Scissors
• Pin backs
• Tacky glue

1. For each badge, glue cotton balls into the recessed part of a drink bottle cap. Glue three to four in a larger cap, and two to three in a smaller one.
2. Cut a circle of fabric large enough to wrap around the bottle top, lay the top in the center of the fabric, cotton-ball side down, and glue the fabric to the back (top) of the cap.
3. Decorate the front of the cap with glitter glue in any pattern.
4. Cut a 3- to 4-inch piece of ribbon, fold it in half to form an upside-down V, and glue the fold to the back of the cap. Glue a pin back just above the ribbon. Wear it proudly.