Put a Bird on It

My daughter is now old enough that she can fill our bird feeders on her own – which means the birds are finally getting fed at our house (because I always forget!). Yesterday the birds were so excited for food they were flitting around the trees while she poured out the seed. Then we got out her bird book and tried to identify them – it’s harder than you’d think!

Luckily, these bird DIYs don’t need to be identified. We can simply enjoy their bright colors and great materials. I’m suddenly itching to go thrifting so we can find some glass globes for the bird feeder DIY! And, I’m not gonna lie, I’m really wanting to make a full set of felt birds so that they can dance to Thriller along my mantle just like that photo at top! These are perfect for some fun Easter decorations, so let’s get going!

Painted Owl Rocks
see tutorial at Belle Isle Art

Painted rocks are such a perfect combination of nature and craftiness – what better thing to paint on them than nature’s winged wonders? She even has some bluebirds and cardinals if you click through to her site.

Feather Headbands
see tutorial at Mer Mag

Dress up to match our feathery friends outside with some easy paper headbands. I love the look of all that black and white together!

Outdoor Orbs Bird Feeders
see tutorial at The Art of Doing Stuff

Bird feeders can be so humdrum – they all look exactly the same at the hardware store. So make your own mid-century gems like these DIY orbs instead. I have a dream of fillling an entire forest with them!

Egg Carton Bird Masks
see tutorial at Sweet Paul

I am continually amazed at the cool things that can come from something simple like egg cartons. These bright colors and layered feathers are fabulous!

Cut Paper Birds
see tutorial at Lia Griffith

The curved lines and detailed layers of these beautiful paper birds have me absolutely fascinated. There’s a great video to help you get things going.

Pictured at top: Felt Birds (dancing to Thriller!), see the tutorial at Myrtle & Eunice.

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A Clever DIY Matching Game To Teach Your Child Shapes

Everyone knows that early learning is best accomplished when little hands are kept busy. Here’s a simple and colorful cardboard craft to give your child a head start on learning their shapes and colors. Let’s get started!

What You Need

• Printable geometric shapes template (download here)
• Colored construction paper
• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Craft knife
• Multi-purpose glue

Step 1
Print and cut out the shapes from the templates above. One group = one color, so cut shapes of the same group out of the same color construction paper. Then use the template to cut the same shapes out of your cardboard.

Step 2
Glue the paper shapes onto the corresponding cardboard shapes and let dry.

Step 3
Print out the templates above (or you can simply look at them on the screen) and use them to piece together fun shapes.

Have fun!

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It’s All One Big Juggling Act

You know what I’ve discovered? Two-week school breaks are actually quite tiring when you have three kids! Always bending over backwards trying to keep everyone occupied and juggling my personal life with my home business. Sound familiar? Well, as I’m not one to complain, I guess the only way to beat the stress in any situation is to roll up your sleeves, stay strong, and put on a brave smile! “Be a clown, be a clown, all the world loves a clown…”

The circus is obviously a popular theme in the kids’ design world. It’s a classic, “foolproof” topic that never fails to delight. I mean, just when you think you’d seen it all before, somebody always comes along and dazzles you with a new design. Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys – it’s time to present our inspiring collection of children’s circus finds. Enjoy!

DIY Circus Finger Puppet Kit
Download for $4 from Pukaca on etsy

Great news! There’s no need to spend a fortune on entertainong your kids. Etsy and other handmade marketplaces are full of fun DIY papercraft products like these circus finger puppets or quirky Mr. Strong (below). Perfect for rainy days or long vacations, I recommend both of these stores if you like paper fun and are looking for something simple and original to make at home.

DIY Muscle Man Paper Doll
$4.68 from Red Cheeks Factory on etsy

Musical Clown Plushie
$46 from Les Enfants Du Design

There’s no shortage of circus-themed print if you’re thinking of redecorating a child’s room or family space. Pillows are an easy way to add a bit of fun and color, as are framed pictures, posters, and wall hangings. One of my favorite decorative accessories at the moment is this sweet musical clown — so perfect for a nursery! I suspect older kids will be more taken with East End Prints’ bright circus characters (below).

Strongman Circus Print
$39 from East End Prints

DIY Mechanical Seal Project
from Koa Koa

Koa Koa’s monthly subscription service offers creative and educational activities for kids of 5 years and up. I applaud their choice of simple yet stimulating projects and had to share February’s circus-themed DIY mechanical seal. It teaches children how to use bevel gears and the importance of symmetry and weight in achieving balance.

Pictured at top:

Keep your eyes peeled for Londji’s super fun Acrobat Toys which will be hitting the stores this Spring. The Spanish brand has a knack for modernizing classic games and these stacking acrobats made from recycled wood and decorated with eco-dyes are no exception. Love!

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Super Cute Mini Beach Bungalow Gift Wrap

My mind is already on Spring Break! Warm weather melts the winter blues into bright puddles of pinks, yellows, and oranges. We’re headed out of town in March and I’m getting a jump start on planning my all-important road trip treats.

I always like to give my kiddos tiny gifts to unwrap for the long car ride. What could be better than a gift that looks like the cool shady spot we’ll be calling home for the next week? DIY Beach Hut Gift Wrap is as quick and easy as wrapping a traditional present. You can practically hear Bob Marley softly playing No Woman, No Cry and taste a mango-infused fruity drink while crafting them up!

For this project, I was inspired by an adorable Yahoo! Makers project that I ran across last week. Have you seen what’s happening over there? Some of my favorite crafters are whipping up crazy original DIY creations, and the editor’s pics are just plain awesome.

Along with the sand and shells in my near future, it inspired me to give away a “Maker’s Mystery Hut” filled with Handmade Charlotte + Plaid Enterprises craft supplies. Look for details below!

Follow along as we show you how to create a simple summer village of your very own!

What You Need

• Tea boxes
• Colorful gift wrap or construction paper
• Red Stamp paper party straws
• Mara-Mi greeting cards and envelopes
• Fiskars Portable Rotary Paper Trimmer or scissors
• Elmers Running Tape
• Mod Podge

How-To

Step 1
To get started, choose a wrapping paper that gets you in a beach state of mind! We used leftovers from Christmas and a piece of colorful notebook paper. The boxes are empty tea boxes from Starbucks.

Wrap your tea box in the paper of your choice and secure with tape.

Step 2
Choose a greeting card to use for the roof. Use your Fiskars heavy duty paper trimmer to cut your card to the length of the box (you can use scissors, but this cutting system makes cutting quick, easy, and precise). You may have to take a 1/2 inch or so off your greeting card to match it to the size of the box. Again, use your trimmer or scissors to cut fringe for the front side of your hut. Aloha, grass roof!

Cut triangles into the spine of your greeting card roof (as many triangles as you want flags). Flip the card over and run two strips of running tape onto the edge of either flap, then secure the card onto the top of the box.

Step 3
Time to raise the flags! Using the envelope card scraps, make a 3-inch strip of paper and fold it in half. Cut a “V” shape into one side of the rectangle and with dash of Mod Podge, adhere the opposite end around the straw. Drop the straw into a cut triangle slot on the roof and you’ve got a flagpole!

Last but not least, add the door. Cut your chosen envelope to the desired size and attach it to the box using Mod Podge.

Include a message for whoever you’re giving it to and you’re ready to celebrate the sand, sun, and the simple gift of a DIY beach hut.

Here are some fun ideas for easy, on-the-go gifts to put in your bungalow box:

Crock Pot Chex Snack via Tess Panzer for Yahoo! Makers

DIY Play Dough via Artsy Fartsy Mama for Yahoo! Makers

DIY T-shirt Necklace via Martha Stewart for Yahoo! Makers

Giveaway

Spring showers must be right around the corner because we want to shower you with gifts! Enter below to win a “Maker’s Mystery Hut” filled to the brim with Handmade Charlotte + Plaid Enterprises craft supplies:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sponsored by Yahoo!

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The Artful Year: A Handmade Review

A week or so ago I received the loveliest surprise in my mailbox – a copy of Jean Van’t Hul’s new book The Artful Year! For a good hour I flipped through page after page of DIY decorations, drool-worthy recipes, and delightful images of the most amazing original activities you have ever laid eyes on. And if I’m going to be honest, it was probably more like two or three hours — I was captivated! All of Jean’s ideas utilize the textures, colors, and themes of the four seasons and bind them together into an entire year of page-flipping family fun.

This year I promised my daughter that we would have her Fried Noodle Crafting Club’s first annual First Day of Spring party in our backyard (maypole and all!). With the Vernal Equinox just on the other side of March, I’ve got some serious planning ahead of me! I already know that The Artful Year is going to be my best friend on this one. It has filled my noggin with so many simple, out-of-the-box ideas, that planning the perfect spring soiree is going to be an absolute breeze.

I can see it now: melted bead suncatchers dangling from the trees, beanpole teepees sprinkled across the lawn, paths of concrete stepping stones leading to rows and rows of picnic tables dressed with pinwheels and grape sculptures, where girls in flower necklaces sit eating fruit sparklers and sipping on fresh-squeezed lemonade. And we will of course write the ever-important post-party thank you notes on DIY botanical stationary!

(Wakes up from daydream sequence).

As a mother and a crafter, there are few things more important to me than my children’s confidence, creativity, and confidence in their creativity. Each and every project in The Artful Year is simple and inspiring enough for the entire family, helping kids to feel encouraged and celebrating their individual skill sets through craft.

There are ideas for when kids are busting at the seams with energy and also for when it’s time for things to start winding down. She shares paint recipes and ways to make your own art supplies – letting you get crafty before you even get crafty! – and also ways to repurpose your art after all is said and done. There is literally not one minute of the day, season of the year, or special occasion that The Artful Year doesn’t have the picture perfect project for!

Snag your own copy of The Artful Year here.

Giveaway

Because we can’t keep our excitement to ourselves, we are giving away three individual copies of The Artful Year by Jean Van’t Hul to three lucky winners! Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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DIY Vending Machine Bubble Ring

Does your child love big, colorful jewelry? For that matter, do you love big, colorful jewelry? Either way, today’s Shake Bubble Ring is the perfect quick craft! In a few easy steps, you can transform a vending machine container into funky original jewelry. Alright, enough talk. Let’s get making!

What You Need

• Super glue
• Plastic Container from Toy Vending Machine
• Toy Ring (Mine came inside the plastic container)
• Sprinkles
• Sparkles
• Beads

How-To

Step 1
Wash and dry your plastic container. Then, super glue your ring onto the top of the container.

Step 2
Fill your container with an assortment of sprinkles or sparkles. The more, the merrier!

Step 3
Slip the top back onto your plastic container and you’re all set!

Tres chic, no? Now give ‘em a shake and enjoy your new colorful statement rings!

Happy making and shaking :)

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Two-in-One Dollhouse Chair

Tokyo-based design agency Torafu Architects is blowing our creative-loving-craniums with its multi-use dollhouse chair. They’ve taken their expertise in product design, ignited it with childlike wonder, and created a piece of furniture that manages to be both fun and functional for the entire family. With its clean lines and color block design, the chair alone is an eye-catching conversation starter. What will really get people talking, however, is what hides inside!

The chair opens up to reveal an entire world of secret surprises. Inside storage can be used to stow toys, books, knick-knacks, paddywhacks, art supplies and school work — anything kids want to fill it with and everything you want to keep tucked away and out of sight.

Use it as a mini bookshelf, multi-room dollhouse, or just a place display favorite trinkets and toys. Close it back up and once again, you’re sitting pretty :)

See other cutting-edge designs from our friends over at Torafu.

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Scoot into the Future

Meet the future of around-town transit: The Nimble Scooter. Solving the age-old problem of having only two hands, but a million places to go, Nimble Scooters combine the best parts of an everyday bicycle and a commercial cargo jet, rolling them into one brilliant concept and a new way to scoot your loot.

The Nimble is the brainchild of a team of engineers + designers + creative minds with the collective goal of getting you where you need to go stylishly, efficiently, and most importantly, in the most fun way possible. The lightweight, waterproof bucket is perfect for carrying farmers market finds, picnic-in-the-park necessities, gym gear, books, toys. etc. Everything you’d ever need to take from point A to point Z without dropping anything around LMNOP.

True to its name, the Nimble is swift, maneuverable, and capable of coasting through crowded sidewalks. The bucket in front allows you to not only see where you’re going, but also to make sure your cargo isn’t going anywhere you’re not. My earlier “cargo jet” reference may have been a bit of a stretch, but made from the same aerospace materials used to build military airplanes, it’s not too far off. These guys can stand up to just about anything. Even your weekly grocery store odyssey.

To give you an idea of size, five Nimbles can fit into the same space as a single car. That’s one for each of my kids — which will really come in handy when they all reach driving age. Ok, that may take some convincing on their end, but it’s definitely something I can roll with.

Learn more about Nimble Scooters and where you can find them here.

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Breakfast Is Beautiful GIVEAWAY

It’s a little ridiculous how easy it is to fall into a rut with breakfast. After all, the supposed most important meal of the day is also the one you’re preparing while you’re the most exhausted (and by that rule, generally least creative and motivated.) So many people scarf down a completely lackluster first meal (we’re looking at you, plain cereal or “eh” breakfast sandwich) every morning for months at a time without considering how many other delicious options there are out there.

And then there are people who are able to see breakfast in a totally inspired light. Like Jen Taylor, the designer behind happy, graphic decor company Hokolo, who let traditional English breakfast foods inspire her latest collection. Placemats with big bold blueberries, hand towels featuring sunny eggs, totes printed with juicy currants, and more.

Mmmm currant and almond oatmeal (get the recipe from Win-Win Food) alongside a cozy lambswool throw featuring more yummy currants.

We’re excited to partner with our friends at GREAT.LY as well as brilliant food stylists White on Rice Couple for a giveaway of the cheerful and chic Hokolo pieces we have in our shop; specifically FOUR pieces, each going to five lucky winners. We’re looking for winners who inspire us with their breakfasts — here’s how to enter:

1. Post an Instagram photo of your beautiful breakfast with the hashtag #greatlybeautifulbreakfast
2. Follow @handmadecharlotte, @hellogreatly, and @dianecu

Looking for some additional inspiration? We’ve rounded up some delicious recipes inspired by Hokolo pieces… including some never-thought-you’d-try-them combinations.

Now consider a salad to satisfy a totally different palate — this one with tomatoes, orange, and onions (with a good dose of olive oil and herbs) from Luna Cafe has a Mediterranean feel. (On the right: artwork by Hokolo. How fantastic are those stripes?!)

This one is kind of a dream breakfast. We doubt you’re going to dig into cheesecake every morning, but this vegan one — with a crust made from nuts and dates, from This Rawsome Vegan Life — is good for a special, indulgent occasion. Now tell us, do oranges and blueberries look better together on this treat or on the cozy scarf? We’ll call it a tie.

OK, now what are you waiting for?! Go snap a photo of your breakfast (or start prepping the ingredients for an epic meal tomorrow morning). We can’t wait to see how you’re starting the day.

And don’t forget our giveaway of the cheerful and chic Hokolo pieces!

Shop our Color Splash collection here.

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