DIY Coloring Placemats For The Food Loving Little

How many times have we heard (or said), don’t play with your food! Well, I don’t want to totally turn things upside down, but here’s a little secret: you can play with your food. Or at least with your placemat! Coloring Placemat Printables are every manner-minding mother’s dream – and a food-loving little’s best friend.

The beauty of printables is that you make as many as you want, right at your fingertips. You also can laminate them (I did!) to save paper and to enjoy them over and over again. Here are a couple of ideas of how to use them: as an everyday placemat, as a way to keep kiddos busy until the food arrives when eating out at a restaurant (these guys are super easy to tote in a purse/bag), or just as a coloring sheet to learn more about all the different foods!

Eggs, bread, fruits, fish, and more! These placemats pretty much cover the gastromical gamut when it comes to food groups. One of the biggest hurdles when it comes to raising kids is teaching them the importance of variety in their diet – and then on top of that, actually getting them to eat all those various foods! Paper placemats will not only introduce them to a well-rounded mix of yummies – but using crayons, colored pencils, or markers to color the different items will make the experience fun for the entire family!

Of course, I had to throw in a few sweet treats with the healthy stuff – because life is all about balance, right?!

Download your Printable Placemat here.

Bon Appétit!

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6 Cute Kid-Friendly Cactus Crafts That Won’t Hurt

The humble cactus is having quite moment these days. They’re popping up everywhere. At first I was a little meh about the whole phenomenon, but I can now see where it fits in along all of the southwestern-y geometric designs we’ve been seeing. A cactus is kind of the pug dog of the plant world: cute, adorable, and nothing like all the others.

Now, supposedly a cactus is easy to care for, but my black thumb would beg to differ. So you know, paper, cloth, and cupcake cacti may be the safer, more humane way to go! Try one of these adorable crafts for yourself – they are all such lovely, low-hassle ways to bring a little bit of the outside world into your home.

Cactus Pillow
see tutorial at Everything Emily

Because clearly square pillows are so boring, right? Seriously though, this guy would bring some much-needed whimsy to any living room. Or maybe to a porch! Who knew cacti could be so cute and cuddly?!

Painted Rock Cactus
see tutorial at Craftberry Bush

I’m always looking or ways to reuse the hundreds of rocks my girl brings home from her latest adventures. This project would be loads of fun, and could even hold their own sitting right next to some of our real plants – (the ones I haven’t killed yet!).

Knit Cactus Pin Cushions
see tutorial via The Knitter

I absolutely love knitting, but committing to big projects is often just too much when juggling kids and work and life. These little wonders can be whipped up super quickly, and will add some welcome softness to the typical prickly stereotype.

Houseplant Cupcakes
see tutorial via Alana Jones-Mann

I just can’t get over how real these cupcakes look! Once you see the tutorial, the mystery is solved – and guess what, it’s pretty easy!

Felt Cactus
see tutorial via Happy DIY

These little guys are so dang cute. I love the sign they added at the top – it just adds to the faux charm. This could be a fun project for bigger kids who like to sew, or even for younger ones who are just now entering the world of needle and thread.

Pictured at top: Paper Plants, see the tutorial via The House That Lars Built

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6 Cute Kid-Friendly Cactus Crafts That Won’t Hurt

The humble cactus is having quite moment these days. They’re popping up everywhere. At first I was a little meh about the whole phenomenon, but I can now see where it fits in along all of the southwestern-y geometric designs we’ve been seeing. A cactus is kind of the pug dog of the plant world: cute, adorable, and nothing like all the others.

Now, supposedly a cactus is easy to care for, but my black thumb would beg to differ. So you know, paper, cloth, and cupcake cacti may be the safer, more humane way to go! Try one of these adorable crafts for yourself – they are all such lovely, low-hassle ways to bring a little bit of the outside world into your home.

Cactus Pillow
see tutorial at Everything Emily

Because clearly square pillows are so boring, right? Seriously though, this guy would bring some much-needed whimsy to any living room. Or maybe to a porch! Who knew cacti could be so cute and cuddly?!

Painted Rock Cactus
see tutorial at Craftberry Bush

I’m always looking or ways to reuse the hundreds of rocks my girl brings home from her latest adventures. This project would be loads of fun, and could even hold their own sitting right next to some of our real plants – (the ones I haven’t killed yet!).

Knit Cactus Pin Cushions
see tutorial via The Knitter

I absolutely love knitting, but committing to big projects is often just too much when juggling kids and work and life. These little wonders can be whipped up super quickly, and will add some welcome softness to the typical prickly stereotype.

Houseplant Cupcakes
see tutorial via Alana Jones-Mann

I just can’t get over how real these cupcakes look! Once you see the tutorial, the mystery is solved – and guess what, it’s pretty easy!

Felt Cactus
see tutorial via Happy DIY

These little guys are so dang cute. I love the sign they added at the top – it just adds to the faux charm. This could be a fun project for bigger kids who like to sew, or even for younger ones who are just now entering the world of needle and thread.

Pictured at top: Paper Plants, see the tutorial via The House That Lars Built

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Win a Beautiful Quilt from Hanna Home

I love quilts for so many different reasons. Firstly, anything cozy gets quick points in my book. There’s also so much variety and personality you can see from one quilt to another. Lately, I’ve been obsessing over the quilts at Hanna Home. What’s not to love about something that’s beautiful, baby-proof, and made from super soft cotton? Plus, choosing is a lot easier when all the quilts are fully reversible. I wanted to share my list of favorite Hanna Home quilts and even give one away to a lucky winner! I would love to add an extra piece to my little maniac’s room and thought you might like to as well.

Just hop over to Hanna Home, do a little looking, then comment on this post with your favorite pick and you’re automatically entered!

Heart Aflutter Quilt 
For me, this adorable appliqued quilt takes the cake! The way that some of the hearts flutter is just lovely. Little details like that always make my heart flutter!

Rugby Stripe Quilt
Talk about a double hitter! Both the graphic and the striped sides of this quilt would look fantastic in my little guy’s room. Plus, there’s nothing not to love about a quilt that’s tough enough to withstand some active littles!

Port Town Quilt
This one covers all the best blanket bases: one side bursting with bright, bold colors and the other featuring a sleek, minimal design. If you look closely, there’s even a special surprise detail: the quilt stitches make little cloud shapes! Take me to Port Town, please!

Cloudy Day Quilt
The magic’s in the details on this sweet and simple starry quilt! Appliques, hand stitching, and embroidery all combine to make it a true work of art, while the combed cotton gives all those details a smooth, soft finish. The lighter, spring weight makes it perfect for all the rainy days that have kept us inside lately.

Maude Quilt 
Anyone who knows me knows that I love Swedish designs, like the print on this gorgeous European-inspired quilt. This particular piece is made of organic cotton: extra soft and cuddly. And it’s been tested for over 100 harmful substances, meaning it’s perfectly safe for baby.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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DIY Shaggy Dog Is The Easiest Pet Ever

Not a week goes by without my 8-year-old daughter bringing up the “can I PLEASE have a dog” conversation. She would be a wonderful dog-mother and would absolutely love to have a little guy to love on and take care of, but sadly our work/life balance just won’t allow for it right now. In the meantime, we’ll just have to make our own four-legged friend! Allow me to introduce the newest member of our family – DIY Pom Pom Puppy!

The best part about Pom Pom Pup is that you can dress him (or her) up however you please! We of course put ours in a cape, because everything is better in a cape, but you can really add anything to your little guy – buttons charms, ribbon leashes, even little handmade outfits! It requires very few materials and takes no time at all – Pom Pom Puppy is the easiest pet ever!

What You Need

• Soft fluffy wool yarn
• Pom pom makers (cardboard circles or store bought)
• Various sized store-bought pom poms (small/medium, available at craft stores)
• Felt (for ears and accessories)
• Scissors
• Quick-drying fabric glue

Step 1
First, make 2 large and 1 smaller pom pom using your yarn and pom pom makers. The two large pom poms will will be the “head” and “body” pieces, and the smaller one will eventually be the “snout.”

Step 2
Select one of these and wrap a long piece of yarn around a generous portion of the pom pom to tie it off (this tied-off tuft will eventually be the face).

Step 3
Hold the pom pom by the tuft you’ve just created and trim around the back of the pom pom to clean up the wool ends. Think of it as giving the puppy a haircut! But make sure to leave the wool long and fluffy around the tuft in your hand – or what will become the puppy’s “face.”

Step 4
Trim the two other pom poms into nice, neat spheres. Leave the string on the “body” pom pom long (white in image above), as you will need this to tie the head and body pom poms together later on.

Step 5
Time to assemble! Start with the “head” pom pom (the one from Step #2). Remove the yarn you used to create the face (mine was pink) and spread out the long hairs of the tuft to create a deep hole in the middle. Squeeze some fabric glue into the very center of the tuft, then take your smaller pom pom and press and hold it into place. This will be your snout.

Step 6
Next, glue on the mini store-bought pom poms (mine were black) for the eyes and nose. To do this, you will again separate a desired section of the pom pom, squeeze in a drop of glue, and hold the pom poms in place until the glue takes hold.

Step 7
Tie the “head” and “body” pom poms together. You can also use glue to make sure they stay in place.

Step 8
Ok, now your puppy needs some floppy ears! Grab your felt and cut out two ear-shaped pieces. Again, separate the yarn on the pom pom, squeeze in the glue, and hold the ears to set in place.

You can even add a little strip of felt and a button for a collar – or a cape for exciting Super Pup adventures! After all, even puppies like to dress up.

Woof woof! Congrats – your shaggy pup is ready for cuddling :)

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DIY Cardboard Unicorn Ring Holder

They’re real! Unicorns are real! And this DIY Unicorn Ring Holder is proof. Kids will have so much fun making a magical little friend to keep watch over their most prized possessions. It’s a great way to repurpose paper rolls and perfect for keeping all your favorite rings organized at the same time. Two birds with one stone! The craft itself is quick and easy and the final result will adorable sitting on top of a dresser or bedside table. Plus, you can use it for fun make-believe play when not using it for stacking rings.

What You Need

• Three paper rolls
• Colored construction paper
• Craft glue
• Hot glue gun
• Stickers
• Masking tape
• Yarn
• Sequins, buttons, stickers, and/or marker (for decoration)
• Scissors

How-To

Step 1
Wrap two paper rolls with colored paper of your choice. Glue the paper down with craft glue and cut off any excess. One of the wrapped rolls will be for the head and the other will be the neck. When you’ve decided which one you want to use for the neck, cut it at a slight angle, so that the head will sit at a slightly downward angle once attached.

Use your hot glue to attach the head to the top of the neck.

Step 2
Time to make the magical horn! Take your third paper roll and cut it down the center (as seen above). Roll it up into a cone shape, glue it together, and then cut off any excess. Wrap the cone using your decorative masking tape. You can also cover it with a different colored paper, or even paint it.

Attach the horn to the front top of the head using your hot glue gun.

Step 3
To make the ears, cut out two small triangles from some of your paper roll scraps. Paint the ears directly, or glue colored paper to them. Then hot glue the ears in place.

Now add two sequins for the eyes. Other options could include tiny buttons, stickers, or even drawing eyes on with a marker.

Step 4
Grab your yarn and cut pieces about 6 inches long, then tie the pieces together. This will be the hair for your unicorn. Use hot glue to attach the tied yarn to the back top of the unicorn’s head, leaving some fringe falling down on its face. (Unicorns can have bangs, too!)

Step 5
Complete your creation by adding stickers to the neck and covering the bottom edge of the head (the nose) with some fun patterned tape.

And that’s that! Stack up your favorite rings and start using your new unicorn ring holder. You can also put your unicorn on a pretty teacup plate to store other kinds of trinkets, brooches, and hair ties (as seen above). He’ll use his magical unicorn powers to keep your things safe and sound – and who knows, maybe he’ll even pass them along to you :)

Enjoy!

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Superhero Printables For Your Little Sidekicks

I love watching the way my kids play. It’s like they enter another world. I see them building cities and solving problems. They make messes. They break things. They will fight with each other every now and then, but I am most amazed at the way they come to their agreements and restore peace. They mend broken mugs and hurt feelings with a hug and some glue. They are brave, they are superheroes, and they never fail to save my day with a smile.

My two youngest – or the “littles” as they have come to be known – often seem to be an alliance of their own. They’re always sneaking off on their own adventures and scheming against their older siblings. Because of this I wanted create a world for my little dream team and to fully capture their alteregos. So I rounded up the gang, grabbed my camera, and broke out their favorite Avengers collection from Target! We put together a photoshoot with props and all and started snapping away as our little heroes set into action. They became bigger than life in each other’s eyes – it was so inspiring to watch!

Charlotte slipped on her Hulk Hands and immediately became a mean green fighting machine. Then Noah broke out his bionic buddies, Thor and Iron Man, and together they tossed lightening bolts, lifted buildings over their heads, and used their superhuman smarts to outwit the most formidable of foes… bedtime! I must say, as their mother, I was pretty impressed.

Seeing my little ones having so much fun always makes me want to join them in the worlds of their imaginations. I often find myself wondering how the things they learn through make-believe – flying around the world in minutes and saving the universe from evil – will play into their futures and will shape the people they someday grow up to be.

Whoever they become and whatever they decide do, I hope they never lose their ability to play. Whether kids or kids at heart, true superheroes know the importance of imagination, and to be honest, I think it might just be the key to saving the universe. Of course, a Captain America Star Launch Shield never hurts either :)

I’m thinking you also have heroes for kiddos, so we created a printable for your family to set up your very own photo shoot. Make sure to check out the new Avengers gear at Target! And don’t forget to share your super hero stories via #AvengersAtTarget – so everyone can see just how amazing your little superheroes are!

At the end of the day, they were only toys, but in the littles’ imaginations, they were something much much bigger, much mightier, and much more powerful. For a few hours, they were the rulers of their own tiny universes. Saving the world can be exhausting, and that night they were able to sleep soundly knowing that thanks to them, all was right in the world. But here’s the fun thing about toys: they can wake up and do it all over again tomorrow :)

Click here to download the Avenger’s Superhero Printable.

This post is sponsored by Target.

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