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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DIY Balloon Temporary Tattoos

One of my favorite things about warmer weather is putting my little ones in little tank tops! And one of my favorite things about kids wearing tank tops is covering their arms in temporary tattoos. These balloon tattoos lots of fun and the kids will absolutely love rocking them around town. You can even use them as party favors at your kiddo’s next birthday party!

To make your own, just download the PDF here and print them off onto temporary tattoo paper, then follow the instructions given with your specific paper. Generally, all you have to do is print, apply the adhesive, trim, and stick them on with a damp cloth. It’s so simple – and so gosh dang cute!

Now roll up those sleeves and enjoy :)

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You’re Invited To An Afternoon Of Painting

Let’s paint a picture: You’ve just come home from a Sunday morning at the farmer’s market, where you picked up the most beautiful bouquet of flowers you’d ever seen. You’re now sitting down amongst a pile of your favorite books for an afternoon of knitting and hot tea. How inviting does that sound? How inviting does it look? In my opinion, what really makes the scene pop is the beautiful vintage dresser painted with a lovely shade of agave blue. I was recently fortunate enough to spend an afternoon inside this decorated dreamland and experience the magic for myself. In fact, I got to play a part in creating it!

When thinking about who I wanted to be my crafting partner in testing out Waverly’s new line of Inspirations Chalk Paint, I knew just who to call! Meet my friend Barb Blair. She’s a furniture designer, author, shop owner, and all around super hero based out of Greenville, South Carolina. She’s one of my favorite people in the world and I was overjoyed to get to spend an entire afternoon of crafting and belly laughter with her.

We kicked the day off by refinishing this vintage dresser with a beautiful shade of Agave blue. I still can’t believe we only used a single jar of Waverly Chalk Paint for the entire dresser! I’m telling you – that little bottle of magic is an amazing investment. The coverage can’t be beat and the finish is smooth and seamless.

It’s impossible to do a DIY project with a friend and not find an opportunity to cut up a little!

After painting the dresser, we did a bit of distressing to create a more natural look. We then added a good coat of wax + new hardware to seal the deal. Jump over to Plaid Palette to find the step-by-step tutorial. It’s so simple and the results are mind-boggling!

Once the outside was looking snazzy, we moved on to the inside. I love a lined drawer! It’s an unexpected touch that livens up the entire piece from the inside out. This whimsical botanical Waverly fabric was too lovely to pass up. What a wonderful surprise for anybody who opens it!

As the day went on, more and more people dropped by the studio. Designers, painters, photographers, creatives of all sorts – talk about a party! A floral designer even came out to do some amazing arrangements for the shoot. Check out those bress bunny drawer pulls! Swoon!

When the makeover was complete, we got busy setting the perfect stage for this amazing project. Everybody had a hand in adding their own personal touch!

After all was said and done, we of course had to take a group shot! The day started with a project and ended with a party. That’s the best kind of day, if you ask me.

Catch the full tutorial here.

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Make Your Own Fruit and Herb Infused Ice Cubes

Creating edible crafts with kids doesn’t have to be complicated! Everyone will have a blast making these simple fruit and herb ice cubes – not to mention enjoying them in all kinds of refreshing summer sips. Fresh fruit ice cubes lend color and sweetness to everything from seltzer to homemade soda, while herbed ice cubes can add a hint of the savory to lemonade and iced tea. Mix and match fruit, herbs, and flowers for especially eye-catching drinks!

I used berries and herbs, but don’t be afraid to experiment! Citrus slices, melon, strawberries, or fresh flowers – they would all be lovely.

What You Need

• Fresh fruit, such as berries, citrus slices, or chopped tropical fruits
• Fresh herb sprigs, such as mint, thyme, tarragon, lavender, or rosemary
• Edible flowers, such as nasturtiums, violets, marigolds, chamomile, or lavender
• Filtered water
• Ice cubes trays

How-To

Step 1
Cut or trim fruit, herbs, or flowers so that they’ll fit in your ice cube tray. Arrange in the tray and fill with filtered water.

Step 2
Freeze for 6 hours or longer, then add to your favorite summer drinks.

What I love about this project is that it only takes seconds to make, meaning you can have fruit and herb cubes filling your freezer all summer long. It’s as quick and easy as filling up your ice tray!

They would be great served at an afternoon brunch, backyard evening soiree, or even just cooling the kiddos down after a day of fun in the sun. If you want to carry these on into the fall, just switch out the ingredients to match what’s in season for that time of year. I think the reds and blues of the berries that I used would be perfect a July 4th picnic!

Enjoy :)

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Back to College with the Ultimate Packing List

There’s something about this time of year that’s just a little bittersweet. Although my youngsters aren’t quite there yet, I have several friends who are about to send off kiddos to college and who are using this summer to get in as much family time as possible. It of course seems like there’s plenty of time to pack, but trust me, August will be here in the blink of an eye and knowing what grads will need in the fall now will help everything go more smoothly then.

The first step to a stress free summer is to make that packing list. You can use ours for a head start! Then, start stocking up! Target is introducing a College Registry! (you can create one here). It works just like a Wedding or Baby registry, but is 100% designed to help your grad prep for the big move! Imagine how much fun they will have running up and down the aisles, scanning all their “must-haves” onto their registries. And now take a big sigh of relief knowing that (like all Target registries) you can go online and nix all the, ahem, not-so-essential “must-haves.”

My mom’s #1 piece of advice when moving into any new place is always to set up and make your bed first thing. That way, no matter how far along you get or don’t get in the unpacking process, you at least have a place to rest your head at the end of the day. Target knows that mother knows best and has all your bedding needs covered. Most importantly, they carry that tough-to-find size “Twin Extra Long,” and have it in super cute patterns like Xhilaration Tribal Stripe Comforter Set!

• Mattress Cover
• Duvet and duvet cover or comforter set
• Twin XL sheet set
• Pillowcases
• Pillows
• Throw blanket

College eating habits are always a tricky subject. And even though most new grads have a dining hall at their disposal, ensuring they can whip up some healthy after-hours study snacks is a great idea. Knowing that they’ll constantly be on the go, it’s important to set them up with snacks that can travel. We love this Magic Bullet Blender for making healthy fruit smoothies, and a minifridge to keep those frozen fruits frosty! Also, coffee is crucial for late night study sessions. Keep it quick and easy with a Keurig K10 Mini.

• Blender
• Can opener
• Coffee maker
• Mugs
• Dish towels
• One set of dishes (bowls, plates, cups)
• Silverware
• Dishwashing soap
• Disinfecting wipes
• Microwave
• Mini fridge
• Trash bags
• Water filter pitcher

Technology can make or break a study session. Everyone knows the importance of a good “focusing” playlist and let’s face it, the “quiet” section library is not always very quiet. That’s why a good pair of headphones are the best study buddies you can have. We love these from Panasonic! And with as much as your undergrad will be using that iPhone (to call home of course!), having a Mophie Powerstation Mini iPhone Battery Charger tucked away for emergencies is a brilliant idea.

• Laptop
• Headphones like these little guys: Panasonic ErgoFit Plus
• iPod/MP3 player
• Batteries
• Camera
• Chargers (phone, laptop, camera, etc.)
• Portable phone charger like this one: Mophie Powerstation Mini iPhone Battery Charger
• Ethernet cable
• Extension cords
• External hard drive
• Flash drives
• Surge protectors

Yes, the big move can be difficult. But Target’s new College Registry makes it quicker, easier, and a whole lot more fun for everyone. Bring it on, brave new world!

Get their dorm room ready. Create a registry at Target for your college-bound grad.

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DIY Flower Cards for Mother’s Day

What says “you’re special to me” quite like a beautiful bouquet of flowers? How about a homemade bouquet! Mother’s Day is less than a week away and DIY Flower Cards are the perfect way to celebrate mom and to show her just how much she means to you. Handwritten cards are always a wonderful gesture and writing them on pretty paper flowers make them that much more meaningful. The tutorial is simple and the sentiment is sweet. Plus, these flowers stay fresh and hold their color all year ’round.

Follow along and learn how to make your very own bouquet of flower cards for Mother’s Day!

What You Need

• 1 presentation board (11″x 14″ – you could also use thick paper)
• Craft knife
• Pencil
• Paint brushes
• Your favorite colored paints

How-To

Step 1
Grab your presentation board (or paper) and use your pencil to draw three large flowers. Nothing in nature is perfect, so don’t fret about too precise. The final bouquet will also have more character if the flowers look unique from each other, so mix it up with several different kinds of blooms!

Once drawn, cut your flowers out with scissors.

Step 2
Now it’s time paint! Give life to your flowers with your (or your mom’s!) favorite colors. Again, petals aren’t perfect, so use that to your creative advantage. Once your flowers look how you want them to, sit them aside and let dry.

Step 3
Once completely dry, flip your flower over so that the blank side is facing you and write a special note to your mom.

And that’s that! I made these with Mother’s Day in mind, but honestly they would be a lovely gift for any occasion, any time of year. Just tweak the colors and the varieties of flowers according to the season or holiday.

Happiest of Mother’s Days everyone!

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