GoodyBlog

May Flowers

   

If you haven't yet discovered Kids Craft Weekly, then it's time. Amber Carvan, Australian mom of 2, offers up really accessible, adorable, and kid-friendly craft ideas. You can sign up for her themed newsletters that will give you fantastic ideas for rainy day crafts, birthday party crafts, and  educational crafts.

The most recent edition is about flowers—you can get complete instructions for these precious blooms and step by step photo-illustrations on her site. Kids Craft Weekly is the perfect remedy for the "I'm bored" weekend mantra!

Better than an Apple for the Teacher

As you are preparing for Mother's Day, you should also keep in mind that the week prior is Teacher Appreciation Week. I'm of the belief that we should celebrate teachers everyday (and Moms too for that matter), but I guess it can't hurt to have an annual reminder.

 

   

Skip to My Lou posted this ab fab gift idea that just sends me—use a cheap-o drugstore pill box and fill it with a weeks-worth of punny notes and gifts for the teacher. (I know what you're thinking—that in addition, a few muscle-relaxers would make a teacher feel really appreciated.) She has come up with an adorable list of teacher appreciation sayings that you can download straight from her site, along with some how-to's for the little filler gifts. Then you wrap it up in a cute little package, and it's a full 7 days of appreciation. (The cute poem tag is download-able too.)

2-4-6-8...who do we appreciate? (Sorry, I just couldn't resist.)

Cupcakes to DIY for!

Parents food stylist Karen Tack just released a "faaabulous" how-to book called Hello, Cupcake! Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make. GoodyBloggers GoodyVloggers Taryn, Amanda K., and I crashed the recent launch party with a camera to check out the book, chat with her about the art of dessert, and learn how to make some of the cutest cupcakes ever–well, everyone's except mine...thanks again, guys.

   

M.Y.O.S (Make Your Own Stamp)

If you are really into scrapbooking and crafting, you'll know that rubber stamps can cost a ton of cash if you are of the type that needs variety. Here are a few super-easy techniques to M.Y.O.S (yes, I have officially coined this term).

Got a collection of great cookie cutters? Sew-Mad came up with this great way to make stamps from a cookie cutter, craft foam, and a piece of scrap wood. Check out her site for the great tutorial (and look at the precious craft she created with this bunny stamp). Thanks to Whip Up for the link.

Kids Craft Weekly uses this classic technique with sponges to make a stamp. I love how she glues the sponge to a jar (yes, we'll all about reusing) as the "handle".

CraftChi went for the all- in-one and carved a shape from a wine cork (parents, this one is strictly for you). I love the simplicity of the designs.

Are you a stamp-master that thinks beyond the potato? We'd love to hear your cool ways to M.Y.O.S.

Happy Birthday!

Ahhhhh, birthday parties! (Do you hear a sigh of joy or perhaps a frazzled, pull-your- hair-out scream?) These events welcome both the joys and the anxieties of being a parent. But don't fret; we're here to help.

Check out the May issue of Parents that hit the news stands yesterday for 87 new birthday party ideas (yes, we actually counted). We give you everything from party themes to party planning do's and don't's to the coolest cake pans you'll ever see, so you won't be left twirling in circles, begging Calgon to take you away. And of course we would never leave you without the ever-important time line that will help keep your candles and cupcakes in a row.

Now you can breathe a sigh of relief. Party planning just got a little easier.

Cut and Paste: Adorable Art Collages

    

    

One of my favorite blogs, Bloesom Kids posted about these sweet collages by Lorena Siminovich at PetitCollage. They are created in a limited edition of 50, yet no two are ever alike.  She uses found, recycled and vintage papers in her work--you may find Japanese architectural drawings from the fifties next to a sliver of a school map from Costa Rica.

Yes, they are a bit pricey at $140 a pop, but if you enter promo code "springspring" at the checkout, you will receive $20 off. (According to Bloesom Kids, this expires on April 18th, so act fast!) And if you don't want to shell out the dough, perhaps they will inspire a little craft project of your own.

Happy 50th Birthday 64 Box!

In the 50 years since the Crayola 64 Box was first introduced in 1958, 200 million 64 boxes have been sold. Fun Fact: The 12.8 billion crayons inside would circle the earth 24 times! To commemorate this milestone, Crayola decided to revamp the classic so that it better reflects the color preferences of kids today. Eight new "Kids' Choice Colors" for 2008 were chosen by kids across the country in an online survey and will be sold in the limited edition 50th Birthday box. Check out the cool new colors and their meaning:

famous American Idol and shows like it inspired this hue, as kids believe they can become celebrities just like everyday people who become stars
bear hug a hue of harmony, as kids want their homes to feel warm and loving just like a great big bear hug
super happy kids don't want to worry, they just want to be happy - "super happy" - as their color says and they wish the same for others too
best friends this shade of purple reveals who kids' real BFFs are - their parents - and spending time with them is what they enjoy most
fun in the sun riding bikes, playing soccer, skateboarding, and gymnastics - kids said this color means exercise and keeping fit are important... and fun!
giving tree it's a colorful truth that kids are thinking green too and want to play a part in protecting the Earth
awesome means kids think school is cool and getting good grades feels awesome
happy ever after kids want to make a difference and create Cinderella moments for others, so everyone's story has a happy ending

What do you think of these Kid's Choice Colors? Do you have a favorite classic Crayola color? Final Fun Fact: Americans love blue! Out of all of Crayola's 120 shades, blue is the #1 ranked color. (Cerulean, midnight blue, periwinkle, aquamarine, denim and cornflower all made the top 10.)

Calling All Crafty Mamas...

Here's your chance to impress us with your outstanding crafting abilities! We are looking for the best, coolest, and most clever homemade birth announcements by you, our oh-so talented, crafty readers. We're seeking submissions of any sort, from photo cards to personalized water bottles to handmade chocolates (hint hint). Our ten faves will not only be published in the magazine, but they will also win $100.

So here's the deal—either scan or photograph the announcement and email it to us or snail mail your entry to Parents Magazine, attn: Amanda Kingloff, 375 Lexington Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10017). Please be sure to include contact info (email, phone, and address) in addition to a sentence or two about what inspired your creation. Our picks will be published in an upcoming issue, TBD.

Photo via.

Toy Storage Brilliance

As a kid, I had the coolest Lego storage bag ever. When it was open, it was a round piece of denim with cord weaving in and out of grommets along the edge, thus making a drawstring around the circumference (can you picture that?). The Legos would go to the center of the mat, and I'd pull the drawstring and hang the satchel on its proper hook. I never understood why this system went out of style because it's quite brilliant. (If this still exists, please let me know!)

 

When I landed on this project by Soozs, I had a total flashback. Only she's kicked it up a notch. She wanted a place to keep her daughter's barnyard toys, so she created a bag turned play-mat turned backdrop for the animals. Not only does it solve the storage issue, but it also provides an imaginative play world. I heart it! (Check out this talented Aussie's book called Making Stuff for Kids. It looks like a must-have!)

Thanks to Write, Mama, Write for the link!   

How-To Gurus

I admit it--I am a "how-to" junkie.  I can't get enough of this D.I.Y. craze sweeping the nation.  So you can imagine how totally thrilled I was to come across Howcast.com, a website that will show me how to basically do anything. The site is broken down into categories, from Kids to Personal Care & Style to Mind & Body. 

Some of my personal faves are How To Pretend You're a Real New Yorker, How to Make Your Girlfriend's Parents Like You, and How to Get Into a Nightclub (the materials needed: appropriate clothing, good shoes, money to burn and optional: an expensive car).  But in all seriousness, the kids section is super-fun, with videos on crafts, games, and even essential how-to's like changing a diaper. 

I love the cute "You Will Need" graphics--they include grown-up as a material needed.  Listed right under scissors.  How perfect.