KIDS

Emma’s Flower Garden Birthday Party (& Devilled Egg recipe)

Emma’s birthday always sneaks up on me. It’s usually around the same time as Easter so all the chocolate bunny hoopla tends to be quite a distraction. I always have the best intentions for organizing a proper party and actually inviting her little friends, but alas, between school holidays and the Easter break, it never happened.
Luckily for Emma, her aunts, cousins, and grandparents kept calling me to find out ‘what time they should come over for the party?’, so like it or not, I had to throw a party!

So what does a time poor mum do when she needs a little birthday party theme inspiration? Get out the old Women’s Weekly Birthday cake book and hit Pinterest of course!
Continue reading →

How To: Patchwork Duvet Cover

I finally found time to make a patchwork duvet cover for Emma’s new big girl bed after making the fitted sheets. Originally it was going to be plain on both sides made from vintage sheets, but I started poking about in my fabric stash and thought it may be fun to patchwork a top together. After working out my measurements (not brilliantly as I will explain later), I had a ton of fun picking my fabrics and arranging the pattern. If you’ve always wanted to try patchwork, this triangle/chevron design is super simple and can be made to look really different depending on how the blocks are arranged. Feel free to play around.
I’ve included the pattern and measurements to make your own, but be aware it is based on Australian standard single duvet size, which is different to US and European sizes. You could adjust measurements or use this design to make a quilt instead. I’ve included some handy links for this option.
I’ve used metric measurements in cm throughout as our duvets are made to metric sizes.
To make a single bed duvet cover (Australian Standard size) 140x210cm read on…
Continue reading →

Making Peg Dolls – A book review

Today I’ll be reviewing a book generously sent to me by Margaret Bloom, the author of Making Peg Dolls* and blogger at We Bloom Here. Both Margaret’s book and blog have a basis in the Waldorf/Steiner philosophy. Although we are not a ‘Steiner’ household, I do try to embrace some aspects here at home, especially when it comes to handmade toys and play. When Margaret suggested her book to me, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to spend some making time with Emma. Emma can be a little distracted at the best of times, so I was pleasantly surprised at how engaged she was when we made these little dolls.
Continue reading →

Kids Craft: Decoupage Easter Egg

Easter falls quite early this year so it’s time to get the kids involved with some fun Easter themed crafting. This project was inspired by some pretty patterned tissue paper that came wrapped around a clothing purchase a while ago, it reminded me of the lovely designs on Ukrainian Pysanka Eggs. Pysanka eggs require an insane amount of skill to make, so these decoupaged eggs are a fun kid friendly alternative that look super pretty en masse as an Easter Decoration. Don’t be fooled into thinking this project will only appeal to kids, I had just as much fun making them too, in fact, I only stopped because I ran out of bases! All the materials required are very inexpensive, you may even have some laying about already…
Continue reading →

Upcycle Style: Monster Tote Bag from an Old Cushion Cover

There is nothing I find more satisfying than reusing something unwanted to create something practical. This Monster Tote bag is made from an unwanted cushion cover that has seen better days. The fabric was still good but the design a bit tired, so rather than throwing it away, I put is aside for the right project to come along. I’m not one to craft or make just for that sake of it, and am more inspired to create an object if there is a need. I’ve been feeling a little uninspired to craft lately because we just don’t need much stuff at the moment, so when one of the mums at school was a little concerned that she’d forgotten to get a book bag for Library day, I came to the rescue and told her I’d make one. The truth is, she came to my rescue, because I was needing a project to get motivated to sew again.
This bag is super easy to make even for a beginner, I’ve photographed every step and even created a template for the monster face. If you aren’t into monsters, you can still use the basic steps to make a tote bag from a thrifted cushion cover you like the design of.
Continue reading →

How To: Be My Valentine…Heart Kite

DIY craft heart kite valentine
As Valentine’s Day approaches one can almost feel that ‘Love is in the air’, so inspired by that whimsical phrase I decided to make a heart shaped kite. I’m not really into the whole commercial nature of Valentine’s day, but I think it’s a nice gesture to give someone you care about a small token to show your affection. It can be a simple as a note or a card, but if you have more time, this pretty heart kite would make a special gift. Add a note “You have my heart on a string” to make it really romantic. Take the family out for an dinner picnic and some kite flying for a memorable evening. This kite is not only fun to make and fly, but makes a gorgeous photo prop or wall hanging as well. Continue reading →

Hey Mickey!

Being a blogger is the best job I’ve ever had, sure it doesn’t pay that well but sometimes you get a chance to do something pretty fun. I was offered a family pass to see Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Rockin’ Road Show, and the opportunity to meet the most famous mouse in the world. I’m not normally star struck by celebrities, but I must admit, I’ve wanted to meet Mickey Mouse since I was Emma’s age, so I really was very excited. Oh yeah, the kids were pretty excited too. Continue reading →

Free Printable – Floral Bookplates

Bookplates are a beautiful way to personalize a gift, ensure a loaned book is eventually returned or in our case, update the ownership of a collection of thrifted books. It’s not uncommon to find the previous owners names written in children’s books, so Emma really loved the idea of sticking some pretty labels with her name over the old inscriptions. I’ve created a set of four retro inspired floral bookplates. The printable PDF is free for personal use, so feel free to print as many as you need.
Continue reading →

Page 1 of 212 »