Archives for April 2020

10 Ways to Beautifully Express Your Creativity

April 18, 2020 by Eileen Leave a Comment

Here are 10 ways to beautifully express your creativity through DIY home and craft projects.

When we were kids, the whole day was play time. Making blanket forts, turning paper towel rolls into space ships, doodling with chalk creations on the driveway.

Everything was magical and exciting.

Somewhere along the path of growing up, we lose some of that magic in a sea of responsibilities.

It’s so important to remember that adults need time for play too. It looks a little different – you might not get as excited over blanket forts (but you might!). Just the same, we need time to relax, laugh, and create.

That can come in many different forms – maybe you love to paint, maybe you enjoy building with wood, maybe decorating your home is your passion, or maybe you’ve been dying to craft with your cricut.

There’s something truly magical in creating.

If you are looking to find your magic again – or even to just destress, check out these simple DIY projects. They’ll help express your creativity even in stressful times.

Create Wall Art with a Stencil

This is one of my favorite DIYs because it allowed to be creative, but I didn’t have to paint a piece from scratch.

I bought a world map stencil and grabbed some scrap wood from the garage. My creativity came into play as I blended one color to another color on each of the continents.

I felt like I was back in high school art class, just painting away until I was happy enough with my creation.

As a side note, it’s so hard to find wall art to go above couches (and get the right length), so making a custom piece worked wonderfully.

Here’s more details on how I painted this world map piece along with some other wall art ideas.

Using a world map stencil to create DIY wooden wall art canvases

Make a Homemade Gift Basket

I love making homemade gift baskets – they’re so fun to make, and they are a wonderful gift.

In times like these, everyone could use a little cheer, so why not whip up a few baskets and deliver to some of your favorite people!

You could make an ice cream sundae gift basket, a sunshine basket (where everything is yellow or bright/cheery), a pizza night basket, a cookie decorating basket – the sky is your limit.

There are some creative ideas in how to make a themed gift basket.

Make Easy Wooden Bookends

If woodworking is your thing, or if you can navigate a scroll saw, then you can create these!

I simply sketched a bunny and then cut it out of wood using the scroll saw.

Then, I painted the bunny, making very simple features. I actually wanted to make the bunny magnetic, so I could swap out different animals or designs, but that’s an idea for another day.

More details on how to make easy bookends.

Turn Anything into a Lamp

Did you know that you can turn anything into a lamp?

This cool lamp is made from an oversized model train, but you could use anything you’d like.

It’s a great upcycling project, and we all have to much laying around our home right now 🙂

Check out detailed instructions on how to make a DIY lamp.

Create String Art

String art is a super easy, but tedious, project. No prerequisite skills are required – and it’s very therapeutic.

Create something for yourself – or for one of your favorite people. I’m sure they’ll be tickled.

Learn how to make your own string art.

Upcycle Cardboard Boxes into Storage

Grab (and sanitize) those cardboard boxes and turn them into cute storage boxes with contact paper and little knobs.

Wrapping the boxes with contact paper takes a little time, but these storage boxes last for years and years.

Below are the boxes I made for my son’s nursery years ago, and they are still going strong!

Learn how to upcycle boxes into cute storage.

Create a No-Sew Embroidery Hoop

If you aren’t the best at sewing, no worries! You can make a gorgeous no-sew embroidery hoop, like this one.

I made these with random craft supplies that I had around the house. I just love how the nativity scene turned out.

You can order a set of embroidery hoops, and start creating.

Learn how to make a no-sew embroidery hoop.

Make a Creative Photo Book

This is one of my favorite gifts to give! You might think that there isn’t much creativity involved with making an online photo book, but there truly is.

We make photo books for other family members all the time, and we love to choose some kind of theme with funny, silly, or relevant sayings that accompany the pictures.

These photo books are so unique and such a hit, as they turn out amazing!

For example, for my sister’s birthday, we made a Seinfeld quote book – and paired pictures of her over the years with funny lines from Seinfeld.

See more ideas for making creative photo books.

Redo a Piece of Furniture

This is another one of my favorite ways to create.

Taking an old piece of furniture and giving it new life is such a great way to exercise your creativity and create something useful and beautiful.

Here is a nightstand that I redid with chalk paint.

Here is an older dresser that I freshened with milk paint and new handles. You won’t believe the before picture!

Go Fly a Kite

Rather than buy an already-made kite, why not make one yourself?!

My hubby made this box kite and explains exactly how you can make it too.

Making the kite yourself enables you to express your creativity, and then it becomes a fun family activity afterward.

See how to make your own box kite.

I hope that sharing these DIYs, at the very least, inspired you to create in some way or form that enables you to beautifully express creativity – and help you find your magic again.

20 Creative Things to Put in Easter Eggs

April 5, 2020 by Eileen Leave a Comment

There’s something so fun about finding Easter eggs.

Whether it’s the joy of the hunt or the excitement received from collecting so many eggs, or the little treasures inside, Easter egg hunts are always such a special part of childhood.

This year things look a little different, and that’s okay!

We just have to be a little more creative with our Easter egg fillers this year.

With April coming up, my plan is to do an Easter egg hunt each day with items from the below list – filling the eggs up with something different each time. I’ll save the best one for Easter morning.

If you’ve found yourself with a little extra time on your hands and a bunch of empty Easter eggs, here are some creative things to fill them with this year.

Jokes – Print off a list of jokes, cut them up, and place one in each egg.

Make this even more of an activity by having kids draw (or use stickers) smiley faces on their favorite jokes.

Or, involve adults too and do a vote for funniest joke.

Here’s a great list of Easter jokes.

Puzzle Pieces – Grab a puzzle (new or old), and put a puzzle piece in each egg.

Have the kids work together to do the puzzle.

If you don’t have a puzzle, no problem! Print a picture off the computer and cut it up.

Crafty Things – Have pom-poms? Foam shapes? Beads and string? Pipe cleaners?

Fill up the Easter eggs with these things and then have the kids make a craft with their findings.

Most creative craft wins!

Scavenger Hunt – Put clues for a scavenger hunt in each egg.

Be sure to number the eggs, so they are found in the right order!

Silly Drawings – Have everyone in the family make silly post-it drawings (stick figures, funny faces, etc).

Fold them up and put them in the eggs.

After the Easter egg hunt, have the family guess who draw each one.

Lego – Grab some legos and put a few pieces in each egg.

After everyone collects their eggs, have them build something with just the legos they got.

(Or, if you can get a new lego set, you can definitely use this!)

Wiki Stix – or even play dough or kinetic sand!

Wiki stix are a great way for kids to be creative. Just fold these up and place them in the eggs.

Use play dough or kinetic sand too – have the kids make a creation with what they find.

Balloons – Fill the eggs up with balloons, then blow them all up and have a balloon party!

Love Notes – Write sweet little notes to your kids or significant other.

Make them funny – “You’re looking egg-tra cute today!”

Finger Puppets – You can make these from felt – here’s a fun tutorial on making finger puppets.

Alphabet letters – If you have the magnetic ones, that’s great! If not, you can even draw or print letters and fill the eggs up.

Have everyone create words with their letters.

Longest word wins! Or maybe silliest word wins!

Use cookie trays for the kids to use for magnetic letters.

Words or Sayings – You can also put words in the Easter eggs and have the kids make sentences with the words.

You can use a catchphrase that they will know such as, “To infinity and beyond!” or “Do you want to build a snowman?”

Color code the sayings, so the kids know which ones go together. Make it fun and let the kids trade words to make their sayings.

Stickers – Kids love stickers!

This is an easy one – just grab a sheet of stickers and cut them up!

Pinecones, flowers, or rocks – Use mini pinecones, acorns, flowers, and little rocks (be sure they aren’t too small for little ones).

Then do a craft with them!

Make a little wreath or pinecone animals.

Silly Actions – Think of a Simon Says game, and write down silly actions for the kids to do.

Give someone bunny ears.

Take five hops forward.

Floss like a bunny would, etc. This can be fun for all ages!

Tiny Toys – Have fake bugs? Polly pockets? Tiny erasers? Tiny cars?

Think about tiny toys or other things you have that could be reused for an egg hunt!

Uplifting quotes or Bible verses – Just print these out, fold them up, and place into the Easter eggs.

Money – be sure to clean this off, if you go this route

Poems or Song Lyrics – Cut up a poem or song lyrics and put each line in an Easter egg.

Then, have kids (or adults) put the lines in order.

Nothing! – If your kids are little, they just love finding the eggs! You don’t even need to put anything in them 🙂

More Easter Egg Filler Ideas

Search your house for other items!

Maybe you have cute bandaids?

Or glow in the dark stars? Foam stickers?

Maybe you want to draw silly faces on the eggs! Or place stickers (or write letters on the eggs and have kids match them up).

Whatever you find, the kids will love. You just have to get a little creative.

Don’t have Easter Eggs?

Don’t have Easter eggs? Grab pinecones and paint them!

Little kids will love it!

15 Creative Boredom Busters for Kids

April 1, 2020 by Eileen Leave a Comment

Lately, we have been getting a little more creative with activities for our kids.

I haven’t been breaking the bank – nor have I gone all out with planning or crafting.

Actually, I’ve learned quite the opposite.

The simplest activities have provided so much enjoyment for the whole family.

If you are in need of some fresh ideas, here are 20 creative and easy boredom busters for your whole family.

Simple, Fun Boredom Busters

The ideas below are easy and will provide tons of entertainment for kids.

Grab a few blankets, push some couches together and create the coolest blanket fort. Take it a step further and decorate it.

My kids just made one and taped their pictures to the “walls” and brought their toy flashlights and lanterns. This can provide days of entertainment!

Grab (and sanitize) a box or a piece of cardboard and draw/color/paint a truck or something else your kids love.

Have them help (or surprise them with it).

To see how we made this one, check out how to make a truck cardboard cut-out.

Throw a random “day!” My kids had such an amazing time on Easter because we filled it with little simple surprises – like decorating the table and playing silly games.

It gave me the idea that you can create any kind of day and “celebrate.”

Examples include Monster Day, Puzzle Day (see these fun puzzle party ideas), Beach Day (you’ll need a sandbox), Superhero Day, Princess Day, Forest Animal Day.

Decorate the table, plan some fun activities, dress up, and be as creative as you want. Kids will absolutely LOVE this!

Create fun suncatchers out of tissue paper. You just need a few supplies, and this is any easy way for kids to decorate your windows or door.

See how to make suncatchers out of tissue paper.

Make some cool cards. No matter how little (or big) your kids are, making cards is a wonderful way to be creative and to spread joy.

If you have a toddler, I love this card-making idea for toddlers. Here are a few card-making ideas for elementary-aged kids too.

Deliver your cards to neighbors or mail them to some of your favorite people. I’m sure they would appreciate some cheer.

Design a scavenger hunt around the house or yard. This is a fun one, and you can be as creative as you like.

If you don’t have a cool prize for the end, baked goods are always a fun prize.

Check out these tips on making a scavenger hunt.

Continue the Easter egg hunts. Even though Easter has passed, you don’t need to put the Easter eggs away.

Younger kids love finding eggs at any time of the year. You could even have older kids hide or fill the eggs for the younger ones.

Here are 20 creative things to put in Easter eggs.

Throw a balloon party. Blow up a few balloons and throw a balloon party. It’s great exercise and helps with balance and motor skills – in addition to being really fun for kids.

If you have little kids, setting a timer might be a good idea. Once the timer goes off, put the balloons away for another balloon party another day.

Make some silly props and set up a DIY photo booth! This could go along with the create a random “day” or you could just make your own silly photo booth.

If your kids love princesses, print out some princess props and glue them to popsicle sticks.

If you don’t want to make your own props, use silly hats or sunglasses – or dress up clothes. You can also buy sets of silly props too.

Check out this article on how to make your own DIY photo booth.

Make a DIY hopscotch mat. Outdoor activities are so wonderful right now, and a fun hopscotch mat like this one is fun to make and play with.

See more details on how to make this DIY hopscotch mat.

Create art for your kids’ rooms. This can be a fun activity for you and the kids. This can be something simple like painting on paper or a canvas – or you can get even more creative.

I love these DIY painted canvases. They are so simple to make.

Create a dollhouse out of a (sanitized) box or make dollhouse furniture out of random things around the house. Examples include tea boxes, cardboard, paper towel rolls, plastic containers or anything else you have.

Make your own puzzle. You can be as creative with this own as you like. You can buy the blank white puzzles and give everyone in the family one to paint or draw on.

You could make a puzzle out of wood with a scroll saw. Or, if you can simple print a picture, glue it to cardboard, and cut it out. The kids can make them for each other.

Create an indoor race track with masking or painter’s tape as the roads.

You can tape these directly to the carpet or floor for a fun activity.

Make your own kite. Instead of just flying a kite on a windy day, why not make your own?!

There’s tons of tutorial out there. If you want to make a pretty cool one, check out this box kite tutorial.

Make your own themed basket. Put together a basket with a theme, such as a cookie decorating basket or a pizza night basket or a “just add ice cream” basket.

Make another and drop it off to your favorite friend or neighbor.

Hopefully, you can incorporate some of these fun activities for you kids! There’s definitely all kinds of ideas that provide hours of entertainment and fun for families.