Fun Friday Finds

I know, it's been forever since I've posted any Fun Friday Finds!  But, now that we're settled into our new home (which we plan to purchase as soon as our other home sells), and I finally have my laptop all set up where the kids play, I can get back to blogging more regularly!!  So, here are a few fun things to end your week...

DIY Window Clings
"Smashed Peas & Carrots" is always FULL of fantastic ideas.  This looks like such a fund and simple idea to make window clings for Valentine's day.  I know Valentine's is over, but you could so easily do this for any holiday.  We may have to try this for Easter!

Flower Building Toy
"Made by Joel" is another major favorite of mine on my blog reading list.  This is just such an adorable idea I had to re-post it!

Bright Times Votives by Studio Tord Boontje 
I just came across these really cool looking votive holders in a Real Simple magazine.  They remind me of the intricate work of 3D paper artists that I love to admire, but are made from metal.  I can only imagine what cool patterns the shadows cast on the wall when there is a lit candle inside!

ID Mommy Project: DIY Recycled Magazine & Cereal Box Flash Cards!

School is coming soon!  Here's a fun and educational recycling project to make with your kids...flash cards!  This idea came to me last time Sammy and I were making a recycled magazine collage.

Supplies: Old magazines, Cardboard (cereal boxes, used cardboard envelopes, etc), scissors, glue
Optional but nice to have: Rounded-corner scissors, cutting baord

Step 1: Cut up your cardboard into cards.  I made mine 3.5" x 5", from a used cardboard shipping envelope.

If you have some corner rounding scissors, they add a nice touch...

Step 2: Flip through magazines and cut out letters and pictures of objects. Make it an extra challenge for your kids by telling them to find objects that start with a certain letter.  Or, ask them what letter each object starts with.

Can't find a letter?  Find a cool pattern in an image and cut the shape of a letter out of it!

Step 3: Glue the letters to one side of the card, and objects that begin with those letters on the other side.

Big H!  Little h!  What begins with "H?"

A Hand and a Hot Dog!  Hooray!  Hooray! (bonus points for guessing which Dr. Seuss book I'm thinking of!)

This can easily be an ongoing project, that you add to while making your other collages too.  You can even glue actual objects to them too, if they are flat, such as a paperclip for "P!"  Have fun with it!

Fun Friday Finds

In honor of all the cardboard projects I've been posting lately, I have for you....two cardboard "fun Friday Finds!"  Have a wonderful weekend!

Check out this cute cardboard castle that your kids can decorate.  You can purchase it and other corrugated play houses at Joe's Toy Box Shop for just $20! (via Cool Mom Picks)

Here's another fun way to use cereal boxes...make a marble run! (via Inhabitots)

ID Mommy Projects: Recycle Happy Meal Boxes into Toy Houses!

I must have paper crafts on the brain, because last week when I treated Sammy to a McDonald's Happy Meal for lunch, my warped mind saw a little toy house.  It wasn't long before I had created a pattern to color, cut, and glue on to his Happy Meal box to turn it into a little cardboard house.

Luckily for all of you, I've just uploaded the pdf patterns for you to download for free, at my design site!  Like the road construction playset, I have it available in black and white (for your little Picasso to color), or already in color if you just want to get straight to playing house.

Here's how we did it...

Supplies: Happy Meal box, scissors, glue, scrap cardboard, printed pattern
Optional and very nice to have: X-acto knife

Step 1: Print out all 4 pages of the pdf and cut them out.  I did the already colored one here...if you do the black and white version, let your kids color it in before cutting it out.  On the front and back pieces, fold the side flaps back, as they will wrap around the corners of the house.  It also makes the whole thing bend easier if you fold along the dotted lines once to make a crease before sticking it to the box.

Step 2: Apply glue to the back of the pieces.

Step 3: Glue the front and back pieces on, making sure those white side flaps fold around the corners and stick to the sides.

Step 4: Glue the left and right sides on.

Step 5: Let the glue dry. (or the pages will easily tear when you do this step) Flatten the box, slip a piece of scrap cardboard inside to protect from cutting through to the other side...

...and cut out the windows and around the three sides of the door.  This is where an X-acto knife comes in handy.  Scissors are tougher to use here but they work too.

...and, you're done!  

This is a great little toy to take on-the-go, being that it has built in handles.  It also folds flat for storage, which is a big plus for us grown-ups.  Sammy calls it his "cheeseburger house!"

This also would make a great project to bring with on that road trip to the cabin or Grandma's house.  Just print out the pdf and bring it with you. The kids can color it in the car, and when you have to stop for a drive-through meal during the trip, keep your box for a fun project ready to assemble upon your arrival!

Weekend Snapshots

We had some great fun over the weekend and thought I'd share a couple personal snapshots...

Friday there was a penny carnival at a park in Golden Valley, which is north of us.  All the kids' games and activities cost between 1 and 5 cents.  It's a fun, cheap family activity and a great way to help your kids learn to count and spend money! 

Toby was too little to do much, but I love this shot of him in the stroller... his face is lighting up because Daddy just came into view...a guy we haven't seen a lot of these past couple weeks with all his travel.  What a treat to spend a whole Friday with Daddy!

Fireman Sam checkin' himself out in the shiny truck (with "Puppy" in hand of course!):

I usually try to find some super cheap or free thing we can do on the weekends.  Well, since we've done a lot for a little all summer, we decided to splurge on "a day out with Thomas" on Saturday.  It's not every day Thomas comes rolling through your state!

What a dream come true for a little boy who loves all things trains, to ride on THE Thomas.  I love this view of him sitting in the train car...tired, hot, overwhelmed by the excitement, and trying to take it all in:

Hope you had a great weekend as well!  :-)

Fun Friday Finds

Just a few cool things to share with you today!  While I try to share things that you would be interested, I have to admit I use my blog just as much as my own list to record and keep track of all the projects I'd like to try, toys I'd like to get, products I'd like to review, and websites I'd like to explore more!  Today's post is no exception...

Check out this creative twist on block puzzles.  Designed by a Swiss toymaker, Naef, "Colorem" allows your kids to draw their own puzzle images with chalk.  Your kids can decorate all sides for 6 different puzzles, then simply wipe them clean with a wet cloth and start all over!  This seems like something that would be fun to make too, with some wood blocks and chalk board paint. They come with some chalk crayons, which I'm assuming stick better than your standard chalk...otherwise it would likely be a huge mess.  Looks like a blast!! (via Inhabitots)

Here's a fun way to use some of those little toys you have all over the house.  A whole lot better than stepping on them in the middle of the night...use them to light your path instead! Designed by Ryan McElhinney. (via LikeCool)

These shadow boxes by Peter Slight are so awesome.  When I was little I made one of these but it was a carnival scene with a merry-go-round and ferris wheel.  I still have it hanging on my wall.  I love the illustrations of these! Okay, more things for my creative to-do list... (via Drawn!)

ID Mommy Project: DIY Recycled Cereal Box Puzzle

Here's another project I just came up with last weekend to turn your old cereal boxes into puzzles!

Supplies: Cereal box, glue, scissors, & my puzzle template

Step 1: Flatten your cereal box.  This one came apart at the seams, but if yours doesn't, just open both ends and cut down one edge.

Step 2: Cut your puzzle image off from the rest of the box, whether you decide to do the front or back of the box.  I decided to use the back on this one, because it had more interesting little images, and games on the back!  Set aside the rest of the box to use in step 6.

Step 3: Flip over the puzzle image cardboard, apply glue to the back of the puzzle template, and glue it down to the back of the cereal box.

Step 4: Trim around the edges of the puzzle template.

Step 5: Cut around the rectangular frame of the puzzle template.  Keep this piece...it'll be the frame for your puzzle!

Step 6: Glue your rectangular frame piece down to the back of the other cardboard scrap you set aside in step 2.

Step 7: Trim around the frame.  Now you have a cardboard backer to lay the pieces on, and a frame to keep them together.

Step 8: Here's where I cut out the puzzle pieces.  However, you can add a whole new element to this project and let your child draw their own puzzle image on the white template side BEFORE you cut them out...then they'll have two puzzles in one! Duh, I wish I had thought of that two seconds before taking this photo below. Well, next time....

I found it easiest to cut one whole horizontal or vertical strip of pieces, then cut each piece apart.  If your child is old enough, this is a good exercise in scissor control!

I remember when I was little, thinking that puzzles with pieces shaped like other stuff were really cool, so I put a star shaped piece in my template!

Step 9: Put your puzzle together!  Okay, so it's no Springbok, but it's a fun project to make and a fun way to teach your kids to recycle, be creative, cut along the lines, and take pride in making their own toy!  If your pieces get a little bent, try setting a stack of books on the whole thing for a while to help flatten everything out.