Tips For Making The Most Of At-Home Activities

 There are many ways that the home can be a fun environment, especially on days when it’s not possible to get outdoors. Yes, those rainy days when the household is confined to the indoor space with nothing to do.

In fact, there’s a lot that a household can get up to in the home. Here are a few tips to help take advantage of the wonderful opportunities available in the confines of your own home.

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Get creative with weekend baking and cooking

When it comes to getting into the kitchen, there’s nothing better than doing a little experimentation. On a day that doesn’t require a rush to get a meal ready, like the weekend, for example, it’s always good fun to try out some new bakes or to experiment on a new dish that you’ve wanted to try out for a while now.

With that in mind, consider what dishes are worth making during this time of year. Soups are a popular choice. Why not try this vichyssoise recipe? It’s a similar consistency to a soup and is the perfect way to try out some winter-warming dishes for all the family.

Spend some quality time with children making arts and crafts

There’s nothing better than spending some quality time with the children and getting creative. A good way to help unleash their inner arty side is by doing some arts and crafts. Get out all of the materials, including the more unusual types, and see what the children create.

An imagination and a passion for creativity can help craft some of the most talented minds, so it’s definitely worth helping children explore their creative side when possible.

Have a movie night with a favorite film and popcorn

A movie night with a favorite classic film is a good way to spend an evening, especially on the weekends. Partner it up with some popcorn or some light bites, along with a delicious tipple and you’ve got the makings of the perfect evening.

Sometimes, just lounging out in your comfies and watching television is all that’s needed to help enjoy the home and the people around you.

Spend some essential time on self-care habits

Where possible, spend some time looking after oneself. Self-care habits are important to have in place, especially as we can often neglect ourselves in the process of looking after others. Find ways to spend some time on self-care, whether that’s treating your skin to a face mask or starting a book that you’ve been meaning to get going with or even visiting Family Dental in Batavia IL for a teeth checkup.

Switch off digitally and play some board games

We’re so heavily influenced and controlled by the digital world, sometimes it’s just good to switch off. With that in mind, think about switching off completely and playing some board games. These board games can be old classics or you could always purchase some new ones to see what board games of today are like.

Making the most of the home environment is important because often enough, the modern-day family doesn’t get a lot of time in it.

Lego Stamped Pumpkin Art

 Harper and I love to paint with, well, anything but a paint brush! Last week she came home from school and asked me if I wanted to make something with paint, and how could I resist the invitation? This lego pumpkin idea was just the thing. It pairs cute and creepy together just right.

This is such an easy activity, and it is fun for kids of all ages! Even Rolf, who is 12 now, was curious about this and told us it was a "cool idea" before dashing back to his busy preteen activities. 

Supplies:

Orange Paint

Black Paint

Green Paint

Legos

Paper Plate

Paper

Directions:

Pour a small amount of orange, black and green paint onto a paper plate.

Offer your child legos in assorted sizes and paper.

Encourage your child to dip a lego into the orange paint and make the shape of a pumpkin.

Now, fill that shape in with more lego stamps.

When you have filled in the shape of the pumpkin, dip a lego into the black paint and make a face.

Next, give your pumpkin a stem with the green paint.

Allow to dry and display.

These were a really fun, kid led Halloween craft. I know your kids will love making pumpkin art this way.

You can find all of my Halloween crafts here

Painting projects here:

Reader favorites include:

Pumpkin Window Clings

Ghost Play Dough Ornaments

Paper Plate Crafts for Kids

 Paper plates have always been one of my kids favorite things to craft with. There are so many possibilities for making something fantastic, out of a plain old paper plate! This collection has some really fun ideas for your family to try out. You might not ever look at a pack of plates the same again.

You might notice there are a few of my craft projects listed below. I have been crafting things out of paper plates and Styrofoam bowls since I was a little girl. I can recall my cousin Courtney and I making these super fun flying saucers when we were kids with styrofoam bowls, and it is safe to say, I have been hooked ever since.

Be sure to click through to get the details of all of the projects below.

Paper Plate Lions by Sweet Silly Sara

Grab the paper plates, glue and some pasta to make a really fun little lion craft!

Paper Plate Ladybugs by Crafts by Amanda

These cute little ladybugs are the perfect way to make a spring craft with minimal supplies. Kids of all ages will love this!

Fun Snails by Attachment Mummy

These little snails might inch their way into your heart! They are perfect for an afternoon craft for the little ones!

Paper Plate Witch Craft by Sweet Silly Sara

This friendly witch is the perfect craft project to get kids in the Halloween spirit!

Paper Plate Apples by Mom Brite 

Take a bite out of craft time with this cute apple craft! All you need is a paper plate and a few basic supplies!

Paper Plate Crabs by Mom Wife Busy Life

This paper plate crab craft is nothing short of a pinch of perfect! This is such a cute idea for little hands!

Paper Plate Flowers by Glitter on a Dime

Create a pinkalicious storybook inspired garden of pretty flowers! This a great craft for anytime you need a craft to share!

Paper Plate Pigs by Simply Everyday Mom

Need a cute craft to entertain the kids? This piggy craft is an oinking good time for all!

How to Liven Up Your Craft Projects

 The chillier months will soon be with us, and that means that we’re all likely to be spending a little more time at home than we have done during the last few months. This is a great opportunity to get into some domestic hobbies, and right at the top of that list are craft projects. This is a fun way to spend a day, and you’ll also be adding some new skills to your repertoire, too. But of course, you can’t just expect your crafts to be solid gold — you’ll need to work on making them as good as possible! In this blog, we’ll run through some useful tips that’ll put you on the right path and which will ensure that you end up having fun and creating something you truly enjoy.

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Find Inspiration

One of the hardest things about starting a crafts project is…getting started. When you’ve got essentially a blank canvas staring at you, you’ll need to find a way to narrow down your focus and pick a particular project. But good news: there are plenty of options out there! If you’re struggling to find a project, then look at getting inspiration from other people. There are plenty of arts and crafts websites, videos, and magazines that’ll put some useful ideas in your head.

Work Together

There’s a lot of value in undertaking a craft project on your own, but don’t discount the idea of working with other people, such as people in your family. For one thing, it can be really enjoyable to work on something together with your loved ones. And second, you might just end up creating something of better quality than you could have on your own. We all have our own skills, and when you put all those skills together, you usually end up with something that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Give it a try!

Quality Materials

You could have all the crafts skills in the world, but if you’re not using quality materials, then you could find that the end product isn’t quite as special as you hoped it would be. So don’t let your project down by using subpar materials; get the best! There’s the excellent flannel fabric that you can buy, and once you have it, you’ll find that you’re able to make a wide range of DIY products that very much look the part once you’re finished. Using the best materials you can find is a surefire way to bump up the quality level of your project. 

Just Have Fun

Finally, remember to have fun with your project! You’ll hope that your end result comes out well, but when it comes to DIY crafts, remember that it’s the journey, not the destination. The more fun you have when you’re doing your project, the more you’ll enjoy making crafts — and that probably has the biggest impact on the long-term quality of your products since you’ll want to engage in the activity more. And it’s only practice that makes perfect! 

Hungry Caterpillar Process Art

This easy Hungry Caterpillar Process art project is perfect for preschoolers and elementary aged kids. It gives them a chance to create an adorable picture to go along with story time. I don't know about you, but I love storybook crafts for kids!

This project is perfect for fall. We used fresh apples that were too bruised to eat, and painted these cuties with them. If you have an abundance of apples. maybe you will want to put one to work for this art project.

We have lots of apple crafts on site! 

These cork and button apple trees are a favorite fall craft for kids of all ages.

Corked Stamped Apples are an adorable craft for kids.

Apple Tree Window Clings are a fun budget friendly project.

3D Paper Apples are a good project for using up scrap paper.

Apple Tree Addition makes for a fun way to learn math.

Supplies:

An apple 

Green, red , yellow, black paint.

Paper Plate

A pencil

A knife

Paper

Slice an apple in half

Pour a large dallop of red, green and yellow paint onto a paper plate.

We kind of mixed a little green and yellow together to create a cool effect.

Offer a small drop of black paint.

Offer the child an apple and encourage the child to dip the apple into the paint, and stamp the apple, so that the circles touch one another, going across the page.

Have your child give the caterpillar 4 or 5 segments.

Then encourage the child to dip the other apple half into the red paint and stamp the apple to form the head.

Next, dip the pencil into the black paint and create the eyes and mouth of the caterpillar.

Next, dip the pencil into the yellow paint and finish the eyes.

Now, I know what you are thinking.

Why not use a paintbrush?

Well, we did try that, but it smeared the yellow and black together. We found that the pencil was much easier to work with; and it gave Harper the chance to paint with a non traditional object. We both enjoyed that! You can kind of see in the mouth of the caterpillar that it is a little messy; that was the paint brush. 

Next, grab the stem from the apple and dip it into the green paint.

Give the caterpillar some antennae.

 

 Allow to dry completely. 

Display and enjoy this cute Hungry Caterpillar craft!

Amazing Side Gigs Your Kids Can Help With

Are you looking for a fun way to bring in just a little extra money, without sacrificing time with the kids? Then why not let them help! Kids are great at creativity, so let them bring their imaginations along for the ride, and maybe teach them a thing or two about running a small business along the way. Take a peek at some of these little side gigs you can do now and again with the kids to help pad your rainy day fund. 

Design Shirts for People of All Ages

This is a great craft idea for you and the kids to start whenever the mood strikes you. You can go online or even to a local store and look through the many colors of men’s crew neck shirts, or you can look for ones for women, kids, or even babies. Once you find the shirts you want as your base, decide how you want to make them unique. Want iron-on transfers? Then you need some vinyl and an iron. Looking for tie-dye creations? Then pick up a tie-dye kit. You can use permanent markers, paint, or whatever ideas your kids and you come up with! Then, bring the shirts home, design them, and the ones you don’t decide to keep can get sold off to cover the costs of your day. 

Bake and Sell Cookies

This is a great idea for kids to help with, as they can either help with the baking and decorating, or they can sell them on the front porch at a table you set up. Be sure to get some chalkboard paint to make signs for the cookies, so customers know what they are getting. Then, when summer rolls around, you can turn this into a summertime cookie stand! Just be sure to keep the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge until it’s time to sell them or transport them.

Buy Items from the Store for People Who Want Delivery

This isn’t a super-fun job, but it’s easy to do, kids can run and grab what you need, plus, it can bring in some extra cash depending on how much you decide to charge. Choose items that are easy to transport, so you don’t have to worry about them breaking while they are in your car. Then, advertise your services and get ready for orders! You can even use this as a starting point for making your own delivery service if you want to go the extra mile.

Create Art and Sell It

Want something fun and creative that kids can enjoy, too? Then think about making some art! You can make jewelry, clay projects, artwork you hang on the wall, or even digital art. Then, sell your creations online or at a local craft fair. There are so many different ways you can go with this, and kids can help with the ideas and the creation process.

 

Make Your Own Candles

If you enjoy candles, then why not make your own? This is a fun craft for anyone to try out, as it only requires some time and not too much in the way of supplies. Just make sure you help the kids with this one, as it does involve some heat.All you need to do is melt down wax and add essential oils or scents of your choice. Then when it’s cooled off enough to handle, pour it into molds that have been made ahead of time. Let them cool off and then let the kids carefully pop them out and let them sit until they are completely hard! Then sell them online or at a local fair if you want extra cash!

Wash Cars

This is another easy job that families can do during their free time if they want extra cash. Just be sure to always wear your rubber gloves while doing this job so that you don’t get any chemicals or dirt on your hands. Then wash and dry the cars according to how customers want theirs done—some may want just a wash while others may want waxed—all while charging what you want per car! This is especially good if there aren’t other car washes anywhere around you and someone wants their car cleaned up right away!

The next time you go on vacation or even just have some extra time off work, why not try your hand at one of these side gigs? It’s a great way for you and your kids to spend extra time together without sacrificing too much of your hard-earned money.

Why Should Government Leaders Prioritize Environmental Issues?

 You might not hear many leaders solving environmental issues as the center of their political campaigns. It can even go the other way where some aspiring politicians use it as a wedge issue to divide their constituents. It’s easier to shrug this problem off and see it as a non-issue. However, the truth is environmental issues must be a priority. Here’s why. 

We only have one world

Sure, many scientists are looking into the possibility of exploring space and finding a new planet for humans to live in. While it’s within the realm of possibility, it’s a long shot. Besides, it also costs a lot to make it happen. If that amount goes into the rehabilitation of this planet, it would have been easier to solve global warming. Scientists warned us that we only have a few years left to change the situation, or we won’t have the world as we see it now. Hence, there’s no doubt that it must be a priority. If you agree, consider service providers in scrap metal Kansas City for trash disposal issues at home. You don’t have to go through the process alone if you let these people help you. 

We can start feeling the effects now

Some people might say climate change isn’t true. Even if it is, it could take a while before seeing its impact. People in cold places also believe it’s untrue since it’s cold where they live. Global warming affects us in many ways. Storms are more intense, and flooding is heavier. Earthquakes occur more often in many places. Forest fires and drought have led to the distraction of lives and properties. The problem is here, and action is necessary now. 

It's cost-effective

It’s also easy to argue that solving global warming is expensive, and the government has a limited budget. However, the truth is, the cost of its impact is way higher. Hence, we should start acting now. These natural disasters brought by global warming cost the government a lot, and we can’t afford to keep it going. It's like dealing with trash at home. Working with experts in scrap metal Kansas City might be costly, but it’s a great option. It’s easier to deal with trash with their help. 

It's a winning message

Sure, there are skeptics about using the environment as a primary platform. It’s not the “sexiest” political message. But, the truth is it’s easy to connect this topic with other issues out there. From the economy to jobs, the environment is at the center. Hence, prioritizing it is a winning message. It's just sad that not everyone sees it that way.

For these reasons, politicians have to prioritize climate-related issues. The problems might seem impossible to overcome, but we can get there. We need more leaders who understand the urgency. Politicians can shape our future because they can craft and enact laws. We have to organize and have more leaders who can drive us in the right direction. It’s never too late to do something now. 

Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/x1w_Q78xNEY 

Prickly Play Doh Cactus

Are you looking for a fun project for older kids that something you probably already have at home? This prickly play doh cactus craft is awesome for tweens and teens and maybe even Mom or Dad too. Anyone who loves cacti will appreciate this easy and fun way to add a little cactus flair to your space.

I have always been a big fan of play doh. When I was a kid myself, I begged for it all the time. When I was a tween, I did every school project possible with play doh. As a twenty something, I made my much cooler friends roll their eyes at my play doh collection. Now I am a mom, and guess what? I STILL LOVE PLAY DOH! 

This project came about during an afternoon of missing the kids while they were at school. I started playing with green doh and here we are, making a cool, prickly play doh cactus.

Disclaimer. This is NOT a kid project. Do not do this with your toddlers, preschoolers, infants, or kindergartners. They will get hurt. 

Supplies:

A small terracotta pot

Green play doh

Toothpicks

A few rocks

Directions:

Fill half of your pot with rocks. 

 Shape your green play doh into a long lump.

Attach a few lumps to the sides, like the arms of a cactus.

Now, take about ten toothpicks and break them in half.

Start sticking the toothpicks into the play doh, like the little spikes of a cactus, insert them broken side into the doh.

As you can see, I thought a little purple flower was a nice touch. Feel free to vary this as you like.

Display on your desk, or on a shelf out of reach of little hands. Over time this will dry out. You can toss it, or keep it as is when that happens. It is a matter of preference.

If you liked this project check out all of my play doh projects.

Reader favorites include:

Toddler Play Doh Puzzles

Play Doh Pie Counting

I would be so grateful if you shared this post on social media, or pin it to your crafts for adults board.

Basket of Fruit Process Art

Lemon and Limes find a second life after their prime with this easy and fun process art activity! It incorporates an introduction to weaving for small hands with a lot of painting fun. This activity is great for kids of all ages from Toddlers and Preschoolers, to older kids, like Rolf who is 11 now and still had fun with this!

Ok, first, let that sink in. Rolf is 11 now. When I started this blog, he was a baby. Literally, just a baby. And here we are 10 years later. Still sharing, growing and creating. Let's have a big group hug!

Next, isn't this such a cute process art project for kids? I love that the touchy, smelly parts make it super engaging for little hands. If you have been reading for a while now, you know how I feel about sensory play and  projects! (I love them!) Well, I also love to paint with Harper too!  We had a few lemons and limes in the fruit basket that were a little shriveled up and unappetizing so instead of tossing them out, we put them to work in an art project.

 Supplies: 

A lemon and a lime, sliced in half

A paper plate

Glue

Scissors

A brown bag of construction paper

Yellow and green paint

Directions:

Cut the brown paper into thin strips.

Offer your child one strip and encourage the child to glue it to the paper.

As you can see we used 3 vertical strips, then began the under/over process of weaving the horizontal strips.

Keep the weaving simple, you only need 3 vertical and 3 horizontal strips of paper. If your older child is creating this, feel free to encourage a more complicated weave!

Now comes the fun!

Pour a little paint (about a quarter size drop of each color) on a paper plate.

Offer the citrus fruit to the child, allow them to squeeze the juice out and pick at the seeds if they want to. They will want to because it is fun and it smells good! Just have a towel nearby to wipe their hands! When all of the seed picking and fruit squeezing is finished, encourage your child to press the fruit into the paint, and begin filling the woven basket with fruit!

Remind your artist to use all of the fruit and colors!

Allow to dry and display.

This is fun to make in the summer, when we are making loads of lemonade, so maybe save a few lemons after squeezing for an art project? Or pull this out in the winter, when the kids need a break. It is such a sunny little process art project that they are bound to love it!

Find more art and craft ideas for kids here

Crafts Where the Quality of Your Water Matters

Water is important not only for your health but also in various processes. In its purest form, there are many uses for distilled water. You can improve water quality through systems like Brita reverse osmosis and use it for various applications. For instance, several crafts require you to use high-quality water. This article discusses some of these crafts in detail. 

Making Homemade Perfume

Perfume making is a craft that needs high-quality water. Instead of using a perfume that everyone else is using, you can make a unique one using different ingredients. Listed below are some of the materials you will need for this craft:

• Distilled water

• Fragrance oils, essential oils, flavor, and infused oils such as vanilla extracts

• Glycerin

Other materials you will need include a decorated glass bottle to store the finished product (preferably colored glass), measuring spoons or cup, a glass jar for mixing the fragrance, wrapping paper or aluminum or wrapping paper, especially when using clear glass bottles, a funnel, dropper, pencil, and paper for writing your recipe. 

Advantages of Homemade Perfumes

There are several advantages of homemade perfumes; here are some of them:

• They do not contain ingredients grown with toxins, pesticides, or chemicals, leading to environmental damage and skin sensitivity. 

• By using natural and essential oils to make homemade perfume, you create emotional and physical healing properties such as mood-lifting, relaxing, energy-enhancing, and calming. 

• Compared to perfumes with synthetic properties, homemade perfumes are not tested on animals. The ingredients in mass-manufactured perfumes include musk and phthalates, which can cause harm to animals. 

• Non-natural fragrances mask the wearer's skin, while homemade ones create a more individual and personal scent. 

Canning Fresh Produce

This is another craft that needs high-quality water. By preserving food, you encourage certain bacteria to crowd out harmful bacteria. Preserving food also means freezing time to prevent it from going bad. Canning is one of the most reliable methods of preserving food. This method relies on distilled water for the best results, and you can buy distilled water online which makes this a lot easier.
 

The simplest method of canning is water bath canning, where you fill jars with acidic foods such as cucumbers, berries, or tomatoes mixed with vinegar. Cover them in a pan of distilled water until a seal forms under the lid. This process forces air out of the food and then out of the jar, creating a vacuum in the acidic environment. By doing so, the harmful bacteria will not survive. 

Water bath canning can also create several delicious foods such as jellies, jams, pickles, and whole tomatoes. If you have advanced equipment, you can try out pressure canning. Even though this procedure requires specialized equipment and more skills, it can unlock a wide range of flavors and food options. Keep in mind that the success of this process comes down to minor details like the quality of water you are using — always ensure it is distilled! 

Making Cosmetics

Quality water is also needed in making cosmetics. In this craft, water plays a very important role. Given that water can dissolve the highest number of solutes, it can dissolve most ingredients used in making cosmetic products. This makes distilled water an essential ingredient in making cosmetics, from shaving creams to shampoo.

Even in the mass manufacturing of these products, pure water is needed. This is because the presence of unwanted particles like magnesium and sodium can interfere with the precise and delicate production of cosmetic products. Distilled water doesn't contain any impurities, making it perfect for use in the production of cosmetics. Furthermore, since cosmetic products are mostly used on the skin, pure water is the most reliable, as it does not contain any chemical that can cause irritation.

Making Fun-Shaped Ice Cubes

This craft needs water without any impurities. Distilled water can make shiny and clear ice cubes in less time compared to contaminated water. The process of making ice at home is simple. Start by filling your decorative shapes with distilled water. Then, stick it in a freezer and wait for several hours.

Releasing the ice is not complicated either. Take out the ice shapes from the freezer, twisting or spinning slightly to allow the fun shapes to pop out. This will get you perfect fun shapes ready for consumption! It is important to keep in mind that ice in any form should only be made with distilled water. Anything other than that could result in poor-quality ice or impede on the flavor of your preferred beverage.

Finally

Several crafts use distilled water. This article has discussed some of them and how distilled water is used. You can try out any of these crafts at home!