Why You Should Start A New Hobby In Time For The Summer

Hobbies are something that everyone needs to have in their life. They give you purpose and keep you entertained for as long as you need, as well as being a healthy distraction to just pass the time. And what better time to pick something new up now before the Summer is upon us?

It's been a long Winter, and whether or not you want to admit it, we have all been in a state of hibernation that has left us all feeling rather blue - but that's enough! It's time for a pick-me-up that will put you back on track and get you ready for the delicious sun that awaits. It's fine to feel a lack of motivation at times - it's completely normal, but you can only allow it to go on for so long until you decide enough is enough, and you want to be passionate about something again. This post may contain affiliate links.

Capture the beauty.

Photography is a stunning visual way of capturing all of the wonderful things around you, like the magical sunsets that paint the sky all different colours of the rainbow, and the wildlife that surrounds you when you take a walk through the park. This is why you should pick up a camera and get snapping. You don't need to have an expensive high-end camera to do that with either, just go with something easy to start out with and take it from there. The warmer things start to become, the more your environment will begin to flourish, so enjoy the transition that is to come. 

Ride the adventure.

Cycling is not only great for your body, getting it ready for the Summer attire, but it's also a wonderful way to encourage you to get outdoors and explore. There is so much to see around you that you may have always overlooked because you've never had the need to go down that path, or through those trees, but you'd be amazed to find what beauty awaits you. You don't have to venture off alone either, you can buddy up with a friend and make a whole day out of exploring, with a pit stop for some lunch and a refreshing beverage to wash it down with, as well as a giggle or two.

Start DIY'ing

I watch way too much HGTV and am always adding to my home improvements wish list. Summer is the perfect time to learn the basics of DIY at home. Making renovations to the home can prevent wildlife infestations. Being proactive about critter control in warmer months makes the home comfier than ever. Not to mention the pride you would feel from DIY'ing those projects around the house.

So stop thinking about what is to come, and instead choose something exciting to pass your time and discover a newfound thrill that you’ve always had waiting inside of yourself.

Create the sound.
Who doesn't envision spending their evenings sitting around a fire, roasting smores with a ukulele, playing some of their favourite tunes off musicianauthority? It's the ideal dream while being in the company of the ones you love most. So the sooner you start to learn a new instrument, the sooner you can make this happen. Just think, you will be able to create your very own music and share stories from the songs you've written. This is a very powerful tool that can touch so many people on a deeper level, and that's what makes it such a special thing.

Easy Dyed Rice

Dyed rice for sensory bins has never been easier! This 3 ingredient method dries super fast and provides vibrant results!

I love to make sensory bins, almost as much as the kids love to play in them! They still love the sushi sensory bin we made ages ago and it inspired me to try dying rice for more sensory fun. 

To make this dyed rice you will need:

• Rice
• Food Coloring
• Hand Sanitizer

 Place the uncooked white rice in a zipper seal baggie. I used 3/4 cup per color.
Add a tablespoon of hand sanitizer.

Add 3-5 drops of food coloring (I used the cheap stuff from dollar tree FYI).

Release the air from the baggie to avoid popping it. The shake it, squish it, wiggle the rice around until it is coated completely. The pour the rice on a paper plate and let it dry for about 45 minutes.

Repeat with additional colors as desired.

Naturally, we did all of the colors of the rainbow!

You can find all of our sensory play ideas here

Dragonfly Charm Bookmark

Ribbon Charm Bookmarks are an easy DIY that makes for a great gift for any book lover in your life!

We are a family of readers. Adam, Rolf and I all like to end our day with a little reading in bed time. Harper has been learning her sight words and enjoys a bedtime story from Rolf most nights. When Rolf started taking a book to bed at the beginning of summer, I wanted to make book markers for him, so he wouldn't lose his place.

These are so easy and require no sewing! Which is awesome because I don't sew. 

This post contains affiliate links.

Supplies:

Wide Ribbon

Hot Glue Gun

Jump ring and clasp

Charms; I used dragonflies

Directions:

Cut a section of ribbon that is twice as long as the average book.

Fold the ribbon in half and liberally add hot glue.

Fold the ribbon over on to the hot glue and press.
At the end of the ribbon, insert a necklace clasp so that it just  barely hangs out of the ribbon.

Attach the charm to the jump ring.
Secure with hot glue.

These are so easy to make and they are pretty too.

Use a variety of charms and patterns of ribbon to make a variety.

This makes a fun DIY gift idea for tweens and teens who have a limited budget, but a little time and creativity.  These DIY dragonfly charm bookmarks would also make a great classroom gift idea to encourage reading over the winter holidays.

The addition of a simple charm to the ribbon makes these bookmarks feel really elegant and they look pretty too!

 

If you are looking for more diy gift and craft ideas check these posts out.

Queen of Heart Bookmarks

Rainbow Coasters

iPad Stands

Best Boba Recipes

 My 9 year old, Harper, has developed an obsession with boba. She bats her big blue eyes at me and says "Mommy, let's go out for a tea..." almost everyday. It is so funny that I have this little bestie who thinks I am rich. To keep her happy and getting her boba fix at least once a week, we have been making some fun recipes at home. If you are wanting to save some cash and still have a treat, like us, you are going to love this list of the best boba recipes to make at home.

Before we get into this, can you believe Harper is 9 and a half already? It seems like just a few months ago that so many of my friends were chipping in to write posts for my blog so I could bask in the wonder of our new baby Harper.  Now here she is, a full blown tween with a boba tea habit.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman and various artists.

Jasmine Milk Tea Boba by Greedy Girl Gourmet

Lychee Milk Tea Boba by My Vegan Minimalism

Hokkaido Milk Tea by Aubrey’s Kitchen

Vegan Boba Cake by Rainbow Nourishments

Homemade Black Boba Pearls by Delightful Plate

Fruity Bubble Tea by Kids Activities Blog

The Devil Wears Salad.

Watermelon Fruit Salad with Brown Sugar Boba by The Devil Wears Salad

Strawberry Milk Tea by Moon and Spoon and Yum

Brown Sugar Boba Ice Cream Bars by The Oregon Dietitian

Photo Credit: White Kitchen Red Wine.

Strawberry Milk Tea by White Kitchen Red Wine

Taro Bubble Tea by The Oregon Dietitian

Chocolate Milk Bubble Tea by The Littlest Crumb

Photo Credit:  Entirely Elizabeth.

Earl Grey Milk Tea by Entirely Elizabeth

Iced Boba Coffee by Recipes from a Pantry

Vegan Bubble Tea by Plant Based on a Budget

With so many tasty bubble tea recipes, the hardest part of getting your boba fix will be deciding which of these recipes to make first. Happy sipping!

You can find some of my favorite drink recipes here 
Sour Apple Margaritas
Hillbilly Cider
Bomb Pop Cocktails
Blueberry Lime Vodka Sorbet

20+ Funko Pop Figures for Collectors

Funko Pop figures are so much fun! I love to see all of the awesome renditions of famous people and characters that they come up with!

Last month a friend of mine had 2 custom made for his engagement and I am in awe of how cute they turned out! Ever since I saw them, I have been obsessed with them! While checking them out on amazon I rounded up 20 of my favorites to share with you. If you to love them, or are shopping for a gift for a collector, you are going to get a kick out of this list!

 I am a participant in the amazon affiliate program. Making a purchase gives me a small commission at no cost to you.

Deadpool- Bob Ross Funko Pop
Buddy from Elf
Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation
The Dragon from Game of Thrones
Marvel Venom
Gizmo from Gremlins
Pickle Rick from Rick and Morty
Slash from Guns n Roses
Rainbow Brite and Twink
The Grinch
Ed Sheeran 
Dumbledore
James Bond
Flying Rocket
Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation
Steve with Sunglasses from Stranger Things
Krampus 
Sub Zero from Mortal Kombat
Jon Snow from Game of Thrones
Skeletor in Battle Armor from Masters of the Universe

Cousin Eddie is my favorite! How fun is that? I can't wait to hear about your favorite from this list, or a special Funko Pop in your collection!

I have so many fun shopping guides on site! You might want to check out a few others like:

15+ Unicorn Gifts for TeensStar Wars Gift Ideas

Ways to Keep Tweens and Teens Entertained This Winter

 Winter is the time to introduce tweens and teens to new, screen free activities. If you are looking for inspiration for busting boredom while teaching new skills to older kids, you are going to love these ideas.  From knitting to financial know how, this collection has something for a variety of interests.

Making a quilt is a great project because it teaches useful sewing skills and produces a good blanket to keep them warm once they're done. Try getting some simple quilt patterns from here and see what kind of project your teen will produce from there on out.

Keep a teens hands busy while creating a useful item with knitting kits. Make a scarf with the included pattern and knitting tools. These are so much fun for kids of all ages and they will love wearing their creation all winter long! 

Give kids the chance to have fun while developing financial literacy. This game is perfect for a variety of ages and will help pass the time on a snow day. Cash Flow for Kids is from the Rich Dad line of goods, and packs a lot of fun into a compact package.

Y'art Kits are the perfect crafty escape for a winter day. These are easy to create works of art with yarn. Harper and I loved this unicorn kit from Play Monster and it only costs about $11. We are going to order the Pug Y'art Kit too because it is so cute!

Knitting is the thing to do this winter, and this Hat Not Hate Loom Kit is the perfect way to get started. This makes it so easy to make a toasty hat for yourself and to share. Buy more yarn and keep creating hats, which are so much more fun to share than hate. Order for $25.

In the 1980's my cousin was really into Latch Hooking Rugs. I was always a little jealous of her creations and wished my parents would buy latch hook kits for me. 40 years later, my daughter has been latch hooking some impressive works that would have my cousin jealous! Order these for about $15 from Play Monster for a fun crafting session that will have your girls hooked.

Yamaha offers an assortment of high quality musical instruments that are perfect for all ages, including teens and tweens. Something like the Alto Venova makes for a perfect pastime. The instrument produces the mellow sounds of the sax, in a portable and fun to play package. Tweens and teens will love picking up a new skill this winter like playing a unique instrument. 

If you are looking for more ways to craft with tweens and teens check out these ideas.

Reader  favorites include:

Dragonfly Bookmarks

Rainbow Coasters

Easy Fine Motor Sensory Ball Activity

Preschoolers will love this easy to set up and totally engaging sensory ball activity. It combines fine motor work and sensory play for a boredom buster with benefits. Best of all this activity is super affordable to set up. You can get everything you need at the dollar store.

If you have been reading this blog over the last decade, you might know I am passionate about fine motor and sensory activities. I love creating activities that are fun and benefit development. This is no exception. It is so easy to set up, but it is engaging for kids and helps them build fine motor skills. No fancy equipment required.

All you need to make this fine motor ball is two simple things.

A bumpy ball 

Tiny rubber bands

This is so easy to set up.

Simply stretch the bands over the bumps of the ball

For younger children, use fewer bands

To challenge older children use more bands and make the loops complicated. 

Offer the ball to your child and encourage them to remove the bands. 

Have your child place the bands in a container, storage bag etc as these can be a choking hazard and dangerous to pets. Supervise this activity please!

If you are looking for more sensory and fine motor activities check out these popular posts.

Feather Beading Activity

Dino Rescue 

Rainbow Disc Sensory Bag

Gifts for Girls

I have shopped til I dropped this Christmas to bring you some of the hottest gift ideas for girls!

From dolls to sensory toys and even more, this list has something for every girl on it!

Samples were provided for photography.

Give the gift of a classic with the 14" Cabbage Patch Kid collection. These are so much fun for both kids and parents, because many of us likely recall getting one when we were kids!  These are about $40 and are available from Wicked Cool Toys.

Thinking putty is an awesome gift for girls of all ages. You can stretch it, fold it, tear it, bounce it and more. Give a sensory delight in a can with an assortment of Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty. Order it online for about $14 for a large tin.

Board games are perfect for gifting to girls this holiday season.  Amigo Games has some of my favorites for games because they are all fun and best of all they are affordable for all budgets. Titles like the L.l.a.m.a. card game and What the Heck will challenge and entertain girls for hours. without the screen! Get them online for under $10. 

If you need a gift for a girl who loves all things fancy, Get this really fun Find Your Fancy game. It is so much fun for little girls as young as 3 and brings the fun of Fancy Nancy on Disney Junior to life during family game night. Get this game from Ravensburger for about $25.

Kidi Star Dance is my favorite idea for kids this holiday season. It will keep them moving and playing hard, even on the coldest days when they are confined to the indoors. This system will teach kids dance moves and features games that can be played with a friend. It includes two motion sensored bracelets and a display for hours of dance party fun. Get this Vtech toy for about $50 from Walmart, Amazon or Target.

Chefclub brings kids into the kitchen for some early cooking lessons. This is a fun way to get kids interested in cooking in a kid safe, kid approved format.

Pound Puppies are another classic throwback gift idea for this year. I remember the year I got a little gray Pound Puppy of my own and how I screeched with happiness after opening it. If you had a similar experience, get one of these for your kids and relive a bit of your own childhood.  Get them from Amazon, Walmart or Target for about $20.

Boxy Girls make for a fun gift for girls who want to shop! You can shop and unbox with these fun friends to reveal some amazing surprises! Get  in on the fun online at the boxy girls website for about $20.

If you are shopping for a girl who loves Llama's she is going to be spitting happy with this Spitzy Llama. He is cute and he spits for a one of a kind experience. Find him at Target or Walmart for about $50 this holiday season.

Pomsies Lumies are sure to be quite the hit this year. They turn color into music for a fun, interactive play experience.  Get them from Target, Walmart or Kohl's for about $15.

Girls are going to want to collect all of the Boxy Babies this holiday. Get a few to fill her holiday with shopping and mystery surprises with these cute little ones.  Each baby comes with 2 surprises. Get them for about $20.

Fuzzikins are so much fun! You can color them again and again to make them as unique as possible. This is one of my favorite options because it goes beyond the one time use model of so many artsy toys. Get fuzzikins online for about $15 from the Play Monster website.

Turn the ceiling into a light show with this adorable Unicorn Playbrite. Featuring a sound activation feature and mix and match faces, this colorful and bright toy is a great gift idea. Get it online for about $20.

Blume dolls grow to meet you for a magical surprise. Get the Blume secret surprise garden and gift a new friend and a bunch of other surprises that will make a smile grow before your eyes! Get these cute kids toys online for about $27 from Walmart, Target or Amazon.

Vendees Atomic Rainbow Lip Balm by Horizon Group USA, gives girls a chance to mix & create their own shimmery, flavorful, layered lip balm creations. There are even some surprises included in the vendee machine. Get this from Amazon.

Cry Babies Blind Bottles are perfect for gifting this holiday season.  Each bottle has 8 accessories and a baby. Press her belly to see real tears! Get these at Target, Amazon and Walmart. Girls will want to collect them all!

Blume has a blind bag option that girls are going to love. Add a little water and see which friend will grow from the Blume pot. My 6 year old goes wild for these and naturally wants to collect them all. Priced at $10, these are a great stocking stuffer option from Skyrocket Toys.

If you need a gift for a girl that you know she is going to love, you are going to want to grab some fluffy cloudz from Compound Kings. This stuff is fantastic. It smells great and is available in several varieties, plus it is so much fun to squeeze, stretch and play with! Get it at Target, Michael's or online for about $5 a jar. Compound Kings also has some other fun slime options that girls will love this Christmas.

Girls that love unicorns are going to adore these adorable bedtime friends called Zoonicorns. They combine zoo animals with the fun of unicorns. These are a little whimsy, a little magic and a lot of fun. Kiss your zoonicorns nose and make a wish, and drift off to sleep with a cuddly friend. Order online from Wish Me for about $20.

If you need a gift for a little girl that loves babies, you are going to want to check out these adorable, collectible The Bellies babies. Each one has unique features like a bottle, a blankie and a birthmark. These are interactive and so adorable that they are sure to steal her heart on Christmas morning! Get them all online for about $30.

Flipazoo make for really fun gifts this holiday season because they are adorable, and even better than that, they are like 2 toys in one! Flip it inside out to reveal a super soft plushie. Flip it the other way to reveal a shiny and adorable friend, for those days when you need a little sparkle. Get them for $15 online at the Flipazoo site, or find them at Walmart.

Lil Shuckies are a party waiting to happen. Girls will love opening the shells and then harvesting "pearls' which they will collect to create a bracelet. These are so much fun that they are on my wish list too! Get them for about $13 a pack from Compound Kings.

If you need a fun stocking stuffer for a Leapfrog fan, grab some of the Rock It Twist Game Pack Eggs. These add games and learning activities to the Rock It Twist game system and are perfect for kids 8 and under. The game packs cost about $8 and you can get them at retailers such as Target, Walmart or from Amazon.

The boxy girls are so much fun to play with, collect and of course, unbox! Get this Target exclusive Boxy Girls studio for a ton of fun on Christmas morning, and beyond!

Give a gift she can play with and grow herself with the My Fairy Garden Nature Cottage from Play Monster. This is the cutest gift idea that girls of all ages are going to dig. Get it online or from major retailers like Walmart or Target for $25.

These Wowzer Surprise Polar Magic from the  Orbeez Wow World line are a fun option because they are contained yet tons of fun. Add water to the globe, wave your wand over it and see what friend is included. They are so cute that girls will want to collect them all. Get them from Maya Toys for about $6.

Girls want to get out and ride! So gift a special girl the coolest scooter on the block with this Globber Primo Plus Lights. It has light up wheels to make it awesome and a little safer. Get these for younger girls. Order it online for about $70.

If you have a girl on your list that loves to take selfies the Kidizoom Pixi is the perfect gift for her. She can snap selfies or photos of friends all day long without taking over your cell and camera roll! But it for about $55 from Walmart, Target or Amazon.

Add a great educational option to the gifts under the tree with a boxed set that works with Leap Frogs Leapstart Go system. Little learners are going to love discovering how the human body works in a kid friendly presentation. Get them online or from retailers like Walmart or Amazon .

Slimy unicorn smoothies are bound to be all the rage this holiday. This is so much fun to squish, squeeze and combine that girls won't be able to keep their hands off this Slimy Goop Squuez Pop. Get this fun offering from Horizon Group for about $5 at Target or from Amazon.

What could be more fun than a cuddly little new friend this Christmas? Only one thing; that little friend wrapped up in a tortilla, like a burrito. Cutetitos are portable, adorable and totally collectible. Get them from places like Best Buy, Walmart or Amazon for about $10 this holiday season.

Minnie's Walk and Dance Unicorn is nothing short of magical fun for girls who are fans of the Happy Helpers show. This duo dances, walks and sings! Find this animated offering from Just Play for under $40. You can find it at Walmart and Target as well as online.

Sometimes all you need is a baby animal to wrap up like a burrito. These adorable little toys are plush, perfect for cuddling and totally portable. Fit one in your pocket for on the go snuggles with a Babito from the Cutetito line. Get them from Target, Walmart or Amazon for under $14 for a 2 pack.

Make your favorite girls holiay hair-mazing with Series 3 Hairdorables.  These are so much fun to collect, and I love that each package is a mystery! Get them from Walmart, Target or Amazon for about $13 for a hair raising holiday!

KidiGo Walkie Talkies are perfect for kids who love adventure! Give them a chance to get outside and explore while putting their walkie talkies to use for communication. This set is easy to use and is sure to be a lot of fun. Get this V Tech option online or at retailers like Target, Walmart or Amazon for about $30.

If you have a girl who has been asking for a phone, but you aren't sure if she is ready yet, why not give her a Vtech KidiBuzz. It looks like a real phone. It an play music, take photos and video. It has games and it can connect to wifi, but it lacks the ability to make calls. It is a great option for a starter phone. Get it for about $80.

Girls love dolls, but Cry Babies take things up a notch with a baby that can cry! These are some of the cutest dolls on the market! Get them from Walmart, Target and Amazon for about $20.

Give a cute kid some awesome all season boots that are perfect for splashing in puddles, climbing snow mounds and more with a pair from Lone Cone. They have styles for little and big feet starting around $18. Get a Mommy and Me set, or just a kids pair from Amazon.

If you have a little fashionista on your shopping list, Pediped makes some adorable options for little feet. From styles for holiday dresses to plain comfy shoes, Pediped has so many styles to choose from. Order online.

Pluffle makes for a fun way to engage kids in sensory play this holiday season. Get a 2 pack from Educational Insights and give a cute kid in your life a way to mold, squish and mix a really fun to touch material! Order online for about $17.

Brick Mates are a fun twist on building. This kit is like Legos and puzzles come together for a creativity explosion! These give girls a chance to stack up works of art! Order online for about $20.

This holiday give a gift that is less clutter and does more for turtles by giving a gift that supports the Sea Turtle Conservancy . You get a folder of info about the turtles and a too cute photo of the turtle you adopt with your support. They also give you a little plush turtle to cuddle!