5 Bright Spots
1. Visit Heather at a happy wanderer for simple and interesting ways to explore with marbles. It struck me as a nice rainy day activity.
2. These cork key chain people are incredibly adorable! Wouldn’t they make great Mother’s Day gifts! via The Crafty Crow
3. These naturally dyed beads use a similar process as naturally dyed Easter eggs. The result is subtle and beautiful, and you can use them again and again for weeks and months to come.
4. Ohhh! Walnut Mice! I have a thing for using nutshells to make things, and these are too cute.
5. Now that it is spring, it is a lovely time to make a fleet of origami boats. After you launch them in a big puddle or small pond, you can have boat races. Just stay long enough to catch them on the other side.
Happy Friday!
xo emily
Categories: 5 Bright Spots, Crafts, Everyday Fun, Fun, Group Activities, Nature, Outdoors, Science | Tags: beads, boats, children, cork, creative, dyed, interesting, key chain, learning, marbles, mice, naturally, origami, paint, people, sail, science, spring, walnut
Make it :: A Spring Nest
One of my most precious treasures is my collection of actual birds’ nests . Of course, I only collect if I find one on the ground, discarded and clearly not in use. This happens so rarely, since they are often reused again and again, which is why I treasure the ones that I have. The way the bird weaves and shapes with the promise of safety and coziness is breathtaking.
One day, a few springs ago, I decided to make a spring nest — just like a mama bird. I shaped the eggs out of clay, painted them blue, and wove a snug little nest for them to rest in.
Each spring since, I set the nest in my dining room as a way to welcome the promise of new life. More photographs and directions can be found here, at my other blog.
Happy spring cleaning and nesting!
xo emily
Categories: Crafts, Everyday Fun, Fun, Group Activities, Nature, Outdoors, Seasonal | Tags: bird, building, child, clay, cozy, craft, creative, eggs, fun, nest, paint, spring, treasure
Bookshelf :: a spring favorite
The Story of The Root Children by Sibylle von Olfers is one of our favorite seasonal books to read at the beginning of spring. It tells a short tale of the root children who live under the earth waiting for spring to arrive so that they can decorate the earth with their colors and spirits. My two love to imagine the tiny root children busily preparing for the green shoots and warm days ahead. If your library doesn’t own a copy, you might want to suggest that they do!
We’re off to warm our cheeks in the sunshine.
Happy Friday!
xo emily
Categories: Bookshelf, Everyday Fun | Tags: arrival, book, child, children, color, decorate, earth, library, read, spring, sunshine
Make it :: Cupcake Invitations!
These simple, handmade birthday invitations are a nice way to involve your child in preparing for her or his big day. With just a few easy steps, they are fuss free and super satisfying.
1. Paint a brown paper bag with a mixture of acrylic paints.
2. After the painted paper is dry, have child(ren) cut out cupcake tops.
3. Cut cupcake bottoms out of a brown paper bag.
4. Glue tops and bottoms onto card stock cards.
5. Stamp the age of the birthday kid onto the cupcake bottoms.
Hoorah!
xo emily
Categories: Crafts, Everyday Fun, Fun, Group Activities | Tags: birthday, child, creative, cupcake, cute, fun, invitations, kid, paint, party, repurpose
5 Bright Spots :: Passover and Easter
1. In Sweden they have the Easter Rooster instead of the Easter Bunny. Hooray! Gina offers a tutorial for the Clucking Easter Rooster on her blog Willowday. (She also shows you how to turn the rooster shape into a bunny.)
2.This Felt Seder Plate is a fun and engaging way for children to become familiar with the Passover table.
3. Make beautiful, personalized Watercolor Letter Eggs for each member of your family.
4. Mmmm. Matzo Lasagna!
5. These Origami Bunny Boxes are just right for a handful of jellybeans.
Happy Friday!
xo emily
