Cardboard artwork with the kids

Today we have a guest post from Amber of AmberParis.

She is sharing a fun activie to do with your kids and all you need is cardboard and lots of glue!

start with lots of cardboard…one large piece to serve as the base/canvas and many many smaller scraps cut/ripped down. I cut a lot of strips with a paper cutter and also cut several piles of squares, circles and triangles. I also gathered some various thin wood odds and bits to incorporate. and some empty ribbon spools.

add a big container of homemade paste…we mixed some elmer’s into ours to give it a bit of extra hold.

we looked at some of louise nevelson’s work prior to this project, but I didn’t give the kids any instructions beyond letting them know they had to put paste down EACH time they added something new to the piece…my 3yo had trouble remembering this step…but in the end, the paste was a sculptural element in its own right!

once your kids are happy with their piece and/or tire of art making, set the art works somewhere safe to dry for several days.it took nearly a week for ours to dry, but the paste was also inches-thick in areas!

now it’s time to shop for spray paint! my kids only got to “shop” through my selection of colors in my studio, but a trip to the hardware store to choose from the many colors out there would be fun!

 

give the pieces a good coat or two of spray paint and then allow to dry thoroughly. we loved ours so much, we framed them to hang in our living room!

 

When Amber is not having loads of fun with her kids she is sewing and making fun felt play food! She sells the yummy enough to eat felt food in her etsy shop.

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Valentine’s Day Wreath Tutorial Using Curled Grosgrain Ribbon

Today we have a guest post from Nikki In Stitches! She is sharing a lovely tutorial to make a pretty Valentine's day wreath.

This Valentine’s Day wreath couldn’t be sweeter…or easier to make!
See what I mean about the grosgrain curlicues? Too cute, right?

Before you can get started on your wreath, you need to “bake” your ribbon to curl it. You can get the full how-to here. After you’ve baked a few batches, you’ll be ready to follow the super simple how-to below for making the wreath…one that I know you’re going to want to leave up all year long!
Enjoy,
Nikki, In Stitches

Materials:
Foam wreath form
1/3 of a yard of coordinating fabric for wrapping your wreath form (I found mine in my stash!)
Scissors
Straight pins
6 spools of 3/8″ ribbon, each containing 10 yards (I used 4 red with white polka dots, and 2 solid white.)

Directions:
Cut strips of fabric about 2″ wide, and use them to cover your entire foam wreath. Use straight pins to hold each strip in place. (Just use two at the start to anchor your strip of fabric down, wrap, and then put two more at the end. Repeat with each strip until the entire form is covered.)

Gather your curlicues that you’ve already baked and cut into about 4″ lengths.
Pin the first one to the foam wreath by placing pin right in the center of the curlicue.

Pin the next one in place in the same manner, placing it close enough to the first so that they start to force each other to fold in half.

Repeat.

Repeat A LOT of times!

Repeat until your entire wreath form is covered!

Pssst! Ready for another cutie patootie project? Check out my “too stinkin’ cute” curlicue ponytail holders on All Things For Mom here!

Nikki In Stitches sells a lovely collection of hair accessories for kids and Mums! Visit her etsy shop.

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Vacationing on a Budget

Today we have a guest post from Sweet Child of Mine.

For many people at the moment money can be a difficult issue, and with summer vacation only a few months away here are a few tips to help make a vacation less stressful on the wallet.

I live without many of the luxuries that most people consider to be necessities. I don't have cable, my cell phone is a TracFone that I share with my husband, and I drive a 15 year-old vehicle. One thing I refuse to do without though is vacationing. My husband and I agreed early on that we would take lots of vacations, because neither of our families did when we were growing up. Sure, we took some trips, but it definitely wasn't something we did every year. Vacationing is so important to us, because it gives us a time to relax, make some great memories and see new places. While I tend to let loose with our budget a little while vacationing, there are many ways to save money but still have an enjoyable trip. Here are some ways you can have a great trip on a budget.

1. Start a vacation fund. Deposit a small amount of every paycheck into a savings account. Even if you can't save up your entire vacation budget this way, every little bit helps. The more cash you have, the less you'll need to charge to a credit card.

2. Travel in the off season. This may not be an option for those of you who have kids in school or work for the school, but for everybody else, this is a great way to save money. An added bonus is that most destinations are less crowded. Most hotels and airlines have less expensive rates between September and May (excluding holidays and Spring Break). We have traveled during the first three weeks of May the last few years, and it has worked out for us. Spring break is over, schools are still in session and the weather isn't unbearably hot. You will need to check to see if there are any special events (sporting events, Nascar races and Bike Week, etc) in your destination during your desired travel time, because this could result in higher prices and crowding.

3. Eat in. If you are staying in a resort or hotel with a kitchen, you can save a lot of money by cooking some of your meals. If your hotel doesn't have a full kitchen, but has a microwave and mini fridge, you can still cook some of your meals. Even if your room doesn't have a mini-fridge, you can take a cooler (or buy a cheap foam one if you flew) so you can store things like sandwich meat, juice and milk. You can use the coffee pot to heat water for things like instant oatmeal and Easy Mac.

4. Save at restaurants. Even I don't cook all of our meals. It is vacation after all! There are a few ways to save money on your restaurant meals. One way is with gift cards. If you receive gift cards for Christmas or other occasions, you can save them for vacation. You can also buy discounted gift cards on websites like eBay or Plastic Jungle. During the holidays, many restaurants have a promotion which adds $5 free when you buy a gift card for $20-$25. Another great way to save on gift certificates is to purchase them at Restaurant.com. You can buy $25 gift certificates for as low as $2 with promo codes. Purchasing an Entertainment book in your destination city is another great way to save money. They are full of coupons for dining, movies and other attractions. You can also check for any Groupon deals in your destination city.

5. Use discount travel sites. Websites likeTravelZoo.com andKayak can help you find discounts on airfare, hotels and rental cars.

6. Go on timeshare tours. Okay, now you think I'm a nut job, so let me explain. My husband and I have gotten several free or cheap trips and free Universal tickets by agreeing to see a timeshare presentation. It just takes about 2 hours of your time. If you already have your lodging reserved, you can take a timeshare tour and earn money or discount attraction tickets. Last year, when my family vacationed in Myrtle Beach, my husband and I went on 4 timeshare tours and earned $400! That paid for our gas money, which was the largest expense of our vacation. This year we went on two tours and earned $70 and a $164 discount on Disney tickets. We could have gone on a third tour and earned another $100, but that place would not allow us to keep our children with us, so we declined. If going on timeshare tours is not your cup of tea, that's fine, but if you don't mind sacrificing some time, this is a great way to save money!

7. Buy a timeshare. Now you think I'm totally nuts. First of all, let me explain how most timeshares work now. When you hear timeshare, you probably think of being stuck at the same resort for the same week every year with a complicated process and fees if you want to go to a different resort. Most timeshares are not like this any more. Trust me, I know, I've toured with eight different companies and only one still used the old system, and that was over six years ago. Most timeshare companies use a points system now. You purchase X amount of points and then you redeem those points at any of the company's resorts whenever you want, as long as you have enough points. With some of these companies, you can even use your points for airfare, food, and amusement park tickets. Obviously certain locations and times require more points than others. If you plan on vacationing every year for the rest of your life, this will save you money in the long run. Plus most of the companies give you an actual property deed that you own forever and can be passed on to your children. You can save even more more money if you buy from an owner selling their timeshare instead of the company. Plus you are staying at really nice resorts, not hotels. The resorts have a full kitchen, and laundry facilities either on the property of even in your villa. This will help you save on food costs and travel because you won't need to pack as much clothing. My husband and I bought our timeshare five years ago and don't have any regrets. We are actually hoping to buy more points soon. The pictures shown are actual resorts where we've stayed with our timeshare.

Some of these suggestions may not work for everybody. I know people have different needs and standards, but hopefully everybody will find at least one helpful tip. Most of all, I just wanted to show that even with one income and a tight budget, you can still have a wonderful family vacation. You can't put a price on making sandcastles with your children or seeing the joy on their faces when they meet Mickey Mouse.

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A Nod to Headbands

I love the variety found within the EtsyKids Team.  Any possible handmade product you'd want for the children in your life can be found within the shops of our talented members.  Fun hair accessories use to be exclusively for young girls.  But now, tweens, teens and even the mama's and the aunties are getting into the fun of headbands and floral hair clips. So when looking for hair accessories to round out your [wink] daughters wardrobe, make your first stop the shops of the EtsyKids Team.  You can find them via our Shopping Guide, or by searching "etsykids team hair accessories" on Etsy.     

Fabric Rosette Headband from NikkiInStitches

Flower Headband from StitchinNetka

Shabby Chic Flower Headband from TheTrendyTotShop

Ruffled Silk and Lace Flower Clip & Headband from thebitsybeau

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Crochet Butterfly Tutorial from King Soleil

Yesterday we introduced you to King Soleil and all the cute things they make and sell on Etsy. Well today King Soleil is sharing a lovely tutorial on how to make little corchet butterflies!!

I use these crochet butterflies on many different items in my shop, and are my favorite little applique to add some whimsy and fun to just about anything. Whether a nursery crochet rug, baby blanket, winter hat, or wall art, you can alter the size and texture with various yarns and colors to match your decor. I wanted to share how i make them, so we can all decorate and make our lives just a little bit prettier.

For this tutorial, I use Stitch Nation Peruvian Wool in the Ivory Color and a size J crochet hook. The only other tools you will need are a tapestry needle and scissors. This makes a chunky textural butterfly, and after I crocheted her (I dub this one a girl) I actually thought she looked a bit like a moth and was inspired by a silk moth to make her antennae a bit thicker at the top (more on that later).

To make a more delicate butterfly, you can use crochet thread, as I did with this applique on the amigurumi tea pot handle. Or use a medium weight yarn as I did on this baby blanket and rug.

For this pattern, you will need to know how to slip stitch (sl st), Chain (ch), Single Crochet (sc) and Double Crochet (dc). Easy peasy, right?! Right.

Sl st and then ch 6.

Insert your hook back through the first ch, yarn over hook and sl st to form a circle.

Round 1: Ch 3 (this will count as your first dc). 2Dc into the circle. [To dc into the circle, yarn over hook, insert your hook into the circle, yarn over hook, pull back through the circle and complete your dc.] Ch1. *3dc, Ch1* repeat this set 6 more times so you have a total of 8 sets of 3dc's grouped together.

Sl st in the third ch of the first ch 3 to close the round. At the end of Round 1, you will have 8 ch1 spaces that will eventually be the butterfly wings.

Round 2: Insert your hook into the ch1 space, yarn over hook, sl st, ch 2 (this will count as the first dc). 2dc into the same ch 1 space, ch 1, 3dc into the same ch1 space. *3dc, ch 1, 3dc* into each ch 1 space. Sl st into the second chain of the ch 2 to close the round.

At the end of Round 2 you will have 8 sets of 6dc’s separated by a ch 1 space.

Your piece will be quite ruffled at this point, but don’t worry! You will be folding this in half and the ruffles magically disappear.

Round 3: Insert hook into the ch 1 space, yarn over hook, sl st, ch 2. (This will count as your first dc). 7dc into the same ch 1 space. Sc in the stitch in between the two ch 1 spaces. This will anchor your wing so it is nice and rounded. *8dc into each ch 1 space, sc in between* Sl st into the 2 ch of your first ch 2 to close the round.

When you are finished, you will have 8 sets of 8dc’s in each ch 1 space.

Sl st to knot and tie off your yarn with an extra long tail. You will use this to sew your butterfly together. Fold your round ruffled circle in half, aligning each set of four wings with the tail at the bottom.

Sew up the center until you reach the inner circle of Round 1.

Ch 25. Sc in the second ch from the hook and in the next 4 stitches. sl st in the next 14 stitches and sc in the last 5 stitches. Tie off. This creates the thicker ‘silk moth’ antennae. If you would like the straight antennae you see on my other butterflies, simply chain your desired length, super tightly.

Fold the antennae in half and place on the top of the butterfly. Take your tapestry needle and sew to secure.

Weave your thread into the inner wing and Voila! A three dimensional, perfectly pretty crochet butterfly!

With wings that can move up and down…flutter flutter!

This butterfly found her home on a Crochet Children’s Wool Bamboo Hat.

And this one (crocheted in an eggplant shade of Peruvian Wool) is now a part of this Crochet Baby Hat in Wool Bamboo. Where will you place yours?


This tutorial AND all pictures are the property of King Soleil. Want to share how to crochet a butterfly? Please do! But make sure to link back to www.kingsoleil.com ! This tutorial and butterflies made are great for personal use, decoration, and gifts and are not intented for selling/profit. Thank you and enjoy!

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Introducing King Soleil

Today We Introduce You To EtsyKids Team Member Morgan from King Soleil!

Q:  What motivated you to start your shop?
I taught myself how to crochet as a way to wind down from my day as a stay at home mommy. A cup of tea, some super soft yarn, and a hook is all I needed to sooth my soul. I started making clothing and accesories for myself and my children, and rugs for my house, and realized that I went to bed at night thinking about my next pattern and woke up the next morning rearing to go! King Soleil is a way for me to share what I love to do, and continue being a stay at home mommy to my babies. I couldn't feel more lucky!

Q:  What is the story behind your shop name?
My shop name, King Soleil, is named after the loves of my life and ultimate inspirations; my children, King (Kingston) 16 months, and Soleil, 3 years. Soleil gets a kick out of seeing her name on all my tags and site!

Q:  Do you have a favorite Etsy Shop (non-child related)?
Ouma. I am in LOVE with Ouma. One day I will save up to buy one of her amazingly gorgeous dresses. LOVE.

Q:  What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I think I was most surprised at how much I would love every aspect of running the shop. Before King Soleil, I didn't even know what a tweet was, or how to write a blog. I didn't know how to set up a facebook page. Now I have all those things and more and even designed my own website! I love promoting, editing my pictures, researching, and above all, creating. I never thought this business could compete with my previous job, as a family and adolescent at-risk counselor. But I honestly feel happier...like this is what I was meant to do. ::smile::

Q:  What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
I have so many ideas, books and books filled with patterns and sketches, and baskets of products, but i just don't have the time to put them all online. Making a product is one thing, photographing, editing, writing up a description, and promoting them all, is quite another. Maybe one day, I will post them all, but then again, by that time I will most likely have twice as many baskets and books filled with ideas. C'est la vie.

Q:  What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
It is all about balance. It is so important to have a sense of balance in one's life, and I use this as an esthetic when designing, above anything else. For instance, when making my rugs, if I want to add a detailed cherry branch with flowers, the rest of the rug is super simple. A rug with no appliques? Uber bright. Same idea as my accessories, keep it modern and simple, but fun and unexpected. Old school embroidery hoop art? Let's add a big mustache. Mix it up, but keep it classic. Balance.

Q:  How would someone (other then you) describe you?
An old soul. At 27, with my 2 babies, curled up on my couch in my little cottage with my crochet hooks and yarn balls scattered around, a steaming cup of tea, and Norah Jones playing in the background, I am in heaven. At age 10, my mother would constantly remind me that she is, in fact, the parent. In high school, I met my now husband. During college at Tulane University in New Orleans, I chose board games, jazz clubs and cajun restaurants over Mardis Gras craziness, well, MOST of the time :)

Q:  What music do you have on while you are creating?
It's either Norah Jones calmess that brings back days of living in Manhattan, or Dirty Heads reggae / rap that reminds me of my beach days living in Hawaii and Miami. Both make me super happy and each set of memories helps inspire different products. Cherry Tree rug? Flower Cowl? Dirty Heads. Modern Dandelion Rug? Snow Bunny Skirt and Cowl? Norah Jones.

Q:  What do you do when you aren't working?
This is kind of a trick question because my two jobs, running King Soleil, and being a mommy never really end. I suppose if I am not crocheting, promoting, or chasing babies, I like to think of my next travel destination, hike, look through house listings (my 5 year goal is to buy a house), and get a foot rub from my super cute husband ::wink wink::

Q:  Anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
Thank you for sharing this little bit of insite into the world of King Soleil and my family. EtsyKids is peachy keen!

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February 2012 EtsyKids Desktop Background

Here is the desktop calendar for February 2012! This month it is all about the love with feature items in red and pink and full of hearts! You can see a treasury of all these items here.

1024 x 768

1280 x 800

1920 x 1080

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