Mini Magnetic Terrariums from Darby Smart

Happy Sunday

Easter Snapshots

Happy memories!

Spring Sponsors and A Giveaway

photo credit: Artful Life Designs

Artful Life Designs

I love their personalized prints! There are designs for every room in your home and color options to match any decor! Be sure to take a look at the Mommy/Play Date cards too. They are a perfect way to exchange contact information with other mommies.

Raspberry Creek Fabrics
This is my favorite online source for fabric! If you have ever wondered where the fabric came from for a project I've shared on the blog, chances are this shop is the answer.

Hobbies from the Heart
This shop is filled with paper goodies and accessories that are perfect for packaging and gift items! There are also some lovely items for showers and weddings. My sister shopped here before her big day.

Pink Flamingo Ephemera

If you are looking for unique craft supplies, this is the perfect spot to shop! Here are some button creations and a garland I made with items from this lovely shop.

Happy Sunday

Flannel Stuffed Animal

Move over Easter Bunny! How about some Easter elephants? {laughing} I actually didn't make these because of Easter. Last June I made a Naptime Bundle for one of the boys. I loved the little elephant with it so much that I decided to make one for each of my kids. I used flannel for them which is actually a fabric I didn't like to sew with until I discovered Raspberry Creek Fabrics. This shop has a beautiful selection of soft flannel. Many of the designs are sold in coordinating bundles that inspired me to make both the Naptime Bundle and the Baby Bundle. If you haven't ever tried sewing with flannel, take a look at some of the options that Raspberry Creek Fabrics has and try one of my tutorials. This would be a great one to start with...

Simple Packaging Ideas

One of my favorite things about having a shop on Etsy is getting to package up orders. I love this task! And Hobbies from the Heart is one of my favorite sources for cute packaging supplies like stickers, seals, twine, doilies, glassine bags, washi tape, and tags.

With these simple supplies it's easy to make each package or gift fun and unique! Here are a few quick and easy packaging ideas...

5 Fabulous Button Crafts

Did you see the fabulous craft supplies I received from Pink Flamingo Ephemera? This lovely shop sells vintage paper and craft supplies that are truly unique. Be sure to take a peek! The vintage buttons really got my creativity flowing. So...today I'm sharing five simple craft ideas for buttons.

Crafting with buttons is so easy and fun! From jewelry to bookmarks, you can use them for a variety of crafts and gift items. I think it's safe to assume that we all have some buttons laying around. Pull those buttons out and try one of these super simple ideas. Each one takes less than five minutes to make. How's that for quick and easy crafting?!

Paper Garland made from Pink Flamingo Ephemera's Paper Circles

Here is my newest garland creation! I made it with paper circles from Pink Flamingo Ephemera--a lovely Etsy shop with a wide assortment of vintage craft supplies. The shop sells "paper ephemera for all your crafty projects", and I have certainly found some crafty uses for these vintage supplies.

Pink Flamingo Ephemera

Shop   /   Shop's Facebook Page   /   Blog   /   Blog's Facebook Page   /   Twitter

I'll be sure to share all of the crafts I've made with the supplies pictured above, but I want to start with the garland...

Happy Sunday

Scented Dough: Sensory Dough Series

Here is Aprils's installment of the 12 Months of Sensory Dough Series! Each month 11 fellow bloggers and I will share with you our playtime adventures with dough. Last month was Edible Play Dough.  This month we're making Scented Dough!

Scented dough is fantastic because it incorporates the sense of touch, smell, and sight into one simple activity. Play really does matter! Want to make dough for your own little ones to play with? Here's how...

Nautical Spring Trend

Has the weather been getting warmer where you live? It has been beautiful here this week which puts me in a mood to get outside! I'm ready for picnics, zoo outings, playing at the park, gardening, trips to the lake or beach...

I love spring! And all things nautical are trending this spring. Here are some nautical-inspired Etsy items that have me longing to get out on the water...

Nautical Fabrics from Raspberry Creek Fabrics

photo credit: Raspberry Creek Fabrics

Hair Ties and Seals from Hobbies from the Heart

photo credit: Hobbies from the Heart

Nautical Outfits from Bluebird Cottage Designs

(my own little shop)

What has you excited about spring?

Happy spring!

Dairy-Free White Cake with Vegan Buttercream Frosting

Do you have a child with a dairy allergy or sensitivity to dairy? We do! And it made coming up with a birthday cake a challenge. After testing out a few different recipes, I found one that turned out so delicious that our guests didn't even realize I hadn't used milk or butter. Yes, it really is that good!

You may remember me telling you in this post that my youngest son Caleb is highly allergic to milk. Early tests even indicated the possibility of a soy allergy. We found out about all of this when Caleb was about one-month-old.

It has made the introduction of solid foods a challenge, but we have gradually been figuring it all out. He drinks rice milk instead of cow's milk. Almond milk isn't an option because my picky little guy hates it. (Update: As he got older, he started loving almond milk.) I have baked with almond milk to sneak it into his diet since certain types have more protein. Even though there are a lot of foods he can't or won't eat, one of his favorite things is vanilla yogurt made from coconut milk.

Neither Lydia Grace or Eli, my other two children--have a milk allergy, so it has certainly been a new adventure for us. Figuring out a cake option for his first birthday was a full-on kitchen quest. I came up with some delicious options, though. As my mother was eating a slice, she made sure to ask, "You wrote down everything you did, right?" Yes, I did! And I'm even sharing it with you today...

Happy Sunday