Lorelei from Reagan's class made it onto the wall of frames! Nice work!

When I first started blogging about my projects, I shared an easy triangle shawlette and recently wanted to make a pattern that was very similar but with

I have mentioned my love for kids' handprint art many times over the years. Those tiny chubby fingers, stamped or traced, fill my keepsake boxes. If you should happen to feel the same way about tiny handprints—then you are in luck! This post is full of handprint art ideas! Post may contain affiliate links. Thank

Hearty, flavorful and healthy, this Vegan White Bean and Tofu Chili is a simple one pot meal that's ready in under an hour. Great for busy days!

Sammy's school is hosting Mayfair and I had offered to do a little crafting. Sewing, knitting, painting, I said I would be most happy to try my hand at whatever was needed. The verdict was knitting. Gulp. You might remember my knitting struggles of the past - which I (sort of) began to overcome this

Well it's the end of a busy week! I don't know about you, but I'm pooped! But I'm pleased to say we've had some gorgeous, sunny days here in N.I. this week, and there's a lovely Autumn feel to the air! As always, the things I've been working on this week I can't show you yet (soon I promise!), so I'm going to give you a wee tute on how to use up every last wee bit of fabric shavings, you know those bits that end up all over your cutting mat after trimming blocks and hsts? We'll here's a cool way to turn them into a new type of fabric. As far as I know this product doesn't have an official name - I learnt it at college and it wasn't called anything then, but if you know the official name of this craft, please let me know. 1. Save up your fabric shavings & wee bits of offcuts that are too small to be useful (you can also cut up wee bits of fluffy wool, ribbon, sparkly threads etc.). Bigger pieces will need to be snipped down smaller. 2. Take a piece of plain sheeting/calico and lay a load of shavings on top. You can colour code your savings as I have done here, or have a multi-coloured mess! Make sure it's thick enough to cover the backing fabric, but not too thick to sew over. 3. Lay a piece of water soluble fabric over the top and pin/sew round the edges. This stuff is really cool - you can get different brands in a craft shop or online. I've used Avalon Water Soluble Embroidery Fabric by Madeira. 4. Now sew, sew, sew over the top of the w.s.fabric, either by free motion quilting or straight & wavy lines all over. Try not to leave any big gaps where the shavings can later escape from. 5. When you have stitched this to within an inch of its life, take the pins out and under a luke warm tap or in a sink/basin, allow the w.s.fabric to melt away (it goes a bit slimy as it melts off so rinse it well). 6. Give your new piece of fabric a good squeeze to get the water out and then allow it to dry on the radiator. 7. When dry, draw your desired shapes on the back and cut out. If you want to, sew more stitching on top to highlight details, for example veins in leaves, or sew on beads, sequins etc. 8. You can now use your fabric shapes to embellish/decorate cards, cushions, make letters or Christmas decorations etc. etc. The possibilities are endless! Another way to use this wonderful water soluble fabric is to roughly sketch a shape on to it & then put it into an embroidery hoop. Repeated sewing and shading with thread will close all the gaps, so that when you take the fabric off the hoop and dissolve the w.s.fabric you are left with a completely embroidered shape. Have fun & let your imagination run wild!

This Vegan Lentil Bolognese Sauce comes together in less than an hour in just one pot so it's perfect for a quick meal on busy nights. Kids love it too!

Got a little bit of leftover yarn? We all do! Why not turn it into a cheery wee fishie to decorate your Christmas tree, a wrapped present, or a cabinet knob? Knit in the round from the tail to the nose with NO SEAMING, this fish can be knit in just about any yarn scraps of any weight that you have lying around. Just 20 yards will do the trick. Sample shown in fingering weight, One Twisted Tree Prime Variegated Twist (75% superwash merino, 25% nylon, 460 yards/421 m per 100 g), One Twisted Summer colorway. Knit with size U.S. size 2 (2.75 mm) needles. Finished fish size will vary, based on your yarn and needle size. Sample fish size is about 1.5” by 3” (3.75 cm by 7.5 cm) Difficulty: Intermediate. Skills include knitting in the round with small (fiddly) stitch counts, increasing, and decreasing. Tools and Notions: Needles for knitting in the round. Needle size will vary based on your yarn weight. Aim for a fabric dense enough to stuff your fish lightly. Fingering-weight sample was knit on U.S. size 2 (2.75mm) needles. Tapestry needle for grafting and weaving in ends A small bit of stuffing, either polyfill or other yarn scraps Optional: scrap black yarn or safety eyes to make eyes. WANT MORE? Come join the fun in the Kino Knits Ravelry group. You can also get all the latest Kino Knits news, sneak peeks, and the best discount codes by signing up for the Kino Knits newsletter.

Want to build creative and happy kids? Time for some crafting! I just love doing crafts with my kids, and I always have, which is precisely why you will find so many crafts and art activities on this blog of mine. Fun crafts for kids are the absolute best—those types of crafts that really

Because of everything that has been going on this summer, I feel like I'm a little behind... Wee Folk Art spea

If there is one thing I know, it is busy boys. Trust me on this one. I have two of the busiest little people you have ever seen. Which, of course, is one of the reasons I am also a self-made expert on Quiet Time. As you may know, I wrote a bit about the

Help your little ones learn all about shapes and dinosaurs with this Montessori-inspired Printable Dinosaur Shape Match Game for kids!

Have you noticed that I write a TON about quiet time activities in this space, but not a lot about busy bags? There is a reason for that! Quiet time in our home is about resting and allowing little ones some mindful time. Quiet time is FAR more than simply keeping little ones busy. I

Share Wildflower Ramblings! My son loves music. John has two things he loves most in this world: playing with tractors and playing guitar. We have bought him several “kid” guitars, but he also received a “real” one from his Grandma and Grandpa — which he adores. Or, if he has to, he’ll use an “air”...

Whether you’re a Mom looking for something that your wee little ones can make for their grandmothers or even a Dad who wants to do something special for Mom this Mother’s Day, these DIY gifts to make with kids are so simple that, well toddlers can make them!

Lesson helps and handouts for Behold Your Little Ones Lesson 14: I Will Obey

Gilipeysa is a sweet little yoked sweater for the wee ones. Knitted with the very soft and fine Icelandic lambswool Gilitrutt Tvíband, it has all the elements and qualities of a traditional lopapeysa (warm, light, durable, water-repellant) with the softness! Yarn and kit are available here.

A 72-Page Printable Pregnancy Planner for Expecting Moms. There are so many things to do in the weeks leading up to the arrival of your little one.

Have you ever noticed how little ones love to read the same story again and again... and again and again? While fabulous for developing language skills, this also gives little ones a much-desired sense of control and predictability in their day. The same holds true with a daily rhythm. When little ones know what to

Looking for some Quiet Time activities for your toddler or preschooler? You have come to the right place! To any mama, dad, or caregiver with little ones at home, there is no sweeter word than... NAPTIME (at least in our home). A time to recharge, relax, and get (a little bit of) work done while

I have found that exploring nature items is very calming for my little ones.Our newest rhythm is really focusing on calming activities for kids (Speaking of which, have you discovered Clever's New Trick? It's a social story I wrote about helping little ones learn to calm down. You can read more about it by clicking

There is nothing cuter than a brand new little baby. Whip up one of these adorable Baby Bear Sleepers using this free crochet pattern!

Is in session! I'm so excited to invite you to join me for an afternoon (or an evening) of softie making! I will be teaching my Elephant Softies pattern twice this month at the fabulous fabric shop, Let's Sew, August 22nd (5:30-8:30pm) and 24th (1-4pm). Let's Sew is in Evansville (southwestern Indiana). Tommy & Tilly Elephant is one of my easiest (and possibly, most fun) patterns, so if you are new to sewing and want to make your first pattern project, or if you are more experienced and want to spend a few hours of sewing and socializing in a gorgeous fabric shop, sign up by calling the store at 812- 471-7945. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or e-mail me! The cost of the class is $35, and materials are not included, but you will receive a discount on the supplies and pattern when you have paid for your spot. I am so looking forward to meeting a few of you in person, I hope to see you there! Happy Stitching,

Interesting way to communicate with your baby!! About My Smart Hands Laura Berg, Founder of MSH: When I was pregnant with my first child I wanted to find a way to stay at home with her but still have an income. Necessity being the mother of invention, I used the skills I had as a teacher and my knowledge of ASL and began teaching sign language to parents of hearing babies. My classes became so successful that I founded My Smart Hands, which has now grown into an international company It started when I was working as an eighth grade teacher, running the literacy program at my school. The old program we were using wasn’t working so my principal asked me to try to find different ways to help our students improve their literacy skills. While doing research I came across a study that used the American Sign Language (ASL) alphabet to help students develop their spelling skills. I was fascinated with this concept, it made complete sense. ASL encompasses a number of learning styles but specifically kinesthetic and visual. I took this theory to my school, designed a great curriculum and began to have success with it. This led to me lecturing for teacher education programs at universities on the concept of using sign language to help promote literacy in our schools. These lectures, I’m please to say, were very well received. Further into my research I came across several articles and research studies on using sign language with babies. This concept fascinated me and it made me want to sign with my baby when I had one. The benefits of signing with children are far greater than simple communication (read more about this in our FAQ page). This all lead me to the creation of My Smart Hands. With my background, teaching baby signing classes seemed to be the perfect fit! In 2005, while pregnant with my daughter, I began designing the My Smart Hands curriculum . After signing with my new daughter and seeing her learn ASL, I was even more confident that this was the right career path for me. I fine tuned my program, designed a manual with a CD to accompany it and opened up my company to other instructors. I wanted to give as many families as possible the opportunity to sign with their babies with help from a qualified My Smart Hands presenter. Here we are now, several years later and My Smart Hands is an international company with nearly 100 instructors and growing every day! All of my instructors have unique backgrounds but we all have one thing in common, a love for signing! All of My Smart Hands instructors are required to have formal ASL training. We pride ourselves in being an educationally based company that will deliver fulfilling and exciting classes to the parents that take them! I am so honored to have such a well respected company and to have such amazing people represent my vision of My Smart Hands! http://www.mysmarthands.com

This pumpkin shape trace, count, and graph is perfect for little ones to practice fine motor, one-to-one correspondence, visual perception, and beginning graphing skills! Please leave feedback if you like this activity:)

When I first started blogging about my projects, I shared an easy triangle shawlette and recently wanted to make a pattern that was very similar but with

If you have a little one between the ages of 6-12 years old who is an aspiring Artist or aspiring Scientist, have I got a Unit Study for YOU! It is our first Art Unit Study! I am thrilled to introduce you to the newest Family Unit Study all about the exciting world of colour.

Keep Your Tyke Feeling Cool With This First Impression Knit Singlet

Well, I have found my new favorite craft. This seed art project was full of so much learning for my little ones, but perhaps even more importantly, it was... dare I say, relaxing? Generally, when we craft with glue and lots of little bits and pieces, things get messy quickly. But with this seed art

Are you looking for (or wondering about) STEM or STEAM activities for kids? If so, you are in the right place, my friends! This is the ULTIMATE resource list for the best of the best Science, Technology, Engineering, (Art), and Math (STE(A)M) activities. My boys have always loved STEM challenges. And I completely understand why!

Do you have a handy kid? All of my little ones amaze me with what they are capable of (when I give them the opportunity to show me, that is). And woodworking projects are no exception! Madeline didn't have too many opportunities when she was little, I'm afraid to say. I cringed with the idea

We were up North visiting family for the weekend and I felt quite like my Mother. My Mom would always (always) be knitting away when we went on long car rides, and this car ride I was doing just that. Now, there is one humongous difference of course. My Mom is an experienced and excellent