Days Like These... Were Meant for Marking

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Top by H&M (find similar ones here) | Leather look pencil skirt by ASOS | Lips by MAC

Kids' Arts & Crafts: Creative Card Making

Spring Break is upon us in all its full two-week force. So, what better excuse to pull out the arts and crafts box to keep your little ones busy over the holiday. I always have lots of different types of media for the kids to get creative with and they really enjoy the freedom of choosing/combining water paints, acrylics, pencils, felts, chalk, sequins, feathers, paper, etcetera. L's teacher had a birthday recently and so I ought to publish this post now, instead of letting it languish in my drafts folder.

Cards, whether it's a birthday card or seasonal greeting card, are just the best for kids to get their creative mitts into; it's messy and it's fun. Two very key ingredients right there, for some. So find a clear space at the table or even on the floor, lay down some protective covering if you plan on going a little wild, set the scene with all of the tools and media you'll be using, round up the clan and get sticking.

We're using paper, card, sequins, glitter glue, feathers and pencils.

The kids are likely to take off all on their own initiative once they see everything and you'll probably end up taking the back seat as an observant supervisor. L pulled together this card up from its paper foundations and built her own little googly eyed feathered friend. She didn't even want/need my help. I just sat and watched with encouraging "ooohhs" and "aaahhs" - secretly wanting to get involved. I restrained my urges.

Look around the house for reusable items (carrying on the recycling theme a bit from my last post, which you can read here), such as old cartons, egg boxes, toilet roll, plastic lids, old buttons, packaging, bubble wrap, cotton wool... The list is endless! And if you are still stretched thin for ideas, there is always Pinterest. Have a go and capture the imaginative hearts of your kids this holiday.

'Cool Mum' badge earned without lifting much of a finger.

The Early Kiss of Spring Calls for Tulips

Seeing as we have only just recently had our first official day of Spring, I realise this post couldn't have been better timed. As the days get a little brighter and the chill in the air begins to slowly fade away - with it - we are greeted by the early blooms of the jolly yellow daffodils and the delicateness of the seasons first tulip blooms.

Not long ago, a dear friend of ours came to visit with her parents and they brought with them bunches of beautiful tulips (red, pink and purple) and, of course, some delicious Romanian treats for the kids. My son immediately went for the 'pufuleti' and the girls beamed with delight at the flowers and wanted to put them into some water straight away. Having placed them gently in the kitchen, I found three slimline vases; definitely not wide enough to fit all of the flowers. And so this is the story of how re-purposing old sauce jars and reusing them as vases became an ingenious way to add a rustic touch of sophisticated elegance to ones home.

I had a few empty glass sauce jars saved to one corner, which were all ready to be thrown out into our weekly recycling box but what better way to recycle something than to make second use of an item that I was just going to get rid of anyway. I removed the labels, cleaned and washed them out and put them to some crafty good use; if you're someone who likes having cut flowers liven up your living space, then perhaps you might consider this idea. An excellent little tip found via a quick Google search revealed that rubbing some peanut butter will help to remove the stubborn glue left behind from the labels on the jars (be sure to soak jars in warm water first).

It's such a great way to make productive use of the things you have around the home, whether it's something you plan on recycling or just throwing out, think of how you can reuse different items?

Spring in a jar

Reusing glass jars is not a new thing; I'm sure it has been done plenty but the only reason the thought occurred to me in the first place was because I came up short on actual vases and so I was forced to think outside the box and make do with what I could find around the house. I am really pleased with my results.

Play around with your floral arrangements and perhaps try displaying them on an unconventionally shaped wooden chopping board. The contrast of the tulips against the grain of the wood will help to create a warm natural look and look beautiful as any centrepiece.

Try it yourself