by Summer M.
I am sorry to say that I am going to be stepping down as the writer here at Creative Mom Cafe. As much as I have loved writing here and sharing all the fun, creative, and crafty ideas with everyone I just am running out of time in my days. I realize that my posting here has become sporadic and sloppy lately, and I apologize for that.
I am certain that whomever takes over this blog will do an even better job and will make Creative Mom Cafe exactly what it deserves to be. A blog that shares the creative side of moms, a place where moms can share their ideas and obsessions, and a place where arts and crafts isn’t just for the kid’s table.
I know my time here was short but I have had a wonderful time writing here. And though I am stepping down from here you can still find me yacking away for 451Press at Mom Is Teaching and The Attached Mother. Thank you for making my blogging experience here fun. I hope to see you all elsewhere on the net!
by Summer M.
I recently ordered a few things from an Etsy shop and with my order came a small thank you card. The card was made from homemade paper and had held within it a collection of flower seeds. The instructions printed on the back of the card was to plant it under a light layer of dirt, keep moist, and enjoy the blooms that sprouted up. I thought that was such a great idea I went looking online for something similar.
I found this great tutorial on Making Paper From The Garden that might be just what I am looking for. I hope to get my hands on some mixed flower seeds and try making a few sheets of paper. The directions are simple enough that even children can follow them.
I immediately knew this would be a great project to make for Mother’s Day. Make sheets of paper with flower seeds and fold them gently into cards. Make these seed paper cards to give to all of the mothers and grandmothers in your life. Of course if you do not want to try to make them yourself you can always buy some. Try this set of three with a beautiful leaf image in the center. Or check out this beautiful wedding invitation with seeds in the cake. This set of 10 cute mini note cards are also perfect for sending out to the moms you love this Mother’s day.
Go out and try this for yourself! I would love to see all the fun things you can do with some plantable paper.
Mother’s Day, flower seeds, plantable paper, flower seed paper
by Summer M.
With Earth Day coming up I wanted to share some places on the web where you can find some creative inspiration. There are lots of fun ways to celebrate Earth Day for creative moms and kids. Here are some of my favorite ones.
- Tin Can Herb Pots - Decorative and fun these little pots are made from empty tin cans, the kind that you can buy soups and vegetables in at the store. Decorate them up and grow some herbs. Not only can you use them for cooking but your kids can enjoy making something grow for Earth Day
- Recycled Tote - Use old plastic and weave it into a new tote bag that you can use to carry things in. Have some weaving fun and recycle at the same time.
- Earth Pendant - Make a fun necklace to wear that shows off your kids’ love of the earth.
- Make Your Own Recycled Paper - Use this to make your own Earth Day cards to give to everyone. It’s lots of fun to do and is a great way to show your kids about recycling.
- CD Jewel Case Birdhouse - Though it was meant to be a birdhouse this would make a great little greenhouse for starting seeds. Plus it looks beautiful and would make a fun decoration to have in your yard.
- Crafty Fridge Magnets - Recycle old candy packaging into fun magnets for your fridge. Instead of tossing those little boxes into the trash use a little glue and a small magnet to have some creative fun.
These are just a few of the fun creative ideas you can use to celebrate Earth Day with your kids. Get creative and see what other things you can reuse, transform, and recreate into something fun and eco-friendly.
Earth Day, crafts, creative, recycle, recycled crafts
by Summer M.
So, what great creative ideas have you found this week?
- Make your own hand/body cream - This luscious, rich hand and body cream looks like it is just dying to put on. And hey, moms deserve some pampering too! Here a great recipe to make your own cream and pamper yourself whenever you want.
- What I do with my scraps - Make something of course! Check out this total free form quilt pieced together with scraps of fabric. You don’t need to spend money buying enough fabric to make a fancy quilt, just create something funky with what you already have.
- Show your sketchbook! - Do you carry around a sketch book where you work out ideas before making them? If so Cyndi at Jewelry And Beading wants to see it! Share a photo of what you plan out your projects in.
- Bagsket Tutorial - A great tutorial on making a bag basket. This is another great project for using up your scraps, and this bagsket is incredibly useful too. Make several as you will need them this summer for everything from visiting your local farmer’s market to visiting the beach with your kids.
Know a guy who is into the latest fashion of the brimmed beanie? ThreadBanger has a great tutorial video on turning an old sweater into a stylish hat that any guy would love to wear. There are always lots of great videos there for you to browse through, definitely one to check out.
crafts, creative
by Summer M.
Over at Craftzine you can get a sneak peek into the latest Craft magazine issue. One of the tidbits they shared online is this fun idea for making little monsters. I instantly fell in love, and not just because I refer to my boys as “little monsters” from time to time. Though they don’t share the entire article, of course, I still wanted to try and make one. I was not about to try hand-sewing the entire thing like the writer does, but I was sure I could still make a cute little guy for my boys to play with. Here’s my little experiment with making a monster toy. This is definitely something for everyone to try. Come on moms, what kind of monster can you make?
I started with a basic shape. I did not want to try anything too extreme for my first monster so I stayed simple. After finally drawing what I wanted I cut it out of paper to use as a pattern. I also cut out some felt pieces for eyes, claws, and a tummy to rub. I wanted a happy little monster with some personality of his own.
Read the rest of this entry »
by Summer M.
If you haven’t had a chance to check it out yet the Make It From Scratch carnival is up today over at Life Lessons of a Military Mom. There are a lot of great ideas being shared by some very creative moms. Go see what you can inspired to make.
The Carnival of Etsybloggers is up as well over at TuLips Talking. If you want to get April Fooled in a creative way this is the carnival for you.
It’s not up yet, but the Carnival of All Things Crafty is scheduled to be up today over at Creatively Me! Check back later to see if the carnival is up.
blogging, blog carnivals, crafts, creative
by Summer M.
A young girl standing in line in front of me Saturday was wearing the cutest tank top. It was a simple boxy top, almost nothing more than a flowing rectangle with straps. It had a very 60s feel to it that I loved and the looseness of it looked like it would be perfect on hot summer days.
I looked for a pattern online to use but the closest I could find was one from Simplicity #3882. Look at the third top on the top row. Unfortunately I never found a good free pattern. Still, I was determined to make a tank top like this so I improvised a little.
First I measured around my bust. I wanted a straight, flowing top coming down so I decided to make it as wide as the widest part. Then I measured from my chest down to the top of my hip for length. I added a few inches for seam allowance and cut two rectangles by those detentions for the front and back. For the top panel and straps I used a different material rather than all one style. I cut two long pieces as wide as the front and back panels and 5 inches wide. Each was folded in half to create a 2 1/5 inch double panel around the top. For the straps I measured from across my shoulders for length and from shoulder to shoulder to determine how far apart to put the straps.
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by Summer M.
This time of year my scrap book obsession really comes out. The sun is coming out of hiding and there are a lot more things going on. Suddenly everywhere I look is inspiration for some great scrap book pages. The best, at least to me, are the natural photos of my kids at play.
This is one of my favorite photos of my oldest when he was younger. Splashing through puddles in his rain boots on a hot summer day. There was no posing or working with lighting. I just snapped a few playful pictures of him enjoying some fun outside. With just a little cropping I managed to turn this photo and a few others into a great scrap book page.
Click image to enlarge.
I put together a small list of some of the best advice for capturing perfect photos of your kids without forcing them to sit and smile.
Even if you are not a scrapbooker knowing how to capture a great photo of your children is a useful skill to have. It might even turn into a new creative hobby or career.
children, photography, scrapbooking, scrap book
by Summer M.
Who has time to craft with all this beautiful weather? OK, so some of you are still stuck under a pile of snow. And some moms might be looking for something to do to spend their hours sitting on the park bench. So here is this week’s fun round up of creative posts that you should check out. As always, if you know of any awesome ones that I’ve missed be sure to let me know!
- Star Stitch Headband pattern - This cute little knit headband will keep the hair out of your eyes and make you look cool. Perfect for all you hot mamas out there.
- Recycled Bike Inner Tube Jewelry - It’s creative and good for the environment. Two things that score perfect tens for me. Check out the tutorial on how to do it yourself.
- Twelve New Monsters - I know some kids who would love these kind of stuffed friends over the typical dogs, cats, and rabbits.
- Vintage Pillowcase Lunchbox Tutorial - This is a great idea for using an old pillowcase. Of course it doesn’t just have to be a lunchbox. This would also be a cute little bag for carrying almost anything.
- What You’re Reading in Craft:06! - Check out all the links here for some great project ideas. And then hurry and subscribe this the magazine to get your hands on all the great articles and ideas.
- The Crafty Crow - A new craft site full of children’s craft ideas. This is definitely one to bookmark!
- Bias Tape Tutorial - If sewing on bias tape is a little tricky to you here is a great video for how to do it right.
crafts, creative
by Summer M.
One fun thing to do in the warm weather is go on picnics. The sunshine, the fresh air, the threat of ants are all part of what makes eating outside fun. I pulled together some great sewing ideas from around the web to create your own picnic things. From wrapping utensils to wrapping sandwiches there are a lot of easy sewing ideas you can use to have everythign you need for a picnic lunch. Everything except the food, of course.
Over at Instructables you can follow the directions to quickly sew a utensils holder from a dish towel. There is also an idea for making a dish holder from ordinary dish towels as well. All you need are some great dish towels, you can usually find them for cheap at your local dollar store. Then use ribbons, buttons, or iron-ons to decorate them however you want. If you can cross stitch these could be a fun project to get into.
Looking for a simple sandwich wrap that can be reused? Try a square of PUL for a fun sandwich wrap. You can buy squares of this coated fabric online for very low cost. Sew on a small bit of Velcro to keep it on to hold it secure and you’re ready to go. If you don’t want to buy PUL check out what this mom did with ordinary fabric and a plastic sandwich bag.
If you have left over scraps of fabric laying around the house you can whip up some simple cloth napkins for your picnic lunch. These are so very simple to make and can add a bit of fun and style to any picnic. Of course you don’t have to just use them for picnics. Make a big batch of the napkins and use them every day to keep your paper use low.
Have a picnic tablecloth that keeps blowing away in the wind? Here’s a simple idea to keep the tablecloth cover down using just a little elastic. The same will work for bench covers as well. If you are really worried about a windy day try these picnic placemats with individual utensil holders. Keeps the wind from blowing away your fork and spoon in the middle of eating your meal.
Once you get these fun projects whipped up there will be nothing left to do but make your sandwiches and slice the watermelon. Have a great picnic!
crafts, sewing, picnics
by Summer M.
The weather is warming up and many moms are pulling out their kids’ warmer weather clothes. Around here jeans were the staple of cold weather wear, worn nearly every day to keep us warm. Now the stack of jeans is being gone through, those too short or too stained tossed to the side. If you have those jeans that have become too short in the legs or have stains across the legs they can still be reused for this spring and summer. A few simple changes can turn old blue jeans into cute skirts and fun shorts for your kids to wear.
First head over to ThreadBanger for a great DIY idea on turning a pair of jeans into a cute denim skirt. All you will need is a pair of jeans, a seam ripper, and a sewing machine to create a fun new wardrobes item for your little girl. Add some lace around the bottom, iron on fun patches, use fabric paints, or anything else to decorate the skirt and turn it into a one of a kind piece of art to wear. You could even try some fun embellishing for a unique style.
If your daughter isn’t a skirt wearing type of girl you can still turn outgrown jeans into fun spring pieces. When kids grow so fast it is common to find jeans that still fit, yet are several inches too short. Cut off the bottom few inches off the legs and hem them to create fun capri jeans. You can add a small lace ruffle around the bottom for a fun look.
Of course girls aren’t the only ones that can have their jeans reworked. You can refashion your boy’s jeans by turning them into cool shorts for the warmer months. You can use the same ideas of adding iron-ons, sewing on squares of fabric, or using fabric paint to make interesting and fun shorts any boy would love to wear.
If hemming jeans seems like a challenge here is a great tutorial on hemming jeans that you can use for all your jeans transforming ideas.
jeans, crafts, sewing, shorts, skirts, DIY
by Summer M.
We spent Saturday afternoon making felt balls and beads for the first time. It was fun, though quite a learning experience. We followed the instructions found on Martha Stewart’s site, and did not like them at all. Four tablespoons of soap to six cups of water was far too soapy for us, we had more bubbles than anything else. Rinsing the soap out took forever, and I still do not like the way anything felted up, if you can really call it felting. Though we used wool that was easy to felt with I really do not think any of it worked. The larger play balls for my sons are OK, maybe a 3 out of 5. But the smaller beads just did not work.
The next time I felt beads, which will hopefully be next weekend, I plan to use the instructions at Knitty instead. These sound like they will work a lot better. I am not sure if the beads I already have made can be redone or fixed (Anyone with experience know?) but still I want to make a second set to string on a necklace. I have an image in my mind that I have not really seen elsewhere yet and I want to make this necklace while I still feel inspired.
Felting balls was fun for my oldest son who just loved getting wet and soapy at the table. The actual felting process, rolling them in his hands and such was a bit difficult. Though a child with better coordination would probably have no trouble at all. Wrapping the balls took about 15 minutes to show and do and another 15 minutes of felting and rinsing makes it a quick craft to do. The beads took a little over 24 hours to dry, the balls are still not quite ready yet this morning.
For a fun outdoor craft to do while waiting for the balls to dry make these cute paper bag kites. They’re perfect for windy Spring days.
crafts, kids, felting, felt, beads
by Summer M.
Another week has passed us by. This one has been beautiful here. We started off with nonstop rain, but once the sun came out it was all worth it. Flowers are in bloom everywhere, meaning there’s almost no time for crafting. We’re outside playing as much as possible and soaking up the rays before the heat of summer ruins it for us. If you’re one of the people still stuck somewhere waiting for spring to really show up here are this week’s crafty ideas. They’re perfect for keeping yourself busy and entertained.
- T-shirt Handbag - Got an old shirt stuffed in the back of your closet that you can’t wear anymore but don’t want to give up? Here’s a great idea to reuse it into something new!
- Craft project and eating your vegetables - Crafts and healthy food, a combination almost every mom loves. These cute little labels will give your kids a big smile every time they go into the kitchen.
- Baking Pan Wall Art - This is a great project for reusing those old baking pans you no longer use.
- Starting up your Craft business - If you’re hemming and hawing about doing it here’s the kick you might need to finally jump in.
- Mini I Spy Quilts - Perfect for all those scraps of fabric you might have laying around. You could make several of these and save them for Baby and toddler gifts.
- Moving into the Video Age - A great tutorial video for transfers with acrylic paint.
- Simple Simon - Check out these awesome apple pies - baked inside tiny glass jars! Shows you how fun going outside the norm can be.
- Monster iPod Cozies - I love these furry little bags. Of course they don’t have to be just for iPods. Little kids might enjoy using them to carry toy cars or crayons around in.
As always if you have a creative post up or know of one that deserves mention leave a comment and I’ll add it to the list. With so many great blogs it’s hard to get to them all, especially with this warm weather beckoning.
crafts, creative, art
by Summer M.
I found these adorable spring animals online and had to share them. Using empty baby food jars and some craft foam you can create cute little animals to show off. Make bunnies and chicks for Easter decorations around your house, in your church, or even at the dinner table if you are having a big Easter meal. The possibilities are endless for these easy to make pets.
Of course they don’t have to just be decorations. You could help your kids make an entire farm full of animals for some creative play time. Or you can even use them for party games. Write numbers on the lids then have everyone pick an animal. Later draw a random number, whomever has that numbered animal wins a prize. Hide the fun animals around your house or yard for an interesting scavenger hunt game, just be sure there aren’t any eggs still laying out there. Use your imagination and I’m sure you can come up with a lot of great fun ideas for these cute animals.
Since they reuse the glass baby food jars you could turn them into a fun recycling project. Use scraps of felt or bits of broken toys to create the animals. You can stuff them with bits from old towels, clothes, or the cotton stuffing from blankets and pillows. See how creative you can get using only recycled items for your animals.
For other ideas on reusing baby food jars click here. There are a lot of fun ways that you can reuse something that most parents already have sitting around.
crafts, spring, animals, Easter, recycling, kids
by Summer M.
I’m pulling this idea out of the archives, but for a very good reason. It can be a great spring craft to make with your kids right now. Back during the winter I suggested giving flowers as a Christmas gift. It wasn’t just the flowers but also the pot that makes a beautiful gift. No doubt if you have gone to the store recently you have seen displays of flowers for sale, lilies, daisies and tulips are the most common right now with some other spring time flowers also. These could be great to give to grandparents as gifts for Easter or to just have around your own home to bring in a little spring. But you don’t have to keep them in the boring pots the stores keep them in.
Turn ordinary terracotta pots into fun spring time crafts. Let your kids go wild painting them, sticking on bunny stickers, or gluing fake eggs around the bottom of the pots. Just be sure to cover the area well first, kids and paint always seems to mean big messes. Here are some great tips on painting terracotta pots that you can use. You could also try this fun mosaic idea on your flower pots.
Of course you don’t have to just have flowers in your pots. You could decorate a large pot for a one pot herb garden. Or you could try some container gardening for indoor or patio vegetables. Spring is the perfect time to grow something new and with pretty pots made by your kids it is even more fun to do.
flowers, gardening, Spring, Easter, kids, crafts
