Category Archives: DIY

DIY GIANT Daisy Wall Hanging

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If you’re looking to make a big statement with your spring decor this year, you’re not going to want to miss this DIY GIANT Daisy Wall Hanging. With material you can find in your home, you’ll have a piece of decor that demands to be seen.

My favorite part about spring is all the flowers. Since the pandemic started, Mila and I really got into growing plants. They’re spread throughout our entire house. Honestly, they just bring so much life into our home. Plus, they’re perfect for her to learn about the science behind them and responsibility. It’s a win-win.

So, when Mila ditched her space themed birthday and wanted to do flowers and plants, I wasn’t so surprised. I just knew we had to make something special.

You can easily make this DIY with items you can find around the house. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Cardboard
  • Scissors
  • Cotton Balls
  • Yellow Yarn
  • Hot Glue (a lot of it)

When I say you need a lot of hot glue, I mean that I probably used 15 sticks. This daisy is big and needs a lot of glue to make it stick!

But first… you need to cut out a circle for the middle and then the petals around it. I used six petals, but you can do what you think looks good for your DIY daisy.

I used a plate to trace the circle and one of the feathers from my headboard. You could free hand a petal or find something that’s a similar size and shape around your house. Then just cut everything out.

Next, hot glue yellow yarn on the circle. I just did a spiral pattern.

After that, got glue the petals to the back of the circle. I put about them about an inch in. This made the petals secure.

Once the hot glue is dry on the structure, it’s time for the cotton balls. This takes a while, but once you find a rhythm it starts to click. I tried to do patterns with them too. You’ll use a lot of hot glue here!

To secure the back, I made another petal and hot glued it on. Then I hot glued a string to be able to hang the flower.

Even though this DIY GIANT Daisy Wall Hanging took a little while to make, I love how it turned out. It’ll be perfect for a picture backdrop for her party! After I’ll have it in my home too.

What’s your favorite flower? As you can imagine mine are daisies!

DIY Match the Egg Memory Game

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Looking for a fun way to challenge your little this season? A DIY Match the Egg Memory Game is an egg-ellent option!

When I saw the egg match printable from The Letter Vee, I knew I had to utilize it. Mila loves playing memory games, especially when they’re seasonal.

With a little work, it became such a cute and fun way for her to settle and use her brain.

This DIY Match the Egg Memory Game takes a little bit to make and set up. After the hard work though, it looks beautiful and my little loved it! She spent about 30 consecutive minutes playing with it.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Not going to lie… this DIY took a little work.

First, you need to print out the sheet from The Letter Vee. Then cut each of the egg pieces out.

Next, use modge podge to glue the paper on to pieces of cardboard. I only used a thin layer between the paper and cardboard. It seemed to have stuck perfectly fine.

Once the glue is dry, cut the cardboard into the right sized pieces too.

You could easily be done with your Match the Egg Memory Game, but we wanted to make it extra cute. This is totally optional, but I think it made it extra special.

We reused pink tinsel to trim out the pieces. To do this, I just cut the tinsel to size and hot glued around the cardboard. Then you just stick the tinsel around the outside and let it cool. I decided to leave the tinsel off of the side where the eggs come together too.

You can use these pieces as a traditional memory game or make it a little more special by hiding them in eggs around the house. Either way, it’s full of Easter fun!

What Easter games do you play with your kiddos? Let me know in the comments.

DIY Melted Crayon Artwork

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Happy National Crayon Day, friends! To celebrate the day, Mila and I made these adorable DIY Melted Crayon Artwork eggs.

This was a fun and different way to utilize our broken crayons.

Mila and I like to color a lot and sometimes we can left with small ones that can’t color anymore. We’ve melted them to make other crayons, but we wanted to be more creative this time.

I’ve been so inspired by all the Easter content lately that I thought it’d be adorable to make Easter eggs.

Here’s what you’ll need to make yours…

  • Crayons
  • Grater
  • Iron
  • Wax Paper
  • Thick Paper

This activity is really simple, but there’s definitely a decent amount of prep and clean up for parents.

First, collect your broken crayons that are not useable. Then it’s time to start grating them.

Mila picked out a ton of different colors. Beware of this! They can all mix and melt together. She didn’t seem to mind so it all worked out for us!

Once everything’s grated, it’s time to design your Easter eggs. I’m sure older kids would be able to create different designs. You could even use washi tape to keep everything separated.

Mila had a fun time putting the crayon shreds on the paper and had even more fun watching the next part.

When the design is complete, lay wax paper over it. Then with a heated iron, lightly press on it to melt the crayons. Mila was not expecting it to melt so we got to talk about why and about color mixing too!

After it melted, we let the crayon melting dry and then cut out the eggs shape.

We will make these eggs into a cute garland with different textures of yarn… and maybe some glitter too. Glitter is always the answer in our house!

This is an inexpensive way to decorate for Easter while doing a fun craft and science experiment with littles.

Check out other ways Mila and I have utilized and upcycled old crayons:

Let me know in the comments what you do with old crayons. I’d love to hear what our other options could be!

DIY Spring Bucket List

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If you’re wanting to help plan on getting the most out of spring this year, this DIY Spring Bucket List can help! Not only will it motivate you to get everything you want done, it’ll look great in your home.

Mila and I love bucket lists. We make them every Christmas break and try to do one for the other seasons too! Here’s our one from last spring.

We usually just make ours out of craft paper, but when I saw the tags from The Letter Vee, I wanted to do something a little different. I used an existing floral mobile I had and gave it another use!

To make our bucket list come to life, we used:

First things first… it’s time for a family meeting. Have a talk with your family about what you would all like to do this spring. This will look different for every family.

Once you figure this out, it’s time to print.

The Letter Vee has some bucket list items already on their site, but also gives blank cards too! This way you can easily write down what you’d like. For our ‘other’ items, I just used a normal pen and you could easily see my writing.

Next cut them out and use a hole puncher for each tag.

I actually taped the tags on spring scrapbook paper to give it an extra pop and used a daisy hole punch. The extra details made it so cute.

We also decided to use pink, grey, purple, and light blue yarn to connect our tags.

All you have to do is a light tie on a piece of the yarn or ribbon on your wall hanging. I just shuffled them around so we could easily see them.

You can add as many bucket list items you’d like.

Our plan is to take pictures with each bucket list item. When we do it, we’ll pull it off and make a little scrapbook of our spring.

It’ll be a fun way to record what we do and reflect on it at the end of the year.

Either way, we’re super ready for springtime and to start pulling items off of our bucket list. We can wait to keep you all updated.

In the comments, let me know what’s on your spring bucket list.

DIY Flower Pom Poms

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Springtime is here and we’re bringing the best parts inside. To decorate and embrace spring, we made DIY Flower Pom Poms.

These boho flowers are easy to make and really make a statement to any wall.

Mila and I are obsessed with plant and flowers. They bring us so much joy and are beautiful to look at too. I think they’re one of our favorite parts about springtime.

Even though we have plants and see flowers constantly, you can never have too many! That’s why I love this DIY Flower Garland.

Here’s the only two things you need for it.

  • Yarn
  • Scissors
  • Large needle
  • Pom pom maker (optional)

The first thing I did was pick out what color yarn I wanted for this project. I am in love with this orange, yellow, and pink color scheme lately. It gives me 70’s floral pattern vibes.

Then you need to make your pom poms. I personally don’t use a pom pom maker, just my hand.

All you need to do is cut and hold a string in your hands horizontally, then start wrapping string vertically around your four fingers. Wrap it around 150 times to get a full pom pom.

Next, you have to tie the first string you had horizontally. Once it’s tied, cut the loops for the rest of the strings to flare out.

After you have your little yarn ball, it’s time to shape and make it look fluffy. You’re going to trim A LOT of yarn here. Just keep cutting it down until it’s the size and puffiness you’d like. Once that’s done, your first pom pom is complete.

For each flower you do, you need to make six pom poms. I usually do a white center with colors on the outside.

To connect them, you can either use hot glue or stitch them together.

I made a garland of hearts, but you could easily make a single wall hanging, faux flowers, or a rear view window decoration. You can also change the size of your poms using a pom pom maker or different technique.

Personally, I love how this turned out and totally want to make one for my room too.

Prepare yourself for all the spring and Easter content. We are so excited for this tike of year and are so ready to create!

What craft or activity are you ready to tackle this spring? Let me know in the comments.

DIY Leprechaun Trap

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Are you looking for a little luck until next St. Patricks’s Day? Then it’s time to make a DIY Leprechaun Trap.

This fun trap was made out of items around the house and printables from Whimsically Wonderful. It also was fun to creatively collaborate with Mila and keep the magic of St. Patrick’s Day going.

If there was a classified ad for this DIY Leprechaun Trap, I think it would read something like this…

If you’re a weary leprechaun looking for a comfy place to rest for the night… or next year… You have to stay at The Rainbow Hotel!

Filled with a comfy bed, free gold, and magical decor, you’ll love your stay. You won’t miss The Rainbow Hotel because all you have to do is follow the rainbow exterior and the shamrock on the door.

Plus, it’ll only cost you a little luck.

Honestly, I’d want to stay in The Rainbow Hotel too. I just don’t have too much luck to give.

Anyways, here’s what we used for our DIY Leprechaun Trap:

Putting this together was really easy, but took some time.

It was a lot of cutting, gluing, and making sure everything looked cute in the right place.

It took us about an hour to cut and glue everything on, but it looked so cute. The best part of making leprechaun traps is everyone’s is going to look different and unique. I think this one celebrates how Mila and I are and view life.

Now it’s time to catch our leprechaun. You can only catch them on St. Patrick’s Day, so make sure you have yours ready!

Do you ever make leprechaun traps? If you do let me know how you made the next day special in the comments.

DIY Color Changing Shamrock Sign

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The magic of St. Patrick’s Day keeps flowing, especially with this DIY Coloring Changing Shamrock Sign.

Littles will be amazed watching blue and yellow make green! You can also use this sign to help trap those pesky leprechauns. They’ll be attracted to the magic.

Mila has been super curious in two different things: leprechauns and how to make colors.

To be able to give her both in one day, we did a magical craft that we’ll use to bait leprechauns. It’s really been fun to hear all her ideas of how to catch a leprechaun. She had fun making magic like them!

Plus, we love an activity with a simple set up! This one gives you just that with some leprechaun magic too! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Blue Paint
  • Yellow Paint
  • Black Paint
  • Gold Paint
  • Canvas
  • Plastic Wrap

All you need to do is pour some blue and yellow paint on a blank canvas. I actually had the canvas in a sensory bin to keep the mess at bay.

Then, I had Mila place plastic wrap on top and told her to mix all the colors.

For that part, I really had to tell her it was okay to get messy. She was really moving the plastic wrap around which mixed it up quicker. At first I think she was afraid of the messy paint!

Once it’s combined, take the plastic wrap off and let it dry.

To add a little more magic, I painted on a shamrock, ‘lucky,’ and splattered gold paint. I think it turned out as magical as a leprechaun would like.

What’s your favorite St. Patrick’s Day saying to put on signs?

Toddler DIY: Rainbow Heart Bird Feeders

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Looking for ways to spread love and enjoy your local wildlife? Try making these Rainbow Heart Bird Feeders. They’re a great way to have fun with your child and show them the importance of the world around us.

Plus, they turn out really cute AND it doubles as a snack time for your little. A total win-win for every being involved!

This easy DIY Rainbow Heart Bird Feeders only need three items to make create. Here’s what they are:

  • Pipe Cleaners
  • Fruit Loops or Cheerios
  • Yarn

To begin making these, there’s just a simple prep that won’t take too much time at all. All you need to do is pour some fruit loops in a little bowl. Then, twist the pipe cleaners into v’s. Once you do this, your child will be ready to start threading.

Mila and I had talked about making bird feeders before we started this activity. So, she knew what she was supposed to do. We also have threaded with pipe cleaners before too.

If your toddler has never threaded with looped cereal before, I would suggest showing them, thread together, and then they’ll be able to pick it up by themselves. It’s such a good skill for them to have and tremendously helps with their fine motor development; which is beneficial for so many reasons.

Once they have threading down, you can challenge them to do different patterns too.

For Mila, I lined up the Fruit Loops in the order I wanted her to thread. We just did a simple rainbow patter for one of the hearts. This challenged her to find specific colors and to keep the pattern.

When the pipe cleaners are filled with cereal (or your child has snacked on the rest of it), all you need to do is twist the ends of the pipe cleaner together. Then, pinch where the two heart bumps would be at the top. I had to move the cereal around so I could do this and form it into the shape it needed.

After, we just tied yarn to the tops of the heart. We headed outside to find the most perfect tree that our birds fly too.

Mila was very proud to see her Rainbow Heart Bird Feeders on the tree. Then she played out in the snow afterwards too. We love connecting with nature and being outside as much as we can. Thank goodness spring will be here soon!

This bird feeder was a fun way to play and help the animals we love so much. We hope that you’d love to make one too for Valentine’s Day or spring.

Have you ever fed birds before? What’s your favorite way to do so? Let me know in the comments.

DIY Valentine Ribbon Wreath

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If you’re looking for a fun way to add interest to your front door and celebrate Valentine’s Day, try making this DIY Valentine Ribbon Wreath.

It’s a cute way to be festive AND thin out your craft supplies too.

Real talk. I’m the type of person who saves everything just in case I can use it in the future. Most of this ribbon comes from a project I did in Mila’s room… while I was pregnant.

Now I’m happy I saved it for this quick DIY, but it’s a little embarrassing I kept it for that long, oops.

Anyways, here’s what I used for this DIY Valentine Ribbon Wreath:

  • Cardboard
  • Scrap Ribbons
  • Scrap Fluffy Yarn

The first thing I did was cut out a heart for the frame out of cardboard. I actually cut out a big one then cut a smaller one from it to just get the outline. This can be a little tricky with cardboard, but I promise it can be done!

After the heart frame was ready, I got my scrap ribbons out. Like I said before, they’re from Mila’s nursery, so a ton of pinks. What’s fun about this DIY is you can use any color ribbon or yarn to fit your style.

To secure on the heart, I double knotted the ribbon. Then if the ends were too long, I trimmed it up.

I actually use quite a lot of ribbon. Just keep adding until it’s almost full.

Then, I added my fluffy yarn in pink and cream to the heart. This gave it so much more dimension and interest. When I just had the ribbon on it, it was boring, so I totally would recommend adding something like yarn or anything soft.

When everything on there, you can fluff the ribbon and yarn to make it look fuller.

To make it be able to hang, I attached a run on on both side of the heart bumps (no idea what else to call this). Then, I tied a bow at the top to hang it from my wreath holder. This way it wasn’t hanging at an angle and you can clearly tell it’s a heart.

Now you have a beautiful DIY Valentine Ribbon Wreath and was able to use that extra craft supplies you have laying around.

A total win-win for Love Day.

Have you ever used cardboard to make a wreath? What are some other items you use?

DIY Valentine’s Day Cards: You Color My World

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Is there anything more nostalgic than a school Valentine’s Day Party? The rush of having a cute card box and picking out the perfect Valentine’s Day card for your friends. They’re little reminders to show your friends that they are loved.

Since this is Mila’s first year at school for the big event, we decided to make a DIY Valentine’s Day Cards.

It’s been so much fun creating for Valentine’s Day. If we hadn’t had so many snow days, I’m unsure whether or not DIY cards would be in the picture, but I’m happy they are.

Mila and I talked about different Valentine’s Day cards and gifts. We decided we liked the phrase, “You Color My World.” Mostly because I pushed it really hard because I was already thinking about crayons

A lot of the elements in these Valentine’s Day cards should look familiar!

On the front of the cards, if you can remember to a few blog posts ago, Mila had already painted the tops of her cards. All I did was take the dry pages and cut them out into small rectangles. Then, I wrote “You Color My World” with glitter markers over it.

For the back, I cut the same size rectangle with white card stock and taped them together. If the back of the painted paper wasn’t messy, I would have skipped this step.

Next, I wrote “to” and the name of Mila’s classmate. Then, I had Mila write her name under the “from.” I think it’s important she keeps writing her name and actively participates in helping with these DIYs.

On the back of the card, I made space either on the side of their names or above for a little gift. Since we were doing “You Color My World,” we had to make personalized crayons.

Last year, I wrote a blog post on how to make these letter crayons.

The short version…

Preheat your oven to 250°.

Then, you need to either buy unwrapped crayons or unwrap a lot of them. When that’s done, you chop them into small pieces to put into a letter mold.

After, pop them in the oven until they’re all melted and wait until they’re hard to get them out of the mold.

The absolute hardest part is getting them out of the mold.

Take your time and you’ll be fine!

To literally wrap these DIY Valentine’s Day cards up, I took different colored yarn and secured the letters on them.

I love how the yarn makes them a little extra special too.

Personally, I think these turned out adorable. It took more time to and effort to make instead of buy, but I think it was worth it!

Mila said she loved them and that’s all that really matters.

Fingers crossed her classmates will feel the same.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever made your own Valentine’s Day cards.