One of the signs that Christmas is coming is that all the ordinary candies in the grocery store suddenly get center aisle placement and are all dressed up in their holiday wrappers and colors. As if there wasn’t enough temptation already to eat too many goodies this time of theRead More
Mini Knit Stocking Pattern {for 2 needles}
This pattern for mini knit stockings includes two of my favorite things. Oh wait, make that three. I can knit them up quickly, I can use up scraps of leftover worsted weight yarn, AND it uses two straight needles so I don’t have to fiddle with double pointed needles. Yes,Read More
2 Ways to Knit Diagonal Dishcloths (Holes or No-Holes)
There are two things I think all knitters love: Quick Projects and Garter Stitch 🙂 And maybe those are really the same thing! Because almost any project that uses garter stitch (where you knit every row – no purling!) usually turns out to be a project that moves along veryRead More
Make Your Own Glitter Slime {For Kids}
Sometimes it’s good to let the kids play in a way that let’s them squish and smash, or stir and dump, or just be a bit messy in general. Fun, hands-on activities of this type are a great way to bring out their creativity. I loved these kinds of activitiesRead More
5 Hour Knit Baby Sweater – A Little Smaller!
Several months ago I shared my version of a classic pattern for a knit baby sweater that can be made quickly – in just 5 hours! It’s been a popular free knitting pattern here on my blog and I’m so glad that others have found this to be a fun andRead More
Decorate Your Easter Eggs With Crayons
Looking for an easy and resourceful way to decorate your Easter eggs? And maybe something that the kids can help with too? Look no further than the crayon box! All those colorful crayons can be a convenient and fun way to make your own pretty Easter eggs. There’s really notRead More
DIY Sensory Play Snow
Most years in the middle of January we have more snow than we know what to do with here in Michigan. In fact three years ago it was almost piled up to our roof! But this year? Not so much. This year we’ve had a strange January with lots ofRead More
Homemade Birdseed Cakes with You Do It Suet
The birds and squirrels know I’m pretty dependable. During the winter months my bird feeder is filled with seed and suet cakes and I love watching all the different types of birds that come stopping by. Cardinals, sparrows, juncos, woodpeckers, and blue jays are common visitors and the squirrels tryRead More
Wine Bottle Santas with Knit Hats
A bottle of wine can be simple solution for a hostess gift or co-worker gift during the busy holiday season. It’s kind of like giving a jar of cashews or a box of chocolates. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, but it’s almost always welcomed and appreciated by the person whoRead More
Make A Gift Bag From Wrapping Paper
During a recent closet organizing project my Dad discovered several large rolls of gift wrap in his house that he knew he would most likely never use. Rather than just toss them out, he did what most parents of grown children do. You check if the kids want it. I’ve been knownRead More
Another 5 Hour Baby Sweater {Knit Pattern}
A few months ago I found out that grandbaby #2 is on the way! A very happy announcement to which I reacted in much the same way as I did to grandbaby #1. So exciting!! That’s wonderful!! I’ll get out my knitting needles! 🙂 Yes, baby projects are some ofRead More
Creative Mason Jar Tops for the DIY Crowd
One of the early posts I did here on the blog was a quick little idea that I almost thought wasn’t worth writing about. It was a quick tip that the lids from parmesan containers fit on canning jars. It turned out that it was indeed an idea worth writingRead More
Patriotic Jars (and Pretzel Treats!)
Holidays can be busy – even the warm weather holidays when we’re supposed to be enjoying the lazy days of summer. So if I’m going to do homemade crafting around any holiday, I like to keep things simple and easy. For the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, I made aRead More
Towel Topper Knitting Pattern
If you like to keep a few ideas around for inexpensive homemade gifts – and you’re a knitter – then I think you’ll like this pattern for a knit towel topper. And even if you’re not using it as a gift, this is a nice pattern to have in yourRead More
Homemade Tile Coasters: The Update
Three years have gone by since I first wrote about my DIY tile coasters. It was a cute and simple project using ceramic tiles from the home improvement store and scrapbook paper. I’ve been using my coasters (almost every day!) since that time and they’ve worked great. In fact IRead More
Quick DIY Dry Erase Boards
I had a choir teacher in high school who was fond of saying “The dullest pencil is sharper than the sharpest mind.” In other words, “Write this down dum dums because you just can’t trust your mind to remember things!” I’ve always remembered that piece of advice and it’s soRead More
How To Make Natural Easter Egg Dyes
I was reminded again this past week when I made my homemade natural Easter egg dyes, that nature isn’t about instant gratification. Things often take some tending and patience before you see the fruits of your labors. And so it is when you make your own Easter eggs dyes fromRead More
Garter Stitch Bow Tie Scarf
Today’s project is another one for the knitters. Knitting has been a favorite hobby of mine ever since I was a kid in grade school and every so often I like to share another pattern here on the blog for others that might enjoy knitting as a past time too.Read More
Homemade Birdseed Cakes #2
Sometimes when I’m coming up with my list of recipes to test and share on this blog I get a little selfish. I think to myself, “What would I be making today even if there was no blog to write?” And the answer is usually something like “Homemade Birdseed Cakes”Read More
Holiday Snowman Jars
Mason jars can be a handy way to give a gift of food around the holidays. I’ve filled mason jars with my chex mix, I’ve put layered baking mixes in them, and I’ve used it for my homemade pancake mix too! Add some colorful fabric and ribbon and you’ve gotRead More