Cold Weather, Warm Crafts

By Beth Engelman and Jenna Riggs of Mommy on a Shoestring

Weather too cold to play outside? Keep your kidswarm and cosy with these memeory making activities and crafts.

Family Scrapbook

You will need: Photos, paper, felt, stickers, magazines markers and anything “crafty” you have lying around the house.

Instructions:

Have your kids design their own scrapbook pages, which you can then assemble into a book. It is a perfect multi-age activity because the younger kids can color and glue while the older kids can do the “collage” thing by looking through magazines for cool letters and words. At the end of the day you can bind the pages with a hole punch stick in a binder for more scrap booking fun in the future.

DIY Snow Globes

You will need: Clear plastic bottle, 2 photos , Light corn syrup, Clear packing tape, and glitter

Instructions:

1. Make sure all labels are removed from bottle. Use warm soapy water or Goo Gone if necessary.
2. Crop your pictures, so they are about ½ inch shorter than your bottle.
3. Place your pictures back to back, making sure they are exactly the same size.
4. Waterproof your photos by completely covering both pictures (which are still back to back) with clear packing tape.
5. Roll your waterproof photos into a tube and plop them into the bottle.
6. Fill the bottle with a mixture of ½ water and ½ corn syrup.
7. Add glitter and sequins.
8. Close the lid and shake.

Block Photo Puzzle

Not only does this 6-sided photo puzzle provide hours of family fun, but it’s also a great way to reuse favorite family photos.

You will need:

9 – Wooden Blocks (I recommend using either old alphabet blocks or a wooden block puzzle)

6 – 8 x 10 Photograph Prints (colored copies work equally as well)

Ruler

Scissors or X-Acto knife

Mod Podge and Paintbrush

Directions:

1. Arrange blocks in a square and measure the length and width of the square.
2. Measure and cut print to the exact same size as the 9-block square.
3. Arrange blocks in a square on top of the print. Position blocks so they’re lined up neatly and as close together as possible.
4. Trace the outline of each block onto the print and carefully cut out using scissors or an X-acto knife.
5. Use a small paintbrush and Mod Podge to adhere the print pieces to the blocks.
6. Wait several hours until the glue is completely dry and then seal with a final layer of Mod Podge.
7. Repeat this process until your have covered all 6 sides of the blocks with different photographs.

Thank you to the creative folks at www.photojojo.com for sharing the snowglobe and photo block ideas!   Be sure to check out their website for more fun photo ideas.

Jenna Riggs and Beth Engelman are the creative talents and owners of Mommy on a Shoestring, a website and weekly radio show chock full of ideas on how families can live creatively and large on a small budget.

 

Thanksgiving Treats on a Shoestring

By Beth Engelman and Jenna Riggs of Mommy on a Shoestring

Give thanks this year by mixing up a batch of these goodies to serve with your holiday meal!

Candy Turkeys

You Need:

Double Stuff Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Candy Corn

Whoppers

Peanut butter Cups

Chocolate or Vanilla Frosting

Yellow Frosting

Optional: Red frosting

Optional: black sprinkles for eyes

Directions:

• Give your turkey some feathers by adding candy corn to the top of one cookie.   Use frosting as glue if desired.
• Put a dab of frosting on the opposite end of the cookie and secure it to the “base” cookie.  You may want to prop it up next to a wall until the frosting dries.
• Turn the peanut better cup into a “turkey body” by cutting a tiny sliver off the end and attaching it with frosting to the cookie with  “feathers.”
• Add a head by gluing a whopper on top of the pb cup.  TIP: Put frosting on the side of the whopper that hits both the cookie and the pb cup.
• To make the beak, cut off the white tip of the candy corn and “glue” with frosting.  Add yellow dots and sprinkles for eyes and red frosting for the little “gobble gobble” below the beak.
• Once everything is dry and secure, flip the turkey over and draw little yellow feet.

Pilgrim Hats

You Need:

1 Bag Chocolate Chips

1Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Marshmallows

Yellow Frosting

Fudge-Striped Cookies

Directions:

• Place cookies (striped side-down) on a piece of waxed paper.
• Melt chocolate and oil in microwave.
• Dip marshmallows in chocolate and place in the middle of each cookie.
• Wait an hour or two until dry.
• Add a buckle with yellow frosting.

Friendship Mix Rolls

Ingredients

Mini pretzels

Raisons

Pretzel m & m’s

Nuts

Banana chips

Dried apple pieces

Cranberries

Small clear plastic bags and ribbon

Directions

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl and add to a jar or container of your choice.
• Be sure to include a “key” with what each ingredient means.
• Pour mix into small bags and tie with a bow and a “key” telling what each ingredient means.

• Mini pretzels = hugs
• Raisins = old friends
• Pretzel m & m’s = new friends
• Nuts = self explanatory
• Banana chips = love to monkey around and have fun
• Dried apple pieces = health
• Cranberries = love

These mini bags of love are perfect accompaniments for place cards or a special  “treat” to send home with guests after home after a Thanksgiving meal!  Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Jenna Riggs and Beth Engelman are the creative talents and owners of Mommy on a Shoestring, a website and weekly radio show chock full of ideas on how families can live creatively and large on a small budget.

Eeek-O Friendly Halloween

By Beth Engelman and Jenna Riggs of Mommy on a Shoestring

Get into the Halloween spirit with these “eeek-o” friendly crafts and recipes.

Edible Eyeball Centerpiece

Forget buying flowers!  Arrange these eyeballs in a bowl or place them on a platter for an eye-opening presentation.

You will need:

Small, White Powdered Sugar Doughnuts (with holes)

Red Icing

Life Saver Gummies

Chocolate Chips

Directions:

• Place doughnuts on a plate and cover the center holes with a thin layer of red icing. The diameter should be slightly larger than the Life Saver candy.
• Place the candy on top of the red icing and push gently to secure in place.
• Place a chocolate chip in the middle of the candy.
• Make the eyeballs scary (and bloodshot) by drawing lines from the center of the doughnut to the outer edge with red icing.
• Arrange the treats in a large glass bowl or poke each one with a fork and place it on a platter.

Thank you to candy expert Beth Kimmerle for this idea.  For more information visit www.bethkimmerle.com.

Pumpkin Pops

These cute pops are a snap to make and will delight kids of all ages. 

You will need:

Cream-Filled Sandwich Cookies

Orange-Colored Chocolate Wafers (available at craft stores)

Mini Chocolate Chips

Red and Black icing

Popsicle Sticks

Directions:

• Melt chocolate over a double boiler, or in the microwave.
• Transfer chocolate into a separate bowl.
• Dip cookie into the chocolate until it is completely covered.
• Place on wax paper and add a face using chocolate chips for eyes and icing for nose and mouth.
• Insert popsicle stick and place in refrigerator until chocolate hardens.

 Recycled Jar Luminaries

This project comes courtesy of expert Amanda Formaro.  For more information about Amanda and to see more crafts visit www.CraftsbyAmanda.com

Light up your doorway with this clever idea that puts old pickle and jelly jars to good use.

 You will need:

Recycled Glass Jars

Non-Toxic Acrylic Paint

Felt Tip Pen or Marker

Glow Sticks

Spray Glaze

Directions

• Paint each jar with 1 coat of paint (any color).
• Paint lid black and wait several hour for lid and jar to dry.
• Use a felt tip pen to draw the outline of a Jack-o-lantern face.
• Fill in face with black paint and once again, wait several hours to dry.
• Spray lid and jar with clear glaze (to protect jar against the elements).
• Add a glow stick to illuminate before displaying!  Boo-tiful!!

 Green your Halloween

Looking for other ways to make your Halloween fun Earth friendly?

Here are some tips from Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson, founders of www.greenhalloween.org and authors of the book, Celebrate Green.

• Instead of carving pumpkins, paint them instead.  That way, you can enjoy homemade pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup or pumpkin bread when the holiday is over.  Check out this pumpkin friendly website for more recipes: www.pumpkinrecipes.org
• Make your own “Trick or Treat bag” with recycled milk jugs or laundry containers.
• Compost candy:  Add candy to your compost or yard-waste bags.  Just remember to remove the wrappers first!

For more information on ways to “green your Halloween” visit: www.greenhalloween.org.

Jenna Riggs and Beth Engelman are the creative talents and owners of Mommy on a Shoestring, a website and weekly radio show chock full of ideas on how families can live creatively and large on a small budget.

Summer Retention – Workbook Free Ideas

By Beth Engelman and Jenna Riggs of Mommy on a Shoestring

This summer, help your kids sharpen their math, reading, writing and social skills with these easy, fun and inexpensive ideas. 

Become a Reading Detective

Encourage your children to be reading detectives! Whether they’re toddlers or grade-schoolers everyone can play along. You can challenge your kids to find letters or words in a variety of places such as the park, zoo or local pool.  A fun idea might be to set up a game where your kids are tasked with finding a specific word such as “big” or “special” as many times as possible throughout the day.  You’ll be amazed by how adept your reading detectives will become.

Create a Reading Photo Album

If your children are fascinated with taking pictures, a reading photo album may be the perfect family project.  This idea was inspired by those funny You Tube videos where you see the same guy doing a dance in all sorts of different places such as The Parthenon in Greece or Times Square in New York.  In this less exotic version, your children will create a summer photo album filled with pictures of them reading in different places.  Some ideas include reading at the park, the beach, the hammock in the backyard, or even on top of a Ferris wheel.  You can make it a family challenge to come up with as many different and unique places as possible.

Open a Lemonade Stand

Help your kids get into the entrepreneurial spirit while strengthening their math skills with a timed honored lemonade stand.  Not only will your kids reinforce their measuring, counting, adding and subtracting skills, but they will also learn the value of a dollar.  To add meaning to the learning, use the proceeds to help fight childhood cancers.  Learn more at www.alexslemonade.org.

Put on a Puppet Show for Family, Friends and Neighbors

When I was an educational therapist, this was one of my favorite ways to incorporate reading, math and art into one giant project. Here are some helpful hints to make the experience extra-special.

• When adapting a story into a script, try choosing a well-loved fairytale or fable, which are often filled with a mixture of rich characters and interesting plot twists to keep the show moving along.
• Make puppets using tube socks, tacky glue, scraps of material, yarn, googly eyes and anything else you might have on hand.
• Use a large box, fabric and tacky glue to create a puppet stage. If you do not have an empty box on hand, try finding one at your local hardware or appliance store.
• Encourage your children to create their own playbill, which can be passed out to audience members as they arrive.  Not only is this a nice feature for the audience, it’s also an excellent writing exercise for your children.
• Don’t forget about refreshments!  Work with your children to bake treats such as cookies or cupcakes that can be “sold” during intermission or enjoyed after the show.  Cooking is an excellent way to incorporate sequencing, measuring and counting which are vital math skills at any level.

Take the Reading Challenge

Reading challenges and incentive programs are excellent ways to keep your kids reading all summer long. This year, PBS KIDS and iVillage are teaming up to create their own unique summer reading challenge which provides free activities, prizes and coaching from Angela Santomero, creator of the PBS KIDS series, “Super Why.” To learn more visit: www.ivillage.com/pbs.

Jenna Riggs and Beth Engelman are the creative talents and owners of Mommy on a Shoestring, a website and weekly radio show chock full of ideas on how families can live creatively and large on a small budget.

A Selfless Generation: Learning To Teach Children About Charitable Giving

In today’s culture of “Greed is Good” and “Dog Eat Dog” life, it can be pretty hard to teach children about charitable giving. To be nice these days is seen by kids as being “lame” or “un-cool”, and too often, can be misunderstood by other people as being a doormat or worse. I saw this as a challenge, when I saw my kids fight over the last cookie. They were so adamant about what was theirs that they couldn’t even get to an amicable solution. If they were so steadfastabout items that were “theirs”, I found it a good idea to get rid of the “MINE!” culture around our household.

It was a struggle at first, teaching my children how to be more giving, as kids their age (3 and 6) were used to fighting over everything. But little by little, I got them to share with each other. Even better, they were sharing with others less fortunate than them. Here is what worked in our household:

Teach by example.

My children see me rooting through my clothes each season to give to the Salvation Army, and I was delighted to see that after a few times of seeing me give my old clothes away, they wanted to do the same. Children are often fascinated with what their parents are doing, and are keen to imitate them. Show them the charitable things you do as a parent, and they will be most likely, interested in doing them as well. It could be as simple as giving away a few dollars on the church collection plate, to giving boxes out to Goodwill.

Explain what you’re doing and why.

Children are always curious about the why, what, where and how’s of the world, so always be vigilant in explaining your actions to your kids. Tell them why you responded to that neighbor that knocked on the door asking for help after their house caught on fire. Speak to them about the struggles of Aunt Linda during the recession, and why you’re giving them a helping hand in chores or babysitting their cousins when she is off finding work. You don’t have to give them each detail, or tell them everything, just explain to them, the most you
can, about why you want or need to do these things.

Show them how it works.

Step by step (with as much detail as possible and without scaring, or getting them too exposed to the world outside) show them how it works to give. Take them with you when you donate to the Salvation Army. Bring them the next time you volunteer at the soup kitchen to observe how things are going. When you throw a Christmas party for the underprivileged children of your parish or neighborhood, let them help in the details. Show them how much happiness a charitable gift can give people, and let them experience it firsthand. This year, for instance, I intend to involve Brandon and Sam in our neighborhood charity event by asking them if there are any of their old toys that they want to share with other kids.

Here are a few charitable activities you can do as a family:

• Spring cleaning giving to the Salvation Army – Clean out your closets while giving your unneeded clothes to the less fortunate will be a good bonding activity for the whole family. A clean house and a warm feeling in each heart are the best effects of this activity.
• Help your elders – It can be their grandparents, or other people’s grandparents, but volunteering at an old folks home can be a truly gratifying activity for the whole family. Encourage them to get to know the older generation, and give the grandpas and grandmas of others a smile on their face, with your kids providing the laughter.
• Gather in times of crisis – The global community is experiencing natural disaster over natural disaster, and seeing these unfold on our television screens can be unnerving for anyone. Get your children to be charitable to people across the world by sharing their allowances, or participating in fundraising activities like bake sales or car washes in the community, to show them how people help each other, even from thousands of miles
  away.

Charitable giving is a rewarding activity that will show your children that they are not alone in this world, and that even though they are going through difficulty and hardship, there is always someone who has it worse and deserves a helping hand going through it. As early as today, teach your kids to love others and give back to see them grow into generous, heartwarming adults.

Isabella York is a working mother who dedicated to teaching her children the importance of being self-less. She works for Balsam Hill, a purveyor of Artificial Christmas Trees in traditional and modern styles, and assorted other Christmas Trees.

Celebrate Mom

By Beth Engelman and Jenna Riggs of Mommy on a Shoestring

This Mother’s Day, treat your favorite mom to glitz, glamour, food, fashion and fun with these easy to make gift ideas.

The Mom Spa

This idea comes courtesy of Stacey Rhoades, who came up with the idea of a Mother’s Day Spa with the help of his two sons.  Creating a lovely at-home spa is relatively easy to do.  It just requires a little planning and preparation.

The Night Before

• Prepare chocolate covered strawberries by melting one bag of chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening over a double boiler.  Dip large, fresh strawberries in melted chocolate and place on wax paper to set.  Place strawberries in the refrigerator overnight.

Mother’s Day Morning

• Choose a comfortable room to convert into the spa.
• Set the mood by dimming the lights, lighting candles and playing soft soothing music.
• Place chocolate covered strawberries on a platter with a few napkins.
• Prepare a “Momosa” drink by combining one part Orange Juice with two parts Sparkling Water.
• Fill a large plastic bowl with warm soapy water.  Pour in 1-2 tablespoons of Epson Salt and a few drops of essential oil.  Be sure to place a few towels under the bowl to protect the carpet or floor.
• Invite Mom to soak her feet in the “tub” while she eats her chocolate covered strawberries and sips her Momosa.
• The children can take turns giving mom a pedicure by massaging her feet with lotion and a pumice stone.  If a pumice stone feels too rough, try using rocks from the back yard.
• Finally, apply clear nail polish to give Mom’s feet a glamorous glow.

“Go Fish with the Family” Card Game

This card game is a great gift for Grandmothers who are sure to enjoy playing it with their grandchildren.  Another bonus is that there is always room to “grow” the deck.

Materials Needed:

• Camera
• Double stick tape, or a glue stick
• Several pieces of cardstock (one color)
• Scissors

Instructions:

• Take pictures of each family member and develop the pictures in duplicates (3×5 or 4×6 is fine, just make sure all the pictures are the same size).
• Turn the pictures into playing cards by gluing or taping a piece of card-stock to the backside of each picture.
• Game ideas include “Go Fishing with the Family” which is similar to “Go Fish” but, instead of matching numbers, the object is to collect matching pairs of photos. “Memory” is another fun game to play.  Place the cards face down in a grid and try to find matching pairs of photos.

Spread Good Cheer (and Decorate it too!)

A fun way to honor your mother and spread some good cheer is to organize a “Drop in and Decorate” party.  Drop in a Decorate (www.dropinanddecorate.org) is a non-profit organization that encourages folks to give back by baking.  The idea is to invite family and friends over to decorate cookies that can be donated to local area charities such as Ronald McDonald House or Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital.  For more information including recipes, decorating ideas and tips on how to host a party, visit www.dropinanddecorate.org.

Jenna Riggs and Beth Engelman are the creative talents and owners of Mommy on a Shoestring, a website and weekly radio show chock full of ideas on how families can live creatively and large on a small budget.

Spring Crafts on a Shoestring

By Beth Engelman and Jenna Riggs of Mommy on a Shoestring

Have some springtime fun with these budget friendly crafts!

DIY Chia Pet

You will need:

• Plastic container
• Acrylic paint
• Soil
• Grass seeds (such as wheatgrass or rye)
• Craft items such as fun foam, googly eyes, buttons, etc to make the Chia’s face.

Directions

1. Paint the plastic container with several coats of paint.
2. When the paint dries, give your Chia a face and personality with buttons, fun foam, googly eyes etc.
3. Fill the container ¾ full with soil.
4. Add seeds and cover with soil.  Water and place in a sunny location. Green hair should emerge within 3-5 days.

Math Beach Ball Catch

Practice math facts while playing catch outside

Directions:

1. With a permanent marker, write numbers 1-10 (or as many as will fit) on a beach ball.
2. Players take turns playing catch with a “catch.”  Each time a player catches the ball ~ he has to add, subtract or multiply the 2 numbers that closest to his hands.
3. A great way to reinforce math skills and get the kids moving!

Bird Feeder

Welcome back our fair weathers friends with a special treat!

You will need:

• Recycled plastic bottle
• Wild birdseed
• Wooden spoons (or wooden dowels*)
• Peanut butter

Sharp scissors (adult use only)

*NOTE:  Dowels are available at most craft stores.

Directions:

1. Turn the bottle upside down.
2. Fill the Bottle with birdseed (3/4 full works best).
3. Use sharp scissors to poke a hole through the bottle on both sides.  ***Make sure an adult does this step!!
4. Push the wooden spoon or dowel through the hole.  This is where the bird will perch.
5. Cut a smaller hole (about 1/3 inch in diameter) directly above the spoon or dowel.  This is where the bird will get the seed.
6. If desired, add peanut butter and birdseed to one end of the spoon or dowel.
7. To add a second spoon, repeat steps 4-7.
8. To hang: poke 2 holes at the top of the feeder and thread wire or twine through each hole before tying into a loop.

Wrapping Paper Kite

You will need:

• 1 ~ 20 inch wooden dowel* or stick
• 1 ~ 24 inch wooden dowel* or stick
• Twine
• Wrapping paper
• Glue
• Sharp scissors (adult use only)

*NOTE:  Dowels are available at most craft stores.

Directions:

1. Make a cross with the two sticks by placing the shorter stick horizontally across the longer stick. Make sure that both sides of the horizontal stick are equal in width.
2. Use a dab of glue to connect the sticks at the center.  Then, wrap twine around the middle to secure the sticks.  Make sure the sticks make 4 right angles
3. This step requires an adult:  Use sharp scissors to cut a notch at each end of the sticks (4 total). Make the notch deep enough for the string to fit in
4. Cut a piece of string long enough to stretch all around the kite frame. Tie the string at the top.
5. Use twine to make a loop at the top and bottom of the kite’s spine.
6. Lay the kite frame on a piece of wrapping paper. Cut around it, leaving a ½ inch margin. Fold these edges over the string frame and tape or glue it down so that the paper is tight.
7. Cut a long piece of string and tie it to the top loop and thread it through the bottom loop.  Wrap excess string around a dowel or piece of cardboard.
8. Make a tail by adding ribbon to the bottom of the kite.  Now…go outside and fly a kite!!

Garden Apron (Made from old jeans)

Sara Perry, author of “Weekends with the Kids”, inspired this idea.  To learn about this book and others by Ms Perry visit: www.saraperry.com

You will need:

• Old jeans (waistband should fit the apron’s owner)
• Puffy Paint

Directions

1. Cut the jeans so that the entire waistband and back panel (including back pockets) remain intact.
2. Decorate with puffy paint.

Natural Easter Egg Dyes!

Thank you to our friends Lynn and Corey at www.celebrategreen for sharing these natural dyes!

For each color you will need:

• Pink/red: Beets, cranberries/cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, red grape juice, red onion skins, rhubarb stalks (chopped), raspberries, some types of tea
• Orange: Yellow onion skins (from about 12 onions), paprika, chili powder
• Yellow: Lemon peels, orange peels, carrots (shredded), cumin (ground), turmeric (ground)
• Green: Spinach, some types of tea, golden delicious apple skins (may be a green/yellow)
• Blue: Blueberries/blueberry juice, purple grape juice, red cabbage, blackberries
• Purple: Violet blossoms + 2 tsp lemon juice, hibiscus tea
• Brown: Strong black coffee, tea, dill seeds, black walnut shells

Directions:

1. For every 4 cups of water, use approx. 4 cups of fruits / veggies, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of spice.  The longer you soak the egg, the darker the shade.  You can even soak the eggs overnight!
2. As always, choosing organic and local foods is preferable. Be sure to eat, use, or compost any leftovers. Note that chemicals (such as chlorine) and minerals in your water may affect the dye’s intensity.

Jenna Riggs and Beth Engelman are the creative talents and owners of Mommy on a Shoestring, a website and weekly radio show chock full of ideas on how families can live creatively and large on a small budget.

Free Family Easter Planner

This free family Easter planner has checklists, do lists, and resources to help you get ready for the Easter holiday.  It is in pdf format, so will require that you have Adobe Reader installed.  Enjoy!

St. Patrick’s Day Family Fun Ideas

By Beth Engelman and Jenna Riggs of Mommy on a Shoestring

St Patrick’s Day is around the corner and that can mean only one thing, it’s time for some family fun! Read more

Creative Valentine’s Day Gifts

By Beth Engelman and Jenna Riggs of Mommy on a Shoestring

Show the love this Valentine’s Day with these easy to make gifts, cards and crafts that will delight your kids and have your friends saying, “Are you sure you didn’t buy this?” Read more

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