The Little Mermaid and Other Adventures at Disney Junior This September

Disney Junior is full of adventures this September, as they will have many new episodes of programs such as Justin Time, Doc McStuffins, and The Little Mermaid series. They will also be having an awesome contest for a family of four who are fans of The Little Mermaid.

My Inspiration To Origami

The big book of things to make has a cool variety of things we can make, do and learn about. Although, I would love to be good at origami, I am not :). My uncle masters the art of origami and makes admirable things with origami paper. 

Travelling the Globe with Michaels Crafts

This Yarn Art Vase and Poison Dart frog was done by my daughter during the week of exploring South America at Michaels. 

For this yarn art activity we need...

black construction paper

different coloured yarn

glue

Exploring South America at Michaels Passport to Imagination

Since I took the Michaels unplugged summer pact, we have been seriously committing time to do crafts. My daughter has been participating in the Michaels Passport to Imagination summer craft program whenever time permitted. She really enjoys the activities that are instructed by a Michaels staff during the sessions, in which children learn about different icons and landmarks in the seven continents. My daughter enjoys being able to use different craft medium and material that are provided to do the activities.

We Made a Monster With Soap Inspired by Monsters University

From the time my children watched Monsters Inc., Monsters Mike and Sully have been regularly spoken about in our home when they play. When I told them there are Monsters University toys inside Kinder they were super excited. The new partnership between Kinder® and Monsters University guarantees that specially-marked Kinder® Surprise® packages to have 100% licensed toys; kids will get one of the twelve toys without disappointment each time :) We like collecting these loveable monsters inside Kinder, check the new collection of toys and vote for your favourite on Kinder Facebook.  

The Adventures of My Pirate and Princess

My daughter and son enjoy pretend-play, so they were super excited when we made this Spy Scope and Wand. 

There is a story to go along these two pirate and princess accessories... Once a upon a time Princess Sister lost all her jewellery except for her magical wand that gives directions. The good Pirate Brother helped his sister look for the lost jewellery using his Spy Scope. 

Lots of Fun We Had a Around the Theme of Despicable Me

Since Despicable Me 2 started playing in the theatres July 3rd, it has been about minions and Gru in our home. We enjoy playing Operation and Monopoly Hasbro board games with the Despicable Me theme. We went to Home Depot and my children enjoyed making the cute Lucy's car, while wearing the minion hard hat, a badge/pin and apron. 

Something Fishy with Duck Tape Sheet

To make this fish tag you will need...

Duck Tape Sheet

tag or key chain

scissors

pen

cotton

belt hole puncher

Fun melted crayon egg decoration

These eggs are fun and easy to decorate using crayon shavings, to do this activity you will need...

different coloured crayons

crayon sharpener

hard boiled hot eggs

newspaper to protect the surface

Easter Egg Decorations that will help Wishes come true

This year we can be part of contributing to a good cause by decorating and sharing virtual eggs with our family and friends.  Heinz and PAAS will be donating $1 up to $25,000 from now until March 31^st for every virtual egg we decorate and share using the Free Easter Egg DecoratorApp.  

This app can be easily downloaded for free via the App Store onto our iOS devices or if you don’t own an iPad, iPod or iPhone download it to your computer or laptop.

Here are some app images of the eggs we decorated.  My children and I found it easy to use the app to decorate the eggs.  It is lots of fun to do this is for a good cause, so download your free app and start decorating and sharing with your friends and family.  

We also decorated some real eggs for fun using the PAAS kits.  

There are seven different PAAS egg decorating kits for us to choose from.  

This kit Deggorating Doodles allowed us to use the stencils and pens provided to doodle and decorate.

The Volcano Eggsplosion uses melted crayon shavings to provide instant colour.  

The Touch of Velvet kit uses double stick adhesives and flocking powder to create fun, fuzzy shapes.

Here are some tips to decorating eggs:

To ensure that the eggs don’t crack when they are boiling put 2 tbsp of Heinz Distilled White Vinegar to 4 cups of water before placing the eggs in the pot to boil.  Adding the vinegar will also allow the shells to easily peel off when they are cooked.

We used PAAS egg colour tablets to colour the eggs.  To make the colour on the eggs vivid and bright, add 3 tbsp of Heinz Distilled White Vinegar to 1 tablet and allow it to dissolve.  Once it dissolves add ½ cup of water and stir. 

For the traditional colours use lemon juice instead of vinegar to the first line in the PAAS colour cups, then add water to the second line.
For the pink PAAS tablet to get a brilliant colour the box suggested we use only water.

Disclosure: I received samples from Heinz and PAAS to review.  All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2011 - 2013. Please Ask First

Unique Nashelle Handmade Jewelry

Nashelle has a wide selection of jewelry to suit our taste.  I found the designs of the earrings, necklaces, rings and bracelets to be very original and unique.  The simplicity of some designs are inspired by nature and some jewelry have a combination of metal and stone.  I felt a sense of peacefulness and appreciation in all the Nashelle designs, so I had a hard time to choose one that I liked :)

After going through their wide selection, I chose this beautiful stack 'pure' bracelet that goes well with any outfit and can be worn for any occasion.  It looks like there are lots of bangles, but it is a one-piece bracelet that doesn't make noise.  I like the look of wearing 7 bangles without the jingle :) so I found this bracelets very pleasing to wear.  I like how easy it is to put and remove the bracelet.  This sturdy bracelet is available in brass, gold fill and sterling silver.  
I am glad Heather Straw, the founder of Nashelle, uses recycled 14k gold fill, sterling silver material and natural gemstones to make the jewelry.  Each piece of Nashelle jewelry is carefully handmade and not mass-produced so they take a lot of care and love when making these.

Nashelle also allows us to create custom keepsake necklace and bracelet to our liking. They also have Nash for him, which would make lovely gifts for any occasion.  I found their site easy to navigate by clicking on shopping by category and collections.  These classic, modern, chic, bold, beautiful, clean and detailed designs make it a wonderful gift to give any lady, young or old.  

A few gift giving ideas under $40 from Nashelle

I heart Nashelle's values of ‘paying it forward’, as they are dedicated to extend a helping hand to those in need, in their own community and beyond.  Their intention is with every piece of jewelry they sell, they give back to those in need through food, cloths, medical expenses and by supporting local schools.  They currently support disaster relief, KIDS Center, Family Access Network, Cancer Awareness and Feeding America.  We can purchase Nashelle online or in any of the 400+ high-end boutiques worldwide, and be part of helping those in need. 

Keep in touch with nashelle through their Facebook, twitter and pinterest as they post new designs, promotions and information.

All rights reserved on mentioned photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2011 - 2013. Please Ask First

Valentine decorations

My children made these Valentine decorations using...
construction paper
coloured markers, crayon and glitter pens
yarn or wool to hang
and tape

First cut shapes of heart on construction paper.  My daughter enjoyed drawing the hearts and cutting it.  Then they decorated it using different coloured markers, crayon and glitter pens.  
To hang these heart decorations, they attached a piece of yarn using tape to the back of the heart.

Don't forget to join the Madly Madagascar giveaway open to everyone in Canada and US until Feb 16th.  "It is not how many cards you get, it is who you get it from" a quote taken from Marty :) in Madly Madagascar.  

All rights reserved on mentioned photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2011 - 2013. Please Ask First

Dazzling duct tape bracelets

I made these cute bracelets following the step-by-step instructions from the Dazzling Duct Tape Designs book by Tamara Boykins. This book has lots of ideas with colourful pictures for us to make cool things using duct tape and other easy to find material. I was surprised to see the duct tape sandals, which can be worn. The other ideas in the book include handbags, wallets, wall art, fashionable accessories, party banners, and many more.

Using colourful patterned Duck Tape to pack gifts

Using colourful duct tape in creative ways is the newest craft trend.  Since "ductivities" are becoming popular there are a lot of coloured and patterned duct tapes available in craft stores, home hardware stores and online.  

I have been using grey duct tape to make crafts such as this rattle and to fix things around the home.  When I saw the beautiful varieties of duct tape Duck Brand has I felt very excited as it helps us become more creative.  

Duct tape crafts are durable, no mess and wonderful to do on our own or as a group.  Although, there are so many things we can do with these creative Duck Tapes the project doesn't have to be complicated.  For starters we can use it to do small creative things such as using it to decorate holiday gift bags.  For this "eco-friendly activity" :) you will need...

Paper shopping bags

colourful Duck Tape

scissors

permanent marker

I reused paper shopping bags that I had.  

Use colourful Duck Tape and paste it over the area you want to cover.  Then personalize each bag by writing a message with a permanent marker over the tape. 

Using a roll of decorative duct tape is only limited by our imagination and these types of colourful duct tape help us get started and become creative.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2012. Please Ask First

Egg carton characters

To make this girl and boy with the baseball gear we needed...

1 egg carton
scissors
glue
markers
and things found around the home to decorate
* cloth
* plastic craft lace or gimp
* ribbon
* tissue paper

Children will need help from an adult to cut the cups from the egg carton.  Once it is cut just play with it and let your imagination take over in creating a variety of different things.

After creating this girl and boy with the baseball gear, we were able to make up our own little story behind it.

"Is she still looking at me?"

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2012. Please Ask First

Watermelon helicopter and salad

This is our first time carving a watermelon into a "3D like" shape and we really enjoyed. We are excited to be part of the kid-tastic Watermelon challenge from the National Watermelon Promotion Board.  

It was fun getting ideas from my children to make a helicopter with a watermelon. We brainstormed different ideas we could try and thought of how to carve it with ease. My children helped to scoop out and my seven year old with lots of supervision :) helped cut rind pieces to put for decor.

This activity is to be done by an adult because of knives and sharp tools.

Tools...

carving knife

small pairing knife

cutting boards

towel to catch the juice

toothpicks

spoon

paper

pen

1.  Draw the design on paper.  Then try to break down the steps.

2.  Wash the watermelon well and keep the long side of the watermelon horizontally on a cutting board.  Cut 1/3rd of the watermelon out, do this slowly so it will be a straight cut; it helps to go around the watermelon by rotating it. (At this point we have the option of scooping out the inside of the 2/3rd piece of the watermelon before carving) Set the 2/3rd or the large part of the watermelon on the board, this will be main part of the helicopter.

3.  We will use the 1/3rd piece of the watermelon to cut out the other shapes needed for the helicopter.  With a carving knife cut a piece out for the tail of the helicopter. Then we cut out 4 pieces of 3/4" wide and about 3" long rectangle pieces for the rotor.

4.  Place a toothpick in the place where the rotor will be going. Carefully make a mark with the tip of the small pairing knife on how you would like to draw the windows and cock pit of the helicopter, we wanted to make it cartoon like.

5.  Using the pairing knife slowly and carefully carve out the window shape, go in just enough to see the white part of the watermelon. We placed a small sticker for decoration :)

6.  Now insert 3 to 4 toothpicks 1/2 way into the 2/3rd piece of the watermelon where the tail goes.  Carefully put 3 to 4 toothpicks on the tail piece of the helicopter that was cut on step 3 and slowly push the pieces together.  

Keep the tail close to the bottom part of the watermelon for stability because of the weight.  This is important if the watermelon is going to be kept decorated as a table placement.

7.   Then for the rotor put a toothpick going 1/2 way on the width side of the 3" rectangle pieces we cut on step 3 and attach two pieces of the rectangle.  Do the same for the other two pieces. Place this on the toothpick that was placed on the top of the helicopter (which was done on step 4).

8.  For decoration we used small pieces of watermelon rind and brown sugar to represent sand. The watermelon is ready to be presented.

This watermelon didn't go to waste... we made juice, ate some and made a watermelon salad.

For the salad you will need...

about 1 1/2 cups of watermelon cubed

1 tbsp onion chopped finely

1 tbsp of mint chopped finely

1/4 cup cucumber chopped

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper or 1/2 tbsp finely chopped jalapeño *

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tbsp honey or brown sugar

1 tbsp parmesan (optional) sprinkle before serving

*If you are serving this salad to children, use pepper instead of jalapeño.

Toss everything except for the parmesan together. Just before serving sprinkle parmesan on top.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2012. Please Ask First

Tie dying shirts with the Tulip tie dye kit

I used the Tulip tie dye kit to colour some shirts that turned out beautiful.  I was very happy to hear good remarks from everyone who saw it :)  It was our first time tie dying at home and we had lots of fun.  The instructions that came in the kit were simple and easy to follow.  There were comfortable gloves in the kit for my children and I to wear while we did this craft without getting it all over our hands. The bottles had dye in it and also came with powdered die sachets for later use.  

The kit included 5 bottles with tie dye.  I like that it had coloured caps so we can remember what colours were in the bottles.  The rubber bands were strong and didn't break easily.

We lined our workplace with paper then covered it with plastic sheets, just so we don't end up with cleaning to do afterwards.  

Prepare the shirt/cloth by wetting it first, squeeze out excess water; the cloth must be damp.

I put the damp shirt on the table, pinched the middle of the shirt and slowly turned it by rotating it to form a ball.  Then I put 3 rubber bands to make 6 parts.    

There are many different methods shown clearly in the kit.  We can also use our own imagination and put rubber bands in the shirt.  

We filled up the water up to the line on the bottle and squeezed it to the prepared damp cloth/shirt.  

We each took turns to gently squeeze the dye in a pattern with a few colours we chose until the cloth was fully soaked; we did this because we wanted the whole shirt to be coloured.

After putting the dye, I carefully placed it in a plastic bag to let it sit for about 6 to 8 hours, however I ended up keeping it overnight.

I pleated this shirt like a fan, twisted it and then put rubber bands.  We mainly chose the blue and red shade with some green in different spots.

After letting it sit, I was curious to see how it turned out and took these pictures before washing it.

With gloves on my hands, I washed the shirt in hot water and rinsed it several times to let all the dye to run clear and let it hang dry.

My children really enjoyed tie dying and felt the shirts were really special.  This Tulip tie dye kit can be used to make more than 20 shirts.  It was easy to use as well.  These kits are available at craft stores and Walmart.  We can't wait to do more projects.  

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2012. Please Ask First