Canadian Museum of Nature

Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa designed by chief architect David Ewart in 1912 was influenced by the Beaux Arts style. His design was inspired by features found in castles during the Romanesque and medieval styles of Europe, and has Tudor and Gothic features. This museum brings natural history to life through interactive displays, impressive artifacts, and live species. There is a lot to see and do at this museum, it is a place that will be enjoyed by every age group. 

Exploring the Joys of Winter at the Ottawa Gatineau Winterlude

We had an opportunity to celebrate the joys of winter in Canada's capital region, Ottawa-Gatineau. The annual Winterlude will be happening until February 18th. There are lots of free activities for the entire family! Check the official Winterlude site for details on hours and locations. There were a lot of fun activities to do despite the cold weather.

Celebrate the Season of Giving with Hallmark

We love this festive season! It is a season to give, celebrate, and be thankful - Hallmark has the perfect items we can give to our loved ones and friends.

Inspiring Needlework and Art Kits

These inspiring art and needlework kits are fabulous to give as gifts to anyone you want. These will also make wonderful gifts to buy for yourself and do during the holidays. The kits come with everything you need to get started.

Importance of Carbon Monoxide and Smoke alarms

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by First Alert. Please note that all opinions and thoughts expressed are my own. All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2010 - 2018. Please Ask First 

Consider this dangerous, but common scenario - a homeowner deactivates a sounding smoke or carbon monoxide (CO) alarm and leaves the device disabled, opening up the entire household to a high-risk potential for undetected hazards. According to the Canadian National Fire Information Database, 80 per cent of fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms, often due to missing alarm batteries or expired alarms. This is why, we partnered with First Alert to remind ourselves the importance of Carbon Monoxide and Smoke alarms.

Exploring the heritage of Stratford and Perth County

We spent a few days towards the end of our summer vacation exploring the heritage, trails, theatre, and outdoor activities in Stratford and Perth County. While enjoying the activities in this area, we stayed at Forest Motel and Woodland Retreat located in Stratford. It is a family friendly woodland retreat close to all the amenities, a few minutes from the Stratford Festival Theatre. 

Sightseeing in Québec City

We wanted to visit Québec City for a while, and was finally able to do this during our road trip from Ontario to New Brunswick. Québec City is located on the north bank of the Saint Lawrence River and offers unspoiled views of the Laurentian Mountains. It has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. During our visit, we had the pleasure of spending a night at Auberge Saint-Antoine, and checking out different places in Québec City on a bus tour of the city. 

Learning about Mi'kmaq First Nations and Acadians in Miramichi, New Brunswick

In our road trip from Ontario through Outaouais and Drummondville to Edmundston, we went to Red Bank, New Brunswick and learned about the Mi'kmaq people of Metepenagiag before heading to Miramichi. 

Boredom Busters

Summer days are longer giving us more time to do fun activities. It is also the perfect time to cool off and do hands on activities.

Painting on Glass with Americana Gloss Enamels

I thoroughly enjoyed doing this wall display on an old glass picture frame. Prior to starting the project, I cleaned the glass with rubbing alcohol. Once the surface air dried, I drew a Mandala themed design using a black DecoArt Glass paint marker. 

Win a Family Pass to Enjoy March Break at the Art Gallery of Ontario

We can take a colourful journey through time and space this March Break at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). They will be having nine days of futuristic programming for the whole family, inspired by their current exhibition Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors and Kusama's playful world of light and colour.

Quilling Creations: Flora and Fauna

Quilling Creations: Flora and Fauna by Cecelia Louie includes everything we need to learn on how to quill paper into art! Ever since my first project a few years ago, I have loved doing quilling on a variety of surfaces. We love the paper craft of quilling, and always love both the process of doing this craft and the end results of our projects.

DIY Stencil Wall Art

We changed a wall space in our home using the Moroccan Tile Stencil from DecoArt. These washable and reusable 18" x 18" stencils are a fun way to add colour to any surface from walls to rugs and furniture. The stencils are available in different sizes, so we can use it on different surfaces for both small and large projects.

Adding Colour using wall mural and canvas prints from Photowall

Photowall.com, a Swedish brand which has a selection of wall mural and canvas prints we can use to add a different decor to any area in our home. We really like how these murals and canvas prints add dimension to our wall and changes the focal point, and the interior design of the space. 

Exploring Gatineau while Staying at KOA

We chose to stay at the Cardinal, Ottawa South KOA during our road trip from Toronto towards Ottawa, Outaouais, and the Laurentians. Staying at the KOA deluxe cabin made it comfortable to relax, play, and make our meals leisurely before heading further into our trip. We love that the KOA locations are close to the highway making it easy to stay and explore the area.

Order Your Personal Planner for the New School Year

We have been using Personal Planner for years to make our planners, calendars, and personalized notebooks. We love the designs and the freedom of making the planners and books as we wish on the Personal Planner website. The format to personalizing is fun for both children and adults.

The Art of Weaving

Weaving is a craft I remember doing as a child using ribbons, construction paper, and wool. My daughter started enjoying weaving about four years ago when she did an activity at Michaels, and when she made the scarf using the Weaved Threadz kit. From a young age, my daughter has weaved using wool, yarn, thread, and once on vacation we used leaves from a coconut tree. We find weaving to be a relaxing meditative craft that is fun and the end results are rewarding.

Inspiring Film on IMAX - Dream Big Engineering Our World

We like how the IMAX Film DREAM BIG: Engineering Our World now playing at the Ontario Science Centre celebrates the human ingenuity behind engineering. This film gives a beautiful insight into engineering and how important this field is for the betterment of humanity. 

Vase of Flowers Made with Paper

During winter we miss fresh flowers from our garden, so any activity that adds some colour is a choice for my children and I. This is a fun activity that children will enjoy doing needs...

Barbie Inspired Hallmark Collection

There is an elegant collection of Barbie inspired products available at Hallmark that will be beautiful around our home and office.