Citrus fruit pomanders
This post could alternately be titled “How to keep kids busy for a good hour.” We’re visiting family this weekend and have six kids ranging in age from four to twelve under foot, so coming up with crafts and activities to bring was a bit of a challenge. Making pomanders turned out to be an unexpectedly big hit and the kids were begging for more fruit to decorate as we got through the pile I’d brought. All you do is ha

Advent calendars!
I’ve been searching and searching for an advent calendar. I wanted to make one, and the kids all just want chocolates every day. I think I’ve finally happened upon a great solution so we’ll all be happy, and the project is simple enough that I won’t exhaust myself in the process. I subscribe to Kids Craft Weekly (I love it and think you should sub, too). It’s a happy newsletter filled with fun projects to d

Reclaiming ugly old lamps
{Heh… I probably shouldn’t have called it ugly, since my Mom reads my blog and the lamps were hers ages ago. Sorry, Mom} Continuing with my quest to make Maggie’s room a prettier and more inviting space, I spray painted her two lamps. The tall one is made of wood, so I spray-painted it white and after a looong search found a white shade that’s

Maggie’s magazine project
Maggie came up with this fun  project that involved the whole family to complete. Each of us poured through a stack of magazines from the recycling bin (plus one that Dad wasn’t quite done with… oops), and cut out the letters to their name. It was especially exciting to see how Tor now knows how to spell his name and has become so coordinated with a pair of scissors (he’s four). Next up, we were instructed to find a background

Ricotta with maple syrup and walnuts
Yesterday, I had a ricotta emergency and, naturally, tweeted it. Tomas had bought way more ricotta for the Lazagna I’d made a few days earlier and I knew it was doomed to curdle if I didn’t take action quickly. My Tweeps and Facebook pals came out en force with some wonderful suggestions. I opted for the one I had all the ingredients on hand for, and which I could easily recruit a kiddo or two to help prepare. What’s funny in retr