WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: DIY Christmas Gifts

I had all of my holiday stress right before Thanksgiving. All self-inflicted, of course. I was getting together with family, and we were exchanging gifts for the kids. So naturally I had to make most of my gifts. Some were more complicated than others, but they were all inexpensive (or free) to make.

If you're lucky, I might elaborate on some of these at some point, but for now, check out these pictures of some DIY Christmas gift ideas for kids.

Cookie sheet, magnet clip, coupon file, and food storage container from the dollar store. Scrabble tiles from a game on sale at Walmart. Super glued magnets (from a magnet strip bought at Walmart) onto the coupon file, scrabble tiles, and plastic container and painted the cookie sheet with chalkboard paint. I put crayons, chalk, index cards (to stick in the magnet clip and draw on), and a paintbrush into the coupon file. Baby T really liked using the paintbrush to blend his chalk drawings. This is perfect for the car.

Upcycled Contest - Cloth Quiet Books

Marilyn from the ArtsyGirl Connection is hosting a contest, and you can vote for your favorite upcycled project! So of course, I had to join in the fun. I submitted my handmade cloth quiet books to the contest.

To vote for me, click on the button below, scroll down to #13 (The one that says "Busy Books" and has a photo of the flower page from my quiet book) and click "Like". You have to submit your vote before Sunday, October 30!

INSPIRATION THURSDAY: A WAHM Business Plan

For today’s Inspiration Thursday, I wanted to share my recent thoughts about my business. When I quit my job in May, it was partly because I knew that I couldn’t go back to work for someone else full time and still have inspiration, patience, and tenderness to be a good mom. After expending all of your mental energy in a job that you’re not passionate about, it’s hard to come up with activities for the kids, keep up the garden, and do laundry. You just want to sit around and do nothing.

And sitting around doing nothing is not good for me. The two of us don’t go together well.

Creating With Kids - Don't Bite off More than you can Chew

Welcome to the August Carnival of Natural Parenting: Creating With Kids
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how they make messes and masterpieces with children. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
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When Baby T came home from daycare and his daily "report" said, "Baby T liked painting, but we had to put away the paints because he only wanted to paint his arms," I thought, what do you expect? He's two.

Doing crafts with kids isn't about a pretty result; it's usually about exploring materials and using all the senses. Give your kids the tools and stand back to witness the masterpiece. Then, give them a bath and start all over the next day.

Read more about how to create with kids on my guest post at Natural Parents Network!


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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Family Draw Time Art Show — Kate Wicker shares art (and inspiration!) from her family's cherished tradition of family draw time.
• The Rules of Creativity: Learning to Create with the "Non-Creative" — Zoe at Give an Earthly shares how she learned to accept her "non-creative" child and claims that anyone, child or adult, can be creative given the right handling and environment.
• Creating With Kids: 4 Ways That Work For Us — See how Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings nurtures creativity with her kids through craft projects, outdoor creative play, celebrating the creative process, and setting up "little spaces of beauty."
• Creating memories, not things — Mrs. Green from Little Green Blog reflects on life with a ten year old and how 'creating together' has evolved from 'things' to memories.
• The Gift of Creation — It may be hot, but Kellie at Our Mindful Life is already thinking about winter.
• Hidden Talents — Sylvia at MaMammalia describes how providing the opportunity for creativity sometimes means learning to look for hidden talents in unusual places.
• Creating Joy — CatholicMommy at Working to be Worthy shares how she and her one year-old son create joy for their community.
• How to do Crafts with Kids — Gaby from Tmuffin guest posts at Natural Parents Network and describes how to keep things simple when doing crafts with kids for magical (easy-to-clean, and tantrum-free) results.
• Sugar & Spice & Baking on the Kitchen Floor — Carrie at Love Notes Mama enjoys making a mess in the kitchen with her daughter.
• Young Scientist Makes Purple Potion — Hannah at Wild Parenting loves being a lab assistant for the young scientist in her life.
• Making a butterfly house — Lauren at Hobo Mama demonstrates the proper way to build a wooden butterfly house with a preschooler.
• Nurturing Creativity — Amyables at Toddler In Tow shares the enjoyment she feels in nurturing the creativity of her children.
• Home School Music - Sparking A New Generation Of Musicians — Based on her musical background, Chante at My Natural Motherhood Journey talks about how she creates with and teaches music to her children.
• Creating (im)perfectly Together — Mudpiemama shares some of the highlights of a summer spent building everything from ships to hoops but most of a lesson on letting go of perfection.
• Family Soccer Kick Around — When her children wanted to play soccer, Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children helped organize something that would work for her family.
• Creating Memories Together on Skype — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now tells how you can create memories online with adult children or anyone who lives in another city or country.
• We'll always have Halloween: Creating costumes for kids — Jessica Claire at Crunchy-Chewy Mama is not the craftiest mom on the block, but she does make a mean homemade Halloween costume.
• Let's Make Juice! — Wendylori at High Needs Attachment shares about the benefits of juicing with kids, as well as a quick recipe.
• Everything's Better When It's Homemade — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro praises the art of homemade goods.
• Creating the Opportunity for Art — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction shares how her family has created an environment conducive to art.
• 10 Easy and Functional Crafts Preschoolers Can Do with Minimal Assistance — Dionna at Code Name: Mama offers ten easy crafts preschoolers can do while sitting near parents — but they don't need a lot of parental help. Added bonus: all of these ten ideas double as something functional (gifts, decor, educational).
• Creating with Kids: Singing Together — Ana at Pandamoly details the important role music takes in her household and provides a quick (and easy!) tutorial for creating fun songs to sing together!
• Create This — jessica at instead of institutions considers different aspects of creativity including those without an end product.
• Make Your Own Pocket Bib — A tutorial from Amy at Anktangle on how to make two simple and quick bibs to keep your little one clean at the table.
• Creating Together in the Kitchen — Despite not feeling "crafty," Momma Jorje finds a way to create and connect with her toddler.
• An Artist-Mama's Perspective — In this post, Shannon at The Artful Mama discusses the differences between her choice of artistic outlet and her son's, and how they embrace those differences together.
• Heart of the Home — Jona at Life, Intertwined shares some highlights of cooking with kids.
• Getting creative with kids — Isil at Smiling like Sunshine shares how much she enjoys watching her daughter getting creative.
• Creating with Children - The Nature/Seasonal Table — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama celebrates the rhythm of the natural world with her toddler through the creation of a seasonal nature table.
• How Involving My Kid Saves My Sanity — The Happy Hippie Homemaker explains how involving her toddler in projects allows her to get more done, while providing valuable opportunities to teach and to bond (added bonus: amazing oatmeal raisin cookie recipe!).
• In the Kitchen with Kids — Cooking with Real and Pretend Food — Terri from Child of the Nature Isle engages her kids in the kitchen with culinary creations of both real and pretend food.

INSPIRATION THURSDAY: Link Up!

New Linkies! Add a link below.

I’ve mentioned this before—when I started this blog, I thought it was supposed to exist in a vacuum. I didn’t realize the connection of the online community, especially the community of parents and natural-minded folks that was out there.

And, of course, nothing can exist in a vacuum.

All my life I’ve been very open and susceptible to inspiration. I am awed by small things; I tend to have grand, dramatic emotions about things that inspire me. When I’m inspired, I create. When I create, I feel fulfilled and motivated and driven to find more inspiration. Which leads me to create again.

You feel me?