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We just started our Spring Break and the kids are already itching for something to do.  Today's activity was fun and super inexpensive (I'm talking $1!!).   While my son played downstairs, the girls and I created this fun Spring mural on a shower curtain.  We had a good time painting it and now our bathroom has been spruced up with a touch of Spring. Check it out... And here's how our "canvas" started out... That's right, we used a cheap shower curtain liner from the Dollar Store.  ( I'm sure you could upgrade to a fabric one or a heavier weight one, but this worked great for us and we can afford to make new ones whenever we want!) I just spread out an old sheet on the floor, spread out the shower curtain liner, and we got to work.  We used a bunch of acrylic paints I had on hand and painted on a whole Spring scene ~ a tree, birds, butterflies, bumblebees, flowers, caterpillars and even a hummingbird!  To personalize our mural, I painted on a "carved...

Let's face it, parenting can be tough.  Every day we face any number of challenges and we don't always have easy solutions.  I may not have the answers for the really big issues, but I have collected several great tips for many of those little annoyances that can be just as challenging when you deal with them day after day. The best part?  Most of these tips are simple, easy, why-didn't-I-think-of-that solutions to common problems you'll come across during your crafts, projects and day-to-day life.  Many thanks to several awesome kid-centered bloggers for their input and great advice. The Problem :   It's a nice day, the kids are outside blowing bubbles, but within minutes, someone's bottle of "bubble juice" spills.  Now a kid is crying, you're trying to refill it and spilling more than you're getting into the bottle.  Pretty soon, the fun day of bubbles is full of tears and spills. The Solution:   Get an inexpensive plastic container with a fa...

Well, it looks like this time the early bird gets the worm.  The winning comment was chosen by random.org and the lucky winner of a $50 gift card to Lisa Leonard Designs is... Entry #2 which was this one by Heather... Look at this pretty Tiny Twig Necklace that Heather said was her favorite. So pretty! Heather, I'll be emailing you tonight to let you know that you won, and I'll pass along your info to Lisa. For all my other readers who didn't win, don't forget that you still have a few days to use the special discount code Lisa gave my readers for 20% off.  Use code SHOPPING20 (expires 3/30/12).  Treat yourself to something special (or email a link to your favorite piece and the code as a gift hint!) Thanks to everyone who participated and a special thanks to Lisa for this opportunity.

When I first saw the trailer for the new Mirror Mirror movie, I knew a trip to the theater would be part of our Spring Break plans.  Snow White was one of the first movies I saw in the theater myself as a little girl (when it was re-released in the 70's, not the original in 1937!) and I knew my own kids would love seeing a "real-life" version of one of their favorite animated movies.  The movie comes out on March 30th and it's rated PG, so it'll be perfect for my family. Then, shortly after I saw the trailer, I was contacted by the makers of the movie to come up with a craft or project inspired by the Snow White story.   Seriously, how cool is that?  One of my projects connected to a major motion picture?  It's the closest I'll ever come to being a movie star!!  Now, before I get to my project, here's a brief synopsis (check out the amazing cast!) One of the most beloved stories of all time is coming to life in the motion picture event for the whole ...

Last Spring, when my son played Little League Baseball, I made these cute Baseball Treats for his team.  This Spring, he played basketball for the first time and I wanted to make a similar treat for his last game this weekend.  They were really fairly simple to make and they were a big hit with the kids.  They'd also be fun for a March Madness party or any sports-themed event. Here's what you need: (makes 24 treats) 8 cups Rice Krispie cereal 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) 1 bag marshmallows orange food coloring (optional) orange melting chocolates brown melting chocolates Here's what to do: 1.  Just like with regular Rice Krispie treats, melt your butter and marshmallows in a large pot over medium heat.  (Add some orange food coloring if you wish to tint the treats themselves. )  2.  Remove from heat, then stir in your 8 cups of cereal.  Stir until the cereal is coated with your marshmallow mixture, then spoon into greased muffin tins.  Use a p...

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts® for SocialSpark . All opinions are 100% mine. We're now on week two of some unseasonably warm weather on the East Coast.  Often here in Maryland, the first day of Spring is chilly, cloudy and damp.  This year, however, the temperatures have been in the 70's and the sun has been shining almost every day.  Not only has this perfect weather quickly pushed aside my normal late-winter blues, but It's also got me thinking about Spring planting several weeks earlier than usual. You see, every year around Mother's Day, the kids and I usually go to a nearby garden center and pick up some pretty flowers for our hanging baskets and large flower pots  on our back deck.  They love picking out the colorful flowers and they REALLY love getting their hands dirty as we put in the plants in the containers.  With these warm days we've been having, I was inspired to run out and pick up a few early sea...