Search Results for: blog making eco friendly christmas decorations

Keep It Simple

In the wake of the senseless shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, many parents are reevaluating their priorities.  With Christmas just a few days away, there’s been a shift from chaotic to calm. Whereas a week ago many parents were rushing around like decapitated chickens trying to hunt down a mountain of material items to place under the tree, today, those same parents are realizing that life’s greatest gift isn’t something that can be wrapped in pretty paper.  Rather, moms and dads around the world are slowing down and savoring every minute with their kids.  If the incomprehensible loss of … Continue reading →

Simple Thanksgiving Centerpiece

My young daughter is beyond thrilled that two local radio stations are already playing Christmas music all.day.long. However, I am adamant that Thanksgiving will not come and go without due celebration. To shift my 5-year-old’s attention back to the holiday at hand I’m having her handcraft all of our Thanksgiving decorations. Next week she is off from school for parent-teacher conferences. During this break from class we will be making the following simple Thanksgiving centerpiece: FALL LEAF CENTERPIECE Materials: Plastic margarine container (washed and dried) Scissors White craft glue or Mod Podge Decoupage Medium Glue gun Brown construction paper, burlap, … Continue reading →

Hop Aboard the Candy Train and Other Festive Crafts for Kids

Now that the kids are out on winter break your home is probably not as quiet (or clean) as it was a week ago. To regain some semblance of order you might consider emptying your craft closet and assembling the following kid-friendly holiday crafts. Not only will they help your children channel their energy into something worthwhile, but also your home will be filled with festive decorations. Note: Adult supervision is required on projects that involve hot glue. CHRISTMAS CANDY TRAIN Materials: Hot glue gun 1 unopened roll of hard candy (Lifesavers) 4 wrapped peppermint candies 1 wrapped caramel 1 … Continue reading →

Places to Have a Holly Jolly Good Time with Your Family

Tis the season to be with family and friends. Whether you decide to bond on the slopes or huddle together in front of the fireplace for a fierce game of Pictionary, the holidays are a great time to spend with loved ones. However, if you don’t know how to ski or you shudder at the thought of having to stay cooped up indoors all day, you might consider the following festive family-friendly options: CONNECTICUT At Christmas Town in Bethlehem, Connecticut, kids can visit Santa on the Village Green and sing along with carolers strolling along Main Street. Don’t forget to … Continue reading →

Parental Rewind: Holiday Edition

Now that your Thanksgiving guests are gone and the holiday leftovers are slowly disappearing you can finally kick up your feet and relax for a bit. After all, it won’t be long before you’ll have to get up again to drag out the Christmas decorations, trim the tree, bake cookies, finish (or start) shopping for presents and get the house back in order for round two of holiday guests. But before you get caught up in the countdown to Christmas chaos consider taking a few minutes to see what you missed in the PARENTS blog this week: November 24th—–Desperate Dad … Continue reading →

A Week’s Worth of Fun Thanksgiving Projects

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away; do you have your decorations set? If not, you’ve come to the right place. Over the last few days I’ve shared some simple seasonal art projects that the entire family can help create. Consider making some of these fantastic creations (or participating in the following Thanksgiving-themed adventures) as you countdown to Turkey Day: November 10th—–Ideas for Holiday Family Fun. If you are looking for a way to get the most out of the holiday season this is the blog for you. It contains a list of family-friendly holiday events that your clan is … Continue reading →

Photo Fun with Kids

My daughter is amazingly crafty for someone whose mother has trouble sewing the buttons back on shirts. That’s why when it comes to tackling arts and crafts projects I tend to stick with ones that include as few steps as possible. For the past five months my daughter and I have been working on various photo projects for my grandmother. After she suffered a massive stroke she was moved into an assisted living facility and her room was in serious need of some personalized decorations. I detailed some of the ways we spruced up her room in previous blogs and … Continue reading →

Celebrating the Holidays At My Favorite Hotel in Hawaii

It’s a cross between Disneyland and Fantasy Island. A place where you can swim with dolphins in the morning and dine on world-class cuisine at night. A place where you ride to lunch on a gondola, electric tram or boat. And a place where I make a concerted effort to visit each time I travel home to the Big Island of Hawaii. I’m talking about the spectacular and extremely family friendly Hilton Waikoloa Village. I’ve written about the award-winning resort in previous blogs, but I have never covered the magnificent transformation it undergoes during the month of December. Each winter … Continue reading →

The Carol Duvall Show

I love to watch the Carol Duvall show on HGTV or online. For one thing, Carol is so friendly and warm. She reminds me of one of my aunts. In fact she’s so friendly, I feel like I call her Carol instead of Ms. Duvall. Carol is also known as the “Queen of Crafts”, and for good reason. She’s been at this craft business for a long time and doing TV crafting since the late 1980’s. The main reason I love the show is for the projects. Every show has a guest artist or crafter demonstrating step by step instructions … Continue reading →