Rainbow Coaster DIY

Craft sticks are a great addition to any crafters supplies! There are so many fun ways you can use craft sticks to create! I made this easy set of coasters in just a few moments. These are great for tweens and teens to make! They are fun and functional and make a cool DIY you can gift to a friend or relative!



This project is super simple. I got literally everything I needed at Dollar Tree to make these. I love economical crafting! To make this DIY  go a little faster I bought the craft sticks that were pre dyed.



The pack conveniently contained all colors I needed for a rainbow effect. You will need 20 craft sticks to make this project, use 3 of each color!


Line up your craft sticks in the pattern of a rainbow.
Then use hot glue to attach 3 sticks running in the opposite direction for supports, just like a pallet would have.




Repeat and make another one.
Then you are going to place a craft stick on its side to give the coaster height.




Carefully glue the stick on the sides then add a line of glue to the top of both side sticks and place the other section on the top.



This project was featured in a video on facebook. I would love to have you check it out and give it a thumbs up!



You can find more easy DIY ideas here
Easy Pencil Pouches

Find more rainbow craft activities here

You can also find it on youtube. Subscribe for more fun projects for the family!




10 Too Cute Tulip Projects


Tulips are hands down my favorite spring flower. They are lovely and elegant while simple to care for and grow. I love to admire them as they come into bloom and I want to make all of the pretty flower crafts with the kids too! I found 10 too cute tulip projects that I couldn't wait to share with you. You might just want to make them all this spring!




I love the easy tulip earrings as a sweet gift for a friend and the paper tulips are perfect for making with my almost 8 year old.  We might make a handful of these for his teacher towards the end of the year!




Forever Tulips by Little Miss Celebration
Spring Tulip Wreath by Sugar Bee Crafts
How to Fold Paper Tulips by A Happy Home in Holland
DIY Tulip Earrings by 30 Minute Crafts
Tulip Wreath by Designer Trapped
Yellow Tulip Door Decor by Crafts ala Mode
3D Paper Tulips by Practically Functional
5 Minute Door Bouquet by Mad in Crafts
3D Tulips by Crafting Reality
Toilet Roll Tulips by Crafts by Amanda

I can't wait to hear which of these is your favorite tulip craft!
I have two super easy videos on facebook for tulip crafting with the kids! Check them out here:









Check out these easy 3d Paper Tulips

Easy DIY ipad Mini Stand

This easy diy ipad stand was made with only 3 supplies in just a few moments of time. It is a great tween or teen craft for a rainy day and provides a practical place to place your ipad for hands free viewing!


This was such a simple project! I needed someplace to place my ipad while cooking and
referring to a recipe, so I whipped this up in just about 3 minutes! I wasn't quite sure about how
sturdy it would be, but I was surprised by how sturdy it was, and how well it has held up over 2
weeks time.



Supplies
7 Jumbo Craft Sticks ( 5.86” x .72” )
Washi Tape
Hot Glue Gun


Directions



1) Apply washi tape to one side of 3 craft sticks.

2) Form a letter V with 2 of the washi tape covered craft sticks.


3) Secure the point where the sticks meet with hot glue.

4) Flip the craft sticks over so that you are working with the uncovered side of the sticks and your
point is now facing upwards.

5) Use an uncovered craft stick to attach a “leg” to the top, where the sticks meet.  To do this easily
give a generous dot of hot glue about ¼” below the top, immediately place your craft stick at a very
slight angle. Hold the craft stick in place for about 30 seconds, as the glue dries. This acts as your
base. Test it to make sure the base stands freely.

6) You have 3 remaining craft sticks that are not covered by washi tape; stack and glue these together.

7) Glue the final craft stick, with the washi tape on top of the stack you just made.
This will act as your ledge for holding your ipad.

8)You will glue these stacked sticks one inch from the bottom of the base.
Allow to dry for about a minute before using as an ipad or phone stand.



    Easy DIY iPad stand





    You can check out all of my easy DIY ideas here



    Free Easter Coloring Pages


    Just in time for Easter I have three free coloring pages for your kids! Print as many of these as you like; there is an easy Easter Egg page for little ones, an Easter basket coloring page for elementary ages and a pattern egg page for older kids. But, really all 3 would work for any age!



    Share these with a friend, or pin them for later.

    These free coloring pages would be great for keeping the kids busy on the rainy days before Easter, or to keep them occupied at the table before Easter dinner.

    If your kids color any of these pages, I would love to have you snap a pic and share their artwork with me on facebook. Rolf and Harp will color a dozen of these each in anticipation of coloring easter eggs!










    Explore the Flavors of the Land Down Under


    As the kids get a little older, they are more adventurous. They can handle road trips like semi-professionals. Both love to watch travel videos and learn about new areas. More than once they have hinted that they want to take a big trip in the near future.

    Australia is on our travel bucket list.The wildlife, the bush, and the coastal views make it an obvious choice for a destination,but what really appeals to my adventurous kids is the food!



    Australian cuisine is more than just sausages and meaty pies. A wide assortment of fruits and vegetables are grown in the land down under, making it a total foodies destination.

    Did you know that granny smith apples were first grown in Australia? But that isn't all. You can find well known fruits like plums in the land down under, but also bush fruit like quandong, which is a native peach and muntries,which are a native cranberries.

    Exploring native versions of fruit we already know makes it a exciting culinary adventure for the entire family, but we want more than fruit. We want to try all of the native foods!

    Australia has many unique meats that we wouldn't be able to try as easily. Emu, kangaroo and crocodile meat are available for consumption, while they are not common, you can expect to find kangaroo in sausages. Lamb is a popular meat in the land down under, as are many varieties of seafood. By all accounts, Australia is a land of culinary delights.

    Traveling with the kids to Australia would be an unforgettable adventure. There are so many things to see, do and taste that it could be easy to exhaust the family while immersing them in the culture. As a seasoned traveler, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve to keep everyone happy.

    First, I always recommend finding a private tour guide. This gives you a chance to gather info, check out hotspots and avoid crowds and lines. The price of private destination tours is often more affordable than taking a tour with a group of strangers, and it gives you a chance to talk one on one with your guide to learn all of the history and mystery of the area.

    My second tip is have dinner prepared for you, instead of heading out to a restaurant. Having the chef come to you is the best way to learn about what you are eating, and see the meal being prepared right in front of your eyes. While having dinner in on an international trip might seem like an additional expense, it is one that is well worth it. Being able to relax and stay in for an evening gives the family a chance to recharge their batteries for further adventures. Your personal chef will entertain your with delicious food, rich stories and leave you hungry for more. Lucky for you, the chef is likely to share recipes with you so you can bring the flavor of Australia to your friends at a later date.

    If you have traveled to Australia, I would love to hear about your culinary adventures in the land down under in a comment.