Browse by Tags

• Crafty: Whip It Good

  WARNING: This post could put your eye out! Read More... Posted Jun 13 2008, 03:00 PM by Adrienne Martini with | with no comments Filed under: DIY, duct tape, crafty, Indiana Jones, duck tape, movie tie-in, bullwhip

• Strollerderby Playdate: Sew Dreamy

  In my ongoing quest to find my inner Martha, I acquired as a Christmas gift this year a nice entry-level sewing machine. Here's the problem. The only person I know who sews? My mother. I love her, but her teaching me things tends to reduce me to a bratty teen.  I still don't like to think about what went down when she tried to teach me to drive a stick shift. Un-pret-TAY. I took a sewing class a few years back, and have a couple nice, remedial-but-hip kind of books that don’t assume you’ve been doing this stuff since home ec (which I did not take).  But being a blog addict, I needed more. Read More... Posted May 09 2008, 12:31 PM by AmyinMotown with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: sewing, crafts, DIY, playdate, sew mama sew, a dress a day, stitch lounge

• Creepy or Cool: Utilitarian Baby Limbs

  For me, this baby doll coat rack is creepy. But I know of a couple of households where the DIY project would be cool, very cool. So I'm keeping an open mind. The Design Sponge contest entry is generating quite a bit of controversy, but I kind of appreciate its use of all those dolls, no longer in the playtime rotation, due to a lack of clothing, inked up faces, loss of interest, overly perfumed smell (what is with that, anyway?).   Read More... Posted Apr 19 2008, 03:05 PM by Madeline Holler with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: DIY, baby dolls, design sponge, coochicoos, creepy or cool, coat racks, baby limb coat rack

• Crafty: You Can Take It With You

  I'm told that one of the best things about growing up in one place is that you can keep a growth chart on a doorframe. You know, the kind you see in heartwarming family movies where each kid has a penciled mark for each year of his or her life? Yeah, I never had one either.  We moved a lot.   Read More... Posted Feb 18 2008, 10:00 AM by Adrienne Martini with | with no comments Filed under: DIY, growth charts, crafty, mushrooms, mobile

• Homemade Roller Coaster!

  We should all have access to one of these -- a homemade roller coaster. An auto mechanic, with, I'm guessing tons of property insurance, built a roller coaster in his backyard! He used scrap metal and his welding skills and figured the rest out as he went. Guess what.        Read More... Posted Feb 03 2008, 05:39 PM by Madeline Holler with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: grandparents, DIY, accidental death, lifestyle, grandchildren, activities with kids, activity center, diy life, diylife, roller coaster

• Unassisted Birth -- Help Me Out

  When I read stories about women who opt to give birth at home allllll by themselves -- no help from a midwife or a doctor or a staff of nurses -- I think to myself, "can you blame them?" I know, I know, a lot of you are thinking these people are just trying to be heroes or adhere to some kind of radical hippie code that shuns any relationship with established authority. Or you think they're narcissistic idiots who put their own childbirth dreams above the health and safety of an innocent child. Homebirth moms get that kind of talk too.  But I think all that's wrong. Quite wrong. Pregnant women in the U.S. are in this totally weird position ...   Read More... Posted Jan 09 2008, 05:46 PM by Madeline Holler with | with 11 comment(s) Filed under: hospitals, homebirth, dangerous, midwives, DIY, child birth, hospital, c-section, midwifery, Modern parenting, midwife, home birth, natural child birth, hospital birth, home, bleeding, diylife, natural alternatives, hospitalization, unassisted childbirth, caesarean section

• Slightly Creepy Crafty Cuteness: The Aunt Sarah Doll

  When I first saw this crafty post about creating dolls out of fabric photos of your loved ones for your babies to see and, even better, snuggle, I thought they were just precious. What a great way to bring all those long-distance loved ones a little closer for your kids and what a sweet way to instill the concept of being close to someone even when they live in Cleveland (not to pick on Cleveland, but let's face it, lots of folks purposely steer live far, far away from Cleveland). But the more I looked at these dolls -- and I honestly had a hard time clicking away -- the more I started to see their resemblance to the mother-in-law voodoo doll I got at my bachelorette party. And that made me wonder how freakish dolls like this fashioned after my own family (by blood or marriage, take your pick) would be. Of course, I will need some supplies and clarifications for the frankendolls I would make: Read More... Posted Sep 13 2007, 11:34 AM by Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: toys, DIY, dolls, crafty, aunt sarah dolls, angry chicken

• Back-to-School Parties Are Really For Parents, Right?

  Back before I was a mother (ohhh, the Saturdays of having breakfast at 1 pm) and I was all judgy about mothers (wha-? me? I know, shocking) who complained about their kids being home all summer long, I thought they were crazy for wishing the academic year to arrive already and that they should just be grateful to be privileged to spend the best part of the year at home with the young ones.  Of course, this is the kind of naivete I reflect upon with lots of laughter and big old black Sharpie to X off another day until co-op finally starts again (31 days if you're keeping score at home). Read More... Posted Aug 11 2007, 09:03 AM by Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) with | with no comments Filed under: parties, DIY, summer activities, back-to-school

• Water + Condoms + Digital Cameras = More Than a Paris Hilton First Date

  Desperate to know just one more use for condoms? No no no, this is much better than water balloons or silly, inflated hats for the kids! Now you can use condoms to waterproof your digital camera. How cool is that? The just-launched DIY Life blog has all the (ahem) tips you need for protecting your goods (sorry) so you can take lovely aquatic pictures with your precious gear (last one, I swear). You''ll only need two condoms, wet suit glue, a cardboard tube and a dessicant bag to double-seal your camera, and the instructions seem fairly straight-forward and simple. And just think, if you decide to make this a fun and scientific craft project with the children, you will have the opportunity to hammer out the answers to lots of kid questions while you're at it. And if you choose to make this an adult mission, you will have the opportunity to make lots of stupid/hilarious/eyeroll-worthy jokes along the way. Now go at it and practice safe submersion! Posted Jul 17 2007, 04:18 PM by Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) with | with no comments Filed under: DIY, condoms, hacks, digital cameras, diy life

• Getting the Kids in on Home Remodeling: Worst Idea Ever?

  I've never done a big remodeling job. In fact, I don't even own my own home. But I do have a creative, outspoken and anxious-to-help kid. And this is exactly why I am squinting my eyes and shaking my head with skepticism that the idealistic notion of getting your kids in on the extreme DIY home makeover is really a good plan. I love the idea of getting kids invested in their family activities. In fact, one of my favorite childhood memories is getting out the atlas and planning the route for the annual summer road trip. But getting a ten-year old to decide between Disney and Sea World is one thing and getting a ten-year old to install recessed lighting is another. Of course, I am exaggerating here. But really, how much focus, commitment and color coordination can you expect of your child in the middle of an undertaking as huge as home improvement? Sure, some kids dream about helping their mom stuff installation and use a nail gun to put up dry wall. And some parents dream of having free laborers to haul gallons of paint and scale up the scaffolding to bring dad Diet Cokes. But does anyone here have any concerns that all this "helping" and "investing" will lead to an addition decorated in Sponge Bob yellow with Bratz decals and Play-Doh faux finishes? And is the "value of working together toward a common goal" worth it when you have to pay a contractor to come in and redo the remodel (not to mention the hours spent at free Home Depot demos, family therapy and anger management) anyway? Posted Jul 09 2007, 03:27 PM by Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) with | with no comments Filed under: DIY, getting the kids involved, remodeling, home, familiy activities

• D.I.Y. Baby Clothes at Hand Picked Pumpkin

  Now here's a design idea that I, a non-crafty, sewing needle-phobic mama, can totally get behind: D.I.Y. (design it yourself) baby clothes, for the 0-24 month set.  The folks over at Hand Picked Pumpkin have managed to make it incredibly easy for you to customize your baby's next t-shirt or hoodie.  How easy, you ask?  Check it: Step 1: Select garment style (10 possible choices, including playsuits and hoodies). Step 2: Select size (0-24 months). Step 3: Customize! (select solid knit color for garment body, any of the 18 knit patterns for neck, cuffs, trim and plackets). Upside: Your toddler will be one-of-a-kind at the playground.  Downside: $42 for a long-sleeved t-shirt (I didn't even wanna check how much a hoodie would cost). But hey - if you've got money to burn and a cute kid to spend it on, Hand Picked Pumpkin may be right up your alley. Posted Feb 15 2007, 11:05 AM by Alisyn with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: clothing, fashion, DIY, clothes, hand picked pumpkin, baby clothes

• The Parenting and Home Web Sites You Should Definitely Waste Your Time Reading in 2007

  Melissa Summers has compiled an excellent list of websites that she'll be reading more of in 2007 for her semi-regular Buzz Off column. At the top of her list, the entertaining and educational Parent Hacks, which is chock full of parenting wisdom.  You may think you're a seasoned parent, but after reading Parent Hacks you'll feel like an amateur. Melissa goes on to list her other top picks which are: Kiddley (craft-tastic), My Wardrobe Today (love these "day-in-the-life" sites), Finished Kitchens Blog (tax refund check anyone?), Whoopee (cheeky Brit mama tells it like it is), The Bargainist (financial tips), and Real Simple (for easy entertaining tips). I see her list of websites and would like to raise her a: Real Estalker (stalking open houses, you know it), a Jen Lemen (one inspiring mama), a Construction Deal (my most favorite home improvement idea site) and One Toddler Goodie. Happy time-wasting in 2007, and remember to rearrange those cubicles so you're facing the door.  That way, if your boss pops in, it'll look like you are working.  [photo credit: fuggit.org]  Posted Jan 10 2007, 10:01 AM by Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) with | with no comments Filed under: crafts, shopping, websites, Parent Hacks, kiddley, coupons, saving money, DIY, bargains, blogs