Have you ever needed a bag in a pinch? Or perhaps you are tired of spending on bags that just don’t hold up. This no-sew DIY beach bag can be ready in just a few minutes, to get you out the door and ready for a day of fun! Materials: Tank top Large safety pins…
DIY / Crafts
How to Capture Great Images of Your Child
Have you ever tried to take photos of your kids only to have them come out too blurry, too dark, or otherwise lackluster? Did you spend hours debating outfits and fixing your kid’s crazy cowlick for this?! Wonder how your friend’s children have such great smiles all over your social media feed? While professional photos…
10 Kid-Friendly Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
Earth Day is a celebration! This year let’s be mindful to treat it as such, because celebrating Earth Day with kids is a fun way to inspire, educate, and bring the entire community together. You probably intuitively know tons of kid-friendly ways to celebrate Earth Day, but we’re thrilled to offer these ideas for a little…
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… or the Baby Book
As with much of motherhood, keeping track of baby’s milestones is one of those tasks that can bring about overwhelming feelings of inadequacy. Even seasoned moms can feel buried under all the things they’re not doing but think they should be. Case in point: The baby book. Every mom I know, still in the glowing…
The Buy Nothing New Challenge
The Buy Nothing New Challenge makes it easier than you think to live simply (and save lots of money) for a month! Whether the start of a New Year or an event like Earth Day, it’s a nice excuse to do a little self evaluating. What are we doing to really help make the earth…
The Fresh Approach to an Eco Friendly Baby Shower
If there’s ever a perfect time to host a fresh and eco-friendly celebration, it’s for the coming of a new baby. A newborn is pure and reminds us of new beginnings and the miracle of nature. There are many ways, both new and old, you can create a natural, healthy baby shower that helps the…
Here Comes the Sun: Celebrating the First Day of Spring (Vernal Equinox)
As my family’s first harsh Minnesota winter drew to a close, the old Beatles song Here Comes the Sun sang out of our car’s speakers. The first day of spring was still a few weeks away, but I found myself deeply touched by the song I had heard the song countless times. Relief, joy, and…
Light Amidst Darkness: Celebrating the Winter Solstice with Kids
Winter officially begins on December 21st. Here are some meaningful and fun ways to observe and celebrate the winter solstice with kids. Winter’s cold and darkness can be mild or intense… the drag of a chilly brown landscape or the drama of very early sunsets and deep snowdrifts. For many, winter begins to feel…
Homemade Holiday Crackers
Family tradition, festive décor, and fun way to wrap small treats or gifts… holiday crackers can be customized to any seasonal celebration. And they’re fun for kids to make! As the name suggests, traditional crackers opened with a bang when pulled apart by each end. Some even contained messages or words of inspiration. The great…
DIY Gift Wrapping Station
The simplest way to wrap your gifts in an eco-friendly way is to use what you have. Using what you have means if you still have paper gift bags left over from last year, by all means, use them! Don’t think of paper as your enemy – it’s really one of the best options for wrapping bigger gifts. …
Deck the Halls Naturally: 5 Steps to Simple Holiday Decorations
Holiday decorating is one of those things that can overwhelm this busy time of year. Thankfully it is possible to have a festive home without all the stress. Less is More It can be fun to see the glitzed and glammed homes, but that doesn’t mean you need to go all out on your own…
DIY Magical Fairy Bridge from Recycled & Upcycled Materials
Embrace your child’s wonder of the magical world of fairies by building the perfect size landscape for their imaginary friends. This bridge is made using found items from the recycling bin. While parents will need to help the kiddos with some of the cutting and gluing, children will have a blast decorating the bridge, adding…
A Little Free Library Can Make a Big Difference
A nationwide movement, Little Free Library encourages book lovers to put up give-and-take boxes in their neighborhoods. We’re highlighting some creative community libraries and showing you how to make one in your neighborhood. Maybe you’re homesteading on a rural road and don’t have ready access to a public library. Perhaps you and your neighbors are…
The Ultimate Holiday Planner {free printable}
How many times have you wished you’d set up a Christmas savings fund? Or at least started your holiday gift shopping earlier in the year? We all know it’s a good idea to do most of the work early, but a rare few of us actually do it. If you haven’t started planning yet,…
Taking Charge of the Chaos: Creating a Family Command Center
Running a household can be messy, especially when it comes to schedules, meal planning, devices that need to be charged, and paper clutter. Having kids in school means even more of the above and less time to deal with it all. That’s why creating a family command center can simplify the chaos. Here are four…
How to Capture the Best First Day of School Photo
The first day of school has long been a Kodak moment. But with the advancement in phone cameras and the shift from amateur to capable photographers, that iconic picture has gone from a last-minute, front porch snap to a fully planned production… complete with chalkboard lists, professional signs, and staged poses. Our friends at SmugMug – the largest independent photo-sharing site…
Upcycled Craft: Create a Colorful DIY Desk Organizer
Whether you’re gearing up to send the kids off to school or dusting off the shelves of your homeschool classroom, the season of school prep is here. A DIY desk organizer is a fun project for kids and it’ll come in handy for homework time. Be sure to see our how to articles on culling…
Easy Upcycled Planters
Gardening in small spaces is a great way to bring fresh ingredients into your diet. Try these easy upcycled planters (perfect for herb garden!) to get you started. Planter Materials: Empty Cartons Scissors Soil Seeds or plants Planter Instructions: Have one or many, these easy planters are cute, functional and perfectly sized for herbs or…
Eco Print Scarves
Oh, how I love making eco-patterns on playsilks and scarves. Silk takes color like crazy and the natural materials used in the patterns are easy to see. There are as many ways to eco-print as there are crafters in the world. Try this simple (yet satisfying) technique. What you’ll need: 100% silk scarf or playsilk,…
The Beauty of Container Gardening
The beauty of container gardening is its versatility. It allows the gardener to experiment, to be eclectic, and even to be a bit non-committal. If you can’t decide on what your gardening style is, try a container! If you live in an apartment or a condo with only a balcony, plant a container garden that…
DIY Upcycled Bug Jar
Life is blooming all around us — from new flowers, baby animals and bugs and insects galore. If you have a little one at home, chances are they have definitely noticed and will let you know at every turn and corner on your daily journey. A fun way to explore this new life that is…
DIY Baby Wipes {Cloth or Disposable} + Gentle Solution
Yes, this is a recipe for DIY baby wipes, but it starts with a hilarious story excerpt from All You Need is Less: The Eco-Friendly Guide to Guilt-Free Green Living and Stress-Free Simplicity, by Madeleine Somerville Hypothetical question: Have you ever gone to the bathroom at a friend’s house and found yourself staring at an…
Creating an Organic Edible Patio Garden with Your Child
Simple potted gardens can be created in any home. Whether you live in a house, apartment or high-rise condominium, you can almost always find a small sunny spot to grow a simple garden. A potted garden is great for child, because they can pick up the pot and bring it to the kitchen to harvest…
DIY Nature Camp: A Summer Boredom-Buster
When I created the At-Home Summer Nature Camp – an 8-week guide to DIY summer fun – my hope was to help families foster a connection to the natural world, encourage togetherness, initiate learning through play, and support a commitment to simplicity. So I was delighted when hundreds of families from all over the world…
