Posts may contain affiliate links (see Disclosure). Thank you so much for supporting Artsy-Fartsy Mama!
Friday, August 29, 2014

Home Command Center with Wallternatives

Friday, August 29, 2014

Home Command Center with Wallternatives

Read more »
Sponsored by Wallternatives

Home Command Center at artsyfartsymama.com #Wallternatives

Moving to a new home can be both exciting and utter chaos. You suddenly have no idea where anything is when you need it, and life is practically and literally turned upside down. Eventually, though, things start to get back to a new kind of normal. Having an area in our home dedicated to schedules, reminders, and organization has helped so much during our transition to get life back on track. 
Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Building with LEGO® Juniors

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Building with LEGO® Juniors

Read more »
Have you heard about the newest Lego® product? Lego® Juniors is designed to give children age 4-7 a great first experience with Lego® bricks through iconic, fun, and easy-to-build models.

LEGO® Juniors Review at artsyfartsymama.com #LEGOJuniorMakers #CleverGirls

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Safe-to-Eat Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Safe-to-Eat Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Read more »
Today is my birthday, so I'm sharing one of my favorite treats! Cookie dough is good for the soul, and it is one guilty pleasure that I can't resist. Here is a safe-to-eat recipe for cookie dough (like saying it's not safe will stop you anyway) that literally takes just a few minutes to mix together with ingredients you probably already have. So, let's celebrate my birthday together by eating some cookie dough!!

Safe-to-Eat/Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough at artsyfartsymama.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2+ cup chocolate chips (I always add more...)

Directions:
  1. Cream together butter and sugars until light & fluffy.
  2. Add in milk & vanilla, then slowly add in flour.
  3. Add in desired amount of chocolate chips.
If for some reason you don't want to eat the cookie dough all on its own or you need some other way to use it so you don't eat it all in one sitting, you can also use this recipe for putting it on top of brownies, or freezing it then crumbling it up to put in your ice cream!
 
Monday, August 25, 2014

DIY Chalkboard Heads

Monday, August 25, 2014

DIY Chalkboard Heads

Read more »
Sponsored by FloraCraft Make It: Fun®

DIY Chalkboard Heads at artsyfartsymama.com #MakeItFun

I'm so excited to announce that I'm a part of the 2014 Make It: Fun Team with FloraCraft! Each month, I will be creating something with FloraCraft supplies to share with you. This month's theme was foam heads. When the box arrived in the mail, I was honestly stumped at what I was going to make, but my daughter thought they were the coolest things ever!! Turning them into chalkboard heads was the perfect solution to keep my daughter happy and entertained with her new "friends"!

Friday, August 22, 2014

Front Door Makeover

Friday, August 22, 2014

Front Door Makeover

Read more »
HUGE thanks to Modern Masters for sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Front Door Makeover at artsyfartsymama.com #ModernMasters

When you move into a new (to you) home, you need to expect to do a little bit of work to get things looking how you want it. We just finished giving our garage door a facelift using Modern Masters Front Door Paint. Next on the list was our front door.

The front door was dented, scratched, and just looked worn out. To make matters worse, there was a glass door attached that was both hideous and useless. When the glass door was closed, it made the front door so hot that you could literally burn yourself! It also baked the paint on the door and warped part of it. Not good.

Front Door Makeover at artsyfartsymama.com #ModernMasters

We began the process by removing the door hardware and sanding the entire door with a palm sander. There were dried drips from the last paint job, scratches, and dents all over the place. The best advice I have to give for this step is to sand it as best as you can. It's harder to fix any spots you may have missed once you've painted over them!

Front Door Makeover at artsyfartsymama.com #ModernMasters

We also got rid of the glass door!! It already looks so much better with it gone. Then we noticed how thrashed the door frame was. It was still usable (thank goodness), so we just reattached the door frame with my Ryobi Cordless Finish Nailer and filled the holes in the door and all the scratches, nail holes, and wood gaps in the frame with wood putty.

Once the wood putty was dry, we went over them with the palm sander, then wiped it all down with a damp rag.

Front Door Makeover at artsyfartsymama.com #ModernMasters

Once everything is prepped, it's time for the fun part!! To keep the same look to our front door, but just *better*, we went the color Ground from their Front Door Paint product line. Modern Masters Front Door Paint comes in 24 colors, all based off of an "Emotional Color Wheel", so there really is a shade for every personality! If you aren't sure what color will look good on your home, you can try out the free app (available on both iPhone and Android) to instantly see how Front Door Paint can transform your door!

Front Door Makeover at artsyfartsymama.com #ModernMasters

We used both a brush and a roller to paint the door and frame. It helps to paint the recessed parts of the door with the brush, then go over with a roller. The first coat will take a couple of hours to dry. Our door needed about two coats, and the paint dries to a beautiful satin finish that will NEVER fade. I can't believe the difference the front door paint made to our home.

Front Door Makeover at artsyfartsymama.com #ModernMasters

Now that our door is looking fabulous, it's time to save up to change out that light and get a new front porch rug!! Updating your home can be a lot of work, but it's so amazing to see the changes you can make to give your home some curb appeal!!

You can purchase Modern Masters Front Door Paint in selected Lowe’s and Ace Hardware stores. It's also sold on Amazon.com and on the Modern Masters Website. They've been adding retailers to their Pinterest Map, so follow them to see if there will be a location selling the paint near you!

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

DIY Geometric Earrings

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

DIY Geometric Earrings

Read more »
DIY Geometric Earrings at artsyfartsymama.com #paper #diyjewelry #ExploreCricut

I'm always looking for more statement jewelry, and I'm really loving the geometric trend happening right now. Most geometric jewelry that I've found is either not in my budget, or just isn't the pattern I want. So, I decided to make my own for less than $5 a pair with my handy Cricut Explore machine!! 
Friday, August 15, 2014

Beados Crafternoon

Friday, August 15, 2014

Beados Crafternoon

Read more »
In my daughter's opinion, there's nothing better than an entire afternoon dedicated to playing with friends and "working on projects". Thanks to Beados, my daughter was entertained for hours and we made a "crafternoon" of it!

Beados Crafternoon at artsyfartsymama.com #Beados #kidscrafts

In just three steps, the kids can create their own Beados characters all by themselves! The best part is that each Beados character is made with beads that stick together with just a few sprays of water. Because there are no irons or glue involved, it's a mess-free and safer activity that encourages kids create all on their own! Beados are for both boys and girls ages 4 & up.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014

DIY Glitter Lamp

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

DIY Glitter Lamp

Read more »
Since moving into a new house, there is one room that I've claimed as my new craft room. There's a lot of work being done, but it's looking SO fantastic! Unfortunately, there is very little decoration (yet), but I see it more as a blank canvas just needing a bit of color and sparkle.

Ikea Brån Lamp turned DIY Glitter Lamp from artsyfartsymama.com #ikeahack #glitter
Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Colorful Teacher Gift Idea

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Colorful Teacher Gift Idea

Read more »
This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Sharpie, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #StaplesBTS http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Shopping in the Sharpie aisle is one of my favorite things to do during back to school season. Usually I do more looking than buying, but since all Sharpie Fine & Ultra Fine markers and highlighters are currently on sale at Staples (while supplies last), I couldn't resist adding more to my collection.

"Colorful" Teacher Gift Idea with Free Printable at artsyfartsymama.com #StaplesBTS #Sharpie #giftidea

With school just starting, it's fun to give the new teacher a little gift to share the excitement of the new year. As a bonus, teachers can use all the extra supplies they can get!! Sharpies are a fun gift that anyone would love getting, so I'm sharing a printable tag that you can add to any package of Sharpie markers or highlighters for you or your children to give to your favorite school teachers.

"Colorful" Teacher Gift Idea with Free Printable at artsyfartsymama.com #StaplesBTS #Sharpie #giftidea

I've also made the same tag, but in black in white instead so you can color in the words yourself in your favorite Sharpie colors!! Who doesn't love coloring with Sharpies?! I may have printed off some extra just so I could do more coloring...

"Colorful" Teacher Gift Idea with Free Printable at artsyfartsymama.com #StaplesBTS #Sharpie #giftidea

Or, let your kids color the tag themselves to proudly give them to their teacher on their first day! What teacher wouldn't love that? Sharpies are easy for toddlers to hold. If you're worried about them coloring off the paper, add a scrap paper underneath. Coloring with highlighters would be just as fun and the clean-up is much easier.

"Colorful" Teacher Gift Idea with Free Printable at artsyfartsymama.com #StaplesBTS #Sharpie #giftidea

The tag looks so cute tied to a group of Sharpie markers, and even taped to the package itself. Either way, Sharpies are such a "colorful" way to start off your new school year!!


For more Sharpie love and project inspiration, visit the Sharpie website, or follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Muppets Most Wanted Peg Dolls

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Muppets Most Wanted Peg Dolls

Read more »
This post is written as part of a sponsored campaign with The Blueprint Social and Disney.

Muppets Most Wanted Peg Dolls at artsyfartsymama.com #MuppetsMostWanted

The Muppets are a classic, and are loved by everyone. Though sequels usually get a bad wrap for never being as good as the first, the newest Muppets movie, Muppets Most Wanted, certainly did not disappoint. I might even go as far as saying it might be my new favorite!! My daughter has already watched it multiple times since we got it!!
Friday, August 1, 2014

"I Spy" Sports Slime

Friday, August 1, 2014

"I Spy" Sports Slime

Read more »
I Spy Sports Slime at artsyfartsymama.com #kidscraft #science #sports

It's getting to be sports season again, and though we don't really have any favorites around here (go, {my favorite sports team}, GO!) it's still fun to create projects to learn about them and pretend that we know something about sports. Using just a few ingredients, we decided to make some "I Spy" Sports Slime! For you homeschoolers, this makes for a great science project!!

I Spy Sports Slime at artsyfartsymama.com #kidscraft #science #sports

Making slime is pretty simple, and my daughter loved helping! To make this "I Spy" Sports Slime, all you need is:

Elmer's Clear School Glue (5 oz)
1 1/2 tsp Borax (use 1 tsp for more "gloopy" slime)
Water
Elmer's Board Mate® Glitter Set
Sport-Themed Buttons

*You can add in food coloring if you want colored slime, but when we tried it, it was a total fail. The slime was a beautiful bright pink, and so were my hands for the next couple of days. We couldn't play with it at all without getting food coloring everywhere. So, if you want color, I'd recommend using the Elmer's Classic Glitter Glues instead as another option for a colored slime.

**This slime is NOT edible and the buttons could be a choking hazard, so I don't recommend letting small children play with it. Be sure to wash your hands and work/play space well after playing.

I Spy Sports Slime at artsyfartsymama.com #kidscraft #science #sports

To make the "I Spy" Sports Slime, pour the entire container of glue into a large bowl. Pour some warm water into the empty container, put the lid back on, and shake. This will get all the excess glue out of the bottle and will measure the water you need. Pour the water into the glue and stir until combined. Add in the buttons and glitter (we used the entire silver container) into the glue mixture. This is where you could use colors for your favorite sports team or let your child get creative and add their favorite colors in.

In a separate cup or bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of warm water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of Borax. Stir until the Borax is almost dissolved.

I Spy Sports Slime at artsyfartsymama.com #kidscraft #science #sports

While stirring the glue mixture, slowly pour in the Borax mixture. The glue will start to get really thick and clump together. So much so, that you'll need to use your hands to mix it all together. Pull the clumps out and squish them together in your hands. Keep squishing it together with your hands and kneading until it's smooth and no longer sticky.

It should be similar to play dough, but will slowly "melt" when it's not being moved around. My daughter compared it to the scene in "Frozen" when Olaf starts melting by the fire...

I Spy Sports Slime at artsyfartsymama.com #kidscraft #science #sports

Now your kids are free to play! Stretch it, squish it, and have fun! Since the slime is clear, you can easily see all the sports buttons. My daughter loved playing "I Spy" with different sports balls, and counting how many of each she could see after kneading the slime around.

I Spy Sports Slime at artsyfartsymama.com #kidscraft #science #sports

The slime is moldable, but won't hold it's shape for long! Squish your hands into it and leave a hand print, or create a shape and watch it melt into a blob. Your kids will be entertained for quite a while. 

I Spy Sports Slime at artsyfartsymama.com #kidscraft #science #sports

Another fun thing to do with the slime is to hold the blob up in the air and watch it ooze back down to the table top! Count the sports balls as they fall, or name the kind of sports balls you can see as they go. The possibilities for play are really endless!

I Spy Sports Slime at artsyfartsymama.com #kidscraft #science #sports

The "I Spy" Sports Slime fit comfortably into a quart-sized Ziploc bag. It should stay good for quite a while as long as you keep it sealed. I've also heard that keeping it in the fridge will help it stay good longer.

I am part of the Elmer's Crafty Mamas Blogger Crew and have received supplies and compensation, but the ideas and opinions are 100% my own.