I have been busy working in the studio putting together the summer line of craft kits. My shop has been updated and everything is in stock and ready to ship!

Americana Wood Wreath

Chalkboard Note Holder

Choo Choo Train

USA Blocks

 Handmade Card SetNature Pouch/Wallet

If you are in the local Chicago area, I will be at the French Market in Wheaton, IL on June 23rd for my first show of the summer. All of your favorite craft kits, along with the new summer line, will be available for purchase at that event.

Happy Crafting!

Today I am sharing with you a roundup of my favorite summer crafts from Pinterest and my shop!  Note: There is a lot of pinning goodness in this post but please remember to pin responsibly and from the origional source, not this post. Thank you and enjoy!

Source: redtedart.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: frecklescrafts.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: crafts.kaboose.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: skiptomylou.org via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: gardenmuse.wordpress.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: mycraftcloset.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: frecklescrafts.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: gettingmessywithmsjessi.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: mycraftcloset.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Source: frecklescrafts.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

1. Have an outdoor family game night-  Family game nights are fun no matter what but in the summer months you can put the board games back on the shelf for a bit and move to more active games like croquet, bad mitten, lawn bowling, water balloon toss, and for a really fun evening try backyard twister!
2. Plant a garden-  Gardening a great activity for the entire family that will not only help you eat healthy but will also teach kids about where their food comes from!
3. Fence painting- This has become a tradition in our house over the last few years. Grab a large roll of paper and tape it all along the perimeter of your fence. Put the kiddies in their swimsuits and hand them each a paintbrush and some washable paints. Set them free to create their masterpiece! The best part is cleanup. Just hose the kids off and they are good as new! What to do with the large painting? Cut it up into smaller pieces and use it for wrapping paper or frame a few pieces for quick and easy wall art.
4. Outside crafting- Why limit yourself to crafting indoors? Move your craft supplies outside and soak up some vitamin D while you create! Nature will often give you a creative spark that you just can’t  get sitting at the kitchen table.
5. Become astronomers for the evening and stargaze!  Grab some blankets and fun snacks and head out for a relaxing evening looking at the stars.  You can print maps of constellations and even make a game out of seeing who can spot each constellation or the most falling stars first.
6. Have a picnic- Who says you have to travel to the park to have a nice picnic. Grab a blanket and a healthy snack, and head outside for a lazy dining experience!
7. Create a backyard water park- Set up the kiddie pool, water balloons, sprinkler and slip and slide. Add a few water guns, and a hose strung up from the tree and you have just created a great place to cool off and hours of fun for the kids!
8. Pudding painting- This is a fun and messy activity perfect for the backyard. Make one bowl of pudding for each child (according to the box directions). Put the kids in their swimsuits and hand them a bowl of pudding and a paintbrush or spoon. They can use the pudding to paint themselves or each other. My only rule is that they can not put pudding on the house, furniture, or fence. This activity usually ends in them eating half of the pudding, painting a bit on themselves, and then throwing the rest at each other.  Nothing that a good spray with the hose can’t clean up and they love the freedom of being incredibly messy even for a bit!
9. Set up an obstacle course- Use items you have around the house such as plastic cups, hula hoops, balls, jump ropes, etc. and create a course for the kids to follow. Have the kids take turns running the course and keep track of the time it takes them to finish. Have them try to beat their best scores!
10. Have space to explore- Kids like to climb, dig, and explore the space around them. Make it safe for them to do so!   If you don’t want them digging up your garden then designate a space where they can dig. If you don’t have the space (or funds) for a swing set,  set up a a tire or saucer swing in a tree (even better if it is attached to a climbing tree)!
11. Backyard camp-out- Pitch a tent and sleep outside! The best part is that if you can’t make it through the night then your nice warm bed is just a few feet away!
12. Create a reading nook-My oldest son loves to read! Unfortunately his little brother does not give him too many opportunities for quiet reading time. If this sounds like your house then why not set up a quiet reading nook in the backyard? String a rope or clothes line between two fence posts or from a tree. Hang a sheet or a tarp from the line to make a tent. Add a sleeping bag and a few pillows and you have a quiet reading nook or play area for the kids!
13. Movie screening-  Turn your backyard into an outdoor movie theater!  Hang a white sheet on the side of the house (or use a pop up screen) and rent a projector to show movies.  Make it an event by inviting friends and neighbors to join in the fun.
14. Nature hunt- There are some amazing things to find and see right outside your door.  Create a list of items for your kids to find and turn it into a scavenger hunt. Items such as a pine cone, features, catapillar, four leaf clover, etc. make great items for a scavenger hunt.  Extend the fun by making a nature pouch to store all of your found treasures!
15. Create a habitat for birds.  Make pine cone bird feeders, or paint bird houses and hang them around your yard.  Your kids will enjoy watching their friends come to visit.
16. Have a cookout!  A classic backyard activity!  Gather up your closest friends and neighbors and fire up the grill.  Keep things simple by asking everyone to bring a dish to share.  You can even get the kids involved by having them plan the menu, activities, and assist with setup!
17. Move your toys outside! On nice days we will often move our toys outside and somehow they all become fresh and exciting again.  Race car tracks, a plastic basketball hoop, and dolls or action figures can take on a whole new life when played with in a different environmnet.
18. Add a hammock.  It seems so simple but for you it will become a relaxing break while your kids play, and to them it is a great place to curl up with mom or dad for a nap or book.  It is also a great addition for creative play as a hammock can quickly become a boat sailing across the open sea or rocket ship to take you to the moon!
19. Make a time capsule-What an amazing thing to do as a family.  Have each person gather up one or two special momentos to add to the time capsule.  Ideas for what to add include a photo, list of favorites (i.e. tv shows, songs, books, and activities) a handprint, copy of your local newspaper.  Pick a location in your yard to bury the time capsule and aft
20. Have a bike wash!  Kids love to help mom and dad wash their cars so let them take control of the chore this day with a bike wash!  Gather up some big sponges, put on the bathing suits, and watch as the fun unfolds!

Only a few more days until summer vacation starts here and I can not wait!  I am so ready for a more relaxed routine, no school papers to sort through at the end of the day and the extra time I get to spend with the kiddos!  With that said, summer also brings on a little bit of anxiety for me.  I need to keep some kind of routine around here or we get a little nuts!

This is where our Summer Fun board comes into play.  A few weeks ago I asked my boys to list all of the things they would like to do this summer.  They mentioned things like the zoo, skate park, roller blading, library, pool, and rock climbing (hey a kid can dream right?).  My goal is to have our mornings run on a schedule and our afternoons for free time.  This way we can get the things we have to do (work, chores, reading practice, etc.) out of the way early so that we can goof off the rest of the day!  If the boys accomplish all of their “to-do’s” then they get rewarded by getting to do something off of their summer bucket list.  Each day of the week will be something different, and I will determine what that is in advance (to avoid fighting over who gets to pick what we do).  Plus they can not see what is in the pocket until it is time to pull the activity stick so there will be a little element of surprise that will make this even more fun!

Sounds fun right?   Here is how you can make one to!

Supplies:

• board or scrap piece of wood (mine measured 15″x15″)
• Vinyl that spells the words “summer fun” (you can cut with a vinyl cutter or with an X- Acto knife and stencil)
• library pockets or small envelopes (I found mine at a teachers supply store but I have seen similar items at Hobby Lobby or Michael’s)
• Paint brush
• Two colors of paint in contrasting colors
• Sand paper
• Paint Marker
• Glue dots or tacky glue
• Letter stickers (optional)
• Craft sticks

Allow the base coat of paint to dry thoroughly and then following the vinyl manufactures directions, add the vinyl letters to the board.

Paint color number 2 directly over the base color.

Nice huh?

I liked the way the stencil turned out but I felt like it needed something to make the words pop a little bit.  Nothing that a little orange paint marker couldn’t solve.  I simply outlined all of the words to give them a little extra umph!

The overall look I was going for with this design was that of an old beach sign.  In order to “weather” the colors a bit I roughed up the entire board with a piece of sandpaper.  This helped to bring out the undercoat of paint and soften the orange paint.

Last but not least add your activity sticks.  These can be as simple or as elaborate as you like.  I simply labeled each stick with a different activity using my paint marker.  You could also have your kids paint each stick a different color or Mode Podge them with cute fabric or scrapbook paper!

That’s all you need to create this simple activity board that will provide hours of fun and many wonderful summer memories!

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So what is geocaching you ask?  Well in layman’s terms it is basically like the modern day version of a treasure hunt.  Instead of a treasure map you use a GPS to guide you on your adventure, and in place of gold you may find a cache filled with trinkets to trade and a log book with all of the treasure seekers who have come before you!

Getting started is easy!  Head on over to geocaching.com and sign up for a free membership.  The website is full of information including several great video tutorials. You can search for geo cache locations and print the coordinates directly from the website, or download the app to your mobile phone which makes searching for geo cache locations even easier!  The website is very user friendly and I love that you can look up cache locations based on search criteria such as level of difficulty, terrain, or even which are the most kid friendly!

Once you have the coordinates of the geocache location the hunt begins!  All you need to do is plug the cache coordinates into your GPS, or select a location from the app, and follow the directions to the location.  Once on location you may need to look around a little more which only adds to the excitement of the hunt!   A cache can be hidden anywhere! We have found them in old tree stumps, in a bush near a restaurant, underneath a picnic table and in an old water barrel!  Once you get hunting you will be shocked at all of the places people have hidden these little treasure boxes!

Seeing what is inside is even more fun.  Small cache boxes may only contain a log to write your name on but larger cache boxes contain all kind of treasures (including plastic chickens!) As long as you bring a treasure to trade you are allowed to take anything but the log book.  We of course made it home with the big chicken from this cache but we did leave a toy car in its place for the next geocacher!

Here are a few simple tips to get you started:

• If this is your first time out make sure to search for the easy locations.  You don’t want to frustrate your children by trying a difficult hunt the first time out.
• Find locations close to home especially if you have small kids.  I learned this the hard way our first time out and my kids got very restless driving to each location.
• Wear comfortable shoes.  Sometimes you need to walk a little ways and on uneven terrain especially if you are searching in a wooded area.
• Bring items to trade!  Some geo cache boxes contain little trinkets left by others.  The rules are if you take an item you are supposed to leave an item.
• Many times the cache will contain a log book to sign so bring a pen with you.

Take it away sis!

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Looking for a fun summer project to do with your child?  Why not start a simple garden?  After all, there is something magical about watching a seed sprout, grow into a plant and eventually yield something yummy to eat!  Besides, any parent knows that if they grow it, they’re more likely to eat it.  And, we all want our kids to eat their veggies, right?

In my experience, the key to introducing kids to gardening is to keep it SIMPLE.  One of the best ways to do this is to start with container gardening.  All it takes to get started is a few large pots, potting soil, seeds or plants, and a sunny location.

Some of the best plants for container gardening are lettuce, cherry tomatoes, pole beans, and herbs.  Cherry tomatoes and pole beans will do best in a pot that is at least 16” in diameter and 16” to 18” in depth.  Both will need a long stick or dowel rod for support.  Use good potting soil!

Having fun planting rosemary and pretty flowers!

If you want to take it one step up from container gardening, try a raised bed.  Raised bed kits can be purchased at most home/gardening stores and it’s surprising how many veggies you can grow in a three by five raised bed.  A raised bed is also an ideal spot to try a themed garden such as a pizza garden.  Grow everything needed for a veggie-loaded home-made pizza including Roma tomatoes, onions, garlic, oregano, and green peppers.

If your child doesn’t have a desire to grow vegetables, then why not try growing a playhouse?  That’s right … grow a play house.  Here’s some simple directions for both:

Sunflower House: 

• In a sunny spot, dig or hoe a five by five furrow in the shape of a square.  (8×8 for a larger house)
• Leave a two to three foot space on one side for the door.
• Plant sunflower seeds (mammoth variety) about one inch apart.
• As the sunflowers grow, walls will take shape.  Make sure to water often.
• Be patient— it will take almost three months before your sunflower house is in “move-in” condition! 

Pole Bean Teepee:

• Using dowel rods or long sticks, form the shape of a tepee and secure at the top.  Results will be best if you use at least seven dowel rods.
• At the base of each dowel rod, plant three to five pole bean seeds (scarlet runners or Kentucky Wonder seeds work great) and water often.
• Pole beans are fast growers.  The teepee will start to fill out within a month!

photo credit: kmadams85 for flikr

Whether you’re planting a large garden, small raised beds, or just a few containers, remember to introduce gardening to your child in a stress-free manner.  Don’t make a big deal out of weeds and never turn gardening into a chore.  Initially, this may mean that you have to sneak out to the garden every once in a while to pull weeds or flip a few beetles off the bean leaves.  These are chores that your gardener can take on once they’ve gardened for a few years.  For now, it’s best for them to enjoy the magic of successfully growing a beautiful flower or tasty vegetable.  Plus, think how proud they’ll be to bring something to the table for the whole family to enjoy!

In order to ensure gardening success, it’s best to start with fast growing or easy to grow plants.  Here’s a list of some fool-proof crops to get your little gardener off to a good start:

From Seed: lettuce, carrots, radishes, beans, peas, sunflowers, pumpkins

From Nursery Plants: tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers

Bulbs, Sets, Starters:  potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic

Happy Gardening!

Author Bio:

Susan lives in the country with her husband and four children. When not busy playing in the garden with the kids, she enjoys writing mysteries.  You can find links to her stories here:  www.sfurlongbolliger.com 

Starting on Monday we will be celebrating a week of the great outdoors at Freckles Crafts! I am so excited about this series because the only thing I have on my mind these days is maximizing our time spent outside! Living in the midwest I long for summer.  Our winters are brutal and depending on the year we may have a chilly fall and spring.  That can mean several months of feeling cooped up!  Once summer hits I just want to break free from the confines of my house and spend every minute I can outside soaking up the sun and warm weather!  To help you get as excited as I am, I have a fun week planned of family friendly activities, crafts, and tips to make your time spent outside fun and memorable!

I look forward to seeing you next week!

1. Apply baby powder to your hands before using glitter and it will not stick.  This also works great to remove it from your little ones hands and face when they are done crafting!
2. Glittering small objects can be tough for little hands.  Instead of trying to fumble with those little pieces try this method instead:  use a paint brush to spread glue evenly over small pieces.  Fill a small Ziploc sandwich bag with glitter and drop the glued pieces in the bag.  Gently shake until all of the pieces are covered with glitter!
3. Work over a tray to catch loose glitter and pour the extra back into the jar.  You can purchase a special tray with a funnel on one end at most craft stores, or make one yourself by cutting the corner off of a shoe box lid.
4. Place glitter in a clean spice jar for the child to use instead of giving them the full (typically large) container that glitter comes in.  It will save on your glitter and be easier for the child to handle.
5. Did your child get more glitter on the floor than their project?  No problem!  Grab a baby wipe and it will work like a glitter magnet on your countertop and hard floors!
6. Allow the glue on your project to dry completely before shaking off excess glitter.  More glitter will remain on your project, and you will avoid the mess of glue falling on your work surface.
7. Hate that glitter gets all over your child’s clothes?  Grab your lint roller!  It will pick up any loose glitter on clothing, and even carpet!
8. If you can’t find the perfect shade of glitter you can mix two colors together in a separate bottle.  This is a great tip for kids who want to get really creative with their craft project!
9. Save your glitter projects for a nice day when you can craft outside!  No mess to clean up and worst case scenario your lawn has more sparkle.
10. If I still haven’t convinced you to give the loose glitter a try, then a great alternative is glitter glue.  You will get a similar effect without as much cleanup!

 Now go and get your glitter out of hiding!  Your kids will thank you!

What do you think?  Do you shy away from working with glitter?  If so have these tips changed your mind about working with glitter?  

I love this easy craft over at the SNAP! blog.  Make Thor’s hammer as an easy weekend project or a fun party activity!

Craft kits are easy on the parents and fun for the kids!   Our Marvel Super Hero interchangeable bottle cap necklace kits allow your child to sport a different super hero everyday of the week!

Kids love to get crafty in the kitchen, and this Captain America cake from Me and My Insanity would be the perfect desert to accompany any super hero themed party!

You can’t go wrong with free Avengers coloring pages from Disney Family.com.  Visit their site several different versions you can download and print!

Love this DIY super hero shield from Art School Dropout. You will never guess what she up cycled to make this craft!

Unleash your child’s inner super hero with this cute DIY cape tutorial from Georgia Leigh!

Happy Crafting!