A couple of weeks ago, I did a paper crafting post about Monster Corner Bookmarks. I mentioned that they were fun and easy to make and that maybe I would teach my daughter's 4th grade class how to make them. Well, today I did just that. In less than 30 minutes and with nothing more than colored paper, scissors, glue sticks and markers, 32 students plus my dauther, the teacher, made these cute and unique bookmarks. I was impressed with the creativity of each and every student!

My daughter took a ceramics class in 7th grade and one of her assignments was to create a whistle that looks like another item. She chose to make her whistle look like an old Polaroid camera. These cameras were quite popular when I was young so I recognized it right away but many of her classmates had no idea what she had created. A cross between a digital camera and a hammerhead shark with a top hat? Haha! It does look a bit like that but I think that she did a great job esp

When I was a kid, the first day of school was always in September, the day after Labor Day. Now days, it seems like everyone starts school some time in August. I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to be done with summer some time in August! The weather is still hot! The pool or the beach are still calling my name! It is still light late into the evening! I still feel like there are adventures to be had, memories to create! But the reality is, August has become back to sc

Yesterday, my son and I spent some time making a few origami octagons that slide together to make a ninja star (see my Paper Ninja Star Tutorial). As we were playing around with them, we realized that they would be a great tool for practicing multiplication tables! You simply write the equation on the main part of the octagon and the answer on the tab that sticks out when you slide that portion of the octagon. So easy but a fun way to practice your math facts! Of course this

My 12 year old son takes karate so I thought that he would enjoy making this paper ninja star. I was right! He was completely engaged throughout the entire process and he was thrilled with the end product! The star itself is pretty cool but the fact that it slides open and closed makes it even cooler! If you want to try your hand at making this paper ninja star, continue reading for a step-by-step tutorial, complete with pictures. Good luck and I hope you have as much fun as

A few years ago, my then 9 and 7 years old children participated in a kid's camp. Each day featured a different skill or topic. One of the days focused on sewing. They learned how to thread a needle, do a basic stitch and sew on buttons. At the end of the day, they came home with these adorable button tree panels. I love how each one is similar but different. They each chose a variety of button sizes and colors and they stitched the buttons on in different patterns which crea

Earlier in the summer, my teenage daughter did a one week long Kids' Camp for children ages 5-10. Each day had a different theme and was filled with fun crafts and activities. Day 4 was Science Day. They created geysers with Mentos and soda pop. They made Ziploc bags burst with baking soda and vinegar. They grew Borax crystals. They made ice cream. And they made popcorn kernels float and sink. The kids were so enthralled with this experiment that we did it several times and t

A few years ago, we had a wasp nest by the garage. We noticed it when it was fairly small so we sprayed it and knocked it down before it became a bigger problem. We must have left it sitting on the driveway without giving it a second thought but my then 10 year old daughter and her best friend took an interest in it. Without any encouragement or instruction from the adults, they dissected the wasp nest and discovered larvae at different stages of development. They proceeded t

My friend's now teenage daughter drew this picture of herself when she was in elementary school. The original has survived years in a storage box but you never know when something might go wrong. There could be a fire or a flood. It could get lost in a move. A younger sibling or a vindictive older sibling could get a hold of the drawing and destroy it. It could be safe in a box but you can't remember which box it is stored in. There are countless possibilities of things that

Just looking at these paper flowers, would you believe they are made out of coffee filters? I would never have guessed but it's true! They look like they would be labor intensive and complicated to make but they are actually quick and easy! Keep reading to see my step by step tutorial along with photos of the entire process! Step 1: Gather your supplies. You may already have the supplies sitting at home. All you need is coffee filters, food coloring and water. That's it! Step