This project really started out when I found a random piece of MDF in my scrap wood pile. I do a lot of woodworking projects these days. You may have seen the awesome Picnic Table I built, which turned out VERY nicely. I’ve done a lot more than that that hasn’t appeared on the site yet, but maybe they will eventually. Anyway, I have a lot of scrap wood. So I had this piece of MDF which was around 12 inches by 18 inches or so. I thought it would make a great base for a sign.

I searched through my craft stash to figure out what I could do, and the first thing I figured out is that I needed to paint it. MDF isn’t like other wood that has nice grain and can be left plain. It really needed to have a good base before I could do anything else. I grabbed some of my Waverly Chalk Paint in white and painted a nice base layer.

By the time I was done, I was already convinced that I wanted a nice buffalo check background. I thought it would really fit in my farmhouse style, and it was neutral enough that I could go bold on the foreground. I had some buffalo check contact paper that would work, but it had too big of a pattern.

I kept searching, and I eventually found a packet of napkins that I’d bought from Target’s Dollar Spot at some point. It had a tiny buffalo check pattern that would work perfectly. I decided I’d just use some Mod Podge to add it to the board, and that would work perfectly.

I had to separate the layers of the napkins, as the buffalo check was only on the top layer. The second layer was pure white. I thought it would look better if it was a really thin layer. I was fine if the napkins ripped or tore. I wanted it to be distressed in the end. I even thought it might fade a bit and become more transparent once the Mod Podge was added.

Spoiler alert – it didn’t.

In fact, the Mod Podge kind of made the napkins look darker and shinier than I wanted, and I was kind of disappointed with the end result. D’oh!

I waited until the Mod Podge was completely dry, and then I went at the edges with a sanding block. I tried to distress the edges and even the main face a bit, but I realized in the end that it wasn’t actually that important. The main face of the piece wasn’t really going to be seen much, as I intended to cover it up with the main elements anyway.

While the Mod Podge had been drying, I had searched again through my stash and found another Target treasure. This wooden cutout sign was one of many I had hidden away, and it seemed perfect for this project. It fit exactly right in the space I had available, and it only needed a bit of paint to stand out.

I broke out another bottle of Waverly Chalk Paint, this time in red, and I gave the cutout a nice even coat. I love this paint because it drives pretty quickly. Especially on a little piece like this – the wood was dry almost before I finished painting it!

I used my Surebonder Cordless Hot Glue Gun to affix it to the sign, and it was looking pretty good.

Side note: I love my glue gun. I can’t stop recommending it to people. If you are a crafter, please do yourself a favor and buy one, as it is honestly the best one you can get. They have different sizes, but this one has been the most versatile for my needs. It has not ever failed me. I also HIGHLY recommend you use Gorilla glue sticks, as they work the best. I have tried so many other brands, and my crafts seem to come apart eventually. I have NEVER had that happen with my Gorilla glue crafts. End side note.

For the bottom of the sign, I had a bunch of different ideas. I thought about using a photo clip so we could add different photos or Christmas cards or whatever, but I hated that it would mean a blank background most of the time. I didn’t want that. I also didn’t want anything flat. I needed it to be more 3D.

I found this old gift bag that Hallmark had sent me at some point many years ago. I had saved it because I really liked the decoration on the front. I wanted to incorporate it on this project somehow. But it was too small on its own.

I finally decided that I would make a little wreath. I could affix the little deer decoration on the front of the wreath, and it would be super cute. But first I had to find some greenery. I had already used most of my garlands for other projects, but I had this weird thin plasticy garland I had bought a while back and not used, so I decided I would use it to make a wreath for this project. It seemed perfect.

As it turned out, this garland wasn’t as bad as I had originally thought it. It had little branches that fluffed it up as it went, and it made a really cute wreath. I may have to go and make a few more with it! I sized this one so that it would be a little oversized on the outside, but the middle would be perfect for the paper deer detail.

Of course the wreath was a bit bare on its own, so I dug out some of my Dollar Tree florals to give it a bit of OOMPH. I had some oak leaves and some red and white berry type stems that I was able to cut up and hot glue to my wreath. I found some baby’s breath, as well, so it really helped to complete the look.

Every time I thought I was overdoing it, I added a bit more because you just can’t trust that you have added enough. At least I can’t. I usually just walk away for a minute or two, then I come back and notice a ton of empty spots.

Once I was happy with the wreath, I glued on the deer head detail to finish it off.

I went back and forth on whether or not to make the wreath a permanent fixture on this board. I could have glued on a hook and made the wreath removable. It would have been quite simple, and then I could have changed it out for other wreathes or even tried my original idea of adding Christmas cards or photos. But the more I thought on it, the more I wanted this to be a permanent sign. So I grabbed that glue gun and went to town gluing the wreath to the board.

I think it turned out really well. It looks great, and it stands out as really Christmassy. One thing that I hadn’t thought about much was the weight. Obviously all of the elements on the sign are super lightweight. But the board itself is 3/4 inch MDF, which at 12 x 18 inches, weight about 4 pounds all on its own. YIKES.

That’s a pretty hefty sign to hang on a wall. So I thought I’d see what it looked like just sitting on a shelf instead. Perhaps I could style it nicely that way.

On a shelf wasn’t too bad, I don’t think. It looked pretty good in my craft room. I could definitely see it on my sideboard in the dining room or somewhere like that. But it really was intended to hang, so I just had to try. I used a heavy duty D-ring picture hanger on the back. These will support up to 40 lbs, so my sign should be no sweat. I hung it on my wall in my craft room just to check how it looked. I wish I’d tried it on a colorful wall, though, so I could really see it shine.

I do prefer it hanging, as the wreath can spread downward as it is meant to do. I just think it looks good when it’s not squished up. But maybe you disagree?

I’d love to know what you think. Would you make something like this? Or is it too far out of your style? What do you think of the buffalo check background? Would you have done it differently? Let me know!

Don’t forget to pin this for later!

The post Farmhouse Merry Christmas Sign appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

As a long time fan of Cricut products, I was over the moon when Cricut reached out to offer me the chance to try out their new Cricut Joy product they were launching at Target. My two favorite brands were teaming up, and it was a match made in heaven.

I already have a Cricut Maker, which I use to create personalized decals for all sorts of things our family uses – mugs, water bottles, t-shirts, laptops, phone cases, etc.

But one thing that gets in the way of me using it more often is the fact that it’s a bit large and hard to use when you have four kids running around. It has its specific spot in my craft room, and there it stays until I have the energy and inclination to use it.

But the Cricut Joy is a brand new offering from the same brand, and in the short time I’ve been using it, it has won me over completely. Not only does it have the same fun features of the full-sized products – namely, cutting vinyl, making cards, drawing and printing with infusible inks – but it is in a much smaller size, so it’s totally portable!

It’s super cute, too! My kids have nicknamed it “The Kitten.” So we have obviously stuck with that name and they’re in the process of making it a cute tail.

Today, I wanted to show you one of the very first projects I made with The Kitten. Since Cricut sent me a whole bunch of fun materials and accessories to go with my new Cricut Joy, I wanted to get a feel for how everything worked by trying something super simple to see how it compared with my Maker.

I figured the thing I was most excited for was the Smart Vinyl. This is vinyl that doesn’t require a mat! While the Joy does have super cute dinky little mats, I love that it also has a good selection of Smart Vinyl which lets you cut without any mat at all. This means you can cut extra long banners without worrying if your mat is long enough!

While I was thinking about what to do, I ran across this cute melamine tray that I bought at Target last summer. It was in their Dollar Spot section, which I love to check out every time I go there. It was originally marked at $5, but since it was the end of the season, I actually got it for $1. What a steal!

I loved the colors on this tray, but I’d always intended to do something fun with it eventually. And as I was checking out the Smart Vinyl samples, I was struck by the similarity in colors! How amazing, right?? I knew I needed to use them on this tray.

With summer coming, I wanted to create a cute summer time tray that I can use for barbecues and for serving drinks on the patio. So I set about designing a nice decal.

I settled on Hello Summer to keep things simple. I went ahead and created my own image files so that I could make the words look exactly how I wanted them to, with some nice accents to make it extra special.

Once I had it looking how I wanted, I saved it as a png and then imported it into Cricut’s Design Space app right on my iPad. Since the Cricut Joy connects via Bluetooth, you don’t need a computer or laptop to connect to the app. No wires required! You can even use your phone!

I lined the images up linearly on the app so that I could get the height that I wanted for each one (I wanted the “hello” to be smaller that “summer”), while making sure that neither was too long or too tall for the Joy to process.

Then, I chose my two colors I wanted to use. I decided to go for a coral color and a teal color so that I could have the best contrast to each other and on the tray. They both seemed very summery to me.

This particular Smart Vinyl was removable, but they also have permanent versions, too.

In the Design Space app, I made sure to hide one word as I cut the other. That way I made sure to only cut one word from each color.

After each word was cut, I used my weeding tool to weed out the excess vinyl so that only the words were left on the backing.

I then took some transfer tape, cutting out just enough to cover each word and lining it up using the grid lines to keep everything straight. I pressed down using another tool so that I could be sure to connect the tape to every part of the vinyl. This is important so that when I pull up the tape, it also pulls up every part of the vinyl and leaves nothing behind.

Finally, once I had the vinyl transferred to the tape, I could figure out the placement onto my tray. Using the stripes of the tray and the grid lines from the transfer tape, I could make sure everything was straight and exactly where I wanted it.

I decided to create a “Yin-Yang” effect by placing the warmer coral color on the cooler colored stripes of the tray and the cooler teal color on the warmer colored stripes of the tray. I wanted them to stand out, so I figured this was the best way to do it.

Once I had my larger “Summer” placed where I wanted it, I could then place “Hello” in exactly the spot I thought it looked best.

In the end, I think it turned out amazing. I was so pleased with the end result, and I was really really pleased with the Cricut Joy and the possibilities it presents for the future.

How cute is this tray??

Can you just imagine how nice it will be with a pitcher of lemonade and some nice glasses?

I’m actually in the process of building a new table for our patio, and I can’t wait to see how this tray looks set on it when we go to have our first family meal there.

I am also really excited about the portability of the Cricut Joy. As much as I love my Maker, it is an inconvenient truth that my craft room is OFTEN a mess, and it can be difficult to clear out space to use it. The Joy can be used anywhere, so I don’t have to worry about space or setup.

I have a TON of ideas that I just can’t wait to make. In the meantime, I’ll be heading to Target.com to check out some more summer ideas to help makeover our patio and make this the best summer ever.

The post DIY Melamine Tray Makeover With Cricut Joy appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

I’m a sucker for a good DIY Christmas tree ornament, and these adorable Mason jar lid ornaments could not be easier to make. They require very few supplies, are simple enough for even children to make, and they can be made from scraps you have laying around or even old shirts!

I love the country chic look, and nothing screams that more than the combination of mason jars and flannel, amirite? These look so cute on the tree, and you can make a whole bunch at once so they balance each other out as you decorate.

My friend even thought it could be cool to try monogramming some of them with our families initials or even doing some embroidered Christmas symbols. I thought that was such a great idea, but my embroidery skills are seriously lacking, so I’ll save that for another year.

I love the very simple look of these, but there are a million ways you could choose to embellish them. Use some twine wrapped around the lid for a more rustic look. You could paint the Mason jar lid if you wanted to. Add buttons or bells, tie on some ribbon bows, or throw on some sequins or glitter. You might even consider using some greenery around the outside. The only limit is your imagination.

Hopefully these inspire you as a basis for your own unique creation. I’ve got so many ideas that it’ll be easy to think of ways to make each one different. Feel free to share yours with me! I’d love to see what you come up with!

Mason Jar Lid Ornaments

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Active Time: 2 minutes

Additional Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 14 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $5

These simple but sweet Mason jar lids turn into charming Christmas tree ornaments to give your tree that country chic look you're going to love. Easy to make, you can add embellishments to make each one unique! Perfect holiday craft.

Print

Materials

• Mason Jar Lids
• Scrap flannel fabric
• Twine

Tools

• hot glue gun
• glue
• scissors
• pencil

Instructions

1. Place your Mason jar lids onto your scrap fabric and trace around it. This will act as your guide for cutting out your circles.
2. Cut out your circles from your fabrics.
3. Add glue to the inner part of your Mason jar lid, and then press your fabric into the lid, pressing firmly all around so it fits securely. Fabric should not be loose or wrinkled.
4. If you have the flat inner part of your Mason jar lid, you can glue it inside behind the fabric for extra security, but this is not necessary. You can save it for another craft project!
5. Snip a loop of twine and glue it to the back of your Mason jar lid to act as your ornament hanger.
6. Once your glue has dried, your ornament is finished. Hang as is, or add embellishments if you like.

Notes

Flannel material can be found in the form of old shirts that are stained, ripped or no longer fit, or you can buy it from a fabric shop. Thrift shops also are great places to find them.

You can embellish these ornaments with twine, greenery, bells, buttons or other fun items.

This is a great kids craft because it teaches them about reusing old items and lets them be creative. It also is great for gift giving - they can each make a homemade ornament for a grandparent or loved one.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Gorilla Hot Glue Sticks
• 
  Hot Glue Gun
• 
  Scissors

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

I think they turned out really cute, and I can’t wait to hang them on our tree this year. They aren’t fancy at all, but then neither are we. They totally go with our vibe, and I know my kiddos love having a chance to help make our holiday decor. They are so proud of themselves when they get to be part of our holiday traditions. Every year they argue over which of them made which decoration. It’s adorable and annoying in equal parts.

At the end of the day, crafts don’t have to be difficult or showy. They can be simple and lovely just because they were handmade with love. Don’t drive yourself crazy this Christmas. Be present with love and intention. That’s what holidays are all about.

The post Mason Jar Lid Flannel Tree Ornaments appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

All of these cute Christmas crafts can be made by adults and kids alike, and they are all pretty simple and fun to create. I hope you love them as much as I do!

If you love counting down the days until Christmas, try using toilet paper rolls to create this adorable advent calendar! Fill it full of treats for the kids and make the holiday truly special.

I love this really easy Christmas garland made from wood slices! Have the kids paint on their favorite holiday symbols, or go the country chic route by painting some stick figure reindeer!

If you’re the type who loves a bargain, you can make a gorgeous holiday wreath with items you can find at the dollar store!

I’m a sucker for little Christmas trees, and these ones take hardly any time at all. You can add decoration or keep them plain, and you’ll definitely have a gorgeous assortment of decor!

If you want to keep the party going all winter, you can make this cute little snowman craft that works for months!

Decorating the tree is even more fun when you can make your own ornaments. This one is great for kids, and they can make each one different!

Another easy ornament are these winter sleds made from popsicle sticks! They can be hung on the tree or even placed on a mantle for some extra winter cheer.

This is a total country Christmas vibe using an embroidery loop for a fun wall hanging. I love the look of the deer, but you could change it up to any symbol you like! It’s a total feeling of coziness you can’t beat!

Another little ornament you can make features a Mason jar lid! Just wrap it up in some ribbon and tie a string around it for a lovely upscale look!

Okay, so this one SAYS Valentine’s Day, but couldn’t you just see this hanging all winter long? The flannel just screams snow!

If you’re the sort who goes all out, check out this awesome Elf on the Shelf tablescape. It’s perfect if you’re hosting a holiday party or even dinner on the day! How great is it for kids!?

Speaking of kids, this one is perfect. Take a dollar store stocking and jazz it up with whatever craft supplies you have! Instant fun for the little ones!

Even better, help them make a felt Christmas tree! Stick the ornaments on with velcro so they can re-decorate it as often as they want. Plus, it will keep their hands off of your REAL tree.

Turn a wooden picture frame into holiday decor with this easy DIY joy sign. Perfect for the fireplace mantle or on your front porch!

If you’re not really the crafty type but still want to make a statement, try this easy candy cane jar. Paint the outside white, and then use some red paint to make stripes. Fill it full of straws or even actual candy canes for a fun holiday look.

As mentioned above, I’m a sucker for little trees at Christmas. These ones are made from paper – whatever scrap you have laying around. Turn them into adorable decor pieces.

You can’t beat handmade home decor at Christmas. Something about a DIY Christmas feels so cozy and lovely. Christmas on a budget is always a good thing. Fill your house up and keep your kids busy this season. You won’t regret it!

The post 16 Easy Christmas Crafts and DIY Holiday Decor appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

To make these pretty and festive ribbon trees you will need:

A spool of holiday ribbon
Chunky Craft Sticks
Glue
Scissors
Pencil

Begin by laying 5 craft sticks together horizontally. Draw the outline of a tree on them. A large triangle is all you need.

Cut the sticks on the lines to form the shape of the tree. Craft sticks are pretty easy to cut, but it may not be possible with kids’ scissors, so bear that in mind if you’re doing this with your children.

If you want, you can cut the top triangle from scraps of another stick to avoid wastage. But if you’re making multiple ornaments, it’s easy enough to cut several small tips from one stick.

Cut your ribbon into pieces that cover each of your craft stick tree parts. Lay them on top to ensure they look good. You can use all the same ribbon or you can choose to switch it up.

Glue the ribbon on to the sticks and then trim the ends to the shape of the sticks.

Take one last craft stick to act as your tree base. Glue each of your ribboned sticks onto it. You can glue them close together or leave a small gap between them. Either way looks great.

After you’ve glued all the pieces onto the stick base, flip it over and add a small loop of ribbon on the back so you can hang it.

That’s it!

The finished project has a very rustic country feel, and it looks great hanging on your tree, off your mantle, or even as a cupboard decoration. The kids love seeing them, and the whole craft only takes a few minutes.

Check out more fun holiday craft ideas below!

The post Easy Ribbon and Craft Stick Christmas Tree Ornaments appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

Winter weather often puts us in the mood for crafting. Something about creating pretty things lifts us from the doldrums and allows us to feel happy in a way that the lack of sunshine doesn’t. We want that warm and cozy feeling that gives us a vibe of peace and tranquility. These mason jar lids turned flannel wreath ornaments are simple and comforting. They’re the perfect craft for a cold and snowy weekend morning, and you can probably find everything you need hanging around your house.

These make very cute Christmas tree ornaments, but they are also great to just hang around the house all winter long!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• mason jar lid/ring
• flannel fabric scrap (an old flannel shirt works great!)
• hot glue, glue gun
• scissors
• ribbon or twine for hanging

Directions:

Begin by cutting the flannel fabric into long strips. It is ideal to have strips that are at least 6 inches in length each.

Add a dab of glue to the end of the strip and press it to the inside of the ring. Allow it to dry.

Begin wrapping the fabric strip around the mason jar lid. Pull gently as you do so the fabric is nice and tight. Continue wrapping around the mason jar lid. If you run out of fabric, secure the end of the previous strip with glue and begun a new one. Continue wrapping until the entire mason jar lid is covered. Secure the final end of fabric with glue and allow to dry.

Snip out small berries and leaves from some scraps of flannel or wool. Add some glue to the backs of each and press to the corner of your wreath.

Finally, add a segment of twine for hanging.

Your flannel wreath ornament is now ready to be displayed.

Check out some of my other winter crafts and activities below!

The post Mason Jar Lid Wreath Winter Ornament appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

These paper Christmas trees can be made in various sizes and from various materials, depending on your preference. And they’re easy enough for even young kids to make!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 7 pieces of heavyweight scrapbooking paper ( 2 green designs, 2 red designs, 3 plain white) 
• red and green buttons about 40 total (less if you spread them out further apart) and one large green button. 
• 1 – 2 sheets of red tissue paper 
• glue gun and glue sticks
• scissors
• red, green and yellow (or gold) washi tape designs 

How to Make: 

Use scissors and glue to wrap and secure your scrapbook paper into cones of various heights and widths. If you have trouble, try cutting circles of different sizes with a cut up to the middle and then bringing the cut edges together until a cone forms. 

Button Trees

Take your first of three white trees and using the glue gun, stagger dots of glue and the red and white buttons around the tree from the bottom to the very top.

At the top add the large green button. Once finished, gently pull excess strings from the glue gun away for a clean look. 

Tissue Paper Trees

You will need another one of the white trees, two sheets of red tissue paper, scissors and the glue gun. Tear strips of tissue paper all the same width (approximately 2 inches wide shown).

Use the glue gun to apply a strip of glue 2 inches from the base. Crinkle a strip of tissue so that it gets a ruffle effect and press it to the strip of glue. Repeat all the way up the tree trimming the excess length as you go. 

 Washi Tape Trees

You will need your last white tree and your washi tape. The washi tape will not lay evenly on the tree if you attach it going around the tree. It works best to apply it in long strips lengthwise as shown. Apply on after the other from top to bottom and trim excess as needed. 

You have completed your trees and are ready to display them anywhere for a gorgeous holiday decoration! From mantels to window sills these tress are sure to add holiday cheer! 

DIY Decorative Paper Christmas Trees

Yield: As many as you like

Active Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $5

Christmas crafts are a big part of our annual traditions, and one of our very favorite crafts are these decorative paper Christmas trees that can be as simple or as fancy as you like. They're quick to make and look adorable on a mantle or any small surface you like.

Print

Materials

• 7 pieces of heavyweight scrapbooking paper ( 2 green designs, 2 red designs, 3 plain white)
• red and green buttons about 40 total (less if you spread them out further apart) and one large green button
• 1 – 2 sheets of red tissue paper
• red, green and yellow (or gold) washi tape designs

Tools

• glue gun and glue sticks
• scissors

Instructions

Use scissors and glue to wrap and secure your scrapbook paper into cones of various heights and widths. If you have trouble, try cutting circles of different sizes with a cut up to the middle and then bringing the cut edges together until a cone forms. 

Button Trees

1. Take your first of three white trees and using the glue gun, stagger dots of glue and the red and white buttons around the tree from the bottom to the very top.
2. At the top add the large green button. Once finished, gently pull excess strings from the glue gun away for a clean look. 

Tissue Paper Trees

1. You will need another one of the white trees, two sheets of red tissue paper, scissors and the glue gun. Tear strips of tissue paper all the same width (approximately 2 inches wide shown).
2. Use the glue gun to apply a strip of glue 2 inches from the base. Crinkle a strip of tissue so that it gets a ruffle effect and press it to the strip of glue. Repeat all the way up the tree trimming the excess length as you go. 

Washi Tape Trees

1. You will need your last white tree and your washi tape. The washi tape will not lay evenly on the tree if you attach it going around the tree. It works best to apply it in long strips lengthwise as shown. Apply on after the other from top to bottom and trim excess as needed. 

Notes

There are so many ways you can make these trees, and they are so fun to decorate. They are a great craft for toddlers - just use glue sticks rather than hot glue.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Check out more Christmas crafts below, and don’t forget to share!

The post DIY Decorative Paper Christmas Trees appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

I’ve thought about buying them some fake houseplants, but they usually end up gathering so much dust, and it’s just another thing I need to clean around the house. But thankfully, we came up with these ultra adorable craft cactus plants that my kids go GAGA for. They are super cheap to make, they are easier than anything to create (especially when you’re struggling to find something for the kids to do this summer!), and they allow young children to have their very own “plants” in their rooms!

To make these, all you need are a couple of peat pots, some green pipe cleaners, a paper straw, a bit of green paint and some floral foam. This can all be found at your local craft store or even Walmart, or you can get it on Amazon, which is what I usually do.

This craft doesn’t need much effort put into it, but you can definitely jazz it up if you feel like it. But I find when it comes to kids and toddlers, it pays to keep it super simple!

To start building, take your floral foam and cut it in half, placing each part in one of the peat pots.

Next, take your paper straw, stick it into one piece of foam, and use your craft paint to paint it green.

Once it’s dry, cut the straw in half, and wrap the green pipe cleaners around each piece.

Now all you need to do is stick your new cacti in your pots!

This legit could not be simpler. It’s a great craft for toddlers or children. It’s so easy, but it’s so fun!

If you want to be extra fancy, you can glue on some paper flowers, hang twinkly LED lights on them or decorate the planters with more craft paint. Your child’s imagination could come up with dozens of ideas!

Pipe Cleaner Cactus Craft

Yield: 2 Cute Cacti

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Active Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $5

These adorable little cacti are made from straws and pipe cleaners. This is a wonderful craft for young children, and it gives them some of their own adorable plants to take care of without worry.

Print

Materials

• 2 x 3 inch peat pots
• Floral foam
• paper straw
• 2 x green pipe cleaners
• green craft paint

Tools

• scissors
• paint brush

Instructions

1. Cut two squares of flower foam to fit down into the pots.
   
2. Stick the straw in one of the pots and paint it green. (Let dry)
   
3. Once dry, remove straw and cut it in half.
   
4. Cut two pieces of pipe cleaners that are 5 inches long.
   
5. Wrap the pipe cleaners around the straws and shape like Saguaro cactus arms.
   
6. Stick the cactus into the pots.
   

Notes

You can glue on little paper flowers or other decorations to make the cacti even prettier

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Check out more great kids crafts below!

The post Simple Kids Craft – Cute Cactus Pots appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

Supply list:

• green foam wreath form (green is stronger and more durable than the white)
• 3-5 patriotic cupcake cups, paper
• scissors
• 2 rolls of burlap ribbon, thick
• hot glue gun

Directions:

Start by adding hot glue to the end of the burlap ribbon. Press it to the inside of the wreath form and hold in place until dry and secure. Begin wrapping the burlap ribbon around the wreath form. Slightly overlap as you wrap and pull tightly to avoid any gapping or creases. Continue wrapping until the entire wreath is covered with the burlap. When you get to the end of the ribbon, add another line of glue and press the end to the inside of the wreath. This will give it a clean finish.

Take your cupcake cups and turn them inside out so the coloring/design is more visible.

Pinch the center of the cups (grabbing from the bottom) so the cupcake ups roushe up and create a flower or ruffle effect. Flatten the cupcake cups out before gluing in place. Add a dab of glue to the spots on the wreath where you wish for the cupcake cup flowers to go. Press one embellishment in place at a time.

Continue layering on the cupcake cups as shown. You can add as little or as many as you wish to get the desired effect. Allow to dry.

You can now add additional ribbon for hanging or display your wreath on a nail or wreath hook as is. Isn’t that adorable??

I think there’s nothing easier or more elegant than a simple wreath, and this one will literally only take a few minutes to create. Give it a go and see how you get on!

Check out some of my other great wreath ideas!

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The flowers are easy enough to find at any good craft store, or you can even find some at your local dollar store. I always have a good selection of paper and fabric flowers on hand for crafting, so I just looked through my stash to find these neutral ones.

Supplies:

• embroidery loop, any size
• twine
• hot glue gun
• neutral paper flowers

Directions:

Begin by adding a dab of glue to the end of the twine. Press it to the side of the wooden loop. Allow to dry.

Once secure, start wrapping the twine around the loop. Wrap tightly as you go.

Once the entire loop is covered, add a dab of glue to the end of the twine and press it to the inside of the hoop to secure it nice and clean.

Add a generous amount of glue to the back of each paper flower and press to the corner of the wreath. I layered three flowers next to each other but you can add them in any arrangement you wish. Allow to dry.

Once the flowers are securely in place, you are free to display your rustic wreath. Hang as is or add additional twine or ribbon for hanging.

For such a simple craft, it is really pretty and adds a touch of country flair to any area you want to create a vignette.

Check out some of my other wreaths below!

The post Embroidery Hoop Rustic Twine Wreath appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

Everything you need can be found at the local dollar store (or you can just order them online) and you can easily make it your own with the addition of simple embellishments. Show your American pride in this easy craft and don’t be afraid to let your flag fly high!

I love burlap wreaths like this Christmas wreath from FeelingNifty. It’s so cute and easy, and it just looks so perfect! So I figured I’d try my hand at a summer version.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• green foam wreath form (green is stronger and more durable than the white)
• small paper flag toothpicks (cupcake toppers)
• scissors
• 2 rolls of burlap ribbon, thick
• twine
• hot glue, glue gun

Directions:

Begin by adding a dab of hot glue to the end of the burlap ribbon. Press it to the inside of the wreath form and hold in place until secure.

Start wrapping the burlap ribbon around the wreath form. Slightly overlap as you wrap. Pull tightly as you wrap to avoid any gapping or wrinkles.

Continue wrapping until the entire wreath is covered with the burlap. When you get to the end of your ribbon, add another dab of glue and press the end to the inside of the wreath for a clean finish.

Now, snip the flags off the toothpicks.

Cut a length of twine that will run across the entire wreath.

Add some glue along the piece of twine and start pressing the flags to to it. Space them evenly as you add, making sure each flag is going in the same direction.

Continue adding flags to the twine until the length is full.

Add a dab of glue to each end of the twine and press to the back of the wreath. Hold in place until dry.

You can now add additional ribbon for hanging or display your wreath on a nail or wreath hook as is.

How cute is that? So simple and easy to make, and it will take you less time to put it together than it will to go to the store and buy the supplies! It’s truly a great craft for the non-crafty among us!

The post Burlap & Foam Dollar Store Patriotic Flag Wreath appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

Spring makes us want to reclaim and refresh our spaces, doesn’t it? Sprucing your home in the spring doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming, in fact it can be quite fun and budget friendly. If you are considering sprucing up your space, the simple tips below can help you get the job done. Look below at our 7 ways to spruce your home up for spring and see how you can get a fresh look for less.

Bring in some fresh flowers

Bringing nature from outdoors to in really makes your space feel like spring. Cut some fresh flowers or even long twigs and bring them in. Arrange them in a vase or vases and place the around the house for a pop of color and fragrance. You can add fresh flowers to any room of the home. Start in the dining room and the move to smaller forgotten rooms like the bathroom or bedroom.

Accent your front door with a spring wreath

Welcome guests with a sign of spring. Accent your front door with a spring wreath complete with spring flowers or colors. This is a fun way to accent the front door, as is a fresh coat of paint or some new hardware!

Change out towels and other linens to lighter colors

Change out your linens to reflect the season. Get rid of the heavy wool blankets and plaid prints and replace them with soft and light linen and cotton. Opt for white linens or linens that are soft in color and pattern.

Add small spring vignettes

A vignette is a small arrangement of similar objects to create a dramatic effect. Make your own vignette with a collection of items such as vases, books, pitchers, figurines, or other items of your choosing. Arrange them on a buffet or side table for effect. Look for vignette inspiration ideas on Pinterest!

Let there be light!

Bring plenty of light into your home by pulling blinds and curtains open. You can also switch to lower and softer wattage light bulbs. Use lighter colors through the house and use natural light whenever possible. Open the windows and let fresh air in. After all, you have been cooped up all winter.

Maintain a regular cleaning schedule

You don’t have to do deep spring cleaning, just vow to do a quick pick up and declutter each day for 45 minutes to an hour. This will make a huge difference in the appearance of your home and how you feel about it. Once you get use to this schedule, you can always add to it.

Eliminate unnecessary clutter

Free up more space and eliminate stress when you eliminate unnecessary clutter. Take a few minutes each day to get rid of/donate items you no longer use or need. You will feel lighter and your space will feel cleaner. Who doesn’t want that?

Are you ready to start sprucing your space? Try this 7 ways to spruce your home for less and start sprucing your space today!

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