Backyard Safari

Last week I made some "safari" binoculars out of foam and felt, and I got a great idea.   Wouldn't it be fun to set up a backyard safari for my boys?

It was a simple idea, but it was a blast!  Here's how I did it:

1)  I found a package (with 5 identical sheets) of safari stickers.  I took one sheet, and attached the stickers to paper plates.

 

2)  I took the sheets of matching stickers, and I gave one to each of my boys.  I also gave each boy a clipboard and a sheet of paper.

3)  I went into the yard and hid all the plates.

4)  The boys took their clipboards, and they went in search of the paper plates.  When they found one, they took the matching sticker from their sheet of stickers and stuck it to their piece of paper. The goal was to find all the plates and move all the stickers onto their sheet of paper.

Fun, right?  I think it would be fun to hide little plastic animals and have the kids search for them.  I think we might try that next time.

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Easy Paint Touch-ups

I just finished painting my main floor, but I know that my three little boys will be marking up my walls very soon.  So, here is my quick tip for today....

With little jars of touch up paint labelled and ready to go, paint touch ups will be a breeze.

Clever, right?


♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Foam and Felt Binoculars

Recently, I was contacted by Jo-Ann (a fabric and craft supplier) about taking part in their Summer Craft Challenge.  After looking through their catalogue, I knew I needed to make foam and felt binoculars for my boys.  Their version is on the left, and mine is on the right.  

Didn't they turn out cute?  My boys absolutely love them.  Here's how I made them:

1) I cut two 6"x6" squares of blue foam.
2) I cut two 6"x6" squares of zebra felt.
3) I cut two 6" X 1 1/2" strips from the leftover blue foam, and I cut four 1" X 6" strips from the black felt.
4) Using hot glue, I glued the zebra felt to one side of each foam piece.
5) I glued the foam to the edge (on the end) of each of the square pieces.
6) I glued the black felt strips on top of the blue foam (near the edge) and on the opposite side from the foam and felt.
7) I rolled each square piece to create a cylinder, overlapping 1/2", and I glued it in place (using lots of hot glue).  Then, I used hot glue to attach the cylinders together.
8) I traced around each end of the cylinders on black felt to get 2 felt circles, secured them in place using hot glue, and cut out centres using sharp scissors.  
9) I used scissors to punch a small hole in the side of each cylinder, fed cording through the holes, and secured it with knots.

These binoculars turned out super-cute, but they take some time to construct given all the steps.  For a simpler version, you could just use plain foam squares and a couple of black felt strips at the top and bottom of the cylinders.  It just depends on how much time you want to spend on the project.  :-)

Would your little one love going on a backyard adventure with these adorable safari binoculars?

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure:  I received free projects related to this post, but the opinions on this blog are my own.

Easy and Inexpensive Class Treats

The end of a school year is a big milestone for little ones, and I like to mark the occasion by letting my boys take "end of year" class treats to their friends.  This year, I came up with 4 different options for them to choose from:

Aren't they cute?  I made tags for each "treat" using the "collage" function in Picmonkey, and I had the photos printed as wallet size.  I think using a picture adds a nice, personal touch.  

Here is a closer look:

Option 1:  Have a "BALL" this summer!

Just fill a little bag with some inexpensive balls from the dollar store, and your little one's classmates will be "bouncing" with happiness.  ;-)

Option 2:  "STAY COOL" & have a great summer!

Just tie a tag around a freezie.  When your little one's classmates get home, they can pop the tasty treat in the freezer and enjoy it on a summer day.

Option 3:  You are one SMART COOKIE!

Bake up a batch of your favorite cookies, and bag them up individually with a tag.  Who wouldn't love a cookie for an afternoon snack on a summer day?

Option 4:  O-fish-ally headed to grade 3!

Just staple a tag to a bag of goldfish.  Quick, easy, and great for a school that prefers pre-packaged snacks.

I love the idea of my boys sharing special treats with their friends.  Do your little ones bring class treats on the last day of school?

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

A {Simple} NEMO Cake

Finding Nemo is one of our family's favorite movies, so last time we watched it on family movie night, we decided to make a special cake to celebrate.  It's always a party if you have a cake... am I right?

It isn't fancy, but it was super-easy to make, and my boys thought it was awesome.  Here's how I made it:

1)  I used a cake mix to make a round cake and some cupcakes.  I allowed them to cool completely, and then I arranged them on the plate (as per the picture above).

2)  I frosted the cake with orange icing, and then used white icing and a piping bag to make some white "clown fish" stripes.

3)  I finished the cake by adding an eye -- a white chocolate wafer, a little icing, and a chocolate chip.

That's it... easy peasy!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure:  I’m part of the Disney Junior Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Quick Tip Tuesday #2 - Cupcake Liner Storage

Do you have a large collection of cupcake liners scattered in a drawer?  This week's "quick tip" addresses this little annoyance.

Clever, right?  So, pick up a jar at the dollar store and fill it with all your cupcake liners.  You'll feel more organized, and they will look totally cute all stacked up in a jar.  Win win!   :-)

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Father's Day Photos

Last year my boys and I made a special gift for their Dad for father's day - personalized photos.  (You can read about it here.)  I loved the idea so much that we are doing it again this year.

Here's how I did it:

1) I interviewed each boy (separately), and asked them the following questions:

My Daddy loves ________________.

He is good at __________________.

My favorite thing to do with my Dad is __________________.

I love my Daddy because ____________________.

Love, ___________ (Age _____)

2) I uploaded a picture of each boy to Picmonkey.com {which is free and user friendly}, and typed in the info from their interview).  

That's it!  I had the photos printed in one hour, and my husband can put them in the frames we used last year.  Cute, right?

My favorite response this year was: "I love my Dad because... he helps me get off my shoes."  Adorable!

♥  

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

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