Silk Flower Fairies - A Super Cute & Simple Fairy Garden Kids Craft!

These silk flower fairies are so simple to make for your fairy garden and they're super cute! If you're looking for fairy garden kids crafts for summer, this easy fairy gardening craft is perfect! It's incredibly frugal too! My daughter made 8 Silk Flower Fairies for our planters from a singular bunch of silk roses (the entire bunch was just .97 cents) and a handful of painted wooden beads (we found a big bag of them at Dollar Tree), along with a few additional very basic supplies.

Friends, the one thing that my daughter never seems to tire of as the years pass, is fairy gardens. They're whimsical and timeless. While there are a TON of fairy garden ideas on Pinterest, and so many items that you can purchase to add to your fairy garden, I still enjoy the handmade items the most. Handmade / DIY fairy dolls, DIY fairy garden furniture,  DIY fairy houses. It's such a fun way to see a child's imagination on full display. Making / crafting little bobbles with your child / children from their fairy garden is also a fun boredom buster on long hot summer days. The memories that I have collected over the past several years, assembling these adorable fairy garden treasures, are completely magical and priceless. It's one of my most treasured summertime traditions.

Ready to make your own silk flower fairies for your fairy garden this summer? Read on for the full supply list, our easy step-by-step tutorial and more imagery, below.

Let Five Star Urgent Care Help Save the Day This Summer!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Five Star Urgent Care. All opinions are 100% mine.

Friends, let Five Star Urgent Care help save the day this summer! Did you know that Five Star Urgent Care centers in Upstate New York, are open seven days a week? They can help treat all of those pesky (non-life-threatening) injuries and illnesses this season and get you back on your way to fun in the sun, quickly.  No appointment necessary and most insurance accepted. As a mom of 4, urgent care is my go-to choice when the unexpected happens. 

Summer break has officially started! I'm thrilled for a few weeks of uninterrupted fun with my family! Can I share something with you though? I'm a little on edge about the summer season. You see, last summer, we spent a ton of time running the kids back and forth for medical care, for a laundry list of issues: a stray case of the flu that swept through our home during the first few weeks of summer (it turned ugly, quick!), stitches, sports injuries - it literally seemed like it was never-ending.  I felt like I was being punk'd! Alas, I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that it didn't have much to do with the season. It's simply something that happens from time to time, when you have a big family. Never a dull moment, folks. Seriously. Never.

DIY Shape Projecting Lantern

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PowerYourSummer #CollectiveBias 

This past weekend, my oldest daughter and I kicked off the summer season, by crafting this super fun DIY Shape Projecting Lantern. When placed in the dark, the glow of the battery operated lights casts the moon and star shapes all over the surrounding surfaces, ceiling and walls. This DIY lantern craft was so simple to make, and all of the kids are absolutely LOVING the finished product. My toddlers are completely mesmerized. This was a total craft WIN!

Hi friends, how have you been? SUMMER. It's finally here. I can't even tell you how excited I am! I feel like a kid again. For real.  So, as I told you all a few months back, we've ditched the electronics (almost entirely!) with the older kids. They have very limited access to the Internet for school, and not much else. Can I just tell you, the difference, is nothing short of amazing. Amazing, folks.  They're reading again; for fun! They're going to the library to learn (real solid facts and all of the supporting information. Bye-bye Wikipedia!) They're creating and crafting. They're actually talking; they're not absorbed in screen time or social media. It's glorious. I'm never turning back. This is  the way that childhood was intended to be. There's plenty of time for screens when they're all grown up. For now, they just need some uninterrupted time to be kids.

The agenda this summer is pretty simple. Sunshine, aquarium and zoo visits, museum visits, a camping trip close to home, hiking, pool time, water park visits, backyard fun, crafting and creating, reading and picnics. Lot's of picnics. Simple, good old fashioned, fun. Friends, despite our lack of grandiose plans, I have a feeling that this summer is gonna' be one for the books. Bring on the fun!

Ready to kick off the summer fun with your family? Read on for the full supply list and our simple tutorial, to make your own DIY Shape Projecting Lantern craft with the kids this summer.

Disney•Pixar Incredibles 2 Hits Theaters June 15th + A Giveaway #Incredibles2

This post is in partnership with Disney•Pixar. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

They're back! Disney•Pixar’s Incredibles 2 hits theaters June 15th, and we can't wait! In this much-anticipated sequel to the first film, "The Incredibles," Helen (voice of Holly Hunter) is called on to help bring Supers back, while Bob (voice of Craig T. Nelson) navigates the day-to-day heroics of "normal" life at home with Violet (voice of Sarah Vowell), Dash (voice of Huck Milner) and baby Jack-Jack whose super powers are about to be discovered. Their Mission is derailed however when a new villain emerges with a brilliant and dangerous plot that threatens everything. The Parrs don't shy away from a challenge though, especially with Frozone (voice of Samuel L. Jackson) by their side. That's what makes this family so Incredible!

Read on for more on Disney•Pixar’s Incredibles 2, including the official trailer. PLUS Enter to win a family 4 pack of Fandango vouchers (valued at $21 ea.) to see Incredibles 2 at a theater near you!

DIY No-Sew Watermelon Flip Flops

These DIY No-Sew Watermelon Flip Flops are so stinking cute, and they're incredibly easy to make. My tween assembled her DIY Watermelon Flip Flops in just 10 minutes! These no-sew Watermelon Flip Flops make a great summer craft for kids, tweens, and teens (and even adults!)

If you're ready for all things Summer like us, read on for the simple supply list and tutorial  (with step-by-step imagery) to make your own DIY No Sew Watermelon Flip Flops. This is such a fun way to jazz up inexpensive flip flops this summer!

2 Ingredient Taste-Safe Yogurt Play Dough Recipe + Super Fun DIY Kitchen Experiment For Toddlers!

My toddler absolutely loves play dough! It's a fun medium to play and create with, and it's even more fun when we make our own. This 2 ingredient taste-safe yogurt play dough is silky and soft, and it smells absolutely scrumptious! If you're looking for a fun science experiment to do in the kitchen with little one's, that also results in endless hours of creative play and fun, this yogurt play dough is definitely worth trying.

All you'll need is two simple ingredients (that you most likely already have on hand), a mixing bowl, and a spoon. I love simple recipes like this. My toddler can help stir and knead the ingredients, and then he gets to enjoy the fruits of his efforts, by playing with his homemade yogurt play dough! You can even divide the yogurt play dough up and use a few drops of food coloring to make a rainbow of colors.

Grab the simple supply list and instructions below, to make your own 2 ingredient taste-safe yogurt play dough.