DIY Felt Monster Pencil Toppers

Materials Needed:

Instructions:

Watch how easy it is to bring these monsters to life!

1. Place the monster pattern pieces over top of felt sheets in the color of your choosing.
2. Using fabric scissors, cut along the solid lines to cut out the pattern pieces.

5. Preheat the hot glue gun.
6. Carefully glue the smaller felt pieces (the eyes and mouth) to the largest felt monster piece pressing in place.
7. Glue the fringe pieces to the wrong side of the other body piece.
8. Apply a bead of glue along the outer edges of the smaller body piece leaving the bottom without glue.
9. Press the prepared monster 1 front piece to the back piece and press in place until the glue sets.

10. Carefully glue the smaller felt pieces (the eyes and mouth) to the largest felt monster piece pressing in place.
11. Glue the fringe pieces to the wrong side of the other body piece.
12. Apply a bead of glue along the outer edges of the smaller body piece leaving the bottom without glue.
13. Press the prepared monster 2 front piece to the back piece and press in place until the glue sets.

14. Carefully glue the smaller felt pieces (the eyes and mouth) to the largest felt monster piece pressing in place.
15. Glue the crown piece to the wrong side of the other body piece.
16. Apply a bead of glue along the outer edges of the smaller body piece leaving the bottom without glue.
17. Press the prepared monster 3 front piece to the back piece and press in place until the glue sets.

Get your free Felt Monster Pencil Toppers HERE.

Looking for more Monster Fun for Halloween?

Halloween is scary cute with simple DIY’s and even a few fun recipes. Make the holiday grrr-great!

This post may contain affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My daughter’s birthday is the 4th of July, making it an extra special day for us. Typically we complete crafts and make fun patriotic recipes in advance, so we are able to dedicate the 4th to celebrating her birthday.

With us spending this summer at home, we are definitely looking for activities to keep ourselves busy. You too? Try this super easy 4th of July craft. The best part is probably have all of the necessary supplies at home!

Materials Needed:

• 1 paper plate
• 2 yards (6 feet) red yarn
• 2 yards (6 feet) white yarn
• Blue paper
• White paper
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Star hole punch (similar HERE)
• Circle hole punch (similar HERE)
  

Instructions:

1. On each side of a paper plate, punch thirteen holes (for 26 holes total).
2. Lace the red yarn through the top row and then every other row so that the first and last rows are red. Tie off the ends.
3. Lace the white yarn through the remaining holes. Tie off the ends.
4. Punch 50 stars from the white paper. Glue the stars on blue paper in a rectangle shape in rows of 6, 5, 6, 5, 6, 5, 6, 5, 6, 5, 6.
5. Cut out the blue field and attach to the yarn with glue.
6. Allow to dry before playing or displaying.

Tip: Want to save time? Try drawing the stars on blue cardstock with a white white pen.

In addition to celebrating the holiday, weaving with yarn is a great small motor skill to practice.

Looking for more patriotic fun? Try a 4th of July photo booth!

With Independence Day being extra special for us as a family, we’ve got some more fun here on the blog.

Try these 4th of July recipes!

Patriotic Marshmallow Pops are a family-friendly baking activity! Marshmallows are covered in red, white, and blue chocolate with tons of festive sprinkles.

Patriotic Pancakes make the day start out sweetly. Transform your favorite flapjacks into a 4th of July feast.

Celebrate the 4th of July with an easy craft that won’t have you asking Uncle Sam for a loan!

As a Knott’s Ambassador, I receive complimenaty admission to faciliate reviews. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Do you have a favorite PEANUTS character? Perhaps the underdog Charlie Brown or confident Lucy Van Pelt? Woodstock is a character worth squaking about!

Woodstock is the inspiration for this easy DIY bird feeder made from simple and recycled materials. With everything I needed at home, the final product didn’t cost me anything and came together in just minutes.

DIY Woodstock Bird Feeder

Supplies Needed:

• Toilet paper roll
• Twine
• Peanut butter
• Bird seed
• Hot glue gun & glue
• Scissors
• Woodstock images
• Hole punch (optional)

How to Make a DIY Woodstock Bird Feeder:

Start with an empty toilet paper roll. Poke two holes on the top of the toilet paper roll with scissors or a hole punch.

String a piece of twine through the holes and tie at the top. A second knot is needed. It will serve as way to secure Woodstock to your twine loop so he can rest above his nest.

To add a PEANUTS touch to the DIY bird feeder, I printed pictures of Woodstock I found online. I wanted Woodstock to be slightly durable, so he would survive the elements.

Easy laminating hack: if you don’t have a laminator at home, use clear packing tape.

Once covered in tape, I cut out my Woodstock for the bird feeder topper.

How to Make a Woodstock Bird Feeder

• To make a bird nest for Woodstock, you’ll be winding twine around the top of your toilet paper roll. Start by securing end of twine with hot glue. Then messily wind twine around roll. Periodically secure twine with dots of hot glue.
• When desired nest is created, secure end with additional hot glue.
• Cover exposed toilet paper roll with peanut butter.
• Spoon or roll your toilet paper roll in bird seed.
• Attach woodstock to lower knot with hot glue.

Woodstock at the PEANUTS Celebration

Celebrating all of our favorite PEANUTS characters at home is a treat. We also adore celebrating Charlie Brown and all of his pals at Knott’s Berry Farm for the annual PEANUTS Celebration.

The Season of Fun bring guests into the iconic comic strip with engaging photo opportunities, entertainment offerings, themed food, and special attractions!

Whether you love good ol’ Charlie Brown, Linus, or Woodstock, the PEANUTS Celebration at Knott’s Berry Farm is a must visit daily through February 26, 2023.

Each of my children have gone through Scooby Doo phases, which delights my husband to no end. My eldest loved Scooby so much that we threw her a themed party, complete with a caper for all the meddling kids to solve.

Georgia’s Scooby Doo party remains one of my favorite parties we’ve thrown. The snacks and decor came together effortlessly. The “mystery” was engaging for the party guests. The crafts were super fun.

Want to make your own Scooby Doo themed craft? Try these Shrinky Dink Scooby Doo Collars!

Easy Scooby Doo Dog Collar Craft

Supplies Needed:

• Ribbon (5/8 inch blue ribbon, cut into 13 inches)
• Velcro (similar on Amazon)
• Metal Rings (found in the jewelry section of a craft store)
• Shrinky Dink Paper (similar on Amazon)
• Hole Punch
• Colored Pencils

How to Make Scooby Doo Dog Collars:

Shrinky Dinks are thin plastic sheets that magically transform by shrinking and hardening in the oven. They typically shrink 33-45% in size from their original drawing. Each brand is different, so I would test your brand in advance to make sure the desired size is reached.

Before the celebration, I pre-made some diamonds with SD written in the center so guests could color their own Scooby Doo dog collar tags. Colored pencils can be used on the rough side of the Shrinky Dink paper.

Notes:

• Make sure to round the edges of the diamond so the design isn’t sharp.
• Punch a hole in your dog tag before shrinking. They harden & you will not be able to punch afterwards.

I also let some dog tags blank so party guests could incorporate their own creativity.

Shrinky Dink Scooby Doo dog tags were then baked in the oven according to package directions by a responsible adult. Once cooled, we were able to attach the dog tags to a ring, found in the jewelry section of my craft store.

Once the dog tags were ready, we strung them on blue ribbon. At each end of the blue ribbon, Velcro circles were attached so Scooby Doo dog collar necklaces could be easily worn and taken off.

I love adding a craft or two to my children’s parties for an easy way to entertain guests (and adults, too!). Plus, it makes for a fun keepsake from the celebration.

Do you love Scooby Doo as much as my family? If so, these Scooby Doo Dog Collars are for you!

All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It was another wonderful year at Knott’s Berry Farm. Looking back over the year, so many of our favorite memories of the year were made at Knott’s!

We rode Calico River Rapids before it reopened to the public, got to be on the news showcasing the fun of Knott’s Summer Night, scared ourselves to death at Knott’s Scary Farm (and then kept going back for more).

My youngest hit a height milestone and able to ride more rides, including her first “big kid ride”–Sierra Sidewinder. The big girls pushed their limits with coasters, too. Plus, they reached they gained some additional independence in the park and explored with the friends.

Part of our family’s tradition is to remember our vacations and special moments with Christmas ornaments. To commemorate the year at Knott’s Berry Farm, I wanted to make ornaments that we could look back upon the year.

Easy DIY Knott’s Photo Ornaments

Supplies Needed:

• Cardboard ornaments (found at Michael’s)
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Mod Podge
• Knott’s Berry Farm park map
• Photo

Instructions:

I’ve made similar ornaments out of wood plagues, but they were on the heavier side and required an eye hook to be inserted. So I was thrilled when I stumbled upon round lightweight cardboard ornaments at my local Michael’s craft store. I stocked up so I’d have plenty for future projects, too!

Gather your supplies. Start by tracing your circle onto the park map. I made two ornaments out of each map.

Paint the back and sides of your ornaments. It’s okay to go over the front side. Let dry.

Cover your ornament in Mod Podge and arrange your map circle. Carefully press out bubbles. Make sure you cover the edge of your map circle so it’s well adhered.

While that’s setting, you can cut your photo circles. Make sure your photo circle is smaller than your ornament so a border is visible, showcasing the park map. I got super fancy and use the inside of a roll of painter’s tape for one and a red Solo cup for another.

Mod Podge the photo circle onto your ornament, making sure the bottom and top are both well glued. Don’t forget the edges of your photo, too!

I added a little Knott’s emblem to one ornament to make it a little extra fun. Feel free to be creative! You can summarize your favorite memory on the back or make your ornament double-sided.

How to Make DIY Photo Ornaments

Watch this video to see how easy it is to make your own park map ornaments. Plus, the project is super inexpensive so you can make them for every family memory throughout the year.

Looking for more crafts made from theme park maps?

Make a Simple Disney Parks Map Planter

Make a Disney Maps Welcome Banner

Park maps are a great way to make custom souvenirs! Do you have a favorite vacation souvenir? Share your favorites!

We are decking the halls and rocking ’round the Christmas tree. Lots of our holiday decor comes straight from our craft bin. And truth is, those handmade decorations are some of my favorite holiday pieces.

These paper chains are a great Christmas craft for holiday vacation or even for a classroom activity. All you need to make them is the free printable, coloring supplies, scissors, and glue. Color the holly, the candy, and gifts galore!

Knowing that the symbols of the holiday might be different for each child, there’s also a blank template for your use.

Free Christmas Paper Chains Printables

Get your FREE Christmas Paper Chains Printable HERE.

Would your little elves prefer to design their own? Use this template to make paper chains that are as unique as you are!

Get your FREE Paper Chain Template Printable HERE.

Looking for a blank template? Click HERE.

How to Make Paper Chains:

It’s super simple to make your own Christmas Paper Chains! Color them with all your favorite colors!

Cut out the strips of festive designs. Make sure to leave the part that says “Glue.”

Add glue to the end, and adhere the other end of your strip with the design facing out. Before closing the loop of the next strip, make sure you link it to the first.

How to Decorate with Paper Chains:

Once complete, the paper chains make for adorable decorations all over the house.

• Hang them as garland around the house.
• Use them to decorate your tree.
• You could also print several sheets and use them as a countdown to Christmas. Just remove one link each day!

Looking for more Christmas Printables?

Free Printable Gift Tags

Have you heard of this gift-giving policy? To keep the gift giving reasonable, you can share something you WANT, something you NEED, something to WEAR, and something to READ.

Print these gift tags to mark your gifts. They’re a visible reminder and super cute.

This post may contain affiliate links.  Please read my Disclosure Policy for more information.

I was beyond excited to be invited to a media day for Pixar Fest at the Disneyland Resort.  Happening now through September 3, 2018, Pixar Fest is a celebration featuring the wonderful characters and friendships of beloved Disney/Pixar films.  From the amazing parades to the must-see fireworks presentation, it’s an event that you have got to experience.

When I received my invitation, I started brainstorming the important things.  What would I eat? The answer: all the things.  What would I wear? The answer: it had to be a Pixar Disneybound.

There are so many great characters from Pixar films.  I try to go mellow when I’m creating Disneybounds, which are real wardrobe pieces paying homage to Disney characters.  I opted for the aliens from the Toy Story movie franchise.  I knew I’d be eternally grateful if it came together easily, and it so did!  I grabbed a blue dress in bright blue and made a super easy DIY Toy Story bow inspired by the cute alien characters from the claw game.

Easy DIY Toy Story Alien Bow

Like every mama I know, my time is precious.  Any steps I can cut out to get the job done make me really happy.  If you’re like me, you’ll be thrilled to know that this bow is just a few supplies and even less of a time commitment.

Supplies:

• Purple bow
• Green felt
• Purple ribbon
• Googly eyes

Additional supplies needed:

• Glue gun
• Scissors

How to Make:

I found a kids’ boutique by my home that sells hair bows for $3.  Sure, I could buy ribbon and have a bow making factory.  But at that price, I’m just going to go ahead and skip a step.  If you’d rather make it yourself, you’ll need purple ribbon and a hair clip.

Using the green felt, I used these coloring pages as a guide for cutting out the right elongated oval.  You’re cutting an oval with two pointy ears and an antenna.

Using your hot glue gun, attach three googly eyes and ribbon for the purple collar.  Attach the alien face to your bow.

That’s it!  It took just minutes to get a DIY Alien Bow inspired by Toy Story.

Having three daughters, we swap out products and accessories all the time.  To get ready for Pixar Fest, I borrowed purple nail polish from my 8-year-old.  I know the benefits will only increase as they get older.  We’ve all taken turns wearing this DIY Toy Story Inspired Bow.

My littles wear headbands more often than I do, so this DIY Pixar Inspired Headband has been a favorite too.  You can check out how to make the no-sew bow here.

Pixar Fest Merchandise

When I was checking out all of the fun of Pixar Fest, I was so excited to know that the Disney imagineers created such a comprehensive experience for guests.  Because shopping is one of my favorite things to do while in the parks, I was super pumped to check out the Pixar-themed products.  One of my favorite items, the interchangeable ears, are shown in this video.

I adore the Swap A Bows.  I don’t know about you, but I’ve got dozens of pairs of Mickey ears at my house with my own collection and my girls’.  Having the ability to swap out the decorative character bow on an ear base is appealing.  We try to live small, until it comes to our Disney collectibles.  Have you seen our living room?  Thankfully, my husband loves Disney as much as I do.  But in a house built in 1919 there isn’t a ton of storage.  So these interchangeable bows make storage a snap!

There are so many adorable pieces that you’ll need to hurry over to Pixar Fest to nab.  There are some pieces available within the Downtown Disney World of Disney store additionally, but within the parks is going to have the most variety.

Looking for More Pixar Fest Fun?

Everything You Need to Know about Pixar Fest

Best Pixar Quotes 

Pixar Fest at Downtown Disney

Have you ever tried Disneybounding?  Share your experience in the comments!

This post may contain affiliate links.  Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

My friend Patrick scored us opening day tickets to see The Last Jedi at like midnight.  Maybe it’s because it was waaay past my bedtime, but I wanted to snuggle up with those porgs as soon as they waddled onto the screen.  The feeling was pretty mutual with my three daughters also.  My then 3-year-old became obsessed.  Every time we walked past a porg in a store she had to stop to give him a little squeeze.  Thankfully, she got one of her own for Christmas.

To celebrate The Last Jedi being available to watch again and again at home, we needed a craft.  With a paper plate craft, we didn’t need to worry about Chewbacca getting a hold of these porgs.

Paper Plate Porgs: A Star Wars Craft

Materials Needed:

• Paper plates
• Paint (grey and orange)
• Construction paper (black, white, and orange)
• Black pipe cleaners

Other supplies needed:

• Scissors
• Glue
• Stapler

No time to race from store to store? Shop for similar craft supplies from Amazon.

I actually had everything on hand for this one. All that hoarding  careful collecting really paid off!  So I was ready to get crafting with my littles.

Instructions:

As you get started, it’s important to note that you don’t need to be precise.  Each of my kids made their feet a little differently, and the painting isn’t perfect.  There’s personality in those little adjustments.  Start by folding in the right and left sides of the paper plate.  Next, fold the top down.  Secure the folds with staples.  You’ll be covering these so your porg will be pretty. Don’t worry!

Paint the right and left grey.  In the middle section, you’ll leave a section white while painting two oval-y pie pieces.  Yup, oval-y.  We are very technical here in Clementine County.  Next paint a small grey semicircle right in the middle.

Using construction paper, cut out large black ovals and smaller white ovals for the eyes.  You’ll also need orange feet.

Cut your pipe cleaner into thirds.  Form each into a U-shape.

Adhere your eyes, feet, and mouth to the porg.

It’s a simple craft that brings a little extra fun to our release day.  If you haven’t seen The Last Jedi, you’ll want to grab it on blu-ray today.

Looking for more Star Wars fun?

DIY BB-8 Hair Clip

Mickey Mouse Star Wars Stroller Tag

Star Wars Land Coming to Disneyland

This post may contain affiliate links.  Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

I dare you to watch a Disney Pixar movie without crying.  I can’t even make it through the animated shorts without feeling all the feels.  Between the masterful storytelling and relatable characters, I know a box of tissue is needed alongside my popcorn.  But that’s what Joy figures out in Inside Out — that our memories and experiences are filled with mixed emotions.  Spoiler, sorry.

DIY Pixar Headband

To ensure my family rolls over to the Disneyland Resort in themed attire, I made my girls a Pixar ball inspired headband.  You can make your own with just a few simple supplies and a few minutes of your time.  Bonus points for crafting while watching a Disney Pixar film or daydreaming about the upcoming Incredibles 2.

Supplies:

• Felt in red, yellow, and blue
• Red heaband
• Glue Gun
• Stuffing

Gathering supplies when you’re inspired can often mean running from one store to the next.  I make life easier by adding it all to my Amazon cart.

How to Make a Pixar Headband

To get an idea of how I wanted the ball to look, I cut out circles on scrap paper.  Use a drinking glass for an easy template.  The blue is made from trimming the sides of the circle.  Add a star and you’re set!

Begin by turning on your glue gun to warm the glue.  While that’s heating, cut two yellow circles out of felt.  One will serve as the backing for the ball design on the headband.  Cut out the blue curved line of the ball & the red star.

I pinned my design together temporarily to make sure everything was fitting correctly.  Carefully glue the star and blue line to the front of your headband design.

Start gluing the two yellow circles together.  I started with approximately 1/4 of the circles adhered together.

Position the headband inside of the two circles and glue the back circle to the headband directly. This will keep it secure.

Add stuffing to give the headband a more rounded ball-like fell.  You won’t need much.

Finish gluing the two yellow circles together. Ta-da!

Wondering where to wear your DIY Pixar Headband?

• Throw a Disney movie marathon. Grab your own Disney movie marathon printables to prepare!
• Headed to the Disneyland Resort? Check out discounted Disneyland ticket packages.
• Anywhere!

Make sure to tag me on Instagram if you make a Disney DIY so I can share! Happy crafting!

All thoughts and opinions are my own.  Please read my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Let’s be totally honest, I am not great with plants.  In high school, I regularly patted myself on the back for taking such great care of my boss’s potted tree at my after-school job. I watered it whenever I remembered “Shoot, I haven’t watered that thing in forever.”  But it seemed to appreciate my irregular watering schedule and relative abandonment.  Then one day as I was watering, I accidentally knocked a branch.  Oddly, the branch bent and exposed a teeny tiny bit of wire.  I had been watering a fake plant.  Not once, not even a few times.  For like a yeeeeeear.

Turn the canned veggies your kids don’t want to eat into something super adorable: A Disney Map Planter.

How to Make a Disney Map Planter

What You’ll Need:

• Can
• Disney map
• Ruler & scissors
• Mod Podge
• Paintbrush
• Gravel
• Soil
• Succulent or other plant of your choosing
• Aquarium rocks (optional)

How to Make Your Planter:

The hardest part is getting your kids to eat the canned vegetables.

Remove original labeling from your canned goods and wash.  You’ll be filling it with dirt so it’s not like it needs to be uber clean, but who wants their plants to smell like green beans.  Unless it’s a green bean plant, of course.

Cut your map to the appropriate height and length.  A little extra length is good so you don’t end up with a seam of silver can shining through.

Once your can is clean & dry, apply a layer of Mod Podge with your paintbrush.

Carefully place your map on the can.  Apply another layer of Mod Podge over the map.  Make sure to pay attention to seams, including the top and bottom of the map.  Let dry.

Once your can is prepped, add a layer of gravel and top with soil.  I used a Miracle Grow potting soil made specifically for succulents and cacti.

Plant your succulent or other plant.  Remember that succulents don’t need tons of water when you’re planting it (or ever).

We added hot pink aquarium rocks.  An entire bag was $2.  You can also adorn your planter with yard, string, or stickers.  I used hot pink yarn & a Disneyland “D” cut out of cardstock.

Looking for More Disney Crafts?

Disney Map Welcome Banner

Easy Dumbo Bow

What free or inexpensive souvenirs have you brought home from Disney Parks?