DIY Archives > Page 7 of 10 > From Under a Palm Tree

Shape Recognition Activity

April 30, 2018 by Meagan 10 Comments

When I first started teaching my son how to recognize different shapes, I would draw them on a piece of paper, point, and tell him what each shape was. Before too long he would get bored and move on to a toy with wheels or sound and leave me in the dust. It didn’t take me long to realize I was going about my teaching style all wrong. He needed something to touch and feel in his hands to be more interested in learning his shapes. So I turned my original boring shape activity into a reusable, hands-on, and very easy-to-make Shape Recognition Activity with colorful felt shapes that can be stuck on and peeled off over and over. [Read more…]

DIY Colored Beans for Sensory Play

April 23, 2018 by Meagan 4 Comments

I first learned about sensory development when my son turned about 14 months old. This was right around the time when he started walking and getting into everything he wasn’t supposed to. His curiosity to touch, feel, and taste everything in sight prompted me to do a little research on this particular stage of his development. This is when I noticed the phrase “sensory play” became a common idea among mom bloggers, educators, and psychology blogs. It’s a phrase I think I’ve always heard but never really bothered to understand.

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Toddler Bath Caddy

April 16, 2018 by Meagan 5 Comments

My 2-and-half-year-old son has gone through stages of loving bath time and hating bath time and now loving it again. When he was an infant, bath time was new to him and he was still discovering the whole water and bubble situation. Now, he knows bathtime signifies the end of play time which ultimately leads to bedtime. So sometimes getting him to the bath is tough. Sometimes it takes bribing and trickery. Other times it takes throwing him over my shoulder and hauling him upstairs. Either way, I was tired of the begging and pleading so I got a little inventive in my trickery and got him to remember how much fun bath time can be. [Read more…]

Paper Plate Handprint Mother’s Day Card

April 9, 2018 by Meagan 6 Comments

I’m back at it again with hand and footprint cards this Mother’s Day. The last few cards I’ve made were with J’s footprint because I couldn’t quite get him to be still enough to use his handprint. He was always squirming around or fighting to get out of my arms and play with the paint. Somehow the feet were just quicker and easier to capture. [Read more…]

Quick and Easy DIY Laundry Pods

April 6, 2018 by Lisa 9 Comments

If you only have the time or desire to try 1 DIY project right now, be sure to try these Quick and Easy DIY Laundry Pods. Not only are these laundry pods super simple, they’re also inexpensive to make and they save so much money on laundry costs.

Another big benefit to these Quick and Easy DIY Laundry Pods is that their ingredients are much safer for your family and the environment than the standard laundry detergents we’re all so used to using. With so many perks to these DIY laundry pods, why not give them a try. I know I love them so much, I can’t imagine ever going back to using regular detergent.

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How to Cut Back on Paper Towels

March 2, 2018 by Lisa 7 Comments

Using too many paper towels around the house is my biggest vice when it comes to lowering my carbon footprint. Every time I swear I’m going to do better, I end up slipping back into my old bad habit. Then I give up for a while and concentrate on other eco-friendly practices that, for me, seem easier to adopt.

I don’t really know why the paper towel habit has been so hard to kick. Years ago I practiced eco-friendly habits like using cloth napkins and canvas grocery bags before it became popular. Then owning and running a business along with raising three kids consumed all my physical and mental energy and those practices got put aside. While I’ve gotten back to my old eco-friendly practices, this paper towel thing has been, I like said, a hard habit to break.

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Soothing Lavender Peppermint Foot Soak

February 16, 2018 by Lisa 5 Comments

I’m always looking for ways to soften and soothe my tired feet. Still, I often have a hard time sitting still to let my feet soak—even if I happen to be watching T.V. I want to be able to jump up at any time and run and get a drink or find my phone—or whatever. So, if I’m going to confine myself to one spot for 30 minutes, there has to be a worthwhile payoff. This Lavender Peppermint Foot Soak is an excellent way to take care of my feet and relax at the same time.

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Mini Construction Site Sandbox

February 12, 2018 by Meagan 5 Comments

I’m always trying to come up with fun activities for my 2-year son to do while I’m at work. This Mini Construction Site Sandbox is a perfect tabletop activity that can help develop his sensory and motor skills.

If you’ve read some of my other posts, you know that I bring little J to work with me every day. He’s been coming with me since he was 6 weeks old! As he’s gotten older, I’ve had to come up with new and exciting things to stimulate his little mind. Right now he’s into PlayDoh, coloring, painting, cars, and soccer. [Read more…]

DIY Rose Water

January 18, 2018 by Lisa 4 Comments

Recently, after making some face mists, I learned how versatile and beneficial rose water can be. Rose water is a super simple DIY beauty tonic that anyone can make in a hurry. In less than an hour, you can have a multipurpose beauty potion that is both functional and fun.

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3 Simple Vitamin E Face Mists

January 12, 2018 by Lisa 6 Comments

Face mists are a great way to hydrate your skin all year but are especially refreshing during dry weather season. Not only do they soothe and calm irritated skin, but with their pleasant scents, they’re also a great mood and spirit booster. I love the way mists relieve my dry skin and make me feel refreshed. After inadvertently spending $17 on a face mist for oily skin, I decided to start making my own mists. I’m so glad I did – they’re more cost effective and I can tailor them to my own skin and the scents I love.

Try one of these 3 Simple Vitamin E Face Mists for a quick pick-me-up:

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DIY Snowman Ornaments

December 22, 2017 by Lisa 4 Comments

I tend to save scraps and odd pieces that are supposed to be discarded. I always think, “Hmmm…could I make something out of this?” That’s how I came up with these Snowman Ornaments. They are made from Ashland candle jar lids from Michaels (but you can use anything circular).

Every time I get a candle with a lid I [Read more…]

DIY Christmas Tree Wrapping Paper

December 14, 2017 by Christina 7 Comments

This year Christmas kind of snuck up on me. If you haven’t been following our social media, you may have missed that I just got married. For the past year, wedding planning has just consumed my life. Now I’m finally ready to get into the Christmas spirit, and I wanted to do something a little different this year.

Instead of buying more (expensive) wrapping paper from all over, I wanted to make my own. And what better way than to use some materials I already have at home. First of all, a roll of kraft paper from the Dollar Tree or Walmart is perfect and will go a long way! It’s so much cheaper than a roll of traditional wrapping paper that won’t last the season. Secondly, it’s just a little more heartfelt to make your own paper. You can do all kinds of variations of this design but I thought Christmas trees were a good place to start.

[Read more…]

DIY- Sock Garland Advent Calendar

December 4, 2017 by Meagan 4 Comments

This Christmas I decided to make my own Sock Garland Advent Calendar for my two-year old son. He may not totally understand the concept of the Advent Calendar but I can tell he loves the mystery that surrounds getting to find out what kind of surprise is in each sock. We check it every evening after dinner; it’s quite an [Read more…]

Shape Recognition Activity

DIY Colored Beans for Sensory Play

Toddler Bath Caddy

Paper Plate Handprint Mother’s Day Card

Quick and Easy DIY Laundry Pods

How to Cut Back on Paper Towels

Soothing Lavender Peppermint Foot Soak

Mini Construction Site Sandbox

DIY Rose Water

3 Simple Vitamin E Face Mists

Try one of these 3 Simple Vitamin E Face Mists for a quick pick-me-up:

DIY Snowman Ornaments

DIY Christmas Tree Wrapping Paper

DIY- Sock Garland Advent Calendar

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