My daughter's new creative corner

Even during my absence, I have continued to take photos and mentally compose posts, some of which I'm planning to share with you. Today, I would like to show you a new space my four-year-old daughter and I carved out in her room for her to write, draw and dream.

It is here where I can often find her, drawing away. The other day, she and her six-year-old brother took turns sitting at her little desk as they collaborated on a small book they created about a little boy who goes to school. She drew the illustrations and he wrote the story to go with it.

I can honestly say that this lovely corner was my daughter's idea. A few weeks ago, I was all set to rearrange furniture in her room. When I last wrote, I told you that I would be redoing my kids' rooms to reflect the fact that they are older and their interests are changing. Essentially, we are moving away from the toddler stage and into the early school years. Of course, I consulted my kids regarding paint colors, artwork, etc. but thought I knew enough about their tastes and habits to do the major planning on my own. Wrong!

On the morning of the big day of moving furniture around, I handed my daughter the book "Children's Rooms Stockholm" (Jeu de Paume). I was hoping she would find something to inspire a new arrangement in her room and keep her busy as I began taking all the furniture out of her room. Instead, she came running up to me saying, "I like this!" she said, pointing to a picture of a girl's small desk. "Can I have this?"

Hmmm, how to explain that I hadn't planned on buying any new furniture? I was momentarily stumped, wondering if The Big Reorganization of My Daughter's Room had hit a snag. Thankfully, I found a simple solution. Some of you may remember reading here about the small Ikea table/desk that I painted and decoupaged after finding it for five dollars at a thrift store. I originally placed the table in my office as a space for my four-year-old daughter to use when we were both in there, which frankly turned out to be sporadic. Thanks to my daughter's inspired suggestion, this little table has now found a new home in a corner of her room.

After seeing my daughter's new space, my son decided it was time for him to get a new desk. Stay tuned ...

My Mexican-inspired take on Martha Stewart pom-pom tissue flowers

In honor of the Cinco de Mayo holiday, I'd like to tell you about a project my kids did after attending a piñata-making workshop with a local artisan. Piñatas, usually filled with candy and small toys, are intended for kids to hit with a stick until the piñatas break open and spill the goodies, but I instead decided to hang two tiny piñatas my kids made as decorations for my home office.

Like many of you, I enjoy crafting with my kids, even more so when the craft is something we can use to decorate our home. The craft then becomes a reminder of fun time spent together, while also adding more character and beauty to our home.

The tiny piñatas, which I'm calling my Mexican-inspired take on the Martha Stewart tissue pom-pom flowers, nicely complement a lantern I bought at Chinatown recently and add a nice pop of color to what is perhaps the blandest corner of my home office.

At this point, I should come clean and confess that this project, which is really quite simple, took us several months to complete. We created the newspaper shell soon after going to the piñata-making workshop in February 2010, decorated the piñata in May 2010 and then I let the piñata sit in my office unhung for a whole year! In a burst of inspiration, I hung them up yesterday. My poor kids didn't remember the little balls were piñatas and instead called them "balloons," but were thrilled that I finally hung up their creations.

Here's how you can make your own tiny piñata:

Step 1: Blow up a balloon. Make a homemade paste using about 1/2 cup of flour mixed with about a cup of water.

Step 2: Using a small, thick paintbrush, begin gluing torn strips of paper onto the balloon.

Step 3: Cover the balloon completely except for a small hole at the top that will help you hang it or that you can use to fill up the piñata later. To make sure you've pasted enough newspaper to the balloon, hold the balloon up to the light to make sure you can't see the balloon. The more layers, the stronger the piñata will be.

Step 4: Wait two days or so for the piñata to dry completely. If you are planning to use this for an actual piñata that will be smashed open by kids, you will want to repeat the process of adding more newspaper strips to make it stronger. Otherwise, pop the balloon while holding a piece of it so you can pull it out through the hole.

Step 5: Begin decorating the newspaper ball with tissue paper or any other decor of your choosing. We used tissue paper we had cut up using a circle punch, but the traditional method is to use strips of tissue as I showed you in this post.

You may wish to add more tissue paper to completely cover the newspaper, though my kids were satisfied with doing just one layer. Here are the finished piñatas, hanging in back of my desk in my home office. (Please disregard the messy desk.)

The most time-consuming part is waiting for the newspaper to dry after you've glued it on, but as you can see, the project is simple enough for kids as young as two and four years old, which is how old my kids were when they made these piñatas. It really made me so happy to do this project with my kids since I remember making my own piñatas as a girl though not for Cinco de Mayo. It may surprise you to know that, for all the hype in the United States every May 5, most people in Mexico don't celebrate the holiday at all. You can read a story about this phenomenon that the Christian Science Monitor published today here.

Nevertheless, I think making piñatas is a great project for kids any time of the year, either for a party or for decoration. The piñata can be as simple as a tiny ball like the one we made or as elaborate as your imagination wants it to be.

My first estate sale

I had to resist the urge to put an exclamation mark at the end of the title on this post. First of all, I was so excited that I actually got to go to an estate sale, something I'd read about only on other blogs while salivating over other people's thrifty finds. Then, finding so many lovely things at my first estate sale made it almost impossible for me to contain my excitement.

Most estate sales in my area are typically held on weekends, when I'm usually out on family outings, but the stars finally aligned and I found myself sans kids early one Sunday morning. Off I went to an estate sale that I'd read about in my local Craigslist.

The home was small and the main rooms had been cleaned out almost entirely by other bargain hunters on the previous two days of the estate sale. Undaunted, I began inspecting every nook and cranny. I was amply rewarded when I found dozens of crochet hangers in a closet, even more so when the seller promised to give me "a good deal" if I took a bunch of them. I collected 30 of them and practically hugged everyone around me when I was told the price would be three dollars for all of them. (OK, I am again resisting the urge to put an exclamation mark after this last sentence.)

Even at thrift stores, these "granny chic" crochet hangers usually go for at least a dollar each. I don't crochet so I have no idea how long it would take to make one of these, but I do appreciate the thought and care that went into creating these, especially with those adorable pom poms.

This brings me to my next point, which is that I first had to get past the uncomfortable feeling I had rummaging through the belongings of someone who had only recently been alive to enjoy them. I finally reasoned with myself that I would love for my things to continue to be appreciated after I've passed on and my kids have had their pick. Also, I do believe that even the smallest utilitarian item can find a new home, thus preventing further adding to our landfills.

I might have mentioned before that I have a fondness for vintage office supplies so I had fun picking out a few items for my office. I fell for those small gummed labels shown above and have been using them to label files and other things around my home.

I also found a Pyrex lab glass and an unlabeled little box full of envelopes, each containing one or two dozen silver little letters. I can think of so many uses for these uniquely shaped letters, which came with a small bottle of adhesive. By the way, the striped black-and-white paper you see in the photos is part of a large roll of vintage gift wrapping paper, one of a handful I bought.

I also picked out a roll decorated with blue birds and bird cages. Both of these were quite hefty rolls and I do have projects in mind for them. As you can see, I also added to my dictionary collection and found a few other odds and ends. The wheeled magazine rack you see below was was part of the Craigslist ad, which prompted me to pick this particular estate sale. I had low expectations of finding it on the third (and 50 percent off) day of the sale, but I did and was able to take it home for $17.50.

In all, I spent about $30 for all the things I've shown you here and a few others. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have been thrifting far less and found that an estate sale offers a more focused way of thrift and vintage shopping since most estate sellers offer preview photos of the goods they are selling.

Have you been to an estate sale? I do love the randomness of thrift stores but was so happy to finally hit an estate sale, one where I found so many things that I love.

Anthropologie: Daily inspiration for Earth-friendly decor

This time of the year, I always get inspired reading all the wonderful blog posts about Earth-friendly decorating ideas, but my favorite all-time source for innovative home accessories using recycled materials is Anthropologie.

Cozy yet eclectic, the interiors styling at Anthropologie always amazes me with its creativity and resourcefulness. The styling combines all the elements I love about modern decorating, with vintage, rustic, handmade, colorful and other seemingly disparate items all forming appealing vignettes throughout the store.

Take a look at the bedroom above. The silvery brown of the reclaimed wood perfectly juxtaposes with the wild mix of colors on the bedspread and bench at the end of the bed. The zigzag design on the wood nicely complements the colors, but the true artistry is revealed upon closer inspection.

The colorful design on the reclaimed wood is composed of strips of fabric stretched out on the wood using nails. Simple ingenuity at its best, and a modern take on string art popular in the 70s.

The display shown above immediately caught my interest because I've been obsessed with paper flowers recently. I had been thinking of creating paper flowers to put in a vase or even to make a wreath, but never thought of putting them on a wall. And yet, why not? I stood a while in front of the paper flower display, imagining it on a wall in a children's room or even in a space used not just by children. It would definitely add a touch of whimsy to an entry, a hallway or even a family room.

Up close, it looks like something that anybody could create using materials already on hand. I would say the true genius of the styling folks over at Anthropologie is how they often use the simplest materials to create such breathtaking displays.

The ball shown above is part of the stores' 2011 Earth Day displays showcasing artwork created using corks. Click on this Anthropologie Facebook link to see more photos and read more about how the stores will help recycle the corks used in the displays so they can be used as flooring, paper pulp and other products.

What I love about Anthropologie is that their Earth-friendly style goes well beyond the month of April. I can step into an Anthropologie store anytime to find displays created using recycled or vintage materials. Most of their props such as tables, vintage locker baskets and other items are for sale, though usually at prices beyond my reach. Many of you already know, of course, that thrift stores, Ebay and Craigslist offer a treasure trove of similar items for far less; it just takes a little searching.

I'm always tempted to replicate some of the Anthro projects I see in my own home, but it's far more satisfying to take the inspiration and add my own twist to make them my own if I can. It definitely helps that my nearest Anthro store is less than 10 minutes away, with a few others within an hour's driving distance, so I am often browsing the displays and sale racks.

Do you have a favorite store you like to browse for inspiration?

10 Easy Christmas crafts from Marie Claire Idees

One of my favorite activities at this time of the year is looking for crafting ideas throughout my Christmas books and December magazines that I've collected through the years. With two little kids afoot most of the time, I have to be realistic and tend to choose super-easy projects that deliver instant satisfaction.

One magazine I constantly find myself going to for ideas and inspiration is Marie Claire Idees. Today, I was thrilled to discover many of their projects in an online photo gallery. Here are a few of my favorites from their Christmas gallery that I thought I would share since I know many of you love homemade but are pressed for time even if you don't have young kids around. Clicking on the link below the photo will take you to the page online with a more detailed description.

Christmas card advent calendar

1. This Christmas card advent calendar offers a wonderful way to recycle and display those beautiful cards or gift tags that you just can't bear to throw away.

An alternative wreath

2. The decorated clothes hanger above is a great alternative to the traditional wreath and looks super easy to make. I know I always have a few ornaments that I'm not sure what to do with after I'm done decorating the tree. Perhaps I'll make two of these using a couple of my kids' smaller wooden hangers to display some of their favorite ornaments in their room.

Simple cloth ornaments

3. The simple cloth ornaments above can easily be machine or hand sewn, or dare I say it, glued together. I know my kids could spend hours gluing things together, but it's also a simpler way to do this project if you are really pressed for time. A few sprinkles of glitter or beads completes the project, or you could dream up more sophisticated ornamentation.

Felt ornaments

4. These felt ornaments are a perfect craft for kids. Since my kids are so young, I would first cut out some felt shapes for them and then have them decorate the ornaments with glitter, beads, ribbons and whatever else strikes their fancy.

Personalized store-bought ornaments

5. This is another super-easy craft that would be perfect for my two little kids, though the results might not be as professional as these. It's also a great way to recycle those ornaments that just don't fit your decor anymore. Or you could just go to the dollar store for a package of simple ornaments that you or your kids could dress up.

Paper Angels

6. Paper art and crafting always appeals to me because of my love for paper goods and vintage ephemera. In the example above, simple white paper is the perfect look for the angel, but you could easily use a different color to fit in with your Christmas decor color scheme.

Paper Trees

7. These sweet little trees really drew me in. Again, these are simple to make and a great way to recycle cardboard and paper. These trees could be used to dress up your mantel, as place cards at the dinner table, or as a gift tag in lieu of a bow.

Paper Flowers

8. These colorful paper flowers could be joined together to make a pretty garland for your mantel or a wreath for indoors.

Gift tags

9. These gift tags, yet another simple craft for kids, could be saved by the recipient as a memento or bookmarker. Or make them a little smaller and use them as tree ornaments.

Silver star garland

10. The silver star garland is an easy afternoon project that would serve well as a Christmas or New Year's decoration.

Handmade cards

11. (A bonus craft!) I included these beautiful handmade cards in this round-up though I know these kind of cards can take a bit of time to craft but they are so pretty that I couldn't bear to pass them up. Just think how sweet it would be to give one of these handmade cards to someone special like your child's teacher, grandmother, mom or a best friend?

You can find more of these simple craft ideas, as well as more sophisticated projects if you're an advanced crafter, at Marie Claire Idees. I think the magazine recently revamped their web site to include images and ideas archived from 20 years worth of Marie Claire Idees. It's a real treasure trove where I got lost for a couple hours, just enjoying all the handcrafted goodness.

Will you be doing any Christmas crafts this season? Where do you turn to for inspiration to decorate your home for the holidays? Do share.

Before and after: Tiny craft cabinet

So here we are with just a few weeks to go before the year ends. This is when I begin to assess my goals, which just means a lot of thinking and, when I remember, madly writing down lists. Lately, I've been thinking I want and need to do more crafting with my kids and on my own.

Now that my five-year-old is in school, time seems to be on even shorter supply and the months are whizzing by. Last year, I put together "art boxes" for my kids that consisted of decorated fishing tackle boxes filled with all sorts of crafting goodies. My kids use these boxes every day for creations of their own and those we make together.

My own craft supplies are mostly stored in my writing room, (somewhat) organized into wooden and metal drawers. But we all know that out of sight means out of mind so I decided to put some of my favorites in a more visible place. I repurposed one of my thrift finds into a new tiny craft cabinet that now hangs in my writing room.

The cabinet really is quite tiny, but has just enough room for some of my favorite supplies at the moment and adds a nice pop of color in my office. Not that I need more color, but I've been craving something different other than my usual fuschia-yellow-orange-red combo. I love knowing what colors make me feel good, but it also feels refreshing to get out of my color rut.

This cabinet gives me so much joy, especially knowing I paid only $2 for it at a thrift store. I forgot to take a before shot of it before I removed some chicken wire that was attached on the doors instead of window panes. I rather like it without the chicken wire because it allows me to see what's inside better.

By the way, sorry for my messy bookcase, but I removed some books during the decluttering phase a few weeks ago and need to organize and restyle the entire bookcase now.

Strangely, I'd been craving some turquoise in my home, but even a color junkie like me has to start in small doses when it comes to a bright new color. Two sheets of whimsical Martha Stewart scrapbook paper added the perfect finishing touch to my new crafting cabinet. I am able to fit a few of my favorite crafting supplies, just enough to stoke my imagination and make me want to sit down and craft for a bit. Just what I need.

I hope you have a wonderfully creative weekend. The Thanksgiving holiday last week lulled me into a relaxed mode that I've finally shaken off. Good thing because I just realized Christmas is three weeks away!

Linking up to: A Few of My Favorite Things and Chic on a Shoestring Decorating