Sometimes the simplest things can be the most fun

I was out looking for supplies for some thank you gifts I am thinking up and I was told about this new mini loom that makes rubber band bracelets - which I guess I am a little behind on knowing about
and you can make without the loom and with small hair ties, but I knew instantly my girls would love it. So I bought it and showed it to Gracyn when I got home (Gretchyn was taking her sometimes Kindergarten is so exhausting I still need a nap) and she couldn't get the package open or directions read fast enough! She did get a little 'tired' in the middle and asked me to finish, but that is just her seven year old attention span. Gretchyn woke up from her nap and was so excited she made two when she was supposed to be sleeping last night. They are also back at it this morning. (guess I should have sprung for the extra rubber bands too!) The only problem we are running into is we have misplaced the small plastic brackets to connect the two ends so I suggest you find a safe place for those when you open your package. And unless you are hopeless at knot tying like me you can tie the ends together.

Here is a Smilebox slideshow of Gracyn making her bracelet -

You can find ordering and video instructions at www.miniloom.com

The 'tail' end -please share any simple crafts you have done with your children - we would love to try them!

Gone trick or treating, be back when my bag is full

I meant to get this posted before Halloween, but we got a little busy creating :)

I have always loved to create things. I loved making paper bag puppets to tell stories when I was young and I remember learning to draw bubble letters at a summer day camp and spending the next months of summer putting bubble letters on anything I could write on. I have what my husband calls a 'crap' room in our  basement, Pinterest is one of my biggest time suckers, and I think I have passed the crafting on to my daughters.

The girls wanted to make something to take to school for Halloween to share with their class so we created pencil witches to share. Below is a Smilebox slideshow with materials and steps to make them.

Free slideshow design customized with Smilebox

We may have bit off a little much in making 46- my kitchen counter turned into a crafting bonanza for about a week, I burnt a few fingers with hot glue, but the girls had fun helping (most of the time) and they got some nice thank yous when they handed them out on Halloween.

The tail end - Share some things you make for Halloween tricks or treats