This crayon art thing that is happening….You know, the one that’s sweeping the nation?  It’s been pinned to death, and it’s invaded Blogland, like there is tomorrow.  And although I am never one to copy someone else’s ideas, or follow trends for the sake of everybody else doing it, I KNEW I was going to do this art-craft with my kids, the very-first-time I saw it.

Even at the risk, of being called ‘Copy Cats’.

(Sticks and stones may break our bones….)

So I picked up

This just may be the coolest and most fun craft, I have ever done with our kiddos.  If that wasn’t awesome enough, it is super easy, and it doesn’t make a mess either!!  I know, right? It’s perfect for kid’s birthday parties, scouts, camps, etc.  Our kids didn’t want to stop.  They even made a couple of shirts for their friends.  But all of you mothers, as we show you how simple this project is,….think outside the box, for yourselves, or other projects, too. I am!

All you need is:

& HOT SPOTLIGHTS!

HaPpY TuEsDaY, Friends!

Some of you may have swung by here last Tuesday to link up some fine inspiration.  Only, there was no partyin’ happening!  We took an extended-long weekend for our oldest daughter’s birthday, and there just wasn’t room for setting up the link-party on the agenda.  However, we DID send out ample notice, via our Blog’s Facebook Page, as well as my Twitter. So…..if you ‘didn’t get that memo’, maybe you aren’t following us?  So we reckon now is as

*(Happy Summer Everyone! I am re-sharing craft idea / post from our archives dated last year, because it’s a fun idea & favorite of mine for this time of year! Hope you enjoy!)

We had some people down a couple of weekends ago, and while they were here, the kids and I got to making pinwheels.  O.k., in the end, it was mostly me really working on them.  They needed to be fine tuned, to work properly.  Making this quick little craft was on my agenda, so I already had the supplies.   The kids visiting us each took one home.

Ours has served mostly as home decor

& FEATURED PROJECTS!

Well, I hope you all had as wonderful of a weekend, as we did.   It’s rare I go 2 days, without doing something for the blog, or get involved in some creative project or other.  But that’s what I did this weekend! I just spent a little time enjoying working on our gardens, and 2 straight days having quality time with my family. We celebrated Michael, and my Dad-who was here with is this weekend, and also celebrated & remembered our memories & the life of Michael’s father as well.  We miss him.   All in all

I’ve always thought skeleton keys were pretty cool, even back when I was a kid.  While hunting at a frequented antique/junk stop of mine for old door knobs (for my recent Door Knob Project) I found some door knobs were part of a whole working set, complete with the opposite knob, door plate, locking mechanism, and of course…key holes.  That got me wondering if there might be some old skeleton keys around the place too. So I asked the old man who owns the place.

By golly he did.  He pulled

It’s a new first, here at Our House Of Joyful Noise!

This is one of those opportunities, that I just could not pass up!!  It’s not every day that we have someone come through our place, who knows her craft-stuff like this one!  So without further ado…..

We’d like you to meet our first ever (and very special) Guest Crafter!

This is *{Ju}. She is my God-Daughter, and daughter of my cousin. I’m just seeing, in this photo here, that I think she was still a tad sleepy on this morning. Oops!! I was excited to… (READ MORE......) | 9 Comments

While my home is not completely decorated for the upcoming ‘month of love’ just yet, I knew it was time to get to some Valentine crafting!  I happened to see this craft from Martha Stewart Living, and was inspired to try it ourselves, with a spin or 2 of our own on it.  By melting crayons in between wax paper, and cutting out hearts, some very cute Valentine’s decor can be made!  That Martha is a clever one, huh? ( Or, her creative team – whatever. lol.)  You can make this craft as quick and simply. or as involved, as you choose, and I am going to tell you the ways

The kids and I were recently brainstorming for ideas, to put together a very special package for a certain little boy.  It was very special circumstances, that called us to put something together very special, just for him. I wanted to share with you all this idea our oldest, {A}, came up with:  Making a no-sew fleece blanket for him.

It was the perfect idea, with the circumstances for this little boy.

The kids had received fleece blankets like this before, as gifts, and as single layer blankets.  But I wanted to see

Call me way late to the party, but I ‘just’ got around to making my summer fan pull.  I’ve kept this one up, which I made for spring, all of this time.

But I’ve got 2 things to say about that:  1)  I’m not really late TO the party.  I think more, I’ve been too busy being AT a party, to find time for such things, as getting crafty.   2) The spring fan pull did not look all that out of place, so it didn’t bug me too much.  I mean, it’s not like it was snowflakes or anything.

Thus, I’m giving myself a break.  Just in case no… (READ MORE......) | 6 Comments