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Surprise yourself! And be a celebrity in your child or grandchild’s eyes as well. Try writing and even illustrating a story that stars a young person. It can be silly, magical or scary (if the child is old enough.)

You don’t have to be an award-winning author or artist to make something that will be treasured for generations to come. I did this recently, and the little one in question must consider it her favorite book of all time. At least I get asked to read it whenever I’m babysitting, and she seems to have memorized the entire thing!

This should be a time of rediscovering the important things in life, and that includes the love in your family, and the treasure that our children truly are, both for us and for the future of mankind. Show them how important they are, and they will strive to live up to it.

Posted August 4, 2009 Comments(0)

Keeping with the theme of the ever present butterfly, I’ve started planning a butterfly garden . I think inviting these wonderful creatures into my yard benefits both of us! And who wouldn’t want more and more butterflies to show up? Last year I counted 10 different varieties, but since I’ve started to pay attention to what types actually live in my area, I realize there are many more that could be enticed to visit.

And I realize part of creating a welcoming environment for these little beauties is creating food for the caterpillars. These are known as “host plants”, and there are a number of types depending on what kind of butterfly you’re trying to attract.

All these plants are attractive, and by planting them you have the satisfaction of creating a fantastic butterfly garden! What could be more magical?

Posted March 19, 2009 Comments(0)

“Julie, why do you have so much butterfly jewelry ?” My young next door neighbor, in the innocent manner of curious 4 year old children stared up at me, or rather up at my pretty new butterfly pendant.

“Well Lindy, I think butterflies are beautiful bugs. What do you think?”

“I think they are pretty. I love them!” she said passionately. I squeezed her hand. Children are a little like butterflies themselves, emerging fresh and beautiful into a world full of possibilities. In these uncertain times they ground us, reminding us of the importance of new life and new beginnings.

Maybe that’s what butterflies are all about, symbolically speaking.

Posted March 7, 2009 Comments(0)

When was the last time you made Christmas cookies for all your relatives? I understand that time may be a problem, but I swear there’s nothing that says “I really care about you” then a batch of homemade cookies received in the mail.

They aren’t expensive, you can decorate them in unique ways, and they will be appreciated not only for their yumminess, but because you took the time to create them. Just a dozen cookies, decorated and presented in a cute little holiday tin (you can find them at the thrift store) makes a gift that can’t be beat. If you’re trying to cut down on your holiday spending, this might be the way to go.

Just a little old fashioned creative genius!

Posted November 29, 2008 Comments(0)

Have you ever written a haiku? These are short poems, just about 17 syllables long. And they are insightful ideas or observations about the environment. They are a perfect way for a child to discover the joys of creative writing, because they are quite short.

The Japanese are the originators of this literary form; there were some very famous Haiku writers in centuries past. When I was a child, I was fascinated with the haiku, and had 2 volumes of this poetry.

Why not sit down with your child and encourage him or her to try her hand at this wonderful form of expression?

Posted August 31, 2008 Comments(0)

Parents, make sure you keep crayons or markers, plus lots of paper on hand for your children! I think it’s every bit as important for a child to be able to draw whenever she wants to as it is to make sure she learns to read.

A child encouraged to be creative will have the best gift that you can give to her. A young boy encouraged to draw the family dog will reach beyond video games to entertain himself, and he can do it whenever he likes.

Become a family that creates for fun- so much better than TV!

Posted July 31, 2008 Comments(0)

This is one of the simplest, most satisfying of all crafts. When you pick a flower, make sure it is very fresh. Before pressing, it should be dry to the touch but not dried out. When I was a kid, we used to put flowers between layers of wax paper, and then put them in a heavy book, laid flat. Today the advice seems to be to put them between acid-free blotting paper first, the inside a heavy book (a phone book works quiet well.) The more weight on the flower, the faster the results will be.

Thick flowers are more difficult to press, but they can still be done. I’ve seen beautiful pressed roses, and I can’t think of flowers much thicker!

Posted July 27, 2008 Comments(0)

One of the easiest animals your child can make out of clay is the snake. Have her roll it out on a piece of paper; the more bits of different color the better. This seemingly simple exercise can give your child a lot of confidence in her ability to create. There is something magical about taking a thought or concept and making it appear in reality.

Who knows? You may have a budding Michelangelo on your hands!

Posted July 15, 2008 Comments(0)

I just saw a wonderful idea for a cat toy! You can use a garden glove and tie a strip of yarn on the end of each finger tip. On the end of the yarn, the part that dangles down, tie a jingle bell! Your kitty will love attacking the yarn and your fingers will remain safe.

For the playful dog, fill an old sock with 2 or 3 squeakers, and stuff the rest of it with some fiberfill. You can decorate the outside with some felt scraps for eyes. Just make sure you use a nontoxic glue to fix it to the sock. Or better yet, embroider the eyes on! It’s not that hard, and you will end up with a very clever piece of play art for your canine companion!

You can make your own necklace from melon seeds! It isn’t hard; all you have to do is wash the seeds you get from a watermelon or cantaloupe then string them using a waxy thread like dental floss.

It works best when the melon seeds are damp because it’s way easier to pierce them with the needle.

String them up then hang them to dry. This would be a great project during the summer to get a jump on some home-made holiday gifts! Inexpensive gifts , especially when crafted from the heart are fun to receive.

Posted May 22, 2008 Comments(0)