Cinnamon Ornaments smell great!  They’re very easy to make and are a nice early Christmas gift to give.  I made ours in somewhat neutral shapes so people could keep them hanging around the house for the yummy smell after Christmas.  We made stars, crescent moons, hearts and trees.  Below you can find the recipe for...

This year my daughter’s class is doing a nice, simple project.  They’re not buying Valentines from the store to give to all the kids in the class.  Instead, they’re each cutting out hearts out of construction paper.  On one side they’re putting a classmate’s name and on the other side they’re writing something...

This reindeer went to visit my daughter’s school the other day.  Actually, she made him… but look how he came alive!  He’s ready to learn. All you have to do to make a candy cane reindeer is to glue a red pompom on a candy cane as a nose, 2 googly eyes above it and a...

Here are some simple instructions to create a handprint ornament.  It can be used as a Christmas decoration or for Chanukah or Mother’s Day or any time you want to hang something cute!   1.  Cut out a circle using a thick piece of paper of the color of your choosing (about 6...

My daughter made these thumbprint guys in art class today. They’re made with paint and Sharpie permanent markers. All you do is dip your thumb in paint and make thumbprints in different places on thick paper.  Let the thumbprints dry.  Then add details with a black Sharpie marker.  At top you can see a guy skating...

Gracie Gralike sent me this wonderful illustration for Halloween.  I love the details! In order to help get you in the mood, I’m posting links to our Halloween songs, poetry and recipes below… Happy Halloween!  Many thanks to Gracie for sharing such a great drawing! Feel free to share your favorite Halloween song, poem or recipe in...

Here are links to previous posts about Easter, including customs from around the World and how to dye eggs naturally… Feel free to share your Easter customs in the comments below or by emailing me at lisa@mamalisa.com . Happy Easter! Mama Lisa

My daughter’s class had a multicultural festival today.  All the kids brought in food from their culture… There were samosas from India… Pierogies from Russia… Jumu "Haitian" Soup…   That’s only naming a few of the delicious dishes!  Some kids brought in crafts and activities from their culture… Swedish Paper Heart Ornaments are made in Sweden (and Denmark). ...

Here’s some Halloween artwork my daughter and her friends did this week. I thought you might enjoy seeing it to help get you in the mood for Halloween! “Bones” by Lila “Skeleton” by Lila… “Witch” by Sarina “Graveyard” by Melisa “Graveyard II” by Melisa “R.I.P.” by Marisa Have a Spooky Fun Halloween! Mama Lisa

I clearly remember being seven years old and listening to Elton John’s rendition of the Beatle’s Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds in my suburban backyard… Looking up at the sky and imagining a girl there, possibly me, floating with diamonds, a rainbow in the background (I guess due to the colorful imagery in the...

Here’s a drawing my daughter did this year in first grade. The theme was to draw something that’s beautiful about Earth. My daughter’s answer: Flowers! This drawing was for Earth Day. It’s a nice idea to have children to do a drawing inside a globe shape to celebrate the holiday. -Mama...

Here are directions to create a marble effect on eggs. It’s an easy way to give your eggs more pizzazz this Easter. 1) Hard boil white eggs. 2) Prepare egg dyes. You can use store bought dyes (*see note below) or follow my instructions to prepare natural dyes. 3) You can dye some eggs...

During most of the centuries that people have colored eggs for Easter, the dyes used were made from natural products like onion peels, bark, beets and blueberries. Of course, it’s different today. These days, most of us use store bought tablets that make dying Easter eggs quick and easy. My children and...

I’ve been experimenting with dying eggs naturally! The photos below show some of my results. Over the next few days, I’ll be posting easy directions to dye eggs with natural products, like fruits and vegetables, that you can follow at home. Cheers! Mama Lisa UPDATE: The directions for dying eggs naturally are online.

I love children’s artwork. Here’s a great drawing by Lila! Feel free to send me art done by a kid you know to post.

My daughter came home from school the other day and just sat down and drew these carrot ladies. They look to me like dancing and singing carrots. I immediately took to them and they made me smile. Of course they did, I’m her mother! But I wanted to share this drawing...

My daughter’s Kindergarten teacher asked if anyone would like to make home made play dough for the class. It sounded like fun, so of course, I volunteered! It was very quick and easy to make and not too messy after all. Here’s the recipe from my daughter’s teacher… Play Dough Recipe 1 cup All-purpose...