Mindful crafting with Sequin Pets to snuggle

Last week on a school field trip, I had a very earnest conversation with a little girl about all of the many things she loves about sequins. Specifically, reverse sequins {AKA mermaid sequins}, the kind that you can use to “draw” shapes with. It turns out she has been wanting products with these special reverse … Read more

Make your own mini envelopes in seconds using simple paper hearts

Make your own mini envelopesWhen I was young, my grandma and I used to play with a mini mailbox for hours. We would write each other notes and deliver them to her toy mailbox where the other person would come and collect them and read them aloud. It didn’t matter that I couldn’t read or write at the time, my grandma always translated my letters and read mine for me. The excitement and joy she got at reading each letter was matched only by my own, and these are some of my very favorite memories of her.

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Fail-proof cooking with Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker

Anova sous vide cooker

I’m a chronic over-cooker. I know this about myself and still I find that at least a few times a year I over cook to the point of being inedible because I get distracted with kids and life and leave food in too long. My husband is a chronic under-cooker. Which is understandable because he … Read more

Seattle: get your Santa pictures at Northgate Mall

Are you in the Seattle area? If so, you are definitely going to want to head to Northgate Mall, part of the Simon family of shopping centers, before the holiday season is over. While you’re there, find your way to their holiday display by Kay Jewelers to get your pictures taken with Santa. This year … Read more

Turn any doorway into an amazing gym for the whole family with Gym1

Rare is the present you can truly get for the *whole* family. Besides trips that cost crazy amounts of money or expensive game systems or electronics that encourage only passive play, there’s not much else that’s out there that the whole family can enjoy as a whole. On that short list is the Gym1 doorway … Read more

Classic design and creative play with Viking Toys

I love toys that inspire my kids to use their imaginations. So many toys these days have scripted storylines and built in backstories. I personally love it when my kids create the story, define the characters, and it’s an added bonus when they also have to build or construct something while they play. Viking Toys … Read more

Give the gift of history with Felicity from American Girl

It’s hard for me to picture Christmas time without American Girl. I vividly remember circling items in the American Girl catalog each year in my youth, then I remember shopping their online store with my nieces years later, and now I’m taking my own kids to the Seattle American Girl store for them to make … Read more

Meet Piper, the DIY STEM computer kit for kids

As a parent, I’m always looking for toys that aren’t *just* toys for my kids. I want toys that inspire learning, ones that will resonate with the kids, and mostly I want toys that won’t get abandoned as soon as the shiny luster wears off. Well parents, I found the holy grail of presents for … Read more

Creativity For Kids and Craftivity art kits for the win

Have kids, tweens or teens you’re buying for this holiday season? Here’s a pro tip: go with the art supplies. Unless you are *absolutely positive* of what games they are wanting, what movies they don’t have, what brand is still “in”, or what clothing is and isn’t popular this week, just do yourself a favor … Read more