Activities for Kids Round Up

Sorry for missing my regular Activities for kids round up post last Friday - can I blame baby brain now that the secret it out? Anyway - a round up of some great kiddie activities I have found around the web this week:

Marshmellow shooter via Come Together Kids

Obstacle Course for Kids via Under the Sycamore - check out this link for more beautiful photos of this great Mud Run Party

DIY Display Spy Books via Delia Creates

A quiet toy via Peaceful Parenting

Cardboard town / baby in a box via The Imagination Tree

Our plans for the weekend? A council / community meeting about a proposed development we are all very anti (!), finishing a quilt cover for my little mans big boy room (i am being positive and saying I will finish it and not just work on it!), a trip to the toy store to trial run a bike we are looking at for my little man's Xmas present (gotta love when they are still at an age where he won't be disappointed if he doesn't get it!) and hopefully a few naps for me. Oh and sawing down the legs on a bed I bought on ebay that is just way to tall even for me, let alone my little man.  

What are your plans for the weekend? 

Pear

Just loved the pic and wanted to share

(image and receipe for Pear Crisp with Pecan Brown Sugar Topping from Creature Comfort Blog)

My Creative Space - Big Boy Room Sneak Peak

The last week has largely been spent pulling together my sons new big boy room - and whilst it is not all complete I thought I would share some sneak peaks of what I have been up to.

(inspiration via here and here)

Inspiration for a quilt cover which hopefully I will get done on the weekend (inspiration via My Poppet where you can purchase these gorgeous little houses)

For more Creative Spaces - head over to Our Creative Spaces

yes please, thank you - Polar Project

Loving these cards from Polar Project:

Available with lots others from Polar Project's Etsy store here (cards only US$3.30 and high five postcard only US$1.65)

Two Big Announcements for Another Donkey Design

Today I have two big announcements for Another Donkey Design - one a little bit more life changing than the other - but both exciting nonetheless!

Firstly - the life changing news.... we are expecting another baby.

(My baby bump in Fiji in September)

Confession time - this is not actually new news. In fact I am more than just a little bit pregnant, I am actually 29 weeks pregnant today. Apologies for not sharing sooner, but for whatever reason, I have been putting off this announcement (except for those who I saw at the ABCD Sydney event last month - there was no hiding the secret there and not just because i was not drinking!) So that is the reason my little man is moving to a new Big Boy Room in the coming weeks - and on a side note the room is almost finished and i promise to share the photos when it is done. And before you ask - we are not finding out the sex beforehand - we are going to keep it a surprise like we did with our son.

Second announcement for the day (seems a little minor in comparison)- with only 2 months till Christmas - Another Donkey Design is having it's first ever facebook sale for Christmas gift tags, twine and other excess stock (the nesting is kicking in and i need to clear out the cupboards!). Sale will kick off at 8pm Wednesday 26th October 2011 (AEST) and will finish 8pm Friday 28th October 2011 (or until stocks last)
Some of the goodies on offer include:

Hope to see you all there!

The Animal Print Shop - even more awwww worthy

Sharon Montrose of The Animal Print Shop (see my earlier post about them here) has just launched a new range "Little Darlings" prints. Totally cute - and totally awwww worthy.

Check out the full range of prints here

My Creative Space - Texta Box

Inspired by Jane over at Life on Planet Baby and her beautifully transformed washi tape decorated cake tin post yesterday - I took to my sons texta box last night with a little bit of washi tape, scrapbooking paper and modge podge.

The original undecorated box - nice box but a little bit boring

Washi tape covered sides

The perfect paper for a little boy's texta box

Best part - the box was a recycled box from a set of magnets I bought from the $2 shop - so really, as I had everything on hand - it cost nothing!
Head over here for more Creative Spaces

Darling Quarter - Just in Time for Summer

We are really very lucky to live in Sydney and I don't think I would ever want to live anywhere else (lucky for me my husband feels the same). But I must admit sometimes it is hard to come up with new places to entertain a 22 month old without costing an arm and a leg. So that was why I was so excited to hear the new Darling Quarter was now open - just in time for summer.

We headed down on Sunday mid morning on a beautiful clear spring day with enough heat in the sun to need sunscreen. It would appear the rest of Sydney had the same idea.

Despite the crowds - there was enough room and things to do for everyone including the 21m flying fox, giant ring swing, 3m high big slide, slide hill, 18.7m long balance rope course, jumbo swings, octonet (10m high climbing frame - which is seriously very high), pump stations, sand diggers, water scoops, water screw, water squirts - the list goes on. My little man loved the water and giant slide the best - and at only 22 months - there was heaps to keep him entertained. It is even great for kids even younger who just love to get wet and play with soft sand.

For those without children - it is still a great place to visit as there is a huge number of restaurants which have
opened up with lots of very comfy outdoor sitting to spend those summer afternoons and nights with a cool glass of white wine in your hand.
(PS I am not a huge fan of kids in sunglasses but he is going through a hating sun in the eyes phase and he wanted to wear them - whom am I to say no!)

Stationery Love - Beside that Willow Tree

Loving this card by Beside that Willow Tree on Etsy

Missing you type card A6

Activities for Kids Round Up

A round up of some great kids activities I have found around the web this week:

Ice-cube boats via El Hadade Papel

The Very Hungry Caterpillar printables via 1 Plus 1 Plus 1 Equals 1

Popsicle Puzzles via the Amazing Mess and
The Rigneys (image)

Portable Water Colours via Creative With Kids

Moonsand via Irresistible Ideas

For a round up of all my kiddie web-found activities - check our my Pinterest Board dedicated to DIY Kid Stuff and Activities.

Our plans for the weekend - who knows? The possibilities are endless!

Etsy Love - Subliminal Baby Messages

Some Etsy love for this lovely Friday morning (lovely because it is Friday). These great 11x14 prints are produced by Sycamore Street Press and would look great individually or all lined up along a bedroom wall because who can really say when babies start to read!

Check out Sycamore Street Press on etsy or the web for multiple orders and other great prints

My Sweet Prints - Birthday Sale

I have said it before, and I will say it again - I am a huge fan of My Sweet Prints and well, her sweet prints! They are great additions to any family home and have that perfect blend of cute - but not cute if you follow me. So why I am going on about them AGAIN - well Janette is celebrating My Sweet Prints 2nd birthday and but offering discounts on a selection of her prints (which also means a discount on postage for some prints). Get it quick though - the sale ends Friday 14th October at 5pm. (PS - these make great christmas presents too.

(I bought this one!)

Also - don't forget to follow My Sweet Prints on Facebook

Cookie Monster - mmmm cookies....

Despite only watching Sesame Street occasionally (not because he only watches TV occasionally - more that we can only get him to watch something other than Nemo and Cars occasionally!) my son is a fan of the cookie monster and has taken to shoving rice in his mouth like the Cookie Monster (terrible table manners but very amusing). So in his honour - here is some great Cookie Monster goodness

Image from good morning and good night

Image via With Our Best

Image via The Meta Picture

Wordless Wednesday - A Lovely Surprise

(with a little help from Dad)

For more Wordless Wednesday's head over to Faith Hope and a Whole Lotta Love

Sock Toys by Craft Schmaft

Apparently these sock toys can be made by kids from 8 years and older - so there is at least some hope for me. Created by Craft Schmaft (a fellow sydney sider)- these great patterns are available to purchase as a PDF instruction booklets - so they are great to have on hand for when those inevitable odd socks end up in the washing basket.

With Christmas coming up these toys would make some great presents for nieces and nephews.

PS - if you get in quick the Sausage Dog and Lil' Monster Patterns are on special for $9 (usually $16).

Weekend Activities for Kids

Looking for something to do with the kids this (most likley rainy) weekend? Why not give one or all of these a go:

Mini work bench - image and details at Modern Parents Messy Kids

Little Monsters - image and details at Alisa Bourke

Pretend Makeup - image and details at Not so Ideal Hands (those $1 bins at the chemist full of dodgy coloured nail polish would be perfect for this one)

Some Here Fishy Fishy - image and details at Mini-Eco

Streets with Painters tape - image and details at Buggy and JellyBean

For a round up of all my kiddie web-found activities - check our my Pinterest Board dedicated to DIY Kid Stuff and Activities

Us? Well this weekend - I am off to the hairdresses and lunch - so there is no telling what my husband and son are going to get up to!

You? Would love to hear what you are getting up to this weekend.