Franklin Goose

DIY: 14 Days Of Valentines

Why limit just one day to celebrating love with your family? Here’s a fun activity you can do with your kids in the lead up to Valentine’s Day.

What You’ll Need:

• A box
• Craft paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Drawing utensils

Find boxes to use for your mailboxes. Any type of box will do, such as a shoebox or an empty cereal box. (A tissue box would work great with its already built-in mail slot!) With paper, tissue, stickers, doilies, lace, ribbon, markers, paint—pretty much anything you want—decorate your mailbox. Don’t forget to put your name on it!

In the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, write notes to each other about why you love each other. Fold up each note and put it in the appropriate mailbox. On Valentine’s Day, open your mailboxes and enjoy reading all the sweet things your family has written about each other.

For children who are learning to write, this is a great way to practice. Younger children can draw pictures instead of writing notes. 

DIY: Scarf of a Thousand Chains

(emily)

At the beginning of the holiday season, one of our customers came into the store wearing a beautiful scarf she had made. When Sheri and I asked her about it, she directed us to the website Delia Creates where we found a tutorial for the Scarf of a Thousand Chains.

I took up crocheting once in middle school, made a snowflake ornament for my great-grandmother, and then promptly lost interest, so when Sheri suggested I try to make this scarf, I was hesitant. But what’s great about this scarf is that it’s a very easy crochet project and perfect for a beginner.

The Scarf of a Thousand Chains is simply that, a thousand chains. A strip of leather or fabric is used to wrap around the knotted ends. The first time I tried, it took me just a little over 1 episode of Psych on Netflix to complete. 

I tried several different yarns before deciding to use a chunky yarn. Using thinner yarns looked okay if they were doubled up, but I think the chunky yarn makes the scarf cozier. 

Once I got comfortable with the stitch, I got a little creative with my scarves. I made several scarves for various family members.

 

For the purple and gold scarf, I did 500 chains of each color and then yarned over the 2 strands together. For my sister and my 15-month-old niece I made matching scarves, the smallest with just 500 chains. I used a purple batik fabric for the decorative piece. 

 

If you’re looking for a beginner’s project for yourself or a child, or if you’re an expert crocheter and you’d like something easy to do on a cold January night, the Scarf of a Thousand Chains is a great option. 

Related articles

Family Fun: Goose Grease Fair Trade DIY Family Kit

Snow Day Survival Guide

(emily)

We got hit with some icy weather here over the weekend in RVA, and from the looks of it, so did a lot of other people in the country. 

For future reference, or if you have any lazy days coming up, here's our very own Snow Day Survival Guide:

1. Get crafty. Haven't started an advent calender this December? I don't really think it's too late, and this advent calender at Oh Happy Day is pretty quick and easy. It's also not too Christmasy, so you can reuse it for other holidays or birthdays!

2. Stay in your PJs all day. We love Skylar Luna's festive pajamas like these Candy Cane ones!

3. Grab that one can of pumpkin left over from Thanksgiving. No need for it to collect dust in your pantry when you can make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!

4. Catch up on your holiday TV viewing. It's not the holidays until you've spent time with the Grinch, Charlie Brown, and George Bailey. 

5. Mix it up by turning on some holiday music and having an impromptu dance party. Check out Matt Wertz' fun song "Snow Globe."

6. Need an activity for after nap time? We love the Goose Grease Ornament Kit. Paint your own ornament for your tree, or let your kids give them as gifts for Grandpa, Auntie, or their favorite teachers!

Family Fun: Goose Grease Fair Trade DIY Family Kit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(emily)

Recently, I spent the weekend at my grandparents’ home with my sister and her family, and I brought along one of the new Goose Grease DIY Family Kits that we just got at Franklin Goose.  My family and I had such fun painting our own peg dolls together!

The kit came with 6 dolls of varying heights, so the 5 of us each had a doll to paint. It was really fun seeing not just the artistic talents of each of us, but our own personal tastes coming across as we worked together. 

 

What's inlcuded in the DIY Family Kit:

• 6 peg dolls
• 6 pots of paint
• 2 paint brushes
• 1 pencil
• 1 pot of overcoat/varnish
• 1 tortillon shading tool
• 1 toothpick
• sandpaper
• tip sheet

 Of course, we each had to name our peg dolls. From left to right: Binky the baby, Willow, Charlie Brown, Bea, Sylvester, and Lilly. 

 Goose Grease Peg Doll Sets and DIY Kits are available at FranklinGoose.com. 

Photo Credit: G. Khoma, V. Khoma

DIY: 1st Birthday Decorations

(emily)

My little niece Jolie is officially a 1 year old! We celebrated recently with a fun party with our family and friends. My sister Grace decided to make all the decorations, goodie bags, and food herself. Her theme was an interesting choice: pinwheels! There were pinwheels everywhere!

My favorite of the decorations were the banners and bunting Grace made. They were so beautiful and unique, and Grace showed me how easy they were to make. I loved them so much, I thought I’d share them with you.

 

To make your own, you’ll just need a few items.

Supplies:

• Paper - Colored craft paper, brown craft paper (or paper grocery bags!), & white paper 
• Fabric scraps (Grace used fabric scraps from Rockin' Baby!)
• Yarn
• Hole punch
• Scissors
• Glue
• Tulle (optional)

Grace used craft paper and brown paper to create the bunting. She cut the paper into triangles and then layered a smaller triangle cut from brown craft paper on top. She cut out letters to spell out “Happy Birthday Jolie” and a big “1,” which she then glued onto the triangles.

In the corners of the triangles, Grace punched holes and tied them together with pink yarn to keep the bunting secure. The yarn also helped hold the bunting up across the kitchen and dining room. She then used fabric scraps to tie bows between each triangle.

Grace also draped tulle with the bunting, tying tiny red tulle strips every foot or so to give it a little extra color.

It’s so sweet, and really gave the party a unique look. I think it would be really easy to make it your own and fit with any party theme and color palette. 

For more party ideas, plus recipes for healthy birthday cakes, check out Grace's blog, Mama Knows What?

DIY Halloween: Superhero Cuffs

(emily)

Now that it's October, it's time to start thinking about Halloween and costumes. I saw this DIY idea floating around the internet. It was so cool, I thought I'd give it a try. 

To jazz up any superhero outfit, try these awesome DIY Superhero Cuffs. They're really simple to make, and can be a great craft project for your kids. 

What You'll Need:

• 1 paper towel roll (or 2 toliet paper rolls)
• a pair of scissors
• paints & paint brush (I used P'Kolino Poster Paints.)
• water & paper towels for clean up
• a pen, marker, or pencil

If you're using a paper towel roll, cut it down the center in a straight line. Then cut the roll halfway to create 2 equally-sized cuffs. If you're using 2 toilet paper rolls, just cut down the center to make them into cuffs. 

Cut a curve along the corners so that they fit a bit more comfortably. (Squared corners might poke into little wrists and arms.) Also cut off any torn or battered edges. 

Now get out your marker, pen, or pencil, and create a pattern or your superhero symbol. I went with stars because I like stars and lightning bolts were a little too Thor for me. I guess my superhero name should be Star Girl. You can either let your kids design their cuffs, or you can do it for them. Once you've got your pattern, you can start painting.

 As I was painting my cuffs, I noticed that they started to lose shape. I guess the wet paint softened the cardboard too much. To make sure they stayed on, I punched 4 holes into the cuffs, 2 on each side, and ran a string through to lace them up and secure them. 

And there you go! 

Hopscotch Nursery Rug DIY

 

(sheri)

My sister and I spotted this rug on Pinterest and immediately thought we should use it in the nursery in our Richmond store. We couldn't find a pattern or instructions so my sister made them up herself.

First we had to hunt down some wool felt in the heathered colors we liked. Luckily there is a fantastic fabric store in Richmond, Quilting Adventures, where we had purchased some heathered wool before to make birds for our windows. They special ordered some for us in the colors we wanted so now our rug was possible!

 

Next Kathryn drew out the dimensions of the space we had available for a rug. She did this on graph paper so she could start to draw out the dimensions of each square and number. There are a total of 9 squares needed. With two horizontal lines that hold two numbers. I would recommend

 

Next we cut the main fabric for the rug. Then cut each piece of the white felt for the hopscotch square outlines. Next were cutting out the numbers. We decided to use the iron on hem product rather than sewing each piece of fabric. We felt it would give us a cleaner look. The only thing about doing that is you have to cut each piece of iron on hem material to match the pieces that make up the hopscotch board.

 

The beginning of our hopscotch rug

 

The rug is starting to take shape

 

 

I would recommend not using pins, they left tiny holes

 

 

 

This is half way through the ironing process

 

 

Almost finished

 

The last step was to iron on each piece and then, DONE!  We are so happy with the final results! We will get a non-slip rug pad to go under the rug and it will be perfect!

 

 

All done!

In the Nursery!

 

What do you think?

5 Great Earth Day Crafts

 

(sheri)

 

Monday is Earth Day. For us we consider the Earth in what we sell, how we live, and what we teach everyday. So to have one day to call international attention to our quest for a better and safer place to live is great. It is an opportunity to teach our kids about the importance of taking care of and honoring our planet. By doing so, I believe we also honor ourselves and each other.

Children learn so much through play so why not teach them about our planet through creative projects and play?

We found some great ideas on the web and wanted to share them with you.

Personal Recycling Bin

 

(Image from Momtastic blog)

 

Momtastic has a great idea, have your little one make their own recyling bin. They will be so proud to have the family recycling in their bin. It is a great way to show them about how we can recycle, what can be recyled and why we recycle. This can start great habits early on!

 

Earth Day Tree Craft

(Image from Maryland Momma's blog)

 

Maryland Momma's post about how to make a tree for Earth Day caught my eye right away. I think it is a great craft for a little one. It can also make a great centerpiece for the dinner table on Earth Day, making an opportunity to discuss Earth day with the whole family. The craft incorporates recycling, creativity and nature, a great combo for any craft, any day.

 

Tin Can Bird Feeder

 

(image from Turning the Clock Back blog)

 

On the blog, Turning the Clock back, this Tin Can Birdfeeder is the featured Earth Day craft. This craft is great for any age. Your little one will have a great time recycling a tin can into a bird feeder, after all what kid doesn't love to paint? I think this bird feeder would be a great way to remind kids every day about Earth Day since they will see the feeder a lot as it hangs in your yards. It is also creates opportunities to talk about birds and other outdoor creatures.

 

Tin Can Flower Pot

 

The Make Myself at Home blog featured this great Earth Day craft. I love teaching kids how to plant and care for flowers or plants. Imagine planting an herb in a tin can so they can even eat their Earth Day craft all summer long. This craft allows each child to customize the craft to reflect them. If you cut out images from nature you can talk to your child about the earth and the importance of caring for it while you make their flower pot.

 

Recycled Boats

 

 

I love this craft from East Coast Mommy! You can upcyle instead of recycle, which is even better for the planet. You can also play outside, if it is warm enough, or in the bathtub or sink if it isn't. There is so much opportunity for creativity, for talking about recycling, upcycling and the effect of plastic trash on our oceans and other waterways. Your kids can have fun creating their own custom boats, while learning about rivers, oceans, lakes, ponds, waterfalls and streams. They can learn about the importance of conserving water so there are plenty of places for people to sail their boats.

 

What will you be doing for Earth Day? We would love to hear about and see your crafts or ideas!

 

 

 

 

Happy Easter!

(emily)

Today is the first day of spring. Just let that sink in for a moment. Spring. Ah, beautiful spring. Budding green trees and windy, sunny days await.

I love spring. I love Daylight Savings Time and the sun setting later. I love warm weather. And I love Easter.

(I’m really struggling to resist the candy aisle at the grocery store right now.)

If you’re looking to celebrate Easter with your family this year, you’ve probably thought about dyeing Easter eggs with your kids. I’ve got a few ideas for a unique spin on such a fun tradition.

First, though, a few tips on Easter egg dyeing:

If you want to dye Easter eggs but are uncomfortable using store-bought dyes, why not make your own at home? For vibrant colors, have a look in your pantry and refrigerator. Blues and purples can be made with blueberries, red cabbage, or grape juice. Reds can be made with beets, cranberry juice, or frozen berries. If you have turmeric in your spice collection you can make yellow, and spinach can be used for green. Orange juice can make a lovely orange, and tea or coffee grounds can make brown.

Just fill a saucepan with two cups of your fruit, vegetable, or spice and cover it with water. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to let it simmer. Once you’ve reached the shade of color you like, strain the dye into a bowl and add a few teaspoons of white vinegar.

Rub a little vegetable oil into your boiled eggs before dyeing them. This will make them a little glossy and help the color stand out.

To help your kids with the dyeing process, pour your dyes into cups or bowls and then give each child a whisk. The egg will fit easily inside, and they can plop it directly into the dye without having to get too much on their hands.

Note: Don’t fret if the color is taking well right away. Leave the eggs in the natural dyes longer than you would with store-bought ones, and you’ll have beautiful Easter eggs.

 

Now, what if you want to do something a little different with your eggs? Here are 3 crafts you and your kids can do together this Easter.

 

Shaving Cream Eggs

Originally posted at Little Wonders’ Days

Parental Effort: Medium

Kiddy-Made Mess Level: Medium with potential

 

Painting with shaving cream is a great craft for little kids because it involves so many textures and colors that they will be excited about. The mess level can be high if you have a particularly enthusiastic artist, but effort on the part of the parent is minimal – mostly ensuring that the shaving cream stays in its designated art area and not on your little artist’s hair and clothes or your furniture.

What you’ll need:

a tray,

shaving cream,

cardstock or construction paper,

kid-friendly paint,

scissors,

a toothpick, paintbrush, or spoon – something to swirl the paint into the shaving cream,

and a squeegee or some sort of straight edge, like a ruler, to scrape off the remaining cream.

Fill the tray with shaving cream and then drizzle your paint over the cream. With your toothpick, swirl the paint into the cream to create a marbled effect. Cut out an Easter egg shape from your cardstock or construction paper, and then press it down into the shaving cream and paint. Lift off the paper and let it sit for a few minutes to set. Then with your squeegee, scrape off the shaving cream. It will leave behind the paint, giving your child a fun marbled Easter egg.

 

Chalkboard Paint Eggs

Originally posted by Oleander + Palm

Parental Effort: Medium

Kiddy-Made Mess Level: Low

 

Traditions are great for children as they grow up, and these chalkboard paint eggs can help create a little one for your family.

All you need is

a paper mache egg shape that you can purchase at your local craft store,

chalkboard paint,

a paint brush, and

chalk.

Paint the eggs with the chalkboard paint and wait until they are dry. Then allow your children to decorate the eggs with chalk. You can use these to decorate for Easter and spring, and the great thing is that your kids can wipe them clean and redecorate them whenever they want. Bring them out next year and see how your children’s tastes and skills have developed.

 

Crepe Paper Surprise Bunny

Originally posted by Martha Stewart

Parental Effort: High

Kiddy-Made Mess Level: Low

 

This is a fun twist on the Easter egg hunt. Get a few little trinkets to hide away in these bunnies. Also make sure to have

crepe paper,

a hot-glue gun,

tissue or construction paper,

clear-drying glue, and

cupcake paper.

With your crepe paper, cut out 2 bunny ears. (Marth Stewart has a handy template for you if you need one.) Cut the rest of the crepe paper into ¾ inch strips. Wrap 1 strip around a trinket until you create a small ball. You can add more trinkets under the layers as you go.

Once you’ve got a decent size ball, glue your ears with the hot-glue gun. Add a face, and then take your cupcake liners and cut a small hole in the center and flip it upside down to let the ball nestle in it.

 

We’ve gathered a few other ideas for you guys on our Easter board on Pinterest. Check them out for everything from fun Easter cookie ideas to unique and crafty takes on the traditional Easter basket.

Nursery Design: DIY Circus

(emily)

If you’ve had the chance to visit our store in Richmond, you have probably noticed that we’re really into being sustainable and using reclaimed furniture for our displays. So when I shared with my coworkers the nursery that my sister designed, we decided it was too cool not share with all of you.

When it came time to design her nursery, my sister Grace was very clear that she did not want anything too “girly.” She didn’t like the idea of a lot of pink, even though she was having a girl. Grace and her husband Viktor are very fun and original, and they wanted their nursery to reflect their style. They’re also a bi-cultural couple, so many of their design choices are eclectic and culturally diverse.

Grace also became obsessed with elephants during her pregnancy.  

Inspiration

Our great-grandfather Bernie loved the circus so much that when it would come to Waynesboro he would dress up as a clown and perform in the show.

Bernie passed away before either myself or Grace were born, but our great-grandmother Dorothy lived well into her 80’s and was a strong presence in our lives. She passed away when we were in our teens. When Grace decided she wanted to do a circus theme for her nursery, she chose to use those things our family inherited from Bernie and Dorothy.

Cost: $300-$500

Grace chose to make a lot of things herself or to reuse items and furniture already in the house. She’s also a great bargain hunter. The only things that she had to purchase were the crib, rocking chair, and changing table.

Difficulty Level: Easy

The hardest thing to do, Grace confessed, was create the big top ceiling.

The Room

The room was originally a guest room and office. There was a twin bed, mostly for our brother when he comes to visit from college. Grace took out the office furniture but kept the twin bed and a few odd tables and lamps. The bed she pushed against the wall to convert into a daybed.

The Changing Table

Grace took a used changing table and repainted it in a burgundy. The patterned sides were achieved by spray painting blue paint through pieces of lace.

Door Sign

The license plate on the door was our great-grandfather’s. Grace made the garland.

The Walls

The walls of the room are painted white, but a yellow curtain at the window bathes the room in a soft buttery light during the day. Behind the daybed, Grace and Viktor hung up a wall covering from Urban Outfitters, which brings a little of their style to the nursery. Wall decals of circus animal silhouettes are placed strategically throughout the room. Foam letters spell out the baby’s name over the crib.

Grace found the picture of the young girl and elephant online.

To keep all of baby’s headbands and hair clips, Grace took a picture frame, removed the glass and back, and strung ribbons vertically down the back. Hooks were screwed into the bottom, and the frame was decorated in a variety of buttons, including 4 yellow giraffe buttons Grace found in our great-grandmother’s button collection.

The Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. picture is actually an old t-shirt of my mother’s from the early ‘80s. Viktor found it a couple of years ago and often wore it. Grace decided to retire it and cut the picture out for the frame, backing it with patterned paper.

Mobile

For the mobile over the changing table, Grace was inspired by a craft she found on Pinterest to make her own. The shapes were cut out of cardstock.

Under the Big Top

Grace and Viktor strung red and blue tulle from the ceiling to give the nursery the feeling that one was entering a circus tent. Grace also made pom-poms to hang both from the ceiling and the furniture.

 

I think they did a pretty good job. What do you think?

 

Got an interesting nursery you’d like to share? Snap a picture and submit it on our Facebook page (either here or here) or tag us on Instagram. (We’re @franklingoose.)