zid zid kids Table and Cushion Sets

Cute table ideas for creative kids rooms

zid zid kids Table and Cushion Sets

Style Points: Garden Planning

Hello!


Whew. This is the longest hiatus I've taken since starting this blog! With everything settled after my recent move I'm able to get back to my routine. So....



This week my focus is on garden design. While the weather is so variable, it's the best time for me to collect garden and seed catalogs, take stock of what worked with last year's projects, and plan the details for the next gardening season.



So my new plans are for a city garden with limited space and access. Quite different from rambling play spaces in a rural setting. I've started with the basic requirements for the outdoor space:

1. Making it connect to the indoors; the transition space being the patio and 3-season sun porch;
2. Room for entertainment;
3. Room to grow a small heirloom and children's veggie garden;
4. Xerascaping (drought tolerant plantings and low impact garden strategies)
5. Creativity/Fun for kids with a sense of surprise and adventure;
6. Oh and did I mention low maintenance with lots of perennials?

I've included a few resources for heirloom and seed exchange websites as well as children's gardening resources I am currently exploring.

Resources:


Seed Exchange


Seed Savers


Southern Exposure Seed Exchange


KinderGARDEN


Sharon Lovejoy, author - Sharon's website contains an extensive list of children's gardens - lots of inspiration. She is a wonderful author.






enjoy!

Lise

Style Points: Forts and other Play Spaces

When I was much younger, I spent most of my time outdoors running and racing. I was a real tomboy. My friends and I stayed out at night until the dinner bell rang throughout the neighborhood. We played really juvenile neighborhood games, built tree forts, and sometimes played a random game of tetherball. I can remember spending the most time on the fort. In fact, the fort building lasted for multiple years, until a group of boys decided to claim our home base. (imagine that!) For many hours during those years we would drag wood and other scraps over to our tree to build another stage of our project. It wasn't the Taj Mahal, but we were fiercely proud of our outdoor getaway. Unknowingly, we were fulfilling what I believe is a basic human desire, to be creative. And we were. We created a magical place for us to play and dream, all out of building scraps and other found objects.

My wish is that every child (and adult) take the time to build a play space from their own imagination. Preferably outside in the fresh air and wide open spaces where they can play scavenger, pirate, hunter and protector of the fort; for years on end.

Our fort was of course, the girls-only variety. Our hideaway. We would venture out, tease the boys, run back, climb up the 40 foot tree, pull up the rope and laugh ourselves silly. Hmm. I could use a bit more of this type of adventure in my life today.

Anyway - take some time, tap your imagination, build your own fort and protect it from intruders.

Be Creative,

Lise

Style Points: Surprise Passageways

I had one of those recurring dreams this morning. No surprise that it was about an old house that I seem to own. The intriguing part of this dream seems to be the need to explore the home. It was not designed using a conventional floorplan as there are various hidden staircases all around that lead to rooms you might not stumble upon for years at a time.

So this "dream" house prompted me to look for ways to incorporate secret doors into home design. I was amazed to find a few companies that provide faux bookshelves that are really a passage to another room. There are also movable stairs, furniture and fireplaces. That panic room you saw in the Jodie Foster movie is indeed doable.

This design element sparks a lot of creativity. You can make a hideaway art studio, office, storage for valuables, or even a 'secret' passageway linking children's bedrooms; small enough for children to climb inside and dream up lots of fun. Or like me, you can just dream about it, literally.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Lise

Style Points: A Creative Costume

So this weekend, while at the mall with my daughter, we discovered this adorable lion costume at Pottery Barn Kids. I thought it would be adorable on my son Ethan (on the right).

But I decided not to buy it. I am determined to make one instead. And now, with that decision made, I'm doing research for a quick and easy costume idea, for a sewing novice. It doesn't look too difficult to make, but I would appreciate any pointers/ideas. If you have any patterns or ideas you can recommend for a simple lion costume, please post them or send them to me. Ethan and I thank you!

Be Creative!

Lise

Garden Spaces

So in my last post about garden designs for kids. I talked about the plans for the children's garden.

Here's what we've done so far...

- We were pretty eager about getting started, so everyone joined in and planted seeds indoors for the outside garden
- We've got squash growing pretty rapidly, along with lots of tomato plants and a few peppers. My son is quite proud.
- We've also taken a few photos and we're pretty excited that it will be in the 80's nearly every day this week. Lots of sun, lots o' flowers hopefully.




Here's the gems I have on working with children:

- Give them a say so about what goes in the garden;
- Limit the time outside so it's not overwhelming;
- Get good sunscreen!
- Let go of all the rules for what's right and let them explore. Mistakes are ok, even if it means they've stepped on a few plants along the way;
- Every garden trip is a learning experience in some small way;
- Watering the garden is a good task for children, especially 5-year olds that have boundaries (mom has control of the water source!);
- While you're being patient and watching the garden grow, be creative in other areas of your home;
- Love being around your family.

Creatively yours,

Lise
_______________

Ta Daaa.... Creative Kids Rooms!

I recently read an article about kids playrooms. For the creative and somewhat adventurous parent, this topic makes your heart beat fast! The article talked about all the elements you need in your kids playroom to inspire acting, growth, creativity and surprise. Let's look at some ideas for how to include each of those elements in your child's playroom or bedroom...

1. Acting
   
   Well the first thing I think of is a stage of some sort and long curtains. You can have a platform built that spans the length of the room. Cover it with an inexpensive carpet in a different color and plop a mattress and box spring on top near a corner. Partially surround the entire platform with a whimsical curtain. Make sure the curtain can withstand the tug of tiny hands. I like the idea of making a curtain with deep pointed fringe at the top. Kind of like what you'd see on a circus big top. Use lots of color and see if you can match certain details on the curtain with those in the bedding. This should inspire kids to be the next Julia Roberts or Dr. McDreamy :-)
   
   
2. Growing
   
   This an interesting element to include for a child's room. I interpreted this element two ways. First I thought of going the usual route with painting or hanging a growth chart on a wall or door way. Kids love to measure themselves against where they were last week. Keep the chart details whimsical. You can try painting a winding beanstalk, or skinny monster. I think they'd love it. Growth to me also meant keeping the room open to transition. There is no sense investing a great deal of money in teeny toddler-sized chairs when they are soon to be outgrown. Instead, create or purchase transitional pieces like beanbag chairs that look like pumpkins or tomatoes. Big floor pillows are good too. They can easily be covered in new fabrics when the theme in the room changes.
   
   
3. Creativity
   
   Of course this element is right up my alley. All kids should have a place to be creative - just like mom and dad! In a bedroom I like to include bulletin boards and/or chalkboards on the wall, and if space allows - an easel for drawing. (Paint and water are better left for a room provides for easier clean up.) I also like to include a big chest for costumes created with the help of mom and dad. Big hats and fun shoes can inspire a series of dramatic plays on the stage. (See Number 1 above). I also enjoy hanging pieces like fanciful birds, colorful planes or bright old-fashioned hot air balloons right from the ceiling using fishing wire. There is nothing like letting your imagination take you far away before you drift off to sleep.
   
   
4. Surprise!
   
   Using any of the ideas above will give you an element of surprise and whimsy. However, if you're clever, you can include a hidden surprise too. Use the back of the closet, or a corner space to eek out privacy and solitude. Paint it in a subdued color that contrasts with the rest of the room. Include a good light source and quiet activities like puzzles, books, traditional wooden toys, and appropriate storage to keep it tidy.
   
   

Creatively yours,

Lise

__________________________________