Bring your Drawings to Life!

Do you like to colour pictures of monsters, people, animals and crazy other things that no one has even thought of before?!
What if someone could bring your pictures to life?

Well, that's what Child's Own Studio does. Send in your pictures and they will create a stuffed animal or doll in the exact likeness of your artwork. I chose some of a few of my favourite examples, but if you want to see their complete gallery, check  out their flickr photostream.

 To turn your imagined creations into real toys, the price starts at $70 CAD. If you do this, please send in your pictures for me to see. I just LOVE this idea!

mmmm! An Easy Valentine's Treat for Kids

One of my favourite treats is the Rice Krispie Square. It also happens to be one of the easiest things to make! So today I'm showing you how to make your own Valentine's Day Rice Krispies! (The recipe is on the cereal box.)

Put a bag of marshmallows and butter in a microwave bowl. Can you spot the  butter?

Nuke them in the microwave until the marshmallows puff up and the butter is melted (approx. 1 min). It will look like this when you stir it.  Then add  6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal and mix mix mix. At the very end, once the mixture has cooled a bit, add the WHOLE bag of  Valentine's M&M's :)

Grease your pan with butter before you press your mix into it. I buttered the flipper too, so the  Rice Krispies didn't stick to it!

Don't forget to clean up!

Final Episode of Carrie's Clusters

Buy your copy of duck... duck... moose! here!

If you watch the video above, the last poem is about Wishies! They are the stars that we wish on in the sky, and now you can have your very own, made by me! This is a picture of my bunny, Harry, holding his Wishie!

 Click here to get your own Wishie!!

Easy Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids

Share the Love!! Click the links below each picture to see how to make the crafts! They're all pretty easy :) 

Valentine's Book Marks from Lu Bird Baby
(for this one you'll need a heart hole punch).

On-a-Roll Scroll @ Family Fun

Valentine's Day Hat @ Kaboose

Gnome Sweet Gnome from Family Fun

Love Bugs! from right here at LEAP!

Heart and Lollipop Flowers from Martha Stewart

Let's Colour!

Image from: The Design Tree

I Love Colouring. I always have.
It's relaxing but fun, and you're making something beautiful for your fridge or walls or for a gift!
So grab your crayons, markers, pencil crayons or anything else you use to colour with, and check out The Coloring Book. It has tons of printable pages for you to choose from - lots of your most beloved and favourite characters (from Alvin and the Chipmunks to Barbie, Franklin to Shrek, Piget to Tarzan... and SO much more). There's something for everyone.

And why not listen to my poetry podcast as you colour? :) It's called the Carrie Heyes DooPod: poetry for kids
The poem below is called Smelly Markers. It's from my first book, Doodads!

Thomas and Friends

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Mr. Men 

Bob The Builder

A Bug's Life

Horton Hears A Who

LIttle Einsteins

Up

Carrie's Clusters - Episode 9!!

I don't know if you know this, but I'm a children's poet and I have 2 books out! So I've been reading through my newer one, duck... duck... moose! 5 poems at a time. (That's what the clusters are). So I hope you like them and then share them with everyone you know. EVERYONE! :)

Get your copy of duck... duck... moose! so you can read along with me. Or, just listen. That's good too :)

Rock, Paper, Scissors? Or... Ninja, Cowboy, Bear!

Image from Apps for Facebook

Image from vimeo

We all know the good old game Rock, Paper, Scissors.
But now there's a WAY more fun version - Ninja, Cowboy, Bear*!!
I learned about it over the Christmas break and I will never go back. I mean, common! Which would you rather play?!

Image from Langaria

Image from  Solar Navigator

Image from Wild West Gunslinger Statue

How to Play
stand back to back with your partner
walk three paces (each) away from each other
on the 4th beat, jump to face your partner, doing a pose of either a Ninja, a Cowboy, or a bear

Poses
Ninja - Arms crossed in ready stance
Cowboy - draw your guns
Bear - Claws up and growling

Feel free to add sound effects!

Rules
Ninja beats Cowboy using lighting speed ninja kicks
Cowboy beats Bear with his quick draw and perfect accuracy
Bear beats Ninja with a strong swipe of his clawed paw

Image from KidsCanPress

*Ninja Cowboy Bear (above) is also a series of children's books and their website has rules of the game and other activities :)


People playing Ninja Cowboy Bear (love it)

Image From Backpacking Light

Nidhi Chanani

I found a new artist on Etsy, who I just LOVE!

Nidhi (rhymes with Kitty) Chanani is based out of San Francisco and she creates the most whimsical and fun, quirky and sweet artwork. (I found it hard to just a few prints to show you).

So check her out at her Etsy Store, her website, or flickr!!

Jazz Tree

Up and Away - Giraffe and Elephant Hot Air Balloon

Pandas

Finding Friends

Floating - Candles in Water Blue Magic

Making Friends - Elephant and Birds

Golden Giraffe Family

What to do with leftover Candy Canes!

Candy Cane Hearts!

From Cute Food for Kids

A Valentine's Day Candy Cane Card!

From Family Fun

White Chocolate and Peppermint Popcorn!

From Ski p to my Lou

Or you can just make more Peppermint Hot Chocolate! Or dip them in melted chocolate and let them harden. Or crush them into tiny bits and sprinkle them on cupcakes, ice cream or in brownies :) 

What are you going to do with your left over candy canes?