I like simple projects and I especially like working on those that will help me organize my life a bit more. With two kids running around, a hard working hubby, and a multitasking mama, life can sure get crazy in our house.

School will begin before I can even say, “summer has been fun.”  (Wait, is summer almost over?!)  That crazy busy life of ours is about to get, well, even crazier.  A calendar to keep track of all our daily activities is the perfect the solution.  Though my iPhone calendar gets full every month, we needed a larger calendar that we could all see, in the room we spend most of our time in: the craft room!

I chose to make it a weekly calendar, that way it will be easier for the kids to keep track of everyone and what we are doing any particular week.  I also color coded it by using different color markers for each family member.  And I wanted it to be big enough to include an area where we could post notes held with magnets and another corked area to pin up schedules, flyers, etc.

If you would like to make your own family color-coded weekly calendar, here are the how-to instructions.

DIY Family Color-Coded Weekly Calendar

Materials:

• Combination dry-erase board  (3/4 magnetic white board, 1/4 cork board)
• Dry-erase weekly planner cling
• Dry-erase markers
• Washi tape (optional)
• Fun magnets & push pins

I found the dry-erase board, weekly planner cling, and dry-erase markers at my local Walmart. You may have to get the Washi tape (if you wish to use) elsewhere, though.

Instructions:

To begin, take the dry-erase weekly planner cling and cling it onto the combination board above the cork area, slightly overlapping. Cut off any excess ends. Make sure there are no air bubbles under your weekly cling strip or it will be hard to write on.

Take the washi tape and run it across the top part of the weekly calendar cling. This will cover the area that looks like the ends of a torn page.

To make the little pouch that holds the colored markers, use the same plastic bag that holds the foam stickers for hanging the board. (I love reusing items!) Pin it to the cork board near one of the corners. If you want something a bit fancier, you can also make the pouch out of fabric.

Place some cute magnets on the top (see my tutorial for the cute felt flower magnets shown) and several push pins onto the cork board. Now your calendar is ready to be filled!

On one of the whiteboard corners write, in different colors, the name and/or initials of each member of the family.

And begin to fill up the calendar accordingly.

Now you are ready to tackle a new school year. ¡Buena suerte!

Lisa Renata is a proud multicultural Latina of Mexican, German and Japanese descent. She and her husband of German, Scott-Irish descent are raising their two lovely kids bilingual and in a home full of diverse traditions. She holds a degree in cultural Anthropology and is a certified Interpreter. She is also the creator of SaboraCajeta.com, where she shares her craft ideas, and her passion for sewing and photography. You can find Lisa occasionally sharing simple and fun crafts here on ModernMami.com.

Disclosure: ModernMami.com and its owner, Melanie Edwards, is a member of the Walmart Moms program, resulting in compensation for this post.

Fourth of July is just around the corner! If you’re looking for an easy and fun kids craft to help make your house festive for Independence Day, then look no more! Get your little ones ready to help you make this super easy 4th of July banner.

4th of July Banner Craft for Kids

All you need are three things and a lot of crafting enthusiasm from you and your little ones. Scrapbook paper, ribbon and a stapler (all of which you can find at your local Walmart) are all you need!  Okay, maybe a ruler and pencil too, but really that is all you need.  I promise.

Instructions:

First, pick out festive paper.  The typical colors for the 4th of July are red, white and blue, but why stop there?  You can add a bit of glam by adding a lighter shade of blue and some prints.  Once you’ve picked out your paper and ribbon, gather all the little helpers in the house to begin.

Start off by making a triangular template.  This will help guide the kids.  Once you’ve made the template (using steps one and two in the photo above), you can give it to your little one to begin tracing the triangles onto the scrapbook paper (steps three and four on photo).  I do advise, however, that the triangles are traced on the back of each paper that way the lines (or little mistakes little hands make) will not show up on the front of the banner.

Once your little one has traced all the triangles, have him or her cut them out.

Lay the cut triangles out on the floor and play around until you and/or your little one is satisfied with the order they will be in.  Then cut your ribbon.  We used about 4 yards of sky blue satin ribbon.

Begin to staple each triangle onto the ribbon by starting in the center and moving outwards.  Staple each triangle twice, one on each end.  When you add the following triangle, make sure that the tip of each end touch.  Continue until all triangles are stapled onto the ribbon. *Note: you can also sew a straight line over the ribbon and triangles if you choose to.

You are done!  Time to decorate and…

Happy Independence Day!

Lisa Renata is a proud multicultural Latina of Mexican, German and Japanese descent. She and her husband of German, Scott-Irish descent are raising their two lovely kids bilingual and in a home full of diverse traditions. She holds a degree in cultural Anthropology and is a certified Interpreter. She is also the creator of SaboraCajeta.com, where she shares her craft ideas, and her passion for sewing and photography.

Disclosure: ModernMami.com is a member of the Walmart Moms program, resulting in compensation for this post.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and you know abuelita is waiting for that special card to arrive. Why not make it extra especial and have your little ones make their very own card for abuelita?

My four year old chiquita made the one you see above. Okay, she had my help, but trust me, with a little supervision and prepping, even a 1-year-old can make a card for abuelita.

Homemade Mother’s Day Card for Abuelita (Grandma) – Craft for Kids

Materials:

You can pick up all of these supplies at your local Walmart.

• assorted card stock and scrap-booking paper
• 1 brad
• glue
• scissors

Instructions:

First you will need to make a stencil in the shape of a teardrop. You will use the same stencil to trace the leaves and the flower petals. Cut three of each coordinating color: three green teardrops for the leaves and three sets of three different coordinating papers for the petals. Set them aside.

Pick a solid color of card stock to make the card. Fold it in half.

Using a coordinating solid color, cut a slightly smaller rectangle. (My daughter loves purple so she picked a darker purple for the main card and a lavender for the smaller rectangle.) Have your little one glue it in place.

To help guide your little one, draw a dot somewhere around the middle upper half of the card. This will help guide where each petal needs to go. Make sure that the pointy side of each petal is placed over the dot. Have your little one glue on the first petal.

Moving clockwise, have your little one continue gluing each petal overlapping slightly.

After all the petals have been glued, the card should look like the one above. Now, let’s add a stem to our flower.

To make the stem, either you or your little one can draw a straight line using a ruler and a green marker. Do this starting at the bottom of the flower all the way down to the end of the smaller rectangle.

Now let’s add some leaves!

Using the green teardrops previously cut, have your little one glue them individually on to the stem. Make sure that the pointy side is now facing outwards.

Using some yellow card stock (or any other coordinating color) cut a small circle. Have your little one glue it onto the center of the flower. Let it dry for a few minutes.

You can leave the card as is, or you can add a little dimension and bling, by adding a brad to it.

With a needle or pin, pierce a tiny whole in the center of the flower. Insert the brad, turn the card over and fold brad ends.

You are done!

Now glue a piece of white paper to the inside of the card (if you like) and let your little one write her words of love for abuelita.

­­­­¡Feliz Día de las Madres!

Lisa Renata is a proud multicultural Latina of Mexican, German and Japanese descent. She and her husband of German, Scott-Irish descent are raising their two lovely kids bilingual and in a home full of diverse traditions. She holds a degree in cultural Anthropology and is a certified Interpreter. She is also the creator of SaboraCajeta.com, where she shares her craft ideas, and her passion for sewing and photography.

Disclosure: ModernMami.com is a member of the Walmart Moms program, resulting in compensation for this post.

Have you been looking for the perfect Easter basket and haven’t had any luck finding one? I hear you loud and clear!  How about making your own Easter basket with things you might have lying around the house? Or you can also pick up the items on your next shopping trip to Walmart!  Sound good?

It is so easy, even your children can have a hand in creating such beauty; plus it is versatile too!

DIY Easter Basket: How to Make an Easter Basket from a Canister

What you need:

• an empty large canister (I used a family-size Ovaltine container. It measures about 16 inches around and 4 1/2 inches tall.)
• two pieces of white card stock
• assorted ribbons and trims
• flower for embellishment (optional)
• all purpose glue
• scissors
• hot gun & glue (optional)

Instructions

Begin by cutting the pieces of card stock that will cover your bin.  Because the bin I used was longer than the length of my paper, I ended up using two pieces of card stock.  All you need to do is measure around your bin (that’s the length), then the  side (that’s the width).  Once you’ve cut your piece or pieces of card stock, begin to cover your bin.  Start at one end by placing a generous amount of glue on the bin and then pressing down the card stock, making sure not to leave any air bubbles.  Continue until you get to the end, overlapping your paper and glue.

Now you are ready to start decorating.  Pick out your trim and cut to the length of your bin.  Begin to glue (I used a glue gun for this part) where your card stock meets.  Glue around once again, pressing to make sure there are no air bubbles left.

Continue the same process until you’ve almost covered all your bin, leaving the top clear for later.  Make two holes and insert your ribbon (or ric rac) to make your handle.

Knot each end on the inside of the bin.   Glue the ends to give it extra support (after all, it is for holding lots of goodies!)

Now you can finish adding the last round of trim to the top of the bin.  When you get to the handles add a generous amount of glue to reinforce the handles.

For a final extra touch, you can add a flower.  I made my own using a dye cut machine, but you can very well buy a flower already made and glue it onto the basket.

You are done!

Now you have a lovely Easter basket your little one can be proud of!

You can also use this basket after Easter as a centerpiece!

It is all up to you! (Okay, and maybe your little one.  ¡Si te deja!)

For the centerpiece, all I did was insert a pint-size mason jar, added some water, tied some fresh flowers with a rubber band, then inserted them into the jar.  Ta-da!  The Easter basket becomes a lovely centerpiece.

Have fun creating!

Lisa Renata is a proud multicultural Latina of Mexican, German and Japanese descent. She and her husband of German, Scott-Irish descent are raising their two lovely kids bilingual and in a home full of diverse traditions. She holds a degree in cultural Anthropology and is a certified Interpreter. She is also the creator of SaboraCajeta.com, where she shares her craft ideas, and her passion for sewing and photography.

Disclosure: ModernMami.com is a member of the Walmart Moms program, resulting in compensation for this post.