Merry Happy Everything!

Wishing all the Prudent Mamas a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Awesome New Year, from our family to yours. Jacinda and I are taking the week off to be with our families and work on the all-new Prudent Baby website, launching sometime in January. We can't wait to show you what we've been planning. In the meantime I hope you enjoy my video holiday card. Here's hoping your new year is pretty in pink!
Read more »

Handmade Hanukkah: 25 Hanukkah Crafts to Make With Kids

What better way to teach your kids about Hanukkah than by making crafts? From stained glass window menorahs or clothespin menorahs to Star of David mobiles. Make some for your local senior center and teach them the importance of Tzedekah, or use them to decorate your home for the festival of lights. Get links to 25 Hanukkah Crafts to Make with Kids.

25 DIY Menorah and Hannukah Crafts

Hanukkah is quickly approaching which means it's time to start thinking about those crafts. Instead of purchasing a menorah this year try making one of your own. You could make one out of baby food jars, cookies or even animal toys. Decorate the home with a Star of David garland or give a friend a homemade dreidel game set. There are so many creative ideas out there. What creative handmade gifts have you come up with for Hannukah? Check out all 25 DIY Menorah and Hannukah Crafts.

DIY Fabric Clothespin Gift Tags

The mod podge fabric clothespin is such a cute and quick project to bust through scraps with, and so useful. I was thinking about gift wrapping this year and it occurred to me it could be cute to clip the gift tag on each present with a cute fabric clothespin.

 Then it occurred to me to glue a magnet to the back of it, so the giftee could use it on their fridge later on.

This is a great little project to use up some fabric (or paper) scraps as well.

Get the Mod Podge Clothespin Gift Tag Tutorial after the jump...

Is this worth the effort?  What are you doing for gift tags this year?  Let us know in the comments and you might win those five amazing embroidery patterns!
Read more »

How to Make a Wine Gift Bag

Oh wine, how I love thee.

And how I love the anthropologie-rumpled look of this cotton-linen blend Heather Ross fabric for a gift like this. I imagine toting it to the park for a picnic where all the ladies are wearing forties-inpired high heels while casually sipping Malbec as the sun sets.

Or you know, a last minute dinner party gift, maybe with a few pretty wine glasses.  Learn How to Sew a Wine Bag after the jump...

And remember to leave a comment, because our favorite commenter is winning that super cute key fob set!
Read more »

Handmade Hanukkah Round Up

A few faves from years past for Handmade Hanukkah!
Fleece Pom Pom Garland

Crochet Yarmulke HA HA HA this picture of Carleton Curtis kills me every time!

Cookie Cutter Garland


Eight Days Cookies

Check out the rest of last year's Handmade Hanukkah fun here and leave a comment for a chance to win the cute key fob set.

HANDMADE HANUKKAH IS BACK!

Because little Scarlet gets to celebrate two holidays (LUCKY!) and we don't want her thinking it's all about the Dora backpacks and My Little Ponies, we implement a Handmade Hanukkah strategy. So she gets 8 handmade gifts for this holiday, and she gets spoiled on Christmas. Hanukkah is early this year (December 2nd-9th), almost too early for me to pull it together right after Thanksgiving, so I'll start by rounding up last year's Handmade Hanukkah gifties. Might make some cute stocking stuffers for your little one too!

Keep checking in for new Hanukkah tutes, and check out all eight of last year's Handmade Hanukkah DIYs after the jump...

And remember leave a comment on this or any post this week and you could win you some oh so snuggly Bamboo Ewe yarn!
Read more »

Tutu-torial Part Two

Why is a tutu so expensive to purchase?? I mean seriously, this cost $3 to make. I finally got down to business and used Jacinda's tutu-torial to make one for Scarlet as a sort of petticoat for her requested Tinkerbell costume.

It is crazy simple - all you need to be able to do is sew a line. It doesn't even really need to be a straight line. So get yourself 4 yards of tulle and some elastic and get to sewing - what a great and simple halloween costume or christmas gift for all the little girlies in your life! Get the How to Make A Tutu-torial here.

And remember, leave a comment on this or any post this week and you could be one half-yard of oilcloth richer!

Handmade Hanukkah Day 8: Simple Sparkly Crochet Bow Headband

You can whip one of these crochet headbands out in ten minutes.  I want to make a jillion crochet headbands with or without bows.  It's basically another version of Jacinda's Hot Mess Mommy headband.  Make it longer or shorter to suit you or your giftee's head.

Get the Crochet Bow Headband Pattern after the jump...

Read more »

Handmade Hanukkah Day 7: Super Easy DIY Play Tent

Every kid loves a little hiding place to call their own.  This tent couldn't be simpler.  I grabbed a few PVC pipes and caps from the plumbing section of the hardware store and one yard of canvas from ikea and whipped together this little kids play tent for Scarlet's Handmade Hanukkah enjoyment :)  It's no magical feat of skill, but it's going to get ravaged from play anyway...

Get the Super Easy Play Tent DIY after the jump!

Read more »

Handmade Hanukkah Day 6: Embroidery Hoop Mobile

I'm taking a little break from Handmade Hanukkah today.  What can I say, eight days is a long time, it's a little hard to keep up!  But I see from the comments on Jacinda's Handmade Home Giveaway post that I'm not the only one, there are at least 150 more moms with unfinished holiday projects, and that makes me feel better.  So Scarlet enjoy your new boots from Old Navy.  And readers, enjoy this adorable DIY modern mobile from Creative Jewish Mom.  Made with embroidery hoops and felt, could it be any cuter?  Get her full DIY mobile instructions here!

Handmade Hanukkah Day 5: Jelly Beanbags

I saw this tutorial for cute little felt beanbags shaped like jelly beans over at Purl Bee and had to make Scarlet a set.  These would be fun for a kids party game, right?  And as suggested I made one of their easy drawstring bags to store them in, instant wrapping paper.

Handmade Hanukkah Day 4: Mom & Daughter Ruffly Aprons

Scarlet loves to make pretend food in her play kitchen while I cook, so I thought wearing these ruffly aprons would be a nice little treat while we make latkes!  And while I was at it I made an extra set as a Christmas gift.

Each one had different embellishments like grosgrain ribbons or pom poms, get the full DIY apron how-to after the jump!

Read more »

Handmade Hanukkah Day 3: CUPPIES!

Scarlet's favorite food in the whole world is cupcakes (thanks to our friend Kelly), which she calls cuppies and can be seen screaming for here, so for day three of Hanukkah we had family cupcake-decorating time.
More of a suggestion then a DIY, but I think she might call it the highlight of the eight days...
Read more »

Handmade Hanukkah Day 2: Scarlet's Dance Attack Mix CD!

The mix tape lives! Scarlet likes to bust out some wild dance moves, so I made her a parent-friendly (read: no nursery rhymes) mix CD of songs I've seen her rock out to on random occasions.  Burn it for all your parent friends and it'll be a gift they truly appreciate, AND you'll get to receive cute pics of their dancing babies.  A gift that gives back!  I can't be held responsible for inappropriate lyrics though, download the no-bad-words versions:

SCARLET'S DANCE ATTACK 2009
Outkast: Hey Ya
Beyonce: All the Single Ladies
Prince: Starfish and Coffee
MIA: Paper Planes
The O'Jays: Loveland
Of Montreal: Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games
Paul Simon: Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
R Kelly: Ignition
Rilo Kiley: Portions for Foxes
The Rubettes: Sugar Baby Love
Violent Femmes: American Music
The Ting Tings: That's Not My Name
Vampire Weekend: Oxford Comma
Belle & Sebastian: Another Sunny Day
Annie: Heartbeat
Pipettes: Pull Shapes

Justice: D.A.N.C.E

Daft Punk: Da Funk

Data Rock: True Stories

Toro Y Moi: Crusers of This

The Beatles: Octopus's Garden
The Beach Boys: Wouldn't It Be Nice


Make up a cute labeland burn copies for all the kids in your life!  Use it for toddler party music!

Handmade Hanukkah Day 1: Perky Pom Pom Hats

I love pom poms!  I LOVE POM POMS!  Using some fleece leftover from the silky baby blanket I made some super-simple pom pom hats for Scarlet and her cousin JoJo.  Sorry JoJo, all your suprises will be revealed on Prudent Baby.  Luckily you are too little to read blogs just yet.

Anyhoo, get the ten-minute Perky Pom Pom Hat tutorial after the jump...
Read more »

Happy Handmade Hanukkah!

The first Handmade Hanukkah gift will be revealed after sundown tonight, but in the meantime I'd love to share this star garland DIY from Swedish site Ennui!  She meant it for Christmas but those look like stars of david to me.  Her amazing trick?  A pepparkaksform (cookie cutter)!

Get the how to here, but it's in swedish so you might want to read it translated here.

Edible Color Markers

I was a cookie making maniac while in LA this weekend (we know how to have a good time.) Sorry about the kitchen Jaime! At about 1AM on Friday night, I was too sleepy to mix up some blue icing for these Hanukkah cookies so I experimented with Edible Color Markers. I had been wanting to try them for a long time. They are perfect for adding color when you just need a little accent! A mouth, a nose, a few polka-dots. I highly recommend adding a box to your decorating arsenal. Now Sweet Scarlet has a cookie a day for Hanukkah, if she can wait that long.

Handmade Hanukkah / Baby Food Jar Project: Dreidel Game Sets!

I wanted to make some DIY Hanukkah treats for Scarlet's daycare friends (Molly, Jameison, Julian, and Chance we love you!) so I put together these little dreidel game kits.  It's a fun Hanukkah craft favor and a cute way to recycle baby food jars.  Get the full how-to after the jump...
Read more »

Handmade Hanukkah: Crochet Yarmulke!

This is my husband Carleton Curtis modeling a double crochet yarmulke for your crafty Hanukkah pleasure.

I tried to write a pattern for you for this one, it's my first so I apologize if it's not great.  Get the crochet yarmulke pattern after the jump...
Read more »