ML Interest Tag: stain

Take & Make: 11 Kids’ Craft Kits to Pick Up Today

by Allison Sutcliffe

If you’re missing your local kids art studio, we feel you (and so do they!). Luckily many Seattle studios have transformed their creative offerings into take away art kits you can pick up curbside or have delivered to your porch. Whether your kids want to paint pottery, make a retro wall hanging or design their own puzzle, these kits will get the creative juices flowing.

West Seattle Art Nest

courtesy West Seattle Art Nest

If variety is what you’re after, West Seattle Art Nest has your family’s crafternoon plan. Kids can make slime, dream catchers, wall hangings or paint an animal canvas with these cute kits that include everything you need to get your craft on at home. Getting yours couldn’t be easier. Kits are ordered online and delivered right to your door, for families living within 15 miles of West Seattle. Let’s create!

Cost: $20-$30
Order yours: westseattleartnest.com

Paint the Town

courtesy Carrie Slavin

While a trip to U Village to paint at the studio is out of the question, creating your own Paint the Town masterpiece at home is definitely doable. Grab a Pottery to Go kit for your mini artist. Each kit includes a choice of pottery and up to six paint colors, with brushes and paint pens offered as add-ons for $5 each. Choose from ceramic bowls, plates, mugs or figurines (think: dogs, mermaids, orcas, trucks and more). A minimum order of $40 is all it takes to get your kit delivered, contact-free to your porch. Plus, delivery is free if you’re within 5 miles of the studio or just $5 if you’re within 6-10 miles. Kits are delivered Thursday through Sunday.

Good to know: As a small-scale operation, Paint the Town is delivering about 15-25 kits per week. Once the store re-opens, families can bring in their creations to be fired.

Cost: $13-$40
Order yours: paintthetown.studio

Hammer & Stain

courtesy Hammer & Stain

Nail it with these Hammer-It-At-Home kits families can pick up curbside (in Seattle and Kirkland) or have delivered to their homes. Here, you’ll find wood sign and planter kits, a children’s activity table kit, even a succulent heart wreath, offered just in time for Mother’s Day, all available to make in your living room. Choosing a project to complete with the kids is the hard part. Then it’s on to deciding on a design, stain and paint colors and any personalization you'd like, so that what you create is as unique as your family. Each kit comes with everything you need including sandpaper, brushes, sponges and hardware to hang your art when it’s done.

Good to know: Kids canvas kits are the latest take-home offering from Hammer & Stain. Get the deets on ordering yours in Seattle or Kirkland.

Cost: $25-$125
Order yours: hammerandstainseattle.com

Elm Candle Bar

Elm Candle Bar via yelp

A great activity for older kids (or parents looking to change up their at-home routine), Elm Candle Bar’s Home Kits ship from their Seattle shop to your door a few days later. Choose a basic 9 oz. or 11 oz. single candle kit to start. It comes with everything you need from the wax, to the microwavable bowl to jars, lids and labels. You can also choose from ninety premium fragrances to get just the right scent to match your kiddo’s personality (or yours!). Shipping is currently free on orders over $40. (Psst…the custom candle two-pack makes a fun activity for sibs or parents and kids.) Pour it on!

Cost: $35-$135
Order yours: elmcandlebar.com

The Craft Lab

courtesy The Craft Lab

Who doesn’t love art that you make and then play with? No one. That’s who. That’s why the Little Labbers DIY Board Puzzle Kit should be on every parent’s craft-at-home activity list. Great for kids ages 3-7, this Create-Away project lets kids choose their puzzle design and paint colors to make their own toy. Order up a puzzle for your tot or a wood pallet sign kit, then plan to pick it up at the Tukwila studio curbside Tuesday, Thursday or Friday between noon and 6 p.m., or on the weekend any time between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you can’t make it down, all kits can also be shipped for a fee.

Good to know: Keep up with The Craft Lab on Facebook or Instagram for special flash delivery sales that bring your project directly to your doorstep for free with a $40 minimum order.

Cost: $15-$50
Order yours: thecraftlabwa.com

Glazed & Amazed

Ilona K. via yelp

If you’re on the north end, looking for something to keep the kids busy, try a ceramic craft kit from Glazed & Amazed. Here’s how it works: call the store and choose the bisque piece you want from the online gallery (use the numbers to help specify the piece), and then select your colors. Getting your kit is just as easy. Families can either swing by the store any time Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., or Sunday, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. to pick it up, or have it shipped to their door via USPS. Easy peasy!

Good to know: Glazed & Amazed is also offering to-go canvas kits with a pre-traced design, acrylic paints and four paint brushes for just $25. Once the store re-opens you can bring in your painted pieces to have them fired.

Cost: prices vary
Order yours by calling 425-673-5474.

—Allison Sutcliffe

 

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featured image: Sharon McCutcheon via pexels

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Ruggable’s New Disney Collection Is the Perfect Kids’ Room Addition

by Shahrzad Warkentin

Looking for a new rug to spruce up your kids’ rooms? Look no further than Ruggable’s new Disney collection.

With kids in the house, spills and stains are all but guaranteed. Ruggable’s unique 2-piece machine-washable rug system is a game-changer for families. All of Ruggable’s rugs feature a low-pile, lightweight Rug Cover which is stain-resistant, waterproof and made to fit in your washing machine.

Now this incredible system features a new collection of styles inspired by Disney. Unlike typical kids decor, these designs are stylish and will stand the test of time, not only because they’re washable, but because they will remain fitting even as your kids grow.

The Disney touches are subtle, with designs woven into classic motifs and color schemes that will fit in any room of your house, not just the kids’ rooms.

The collection also features rugs that are made with your general living space in mind, like the Mickey Damask and Persian.

The entire collection ranges in price from $109 to $399. Rugs are available in a variety of sizes from 2.5′ x 7′ to 8′ x 10′. You can shop the entire Disney Ruggable collection here.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: Courtesy of Ruggable

 

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3 Healthy Food Hacks You Can Totally Sneak into Their Lunches & Snacks

By The Anti-Cookbook Easy, Thrifty Recipes for Food-Smart Living

Photo: Rawpixel

As cookbook writers, moms and lifelong wellness warriors, we’re always watching out for what’s next in food. One thing we’ve learned from feeding our kids: fresh ideas are a must.

You think they love that cauliflower with breadcrumbs, so you keep on making it because you’re ecstatic that they’re eating it. Then the fatigue sets in. It’s like when you tell a joke to your surly teenager and she actually laughs. You tend to repeat it because you love to be funny to her but eventually, you get the side-eye.

Here are some food trends to keep you on top of your game:

Hidden Hemp Seeds

Their omega-3 fatty acid profile is anti-inflammatory. They are next in line of all the “hip” seeds over the last decade: pumpkin, sunflower, flax and chia. They may be the best yet. Sprinkle at will. Wherever.

Just Beet It

They’re high in dietary folate and nitrates (cognitive function boost, we’re looking at you!). Golden beets are delicious, easy to cook—roast or boil them, nothing to it—and they don’t stain and get all over everything

On the other hand, just one red beet can do amazing things for your table. We’ve been roasting one and popping it into traditional hummus for some nice flavor and incredible color. It tastes healthy and delicious and looks like strawberry ice cream!

Homemade Nut Butters

We’ve loving almond butter, with cashew butter rising. It takes patience to blend nut butter just so, but the flavor is incredible. So much better than store bought.

Once you’ve slaved over a hot food processor or blender, the possibilities are endless. There’s the obvious almond butter toast with a drizzle of honey, maple syrup or jam, the base for a yummy Asian sauce to use in a rice or quinoa or barley or noodle bowl or a protein punch-up for your morning oatmeal. (Don’t love dairy? Put that stuff on your bagel instead of cream cheese.)

Getting a picky eater to eat can be tricky, but these tricks will at least help you make those lunches and snacks just a little bit healthier—and your kids will be none the wiser.

The Anti-Cookbook Easy, Thrifty Recipes for Food-Smart Living
Tinybeans Voices Contributor
We're Shelley Onderdonk and Rebecca Bloom. A veterinarian and a lawyer-turned-writer walk into a kitchen… We aren’t chefs and that’s exactly the point. We have a lot to share about food-smart living with our own young-adult children and other people and their children, too. Together, we wrote The Anti-Cookbook: Easy, Thrifty Recipes for Food-Smart Living.
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Your Stroller Is Gross: Tot Squad Is Here To Help

by Mimi O'Connor

It is not a new complaint: your stroller or car seat is encrusted with fig bars and Goldfish, maybe some ice cream, and lots of other substances you’d rather not think about. (Ugh, that time the kid got car sick on the way home from grandma’s…) Dealing with that is the kind of thing you really want to farm out, whether it’s for a quick once-over or seriously deep clean. Baby gear services Tot Squad has been helping New York parents keep things clean (and in shape) since 2013, and now, they’ve opened their very own service center in Manhattan. We stopped by the grand opening to get the nitty gritty!

Jennifer Beall Saxton at the Tot Squad Service Center Opening. photo: Tot Squad

It’s a Dirty Job, and They’ll Do It
When MBA and entrepreneur Jennifer Beall Saxton was developing business ideas post-graduation, she was encouraged to identify something people did not want to do, and solve that problem for them.  Her findings?: “Everybody thought their stroller was dirty but didn’t have the tools or desire to deal with it,” the CEO and Founder of Tot Squad Baby Gear Services says. “Our focus is on convenience.”

Not only does Tot Squad clean strollers and car seats, they perform tune-ups and repairs, and will soon be doing certified car seat installations. 

Launched in Los Angeles in 2011, the company debuted in New York in 2013 with pickup and drop-off services, as well as pop-up events. And this month, Tot Squad opens its first brick-and-mortar service center on the lower level of all-things-babies in NYC, Chelsea’s Buy Buy Baby. (Which, by the way, is the busiest Buy Buy Baby in the country!)

photo: Tot Squad

Stop & Shop & Clean
As mentioned, Tot Squad Baby Gear Services is happy to come by your place, pick up your gear for cleaning or repair, and bring it back when the job is done.

But now you can book an appointment to bring your strollers and seats for cleaning and repairs at the Tot Squad service center in Buy Buy Baby. Drop your stuff at the appointed time, do some shopping, and swing back to find your gear issues handled.

Dedicated to using natural, non-toxic cleaners, Tot Squad has partnered with Honest, which provides all the products used during cleanings. And except for the most basic service (dubbed, “The Basics”), jobs include steam cleaning—which is already far and above what we could manage at home.

How Dirty Is It?
Prices scale according to how deep you need your clean. “The Basics”, or a 20-minute cleaning, gets you a vacuum and wipe down of hard surfaces (car seat: $29.99; single stroller: $39.99).

The most intense cleaning, “The Full Monty”, which includes the basics plus steam cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting, both light and heavy stain treatment, vomit or potty accident treatment when applicable, and extensive deep cleaning and stain removal. will run you $89.99 for a car seat, and $99.99 for a single stroller. Mid range packages are the “Lotta Love” 30-minute cleaning and “The Works”, a 60-minute job.

Wheel detailing can be added to any package for $20, and Tot Squad will also clean all your gross attachments and accessories like bassinets, foot muffs, rain guards, etc.

You can also get a stroller tune-up for $100, or repair starting at $80/hour plus parts.

photo: Tot Squad

More to Consider
If you’ve got a particularly messy kid, or lots of them (and therefor lots of gear), Tot Squad also offers memberships, which provide 25 percent discounts on services and other benefits.

Hot tip: if you know someone who’s expecting you can also add a Tot Squad service package to their registry. Best baby. gift. ever.

Also: you can host a tot squad cleaning party for your next mom meet-up or event. Who needs a gift bag?

Ready to get clean? Book at appointment at booking.thetotsquad.com or by calling 646-470-8233.

Tot Squad Baby Gear Services
Lower Level
Buy Buy Baby Chelsea
270 7th Ave.
646-470-8233
Online: nyc.thetotsquad.com

Have you had work done by Tot Squad? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

—Mimi O’Connor

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This Mom’s Dollar Tree Laundry Room Hacks Are Just Brilliant

by Karly Wood

Ask any mom what her least favorite part of motherhood is and laundry usually tops the list. Never ending piles of dirty clothes, missing socks and a laundry room that’s usually at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to decor, all make this household chore less than fun. Laundry is just a fact of life and if you’re struggling with getting it done in a cramped space, YouTuber Hey Tonya has it all figured out. In one of her most recent videos, vlogger Tonya shows us how she transformed her laundry closet (yep, it’s not even big enough to be called a room) into an organizational dream.

If you aren’t already a dollar store shopper, we bet you’ll be one now! Budget is no object when it comes to making your laundry space workable when you shop at a dollar store, and you don’t have to sacrifice style for function either. Whether you own your home, or are restricted from major improvements because you rent like Tonya, your laundry room can still look like a million bucks. We love Tonya’s style from top to bottom: from the crisp white basket choices, to that amazing wall decal and stain removal guide. You may be asking yourself, “How come I never come across stuff like this when I shop at the Dollar Tree?” If there’s one piece of advice we can offer, it’s shop often! You never know what kind of treasures may await.

Check out more of Tonya’s tips on her blog, Hey Tonya.

Are you inspired? Tell us what you plan on organizing next in the comments below! 

— Karly Wood

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What Do San Diego Moms Always Tote?

by Nikki Walsh

Let’s face it: life in San Diego is pretty sunny and simple. But being a San Diego mom isn’t always about simplicity – just look inside our purses and diaper bags where you’ll find everything from hand wipes to Zoo passes. We peeked in a few hundred bags and came up with this list of what moms in America’s Finest City typically tote.

1. Sunblock. Living in sunny San Diego means constantly applying sunblock. We slather it on in the morning and then reapply during the day. Natural sunblock (with the least amount of chemicals) is on the minds – and in the purses – of all San Diego moms.

2. Recycled Wallet. We all know recycling is important. Little ones learn about it in school, and you BYOB (bring your own bag) to the grocery store. Every small thing helps Mother Earth. So it’s only natural your wallet is also of the recycled variety.

3. Legoland Swag. Not only do you have a season pass to Legoland permanently in your wallet, but you also have your little one’s Legoland driver’s license too.

4. Small Toys. Having crayons and toys makes the wait at the doctor’s office or on the 5 Freeway shorter and sweeter.

photo: Dylan’s World via Flickr

5. San Diego County Fair Ticket Stub. Still walking around with your San Diego County Fair ticket stub in your purse? We thought so! Wristband days, cotton candy and super slides — it’s a San Diego summer tradition.

6. Coffee Cards. Staying quick on our feet and full of energy is important when chasing little beach-goers around. Whether your frequent flyer card is the Starbucks app or Cafe Motto, we bet a Java pass is in your wallet.

7. Your Smartphone. Okay, this one isn’t just in the purses of SoCal moms. But we’d be willing to bet that one of these essential San Diego apps are on your iPhone or Android.

8. The Basics. Probably found in most mom’s handbags: instant stain remover stick, pen and pencil, baby wipes and a healthy snack.

9. Balboa Park Passport. Whether you’re a museum goer or a frequent flyer at the miniature train, the Balboa Park passport is burning a hole in most wallets.

10. Sand. You wouldn’t be in San Diego if the beach wasn’t somewhere in your purse. That San Diego sand seems to make its way into our cars, houses and, yes our totes, too!

What are the must-haves in your tote? Tell us in the Comments below!

—Nikki Walsh

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Today Is Messy Art Day

by Tinybeans Team

 

Daily
Today Is Messy Art Day
Art is long and life is short.
1

Making a mess was never this fun: here’s how to host your own messy art party.
2

Because we know how it is. No, we really know. We’ve got a few tips for cleaning up nearly any stain.
3
Even your tiniest artists can paint carefree thanks to an edible finger paint recipe.

Today’s #HorizonChallenge theme: Play! Take a photo and share your pics with us on social media. Don’t forget to tag #HorizonChallenge.

{ Today’s ideas brought to you by Modern Art }

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Holidays Disasters That Make You Laugh (In Time)

by rtfrankiekatafias

Come November, days get shorter and the holidays are in full force. In the blink of an eye Thanksgiving is over and before you can finish putting away your turkey leftovers, you find yourself frantically competing with your neighbors to get your holiday decor turned on first. But through all the chaos, some of our best holiday memories are born. Funny, scary or just flat-out disastrous, everything makes for a good story (in time)! Thanks to the many users on Reddit, we found a few to start our holidays with some cheer. Check them out!

1. “My grandmother was legally blind so when my brother opened his present on Christmas morning and it was a lime green dress he politely told her that she had made a mistake. She looked right at him and said, “Grandmas don’t make mistakes.”—platymage

2. “My brother received an extra large jar of Nutella for Christmas, and my dad received a framed picture of the family from me. My dad tried to hammer a nail into the wall (to hang the picture) with the can of nutella, which shattered the plastic jar, leaving a brown stain on the wall. He also dropped the picture frame and shattered the glass. This man is an orthopedic surgeon.” —source Reddit

3. “My father, to this day (we’re all out of the house now), still puts out ashes from our fireplace and puts footprints in them, and when we come down for the presents he shouts, “Look! Santa was here! He walked right here!” When I was a kid, I thought that was the coolest thing, like it was scientific proof of Santa’s existence.”—doughepm

4. “My mom left a turkey out to defrost the night before a Thanksgiving dinner/family reunion. Come sun up, it was covered in ants. She just washed it off, cooked it anyway and served it to the in-laws.” —source Reddit

5. “Where I grew up we didn’t have Santa, we had the Three Kings/Tres Reyes Magos. Apparently they come riding camels and leave you gifts on January 6 (instead of Dec 25). When I was little I SWORE I heard the camels come to my house on more than one occasion. It was pretty magical. It seems both cute and nuts now…”—source Reddit

6. “When I was 6 or 7 there was one present under the tree from Santa and it was for my sister and I to share. It was Candyland. That was peculiar since we already owned Candyland. Also there was an envelope and in the envelope was a letter from Santa. Santa wanted to let my sister and I know that even though he wanted to give us a lot of presents this year, he couldn’t because we had been so poorly behaved throughout the year.”—bubbo

Featured image courtesy Flickr user Dan Tentler

What are some of your favorite holiday memories? Comment to let us know!

—Francesca Katafias

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