Kids' floral workshop at Seasonal Concepts in Sydney

Sydney wonder emporium Seasonal Concepts in Redfern, NSW is hosting a floral workshop for kids next Saturday 7th May. Send your 8-15 year old along for an hour and a half of creativity and be guaranteed beautiful blooms for Mother's Day!

Sneak peek: Tickle The Imagination magazine Issue 22: metamorphose

The new year is only 10 days away! As 2016 approaches, many of us are thinking of resolutions. 'Metamorphose' is an apt theme for the brand new Issue 22 of Tickle The Imagination magazine - full of ideas to inspire change and transformation. There are also lots of fun DIY craft ideas for summer holiday fun.

I love the beautiful cover with succulents potted in glass jars, encouraging us to 'turn your recycling into something lovely'; this is just one of the lovely and easy-to-achieve DIY and craft tutorials and other goodies that you'll find in Issue 22. Here are a few more of my favourite articles from this issue.

Tickle The Imagination magazine Kids Issue 21: Sprout

I know I'm biased as it's the Kids Issue, but Issue 21 of Tickle The Imagination magazine is my favourite yet. It's full of ideas for creative kids' bedrooms, study spaces and toy rooms, party ideas, a recipe for healthy doughnuts, DIY craft tutorials for softies and fabric lunch sacks, interviews with creatives and much more. Here's a sneak peek of some of the kids' inspiration in this Australian-published and printed craft and lifestyle magazine:

Kids' Art: free facted gem colouring page

My dear friends Lisa and Rebecca over at We Are Scout are giving away this gorgeous faceted gem colouring page that Lisa designed - for free! Head over to download the image, and let your kids go to town; instant modern kids' art that you'll want to hang on the walls.

Try framing three together, or simply pop one up on the wall with washi tape. It's a great way to keep kids busy when the weather's not great.

Thanks Lisa and Rebecca! Head here to download your sheet.

Image: We Are Scout

Cheap and easy DIY Alice in Wonderland costumes for kids

It's Book Week - that week that sends dread into many a non-crafty-parent's heart, and joy for the rest of us. Our school celebrates every second year, and this year the theme was Alice in Wonderland, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the book's publication. My girls were very specific about the their characters - the Queen of Hearts, and the White Rabbit (during the croquet game, which is apparently important to note).

Tickle The Imagination magazine issue 20: Cocoon + Bonus Gift

The brand new issue of Tickle The Imagination magazine, issue 20, arrived just in term to coincide with chilly Sydney weather. The Cocoon issue is all about cosying up at home, reflecting, organising, and creating, which is exactly what I feel like doing at the moment. Here are some of my favourite spreads from the new issue - grab a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy:

Make: Mother's Day photo gifts

There's not much that Mums love better than a photo of their children or grandchildren. I've teamed up with Officeworks to create two fun photo projects that Mums will love using their in-store Kodak Picture Kiosks. Both are inspired by a DIY challenge by Katrina Chambers, an ex-contestant on The Block and now lifestyle blogger. I've tweaked and personalised them a little with a splash of colour. Read on to make these gorgeous photo blocks and a framed photo heart.

Make: Kids' Easter Bonnet for the Easter Hat Parade

Easter is just a few days away and for many kids, the excitement is at fever pitch for the Easter Hat Parade. You kids might be making their own bonnets, or you might have been roped in. Having a heart attack about it? I made four in one night, and you can too. Here's the tutorial that I put together a few years ago. Click here. Super-easy!

Images and tutorial by: Steph Bond-Hutkin | Bondville

Last minute gift - Tickle The Imagination magazine subscription

Looking for a very last minute gift idea for that craft and design-loving person in your life? A subscription to the lovely Tickle The Imagination magazine for $49 will give you big brownie points, particularly as new subscriptions include a bonus gift of the complete digital subscription.

Simply subscribe, and download the printable gift certificate, and you're done! Head to the Tickle The Imagination website for all the details. I'm also thrilled to welcome Tickle The Imagination as a new major sponsor for Bondville for 2015! I'm looking forward to sharing this lovely publication with you.

Images: Tickle The Imagination

Bondville Christmas Gift Guide 2014: For craft and play

The best Christmas gift for kids are the ones that they get heaps of use out of, and can use for play and learning. I love these locally-designed kids' gift ideas for craft and play that will take them well beyond the thrill of Christmas Day. It's the Bondville Christmas Gift Guide #6: For craft and play:

Make: DIY Macrame plant hanger from TMOD

Well I'm pretty sure you know how hot indoor plants are this year, and macrame is having a moment too; so I was pretty excited to receive this fun DIY macrame plant hanger kit by TMOD from the kind folks at Notemaker. Cute and fun!

Make: Felt patches for holey leggings

Winter has been very cruel to the leggings in our house. There is nary a pair without a holey knee or two. But rather than throw them away, I spent a few hours making felt patches to cover the holes and voila - even cooler tights!

To make these knee patches, I drew a heart shape onto paper and cut out, to make a pattern. I then pinned the pattern to scraps of felt and cut out heart shapes. Then I positioned and pinned the hearts over the knee holes, and hand-sewed with a simple running stitch.

Easy and so effective! You could also cut simple shapes like circles, stars triangles and squares. Raid the cookie cutter drawer to make some patterns. A gem-shape would look great, especially with some contrasting stitching to mark the facets! Let me know if you make felt knee patches for your kids' leggings or pants - I'd love to see pics.

Note - I wash with cold water and I don't use the dryer; both of which may affect the felt and cause shrinkage.

[My little one wears her leggings with a tutu from Tutu du Monde.]

Image: Steph Bond-Hutkin | Bondville

Make: face teacup planters for Father's Day

My friend Diana is a crafty Mum and always organises fun activities at playdates. For a recent Frozen screening she handed the other Mums and I a pack of Pebeo Porcelaine 150 pens and a plain tea cup to have our own craft time while the kids sung their hearts out. How good is that! I made this little two-sided character and potted it with a mini succulent. You could get the kids involved and make one too for Father's Day.

Side one:

Let's fund Tickle The Imagination magazine!

Lovely Tanya from Tickle The Imagination magazine is raising funds to publish the next issue. If you love craft, handmade, fun ideas for kids, and supporting indie Australian publishing and media, head over to Pozible before the 8th September 2014 to make the new issue happen - they're half way there!

Image: Tickle The Imagination

Indoor rainy day activities for kids

When it's rainy and you're ready to go spare with the kids, these are a few easy activities that should keep them occupied for hours.

Balloon volleyball:

Painting rocks:

DIY Dreamcatcher kit for girls

Looking for a little school holiday activity crafty fun to make with the kids? Lovely Deni from Free Range Living sent us two sweet DIY dreamcatcher kits to try out and we love them to bits.

Come to our Craft Party in Sydney

Come and join us for a free craft party! Lisa (the red thread) and I are hosting an abcd social in collaboration with Etsy Australia in Sydney on Saturday 7th June 2014. Bring an old photo, have a cup of tea and a chat and get your craft on with other friendly creative types.

Make: cute DIY bunny craft kit from Artstitch

More cute Easter craft for you - this little bunny craft kit from Artstitch comes with everything you need to sew your own rabbit in the prettiest cotton Liberty outfit. Too sweet! Head to the Artstitch online store to check out the whole range. Make one for a little person, or buy as a gift for an older child. Suitable for beginner to intermediate sewers.

Image: Artstitch 

Make: Easter craft projects for kids

If you're looking for some fun craft activities to do with the kids this week before Easter, hop over to my friend Lisa Tilse's excellent blog the red thread for these two gorgeous craft tutorials:

Make bunny softies from socks:

and a sweet Easter bunny costume and egg hunt bag:

Do you recognise the littlest Miss Bondville?! She was such a good little model. I love this photo of us together.

There are also some great Easter printables over at TinyMe and some fun tutorials at Mum's Business including my articles on making Easter branch decorations, Easter hats and Easter cooking treats.

Have fun getting ready for Easter this week!

Images: the red thread

Make: Free Superhero doll craft pattern

So you crafty types out there - what do you think of these gorgeous DIY Superhero dolls designed by my friend Lisa from the red thread? Head to Lisa's blog now to get the free pattern for these dolls and surprise the little ones in your life. Great for using up scrap fabric!

Image: the red thread