Be inspired by the new Beci Orpin DIY book Sunshine Spaces

Beci Orpin's brand new DIY book Sunshine Spaces is the kind of book that makes you feel prettier and cooler just owning it. Scattered throughout the book are thoughts from Beci about her relationship with urban nature, a range of DIY ideas from very easy through to challenging, and page after page of beautiful images of kids and grown-ups connecting with the local outdoors.

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!

How To Make A Puppy Cake

If you'd like squeals of delight from your little animal-lover on on their birthday, make a puppy cake, just like the two cute puppies that I made for my daughter's 6th birthday! These cakes are inspired by the dog cakes from Breadtop bakeries, but I decided to make them myself using my own flavours (and much more within my budget!). Read on for all the tips and tricks...

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:

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: 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:

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.

Pirate house wall decor for kids

Karen from Yellow Dandy is a pretty fabulous blogger who I follow on Instagram, and who is the creator of this very cute pirate house that she made for her son. Simply pop the Love Mae mini pirate ship fabric decal in a white house-shaped shadow box (you can order similar cute house-shaped shadow boxes through online children's interior designer Little Dwellings who has collaborated with maker Top Knot Designs right here in Australia). Genius styling Karen!

Image: Yellow Dandy

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 

Free Valentine's Day Printables from Tinyme

Print out these adorable free designs from tinyme to get started on some fun Valentine's Day craft activities with the kids. There are super-cute cards, straw flags, gift tags and more. Click here to get started!

Images: tinyme

Dandi Baby Shower and doilie garland tutorial

My friends at Sydney homewares and textile designers Dandi put together a gorgeous baby shower for team member Leezar recently. I love the red and white theme with a vintage touch for a baby shower, especially if you don't know if a little boy or girl is on its way. I think this theme would also be gorgeous for a girl's birthday party, and stunning for Christmas too!

Caroline and Mindi from Dandi share their tips and tricks for styling this gorgeous baby shower below. AND there's a super-easy tutorial to make the gorgeous doilie bunting garland. Enjoy!

Party: Leezar's Baby Shower
Organised by: Caroline & Mindi from Dandi
Location: Sydney, NSW
Theme: Vintage

Make: Take One UNICEF Tshirt...

Today is the UNICEF Day for Children! My blogger-buddy Kate works for UNICEF Australia and when she asked if I would be interested in being part of a cool project to upcycle an old UNICEF tshirt, I jumped at the chance.

I'm one of 10 bloggers participating, which is a great way to raise awareness for the UNICEF Day for Children. And with kids in mind who might need a little extra comforting, I decided to make the most of the sky-blue colour of the UNICEF tshirt, to create a comfy cloud pillow.

Here's the tutorial for this easy DIY craft project:

Halloween lantern free printable from Sassaby

If you do no other decoration for Halloween this year, try these super-easy Halloween lanterns - a free printable download from Amy at Sassaby in Queensland. Simply head to Sassaby, download, print, and secure in a cylinder shape with a little tape. Pop in a little weight and tea light (preferably a non-flamable one) and arrange a few at your front door or gate for a little fun seasonal spirit. Easy! And a perfect DIY craft for the kids.

Image: Sassaby

Make: crafty octopus lantern decoration tutorial

For many of us it's school holidays, and if you are looking for a fun, easy DIY craft activity to do with the kids, try these purple octopus lantern decorations. We made these for our big girl's 6th birthday party to hang above the table, but now they are hanging inside as they are too cute to pack away. Here's what you will need: