Green Living

To us weekends filled with outdoorsy goodness (namely hikes through Mt. Tamalpais and bike rides around Angel Island) are just what we need to reconnect and recharge from the craziness of the week. Nature calls us and we go knowing all is right when we are out in it exploring, getting dirty and going crazy. Weekends spent outdoors are hands-down our kids' favorite and have been their most memorable ones.

As soon as Easter is over Earth Day will be here. And it's a big one this year...Earth Day number 40 to be exact. Why not impress the kids and get a jump start on the greening with this clever idea from Chronicle Books for turning your empty egg shells into seedling containers.

Chronicle Books:

My kids have been a bit snack-sad ever since our dentist banned all fruits in gooey form. Watching them stare longingly at the boxes of tongue tattoos and gummy ponies every time we venture down the snack aisle of our grocery store is truly heartbreaking. That's not to say mama doesn't sneak in a box or two over summer vacation...A teeny amount of tooth decaying goodies is a small price to pay for summertime fun (plus I make they brush and floss really good after snacking). All in all, I hate the blasted snacks and I wish they didn't have such a pull on my kids.

Dia De Los Muertos or Day of the Dead is a notable holiday falling after Halloween and is celebrated by many Mexican and Latin American families. The holiday is a vivacious and spirited celebration of the deceased honoring their lives and life itself. According to Wikipedia, "The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died.

I'm completely in love with this wee gnome costume tutorial from Instructables member Stavro. And I appreciate everything that this kiddie get-up represents...It's the best of homemade Halloween mixed with eco-consciousness mixed with oodles and oddles of cutie-pie goodness. Plus, it's simple and cheap enough to throw together when you're out of time and need a costume fast.

Maya*Made's inspirational ideas makes me want to spiffy up our home with seasonal flare. And after seeing her tutorial for fall newspaper bunting I knew I just had to jump into Autumn action.

We think ArtCamp! is super-rad. Lead by Jodi Waxman a mommy, educator and artist, the camps offer kids high-quality, hands-on art experiences for very little dough. Through her workshops kids get the opportunity to practice specific art techniques/mediums.

Jodi's next set of ArtCamp workshops will be held on October 6th. She's holding 3 different age-appropriate print making workshops. The details for the workshops include:

"Stamped prints* (ages 2 & up)
9:45am – 10:30am

Busy with a major move and last-minute family vacation scheduled right before the new school year we here at Otterhop have slacked big-time in bringing you all the stellar back-to-school goodies circulating around the crafting world. And let me tell you, there's some juicy stuff waiting to be tried.

I love this tutorial from Sarah Rivka of Creative Jewish Mom for making sand beads. This craft is so simple and fun that's it's perfect for not only the older kids but also toddlers---did someone say fine motor skills? Sarah has done a nice job putting together a how-to complete with pictures, clear directions and tips for what can be made out of the sandy clay.

Everywhere we go this summer my kids have their Klean Kanteens within reach. No matter if it's playtime at the park, bike rides around the neighborhood or days spent digging in the sand their water is always within reach.