After an extended summer break, I'm back with a quick, easy and super-cool yarn craft for your kids.

These yarn and pipe cleaner bracelets can be made in about 10 minutes, and require just two things - yarn and a pipe cleaner.

They're much easier than traditional friendship bracelets, but just as fun to make and trade with friends.

Great for after-school crafting, Brownies, Girl Scouts, Craft Camp etc.

Check them out and give them a try!

Just click the link below for the photos and how-to. xx

The post Easy Pipe Cleaner and Yarn Bracelets appeared first on Happy Hooligans.

I am completely smitten with this latest art project!

I think it's my favourite art activity for the year.

It's so relaxing, it's pretty much mess-free, and it will keep the kids busy for hours (or even days!)

Plus, the results are just SO CUTE!

Click the link below to check it out! Go! Go!

The post Yarn Painting For Kids (Huichol Style Yarn Art) appeared first on Happy Hooligans.

The teens and tweens out there have been on my mind a lot because this is such a difficult time for them, and they're not as easily entertained as younger children.

It's prompted me to put together a big list of hobbies and pastimes that might interest them.

These aren't projects that will just fill an hour or two. They're a mix of old-fashioned classics and modern-day activities that can be enjoyed for days or weeks, or maybe even a life-time.

If you don't have older kids of your own, I hope you'll pass this along to friends or relatives who do.

Click the link below, and enjoy. xx

The post 51 Hobbies, Pastimes and Projects for Teens and Tweens appeared first on Happy Hooligans.

Have I told you lately how much I LOVE you for following along with our activities. I truly do. You have no idea how much it means to me. <3 With Valentines right around the corner, I'm rounding up some of the very best Valentines crafts we've made over the years. The collection I'm sharing today is geared to the 8 and up crowd. If you have pre-tweens, tweens and teens in the house, these gorgeous crafts will keep them busy right through to Valentines Day. <3 Click the link below to check them out!

The post 11 Valentines Crafts for Tweens and Teens appeared first on Happy Hooligans.

My older girls mod-podged journal covers today, and a couple of them said it's the best craft they've ever done here.

Now, these girls have done a TON of crafts here over the past 10 or so years, so that's an indication of how big of a hit it was.

It was SUPER-easy, SUPER fun and it kept them busy for about 4 hours. I'm not even kidding!

If you have older kids (or grandkids) of your own or in your after-school program, I would highly recommend this activity for them.

Just pick up a bunch of second-hand magazines, and some dollar store journals, and you'll give them an experience they'll remember for a long time.

Click the link below to check them out! They're pretty cool! I even made one myself. :)

The post Mod Podge Journals for Tweens and Teens appeared first on Happy Hooligans.

I am SO EXCITED to share this one with you!!

We've made really gorgeous trivets and coasters, using just pipe cleaners and yarn!!

They're super-easy to make because there's no stitching involved at all.

You have to see them! They look like they're store-bought.

And they're literally just pipe cleaners wrapped in yarn. How cool is that?

What a terrific homemade gift for kids to make for parents and grandparents.

Click the link below to check them out! GO! GO!

The post Easy Homemade Trivets with Pipe Cleaners and Yarn appeared first on Happy Hooligans.

I hope your week is off to a good start!

This one is for kids who love to craft and weave with yarn.

Because we've done so many weaving crafts this past year, I've put them all into one post so they're easy for you to find.

Your kids will have so much fun with these! From traditional loom weaving to circle weaving to weaving on CDs and drinking straws, there are plenty of projects here to keep them busy this winter!

Enjoy!! (And stay warm! xx)

Click the link below to check them out!

The post Weaving Projects for Kids appeared first on Happy Hooligans.

All you need is 3 drinking straws and some scraps of yarn, and your kids can make bookmarks, headbands, bracelets and necklaces.

This is probably the easiest weaving activity we've done yet, and it's SO COOL!

Click the link below to check it out!

The post Straw Weaving (Weaving on Drinking Straws) appeared first on Happy Hooligans.

If your older kids are looking for something cool to do after school this week, this is super!

My hooligans love weaving, and recently, we tried paper plate bowl weaving. All you need is a paper plate and some yarn to make a colourful woven bowl to store trinkets and treasures in.

The process is a bit addictive, so they might want to make a bunch!

It's a great way to keep them entertained and learning and a super way to use up some yarn scraps!

Click the link below to check them out!

The post Paper Plate Woven Bowls appeared first on Happy Hooligans.

Your son or daughter is about to enter a whole new chapter of his or her life, and embark on the path that will carry them into their future.

Whether you pan to write them a heart-felt message in a card, or sit down and have a meaningful, one-on-one conversation with them, here are 18 things every high school graduate needs to hear before heading off to college.

Click on the link below to read the full post.

The post Powerful Words of Wisdom for High School Seniors – 20 Things Your College Kid Needs to Hear appeared first on Happy Hooligans.