Hop to it and make these cute little fuzzy bunny slippers from recycled felted wool sweaters to keep the kid in your life snuggly warm. This free slipper pattern features a cute little face...Fuzzy bunny slippers from recycled felted sweaters for kids {free slipper pattern}... »

I’m starting a new column today on MerrimentDesign.com called DIY or Buy. I don’t know about you but when it comes to crafting I totally have an "eyes are bigger than my stomach" syndrome....{DIY or Buy} How to Make a Crib Dust Ruffle – Or Where To Buy if Your Plate is Full... »

Looking around our house it's clear that "stickers" was the perfect theme for Elise's second birthday party. Last year it was monkeys and bananas but like many kids her age Elise is a sticker...“Stickers” Birthday Party Theme Idea for kids {with free custom sticker templates}... »

Today's craft is for babies and toddlers about 15 months to 2 years old: a straw game made out of a cardboard oatmeal container. All you need is an empty Quaker oatmeal canister, a...Oatmeal container straw game for babies and toddlers... »

My baby wipes pop-up container box has become a fixture on Elise's shelf so I thought why not make it extra pretty? So I decided customize it by covering it with fabric. Here's what...Custom fabric-covered Huggies baby wipes popup tub container {free pattern}... »

Here's how to make a fabric safety gate for baby and toddlers for the bottom of stairs or between doorways. This DIY fabric baby safety gate has given me a lot of piece of...DIY Fabric Safety Gate for Baby and Toddlers... »

My friend Jolyn, the Queen of Handmade Burp Cloths, taught me years ago how to turn regular white burp cloths into posh fabric-covered burp cloth sets in less than an hour. Cute, huh? And...Baby burp cloths with loops for toys or binkies... »

I've been making this sweet potato cracker recipe again and again since Thanksgiving's sweet potato leftovers and I think it's high time I passed along this yummy kid-friendly crackers recipe. Elise has become my...Sweet potato crackers recipe – easy, healthy recipe for kids... »

Elise loved her 1st birthday gifts and wanted to say thanks in style! I designed pink monkey thank you cards with a '1st birthday' bananas birthday party hat and yellow polka dots cards. Then...Printable Thank You Cards for Pink Monkey 1st Birthday Party... »

I made these yellow and pink bubble labels to coordinate with Elise's 1st birthday party theme - Pink Monkey and Bananas. Elise just loves bubbles - she has a little menagerie of "bubba" blowers...Printable free bubble labels for party favors... »

I made this pink monkey birthday hat for Elise to wear on her 1st birthday. She was a good sport about it and I think she looked adorable especially when she dug into her...Pink monkey printable birthday party hat for kids... »

I made this "Happy 1st Birthday Elise" pink and yellow hanging birthday banner for Elise's pink monkey and bananas birthday party. I hung it over our living room curtains using three kinds of ribbon...Happy 1st Birthday Banner Free Printable Hanging Sign – customizable... »

I was totally stumped trying to think of birthday party theme ideas for Elise's 1st birthday. And then Shane suggested having a Pink Monkey and Bananas 1st birthday party theme and it just felt...Pink Monkey and Bananas Kid’s 1st Birthday Party Idea and Free Printable Templates... »

My daughter Elise is my little ray of sunshine, without a doubt. So when it came to making my delightful baby her first proper Halloween costume, I came up with this cheery fleece and...Sunshine and Rainbow Halloween free costume pattern for babies, toddlers and kids... »

Elise looks adorable in hats. I just can't get enough of them. So I decided to make a free baby sunhat sewing pattern with ruffles to add to her fashion options. I freehanded this...Baby sunhat pattern with ruffles and ties... »

Elise is eating solid foods now so I've entered the Land of Frozen and Leftover Baby Food. With my brain still set on 'sleep deprived,' I put my chalkboard obsession to good use with...Chalkboard lids for baby food jars... »

I made this toy travel blanket for Elise's first plane flight. We were flying to Maine and I wanted any toys she dropped to stay in our seats rather than fall into the filthy...Kid’s Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags... »

This original Fourth of July craft was created for Daily Candy Kids. Welcome, Daily Candy readers! I mourn sparklers. The City of Chicago banned sparklers in 2007 joining most other ousted fireworks. Â Yes,...Sparkless sparklers for kids for the Fourth of July using chopsticks, ribbon and party garland... »

My baby Elise is four months old now. She can hold her toys in both hands and sit up assisted. I think this big girl is ready for some colorful jingly oversized 5" x...Colorful fabric baby stacking blocks... »

Hearts is the theme of two easy Valentine's Day gifts perfect for spoiling the sweet toddler and tween girls in your life. First is a teeny pouch bracelet perfect for storing candies or tiny...Valentine’s Day Felt Heart Pocket Bracelet and Mini-Purse for Kids... »

My niece Madison is universally and deservedly spoiled by all members of our family. I try to make her special handmade Christmas and birthday gifts like this one and that one. With our cross-country...Family coloring book from photos... »

My coworker Danielle recently came back to work after the birth to her first child, son Otto James. We work together at a web design company in an industrial part of Chicago near Oprah's...Scrabble Letters Word Book for Kids... »

We're in the middle of converting our den into a baby's room. We're keeping it simple -- borrowed our niece Madison's crib, kept the room painted light gray -- and have begun accenting with...Gathered Dust Ruffle Bed Skirt for Cribs and Toddler Beds... »

Here's an easy, fun and practical gift for new arrivals: Planes, Trains and Automobiles burp cloths. Friends Tamara and Jon recently welcomed Lucas, little brother to adorable Sienna, and I made these especially for...Planes, Trains and Automobiles Burp Cloths... »

Last year I made Madison a super cute pint sized kid's pleated apron out of pink retro Wizard of Oz fabric. I added fun numbers cookie cutters and wrapped both in cookie jar wrapping...Chicago-themed fabric photo memory game for kids... »

So my niece Madison's 3rd birthday is in April. What a big girl! I work near Madison Street in Chicago and couldn't resist taking a photo of a street sign to top her package....Madison Wrapping Paper... »

Updated: I found out that I got 4th place beating not only Stephanie Izard, Top Chef winner, but also Roger Herring, chef and owner of Socca in Chicago. Hip hip! Peanut butter & jelly...Peanut Butter & Jelly Mac and Cheese – 4th Place!!... »

Ho! Ho! Ho! Here's a special holiday variation of chalkboard pillows complete with two new free ornament and tree templates to make your own 16" x 16" pillow for the season. The ornament in...Chalkboard Pillows Holiday Edition... »

Today I popped by my friend Anne's to drop off gifts for five-year-old son, Gavin, and her newborn son, Graham. I recycled and altered my chalkboard gift tags idea to wrap Gavin's birthday treat....Gift wrapping ideas for baby and kids... »

UPDATE: Dinosaur and Birdie Chalkboard Pillows are now for sale at UncommonGoods! Great gift for kids. So when I first invented chalkboard pillows I handmade the chalkboards out of plastic, a knife, drill and...Chalkboard pillows for kids and adults redux... »

The first time I saw a sewn appliqué tie onesie bodysuit was about a year ago in an Uncommon Goods catalog. I thought it was really cute and looked super simple to make. Well,...Sewn Tie Appliqué Baby Onesie Bodysuit... »

Watch out Speed Racer. Mom of two Amy Herlihy hand painted racing car wall art to match her son Kieran's racing themed comforter and pillow sham. Now Kieran has his dream bedroom. And it's...Car racing wall art for kid’s rooms... »

So my friend Jeff and I were talking at Mac's about Merriment and he asked if I could make a unique baby gift to help him welcome Isabella, a friend's newborn daughter. These handmade,...Sewn baby onesie bodysuits – applique dog, butterfly, bottle, bow, heart... »

So what was in Madison’s cookie jar birthday boxes to help celebrate her second birthday? Super fun numbers cookie cutters and a child’s size pink Wizard of Oz apron handmade by Aunt Kathy. I’ve...Child’s pleated Wizard of Oz apron (part 1)... »

So today is my adorable niece Madison's second birthday. I made her a super cool gift that I'll post in a few days with instructions once she's unwrapped her gift. In the meantime here...Cookie jar wrapping paper for gifts... »

New mom and fashion maven Rachel Pluto made these adorable animals for her newborn daughter Maya. Taking a cue from Dwell's baby animals that retail $105 for three, Rachel handcrafted these adorable reversible giraffe...Baby stuffed animals... »

Being a big tea drinker these favors from Rachel's baby shower were a big hit with me. A box of Twinings tea was wrapped in fresh green tissue and plastic, tied with printed silk...A baby is brewing... »