Dala Horses

Dala horses are small woodcarvings that originated hundreds of years ago in the Swedish province of Dalarna. With their distinctive silhouette and bright paint colors, usually tomato red, they are a Swedish national symbol. Anytime we see one of these sweet little horses in a space, they immediately grab our attention. We searched the internet for Dala horse decor ideas and hit the jackpot at Etsy.


Vintage Red Swedish Dala Horse, $45
Eco Felt Dala Horse Plush Wall Hanging, $16
Swedish Dala Horse Bunting Kit, $20
Tiny Ingemar Swedish Horse Rubber Stamp, $12
Swedish Dala Horse with 2 Flowers Iron On Patch, $6.50

What Can You Make With 200+ Colored Pencils?

Artist and creator Damian Wilcox set out to make something everyday for 30 days from the materials he found in his workshop. On one of those days he came across an old pile of colored pencils (over two hundred to be exact) and put them to use! Can you tell what he made?

After gluing the pencils side by side, he cut a pencil box in half and used it as the brackets for his brand new shelf. We think the idea is rather fun and totally doable at home. Once a year or so it seems that the arts and craft supplies in our own home get a little overwhelming and need to be cleaned out. This would be a fun way to put some of them to use doing something different, or pick up a few boxes at the dollar store to make something fun with.

We suggest using Gorilla glue which will hold to the slick coating on the outside of the pencils, but be aware that if you've never used it before that it foams as it dries, so you'll need less than you think! Happy crafting and if you'd like to take a look you can see a few of the other items Damian made over at Design Boom.

Mini Figures From Lego

During the last few weeks Lego has released a new line of mini figures that are sure to add fun to the existing sets you already have in your home. The characters are just too cute and at a price point every parent can afford — who needs $2 when you can have an extra Bay Watch life guard girl?


Lego

Toddler-Size Soft Seating

With the exception of activity tables and chairs, I've never been a huge fan of buying child-size furniture. It certainly doesn't seem practical for my own small home where we struggle just to make room for the essentials. Besides, if I can walk ten miles to school barefoot in the snow, can't my toddler son endure sitting in an adult-sized chair? But lately I've been reconsidering.

In our small living room we have a couch and one arm chair - which lately my son has completely co-opted. He insists on sitting there and cries and cries if someone else dares take his spot. While not wanting to give in to his demands, I have wondered if getting him his own chair wouldn't only delight him, but also keep our chair cleaner (not to mention free for use). So I wanted to see what my options were for small, modern, comfortable chairs. Here are the results of my research with a handful of options at different price points.