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Nail Art - a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Tuttle Publishing sent me this kit in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today I am going to share with you a fun, new kit (well it is actually coming out August 15, 2017). Hazel was so excited when I showed this to her. It is Nail Art Kit. The book is by LaLilliMakeup. The box has changed since the one I received, so you will notice the differences in my photographs. 

Hostess Gifts & More for Summer Parties

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post and this post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!


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Have you been looking for a gift to bring a hostess of a summer party? Or perhaps for those hard to buy for people? One of my favorite places to check out is Shop gifts under $25 at The Grommet. The Grommet is a company that helps launch new products onto the market. Usually it is the inventors/creators of the items that they are helping. The gifts are unique and new. Check out some of these great ideas from the gifts under $25 at The Grommet

Sharing Saturday 17-30

It is time again for Sharing Saturday! This is a link party to share all of your child-oriented crafts, crafts made for kids, activities and lessons as well as your parenting and/or teaching posts. So glad you joined us!!

On Sunday night we also host Crafty Weekends for all your crafts (done by any age), patterns, and craft product reviews! It is the perfect place to share your creative side!! And for all of your cultural posts come share them at the monthly Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop.

Colour in Peace Postcards -- a Relaxing Friday Review

Disclosure: Kregel Publications sent me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Back in March I reviewed Colour in Peace. Today I am going to share Colour in Peace Postcards illustrated by James Newmann Gray. The postcard version is just as relaxing and beautiful. Each page has a picture to color on the front and on the back it has a quote or verse of scripture and the regular form of a postcard back. 

Mother Daughter Religion Party

Disclosure: Oriental Trading sent me these items in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Do you look for ways to help your daughter grow in her relationship with God? Several years ago I found Just Mom and Me Having Tea by Mary Murray.
I have wanted to do it with Hazel and thought about having friends do it with us. I decided to finally plan one. Hazel and I checked out Oriental Trading's religious page to see what fun things we could use with the first chapter. The first chapter is God Made Me Special, so we looked for things that were either garden themed (since we wanted a garden tea party) and about our how God created us and loves us. 

Mily Miss Questions DVD Review

Disclosure: NCircle Entertainment sent this DVD free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Hazel recently said to me that we had not reviewed any DVDs in awhile. I didn't tell her that was because she was getting too old for most of them (and I had to watch some on my own because she was no longer interested). However I saw that NCircle Entertainment was releasing one with the star being an 8-year-old girl. Hazel is 8 so I figured we would check it out. Hazel enjoyed watching this DVD. The DVD is Mily Miss Questions: Season One

Fracture Point - a Mommy Time Book Review

Disclosure: Jeff Altabef sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Today I am going to share an adult book with you. I fell in love with Jeff Altabef's books with his and his daughter's Chosen Series. I jumped at the chance to read his newest book Fracture Point

Historical Multicultural Books

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today I am sharing with yous four fun books that are  multicultural and a bit historical. Our first book is Let's Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout; Dance, Spin & Turn It Out! collected by Patricia C. McKissack and illustrated by Brian Pinkney. It is a collection of games, songs and stories from an African American childhood and is perfect for summertime.

Kid's Bunny Diorama -- a Crafty Weekends Post & Link Party


This week our craft is actually one Hazel made. She made it at a workshop at Paper Source this week. I happened to be the teacher of the workshop though. She picked to make a bunny themed diorama. We used the small vanilla (white) shirt box for the diorama. For the person and her clothes came from the Paper Doll Kit.  The bunny ears and bunnies were cut on a Cameo Silhouette. The flowers and leaves were from punches.

Choosing a Bible -- Bible Reviews

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Hazel is getting old enough that the story Bibles are a bit young for her. She wants to be able to look up scripture. It is time for a new Bible. How do I choose one? Well I was able to get two different types of kids' Bibles as well as a journaling Bible (which I am going to keep for myself). I am going to share all three with you today. The first Bible is the ICB Blessed Garden Bible from Tommy Nelson. 

Sharing Saturday 17-29

It is time again for Sharing Saturday! This is a link party to share all of your child-oriented crafts, crafts made for kids, activities and lessons as well as your parenting and/or teaching posts. So glad you joined us!!

On Sunday night we also host Crafty Weekends for all your crafts (done by any age), patterns, and craft product reviews! It is the perfect place to share your creative side!! And for all of your cultural posts come share them at the monthly Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop.

The Happiness Project Mini Posters Book -- a Relaxing Friday Review

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

It has been awhile since I actually wrote a Relaxing Friday Review on a Friday, but today I am doing it. I am sharing a fun coloring book with you called The Happiness Project Mini Posters: A Coloring Book by Gretchen Rubin and illustrated by Clairice Gifford. 

Picture Books about Night and Sleep

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Tonight I am going to share some new picture books about sleep and nighttime. Are your kids afraid of nighttime darkness? Or perhaps they just do not like going to sleep? These books are perfect for you then! Our first book is Time Now to Dream by Timothy Knapman and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. 

Picture Books that Teach

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Today I am sharing some books for the younger kids. They are all picture books and each have a bit of a lesson or concept in them. The first book is Double Take! A New Look at Opposites by Susan Hood and illustrated by Jay Fleck.

YA Books for Summer Reading

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Last week I joined Penguin Kids with their Meet the Chapter Books July Summer Reading Series. It involved sharing books for kids who are just beginning with chapter books (grades 1-3). I however continued all week sharing chapter books for different age groups: grades 2-5 and grades 3-7, which brings us to today's post--young adults or grade 7+. Today's books cover such a large range of topics so I hope you find one your young adult might enjoy or perhaps you will enjoy!

Summer Craft Supplies -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Oriental Trading sent me these products free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Looking for ideas of things to do with your kids on those bad weather days this summer? Or perhaps just some things to keep your kids using their creative juices and crafting? Now I am sure you know about Oriental Trading and their fun party supplies and perhaps even their various craft kits, but do you know they also sell craft supplies? Hazel and I checked out their craft supplies together and picked some out to share with you. We chose some basic supplies like paints and washi tape as well as some things to use the paints and washi tape on like frames, a tray, diy journal kits and diy rubber ducks. We have been having fun with all these craft supplies as well as some we already had. 

Sharing Saturday 17-28

It is time again for Sharing Saturday! This is a link party to share all of your child-oriented crafts, crafts made for kids, activities and lessons as well as your parenting and/or teaching posts. So glad you joined us!!

On Sunday night we also host Crafty Weekends for all your crafts (done by any age), patterns, and craft product reviews! It is the perfect place to share your creative side!! And for all of your cultural posts come share them at the monthly Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop.

Chapter Books for Grades 3-7 -- Summer Reading

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

This week I have been sharing various chapter books for summer reading for different ages. We have shared books that inspire authors and illustratorschapter books for grades 1-3chapter books for grades 2-5 and now chapter books for grades 3-7. I have to say that one of these books has been my favorite summer read! We will start with that one. It is Walking with Miss Millie by Tamara Bundy. 

Summer Reading -- Chapter Books for Grades 2-5

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Yesterday I joined in the Penguin Kids Meet the Chapter Books July Summer Reading Program and introduced some chapter books for kids in grades 1-3. To avoid the summer slide it is important to have our kids continue reading all summer long and to make it so it is not a chore it is important to find the books that interest your child. Hazel LOVES to read and will read just about anything, however if it is a favorite I cannot get her nose out of the book. If it is not it becomes more of a chore. So today I am going to share with you four books for the slightly older reader--grades 2-5. (Tomorrow we will have books for older kids.) We will start with the first book in the Microsaurs: Follow that Tiny-Dactyl by Dustin Hansen. The second book in the series comes out next week. 

Meet the Chapter Books -- Summer Reading for Grades 1-3

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Do you have a child who is ready to start reading chapter books? There are some great beginner ones out there and it seems like summer might be the perfect time to make the switch from picture books and beginning readers to easy chapter books. Hazel started reading chapter books pretty young. I had been reading them to her for several years (around age 3). After I read The Princess in Black to her the first time she read it to herself about 100 times now plus all the sequels. My contact at Penguin Kids asked me to join in the Meet the Chapter Books their July Summer Reading Program. She sent me three chapter books that are recommended for grades 1-3. Two of them I will review today and one I will share since it was not in our topic of interest but I know it will be for some plus I am going to share two other fun books also recommended for grades 1-3. We will start with The Kid from Planet Z: Crash! by Nancy Krulik and illustrated by Louis Thomas. 

Author Inspired Books

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Are you trying to get your child to read this summer? We all know about the summer slide and how much learning they lose with the two plus months off. Most schools now assign summer reading and even summer work to help stop this. Do your kids do it? I find it is important for kids to find books they want to read. They need something that inspires them and you know what--I am the same. If I cannot get into a book I will not finish it. I have always been that way. I am a slow reader and if I am going to take the time and effort to read a book, it has to be a good book. Today I am going to share some books about what inspires authors and one that is a John Keats poem presented in a new way. I hope some of these might inspire your kids to read more!!

Light Box Arts Creations -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Light Box Arts sent me a voucher to create this light box on their site in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Confession time, I am not a very good drawer.  When I try to draw or paint I am never happy with my work. However I am excellent at using computers to create fun artwork. I am also a great cutter and paster. So when Light Box Arts asked if I would like to try out their new Design Yours feature on their site, I jumped at the opportunity. 

Light Box Arts offers pre-designed light boxes as well. There are many different categories like Attitude, Vacation, Inspirational, Kids, and more. These are fun and beautiful, but I was excited to make something personal. I thought a personal light box would be perfect to celebrate our 11 year anniversary this summer. I got to work. I Googled for some ideas for anniversary quotes and found "Once upon a time I became yours and you became mine and we will stay together through both the tears and the laughter because that is what they call happily ever after." I loved it and wanted to add it to our wedding picture. 

Religious Chapter Books

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Hazel loves to read!! At times I cannot get her nose out of a book. She is into mysteries right now, but we have been really enjoying some Christian themed chapter books. Today we are going to share some of them with you. We shared the first book in the Chime Travelers Series with you previously. It is written by Lisa M. Hendey and illustrated by Jenn Bower. Today we will share the other four books in the series. This fun series is about twins who somehow are able to travel through time to meet and learn from various saints. They know it has something to do with the bells at their church, but cannot figure out how to make it happen or how to travel together. 

Multicultural Coloring Books -- A Relaxing Saturday Review

Disclosure: I was sent these books free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

It has been awhile since I have done a Relaxing Friday review, so today I am sharing three coloring books with you. These books each help teach a bit about cultures. Join us as we take looks at Asia, a Japanese garden and Ancient Egypt. Our first book is A Touch of Asia from Tuttle Publishing. 

Sharing Saturday 17-27

This has been a bit of a slow week and our party last year was a bit small. It is time again for Sharing Saturday! This is a link party to share all of your child-oriented crafts, crafts made for kids, activities and lessons as well as your parenting and/or teaching posts. So glad you joined us!!

On Sunday night we also host Crafty Weekends for all your crafts (done by any age), patterns, and craft product reviews! It is the perfect place to share your creative side!! And for all of your cultural posts come share them at the monthly Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop.

I Am Devotional Book Review & Game

Disclosure: I was sent these books to review free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review.

We had a very fun weekend celebrating the United States' birthday. Hazel and I went to my parents at Cape Cod and got to see the fireworks, a parade and we went to a powwow. Plus we had time for swimming, mini golf and the John F. Kennedy Museum in Hyannis. Then it was time to come home and get ready for work. Now I finally have a few minutes to share with you a wonderful new devotional for kids. It is I Am Devotional: 100 Devotions About the Names of God by Diane Stortz and illustrated by Diane Le Feyer. 

Fourth of July Crafty Weekends Link Party




We are getting ready to watch the fireworks for Independence Day at my parents tonight. I spent the day playing mini golf with Hazel and my nephew and then the three of us headed to the John F. Kennedy Museum in Hyannis to check it out (it is the centennial celebration there). I am in full vacation mode and did not do crafts this week, so I thought I would share a few of my favorite patriotic crafts from the past.