Everything's Famtastic

February 11, 2021September 25, 2021

37 Simple Ways for Busy Moms to Practice Self Care

Valentine’s Day. All over social media there’s love in the air and chatter about what nice things we ~~can~~ should do (and buy!) for the people that we love. But behind all the lovey-dovey talk, there’s a very important person we keep forgetting about.

Ourself.

The mothers of the world work so hard to care for their families 24/7 yet all too often forget to plan in anything nice for themselves. Even just to take a breather.

Quite a while back I touched on why moms should take a time out. It’s definitely time for a recap and to fill you in a little more about practicing self care.

But wait! Isn’t self care really just being selfish?!?

In case you’re a little unsure, keep reading to find out about what self care means, why it is so important- yes, YOU TOO should be practicing self care- and a list of simple, yet beneficial, ways you too can take a time out to care for yourself.

January 28, 2021September 25, 2021

Cheap & Easy Awesome Activities to Stop Kids Saying They’re Bored

I’ve been hearing from a lot of fellow mums lately, about how hard it is to keep their kids busy and entertained these days. I hear you. (I am one of them trust me! 😉)

For a million reasons not limited to: the kids being at home more, household budgets getting tighter, chaotic work schedules, fewer activities outside of the home being an option, even lousy weather, parents just like you are struggling to come up with new ideas to keep their kids occupied and happy.

Last year I published a great post with tons of fun ideas (Psst! That are not TV!) to keep your children occupied when school’s closed .

In the list you’ll find a range of things for kids to do when they’re bored. There are indoor activities and outdoor activities, sporty activities and quiet ones, as well as social and independent activities for kids of all ages.

No matter whether you have toddlers, tweens or teens in the house not only will the ideas on that list stop your children from saying “Mum I’m bored!”, they are all budget-friendly! Fun and cheap ideas for kids?!? Yes please!!

Because I keep hearing people ask for help on how to keep the kids entertained when they’re stuck at home, I thought it was time for a fresh update of my kid- (and mum-) friendly ideas. But this time I am not the only one here with the suggestions.

I have called on a group of fantastic fellow mums to share their top tips for clever ideas to keep kids busy. I’m really excited to have them all on board, because as we mamas all know, what works for one family isn’t guaranteed to work for the next.

Have fun reading the dozens of ideas in this post and pick and choose as you please, the best boredom-busting activities for your kids.

January 14, 2021October 8, 2021

8 Essential Tools You Need in Your Sewing Kit

Happy New Year! I’m not sure whether you dared make any plans for this year. (Last year put the brakes on a lot of people’s plans.) My goal for this year is to create create create! One thing I love doing is sewing unique clothes for my kids. But another thing I love creating is super helpful tips and fun ideas for my busy readers!

I have been asked before about what types of machines and tools I can’t live without for my sewing projects. There certainly are a few that I love! So how about I share my list of essential sewing tools with you, right here, right now?!?

December 10, 2020June 26, 2021

What’s Christmas like in…? Fun Christmas Traditions Around the World

I’ve got a real treat for you today! I am taking you on a sleigh ride to peek at how people celebrate Christmas around the world! And you don’t even need to pay for the fare. It’s my feel-good Christmas surprise for you!

I’ve got a bunch of expat friends and bloggers together to write about what Christmas is like for them in their respective adopted countries. It’s a really fun insider’s look at this lovely time of the year.

pin, Pinterest, christmas, christmas traditions, christmas celebrations, christmas around the world, expat life, expat tales, expat stories, expat christmas

Have you ever wondered how people celebrate Christmas in other countries? Maybe you didn’t even know that the 25^th December is not always a big deal in holiday celebrations at this time of year. Well then, buckle up and come along for the ride to explore Christmas traditions around the world with me!

November 26, 2020July 2, 2024

How to Sew: The Ultimate Handmade Relaxing Neck Pillow

Just the other week I shared with you a list of great gift ideas for book lovers, when you want to avoid giving them yet another book. (Didn’t catch it? Read the list here.)

diy, sewing, sewing project, neck pillow, neck support pillow, reading bone pillow, leseknochen, nähen, nähprojekt, beginners sewing, 60 minute project, gift ideas, christmas gift ideas, birthday gift ideas, gifts for him, gifts for her, gifts for kids, pin, Pinterest

There was one suggestion in there in particular that I know caught a lot of attention: that funky-looking neck support pillow. Remember? The one that was shaped a little like a dog’s bone?!?

They are so practical AND cute. You can use it as

> a neck rest (lean back and relax!)

> a book stand

> or just a comfy pillow to snuggle up with.

“What else is so good about a neck support pillow?” I hear you asking. Well, they’re ideal for a personalised, unique gift for any occasion (Hello, Christmas gift! Hello, birthday present!) for friends and family of all ages. And who doesn’t like comfort when reading?!?

What’s also super cool about these relaxing reading pillows is that they are SO easy to sew! Yes, even for beginners! (Trust me 😉)

And I’m here to share the details with you, how YOU too can DIY one of these super comfy, relaxing neck support pillows!

November 12, 2020January 18, 2023

Guide to the Greatest Gifts Book Lovers will Adore!

I love my kids. I love how they constantly have an abundance of creative ideas! And I love how they are always asking about Everything’s Famtastic and offering me ideas of what I could write about here. This post is the result of exactly this type of enthusiasm and brain-storming. Well, sort of… in a roundabout way… 😉

pin, Pinterest, book lovers, bookworms, book fans, gift guide, gift ideas, Christmas gift ideas, birthday gift ideas, anniversary gift ideas, Valentine's Day gift ideas, kids who read, gifts for him, gifts for her, gifts for kids, gifts for boys, gifts for girls, DIY, sewing project

All 3 of my kids are MASSIVE bookworms. My 2 daughters have been so for a loooong time. And my son, who just started school this year and always had an affinity for books, can now proudly read for himself. Suffice to say, that this bilingual household is overflowing with German and English children’s books!

A while back my eldest daughter wrote a (now very popular!) post about super books series for girls aged 9-12. And then my younger daughter published her list of must-read book series for girls 6 – 9 years. So naturally, they keep prodding me to write even more blog posts here about kids’ books.

But this article isn’t about books per se, rather about creative gifts for the book lover in your life. These gift ideas are perfect for bookworms of any age, especially if you are trying to avoid adding to the already sagging bookshelf!

So, what present do you give a book lover, if not books?!? Well, in this list we have thought of all the things an avid reader needs to stay comfortable, undisturbed and busy in their reading “happy place”! There’s also printables to keep an eye out for.

Be careful though! These gift ideas are SO GOOD that your bookworm may get so settled, you might never see them again! Take a look for yourself…

October 29, 2020June 26, 2021

5 Easy Steps to Sewing a Reversible Loop Scarf

So Easy, You can Sew it in Less Than 30 Minutes!

Well, hello! Great to see you here checking out this latest sewing project. Today I am going to show you the exact steps you need to sew your very own, simple yet stylish, reversible loop scarf!

A while back I published a tutorial on how to sew a patchwork infinity loop scarf which is great fun to put together. But if you’re looking for something even simpler, then this reversible scarf is it!

The cold weather is coming, there’s no stopping it! Which means more sewing, yes, of course! (D’Uh!) But not those pretty dresses and light and breezy blouses of summer. No! We are into creating those warm and cosy clothes that you can look great in AND snuggle into. Mmm, can you just imagine it, a beautiful soft and warm, handmade scarf?

Oh! And did I mention it’s also reversible? 2 looks for the price of one! Aaaaand there are 3 sizes of this scarf for you to choose from, so you’ve got the whole family covered! 😉

sewing, sewing project, scarf, reversible scarf, diy, beginners sewing, sewing newbie, nähen, nähprojekt, pin, Pinterest

But wait! What?

Think you’re too busy to start a new sewing project? Think again! Trust me, this one will take you less than 30 minutes to complete!

Or perhaps you think you’re too much of a beginner and don’t feel confident to try any *tricky* sewing projects? Number 1: everybody else who you see conjuring amazing sewing creations had to start somewhere and so do you! Don’t be scared 😊. Number 2: this is one of the easiest sewing projects you will EVER find! Truly!

Or maybe you’re gonna tell me you don’t want to go out shopping for more fabric when you have so many leftover pieces hiding in those cartons? I hear you! This project is perfect for using up those smaller pieces, especially when you can coordinate them with an item of clothing you already sewed for yourself!

So, are there any more ifs and buts? Or shall we get started sewing?!?

October 15, 2020May 22, 2024

Sewing Project: How to Sew Your Own Layered-Look Shirt

Otherwise known as:

SOS! Help! I don’t have enough fabric to finish my sewing project! What can I make with my leftover fabric?!?

Have you ever made plans to sit yourself down and finally take care of a sewing project you’ve been pushing back for a while?

You grab the fabric. Maybe you bought it a long time ago. Maybe you were given it from a friend. Perhaps it was some leftover pieces from another project or even another item of clothing you wished to upcycle.

*Gasp!* The fabric pieces are not large enough to complete the sewing project as you imagined it. Oh no! What to do?!?

This is EXACTLY what happened to me the other week! A lovely acquaintance of mine gifted me some pieces of fabric and immediately Miss 12 claimed 2 of them as her own, implying that I should conjure up a long-sleeve shirt for her. At the last minute though, we realised that the fabric she wanted me to use for the long sleeves wasn’t quite long enough!

Have no fear! Not all was lost. Us creative types often need to modify our project plans, right? My daughter did get her long sleeve shirt, but in a new and funky, layered-look.

sewing, sewing project, nähen, nähprojekt, DIY, layered-look shirt, sewing tutorial, sewing how-to, pin, Pinterest

Are you intrigued how I did it? This post is going to walk you through the steps to turn a feared fabric shortage into a perfectly cool, one-of-a-kind shirt.

July 2, 2020November 3, 2021

The 3 Ps of Plane Travel with Children: Useful Tips for Flying with Kids

School summer holidays are starting. The kids are buzzed about summer break. The last months have been pretty intense. It’s time to get away and see something other than those same 4 walls. What are you going to do?

If you’re likely to be staying around home for the next few weeks (thank you, COVID-19), take a look at this seriously cool list of summer boredom busters, put together by real live, actual kids 😊.

Or perhaps you’re looking to cram the car full and hit the road on a road trip with the fam? Have a read of this road trip planner and make sure you’ve not forgotten a single thing to keep the kids happy and occupied in the back seats!

But what about if you’re thinking of even bigger plans for travelling with the kids this year?

I can help you out with planning for that too! And no, I am not talking about getting on a cruise ship…

plane travel, travel, holiday, tips, travel tips, family and parenting, travelling with children, pin, Pinterest

June 4, 2020June 26, 2021

The One Sewing Trick That Will Save You Time

Who loves a good time-saver?

**raises hand and yells “Me! Me! Me!**

Life is busy enough already, what with work and kids and managing the household and keeping everyone fed and healthy. And then on top of that you need to get in some time for yourself.

When sewing is your thing and you’ve finally been able to sit down with your machine you want, no NEED, to be able to use your time as effectively as possible. Who wants to waste time chopping and changing between 2 or more of the same projects?!?

sewing, sewing project, sewing tips, sewing tricks, time-saver, nähen, nähprojekt, spar Zeit, DIY, pin, Pinterest

Do you know what I mean? When you have decided to sew multiples of the same thing, like those DIY Fabric Face Masks during Corona virus times. (I have now sewn close to 100 😳). Or fun easy-sew bean bags for the kids. Once you’ve gotten started on one, you may as well just plough through at least a few others at the same time.

I really wish I had known of this trick a while back as it not only saves you time, but also your thread! How cool is that?!?

Allow me to show you exactly how it works and you’ll be zooming through your next sewing projects in no time! Let’s go!