Edible Flower Crafts for Kids

I love flower crafts. I've made a lot of kid-friendly flower crafts over the years, including quite a few that are edible. I've gathered them all here in one place. Below that, you'll find affiliate links for some fun flower-themed picture books. Enjoy!

Edible Flower Crafts for Kids

• Black-Eyed Susan Candies - Create eye-catching candies that look like black-eyed Susans. Kids will love making (and eating!) these treats. 
• Ice Cream Flowerpots - These fabulous flowers are a lot of fun to make. Pre-freeze the ice cream and have kids make their own flowers for a fun summertime party activity. 
• Fondant Daisies and Roses - Making beautiful daisies and roses from fondant is surprisingly easy and very kid-friendly. Use them to decorate cakes, cupcakes, or other homemade goodies. 
• Conversation Hearts Bouquet of Flowers - This edible bouquet makes a wonderful gift or a unique centerpiece. 
• Candy Roses - These beautiful roses are made freehand - no mold required. And I promise it is ridiculously easy! They make a wonderful topper for ice cream. 
• Glazed Flower Rolls - There are a lot of possibilities with this recipe. Make plain flower rolls to serve with dinner, or add a flavored glaze for a sweet breakfast treat. 
• Jelly Bean Bouquet - This miniature bouquet is one of the most popular crafts on my blog. It's really easy and is absolutely adorable. 
• Pineapple Sunflowers - Dark chocolate and pineapple is a fantastic flavor combination. They come together to make stunning edible sunflowers. 
• Sweet Tarts Flower Cupcakes - Decorate cupcakes with delicious Sweet Tarts Hearts for a fun springtime dessert. It's a great choice for Mother's Day! 
• Sunflower Seed Brownies - Whether you make sinful brownies or a healthier version, decorate them with cute little sunflower seed flowers. 

Flower Books for Kids

• The Tiny Seed - Kids love this classic book by Eric Carle that comes with seed-embedded paper you can plant. 
• Mrs. Peanuckle's Flower Alphabet - Read about 26 types of flowers, from asters to zinnias, in this colorful book.  
• Planting a Rainbow - Featuring the paper collage artwork of Lois Ehlert, this classic book follows a mother and child who plant a beautiful garden with all the colors of the rainbow. 
• The Big Book of Blooms - Learn fun and amazing facts about some of the most interesting flowers on the planet. 

Public Art at Sacramento International Airport (SMF)

As I mentioned in my last post, I made an unexpected trip to Idaho last week. I flew out of Sacramento, my favorite of the three major airports that are essentially the same distance from us. I arrived ridiculously early for my flight, which gave me the chance to take my time and enjoy the public art in Terminal B. I've seen it before, of course, but I've never taken the time to stop and appreciate it. 

This is Leap, by Lawrence Argent. It's 56 feet tall and is instantly recognizable to anyone who has flown in or out of Sacramento. 

Behind the ticketing area, there are two large wood and steel murals on either side of the elevators and escalators, called The Baggage Handlers. Artist Christian Moeller included the faces of six airport employees whose important work occurs largely behind the scenes.  

At the top of the escalator, you'll find A Fragment of the Universe, a glass mosaic by Joan Moment. The colors are beautiful and the patterns mesmerizing. 

Beyond the floor mural, there's long display showing the different uniforms the Sacramento Kings have worn over the years. Apparently it's not officially artwork, as there is no mention of a title or artist, but it adds a lot to what would otherwise be a long, empty wall. 

Next is As the Crow Flies, by Lynn Criswell. Embedded into the floor are 21 silhouettes of birds native to Northern California. Above each hangs an empty bird cage. When Trevor was little, he loved trying to match the names of the birds to their silhouettes. Too bad this is in a high-traffic area just before the tram instead of in a place where young bird lovers can entertain themselves while waiting for a flight. 

  

Flying Colors by Suzanne Adan is a whimsical glass mosaic featuring stylized birds. It would make a fantastic jigsaw puzzle. 

Acorn Steam by Donald Lipski is stunning. This enormous artwork of wood and Swarovski crystals honors Sacramento's oak trees and their importance to the indigenous people. 

This is called Your Words are Music to My Ears and is by Po Shu Wang and Louise Bertelsen. You can play the instrument to entertain your fellow waiting passengers, but not in the way you think. Check out the video that explains it. 

There is a lot more artwork at SMF in the other terminal, at International, and outside that wasn't accessible to me on this trip. My favorite is Samson. You can read about it, and all the other public art at SMF, on their website. 

Have you been to an airport with a lot of fabulous artwork? Let me know about it in the comments!

Watermelon Crafts for Kids

Summer is just around the corner. Get ready with watermelon crafts and recipes that kids will love! I gathered all of my watermelon-themed tutorials into one place to make it easy for you to pick the perfect activities to do together. At the bottom, you'll find affiliate links for some fun watermelon-themed picture books. Enjoy!

Watermelon Crafts for Kids

• Crayon Melt Watermelon - Enjoy the intense colors you get with this unique craft activity. 
• Construction Paper Watermelon Self-Portrait - This project is perfect for the kid who LOVES watermelon!
• Watermelon Felt Coaster and Festive Treat - A little sewing, then a little snacking. 
• Decoupage Watermelon Flower Pot - Technically, you could use it to grow watermelon...
• Clay Watermelon Necklace - This darling pendant is fun to make and to wear. 
• Watermelon Paper Plate Wreath - Fans of finger painting, this one is for you!
• Peanut Picnic Ants - Oh no! The "ants" have found the watermelon at the picnic. 
• Handprint Watermelons - Turn your handprint into a watermelon. It's lots of fun to do!

Watermelon Recipes for Kids

• Watermelon Ice Cream Cones - These cute treats look just as good as they taste. 
• Watermelon Cookies - These cookies are packed with flavor and totally adorable!

Watermelon Books for Kids

• The Watermelon Seed - What happens if a crocodile swallows a watermelon seed??
  
• Watermelon Party - Based on a true story from an animal rescue!
• This Watermelon is Not Round - All about kindness and appreciating our differences. 
• One Watermelon Seed - A deceptively simple counting book that's lots of fun. 
• Runski Punski and the Watermelon Shoes - Watermelons as shoes? There might be a few problems.
• Watermelon Watermelon - A catchy sing-along book!

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I will be taking at least the next week off from blogging as I travel to Idaho, following health problems with my dad. I appreciate your prayers and good thoughts. 

National Scrapbook Day: Before, During, and After

Along with all the scrapbook challenges, there were dozens of games going on during the National Scrapbook Day event at A Cherry on Top. I played along with most of them. Not only was it a lot of fun, but I won a prize for one of them! I also won a bunch of Cherry Points. 

One of the games asked us to take three sets of pictures of our workspaces: before the challenges started, in the middle of the action, and at the end of the weekend. I thought it would be fun to share those photos with you. 

I always do a thorough cleanup before NSD. Here's my scraproom the day before the event started. 

My desk pretty much never looks like this. 

Here's what my room looked like in the middle of the day on Saturday after I'd been scrapping for a day and a half. There are in-progress layouts on the desk to the right of the door and on the counter under the window. There are two groups of layouts on the floor. The ones are the far right are done and ready to be scanned. The ones to the left are ones I started for specific challenges but hadn't finished. There are piles of paper on the floor behind my chair. 

This is closer to what my desk usually looks like. In the photo, you'll see piles of sticker books, rub-on packs, paper scraps, and the first stages of the layout about our bonded buns. That little notebook between my paper trimmers and the layout is what I use to record the supplies I use on each page. I've used the same system since 2008. 

I took this picture on Sunday afternoon. All of the completed layouts are off the floor, scanned, and in albums. One incomplete layout is on the floor, because I still hoped to finish it for a challenge (yet it's still not done now, 2+ weeks later). The in-progress layouts that were under the window are now piled on top of the remaining ones on the desk to the right of the door. There are still papers on the floor, but fewer than before. 

This year, I did a really good job of cleaning up between projects, so there wasn't too much on my desk in the after photo. That's the layout about Picnic Day. I'd pulled a bunch of different yellow and blues papers, which you can see underneath the stack of photos. No green papers - I hadn't decided yet to use green on the layout.  

I'm glad this NSD game inspired me to photograph my work area, as that's something I rarely do. I'm also thinking that taking photos I knew people would see might be what led me to do a better job cleaning up between projects than I usually do. Win-win!

Standing White-Tailed Deer

Native to North, Central, and South America, the white-tailed deer is one of the most widely distributed land mammals in the world. They are crepuscular, consume a wide variety of plant materials, and are highly adaptable to different habitats. White-tailed deer can sprint at speeds of 40 miles per hour, sustain speeds up to 30 miles an hour, and jump 9 feet high and 30 feet forward. 

The white-tailed deer is culturally important in the US (and beyond). It is the state animal of Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, the state game animal of Oklahoma, and the wildlife symbol of Wisconsin. It appears on the flag of Vermont and is the mascot of the Milwaukee Bucks. Bambi is a white-tailed deer (in the Disney movie - in the Austrian book that inspired the film, Bambi is a roe deer.)

Read on to learn how to make a family of white-tailed deer that stand on their own. Affiliate links below. 

 

Standing White-Tailed Deer

Materials:

• cardstock (tan, cream)
• microtip scissors
• colored pencils (I used Ohuhu)
• craft glue

Steps:

You will need four basic shapes to make an adult male white-tailed deer: a body, legs (2), ears (2), and antlers (2). If you want to make an adult female or a baby, you don't need the antlers. Cut the body parts from cardstock, then use colored pencil to add details: a black nose, a black eye, black hooves, black shading on one ear, and white shading around the nose, under the belly, under the tail, and inside the ear. If you are making a fawn, add white dots all over its back. 

For the adult make, fold the legs in half, then glue them to the back of the deer's body. Adjust them until the deer can stand on its own. Glue one ear to the front of the deer and one to the back, then glue the antlers in place. Use the same steps, minus the antlers, for an adult female or a fawn. 

Ohio Star Paper Quilt Craft

Have you heard of the Ohio Star? This classic quilt pattern has a very interesting history. Kids studying the Civil War or Ohio state history will enjoy making their own version of the Ohio star, using paper instead of fabric. This tutorial makes 9” squares. Affiliate links below. 

Ohio Star Paper Quilt Craft

Materials: 

• cardstock
• patterned paper or construction paper
• paper cutter or scissors
• craft glue

Steps: 

Cut a 9" square piece of white cardstock to use as a background. Cut the scraps into 3" squares. 

Select 2-3 pieces of patterned paper or construction paper that go nicely together. I chose a green polka dot, a pink with swirls, and a yellow stripe. 

If you are only making one quilt square, you will need one 3" square of each color. Set aside the one you'll be using for the center. Cut the other two along one diagonal, then cut each of the resulting triangles in half. Here are the steps: 

Be as accurate as possible when cutting. A paper cutter helps immensely, but you can do this with scissors. (Use a ruler to mark the lines!)

Set aside four white squares. Cut the other white squares into 4 triangles each, just like with the colored papers. 

Arrange your squares and triangles in place. When you find a pattern you like, carefully glue them down. 

This is the finished design. 

Of course, I couldn't stop at just one quilt square. 

I love how they look assembled into a 9-square quilt! So pretty!

If you want to simplify things, use a single color with white. It's still really pretty. 

Two colors with white is nice too. 

There are tons of variations you can do with the Ohio Star. It's a beautiful and versatile design and makes a really fun project for kids. 

GeoGuessr and Seterra

One of the most difficult (yet simultaneously most interesting) classes I took in college was Geography 10: The World's Regions. It took place in a large lecture hall… completely in the dark. All lectures were slide shows, where the professor taught us to look for clues in the photos to help us identify where the photo was taken. Tree shapes, soil color, architectural styles, and a zillion other things are all clues to a mystery location. It was absolutely fascinating and I loved every minute. That is, until it came time to study for exams. How do you take notes about tiny details in 150 different pictures from an hour-long slideshow in a room so dark you can't see your notebook? This was 1991, so we couldn't take notes on a laptop or take a video on a cellphone. The tests were conducted the same way as the lectures - the professor showed a slide and we had a minute to make our best guess where it was. Repeat, repeat, repeat. There was a single bank of lights on, so we could actually see to write. It was challenging, but I got an A, so whatever I did obviously worked. 

I didn't think much about that class until a number of years ago when I first discovered GeoGuessr. If you're not familiar with it, the concept is that you are dropped in a mystery location somewhere in the world on a Google Street View map. You look for clues about your environment and then you guess where you are. It's essentially exactly the same thing as we did back in that geography class. 

When I started playing GeoGuessr, it was relatively unknown. This educational and fun game has grown significantly since then, booming during COVID. Now it even has its own World Championship. It's not too often you find something equally popular with classroom teachers and esports players, but that is the case for GeoGuessr.  

If you're looking for other fun geography games, I recommend Seterra. Acquired by GeoGuessr in 2022, Seterra is packed with games and quizzes based on countries, capitals, flags, rivers, lakes, and so much more. There are so many games based on the United States that I have barely explored the rest of the world. Try this fun game about US landmarks and let me know how you did! 

Underwater Scene: Paint Markers on Aluminum Foil

When I reviewed the new Ohuhu Nahuku Acrylic Markers, I was impressed by how well they color on paper, plastic, and metal. Ohuhu sent me a different set, the Kakaako Acrylic Markers, to try and I was eager to see if they performed as well. I'm happy to report that they impress me too. I'm not surprised, as Ohuhu's products are consistently high quality and a pleasure to use. Affiliate links here and below. 

The Kakaako set includes 30 double-ended acrylic markers: 15 basic colors, 9 metallics, and 6 fluorescents. Unlike the Nahukus with their brush nibs, the Kakaakos are what I think of as a traditional paint pen. To activate the paint, you shake the pen, then press down on the round or fine tip until the color is flowing. These pens are made to color on a wide variety of surfaces, including: paper, plastic, glass, ceramic, rocks, wood, fabric, and more. I decided to test "and more" with a more unconventional surface: aluminum foil. 

I cut an 8" square of aluminum foil, then colored the background with patches of color from four different blue pens. The paint dries fairly quickly, but there is enough open time that you can fingerpaint if you want to. I used my index finger to soften and blend the background in some places. I intentionally let the foil show through in many spots. You can't tell on the scan, but it's super shiny in real life. 

I used the round tip to add a sea floor, kelp, coral, and fish. Then I went in with the fine tips to add a bit of detail. The paint layers nicely if you let the base coat(s) dry first. 

Here's a look at the full color palette and how each looks on white and black cardstock. You can also see how the coverage is with a single coat. 

Just like the Nahukus, I definitely recommend Ohuhu's Kakaako Acrylic Markers but once again feel that using them on paper would be a waste. Try them on a wide variety of surfaces, including aluminum foil!

The Best Souvenirs for Kids

By my best estimates, my 18-year old has been to over 3000 different gift shops in his life. We've taken Trevor to all 50 states (several of them multiple times) and approximately 30 countries. In each, we visited multiple cities and countless attractions. There are souvenir shops in every airport and many hotels. There are stand-alone souvenir shops all over the place in cities with a lot of tourism. In the last decade, our family has averaged 35 museum visits a year; almost all have gift shops. I get that most people don't travel as often as we do, nor do they pack as many different activities into a single day. But consider this: there are 279 places to shop in Florida's Disney World. A multiple-day Disney trip can mean literally hundreds of opportunities for kids to ask for a souvenir. And the vast majority of Disney souvenirs are not cheap. If we had bought Trevor a $5 souvenir at every gift shop he's visited, we would have spent over $15,000. That is, obviously, insane. 

All this to say, between the family travel we've done and the many students I took on field trips over the years, I have a lot of experience with kids and souvenirs. Based on that, I think the best souvenirs for kids are:

• Unique to the area and not something you can get at home
• Small enough to pack in your existing luggage
• Sturdy enough to survive the journey home (especially if you're flying)
• Inexpensive 

T-shirts, flags, refrigerator magnets, and keychains are common choices that fit my criteria. But there are two options that deserve the title of Best Souvenirs for Kids.

Postcards

Postcards are a fantastic souvenir. They're cheap, sturdy, small, and widely available. There are almost always lots to choose from. Kids can keep them pristine, or jot heir favorite memories on the back. They can carry them home or buy a local stamp and mail them home. Kids can store their postcard collection in an album or shoebox, making it fun and easy to remember all the great places they've traveled.  

Coins

Coins are another fantastic souvenir for kids. If you're traveling internationally, have your child collect coins in the local currency. It's fun for kids to try to collect each value of coin, replacing the ones they have with shinier, prettier versions as they come across them. Coins are inexpensive, easy to transport, virtually unbreakable, and unique to the area. 

If you are traveling domestically, kids can collect pressed pennies. You can't beat the price for this souvenir: 51 cents. I recommend carrying shiny pennies and plenty of quarters; nearby shops will sometimes give you change for the machine, but not always. Pressed pennies come with the added fun of choosing the design, turning the handle, and watching as the penny is pressed and falls into the slot. Back home, kids can store their pennies in a cute piggy bank or in a special pressed penny album with the theme of their choice (affiliate link). 

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No matter what you purchase (or don't) when traveling, the very best souvenirs of all are the photos and the wonderful memories. Happy travels!

Idaho, December 2024

Today's scrapbook layout is from the December 2024 visit Trevor and I took to see our family in Idaho. We stayed for five nights and packed our time with family fun - lots of games, an early Christmas celebration, and a trip to Zoo Boise where we fed anteaters. (We did not feed them ants. We fed them yogurt. They love yogurt.) We had a great time. 

Idaho December 2024 (affiliate link)

I completed this page during the National Scrapbook Day event, but it was not inspired by a challenge. If I have any complaints about scrapbook crops, it's that most of the challenges are not compatible with getting lots of photos on a page. For example, one of the challenges from this year's event required participants to fill at least 1/3 of the page with stickers and tiny scraps before adding a photo and journaling. Another challenge requires you to follow a 2-photo sketch, use shades of green, add two patterned papers featuring hearts, AND put your journaling in word bubbles. That is an incredibly difficult challenge with just two photos and literally impossible with nine. 

Picnic Day 2025

I always have a great time at Picnic Day, the annual open house at UC Davis. This year was extra fun, as our Scout friends Logan, Avery, and Bobby joined us. They'd never been before, so we were able to introduce them to maggot art, popcorn shelling, and all of our other favorite Picnic Day traditions. And Trevor showed us something that even Steve and I hadn't seen before -  the third-floor greenhouse in the Sciences Laboratory Building where he'd had for BioSci classes. It was a great day. 

Picnic Day 2025 (affiliate link)

For this challenge, we had to use one of four sketches for our layout design. This is the one I chose: 

As you can see, I increased the size of the photo block in order to include five pictures. There isn't a spot for journaling on the sketch, so I swapped out the flowers for circles that could hold my journaling. 

This is a very rare layotu of mine that has absolutely no white. I almost always mat photos with white and I frequently use white to house my journaling. I like this color combination and I'm happy with the completed page. 

Cottontail Cottage

The Cottontail Cottage originally belonged to Trouble, who regularly played in it and occasionally used it as a comfy spot for a nap. We introduced it to Brayden after we'd had him for a few months. He didn't play with it as often as Trouble did, but he enjoyed climbing to the top and surveying his territory. About a month ago, I brought the Cottontail Cottage into Tulip and Brayden's shared territory. Brayden remembered it and went racing to the top while Tulip watched him carefully. She checked it out cautiously and soon was enjoying all the levels... as well as jumping in and out of the second story windows. It's adorable. 

Unfortunately, about a week after introducing the Cottontail Cottage, the buns had a fight. We think the Cottage might have played a role in that. Our best guess is that Brayden was relaxing on the second floor when Tulip jumped in through a window and startled him, leading to him snapping, and her reacting, and both of them trapped in a small place not knowing what was going on. 

Fortunately, the bunnies' bond was not broken and there have been no further problems. But now they only use the Cottage with close supervision. 

Cottontail Cottage (affiliate link)

The inspiration for this layout design is from a National Scrapbook Day challenge called 'Old Glory.' We had two choices: 1) Make a layout that is entirely red, white, and blue but does not have stars or stripes; or 2): Make a layout with stars and stripes, but do not use any red, white, or blue. Obviously, I chose the second option. It was a fun challenge and I really like how the page turned out. 

Thriving Pink

I haven't talked about my breast cancer journey on the blog in quite awhile. Radiation ended in August, which was a big milestone to celebrate, but I wasn't prepared emotionally for the struggles I would have in the following months. I was diagnosed with Frozen Shoulder Syndrome and lymphedema, both fairly common after breast surgery. I started on tamoxifen to block any hormone-positive cancer cells from accessing estrogen; that came with a litany of unpleasant side effects. My quality of life was significantly worse and I had a lot of anger. I struggled with depression for the first time in my life. Despite being surrounded by my wonderful friends and family, I felt profoundly lonely. 

My physical therapist (who treats both my shoulder and my lymphedema) recommended that I connect with an organization called Thriving Pink. It's a non-profit that supports women during and after breast cancer. I was desperate for anything that would help. I first attended one of their monthly walks in January and it was life-changing. I cannot express how much I needed to spend time with other women who knew exactly what I was going through, who knew the terminology without needing explanations, and who were able to support me in a way that only a fellow survivor can. 

I've attended all of the workshops and walks Thriving Pink has hosted since my first visit in January. It has helped enormously. I've made some wonderful friends and emotionally, I feel like myself again. I am so incredibly grateful for Thriving Pink. 

Thriving Pink (affiliate link)

I made this layout during a Fast Scrap challenge for National Scrapbook Day. We had two hours to use half a sheet of cardstock, half a sheet of patterned paper, and half of something else. I chose to do half a foot (6 inches) of handwritten journaling. 

Everything about this page makes me happy. I'm so glad to have it in the album. 

Best Friends Forever (Bonded Bunnies)

I am thrilled to have been able to make a page about our bonded bunnies. For a long time, we weren't sure if they would ever bond. Thank goodness that they are now best friends. 

Best Friends Forever (affiliate link)

This page was inspired by a National Scrapbook Day challenge called 'Put a Little Love in Your Art." We had to include at least five hearts on the page. But there was a catch. You couldn't use five heart stickers or five punched hearts. You had to have at least five different types of heart. I used die-cuts, stickers, a rub-on, washi tape, and enamel hearts to make my page. I love how it turned out. 

Family Birthday Brunch

Each year, we celebrate five family birthdays at once. Steve and his dad have late January birthdays, Steve's mom and his sister have late February birthdays, and I have a March birthday, so we usually find a date in late February or early March that works for all of us to get together for a nice meal. This year was particularly special, as my mother-in-law turned 80. We celebrated with Champagne Brunch at the Grand Island Mansion. It was wonderful.  

Family Birthday Brunch (affiliate link)

This layout was inspired by a color challenge. The requirement was to make a page using tints (colors that has been lightened by adding white). I enjoyed working with pastel shades that I don't normally use when scrapping. 

Brayden on the Stairs

This is one of my all-time favorite photos of Brayden. His mane is looking particularly stylish and he's giving me the cutest quizzical look.  

Brayden on the Stairs (affiliate link)

I took the picture on the landing of the stairs, which used to be one of Brayden's favorite places to hang out. Since adopting Tulip, we've blocked access to the stairs. Brayden has found new favorite locations in their shared territory. He's adaptable. And such a sweet boy. 

I made this layout for one of the easiest challenges during the National Scrapbook Day crop. The only requirement was that the page has a picture of your pet. Check! 

National Scrapbook Day 2025

Saturday was National Scrapbook Day. It's literally my favorite day of the year. I love all the challenges, competitions, games, giveaways, and inspiration. I love hanging out (online) with other scrapbookers who love the holiday as much as I do. 

Last year, I discovered the amazing National Scrapbook Day event hosted by A Cherry On Top. I had a great time, so that's where I celebrated again this year. 

 

The event itself was Friday through Sunday, but the fun is still going on. There are approximately 60 scrapbook challenges and most don't close until May 18. I love that there are so many challenges, as it lets me skip the ones that don't appeal to me and focus on the ones that excite me the most. 

And speaking of exciting, I've had so much fun with all the games this past weekend! I loved all the trivia, word puzzles, riddles, gallery and store searches, guessing games, scavenger hunts, and icebreaker activities. It's a good thing the challenges don't close for two weeks, because I spent a big part of the weekend on all the fun games! I did manage to finish seven layouts; I'll be back tomorrow to show you the first. 

Scrapbook & Cards Today - Spring/Summer 2025

I have exciting news!

I'm in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today! You can see my project by purchasing a print copy of the magazine, or you can view it digitally for free. Or, check out the release day walkthrough on YouTube. I’m on page 70. 

Here's a closer look:

I'm so excited to see my project in print - this has been a dream of mine for a long, long time.

Scrapping the 2024 Christmas Card

At first, I was stumped about how to scrap our family's 2024 Christmas card. It doesn't use traditional Christmas colors and the photos were clearly not taken during the winter, so the usual Christmas papers and embellishments would look weird. I ended up layering Christmas stickers over labels in order to make this: 

Christmas Card 2024 (affiliate link)

It was really fun playing with all the stickers and I'm happy enough with the completed layout. Into the album it goes!

The Best Tour in Every State, Part 5

This is the fifth and final part in my series about the best tour I've taken in every state. I recommend reading the first post (Alabama through Georgia), second post (Hawaii through Maryland), third post (Massachusetts through New Jersey), and fourth post (New Mexico through South Carolina) before this one. 

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South Dakota

We have taken a number of excellent tours in South Dakota, but there's no question which is the best: the Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour at Custer State Park. My only complaint about the tour is that they should call it the Bison Safari Jeep Tour. During the two-hour tour, we saw many bison, pronghorns, and prairie dogs. We learned so much about the native plants and animals of the area. I'd happily take this tour again and again. 

Tennessee

The best tour I've taken in Tennessee is Old Town Trolley Tours in Nashville. This hop-on-hop-off style tour took us to the most popular locations in the city, including the Ryman Auditorium, Marathon Motor Works, Centennial Park (home of the Parthenon), the Belmont Mansion, Music Row, and the Frist Art Museum. Our guide was outstanding. 

Texas

The best tour we've taken in Texas is the Lone Star Riverboat Sunset Cruise in Austin. The tour begins with a narrated scenic cruise during the daylight, then the captain positions the boat by the Congress Avenue Bridge in time for the bat flyout. 

Utah

I've taken many great tours in Utah, but my favorite has to be the Great Salt Lake Tour. The narrated tour took us through downtown and past a lot of interesting sites on the way to the Great Salt Lake. There, we caught live sea monkeys and then had the chance to swim in the lake (we waded). Our guide was excellent and we learned so much!

Vermont

Oh how I agonized over this one! Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour or Rock of Ages Quarry Tour?! I went back and forth a dozen times. They're both so good! But I'm going with the Rock of Ages Quarry Tour. I learned so much during the tour. The smaller size and more relaxed pace (relative to the larger group and strict timeline at Ben & Jerry's) made for a really enjoyable experience. Don't miss either tour when you're in Vermont. 

Virginia

The best tour I've taken in Virginia was a ranger-led tour of Yorktown Battlefield. That was part of the April 2000 trip I took with my fellow 5th grade teachers and our students. We all learned so much about this important site from colonial times and the American Revolution. 

Washington

The best tour I've taken in Washington is one of the most unique tours I've taken anywhere. It's called Beneath the Streets and that's literally what it is: a tour of what's beneath the streets of Seattle. It was so interesting to learn the history of a place that not a lot of people know about and even fewer see. 

West Virginia

I haven't actually taken any tours in West Virginia, so I can't pick the best one. However, I can highly recommend the outstanding West Virginia State Museum. 

Wisconsin

The best tour we've taken in Wisconsin was the Milwaukee City Tour by Untapped Tours. Most tours are either driving or walking, but this was both. I loved that, as we were able to visit places that were far apart, but still get an up-close view of them. It was a fantastic tour. 

Wyoming

I've only taken a single tour in Wyoming (so far!), so I'm calling Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley the best tour in Wyoming. We really enjoyed our trolley ride and learned a lot about the fascinating city of Cheyenne. 

That wraps up my version of the Best Tour in Every State! If you have any tours to recommend, please let me know in the comments.