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. 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!