10 Trendy & Creative Uses For Embroidery Hoops

Today we are taking a peek at various cool projects that have one thing in common, they all use embroidery hoops! If embroidering is not your jam don't worry, none of these projects require you to embroider a thing! I'm excited to share 10 trendy and unique projects that use embroidery hoops. 

Embroidery hoops are inexpensive, can be purchased in bulk quantities, and come in a variety of sizes. I usually get my embroidery hoops on Amazon. 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

10 Trendy Uses For Embroidery Hoops

1 - DECORATIVE WOOD ORBS

Wood orbs are a simple home decor item that is very trendy right now. Wood embroidery hoops are stained or painted, fit together in an orb shape, and secured with glue so they don't shift out of place. Plastic hoops could work however they can't be painted or stained. These embroidery hoop orbs look lovely displayed on a shelf, mantle, or side table in your home. 

Find a tutorial on how to easily make your own at The Creek Line House. 

2 - CIRCULAR SHELF

Stack and glue a few large wooden embroidery hoops together then mount the hoops on a wall. Add a small potted plant or decorative trinket to display on your new circular-shaped shelf. 

If you want to make your own shelf you can find the tutorial at Beyond The Picket Fence.

3 - SUNCATCHER

Secure light colorful fabric between the hoops and then hang the hoop in a sunlit window. These colorful embroidery hoop suncatchers will brighten any dull space, especially during the drab days of winter!

Find the full tutorial on how to make your own suncatcher at Sadie Seasongoods

4 - WREATH

Because embroidery hoops are quite solid they make a great base for a wreath. A little floral wire, some faux springs of greenery and flowers, and an embroidery hoop are all you need to create a lovely wreath. The great thing about using an embroidery hoop for a wreath base is that the hoop's bare wood looks great if you leave a section uncovered by greenery. 

Isn't this wreath just lovely? To make your own just like this one find the tutorial at The Dreamery Events.

5 - YARN-WRAPPED EMBROIDERY HOOP WALL HANGING 

Need to fill a space on a bare wall? These yarn-wrapped hoops are easy to make, budget-friendly, and can be customized to fit your room's color scheme.

 

Want to make your own yarn-wrapped embroidery hoop wall hanging? Find the full tutorial right here on MommySuburbia!

 

6 - HOOP & RIBBON PICTURE FRAME  

I love this unique way an embroidery hoop is used as a display for individual pictures. This would be lovely hanging on a wall in your living room or used as a photo display at a party, wedding, or even a graduation celebration. If you want to really go big in size substitute a hula hoop for the embroidery hoop.

Style Me Pretty has the full tutorial on their blog so you can make your own photo hoop!

7 - MOBILE  

Decorating a nursery or little child's room can get expensive quickly! This easy DIY mobile uses simple, affordable supplies but results in a cute and colorful mobile you and your child will enjoy for years to come. 

Martha Stewart provides a complete step-by-step tutorial for this colorful mobile.

8 - CUSTOM CORK BOARD

Add a little extra style to a plain corkboard by affixing it to an embroidery hoop. Your new corkboard will look updated and finished with the wood embroidery hoop as the edging. A little hot glue and an embroidery hoop make this craft so simple!

Check out this simple tutorial from Purely Katie to make an embroidery hoop cork board.

9 - EMBROIDERY HOOP FIBER ART  

Gather your favorite colors of embroidery floss and get ready to make something beautiful. Instead of actually embroidering with the floss you are just going to hot glue floss to the back edge of an embroidery hoop and wrap it around the hoop frame several times. Add different colors, change directions, and use your imagination to create a beautiful piece of fiber art. 

10 - WALL ORGANIZER 

This is a unique way to combine functional storage with your wall decor! Select two contrasting pieces of fabric about an inch larger than the circumference of the embroidery hoop. Place the small section of the embroidery hoop down first then layer the two fabrics on top of each other with the right sides facing each other. Next, fold the top fabric in half (it should be showing the right side of the fabric now) to create the pocket. Slide the larger embroidery hoop over the fabric and the bottom hoop and tighten it closed. Slip notes, pictures, or pencils into your new wall organizer. 

Polka Dot Chair provides a full tutorial on how to make these useful hoop wall organizers. 

Embroidery hoops are so versatile and fun to craft with! I hope you give some of these trendy ideas a try. Leave me a comment or picture of what you made with your embroidery hoop!

Top 10 Awesome Gift Ideas For Teens

As your teen approaches adulthood it can sometimes be challenging to find them a gift they will enjoy and like. While your teen starts to discover what their more grown-up interests are it might be kind of hard as a parent to keep up with the ever-changing likes and dislikes. Today I'm going to help you by sharing a list of ten awesome gifts your teen will love!

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

Outdoor Loving Teen Gift Ideas

1 - Slackline Kit 

This is a super popular outdoor activity right now your teen is sure to love. Easy to assemble your teen will enjoy the challenge of learning how to walk a tightrope while improving their balancing skills. 

2 - Spikeball 

No matter your teen's atheletic ability everyone will enjoy playing spikeball! A great game for a group of teens to play together in the backyard to at the park. 

3. Pop Up 2 Person Tent

For the outdoor-loving teen who enjoys camping this easy two-person pop-up tent makes a great gift. 

Tech-Loving Teen Gift Ideas

4 - Anker Nebula Capsule Mini Wi-Fi Projector

Let your movie loving teen create their own theatre anywhere! This little projector easily fits in your hand so your teen can literally take it anywhere. It also has the capability to play content from a streaming app like Hulu and Netflix. 

5 - 3 in 1 Charging Station

This compact charging station is perfect for your gear-loving techie teen! If keeping their devices fully charged is important to your teen they will love this useful gift. 

6 - Kodak Printomatic Digital Instant Print Camera 

Help your teen instantly capture memories with a fun instant print digital camera. They will love sharing the pics with friends or tacking them up in their room to look at when they are chilling out. 

Cool Gifts For The Creative Teen

7 - Alcohol Markers Double Tip Set

For the budding artist or teen who loves to doodle this set of double tip alcohol markers will be a well-liked gift. 

8 - Ukulele 

If your teen loves to listen to or play music this will be a fun gift for them. Ukuleles are a very popular instrument for beginners too! 

9 - Portable Karaoke Machine

A mobile karaoke machine lets your teen take the party on the road! Your teen will enjoy countless hours belting out their favorite songs with friends. This fun idea will be a hit with your teen.

10 - Hydroflask Stainless Steel Waterbottle

A water bottle is an essential must-have item every teen should have. Help them stay hydrated with a cool hydroflask water bottle. 

Gifts For the video gamer in your life: 

XBox Gaming Accessories & Gear

• XBox game pass
• Wireless Gaming Headset
• Controller Keyboard
• Wireless Gaming Controller
• Racing Wheel & Floor Pedals

With all of these great teen gift ideas, you should have no problem finding the perfect gift for the teen in your life.  

Top 10 Homeschool Supplies You Need For A Successful School Year

Whether you have been homeschooling for several years or this is your first year homeschooling there are some essential tools that will help you and your kids have a successful homeschool year. 

A popular questions I get asked is "What things/tools do I need in order to homeschool my children?" Since we are heading into our 11th year of homeschooling I decided to put together a list of my top 10 supplies and tools that help us to have a successful homeschooling year. 

I hope this list is an encouragement to you if you are just starting out on the homeschooling journey and for those who are veterans I'd love to hear what else you would add to this list! 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks.

On a side note, you might be wondering why I don't have curriculum on this top 10 list of tools for a successful homeschool year. Because homeschool curriculum is such a HUGE standalone topic, I decided to exclude it from this list. Instead, I chose to focus on the other great supplies and tools you need to have a successful homeschool year. So with that said let's check out my top 10! 

My Top 10 Supplies You Need For A Successful Homeschool Year

Bookshelves

Scuba gear is to scuba diver as books are to homeschooler - ESSENTIAL! My love of books has been passed down to my kids and because of our book obesssion we had to invest in some big sturdy bookcases. Aside from bathrooms and our laundry room there is a bookcase full of books in every room of our house! My husband and I invested in some good quality bookcases for our homeschool books knowing that having our school books organized and located in a central location for school was essential for our homeschool year to be successful. 

We use a mix of curriculum but a majority of our books are from our Sonlight cores. I give each book in every core a color coded label and shelve them together on one of three bookcases in our home office. I don't think it is completely necessary to have a "school room" set aside in your home but it is helpful to have a space dedicated to homeschool books. This just helps with organization!

My kids all have their own bookshelves in their bedrooms too. The books they keep in their rooms are not school books but books they like to read for leisure like the Little House on the Prairie series, the Missing Series or Dog Man books and Fly Guy books. 

I recommend investing in solid, sturdy, quality bookshelves because they will get A LOT of use over the years. Investing in bookcases that are built to last will save you in the long run especially if you have more than one child you plan to homeschool. 

Pencils & Pencil Sharpener

It might seem pretty obvious that your homeschool students will need pencils and a good quality pencil sharpener but because they are so important I had to include them on the top 10 list. 

My kids LOVE to pick their own pencils out each year, which has become one of our back to school traditions. My oldest daughter prefers mechanical pencils and a good supply of extra leads. Everyone in our house knows that the mechanical pencils are hers and they better ask before using them. The other kids enjoy the "old school" #2 pencils. I try to get a few packs of decorated pencils too just to keep things fun. 

We always know when our school year is coming to a close because the pencil bin seems to be full of stubby, eraser-less pencils. My recommendation is to buy several extra packs of pencils at the beginning of the year when you can find great back-to-school deals and then toss out the used up stubby ones at the end of the year. 

With all of the pencils your kids will use this year you will of course want to have a good working, quality pencil sharpener. Electric or manual doesn't matter as long as the sharpener can do its job sharpening pencils to a fine point without breaking the lead in the process. My kids prefer an electric pencil sharpener - my favorite is the Wescott Halo, however I do have a small Mr. Pen handheld manual sharpener too as a back up or to take along if we do school on the go. 

Arts & Crafts Supplies

Sure this is a very broad top 10 item, but in our house arts and craft supplies are very important. Whether you are going to teach an art class to your kids or just allow them to explore on their own, having the supplies available up front will make your life so much easier. 

Here are some of the basic art supplies we keep on hand all year round that you might want to consider stocking up on prior to the start of your homeschool year (links to my favorites included):

1. Acrylic paint, watercolor paint, finger paint & brushes

2. Glue - liquid, sticks and hot glue sticks

3. Construction Paper

4. Colored pencils, markers and crayons

5. Ink pads & stamps

6. Yarn, knitting needles & crochet hooks

7. Sewing needles, scrap fabric & thread

8. Scissors - small, large, scalloped/decorative

9. Perler beads, pony beads and rainbow loom rubber bands

10. Pipe cleaners

My favorite art book that I've used in our homeschool over the years is How to Teach Art To Children. It is written for kids in grades 1-6 however, older middle school students will still enjoy it too. The book presents the seven basic elements of art and encourages kids practice each element. The book has simple projects that any parent can guide their children through with easy to make projects for each lesson. 

Storage Caddy

With all of the pencils, art supplies, scissors and other school supplies it is helpful to have a storage caddy to put these supplies in.

During our school day I usually take the pencil caddy out and put it on the table so that the kids can easily find their favorite pencil. When we do an art project I haul out the art caddy and paint bin. Having your supplies in a caddy that is organized can save you time during the school day and make clean up so much faster. 

Looking for a simple DIY supply caddy? This is a fun project for your kids to do on the first day of homeschool! To make your own caddy, wash out and pull off the labels to 4 tin cans. Wrap a piece of decorative paper or ribbon around a tin can and secure it with glue or tape to give it a little pizzazz! Hot glue or super glue the tin cans together. 

Notebooks & Paper

Having an ample supply of loose leaf paper, printer paper and lined notebooks is essential for any homeschool. All of my kids have several notebooks that they use regularly during their school day. 

I've found that if the paper is available kids enjoy filling up the pages! Let them have the freedom to write creative stories, make doodles, create lists, write essays or personal journal entries in these notebooks. Kids should be writing every day. Writing is a learned skill so practice is essential for them to do regularly.  

Three Ring Binder

Three ring binders help me keep all the loose paper, art projects and endless other things organized and in one place. I give each of the kids a new three ring binder on the first day of school. They love making their own custom binder cover to slip inside the clear plastic cover slot too! My high school age kids keep their weekly schedule in the binder so they can write down what they worked on each day and include any papers they are currently working on in the binder too. 

Without a three ring binder all of their assignments, writing and schedules would be lost or missing by the time we made it to Thanksgiving! 

Library Card

If you ask any veteran homeschool mom what you need in order to homeschool your kids (K-6/7th grade) I can almost guarantee their response will be "a library card and a good math book." It might sound a bit crazy for some if you have never homeschooled before but I can tell you from experience that this statement is true. 

Your local library is a treasure trove for your homeschool student! The key is getting the right books in your child's hands and reading them. If you aren't quite sure what a "good" book is I highly recommend using the book lists from Sonlight. Sonlight is a homeschool curriculum company known for their amazing selection of literature (living books) in their cores. We are a Sonlight family and have found the readers and read aloud lists to be so full of good quality classic and modern books. 

During the school year I also allow my kids to check out a few "junk" books which in our house a junk book is like junk food - fun to read but provides very little educational value. 

 

Our local library allows every card holder to check out a maximum of 25 books at a time. We regularly max out this limit (per card!) and seem to always have a bunch of books on hold too. Toting around all those books is a big job so I highly recommend a BIG quality tote bag to use when you make your weekly trips to the library!

Cozy Reading Space

Reading, if you haven't already figured this out yet, is a BIG part of homeschooling! Why not work with your child to create a special reading space that is welcoming, cozy and all theirs. 

My oldest son created a space in the corner of his bedroom using a bed rest reading pillow, a clip on book light and his favorite fleece blanket. Most mornings before he comes down stairs for breakfast, he can be found cuddled in his reading nook reading a book. 

When my second oldest daughter was younger we created a reading space for her by hanging a round bed canopy from the ceiling in her room. We accessorized the inside of the canopy with a small, fluffy rug and some pillows. She spent hours in her little reading canopy reading, doing school work or playing.

   

Planner / Organizer

If this is your first year homeschooling I highly recommend that before you start the school year you have some sort of plan in place. This doesn't have to be complicated but it will help give your homeschool year a little structure which I guarantee will help you feel a little more in control. 

Not sure how to start, let me explain my process which might help you with your planning. Each summer I pick a few days to go through each of my kids main school books by subject noting how many chapters or units each subject contains. A typical school year has 36 weeks so I then divide the number of weeks in a school year by the number of chapters or lessons from each of the books to get an idea as to how many weeks each lesson should take. 

I use Excel or Google Sheets to record my planning for the upcoming homeschool year. The first column of the spreadsheet is a list of numbers from 1 to 36. In the next column I add a list of dates for the school year including holiday weeks. Then the following columns after the date column are a list of each subject my child will study with their lessons allocated over the school year weeks. For example, if a math book has 16 lessons I estimate that each lesson will take 2 weeks for my child to start and finish it. On the spreadsheet I allocate each chapter over two weeks. Of course there is a LOT of flexibility in this and I do expect there to be changes but this is just a tool to help me get started and have a plan so I can make sure we are on track. Here is an example of what my planning spreadsheet looks like:

There are TONS of pre-made homeschool planners and organizers available online so you don't have to make your own if you don't have time to! If you are a highly organized mamma who loves each and every activity, lesson and assignment planned and organized I'm sure you will love some of the options available. I recommend the homeschool planner 

  

Outdoor Space 

Kids of all ages need to spend time outside EVERY DAY. Speaking from experience, our homeschool day is better when my kids have spent some time outside in the fresh air every day. No matter the weather (except for thunderstorms or other dangerous weather conditions), my kids know that they are required to spend time each day outside. A lot of times they play together shooting baskets or playing a game but sometimes they just like to bring a book outside, sit in a camping chair and read. 

A change of scenery in the middle of the school day can help them (and you) clear their head, get their blood pumping from a little out door activity and help your little ones get the wiggles out! On many occasions my kids ask if we can do school at a park or beach - why not, this is one of the great benefits of homeschooling! I encourage you to get creative and find some great outdoor spaces to visit or even do school at during your homeschool year. 

 

What tools or supplies would you consider essential for your family's homeschool? If I missed any - please share in the comment section! 

More Homeschooling Help

Looking for more help with your homeschool? Check out the following posts to help you become a successful homeschooler. 

A Look At Our Daily Homeschool Schedule

10 of the Best Books For Children Ages 8 - 13

Top 10 Reasons Why It is Important to Read To Your Children

When my children were just little tiny infants barely able to hold their heads up or even sit on their own we made sure to start reading to them. Babies love hearing their mommy or daddy's voice and reading is a great way for them to listen to you while you tell a little story.

Of course the first books we started reading were the durable board books that could last through the child exploring the book on their own. By exploring on their own I mean chewing on the pages, licking it and many times dropping or throwing it down on the floor. Those board books sure could take a beating but I just loved watching my child explore a book.

This post contains affiliate links which means that if you click the link and make a purchase I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please visit my Disclaimer page above.

FAVORITE BOARD BOOKS

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Here are a few of my favorite board books that I read to my children when they were young:

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Because we started reading out loud to our children at a very young age their love for books and listening to stories took root and they enjoyed being read to. Starting this practice at an early age helped our children as they became energetic and wiggly toddlers (1-3 years old) to sit quietly on our laps and listen to a story.

If your little one has a hard time sitting still on your lap that is totally normal! Just keep trying and eventually I promise, they will start sitting with you listening to the story and looking at the pictures. Be patient with your child and let them explore the book in whatever way they choose. Also, don't expect too much from a youngster - remember their attention span is short!

We read short stories when they were very young and as they got older (3-4 years old) and could sit still and listen for longer periods of time we started reading lengthier stories.  Like -

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Even though my kids can read on their own (except our youngest), I still make it a point to read books aloud to them almost every day and especially before bedtime. Most nights as my youngest sits on my lap to hear a bedtime story the older children wander into his bedroom just to listen to the story too. Who doesn't love listening to a treasured story that you've already heard a hundred times being read one more time! 

I'm not a trained teacher, doctor or psychologist but as an mother I can say in full confidence that reading books to my children has been one of the most important things I have done for my kids. The benefits are immense and lifelong. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics it is recommended that parents start reading out loud to their children from the time they are born! (source)

I put together a list of 10 reasons why it is important to read to your children and I hope this inspires you to start today or keep reading if you are already doing so.

10 Reasons Why It Is Important To Read Aloud To Your Children

1. Books are Brain Food - reading is GOOD for your child's brain! Regions of the left part of the child's brain become active, even in infants, when they are being read to. So the more you read to your child the more you help the neurons in this left region of the brain grow and connect in a way that will benefit the child in the future.

2. Promotes Physical Closeness and Bonding - Holding your child in your lap or having them sit next to you while you read out loud to them is one of the most pleasurable activities that you can do with your child. This unhurried time the child has with their parent, who is focused only on them (put that phone away mommy!) benefits both the child and parent.

3. Fosters Short and Long Term Positive Behavioral Traits - a study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics to determine the impact on social-emotional development of a child who experiences positive parenting through reading aloud and play shows how big the impact reading and playing with young children can have in shaping their social and emotional development. Reducing problem behaviors like hyperactivity, aggression and difficulty with attention are all benefits from reading to your child the study found

4. Spark Your Child's Imagination and Creativity - reading just adds a little fuel to their already imaginative and creative fire. Why not stoke those flames with good stories from a variety of genres!

5. Jump Start Your Child's Language and Literacy Skills - whether you homeschool like us or not, reading aloud to your child will give them a jump start in preparation for kindergarten with better vocabulary, higher literacy, better concentration and the ability to pay attention.

6. Quiet Time is Precious Time - everyone needs a little "down time" in their busy day and that includes young children. Maybe they have outgrown nap time but they certainly haven't outgrown some quite down time. This is the perfect opportunity to read to your son or daughter giving them that much needed break from their busy lives.

7.  Begin to Build an Appreciation for Art and Writing - what child doesn't love to look at the pictures in a picture book? Seeing the pictures and listening to the story all help your child piece together the story and the sequence of the story's events. Learning about colors, shapes and even different media used to create the pictures is a way to help your young child begin to appreciate art.

8. Learn New and Fun Facts - filling their little minds up with fun and interesting facts from the books your read to them is just plain FUN. Knowledge is power so why not start instilling this concept into them from an early age.

9. A Great Way For A Child To Explore The World - from the safety of their own home, in the lap of a trusted adult, you can introduce your child to different cultures, languages, foods and traditions through a book.

10. Promotes Communication - encourage your child to communicate by asking questions about the pictures, what the main character is doing, how the story makes them feel. Building a solid relationship through communication with your child at a young age will benefit them throughout their childhood and into their teen years.

Let's not stop at 10 reasons. What other benefits to books provide for Children?

Parenting Tips - Summer Reading Book List

Looking for a fabulous printable to keep track of what you and your child read together? This awesome Summer Activity Planner has the perfect tool - a Summer Reading Book List that you can fill in as you read. Kids will have such a sense of accomplishment at the end of summer seeing all the books they read (or you read to them)! (affiliate link)

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