Mismatched Shoes by Chooze Inspire Children to Be Different! {plus a #choozecreativity DIY Memory Box Craft}

Thank you to Chooze shoes for providing the girls footwear showcased in this children's fashion feature.  All opinions are solely my own.

May is the perfect month to introduce you to a business created by a mom who was inspired by her daughter's sense of style.  Chooze shoes, who was recently featured on the Today Show, is a line of stylish mismatched footwear for girls and boys sized for infants up to big kids.  These shoes are really works of art, from the coordinating fabric uppers to the rubber outer soles, and you're child will want to collect them all.  Mine certainly did, as she had quite a bit of difficulty narrowing down her choices.

Our 8 year old daughter ultimately selected the Move in Cherish sneaker and the Twist in Blink slip-ons.  Both styles feature a cotton lining, anti-microbial removable padded insoles, and are made with 100% vegan materials.

The Move is a slip-on style canvas sneaker with prints available to suit your child's many moods.  The Cherish print fits my daughter's girly, fun-loving side.  This shoe matches what my daughter looks for in a footwear perfectly.  They're stylish, comfortable, and playground-friendly.  After all, what good is looking fashionable if you can't outrun the boys at recess while doing it?

The Twist slip-on shoe also has a canvas upper, but is made in a silhouette that resembles a ballet flat.  I find this shoe to be more classic and graceful.  The crossover elasticized bands help to keep them in place whether my energetic daughter is running, jumping, twirling, or climbing.

Although our daughter loved all the prints available for the Twist, she went with Blink because this black-based floral print would match with so much in her wardrobe.

All Chooze rubber soles are comfortable and non-marking.  They allow my daughter to get where she wants to go, whether walking, running, or skipping, without the worry of slipping.

With the help of Chooze shoes, our daughter can complete her coordinated mismatched look!  She often wears two different socks or two different color earrings that coordinate with her outfit of the day.  She sometimes ventures into tastefully mixing prints with her clothes too.  I love that she is confident enough to be different!  Chooze also currently offers backpacks and lunchboxes, and our daughter is highly anticipating their upcoming line of children's apparel.  How does your child express creativity and confidence with his or her outfits?

Chooze shoe boxes are really "art boxes" made of recycled cardboard.  They are decorated with a fun print that any child, including my 8 year old daughter and 11 year old son, will fall in love with.  If you pick up a pair of Chooze shoes, be sure to help your child reuse the box to make something fun and creative.  This is what my children made with our Chooze art boxes . . .

Easy Craft:  DIY Duck Tape Memory Box

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Chooze shoe box

solid duck tape

coordinating patterned duct tape

thin markers

scissors

Step 1.  With the lid open, cover the front, back, left, and right sides of the shoe box with a solid colored duck tape.

Step 2.  With the lid still open, make a stripe that wraps around the four solid colored sides with a coordinating patterned duck tape.

Step 3.  Have your child color in the design on the shoe box lid with thin markers.  Your child can use whichever colors they like and color in as much of the design as they wish.  Additions of words and doodles are also encouraged.

Beyond coloring the box lid, your children can also add embellishments, such as gems, stickers, and glitter.  The more creative control your child has while decorating their art box, the more they'll cherish the finished product.  What would your child put inside their memory box?

To learn more about Chooze and their mission, visit www.choozeshoes.com.

Easy DIY Duck Tape Storage Bins with Printable Labels { a Target Dollar Section Craft }

This is a super-easy craft that I did almost a year ago.  I got the bins and most of the solid and patterned duck tape from the Target Dollar Spot.  Having seen these bins in other colors in the Target dollar section recently made me remember that I never did share this project with our readers.

What made me decide to make these bins was the fact that our children are little hoarders.  You would not believe me if I told you some of the strange things we've found in their beds.  I finally realized it was a losing battle to keep their beds free of their most cherished books, toys, and random things.  These storage bins were the best solution I could come up with for our twins, one who sleeps on the top of a bunk bed and the other in a loft bed.  The twins would be able to keep some things in their beds as long as they could be stored neatly inside these bins.

Easy Duck Tape Craft Project:  Decorated Storage Bins for Kids

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

square or rectangular plastic storage bins

patterned duck tape

coordinating solid duck tape

washi tape

printable labels (provided below)

scissors

Step 1.  Print the labels below or make your own to print out in the fonts and colors of your choosing using any text or graphics program.

TO PRINT:  Be sure your printer is on and ready to print.  Click on the image below to enlarge.  Then right-click on the image and select print.  Use your browser's back button to return to this page.

Step 2.  Cut out each label you will be using for your bins.

TIP #1:  Remember to leave enough room around edges for the washi tape frame to overlap with your label.

Step 3.  Using your patterned and solid duck tape, create one, two, or three stripes on the front (the side on which the label will be) of the bin.  You can get as creative as you would like with the colors and widths of your stripes.

TIP #2:  For a neater appearance, start your tape on the inside wall of your bin, where the side and bottom meet.  Then be sure to wrap the other end of the tape around the outside bottom of the bin with at least 2 or 3 inches.

Step 4.  Position your label at the center of the front of the bin and secure it in place with a frame of washi tape.

That's it!  These colorful bins would be perfect for your child's room or playroom.  You can change this craft into something more elegant for your own bedroom, craft room, or living room simply by changing the prints and colors of duck tape and washi tape you choose and the font on your labels, and even the type of bins you use.

Want to try this easy craft?  Pin it for later . . . 

Easy DIY Personalized Duck Tape & Washi Tape Poly Bookmark Craft (Free Printable Templates)

The time has finally arrived when every member of our household is reading books that they cannot necessarily finish in one sitting.  In preparation of this, Santa put two bookmarks in each of our children's stockings last Christmas.  Unfortunately, most of those bookmarks have vanished into a black hole somewhere.  (I think it may be the same one that mysteriously makes single socks disappear from the washer and dryer.)  In any case, I came up with a fun and easy way to solve our problem of never having a bookmark around when we need one . . .

This easy DIY bookmark craft uses Duck Tape, Washi Tape, and Tapeffiti along with poly folders.  I chose to use poly folders because they are colorful, more durable than cardstock, easy to cut with scissors, and are fairly inexpensive.  I got mine on sale for $0.69 each and one folder can make up to 10 bookmarks if you remember to use the pockets inside too.  This craft would be a fun rainy day activity!  It would also be perfect for a classroom craft or birthday party activity, especially if you cut out the bookmark shapes and the ribbon pieces in advance.  You could even make these to pass out as end-of-the-year students gifts or as party favors.  What a fun way to promote literacy!

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

patterned and solid tape (both wide and narrow)

poly folders (in colors that work with your tape)

computer printer

scissors

pen or pencil

standard size single hole puncher (needed for 2 of the 3 styles)

1/8" wide ribbon, yarn, or twine (needed for 2 of the 3 styles)

thin permanent markers (optional)

Step 1.  Print out the bookmark templates I have created for you.  (To print, be sure your computer's printer is on and ready to go.  Then click on the image below to enlarge it.  Right click on the image and select "print."  Then use your browser's back button to return to this page.)

Step 2.  Carefully cut out one or more of the bookmark templates.  If applicable, using your single hole puncher, punch a hole through the black circle in the template(s).

Step 3.  Place the template on your poly folder and trace the shape with a pen or pencil.  Be sure to trace the punched out circle too, if your template has one.

TIP #1:  I started by cutting out the pockets from inside the folder.  They can be used to make one bookmark each.

Step 4.  Cut out the shape you've traced.  If applicable, punch out the circle you've traced with a single hole puncher.

Step 5.  After you've selected which tapes you would like to use for your bookmark, cut a piece of tape about 6" long.  Then position the tape on the front of your bookmark as desired and wrap the ends around the back of the bookmark.  (For a neater appearance, make sure the edges match up where the ends meet.)  Repeat this as many times as you need to create a design you like.  Be sure to experiment with other ways to use your tape, such as creating a frame with it.

Tip #2:  One of the perks about using these poly folders is that, with most types of tape I've tried, the tape can be removed and repositioned if it is not exactly as you would like it.

Step 6.  For the bookmarks with a hole at the top, cut a piece of 1/8" ribbon, yarn, or twine approximately 10" to 12" long.  Then fold it in half and thread the loop end through the hole in the back of the bookmark.  Pull the loop out the front of the bookmark, then feed the two ends through the loop.  Pull tightly to complete your knot.  Tie another knot right at the top of the bookmark for added security.

Tip #3:  You can get creative with this by using multiple colors of ribbon, adding beads, or making a tassel at the end.

Step 7.  Personalize your bookmark with a name, initial, or a monogram using tape or permanent marker.

This craft comes with a warning . . . I started out with a just few rolls of tape and now need to think of a way to store the many rolls I've purchased since.  I may be addicted, so look for more patterned tape crafts in the coming months!