Caine's Arcade

I LOVE this! It's a good reminder to leave some time and space for free play (and have plenty of boxes around). You never know what may happen.

Autumn Window Displays

The green leaves are turning
To yellow, red and brown
And when the wind comes whistling by
they'll all
.....come sailing
..........down

Here are a few autumn leaf projects to try on a cozy autumn day.


An autumn tree with leaves made from painted coffee filters at Frugal Family Fun Blog


Classic leaf rubbings painted with watercolors by Maya*Made


Tissue paper "stained glass" leaves from Mom on Timeout

We love to use our imaginations at Dodgen Photography and we love low tech toys that give us lots of room for creative expression. You can imagine how excited I was to discover the i-Wood. It reminded me a bit of our own iBox, but with even more room for creative input.

via swiss-miss

Shop of Awesomeness!

If you have ever been to the Long Beach Depot for Creative Reuse, you know that they are all about encouraging, inspiring and promoting fun ways to reuse items and materials "too good to throw away." Encourage and inspire they do. With product labels like "Circles with Possibilities!!!", "Orange Ya Glad We Have These Containers?" and "Box of Awesomeness!" how can you not get inspired. If you are not sure where to begin, there are a myriad of items created by local artists and patrons to spark your creativity, or to purchase if you are more of a patron of the arts than artist.

While it is a great place to get creative inspiration, it also is a great place for kids to learn about other things. My first grader is learning about money in school. At The Depot he is able to apply his new knowledge, calculating and budgeting his $1.00 in coins to buy innumerable treasures (is there any other shop where you can still buy something for 1¢?). There are also opportunities for learning about conservation, recycling, donating, and community.

If you spend any time talking with owner, Lisa Hernandez, you know that she is more than an advocate for creative reuse, she is an advocate for small business, artists, and community. To that end, last year The Depot applied for, and was awarded, a Pepsi Refresh grant. To celebrate, they are hosting the Pepsi Refresh Creative Reuse Day on Sunday, February 27 from 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm. There will be creative reuse crafting, instrument making/playing, a bike rodeo, rock climbing wall, a free bike valet and more, including all of the boxes of awesomeness and possibilities! Instead of providing refreshments, they are encouraging attendees to support the many local coffee shops, restaurants, markets and other small businesses in the area. As a small business owner, I think that is inspiring!

Pepsi Refresh Creative Reuse Day Celebration
Sunday, February 27, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
The Long Beach Depot for Creative Reuse
320 Elm Street, Long Beach, CA
Regular store hours Monday - Saturday, 11 am - 6:00 pm


The Long Beach Depot for Creative Reuse window, ready for the Pepsi Refresh Creative Reuse Day Celebration

Cardboard Tube Pen Holder

Here is a great way to sort pens and other writing implements in the family craft area while reusing plentiful cardboard tubes. Griscel Diaz mounted hers on the wall, but I think it would work as well in a box or drawer for storing a wide variety of craft supplies (pencils, pens, brushes, Q-tips, and more). Another advantage of this design, if you get a new set of pens, just add a tube.

via inhabitat

Art Display and Storage Box

Children are prolific artists. It can be challenging for parents to figure out where to display and store even a few of their masterpieces. Here is an inspired idea from Maya Donenfeld. A way to highlight your child's most recent work of art, while archiving some of your favorites. You can decorate the frame however you like, but keep it simple so that it doesn't compete with the art itself. And do not forget to write the child's name and the date on the back of the art. This will make it easier for future collectors and art historians to identify.

You can find complete instructions on the bookhoucrafts blog

This would also make a good gift for grandparents, or doting aunts and uncles, with new work delivered on special occasions, or whenever inspiration strikes.

Cereal Box Marble Run

I love this simple cereal box marble run from Made by Joel. Check out Joel's blog for detailed instructions (and lots of other creative projects for kids). It fits perfectly into our ongoing series of posts celebrating the creative reuse of cardboard packaging and would be an easy project for a lazy summer morning.

Cardboard Tube Marble Run

We finally got a chance to put together the cardboard tube marble run that we saw in a recent issue of Family Fun magazine (click the link for complete details).

We cut up some 8.5x11 magnet sheets that we had sitting around to attach to the tubes, but you could also use those pizza delivery fridge magnets that you probably have too many of. In addition to marbles, we used round bells that added a fun sound component to the maze. We are trying to come up with some additional objects/shapes to add to keep the maze interesting. We would love to hear any ideas you may have in the comments.

Egg Carton Seed Starters

If you've followed this blog for awhile, you have probably noticed that I like to find creative ways to reuse everyday objects. With this simple little project, you can take an old egg carton and start a garden. It is such a simple project that almost any age child can participate, and in the process learn what's involved in caring for a plant and enjoy the resulting harvest (vegetables always taste better when you've grown them yourself).

For our first planting this year we chose lettuce, but we have also enjoyed growing herbs (they are easy to grow in a small space, they are practical for cooking and they provide a great sensory experience for the kids with their various smells and tastes).

For this project, you will need:
Egg carton
Scissors
Soil
Seeds
A sheet of plastic wrap (optional)

Cut the cover off the egg carton. Since we were going to keep this on the windowsill, we covered the inside of the lid with plastic wrap and placed it under the egg carton to catch excess water.


Put a little soil in each egg carton cup.



Put seeds in each cup, then cover with more soil.



Water.


Water regularly, following the directions on the seed packet.


Once the seedlings are big enough, you can cut the egg cups apart and place them directly into a larger pot or the garden (if they are made of paper pulp, instead of styrofoam, the carton will biodegrade).

Simple Fun

Photographs by Greta Eskridge

Do you ever feel that we over think and over spend when it comes to entertaining our kids? Often it is the simple things that bring them great joy. Babies shun their brightly colored, flashing, musical toys for the simple pleasure of banging on pots and pans.

Little ones would rather cook in the kitchen with you than play with the kitchen sitting in their room. Making a rocket made out of a used paper towel roll and a paper cone brings as much satisfaction as using a fancy kit. It doesn't have to be fancy for them to enjoy it.

We just put up a swing in our backyard. I have envisioned a play house complete with swings. The proper kind. This one is a board and a rope. It is just right. Just perfect, actually.

Do you have any simple, homemade toys that bring happiness to your children? Please share.

Greta

iBox is Here

All of the tech buzz may be about Apple's new iPad, but we are pretty excited about our new iBox, a cardboard laptop computer we made ourselves.

We used an old box with a single flap top, an Apple sticker (if you have a Mac your probably have a couple of these lying around), a picture of a keyboard and track pad that we cut out of an old Mac laptop box (though I had planned on either taking a picture of a keyboard and printing it or drawing our own custom keyboard), a letter-sized sheet protector (available in clear or non-glare) to use as the monitor, and screen shots of a few of our favorite applications and websites, that we then printed and slide into the sheet protector when we want to work on a specific application (of course we can also create our own "applications" to put on the screen).







We also added a USB port (a hole cut into the side of the box) to plug in peripherals like a portable cardboard hard drive and our digital camera.

For more fun projects using cardboard boxes, click here.

More Cardboard Art: Building a Robot

Photographs by Greta Eskridge

I knew that long-time client and friend, Greta Eskridge, would be a great addition as a guest blogger here at the Dodgen Photography blog. Seeing her post about the cardboard robot her son made, sealed the deal (in case you didn't know, we're big fans of cardboard creations). In Greta's words:

My son James loves to build things out of cardboard. If he sees a box lying around the house, he is sure to ask if he can use it. This time he wanted to make a robot.

It was a pretty straight forward project.

First, I cut off the back of the box, then a hole for his neck and two holes for his arms. This allowed him to slip it on and off easily by himself. We used an additional box, with eye holes cut out, for the head.

Next, he decorated it. Besides markers or paint, some glue and various shiny things are just right for decorating a robot. Tin foil would also be fun.

He was pretty pleased with his creation.

A little imagination goes a long way with a cardboard box.

Greta

For additional photos, go here.

Spring Hikes

Photographs by Greta Eskridge

Spring is the perfect time to take a hike. Everything is in bloom, the skies are blue, the sun is out, but the air is still cool. It feels good to be outside.

Kids are great hikers because they are naturally curious and they love to explore. As long as you don't expect them to hike an eight mile trail with you on your first time out, they will have a good time. A little planning goes a long way in making your hike successful. You might find these tips on hiking with kids helpful.

I took these photos at Riley Wilderness Park in Orange County. It is just beautiful right now, and one of the many parks to explore in Orange County. You might find it hard to believe, but the OC is rich with hiking trails. There are beach hikes, mountain hikes and everything in between.

I have found these three sites to be helpful in locating good hikes.
Brian and Ashley's Hiking Blog!
Wilderness Parks
Hiking Trails

We hope you and the kids will make it out to a trail this spring. If you do, please share your adventure with us. We'd love to hear about it.

Greta


Photographs by Greta Eskridge

Recycled Forest

I love artist, Yuken Teruya's work in which he transforms everyday objects (like toilet paper tubes and Happy Meal Bags) into intricate vignettes. I also thought it fit in nicely with our series of posts about the creative reuse of cardboard.

Signs of Spring

The first day of spring is right around the corner and with it comes the return of the monarch butterflies who will reawaken after a four months in hibernation. Many of the preschools I photograph at raise butterflies from larva each spring, giving the children the opportunity to witness up-close the complete life cycle of these beautifully delicate creatures.

Small Friends Preschool takes this a step further with their butterfly tent that is large enough for a child to sit in. Climbing in the tent gives each child the opportunity to get hands on experience with the recently hatched butterflies, and gave me the opportunity to capture some great photographs during my annual visit.









If you are interested in raising butterflies at your home, it is pretty simple and inexpensive. Amazon offers the Insect Lore Live Butterfly Garden kit for just over $14 (plus $3 for five butterfly larvae and special food, ordered using the included mail-in voucher). The kit is reusable and the larvae are available year round, so you can raise butterflies at any time of year, though butterflies should only be set free in temperatures over 55 degrees Fahrenheit.



Where Butterflies Grow, by Joanne Ryder is an excellent picture book about the life cycle of butterflies and would be a perfect companion to the butterfly kit. Read it before starting and refer back to it throughout the process as a reminder of what will happen next.

We first discovered it online as an audio book. It may seem strange to have an audio only version of a picture book, but Joanne Ryder's text gets children's imagination actively involved from the very first line. "Image you are someone small hidden in a tiny egg...." This line sets the stage for an engaging journey from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. Ethan has even acted out the story while listening.



The picture book is equally enthralling. It's detailed watercolor illustrations by Lynne Cherry provide lots for kids to observe and discover. As a postscript, Ryder includes suggestions on how to prepare a portion of your garden to attract butterflies or encourage the ones you have raised to stay.

Pizza Box Tabletop Soccer and Cardboard Tube Marble Run

The latest issue of Family Fun magazine has several cardboard reuse ideas that look fun and fit into our series of posts about creative (re)uses for cardboard. Our favorites are Tabletop Soccer made from a pizza box and a magnetic Marble Run made from paper towel, toilet paper and wrapping paper tubes. Click the preceding links for complete instructions.

Cardboard Fire Station

Making believe is the gist of his whole life and he cannot so much as take a walk except in character.

Robert Louis Stevenson

A couple of years ago when Ethan said he wanted to build a fire station, I thought he was talking about a little one for his numerous fire engines. When he clarified that he wanted one that he could fit in, I was not sure where to start.

Inspiration came when we realized we could use his loft bed for the frame and the box from our new wagon for the walls. Curtains the he could open and close, a door through which the fire engines could come and go, and door knobs for the front door helped complete his vision.

One of the things I love about cardboard structures is that they are temporary, so when the kids have a new interest or want a new challenge, the box can be modified, stored or just recycled. To make these transitions easier, I like to use Velcro Cable Ties when attaching the cardboard to furniture like loft beds and table legs. They make it easy to attach and detach cardboard without ruining the furniture or the box. I did not take detail photographs at the time, but you can see the small black straps along the sides and under the main door of our fire station.

What always amazes me (a perfectionist) when creating things like this, with and for Ethan, is how much his imagination will take over to fill in the gaps, look past the inconsistencies in scale and smooth over the flaws in construction. I have to remind myself that it is more important to make it, than to make it perfect.

Now I implore you to go collect the props, set the stage, and open the curtain to your child's world of make believe.

For more creative cardboard project ideas, click here.

A Different Kind of Valentine

A couple of Februaries ago, a tree branch stood on a bookcase in our living room. Little red and pink hearts, on white ribbon swung from it. It was a Valentines Day decoration, of course. But it was something a bit more than just colored hearts and ribbon.

Each heart had a message on it. They were love notes for the whole family. Encouraging words, thoughts of thankfulness and simply things we liked about each other. In a few minutes time, we could remind one another of the special love we share. A love that is bigger than candy conversation hearts and boxes of chocolate (although those things are quite nice too).

You can incorporate this idea into your own family's celebration of Valentines Day. A simple tree branch can be found in your yard, or bought at a florist shop. Just make sure it has plenty of space to hang your hearts.

The notes can be hung every day for each member of the family, or you could choose one person each day to shower with love. Because they are small, these notes can also be easily saved for years to come as a special reminder of Valentines Day that year. You can even put them in that shoe box your child decorated to keep all his valentines in. Or if space is an issue, a Ziploc bag will work fine. The most important thing is remembering those special words you shared with one another.

We'd love to see your tree and hear about how your family added this idea to your Valentines Day celebrations.

Christina Katerina and the Box

I can't write about cardboard box creations without mentioning one of my favorite books, Christina Katerina and the Boxby Patricia Lee Gauch.

When Christina's family gets a new refrigerator, she gets a world of possibilities from the box it came in. The story follows Christina and her friend Fats, as they transform the box from a castle to a secret clubhouse to a race car to a summer mansion where they throw a lavish ball for their stuffed animals and dolls. The box is finally damaged beyond repair when Fats decides to wash it off with a hose. Fortunately, Fats' family just got a new washer and dryer...

The simple line drawings, by Doris Burn (who also wrote and illustrated the wonderfully imaginative Andrew Henry's Meadow, another favorite of mine) provide lots of inspiration for box creations.