Time to take that simple wooden frame and make it work overtime!

With just a few simple screw-in hardware hooks you can transform that plain picture frame into a convenient place to keep your keys.

What To Do: Use a ruler to evenly space out where you will place the hooks. Mark your measurements with a pencil. With a hammer and a small nail, gently tap a tiny hole into each of your pencil marks. Twist your hooks into the holes and that’s it!!

Pick your favorite pre-Picasso to frame, hang it by the door, and enjoy your re-newed functional and fabulous frame.

If you live in Brooklyn (or the NYC area) be sure to check out this post on Brooklyn Based, of ways to benefit your community. All it takes is a little time… or a donation of your unwanted goods. While you’re there, sign up to get the best of Brooklyn, in your inbox!

(click on an image to enlarge)

* * please bear in mind, the finished project is not suitable for food * *

Ever wish you could pick up a pencil and draw a life-like image in under five minutes? Well, you could practice, practice, practice… or you could carbon-copy it. Carbon paper is the original copy-machine. Not only is it quick and easy, but yields amazing results.

Simply place a piece of carbon paper between a clean sheet and the picture you want to copy. We used pictures from magazines in the recycling bin.

Use a pencil to outline the main shape of the image. You can also use this as a teaching technique to help identify line(s) in an image.

Remove the top two sheets to see the result. Beautiful! Paint or color your picture, or leave as is. Up to you!

Check out our lunch_sack in the fall issue of kidsLA magazine!!

This one’s plain, simple, and best when duplicated.

Empty metal cans are an eco-stylish decorating advantage. These cheap and useful vases are a great way to disperse flowers throughout your home and yard while entertaining this summer season.

Simply collect and clean out your empty food cans. Tomato cans work well, because the inside of the can is coated with a special enamel finish, but any empty can will do.

If working with children, please make sure there are no sharp edges where the lid came off. If so, going over the area with a can opener one more time will usually do the trick.

To prevent rust rings on your furniture or ledges, coat the bottom of each can with clear nail polish, and allow to dry completely.

Fill the cans halfway with water. Add a few small stones to the bottom of each can to weigh them down, and then add the flowers. Tiny hands will find it fun and easy arranging flowers in these mini-marvels.

The warmer months are a great time for painting.

Put the kids in their bathing suits, gather your supplies and bring it all outside (to the yard, stoop, or park). Use washable tempura paints and let them go wild. Paint pictures, leaves, fingers, toes, whatever!  Encourage them to use their imaginations, get messy & have fun.

When play time’s over, grab the hose (or sprinklers at the park) and wash off.  Whip out the shampoo and call it a night. This one’s sure to be a hit!

Spring brings inspiration. Check out this great new design we’ve added to the gallery. At bubbalulu.com we will put any picture on any product, even your own smashing creations.

The new image entitled “sk8tr” is inspired by the arsenal of pee-wee skaters taking over the streets of Brooklyn… Dude!

Lacking the adequate time for sewing, these cute little buddies were whipped up in less than half an hour with the help of an adult and a hot glue gun.

Start with a piece of colored felt. Cut into a long strip at least 5 inches wide and about 10 inches long. We used the fold-over technique to form a quick pocket that only needs 3 sides sealed.

Heat up the hot glue gun while you decorate your buddy. We used yarn, buttons, and more colored felt to make a cute face for our buddies. Sharpies, or another type of permanent marker also works well for drawing on details.

When your face is decorated, seal 2 of the sides with hot glue, and let cool for about 5 minutes (it is important that the glue have enough time to set). This should form a pocket.

Next you have to fill your buddy. The idea is to use beans, but we had to improvise and mix beans with dry elbow macaroni. It worked great.

Now, seal up the final side, allow the hot glue to cool completely and your buddy is ready!

Bean bag buddies are not only an easy craft, but the first step of a fun activity… line up pots and pans from smallest to largest and you have yourself a bean-bag-toss.