Happy New Year, my lovelies! I hope you enjoyed a peaceful holiday season filled with laughter, gratitude, and time with the people you love most.
As we return to school, work, and our everyday routines, I want to thank each of you for the support, encouragement, and kindness you shared over the past year.
2014 was a year of incredible growth for Happy Hooligans. Thousands of readers joined the blog, hundreds of thousands followed our Facebook page, and over the past 12 months this site recorded more than 15 million page views — a number that still amazes me.
What makes me happiest is knowing our readers come from around the world. Followers from 236 countries — from the United States to Zambia — visit this site. It warms my heart to know that the crafts and activities we do in my small home daycare are inspiring caregivers and children across the globe to get creative together.
A huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who reads, shares, and comments on the posts. I read every single comment and truly appreciate the thoughtful feedback and encouragement.
Before we step into 2015 with fresh crafts and activities, I thought it would be fun to revisit the posts you loved most in 2014. If you missed any of these the first time around, enjoy them now. If you’ve already seen them, please share them with others who might enjoy them too.
Thank you for inspiring me to be my best and for everything you do to enrich the lives of the amazing little people around you. xx
Happy Hooligans’ Most Popular Posts of 2014
1. 2-Ingredient Cloud Dough — Our most popular post of 2014, viewed more than 1.5 million times. Made with two simple kitchen ingredients, this fragrant, silky, moldable sensory dough is a hit with kids and adults, and it’s ready in five minutes. If you haven’t tried it yet, add it to your must-do list.
2. 25 Ways to Reuse Keurig K-Cups — We love recycling, reusing, and upcycling. After a friend dropped off a bag of clean K-Cups, we found creative uses for them across the craft room, kitchen, playroom, and garden.
3. Giant Homemade Bubbles — Not surprised this made the top ten. This bubble mix produces huge, backyard-ready bubbles that delight kids and grownups alike.
4. Simple Pumpkin-Carving Hack — This easy trick for lighting pumpkins was wildly popular in October, earning nearly half a million views around Halloween. It’s a small tip that makes pumpkin lighting so much simpler.
5. 40+ Useful Kid-Made Gifts — I loved putting this collection together. These kid-made gifts are practical, beautiful, and perfect for giving to grownups who will actually use and enjoy them.
6. Melting Elsa’s Frozen Hands Activity — In 2014 my daycare was full of little Frozen fans, and this ice-and-salt experiment based on the movie was a huge hit with the kids and with readers, drawing a large audience online.
7. 2-Ingredient White Clay Dough Ornaments — A quick and easy recipe that was popular in the run-up to Christmas. Add water and you have soft, white clay perfect for making beautiful ornaments.
8. Best Books for Boys (Ages 8–16) — A personal favorite, this list of 40 beloved books came from my own memories of reading with my sons. It was meaningful to share these recommendations and see that many of them are favorites with readers too.
9. 22 Things to Make with Cardboard Tubes — We always keep a stash of cardboard tubes. They’re inexpensive, versatile, and perfect for a wide range of crafts. This post shares many of our favorite projects.
10. Coloured Cloud Dough — While the white cloud dough is a classic, adding color proved to be a lovely twist. After a few experiments, I found a method that produces vibrant, long-lasting colored dough that’s perfect for sensory play.
And there you have it: the top ten posts of 2014. None of this would have been possible without you — thank you for reading, sharing, and encouraging us. I’m excited to move into 2015 together. xx
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