Francia McCormack

Mother of two girls, Francia McCormack is an educator, writer and artist. She is a Jamaican native currently residing in Atlanta, Georgia. For fun, she's on the hiking trails or in the gardens with her girls. Or if she's not making something or teaching someone to make something, you can find her at the closest museum or tea shop. She completed her undergraduate work in journalism at the University of Georgia and received her Masters in Education from the University at Buffalo. As a resident in Harlem, New York, she has worked for the Harlem Children's Zone as an art educator. Her daily inspiration comes from watching her children grow like dandelions. Her Jamaican roots and her two favorite cities, Atlanta and New York City, keep her creative. Favorite way of summing up life - blessed.

STUDY: Exposure to Pesticides in Womb Linked to Learning Disabilities

by Francia McCormack, 02/11/11

Image © christgr via SXC

The latest study from the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health on creepy chemicals creeping into the womb suggests that babies exposed to high levels of pesticides while in the womb may have learning problems later. Pregnant mothers today often ask themselves as they ingest the food they know will nourish their baby, this is healthy, right? I’m out of the house while pest control sprays the house so I’m okay, right? Sadly, this is probably not the case. Another study done by the University of California San Francisco confirmed after studying 163 different chemicals, pregnant women carry numerous chemicals in their bodies, even hazardous ones that have been banned in the United States for decades. Read on to find out how you can protect your baby-to-be.

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HOW TO: Make a Ginger-Bird House

by Francia McCormack, 12/13/10

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HOW TO: Recycle ABC Blocks into Christmas Tree Ornaments

by Francia McCormack, 12/07/10

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Mom’s Favorite Green Gadget? The Roku Box

by Francia McCormack, 07/13/10

Think gadgetry can’t be “green”? My family’s favorite home-entertainment gadget turns this stereotype on its head! In my household, the hardest working gadget is our Roku Box — or as we often call it, the Netflix box. Despite our nickname for it, we love it just as much for watching new releases, listening to music and viewing photos, too. This lightweight, compact little black box is Wi-Fi ready and streams content from the Web onto our TV with ease, entertaining my kids for hours, without DVDs, Netflix mailers or any other excess clutter.

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HOW TO: Turn Baskets Into Bird Feeders

My family and I have come up with a lovely solution for all the old, unused baskets we have around the house -- bird feeders! We discovered that little birds like chickadees latch onto the sides to peck out their meal while bigger birds love perching on the top. Follow our easy how to instructions to make a basket bird feedee for your backyard.

How to Revamp an Old Journal By Giving it a New Cover

If you have a notebook, planner, or date book that's destined for the dumpster, you might want to grab your tot and give it a face-lift together instead. Revamping an old journal with a new cover can inspire creativity -- and inside, on its pages, you can record daily thoughts of gratitude, favorite recipes, first moments or your children's nuances that might not make it into the formal scrapbook. Luckily, most of us have an old journal lying around, so follow these easy instructions to spruce one up by making a special new cover.

HOW TO: Cut Back on Accumulating ‘Stuff’ With Your Family

Saying no to ‘stuff’ is a hard thing to ask parents wanting the best for their children. But in a culture which equates purchasing things to being happy, parents need to stop, pause, and think about what they are teaching their children when they choose to buy, buy, buy more and more stuff, stuff, stuff. Accumulating seems to be the most favorite family time activity in many households. Ask yourself if items you’re considering are truly necessary purchases, or whether you could simplify situations and your life without spending money on ‘things.’ For your childrens’ development and best interest, here’s how to get a handle on your home’s stuff situation, and how to say “no” to too much stuff.

HOW TO: Create Handmade Nature Books with Your Children

My daughter and I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with creative mommy and bookmaker Sushmita Mazumdar of Handmade Storybooks in Atlanta, Georgia last weekend. When she is not creating handmade multicultural books, she is teaching others how to create their own stories in workshops across the country. For our group of mostly small children and a few tweens, we were able to easily make our own special journals from scratch. We later went home to fill our journals with reminders of a budding spring season. The following is a step by step guide which will enable you to create handmade nature books with your child as an ode to the spring season!

How to Grow Plants Indoors with Your Toddler

Spark an interest in nature and homegrown, fresh and healthy foods for your little ones by growing your own plants and mini-garden indoors. Most fruits and vegetables in your pantry can provide an educational and fun experiment for young children. It’s easy to green the thumbs of your toddlers — if they can hold a seed in their hand and can poke a hole in dirt, help them plant the seed and watch it grow together! Follow our easy guide to get your indoor garden growing after the jump!