Today’s Mother Essentials is an artful double-header. Brooklyn-based moms Erin Boyle and Rose Pearlman were mutual admirers of each other’s work before they became friends in 2018. Now, eight years later, they’re co-authors of the brand-new book, Making Things: Finding Use, Meaning, and Satisfaction in Crafting Everyday Objects. In it, they’re encouraging folks to unplug and get crafty—with over 100 projects for all skill levels. Leaning on simple and often upcycled materials, the pair clearly live their lives according to their Earth-loving values—which is reflected in their creative and inspiring lists, below.

Erin Boyle, Mother to Faye, 9, Silas, 7, and Calder, 4

Pincinox Stainless Steel Clothespins. “These extremely durable, rust-free, mildew-proof stainless steel clothespins are very handy for hanging clothes on the line, but also for keeping bags of chips (or frozen berries) closed, holding down sheets of paper on windy outdoor drawing days, hanging up artwork or photos, et cetera. I use them for something every day.” Pincinox Stainless Steel Clothespins, $26, Flotsam & Fork.

Kitpas Japanese Bath Crayons. “I can’t say that I’m a parent who truly loves a mess, but these washable bath crayons are so fun and truly easy to clean off the tub and shower walls after use. Plus they’re almost good enough to make my 4-year-old tolerate getting her hair washed.” Kitpas For Bath, $18, Santoku.

T-Shirt Yarn. “A parent at my kids’ school recently donated a dozen too-small tie-dyed shirts and I cut them into yarn to teach kids to finger knit. The results were so festive and fun and t-shirt yarn is so easy for kids to work with. Easy directions for turning a tee into yarn is on p. 172 of our new book, Making Things. Instructions for turning that yarn into headbands/belts/jump ropes, etc. begin on p. 36. TL/DR: Save your holey t-shirts and make yarn out of them.”

Sara Berman’s Closet. “One of the first things that Rose and I bonded over was the Sara Berman’s Closet exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This illustrated memoir by Maira and Alex Kalman was inspired by that exhibit and it’s a joy for anyone who loves everyday objects with a dose of fastidiousness. (Me!)” Sara Berman’s Closet, $27.90, Bookshop.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV. “About a year ago, I sold my very big, once-upon-a-time very expensive, digital SLR camera and replaced it with a much smaller mirrorless digital camera similar to one that Rose has. I’ve been so pleased with the switch. It’s easier to carry around with me than my old one, it has great wireless technology for connecting to my phone or computer, and no shade to the camera in my phone, it just takes a much better picture.” Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Mirrorless Camera, $699.99, Best Buy.

Tube Wringer. “This stainless steel tube wringer might seem like a one-hit wonder kind of household tool, but it’s surprisingly useful and so satisfying to use. Great for getting out every last drop of toothpaste, hand lotion, paint, tomato paste, you name it!” Gill Mechanical Heavy-Duty Tube-Wringer, $36, Blick.

Chocolate Cake. “Odette William’s Chocolatey Chocolate Cake from her Simple Cake cookbook is my favorite chocolate cake recipe bar none. It’s rich and moist and it comes out perfectly every single time.” Simple Cake, $21.39, Bookshop.

Koh-I-Noor Pebble Erasers. “These pebble erasers are so aptly named and so pretty. I love to use them myself, but they also make such a good little accompaniment for gifts of handmade stationery.” Koh-I-Noor Pebble Erasers, $1, Arteria.

Van Leeuwen’s Vegan Peanut Butter Brownie Honeycomb. “This vegan Peanut Butter Brownie Honeycomb ice cream is so decadent and very delicious. (I hide it in the back of the freezer so I don’t have to share).” Vegan Peanut Butter Brownie Honeycomb Ice Cream, $12, Van Leeuwen.

Loop Earplugs. “For anyone needing sleep in a noisy place or concentration in a public space, or any kind of relief from auditory stimulation anywhere, these reusable silicone earplugs do not disappoint. I sleep in mine almost nightly.” Earplugs, $29.99, Loop.

Rose Pearlman, Mother to Cy, 17, and Cora, 7

Pocket Knife. “Handy dandy and oh so sweet. All three tiny tools get utilized, but it’s the folding scissors that repeatedly save me when I’m crafting on the fly.” Victorinox Classic SD Alox Swiss Army Knife, $34, Swiss Knife Shop.

Penco Clips. “We use these clips with small rectangle pieces of chipboard and paper to make travel scrap pads for kids. Running out the door for playground pick up, I grab 5 of these along with a handful of colored pencils. Kids love the mini personalized boards and I often get sweet drawings in return.” Penco Clip, $6, High Tide DTLA.

One Earbud City Walks. “A short walk daily goes a long way to helping me get out of my head. A walk with music makes it even sweeter. However, I’m a dreamer and the city has a lot of moving parts (bikes, motorists, pedestrians). The one earbud in, one earbud out keeps me going and also from getting taken out.”

Everything Cookbooks. “An amazing podcast and resource for anyone interested in publishing—even if the book you want to make is not in fact a cookbook. The four female hosts demystify the process of what goes into book concept, writing, publishing, photographing, styling, and marketing. It’s been hugely insightful and has saved me so much time and anxiety in the making of my second book or what I like to call my ‘craft cookbook.'” EverythingCookbooks.com.

Chili Crisp Recipe via Tenderheart. “Hetty Lui McKinnon did a bang-up job with her newest book, Tenderheart. A truly creative and unique take on vegetarian food, categorized by vegetable. The chili crisp recipe at the beginning of the book is alone worth its price! So delicious, I make it weekly and can’t help eating it straight from the jar.” Tenderheart, $37.20, Bookshop and Amazon.

Canvas Cotton Duck + Solid Braid Cotton Cord. “Our mission in writing Making Things was to make a craft book that is accessible to all, regardless of skill level or budget. That’s why, along with recycled materials such as cardboard, papers (kids art, fancy magazines, notebook pages), and unwanted clothing, Making Things has dozens of projects using canvas duck and braided cotton cord. Both supplies are affordable, abundant, easily purchased at neighborhood hardware/art stores and will yield a wide variety of beautiful, useful objects.” Unprimed Cotton Canvas By the Yard, $5.75, Blick. 100% Cotton Robe via Knot & Rope.

Jungmaven Cropped Ojai Tee. “It’s a soft, perfectly fitting hemp tee that comes in a variety of beautiful earth tones. Jungmaven is an environmentally conscious company that takes great pride in producing high quality products that are both simple in design and sustainable. A forever basic.” Cropped Ojai Tee, $46, Jungmaven.

Tracy Anderson Method Subscription. “I’ve been doing the Tracy Anderson Method for 15 years now and I owe much of my flexibility and strength to those 60 minute online classes. It works all the tiny little muscle groups I didn’t know I needed or had. There’s no verbal instruction during the workout and all you really need is a little bit of floor space and some 3-pound weights. Perfect for someone who wants to get it over with first thing in the morning, without shoes, or brushing of teeth, or mirrors, or people, or thought.” TracyAnderson.com.

Midori Notebook A6. “Tiny enough to carry even in my smallest bag despite its generous page count; these perfect little journals are a constant for taking notes and writing down ideas on the go.” MD Notebook, A6 Blank, $11.79, St. Lewis Art Supply. 

For more MOTHER ESSENTIALS, peep our recent features on writers Cleo Wade and ALEX ELLE, comedian JENNY SLATE, poet MAGGIE SMITH, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream co-founder LAURA O’NEILL, author and doula BRANDI SELLERZ-JACKSON, designer CLARE VIVIER, Miles & Milan founder SHENNEL FULLER, GRACE NA of Pistola, the designers behind MILK TEETH, photographer NICKI SEBASTIAN, Duster co-founder MELISSA MAGSAYSAY, Herman Miller creative director KELSEY KEITH, chef VALERIE GORDON, artist ERIN JANG, Chicago party mom KRISTEN KAZA, and Hedley & Bennett founder ELLEN MARIE BENNETT.