Nesting Supplies

This is a good use for your dryer lint and yarn scraps. We filled up one of those cages you get that holds suet blocks with dryer lint and lots of yarn and hung it outside where the birds and squirrels can get to it. They can pull out supplies for their nests.

felt pirate hat

this is a really simple project for those people who are still in pirate mode. I used regular felt sold by the yard at fabric stores for the hat, and one of the craft squares for the jolly roger. I just traced a pirate hat we had from a birthday party and added a purple ribbon as trim.

After Bath/Sun Oil

Use this after getting out of the shower (before drying off) after a day at the beach

Mix ingredients in an 11/12 oz container (shampoo/lotion bottle shape) with a lid.

2 T. Sesame Oil (available at most supermarkets)

8 T. Almond Oil (available Whole Foods or on-line)

18-32 drops Essential Oil (available Whole Foods, on-line, many places)

   Bergamot

   Chamomile

   Geranium

   Lavender

   Vanilla

   Yling Ylang

* Add essential oils slowly and sparingly, a little goes a long way! Smell is very individual too.

Shake well before using.

Plastic Bottles can be found at some grocery stores, Container Store ($) and on-line (Sunburst Bottles). 

E-mail any questions.

Decoupage Light Switch covers

Who wants plain plastic light plates? Not me! I covered every single one in my house, and even made ones that went with the theme of the room. The Sky's the Limit!

Need (for one):

1 plain light switch cover (remove from wall or buy at hardware store)

desired decorative paper, could be anything - magazine clippings, etc

Elmer's Glue or double stick tape

X-acto knife (or scissors)

Mod Podge & brush

First, lay out your design over the light switch cover and line it up so it looks good to you. Leave 1/4" overhanging so that you can wrap it around.

Center the plate in the center, and make a diagonal cut on each corner of the paper. This will facilitate wrapping so it doesn't bunch up and make wrinkles when you glue down.

Next, brush glue over paper (alternatively, you can lay paper on double stick tape and use X-acto to cut out, then peel off backing and stick to light switch). Once you have covered it with an even layer of glue, center the light switch cover in the middle and then immediately fold over the edges, one at a time, until the whole thing is covered in the paper.

Next, using a blunt pencil or the screws that came with the light switch, pop out the holes. Now you are ready to give it a final finish using the mod podge. Brush an even layer over the surface of the paper, making sure it is completely covered and let dry for about an hour or so. You can also add glitter or sequins while the mod podge is wet if you desire.

The last step is - once the mod podge has dried completely, use your X-acto to carefully cut out the switch area from the back side.

playdough that will last forever

this is the same recipe that is easily available online and in craft books with some tips for success.

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

First, stir everything together really well before you start to cook it. That is a tiny amount of cream of tartar and it has to be well distributed. (Whatever it is that it does.) Then heat on medium low and stir all the time. Recipes will tell you to stir until it pulls away from the sides but mine does not seem to do this. The dough needs to get cooked through or it will be sticky so you keep on stirring it over the heat until it seems like it is changing consistency. The parts that touch the bottom will get cooked first and you just keep stirring until it all seems done. If homemade dough is properly cooked you can use it immediately with no stickiness or additional flour so just keep practicing. I turn mine out into a bowl and cover it tightly and let it cool, then add food coloring and have my children mix it in.

Toddler Pizza

We read "Pete's A Pizza" by William Steig and then made pizzas. The pizzas are round pieces of paper (or a paper plate), painted with red paint tomato sauce, with lots of toppings. There were little yellow rectangles to represent the cheese, red circles for pepperoni or tomatos, little black olives, mushrooms cut out of a crinkly paper bag etc. If your child can cut encourage her to make other toppings. Then i had a shaker with green sand (sand with green paint in it) and they could shake on their spices at the very end. Then you bake the pizza in a sunny window! The book is about a dad who turns his son into a pizza by covering him with checkers, shredded paper, talcolm powder. etc. After they make the pizzas you can turn them into pizza or have them turn you into a pizza.

felt abc blocks

I used inexpensive abc blocks from the dime store, craft felt and tacky glue to make these easy blocks. I also cut out some squares and let my 5-year old cover blocks on her own and that worked out really well too.