Crafting with Kids :: Easy Birdseed Ornaments

Last week, I taught some of my Junior Master Gardeners how to make hand-made birdseed ornaments to decorate our garden trees. I love the idea of teaching our children how to make outdoor spaces animal friendly, especially as the colder weather moves into our region. This was a very inexpensive and easy do-it-yourself project that the children adored!

Materials:

3/4 cup flour 

1/2 cup water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 tbsp. corn syrup
4 cups birdseed (avoid the type with sunflower seeds)

a variety of cookie cutters

nonstick spray 

drinking straw cut into once inch sections
waxed paper and a tray
ribbon/twine

Let's begin!

First, combine the water, flour, corn syrup and gelatin into a bowl. Mix until it becomes a slurry. Gradually add the birdseed, stirring well to combine. Now, you're ready to play!

Line a tray with wax paper. Spray each cookie cutter with the non-stick spray. With one hand, hold a cookie cutter in place. With the other hand fill the cutter with birdseed all the way to the brim. Smooth the top. Carefully insert a section of straw to form the hole for your ribbon to attach. Leave the straw in place while the ornament is drying. Gently remove the cutter. 

Let the ornament dry overnight for best results. Once dry, remove the straw and attach the ribbon or twine of your choice. Viola! 

These make wonderful Christmas gifts for friends, family and teachers. They also make a sweet decoration for your yard and help feed the birds over winter. In addition, these would be adorable made for Easter or any other holiday. Get creative with a variety of cookie cutters and molds!

DIY :: Pop-Up Valentines from Veritas Press





Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and while I am not a huge fan of this red, white, and pink holiday, I do want to share an adorable find! One of my favorite curriculum sellers, Veritas Press, emailed me this fantastic pdf link for creating your own Pop-Up Valentines. It is fabulous! Along with the instructions, Veritas Press also included a little back story on Valentine's Day.

So, while I won't be making any, I do hope you and your family enjoy it!

A Pinterest Production :: Super Hero or Princess Fort Kit



 

 



Before Christmas, I scoured Pinterest heavily searching for cute gift ideas to make for family and friends. One of my favorite finds, the Super Hero Fort, made me recall childhood memories of stringing sheets across the living room and stacking books to anchor them to chairs. I fell in love with this idea and churned out several over a weekend for all the super heroes and princesses I know!

First, visit your local general merchandise retailer (Wal-Mart, Target, The Dollar Tree) and purchase the following items*:

• 2 twin sheets
• ribbon
• rope
• clamps
• suction cups
• clothespins
• flashlight(s)
• Glo-sticks
• batteries
• a canvas drawstring bag (You can also make a bag if you are inclined.)

*You can customize what goes into each kit, but these items give you a general idea of the basics.

Before putting the kits together, I modified one of the two sheets by adding ribbon ties. This will help children avoid using stacked books or other breakables as anchors! To make the adaptation, first turn each sheet corner under approximately 5 inches and sew flat. Using 24 inches of ribbon, per corner, sew the ribbon onto the bottom side of each tucked sheet corner. I made four passes to ensure sturdiness.

To give the kit a polished look, I created a special tag to let the receiver know exactly what was included in the kit. It makes for a cute label and a handy check-list to ensure all items return back into the bag. You can customize your label with the kit's theme, the child's name, and bag items. I also had it laminated.

Before gifting, I filled the canvas bag with the kit's materials. Since I purchased the sheets as Wal-Mart, they came in little pouches. I used those pouches to hold some of the smaller items. Don't forget to tie on your label!

Be prepared for lots of smiles and a, "That's cool!" or "Can we build it right now?"

These also make great birthday gifts or as a special rainy day activity!

Simple Living :: Paper Making with Children

 

 

Recently, I held a Junior Master Gardening class and taught the children how to make paper. I'll be completely honest with you all and go on record to say, "I had no idea how to make paper before we started this endeavor!"
All that aside, making paper (at least this kind) was extremely easy, not to mention fulfilling and fun.

Materials:

• Half a gallon to whole gallon plastic baggie filled with one square inch pieces of newspaper. Fill baggie with water and allow to sit overnight.
• A blender - not your best for sure! I got mine at Wal-Mart for about $15. You might can find one at a thrift store.
• Screens - Using window screen replacement material cut rectangles or squares in adequate size for your needs. Tape edges with duct tape to prevent tears, frays, or cuts to your fingers. The frames I used were about 6.5 x 7.5 inches.
• Paper towels - you will need an entire roll!
• Styrofoam plates
• Various cookie cutters (If you're wanting sheets, try the large rectangular cookie cutters used to make ginger bread houses)
• Embellishments: flower seeds, colored raffia paper, etc.

Let's begin!
 

 

1. Fill your blender approximately 1/2  full with shredded paper and the rest of the way with water.

 

 2. Pulse blender until shredded paper turns into paper pulp. The blender may clog, if so, unplug and stir pulp with a chop stick or wooden spoon.



 3. Place a paper towel down on your work surface. Then, place the screen on top of the paper towel. Next, place your desired cookie cutter on top of the screen. Using a spoon, add a small amount of pulp in the center of the cookie cutter and spread evenly with your fingers.

{Warning: You will get messy! I advise removing rings!}

 



 

4. When spreading out the pulp, you want it to be as thin as possible, but not have any visible holes. Once I get the pulp spread out in my cookie cutter, I remove some and spread it out again to fill the vacant hole. Do this step until you can no longer spread it thinly without holes forming.

 

 

5. After the pulp is spread to the desired consistency, push down on your cutter and gently lift it off as if you were pressing out a cookie from dough.

 

 

 

6. Take another paper towel and press hard onto the paper shape. You want to remove as much water as possible. Gently remove the towel so as not to tear the paper.

 

 

7. Place a paper towel on a Styrofoam plate. Turn the plate and towel upside down over the paper cut-out and screen. Carefully, lift everything and flip it over so the plate in now on the bottom. Peel the screen back slowly from your paper.

 

Viola! You've made paper! Now, let it dry for about 24 hours.

 

If you want to add wildflower seeds to make your paper plantable, do that in step 3 after you've got the desired consistency of pulp. You can also add colored raffia at this stage too.

 

Once dry, you can write or paint on your paper; turn it into an ornament or name tag; and even use it for crafts. Experiment with different types of recycled paper for texture and color variety.

Christmas Traditions :: DIY Advent Calendar

Our family has several Christmas traditions we practice each year. Some are only for a day, while a couple last through the entire month. It isn’t quite December yet, however, I would like  to share a few of our traditions with all of you this Holiday season.

On December 1^st of each year, the boys open the first piece of the Advent calendar. When we started using the calendar, they opened little doors to seek out verses and tiny chocolates; with the tradition evolving more each year. 

This year’s Advent calendar is a hand-made stocking garland. Made from burlap, twine, clothespins and Christmas ribbon, this adorable calendar gets two thumbs up from the Norris boys.

With a little bit of sewing skills, you still have tune to make one before the 1^st for your family!

Supplies:

2 1/2 yards of burlap
Hand-made stocking template 5 inches tall and 3 inches wide
Various Christmas colored ribbon and buttons
24 hand-made tags (or stencils and paint)
24 miniature clothespins
Twine
Craft glue
Scissors

Let's Begin!

 

 

1.       Cut out 48 stocking shapes from burlap approximately 5 inches tall and 3 inches wide. You can create a template by free-handing a stocking .

2.       Layer two stocking cutouts on top of one another. Stick around the edges. Turn inside out. Viola! You’ve made a stocking, now make 23 more!

3.       Make 24 little bows out of various Christmas ribbon. Our Advent calendar uses red, green, brown, and gold. You can customize yours to fit your Christmas décor.

4.       Attach ribbons and buttons to each stocking.

5.       Make number tags 1-24. You can make these anyway you like. Be creative! Attach them to the clothespins using craft glue. You can also paint or stencil the numbers onto the clothespins or stockings, if you like. {I’ve seen a variation of this Advent calendar using small canvas drawstring bags instead of the stockings. The numbers had been painted onto the bags.}

6.       Using the smallest 3M command hooks, hang your twine under your mantel and ensure it is secure. You could also use this as a Christmas tree garland in in which case, omit the 3M command hooks.

7.       Decide what to place in each stocking. This always seems to be the hard part. Below are some ideas for your Advent Calendar.

 

Advent Calendar Ideas:

1. Hot chocolate party

2. Hobbit movie passes

3. LEGO minifigures

4. Hand-made chocolates

5. Make a craft: paint ornaments or make an animal/bird  feeder {This is a fun and easy craft using a toilet paper roll, peanut butter, bird seed, and a piece of yarn. First, punch holes in the toilet paper roll and tie the yarn to allow the feeder to hang. Then, have children spread peanut butter onto the toilet paper roll. Then, sprinkle bird seed onto the peanut butter. Hang feeder from a branch.}

6. A cookie recipe for you and your children to bake together.

7. Schedule a playdate with friends.

8. Have a day where you take your children to purchase toys for the needy.

9. Look through your newspaper for local events to add to specific dates in your Advent calendar; i.e. Christmas parade, see the lights, etc.

10. Create a gingerbread house

11. Make Christmas cards or gifts

12. Create the nativity

13. Bible verses

When it comes to filling the Advent calendar, the sky is the limit! I like to pick things that I can have my children do or make for each other, our family and those needing a little more Christmas cheer. We also add a few of our traditions  to the mix – on the 24^th we always take the boys out to purchase stocking stuffers for each other, get hot chocolate and drive around looking at Christmas lights.

What are some of your family's traditional inclusions into the Advent Calendar?

 

Upcycling in the Garden :: Tool Box Conversion, Part 1

People are always giving my husband things they no longer use or that don't work properly because they know he can resurrect the broken. I'm more of an Upcycler. For those who don't know, upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value. This particular project combines both of our talents to produce a unique and useful Garden Caddy.

 

Originally, my idea had been to turn this somewhat abused tool box into a craft bin - a Craftman to a Craft Bin...don't you just love my cheesiness!

 

However, this particular toolbox was destined for life outdoors and I couldn't imagine ruining all my lovely crafty things in the elements. I thought for about 2 seconds and instead of holding ribbons and paint, the tool box would soon be housing potting supplies and gardening paraphernalia.

 

So, here it is...a little rusty, a few squeaky wheels, and definitely in need of a paint job.



 

 

 

Right off the bat, we removed the drawers, gave the tool box a good wash down ("Did you see those spider eggs???"), and fixed the squeaky wheels. By liberally applying White Lithium Grease to the wheel bearings, we were able to not only fix the squeak, but also ensured better wheel movement. 

 

 

A chrome handle was riveted to one side of the tool box, but had to be removed in order to paint the box. My husband gently drilled out the rivets and slid out the handle. I would have pried and pried at those rivets, but that's why he's helping me with this project or I would still be prying on those rivets!

 

 

Now you can't just spray paint over scratched and scuffed paint; well, you can, but it won't look nice. Luckily for us, there is this great product called Handi-Strip. It's available at hardware stores and comes in a spray can. Along with the Handi-Strip, we also used a paint scraper. When using the Handi-Strip, we followed the manufacturer's guidelines.

 

Immediately after applying the Handi-Strip, the paint began to bubble and peel. Jake wanted to start scraping right away, but I told him we really should wait the full 20 minutes to get the best results.

 

We waited, and we waited, and we waited. Finally, it was time to see how much paint we could remove. I couldn't believe how easy it came off. Note to self: Do not get Handi-Strip on fingers!

 

 

Here's a look at the tool box once all the paint was stripped off, well, at least all that was coming off the easy way!

 

Now, I know I said my husband is good at fixing things, but he really is, because he knows a lot of useful information. His suggestion to get the rest of the paint off the box involved 600 grit sand paper wet/dry, a bucket of water, and a little elbow grease. By wet sanding, the process of dipping sand paper into water and sanding, we were able to remove all the rust and the rest of the large paint chips.

 

While not all of the paint will be removed, as long as the edges have been feathered and the surface feels smooth, new paint should adhere well.  



 

 

Now, it's time to paint. We went with a Valspar Outdoor spray paint in Jellyfish. First, we painted a tack coat and then followed up with a full paint layer. Two cans were plenty to cover the tool box. 

While the paint dried, my husband cleaned up the chrome handle using a toothbrush and some water. He used Mother's Mag & Aluminium Polish to restore it to new.

 

We re-installed the chrome handle using self-tapping screws.

After a couple hours of work, our tool box is definitely looking better.

 

 

Check back later this week for part 2 of the Tool Box Conversion.

Staying Organized :: The Travel Binder

This summer, our family took a trip to Destin, Florida. A couple of weeks before we left, I created a travel binder which enabled me to keep our trip information organized.

Using a three-ring binder, I added simple dividers for an easy way to search through various information pertaining to the trip. I used what I had on hand for this project. If you wanted to make your binder cute and eye-appealing, a quick trip to Office Depot or Target might do the trick.

I placed a few sheet protectors behind each divider. By doing so, I ensured our trip's important information would not get ruined by accidental spills, rain, or the occasional child. I even included a sheet protector for pamphlets and maps we picked up along the way to better assist me in next year's plans.

The information I felt I needed to have on hand included the itinerary, reservation confirmations, directions to specific stops, any coupons or Groupons, our trip budget, etc.

I personally like including a "pack" list when I travel, especially when we camp. This ensures our family returns home with everything we brought and nothing gets left behind. The "pack" list became a standard feature to the travel binder after one trip to the Shenandoah Mountains in October. It was freezing and we didn't have the use of our cook stove as I had left a key piece behind.

During the trip, I made notations in the travel binder regarding clean bathrooms and great service at restaurants. I also like to list anything we've learned from the "locals" along the way so I don't forget for the next year.

A friend adds printable games to her travel binder for her children when they get bored. By placing the games in a sheet protector, they can be played over and over again when using a dry erase marker.

A travel binder is a useful tool and a great way to organize all of the stuff you need for your next vacation. If your family takes multiple vacations throughout the year, simply empty the contents of the travel binder into a file folder until you need it again.

Do you make a travel binder for your family vacations? If so, what else do you include in it?

Simple Living :: DIY Microwave Popcorn

 

Our little household goes through popcorn like there is no tomorrow! My husband, Jake, can't stand the stuff, but the boys and I love it. After trying to find ways to cut our grocery budget, I realized we were spending $10 to $12 a month just on popcorn. Wow! (Hi, I'm Michelle, and I'm a popcorn addict.)

At the last park day, I asked the question about do it yourself popcorn. One friend suggested the Whirly Pop, which is a neat stove-top popper; another suggested making your own microwave bags. Since I was quite ready to purchase a Whirly Pop, I opted for trying it on my own method first.

Here's how to make your own DIY Microwave Popcorn:

Using a brown paper lunch bag, spray a little non-stick cooking spray inside. I like to use Trader Joe's Olive Oil Spray. Add 1/3 cup popcorn kernels and fold over the edge of the bag twice. Lay the bag on its side inside your microwave.

 

I used our microwave's popcorn setting, which is about three and a half minutes. However, everyone's microwave is different, so please watch your popcorn closely and when the popping slows stop the microwave. We don't want any fires!

When opening your brown paper bag full of yummy popcorn, be careful as the steam will be hot! You can season the popcorn to your individual taste or eat Au natural.

 

The boys love sea salt and Parmesan cheese as toppings!

Since this began as a way to help lower my monthly grocery budget, I wanted to give you a cost breakdown for this project.

1 - 2lb bag of popcorn = $2.89
1 - 50 count of brown paper sacks = $1.29

Using 1/3 cup of popcorn, I can make about 20 bags of microwave popcorn. Each bag would cost me only 15 cents to produce in comparison to the minimum of $1 per bag I had been paying. That's a huge savings! I mean, its not going to build our retirement, but every penny counts. Plus, this is an EASY way to save and it really is a simple process.

What flavor combinations do you use on your popcorn? My boys are dying to try some new flavors!

DIY :: Creating a Bamboo Forest Bed



It's a Jungle in Here!

Last weekend, while the boys were away, Jake and I worked on a little project for our youngest son's bedroom. Earlier in the year, Jake built him a castle bunk bed, but we hadn't painted it for lack of inspiration.

 Recently, our youngest fell in love with bamboo. Anytime he sees it, he cuts it down, turns it into fun creations, and applies his imagination.

We decided to take his bamboo love to new heights!

First, we placed drop clothes in all the right areas, especially on the carpet. Then, we began by adding green patches of paint for leaves.

Jake used tape and an exacto knife to free form the leaves.

I started painting lines for bamboo. At this point, I wasn't quite sure we were on the right track, but Jake reassured me it would all work out fine.

Here we are taping on bamboo shoots. We used one inch and one and a half inch masking tape to add different sizes.

Once we taped everything off, we painted our final color on top. This color would actually end up being our background.

We started removing tape after the last layer of paint had dried.

We added smaller shoots of alternating color for details.

Jake painted in the leaves...

...while I added jungle flowers.

We strung a beaded doorway and also purchased a packet of adhesive cardboard butterflies from the scrapbooking section of the craft store.

We also used our son's animal collection to give life to the jungle.

This was a truly enjoyable project with my husband. We got to be creative and make our son smile - what more could you ask for?

{The best part of this was the cost! We were able to complete this project for well under $30. We used the small sample paints from the hardware store (some were even half off). We also used coupons at the craft store for an added savings!}

Cooking with Children :: Homemade Pizza

I enjoy making pizzas at home for several reasons: it's easy, it's cheap, and I can control the ingredients. I recently made a proshiutto pizza and it proved to be an automatic hit. While making pizza at home is definitely simple, there is a little prep work involved.

The Crust

Ingredients: flour, olive oil, yeast, water, spices, salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of flour with 1 teaspoon of salt and italian spices of your choice. I sometimes add Thyme for a twist. Then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the flour mixture.

Before you can add the yeast to the flour mixture, you must proof it. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon of yeast (or a yeast packet). Allow the yeast to proof for about 5 minutes.

When the yeast is ready, it will be foamy and give off an odor resembling bread. Slowly pour the yeast into the flour mixture. Mix it with a dough hook on the lowest mixing speed. If your dough does not combine well, add 1/2 teaspoon of water.

Once combined, shape the dough into a nice round ball and place it into a well oiled (olive oil) bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp flour sack cloth towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm area until it doubles in size.

I like to make the dough in the morning and leave it until dinnertime, however, dough will rise within 2 hours.

The Toppings

This is where the only limitations to your pizza are your imagination and taste buds. I used proshiutto, mozerella, feta, parmesean, cherub tomatoes, fresh basil from the garden, and baby spinach, as well as a jar of my favorite marinara sauce.

Poll the family before purchasing toppings - you might be surprised at what they are willing to try!

Once you've got your toppings together and your dough is ready, the process of making the pizza begins. Divide the dough in half - you're going to make two pizzas! You can also divide it again and make 4 personal pizzas. The dough may also be frozen for future use.

I let me youngest son roll out the dough for the pizzas. It keeps him busy and he enjoys cooking in the kitchen with me. To ensure the pizza doesn't stick, spray a little olive oil on to the baking stone or sheet. (Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.)

Next, spread out your marinara sauce to the edges of the pizza. This is an important step and how many pizza restaurants build their pizzas. If you don't take the sauce all the way to the edge, the crust will dry out and become hard.

Your next layer in the pizza building process should be the cheese(s). Some people will place pepperoni under the cheese in order to keep it from burning, but since we didn't use pepperoni, we put the cheese down first. The youngest also added his proshiutto. This is the boys' finished pizza.

On the adult pizza, I took it a step further and added the fresh basil and spinach. I typically would add mushrooms and onions, but we were out of those and I didn't want to make a run to the grocery store. If you add sausage, you should cook it prior to placing it on your pizza.

Bake your pizza for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted. Cut into slices and serve.

This was incredible. Jake said it was the best one yet!

What are some of your favorite pizza toppings or spices?