Traffic pro

Here is a cute little project for kids. This cute little craft stick basket can be easily made by kids. It could even be used as a bread basket on the table this Thanksgiving. Your kids will love showing off their basket at dinner time. All you need is craft sticks and glue. For a basket that lasts longer you can use wood glue. You could also get creative with the shape and design. When you are done simply add a cloth on the inside and you are ready to add bread.



Place three sticks down in a pattern so it looks like a hexagon with three missing sides. Put a dot of glue on the ends of the sticks. Then put three more sticks down in the openings so that they over lap and glue to the original sticks.


Continue adding sticks in the same three at a time back and forth pattern. When you are at the height you want stop. If you are unsure stop because you can always add more after the bottom is made.



Starting The Bottom

What you are going to want to do is, add the next three sticks a bit more "inside" than the other ones. You want to make it so that the sticks aren't overlapping. The first one will barely fit but all the others will have plenty of space.

Keep doing that until you can't without overlapping sticks. At this point you can just cover up the opening with a row of sticks.

I wanted to share with you my easy recipe for making your own oatmeal soap. This would be another great homemade Father's Day gift. Oatmeal Soap has a beautiful rustic look and it is a great exfoliant.


You may remember this soap mentioned in the Family Fun with Microwaves post. That is because my secret way to speed up making this soap is by microwaving it instead of taking a long time to shred it. This also adds a fun science project into the craft. (A video is in the microwave post.)

Ivory Soap is different because it floats. What you may not know is that it floats because it has a lot of air whipped into it. Air has moisture so when you microwave Ivory soap it expands into a big soft puff. The heat starts to soften the soap at the same time the air and moisture that was whipped into the soap expands. The big puff of soap is easy to break apart once it cools enough to touch.

1. Start by placing about 1/4 cup of oatmeal in a blender and do short pulses to break the oatmeal into smaller pieces. Be careful to not turn it into flour.
   
2. Place the microwaved Ivory Soap and the oatmeal into a pan and heat to medium.
   
3. Start adding a tablespoon of water at a time until it starts to soften and come together.
4. Place your soap into whatever shape mold you are using. You can also hand shape your soap for a more rustic look. Just be sure to let it cool some before handling.
5. Let the soap cool overnight and then remove it from the mold.

The longer you let your soap sit and dry out the longer it will last when you use it. This recipe makes one bar of oatmeal soap. You can multiply the recipe to make as many as you like.

Father's Day is coming up so I wanted to start doing some Father's Day gift ideas. Modern day men are more into pampering themselves so I wanted to share my bath salt recipe. James loves taking bathes with bath salts. Bath salts can get expensive and you can easily make your own.


Gifts are better homemade and any father would love receiving this gift. You can dress it up by using pretty containers. You could also make different colors and create a sand art look in the containers.


YOU WILL NEED

• 1 cup Epsom salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable glycerin (craft store or natural food store)
  
• 3 or 4 drops food coloring
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the Epsom salt and baking soda VERY well in a large bowl.
   
2. Add the glycerin and food coloring. Stir it well. (Start with just a few drops of food coloring to make a light color throughout your salts. If you add too much food coloring, it can stain your skin or your bathtub. You’ll know that you have mixed enough when the color is uniform throughout.)
3. Store the homemade bath salts in a glass jar with a good seal, to keep extra moisture out for as long as possible.

CUSTOMIZE

You can make your bath salt to your own liking and change the recipe each time for a little change. You can use essential oils to add a beautiful scent. Make sure that you do not use candle scents. It has to be safe for bath use. If you use different colored dyes to create a sand art effect make sure they all have the same scent though. You do not want to get a headache from all the smells.

If you would prefer an easier recipe you could try this one...


SUPER EASY BATH SALTS

• 2 cups Epsom Salt
• 1 cup Course Salt

Mix ingredients and add food coloring and/or essentials oils just like in the first recipe.

Spring really is here. Everything is turning green and flowers are in bloom. It is so beautiful outside. The kids want to spend time outside so it is time for an outside craft. Why not have fun making your own chalk? They can have fun and be creative.


I do not think kids ever get too old for chalk. Even my 13 year old has fun drawing with chalk on the driveway. It also gives me some free time to enjoy the outdoors too. They stay busy having fun so I do not have the constant interruptions.


YOU WILL NEED

• 2 Cups Water
• 2 Cups Plaster of Paris
• 2 Tbsp. Tempera paint
• Toilet paper tubes with duct tape over one end

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine and stir together. Let stand a few minutes.
   
2. Place tubes on cookie sheet lined with foil or wax paper.
   
3. Pour mixture into holders and let stand until semi-firm.
   
4. Remove holders and let dry completely.
   

*Ready to use in 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
(Reminder, never pour plaster down sink).

So what is this craft? Well, it is up to you. A rock is a blank canvas. You just need to find a nice smooth rock and clean it.

Ideas...

Blarney Stone - Paint the rock green or leave it plain. Write on the rock with permanent marker. You could write... Blarney Stone, Kiss Me I'm Irish, or Luck o' The Irish.

Pet Rock - Remember those old pet rocks from years ago? Children today have no idea anything about them. They would have a lot of fun making one or two or even a lot.

Painted Rocks - Spring is coming but it is still not very colorful outside yet. You could paint flowers of pretty designs on rocks and then set them outside to brighten up the yard.

Blarney Castle is a popular tourist attraction in Ireland. Visitors must climb way up to the top of the castle to reach the stone. Then visitors must be held steady while they lay on their backs and arch backwards off a ledge. All of this to kiss the Blarney Stone.

The Blarney Stone is said to have magical powers. The old Irish legend says it gives people the gift of gab. Irish people love to tell stories so this is a true gift. Many visitors believe it will also help them find and keep true love.

These flower pens look great and make great gifts. Years ago the girls made these at their grandma's church. That time they were made as a Mother's Day gift. These cute pens would make great Valentine's gifts too though. They are perfect on their own or give a few of them in a cute pot. Wouldn't this look great on a desk?


Flower pens can be easily made with just a few supplies. All you need to do is head to a craft store and pick up some floral tape and fake flowers.

Cut the stem of the flowers so that it will be the right length on the pen. Then simply wrap the floral tape around the pen and stem. When you reach the full length of the pen you are finished.

***If you want to make nicer pens you will need super glue so the kids can just wrap the pens in the floral tape. The rest must be done by an adult. You can remove the end of the pen and set the flower inside the pen. The flowers can be trimmed down so only a little stem is left. The little stem then gets super glued and placed in the pen.

This simple craft looks great. Who would not like one of these flower pens?

So Christmas is getting closer everyday and you are trying to think of some last minute cheap gifts and decorating ideas. Wine glass charms are a cheap and easy craft. They are also a great homemade gift, just be sure to make some for yourself too. They will dress up any gathering and add a bit more sparkle. They will also keep those annoying guests from drinking out of your glass.

You always see so many beautiful wine glass charms so why not make them yourself. Then they are exactly what you want. You can make them in many styles and colors to fit who you are. So here are some instructions.


Your first option is to use ear wire beading hoops. If you choose this option you just need to buy some ear wire beading hoops and beads. Simply arrange your beads the way you want them and then use a jewelry pliers to bend up the end. The end then fits into the hole to close the wine glass charm.


Your second option is to use ring sized memory wire. If you choose this option you just follow our instructions for a memory wire bracelet but you use the smaller ring size wire and make a tiny version. The wine glass charms made this way just get wrapped around the stem of the wine glass just like the bracelets are worn.

Everything you need for both options can be found at craft stores. If you want to add charms make sure you also pick up some jump rings for them to hang from so the charms can dangle.

We have instructions for many types of Tie Dye on the main website but the one that gets the most attention is the Faux Tie Dye. You can make Faux Tie Dye with younger kids and there is less chance for things getting ruined. It is not the real thing but it is still pretty fun and kids still love it. This is a great summer time activity. Doing it outside can help limit the clean up needed and it eliminates the smell you could get in the house.

You Will Need

Sharpie Markers
Rubbing Alcohol
Rubberbands
Plastic Disposible Cups
Dropper Bottle
White T-shirt or other 100% Cotton Material
*I suggest you also have a practice fabric to try it out a little first. You may want to get a feel for what patterns you like and how fast to drop the alcohol on the fadric.

Instructions

The instructions are really very simple.

1. Place the material you have chosen over the plastic cup and secure with a rubberband.

2. Then use the Sharpie markers to place some dots or lines in the center of the fabric circle. Any pattern or colors that look nice together will work.

3. Take your dropper bottle and slowly drop rubbing alcohol into the center of the pattern. You will probably need about 20 drops to get the desired look. It is very important to drop at a slower speed or you will just get a mess. This is where the practice fabric would be helpful.

4. When you are finished with the circle you can move on to another area of fabric and do it all again.

5. When the whole Faux Tie Dye project is all done you MUST let it air dry fully. Rubbing alcohol is flammable so you do not want to do anything else with them until they are fully air dried.

6. When they are FULLY air dried you should place them in the drier for 15 minutes to heat set the project.

IDEAS

You can use this idea and do all kinds of things with it. You do not have to do the whole shirt. You could just do a certain part or a pattern. You do not have to just do shirts. You could do anything that is 100% cotton. How about those cheap plain aprons? If you have some mens shirts that got too dingy you could create pretty arts & crafts smocks out of them. My kids love doing Faux Tie Dye on their socks. They are known for their crazy socks so creating their own designs was the next step.

Window clings are loved by kids during the holidays. What about the rest of the year though? These window clings can be used all year long and be as beautiful as stained glass. All you need is a picture and the ability to color between the lines.

Kids can make things from their favorite coloring book and adults can make things that match or enhance the room it will be in. If you would like to see the full instructions with extra tips or an easier method for younger kids check out the Window Cling page on the main website. You will also find more ideas of places to use window clings. They do not have to just be used on windows.

I am a proud Mommy yet again. All of my websites started because my kids came home from school telling me that almost all of their friends had no idea how to make friendship bracelets. My girls LOVE making them. It is one of those relaxing things you can do while going on a long drive, sitting on a flight, or just sitting in the house bored watching television.

Kids have so much more stress these days than we ever did but because of busy lives they do not always get taught what to do to relieve stress or pass the time. In the beginning of it all I just wanted to find an easy way to show girls how to make friendship bracelets.

As I started to make the main website I realized that I wanted to branch out further and provide a way for girls that have very busy families to learn things that normally were passed down from mother to daughter.

I enjoyed it so much that I then branched out further and wanted to cover everything. If it could bring any kind of happiness to families or kids I wanted to cover it. Way too many kids sit bored at computers because they are stuck home alone while parents have to work. If I could just give them one hobby so they were not so all alone... If I could give just one family a fun idea that inspired them to spend more time together seeing the beauty of their life together...

Well. through it all I never saw the interest in the friendship bracelets like I thought I would. That is until now... The past week almost all of my top search engine keywords for the main site have to do with the friendship bracelet pages. It must be a summer thing.

So I decided that I would tell you all that I have some instructions on making friendship bracelets on the main website. Summer is a great time for kids to make them. As kids sit bored they are a great, cheap, and easy hobby to keep them busy.

If you would like to see all of the instructions please check out the Friendship Bracelet pages. I actually stopped adding more types because people seemed not interested. If people are actually interested I can add instructions for harder bracelets.