Cool Can Wind Chimes

Cool Can Chimes
Kids and even ME like to make things, and I love Wind chimes so I am always thinking what kind can I make. These are easy cheap and very pretty, I add some bells and other noise makers to mine for added tinkle. So start saving different size cans that will stack together and get some bright summer paints.

Here's how to give metal cans a mod (and musical!) makeover.
Remove the lid and label from four or five empty cans, then wash and dry them.
Choose cans that will nest together as a set, as shown.
Use a hammer and nail to poke a hole in the bottom of each.
Paint the outsides with white primer and let it dry, then cover with one or two coats of colored acrylic paint. Beginning with the largest, stack the cans.

Measure a length of heavyweight string (we used cotton) equal to the height of the cans, plus 3 feet. Knot a wooden ring onto one end of the string. I add different bells to some of mine.
Thread the other end up through the hole in the smallest can.

Decide how low you want the can to hang, slide it up the string, tie a big knot, and slide the can down again until it rests on the knot. Add the other cans in the same way, making sure they overlap slightly so they'll chime. From the excess string, form a hanging loop (ours is 10 inches long) above the largest can.

Homemade Bouncy Balls

Homemade Bouncy Balls

Kids always need something to do and play with, the toddlers will have fun with these

and the older kids can help make them

2 cups
Measuring spoons
A stir stick
2 tbsp hot water
1/2 tsp borax
1 tbsp glue
1 tbsp corn starch
Food coloring (optional)

Pour the water and borax into the first cup and stir the mixture until it is dissolved.

Pour the glue, cornstarch and food coloring into the second cup and mix. Then add the mixture from the first cup into the second cup.

Let the ingredients sit for 15 seconds then stir.

Once the mixture becomes difficult to stir, scoop it out of the cup, and roll into a ball. Enjoy!!!

How to make Recycled Bottle Cap Ladybug

How to make Recycled Bottle Cap Ladybug

Ladybug, ladybug, come fly to my home and now you too can have a Ladybug year round in your Garden and home by turning Bottle Caps into Lady bugs



bottle cap plastic or metal work fine

Note if you really want to make it cool use Coke soda caps

acrylic paints in red, black and white or any color you wish
paint brushes
painters tape
googly eyes ( optional )
Hot Glue or Super Glue
fishing line or Floral craft Wire
Felt cloth cut into same size as the Bottle caps

small magnet Optional

Instructions:

1. Completely paint the bottle cap with black acrylic paint. Once dry and if necessary, paint it again and let it completely dry before continuing.

2.use the painters tape to cover the middle

3. Now about 1/5th down from one side, paint 2 red halves, leaving a black line down the middle of the lady bug that gets wider at the bottom.
3. Dip the end of a paint brush in black paint and dot black spots on both wing sections once the red paint is dry.
4. Take a toothpick and dip it into white paint. Dot 2 eyes on the top black section to resemble eyes.
or Glue Googly Eyes

5. take your Felt and poke a pin hole in and thread the floral wire in and Glue the wire to the Felt

6. Glue the Felt to 2 Ladybugs and hang and enjoy

This one has black wire glued to it

now you can make it into necklaces or earrings or refrigerator
magnets or put in your Garden

22 Chores Toddlers Love

22 Chores Toddlers Love

Have you ever noticed that your toddler mimics everything you do?

Ever notice how your little 18 mo old wants to be like mommy? She wants a sip of whatever you're drinking, her drink cup just wont do. She wants to wear your lipstick, makeup and shoes. She isn't happy if you leave the room just for a minute to get something or put something away, she will cry and run after you, if she can't get out of the gate(child safety gate) she cries. I say it's time to put that helpful nature to good use!

Here are some good tips to let your toddlers help you through the day.
This gals website lists a lot of good ideas that worked for my girls when they were toddlers.

**************************Read below!
I have decided to put an end to running on the proverbial hamster wheel of motherhood (you know what I mean: make a meal, clean up a meal, facilitate playtime, clean up the toys, put kids down for nap, try to squeeze in a couple of chores, make another meal...round and round you go). It is exhausting and usually done in pursuit of having a house that is clean all at once with time to sit and relax. In reality, that's a rare occurrence with a toddler.

Instead, I took note of all the ways I could include my daughter in the daily housework. As far as my schedule goes, I try to be home for at least one extended block of the day. That almost always includes free play time while I try to do some chores. I value free play and know that it is great for the development of children. However, when your little one seems to be getting in the way of your chores, here's an idea for how to stop getting frazzled and start getting things done!

LAUNDRY:

(about 11 months )

• Sorting: Help her practice saying her colors, identify articles of clothing and take extra time to check those pockets!
• Lugging: Have your toddler bring pieces of clothing from the pile over to the laundry machine
• Loading: Count through the numbers and practice the word "in" while your toddler loads clothing into the washer one by one. If you have a front loading washer, it can be the perfect height but consider using a step stool and a basket for top-loading washers.
• Scoop: Give your toddler the proper sized scoop and let them scoop up the soap
• Pour: Time to pour the soap in!
• Push: A toddler's favorite chore of all: button pushing! "Start"

 

LIVING AREA

• Plant Watering: Have your toddler place an ice cube or two into each of your house plants for slow indoor plant watering. Outside is the place for your toddler to use a watering can!
• Sweeping: Turn on some music (essential to cleaning in our house) and grab an extra broom. Your toddler will be pushing it around the house in no time.
• Vacuuming: A bubble vacuum or small hand vacuum is a great toy to have around the house. I take ours out only during "vacuum time with mommy"
• Fluff Pillows: Give your toddler pillows from the couch to fluff (showing them the proper motion). This is especially fun for high energy boys :-).
• Tidy Up Toys: Have your child bring toys and place them in the toy basket (find a Clean-Up song on YouTube if you don't already have one).



19.5 months

• Dusting: Go to the dollar store and grab an extra dusting wand for your toddler. Show them the coffee table and the front of cabinets that are easy for them to dust.

KITCHEN

• Food Prep: Give your toddler a small spare drawer in the kitchen that is filled with play-friendly cooking ware (spatula, dollar store pans, cupcake tins) and they will be "cooking" along side you in no time. Clean up is a cinch - throw all the items back in the drawer!
• Stir: Grab a stepping stool or clear a space on the counter. Give your toddler the job of mixing ingredients.
• Table Settings: During the young phase with a helpful toddler, consider purchasing inexpensive or plastic plates and give your toddler a couple to bring to the table. They can also be responsible for bringing place mats, napkins or a basket of rolls to the table.
• Wipe-Up: If Mommy or toddler makes a spill on the counter or floors during food prep, your child can be given a rag to wipe it up (this helps them learn the basics of being tidy)!
• Ringing the Dinner Bell: Have your toddler be given the responsibility of ringing the dinner bell that tells Daddy and the other family members it's time to eat. They can also practice words like "Dinner" or "It's Time!"
• Emptying the Dishwasher: Quickly empty the breakable or sharp items from the dishwasher and have your toddler collect the "yellow plates" or "red spoons" (or other toddler dish ware).

BATHROOMS
*Ideally, when cleaning with toddlers you will be using natural products, but always wash your hands after cleaning!

"mommy and me" cleaning buckets

• Spray: Teach fine motor skills by assisting with the spray bottle
• Wipe: Give your toddler a cloth and show them the "wiping" motion
• Pick Up Tub Toys: Have your toddler round up tub toys like foam letters and floaties to prepare for a wipe down
• Clean Toilets: My toddler LOVES the toilet scrubber. I have a hard time cleaning toilets without her holding onto the handle. If you have an overly interested toddler, be warned that a cell phone or other non-organic items may eventually end up in the toilet. My first line of defense is to keep all bathrooms closed at all times!

I hope you've found some of these ideas helpful. Please know that I am not advocating the absence of playtime, but simply giving an overwhelmed mama some encouragement that she can multi-task and create learning experiences and play time in a productive atmosphere. Remember, practice patience and give your toddler what they need most - your attentive guidance. You will reap the benefits of a completed to-do list and quality time with your little one.

Finally, I want to share a beautiful poem to give you hope on those days where nothing seems to be working.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,

But children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

~ Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

how to make candy buttons

how to make candy buttons

 

I always loved those old fashioned candy buttons—remember the ones with the brightly colored blobs stuck to strips of white paper? I loved them even when they tore the paper and I got a mouth full of it.
Back when I only had my son, and had a lot more time to be creative, I used to make iced sugar cookies. Since they took an entire day to complete, they were a pure labor of love. But it was satisfying when I flooded the royal icing just right, and ended up with a cookie with a perfectly smooth, silky surface.
I don’t know why I never made the connection, but I finally discovered that the same royal icing I used to flood my cookies was the same thing they used to make candy buttons. Naturally, I had to give them a try.
Last week, when I was done making sugar cookies for my cookbook, I had some extra royal icing in two squeeze bottles: one pink, and one lavender. They were the perfect colors to try out some candy buttons, and the perfect colors for Valentine’s Day.

The trick of using squeeze bottles for royal icing is an idea I got from watching a special segment on Martha Stewart Living. They did a little story on Elani’s, a New York based cookie bakery that seems to have started the trend of making those flooded iced cookies. In the little video, they were using the clear squeeze bottles for all their frosting, whether it was for piping or filling, so I’ve used the same technique ever since. You can get them in the cake decorating supply section of most craft stores, and they’re readily available from Wilton cake supplies. I love them, and highly recommend them for decorating.
royal icing
If you are making this icing for frosting cookies, double it.
I’m always a little hesitant to use fresh egg whites in this recipe, since they aren’t cooked, and I don’t like using meringue powder since it’s loaded with all sorts of ingredients I can’t pronounce. But I recently discovered all natural powdered egg whites (which you can purchase here). They’re ideal for this recipe, though liquid pasteurized egg whites are alright, too. They just don’t set up as well as when you use the powdered egg whites.
2 cups powdered sugar, plus more if necessary
3 tablespoons warm water
1 egg white, or 2 teaspoons of powdered egg white plus 2 tablespoons of additional water
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. Place all ingredients in a bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 5-6 minutes until thick and glossy. Icing should fall in ribbons when you lift it with a spoon and let it fall back into the bowl. The ribbon should sit on the surface for about 3-4 seconds before “melting” back into the bowl.

2. Divide icing, tint with desired colors, and pour into food safe squeeze bottles. Cut strips of parchment paper or copy paper. Squeeze little drops of icing in rows along the strips of paper. Allow to dry for 6 hours, or overnight.

Making Bubbles and saving $$$

Bubble Refill Container

On a nice day, bubbles can keep my grand kids entertained outside for a long time. Quite often, the only the thing that cuts their bubble play time short is when they run out of "bubble juice". When I was browsing at a discount store the other day, I saw a container that could solve that problem. It's just a simple one-gallon plastic container with a "faucet". I love that we'll be easily able to refill any size bottle of bubbles without spilling.

Here are some more cool activities we've done with bubbles:
~ Really BIG Bubble Maker
~ Bubble Snake Maker

To fill up your Bubble Refill Station, here are two homemade bubble recipes that you can use to make up your own batch of bubbles! ( Both seem to work equally well, we'll report back if we find a new favorite)

Recipe #1

• 1 gallon hot water
• 1/4 cup glycerin (available in many pharmacies and craft stores)
• 1 cup Dawn dishwashing liquid

Gently mix all ingredients together. Seems to work best if you allow it to sit overnight in an open container before using for the first time.


Recipe #2

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup Dawn dishwashing liquid

Put water and corn syrup in a bowl and microwave for 3-4 minutes. Stir to combine. Gently mix in dishwashing liquid.

Best Ever No-Cook Play Dough Recipe!

Best Ever No-Cook Play Dough Recipe!

The other day I slightly modified our usual no-cook play dough recipe and it turned out to be the best ever! It's softer, smoother and doesn't start to dry out even if it's played with all day. This is my new go-to recipe and I just had to share it!

I also realised that, even though I have about a million-and-one play dough recipes and ideas on this site, I don't have a post simply dedicated to how to make the stuff! So here it is.

If you have never tried making your own play dough, this is the time to give it a try. It's very different to store bought play dough, being much softer and lasting a whole lot longer.

The benefits of using play dough for young children are wonderful and the play possibilities are endless!

You need:

• 2 cups plain flour (all purpose)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
• up to 2 cups boiling water
• food colouring (optional)
• few drops glycerine (optional- adds more shine!)

Method:

• Mix the flour, salt, cream of tartar and oil in a large mixing bowl
• Add the boiling water
• Stir continuously until it becomes a sticky, combined dough
• Add the food colouring and glycerine (both optional)
• Allow it to cool down then take it out of the bowl and knead it vigorously for a couple of minutes until all of the stickiness has gone. * This is the most important part of the process, so keep at it until it's the perfect consistency!*
• (If it remains a little sticky then add a touch more flour until just right)

Voila!

Now play, play play!

Tiny Elf or Doll accents

The big boy is from Krispy Kreme. The mini is Emma's version.

The box of donuts is really a pill box....Emma's holding her favorite, a cheerio dipped in chocolate, then sprinkles. The others are cheerios dipped in confectioners' sugar and cheerios rolled in cinnamon sugar.

A selection of Emma's mini cakes.

The mini cakes are really oreos with a layer of frosting between them, then more frosting on tops and sides...plus decorations.

The cakes should "rest" before anyone tries cutting a slice so the oreos have a chance to soften and become, yes, cake-like. Emma used a small pastry tip to make florettes and tubes of colored gels for the lettering.

You can see by comparing Emma's hand to these peanut butter thumbprint cookies just how teeny they are.

Emma used store-bought peanut-butter cookie dough and regular-size chocolate chips instead of the standard Hershey's Kiss..

This mini cone is really a Bugle and a "scoop" of seasoned cream cheese (you can use a melon ball-er, or just roll in the palm of your hands). Kids like sugared cream cheese and fruit-flavored (think strawberry) cream cheese. Bigger kids enjoy salt-and-white-pepper (vanilla) and smoked-salmon (strawberry) flavors.

Pizza anyone?

Yup, those are Slim Jim's Emma sliced to make her pepperoni.

Mmmm.

Last but not least: Emma's watermelon--she cuts a lime in half lengthwise, scoops out the pulp, fills with strawberry jello, tosses in a few mini-chips for seeds...and refrigerates until set.

Pretty cute, no? What's your fave?

One day, Emma came home from a playdate with her friend Annie with a rectangular take-out soy-sauce dish filled with the mini donuts. I was in love…what a great cooking project! Then, she told me the idea came from an American Girl book, Tiny Treats. We got one immediately, and Emma started making one or two every weekend–get this…instead of TV time!!! That’s just about the best recommendation I can give! I couldn’t even tell you which is my favorite—I think they’re all so adorable. Which is yours?