What's Left on Your Summer "Wouldn't It Be Fun?" List?

Where we live, school begins in a few weeks.  Although I'm looking forward to having the children return to school and regaining much-needed quiet during my workday, I would also welcome some extra time to finish all the things we had on our "Wouldn't it be fun?" list.  You know . . . those things that pop into your head that you may even have purchased supplies to do with the best of intentions, but never actually got to them.

What's left on my family's list this summer?

1. Wouldn't it be fun to make tie dye shirts for the whole family?  I found a great deal on a large tie dye kit on Amazon last month!  I was super-excited and even bought a white t-shirt for each member of the family at A.C. Moore a couple of weeks ago.  That's as far as I got.  THERE'S STILL HOPE!
2. Wouldn't it be fun to make slushies anytime we wanted to?  I bought the ice shaver machine to grind up the ice before summer began.  I bought some red punch this week and started to make extra ice this morning.  THIS WILL HAPPEN!
3. Wouldn't it be fun to make our own taco shells and experiment with different fillings?  I bought a pan to make our own taco shells out of corn tortillas at the beginning of the summer.  That's as far as I got.  Unless my husband takes the lead on this one, IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD!
4. Wouldn't it be fun to make a framed dollhouse miniature version of my daughter's artwork?  I bought an antique looking dollhouse miniature picture frame many months ago.  That's as far as I got.  If #7 happens, then THERE'S STILL HOPE!
5. Wouldn't it be fun to make our own cinnamon and sugar tortilla bowls to serve ice cream in?  I bought two wavy tortilla shell pans a year ago from a school fundraiser.  I really think think our children would love this dessert idea.  With so many other fun things on this list, this one seems sort of low priority, doesn't it?  IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD!
6. Wouldn't it be fun to get our oldest son into building model cars?  He bought the model a couple of weeks ago from A.C. Moore.  He even used his own money.  My husband and he started to paint the parts one evening.  It looked like it was a great father-son activity.  They haven't touched it again since.  (The same thing happened with the robotic arm my son got for Christmas.) We need to teach our son to finish what he starts!  THIS WILL HAPPEN!
7. Wouldn't it be fun to build our daughter a dollhouse that can hang on the wall?  We bought this cool, but simple hanging dollhouse kit for our daughter since she began showing an interest in collecting dollhouse miniatures.  My husband and daughter started building it, but then we had a mishap with the scrapbook paper he was using for the wallpaper.  When we went to buy more, the craft store was out of that particular print.  Two weeks later, we were able to find it back in stock.  We bought the paper, but they haven't touched it since.  Between the kit and the supplies, we've spent well-over a hundred dollars on this dollhouse.  THIS WILL HAPPEN!
8. Wouldn't it be fun to clean out the basement and have a place for the children to practice Taekwondo and perhaps have a ping pong table?  If possible, there might be more things in the basement now than at the beginning of the summer.  IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD!
9. Wouldn't it be fun if we had a Disney fund jar?  We think the children are around the perfect age to go to Disney, but we need to save quite a bit of money for the trip.  This is something we'd like to encourage the children to participate in.  I bought the personalized vinyl decal and I already have an old-fashioned reach-in candy jar I can use for this.  You know, the kind that sits tilted with a round knobbed lid.  I think every time I read the instructions for applying the decal, it seems so technical that I put it off for later.  I just have to sit down and do it!  THIS WILL HAPPEN!
10. Wouldn't it be fun to let our youngest son loose on the beach with his metal detector?  He got a kids metal detector for Christmas, so we're all set there.  Now we just have to get to the beach.  We have a trip planned before school starts.  If we don't forget to pack the metal detector, we'll be all set.  THIS WILL HAPPEN!
11. Wouldn't it be fun to take the whole family to New York City for the weekend?  We've said this multiple times throughout the past year or two.  That's all we've done is talk about it though.  The next step would be to reserve a weekend when we don't already have plans, find kid-friendly hotel accommodations, buy the bus tickets, plan an itinerary, and  . . . IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD!
12. Wouldn't it be fun to turn this closet into a book nook for the kids? This is my latest "Wouldn't it be fun?" thought.  Well, I actually planned it out and ordered just about everything I need to set it up.  We're almost done emptying the closet out and my husband just bought paint and supplies to give the closet interior a fresh coat.  I'm super-excited about this project, as are the children.  I'll definitely take photos of our progress and share them in a blog post when we're done.  THIS WILL HAPPEN!

What items on your list fall into the categories of THIS WILL HAPPEN, THERE'S STILL HOPE, and IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD?

Easy DIY Mod Podge Glitter Sand Easter Eggs Craft

Thank you to Oriental Trading Company for providing the glitter sand and additional craft supplies for our Easter craft tutorial.  All opinions expressed are my own.

If you've dyed and decorated hard-boiled eggs before, then you might be familiar with the slight feeling of sadness when it's time to discard your beautiful works of art.  On the same note, you might wish that you could display your beautifully decorated eggs all throughout the Easter season instead of hiding them in the fridge.  Having felt this way many times year after year, I decided to decorate some eggs that can be left out to be enjoyed during this year's Easter holiday and can be used again for years to come.

Today's Craft Project:  Mod Podge Glitter Sand Easter Eggs

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

basic plastic Easter eggs (any size)

glitter sand assortment

Mod Podge

craft sponge or brush

shallow trays or bowls (one for each color of sand)

wax paper (optional)

Step 1.  Be sure your plastic eggs are free of dust and hair (they tend to hold a lot of static).

Step 2.  Apply Mod Podge all around the edge of an opened egg.  Then close the egg tightly and hold in place for a minute or two until the glue sets.

Step 3.  Pour one color of glitter sand into a clean empty tray or bowl.

Tip #1:  For a uniform effect, use sand that is similar in color to the plastic egg you wish to coat.

Step 4.  Holding your egg with the tips of your thumb and index finger, apply Mod Podge to the entire exterior of the egg.

Tip #2:  Cover as much of the egg's surface as you can, then place the egg on its side into the tray containing the sand.  Carefully apply Mod Podge to the two spots where your fingers were holding the egg.

Step 5.  Using your finger tips, gently roll and turn the egg until it is completely coated in the sand.  Then place it on wax paper to dry.

Tip #3:  Your finger tips will get coated in glue and sand, but that's a good thing.  Once your fingers are coated in sand, you will be able to hand the egg without taking sand off the surface of the egg while the glue is still wet.

Step 6.  Once the glue has dried, gently brush any excess sand off the egg.

Once you have enough eggs, you can display them however you like.  I used a large silver tin pail decorated simply with ivory jute cord and a glass butterfly pendant.  They would also be perfect to display in your favorite basket, on a mantle, or as part of a tablescape.  You could even use them in an Easter egg hunt or as party favors.

I should also mention that I experimented with mixing the remainder of the blue, yellow, and light green sand together with white sand.  I used the mixture to coat a variety of different colored eggs.  The results varied depending on the color of the bare egg.  I was happier with the results using the lightest colored eggs.  If you experiment with this, be sure to let me know what you think!


If you like this easy Easter craft, be sure to Pin It for future reference:

5 Easy Home Decor Projects You Can Do With Your Children

As summer vacation draws near, you may be starting to think about what you can do to fill all those hours during the week when the children would normally be in school.  Some of those hours, especially during rainy days, could be spent doing some easy DIY home decor projects.  I often become inspired about such projects while browsing through various craft supplies.  I just love that "light bulb" moment when an idea pops into my head.

My favorite type of craft is something that can be used or displayed after the project has been completed.  If you like the idea of doing some DIY decor crafts with your children, here are some easy project ideas that came to mind while I was browsing the Factory Direct Craft website . . .


1.  Decorate a Wreath - If your children are old enough to use a hot glue gun, decorating a wreath from scratch would be lots of fun.  If your children are younger, you could buy or make a basic wreath like this one and add butterflies, birds, ribbon, or a big bow to it.  Either way, a wreath project usually results in something beautiful that can be proudly displayed on the front door.

2.  Fill a Wagon - Find a little rustic or antique-looking wagon that can sit on a shelf or a large wagon to go in the garden or on the front porch.  Regardless of the wagon's size, it would be quite fun for your children to think of ideas to fill it.  Will they fill it with painted wooden hearts and stars, with teddy bears, potted plants, artificial flowers, or something else?  The possibilities are endless.

3.  Paint an Airplane - Wooden airplane kits are quite inexpensive.  It would be the perfect project for an older child who has the patience and skill to paint such a model.  One or two of these planes would look great suspended from the ceiling of a child's bedroom or a playroom.

4.  Decorate a Letter - Unfinished wooden letters come in all sizes.  You could have your child decorate the first letter of their name, his or her initials, or their whole name.  Decorating could entail anything from painting to decoupage to gluing buttons or glitter onto the letters.  These would be perfect for hanging on the child's bedroom door or wall.

5.  Experiment with String Lights - String lights are not just for the holidays.  They can make subtle or spectacular displays both inside the home or in the backyard.  You could string them indoors on a ficus tree, around a window, around a mirror, or place them in a glass vase or a jar.  Whatever you do, when the rest of the lights go off, the results will be beautiful, especially to a child.

What ideas do you have for easy DIY home decor projects that you could invite your children to help with?

My Photos (W/E 1-7-12)

Since I actually took a couple of days off around New Years, I finally tackled a couple of projects I had been wanting to complete for the past 3 or 4 months.  I plan to share more easy craft projects and recipes this year.  I think it will help to keep me sane to have a creative outlet and to blog about things I am proud to have created that my readers can easily do as well.

(Click photo to enlarge)

"Sea of Potential"

Click here to view all my past favorite photos.

My Photos (W/E 11-12-11)

I shamefully skipped sharing my favorite photos last week.  I thought I was being so good about taking only a fraction of the product reviews compared to Holiday 2010, but I still seem to be extremely overwhelmed.  I have actually allowed myself to fall behind, which has rarely happened ever over the past 3 years.  I think, at this point, I need to decrease the number of review I accept drastically, reducing it to an occasional, rather than a weekly thing.

"Just Ducky!"

"Hold It Together"

Thanks for taking the time to view my favorite photos from last week!  Click here to view all my past favorite photos.

Holiday 2011: Craft Caddy Lamp for the Serious Crafter

The Craft Caddy Lamp by OttLite is a unique light for crafters. It keeps all your stuff organized in perfectly-sized compartments and helps light up your projects with amazing HD light. It easily folds up and stores away neatly so it doesn’t take up too much space and it travels extremely well. As an added bonus, it features an outlet on the back that powers your crafting devices such as electric scissors, iron, sewing machine, or whatever else. Plus its cord is very long, so you can extend it very far.

I had originally chosen this for myself for a desk lamp. I’m not terribly crafty myself, but needed some good light for my desk space and thought this would be perfect. Once it came, I felt like this was going to be misused at my house. I definitely underestimated its awesomeness. So, I asked my best friend, Alison, to try it out since she’s a very crafty person.

Alison is in love with this Craft Caddy lamp. It gives her the much needed extra light for detailed projects and she loves that it stores all the things she needs so they’re really handy. She really, really loves the extra plug on the back; it’s so handy for plugging in things when she’s not too close to an outlet. Because the cord is so long on the lamp, it really gives her more freedom to set up her crafting space wherever and not worry about the lack of power places nearby. Overall, she says this lamp is perfect for any crafty person, and I would agree.

You can purchase this and all OttLite’s lighting products on their website, www.ottlite.com. This lamp retails for $79.99.



Thank you to OttLite for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

How to Make Easy Holiday Window Decorations

I have just been dying to try out this Klutz Window Art craft book. Since Christmas is almost here, I decided it would be fun to add some subtle decorations to our living room windows. We live in a townhouse community, so we do not really have the chance to decorate the outside of our home.

This would be a fun family activity for grade school-age children. The kit is actually recommended for anyone ages 8 and up, but I think slightly younger children would enjoy it if they were assisted by an adult.

There are tons of fun templates in the book, including landscapes, dragons, flowers, and much more. There were not any holiday-themed templates, so I had to draw mine freehand. Instead of slipping the included plastic sleeve over a template page, I just put it over the cover. Then I used the black outline paint to draw all my outlines, making sure all my shapes were closed.

Then I used the colored paint to fill in my enclosed areas. The black paint was thicker, while the colored paint was thin and easily spread out to fill the shapes no matter how irregular they were.

The tough part is that you need to let your Window Art dry flat on the plastic for 24 hours. The waiting may not be easy for a child. The final result was definitely worth the wait in my opinion. I only had to peel the designs off the plastic sleeve and stick them on our glass windows. The designs adhered to the windows without any problems at all.

After trying the Klutz Window Art Classic for myself, I am going to do the next project with our nearly 7 year old son. I think I could draw the shapes and he could easily fill in the spaces with color. I might have to buy some more Window Art supplies. I actually wanted to create a snow scene, but the book did not come with white paint. I am curious what ideas my son has for our next Window Art project.

Thank you to Klutz for providing a complimentary sample product for us to use in this project.

Creating With Colors Review & Giveaway: Colorful Party Poster [CLOSED]

With 3 birthdays in January, this product review for poster accessories from Artskills could not have come at a better time. Since we just went through the whirlwind, which was Christmas, our kindergartner Jake and I thought it would be a great idea for him to make a birthday poster for the twins as his present to them rather than buying them something. After you read about how easy our project was to make, you'll have your chance to win some Artskills products for your own child to use for crafts or for school projects.

Today's Project: Colorful Birthday Poster

Ask your child to create a colorful poster for a loved one's birthday (or any other special occasion that is coming up).

Supplies Needed:

1) Any size poster board. (This is an opportunity to reuse materials by cutting out the bottom of a used gift box leftover from Christmas. That's what we did.)

2) Artskills holographic letters, holographic borders, holographic eye catchers, and foam letters.

3) (Optional) Artskills Poster Project Idea Book

4) Age-appropriate scissors

Step 1: Come up with an idea for a general layout for your child's poster. You can either look through the Poster Project Idea Book (we liked idea #26 shown on page 30) or look through the Artskills Poster Gallery online.

Step 2: Decide what colors and types of borders your child would like to use.

Step 3: Lay out the borders around your posterboard exactly as you would like them to look in the finished product.

Tip #1: You may need to help your child crop some of the pieces of border to create a seamless look, doing your best to make the repeating shapes on the borders appear to be continuous.

Step 4: Have your child use the glue stick included with the package of borders to apply glue to the backside of each border piece. Your child (or you) should put the piece of border in place immediately after the glue is applied.

Step 5: Lay your text and eye catchers out as you would like your message to read to make sure that you have enough letters and that everything fits on the space well.

Tip #2: Planning out the text is a perfect time for a spelling lesson. Since nothing is glued on permanently yet, your child can move the letters around as many times as needed during this mini-lesson.

Step 6: Have your child apply glue to the backside of each letter, making sure to put each letter in place immediately after applying the glue.

Step 7: Repeat Step 6 with the eye catchers and any other decorations you would like to add to the background.

Step 8: Apply the rest of your text just as they had been previously laid out.

Tip #3: If you are using the self-adhesive foam letters and numbers, you could lay the letters out so they look like they are floating, rather than in a perfectly straight line. This way, your child can peel the backing off and stick each letter into place independently without the stress of accidentally sticking a letter on a little crooked.

This is our final project:

I do not think it looks like a 6 year old made this poster at all. Jake is so proud of how it turned out and cannot wait to present it to the twins on their birthday.

Thank you to Artskills for sending us posterboarding accessories to use for this project free of charge and for providing additional accessories for a contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive an Artskills Prize Pack containing one of each of the following products:

• Jumbo Quick Letters
• Neon Quick Letters
• Quick Stick Foam Letters and Numbers
• Holographic Quick Letters
• Eye Catchers
• Quick Borders
• Poster Project Idea Book

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.


How to Gain Entries:
Look through the Artskills Poster Gallery. Then leave a comment telling me the title of a poster you were especially impressed by. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND Artskills.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4) Friend me on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 2 extra entries, share the link to this contest post on Facebook. Then leave TWO separate comments with the link to your Facebook profile.

6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!