Easy DIY Fairy Godmother Wand for Cinderella-Themed Halloween Costume

Thank you to Costume Express for providing the Cinderella Movie costume for this DIY Fairy Godmother magic wand craft feature.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Our 8 year old daughter has such fond memories of going to see Disney's Cinderella Movie in the theater.  It was one of the few non-animated films she's watched on the big screen.  In my mind, there was no question who she wanted to dress up as for Halloween this year.  I was sure she'd want to be Cinderella, but she surprised me by opting for the beautiful Fairy Godmother instead.

What a lovely sight she turned out to be, covered head to toe in glitter.  The Disney Cinderella Movie: Deluxe Fairy Godmother Costume for Girls shimmers all over in glitter dusted satin and tulle.  We just added some glitter hair spray, pretty earrings, and sparkly sandals.  There was just one more thing we needed . . . a wand!

EASY CRAFT: DIY Fairy Godmother Wand

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

glow stick necklace (unbent)

silver crepe paper streamers

glitter washi tape (approx .6" wide)

white glitter

Mod Podge - Gloss Finish

sponge brush

scissors

wax paper

disposable plate

Step 1.  Begin wrapping the streamer (silver side facing out) around the glow stick tightly at an angle.  Use a little Mod Podge to keep the starting end in place, if necessary.

Step 2.  Leaving the top 5 inches or so uncovered, continue to wrap the streamer around the glow stick in as many layers as needed to create a rounded handle that tapers towards the uncovered tip.  When the handle is the desired shape and thickness, cut the end of the streamer at an angle (as shown below) and secure with a little Mod Podge.

Step 3.  Cover the papered portion of the wand in a layer of Mod Podge with a sponge brush and allow to dry completely on a sheet of wax paper.

TIP #1:  When applying the Mod Podge with the sponge brush, do so in a diagonal angle that follows the angle of paper wrapping.

Step 4.  When the Mod Podge has dried completely, wrap the glitter tape around the wand handle at an angle.  Be sure the space between each row of tape is uniform.  Again, leave the 5" at the tip of the glow stick uncovered.

Step 5.  Dip the uncovered tip into the Mod Podge, coating the tip of the wand up to the first 2 inches of wrapping.

TIP #2:  Be sure to hold the wand above the jar for a few seconds to allow any excess Mod Podge to drip back into the jar.

Step 6.  Hold the coated portion of the wand over a disposable plate.  Then sprinkle glitter over the coated portion, making sure to turn the wand to get complete coverage.

Step 7.  Cut a segment of silver paper streamer approximately 4" long.

Step 8.  Then cut the bottom 3 inches of the paper streamer segment to create a fringe (as shown below).  Then snip the end of each strand at alternating angles.

Step 9.  Apply a thin coat of Mod Podge to the backside of the uncut portion of the paper streamer segment.  Then wrap it around the very tip of the wand, holding it securely in place until it dries.

Step 10.  Apply a generous coat of Mod Podge over the entire wand, except for the fringe at the tip.  Allow to dry completely on a sheet of wax paper.

My daughter was very pleased with how her new Fairy Godmother wand turned out.  Although the wand does not compare to the exquisite details on the costume, I am pleased with the end result as well.  If you have not bent the glow stick during the crafting process, you should be able shake it and bend it to make the tip glow on Halloween night.

I think most Fairy Godmothers have big, bleached, side-swept hair styles, but our daughter's dark straight hair cannot do that.  Hopefully, everyone will overlook her hair when they see the stunning gown.  Any hair styling tips are welcome!

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You can find the Disney Cinderella Movie: Deluxe Fairy Godmother Costume for Girls at Costume Express for $49.99.

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10 Things You'll Need to Turn a Closet Into a Cozy Book Nook for Kids

Thank you to Zazzle for providing the reading-themed throw pillows for our DIY book nook project.  All opinions expressed are our own.

If you have more than one child and live in a small house like us, you may be running out of places for your children to find some quiet time away from their siblings.  We have a small walk-in closet that was just being used as a catchall, so we decided to turn it into a cozy book nook where one or two of them could sit and read without disturbances or distractions.

I thought putting together this DIY reading nook would be a huge undertaking, but it was easier than I thought it.  The most difficult parts were prepping the closet and organizing the books (our children have way too many books).

How to prep your closet to house a book nook . . . 

A.  Empty out the closet completely.  (You should have seen all the things our children rediscovered during this process.)
B.  Remove the closet door.
C.  Remove any bars, hardware, and hooks from the walls.
D.  Make sure the existing closet light is sufficient for reading.  If not, change it or add additional lighting.  You could add a cordless LED lamp, a clip-on book light, or even a flashlight (kids love reading with flashlights).
E.  If the walls are not to your liking (ours were pink), paint them a light, warm color.  Choosing a dark color for the walls will cause the nook to feel smaller and darker than it needs to be.
F.  Hate the floor in your closet?  Don't worry, we'll cover that later.

Once you have all the prepping out of the way, then the fun begins!  You'll be on your way to having a cozy book nook in no time.

Pin This DIY Book Nook project for later . . . 

10 Things You'll Need to Create a Cozy Closet Book Nook . . .

1.  X-large Dog Bed - I explored many options and, after measuring the closet floor, I decided that this jumbo dog bed was the least expensive, most effective, and easiest way to create cushy seating on the closet floor.

2.  Two Large Bolster Pillows - Place two cylindrical pillows the size of body pillows in one corner of the closet to create a right angle.  (We purchased ours at Sears for under $20 each during back-to-college dorm shopping season.)

3.  Book or Reading-Themed Throw Pillows - I had looked around for toss pillows with a reading theme for awhile, but could not find anything that was more than just typography, until I took a look at the throw pillows on Zazzle.  With all the designs, shapes, and sizes to choose from, I was like a kid in a candy store.  I ultimately chose the square 20" Library throw pillow, the square 20" Dragon Magically Appearing from Books throw pillow, and the Cute Bookworm round pillow.  They were exactly what I was looking for our 3 tweens . . . cute, but not too cutesie.

4.  Soft Cuddly Throw Blanket - You can use a throw you already have or buy a new one, but a cuddly throw is a must for ensuring your little reader is comfortable and will want to stay put to read on.  You should be able to find a plush throw for around $10.  We found ours for less than $10 at Walgreens of all places during back-to-college season.

5.  Window Wall Decal - Because the nook is in such a small space, a window decal will give the illusion of something beyond that wall.  It also may spark your child's imagination about being in another place, something that is needed when he or she is fully immersed in a great book.  Window wall decals come in a huge variety of styles and sizes.  Our small 28"x20" forest view window wall decal cost us less than $6 shipped.

6.  Sheer Curtain Panel - Hang a full length sheer curtain panel over the doorway.  This will allow you to see inside the book nook without disturbing your child's reading.  It also allows much-needed light to filter into the book nook.  A solid door would not do either of these things and would likely make the reading nook feel enclosed and stuffy.  A cafe rod with hanging hardware included plus one sheer curtain panel cost us under $10 at Target.  We also added an inexpensive metal curtain holdback to pull the curtain to one side, but that is optional, as you can just slide the curtain panel to one side on the curtain rod.

7.  Patterned Fabric or Washi Tape - To dress up your closet shelves, trim them by covering the front edge with patterned tape.  You'll need to measure the thickness of your shelves, but this .75" pin dot fabric tape fit ours perfectly.

8.  Shag Rug - In addition to what you see from the doorway, our closet has additional space to the right.  If this is the case for your closet, then you can cover the remaining floor space with a soft shag area rug.  Be sure to measure the space.  This 2'x3' soft shag rug fit our space perfectly and coordinated well with the jumbo pet bed we chose.

9.  Bedrest Pillow + Extra Throw Pillows - Sometimes it's more fun to read with a buddy, so it's a great idea to add extra throw pillows plus a bedrest pillow to create additional seating on the rug.  If you shop around, you could probably find a bedrest pillow for about $20.  We found ours on sale (in neon yellow) at Target.  The extra pillows can be toss pillows you already own if you don't wish to purchase or make new ones.

10.  Bookmark Bucket - For a special touch, add a little bucket to hold bookmarks so your children are not scrambling to look for one when it's time to stop reading.  I found the bucket and the colored string in the Target dollar section.  I actually tied our bookmark bucket to the string on the ceiling light.  Don't have bookmarks? Checkout my DIY bookmark craft!

Be sure to fill your book nook with books in a variety of genres!
Take all the books from your existing library and add some more in a variety of genres and reading levels.  Your local used book stores and library book sales are the perfect places to find new titles to add to your book nook library.  We donated a bunch of books and added new titles.  This is something we'll have to do regularly, as our book nook shelves are quite full.

What do you think?  Was this DIY book nook project easier than you thought it would be?  Our children are in love with it so far and have even asked if they could sleep in it.  If you have ideas for making a closet book nook even cozier, please share it with us in a comment below.

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Easy DIY Duck Tape Storage Bins with Printable Labels { a Target Dollar Section Craft }

This is a super-easy craft that I did almost a year ago.  I got the bins and most of the solid and patterned duck tape from the Target Dollar Spot.  Having seen these bins in other colors in the Target dollar section recently made me remember that I never did share this project with our readers.

What made me decide to make these bins was the fact that our children are little hoarders.  You would not believe me if I told you some of the strange things we've found in their beds.  I finally realized it was a losing battle to keep their beds free of their most cherished books, toys, and random things.  These storage bins were the best solution I could come up with for our twins, one who sleeps on the top of a bunk bed and the other in a loft bed.  The twins would be able to keep some things in their beds as long as they could be stored neatly inside these bins.

Easy Duck Tape Craft Project:  Decorated Storage Bins for Kids

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

square or rectangular plastic storage bins

patterned duck tape

coordinating solid duck tape

washi tape

printable labels (provided below)

scissors

Step 1.  Print the labels below or make your own to print out in the fonts and colors of your choosing using any text or graphics program.

TO PRINT:  Be sure your printer is on and ready to print.  Click on the image below to enlarge.  Then right-click on the image and select print.  Use your browser's back button to return to this page.

Step 2.  Cut out each label you will be using for your bins.

TIP #1:  Remember to leave enough room around edges for the washi tape frame to overlap with your label.

Step 3.  Using your patterned and solid duck tape, create one, two, or three stripes on the front (the side on which the label will be) of the bin.  You can get as creative as you would like with the colors and widths of your stripes.

TIP #2:  For a neater appearance, start your tape on the inside wall of your bin, where the side and bottom meet.  Then be sure to wrap the other end of the tape around the outside bottom of the bin with at least 2 or 3 inches.

Step 4.  Position your label at the center of the front of the bin and secure it in place with a frame of washi tape.

That's it!  These colorful bins would be perfect for your child's room or playroom.  You can change this craft into something more elegant for your own bedroom, craft room, or living room simply by changing the prints and colors of duck tape and washi tape you choose and the font on your labels, and even the type of bins you use.

Want to try this easy craft?  Pin it for later . . . 

3 Things to Do Before Going to See Planes #FireAndRescue in the Theater (plus a Bookmark Craft!) #MagicAtPlay #MC

I participated in an Ambassador campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Kohl's. I received promotional items and product samples as a thank you for participating.

The long-anticipated sequel Planes: Fire & Rescue opens in theaters today!  Having heard from many parents that this will be their little one's first trip to the movies, I wanted to share some fun ways to make this important first a fun and memorable experience . . .

1.  If your child has not seen the original Planes movie, then you will definitely want to buy, rent, or stream it for him or her before going to see the sequel.  This will give your child a chance to get to know Dusty and the other characters, as well as understand what experiences have brought Dusty to this next point in his life.  If your child has already experienced the first film, they are likely anxious to watch it again before seeing the second movie, like all three of my children are.

2.  Dress your child for the occasion! The Kohl's Disney Jumping Beans line has expanded its Fire & Rescue collection quite a bit since it's unveiling last month.  The collection includes tees, shorts, long sleeve knits, fleece active pants, hoodies, and some exclusive limited edition styles, as well.  While shopping for the perfect outfit to wear for the movie, whether online or at your local Kohl's department store, take this opportunity to pick up some of these playground-friendly mix-and-match pieces for back-to-school!

When I took our 7 year old son to shop for his movie outfit, he had such a difficult time deciding.  In fact, he just started picking up one of everything!  When it comes to the styles, colors, and graphics for this line, Jumping Beans really hit the nail on the head as far as knowing what boys his age really like.

Exclusive Limited Edition Disney Planes Smokejumpers Parachute Tee by Jumping Beans®

As a Kohl's customer, you can bring your Planes Fire and Rescue movie ticket stub into Kohl's from 7/18/14-7/26/14 and receive $10 off your Kids Apparel purchase of $25 or more, in-store only. See below for details:

Full Disclaimer:
Offer valid for one-time use 7/18/14-7/26/14. In store only. One Kids apparel merchandise coupon per customer. $10 offer valid on a minimum $25 pre-tax purchase of Kids apparel merchandise. Dollar-off discounts applied prior to percent-off total purchase discounts. Offer cannot be redeemed for cash. No cash back. Offer not valid for price adjustments on prior purchases. Excludes sales tax. Photocopies or duplicates not accepted. Return value of merchandise purchased with $10 coupon will be subject to adjustment. See store for additional terms and details. Go to http://oak.ctx.ly/r/1d462 for more details on the promotion and http://oak.ctx.ly/r/1d45x for more information on Planes Fire + Rescue apparel.

3.  Pick up a Planes:  Fire & Rescue storybook or activity book to help build the excitement for your child until the big movie day arrives.  This will also give your child a chance to become familiar with some of the new characters introduced in this film.  It also is a perfect excuse to encourage your child to read by offering him or her a new book about a topic you already know they find to be fun and engaging.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After we got our Disney Jumping Beans Fire & Rescue apparel home, I noticed the super-cool Disney and Planes-themed tags that were on each item of clothing.  They were just too cool to throw away and that's how I came up with one of the easiest crafts ever.  When you get home with your Fire & Rescue items, be sure to hang onto your tags too!  (One cut-out Mickey tag and one Planes tag comes on each clothing item.)

Easy Craft:  Mickey Mouse and Planes Fire & Rescue Bookmarks

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

Disney Jumping Beans Fire & Rescue retail tags

glue stick

washi tape

narrow ribbon or yarn

scissors

Step 1.  If you have two Planes size/price tags, apply glue to cover the entire orange side of one of the tags.  Then bring the two tags together, orange sides facing each other, with the holes carefully lined up.  Then press firmly until secure.  Allow the glue to dry for a few minutes.  (If you only have one Planes tag and one Mickey cutout tag, then skip to the bottom for alternate instructions.)

Step 2.  Carefully cover the size information at the bottom of the tag with a piece of washi tape (see image above).  Be sure to position the tape so that it is parallel with the bottom of the tag.  Then flip the tag over and do the same thing on the second side.

TIP #1:  If your washi tape is thin and you can still see the size information through the tape, then simply add a second layer of tape on both sides.

Step 3.  Using scissors, carefully trim off the excess tape, following the shape of the tag.

Step 4.  Fold a piece of ribbon or yarn (approximately 8 to 10 inches in length) in half and feed it through the hole at the top of the bookmark.  Then bring the two cut ends through the loop you've formed and pull tight to secure. Trim the ends with scissors to make them even.

TIP #2:  For added security, I tied an additional knot right on top of the bookmark.

Step 5.  To make bookmarks out of your cutout Mickey tags, simply follow the instructions in Step #4.

If you have an odd number of tags, meaning one cutout Mickey tag and one Planes tag, you can still make a great bookmark.  Simply color the orange side of the Planes tag black with a permanent marker or cover the majority of it by gluing black construction paper to it.  Then apply glue to the black side of the cutout Mickey tag and glue it to the once-orange side of the Planes tag.  Again, be sure to line up the holes before pressing the two sides together.  Then you can pick up the instructions at Step #2.  When you're done, you should have a fun bookmark with a Planes theme on one side and a Mickey silhouette on the other!


If you like this easy craft, be sure to Pin It for later . . . 

Have fun at the movies!

Easy DIY Personalized Duck Tape & Washi Tape Poly Bookmark Craft (Free Printable Templates)

The time has finally arrived when every member of our household is reading books that they cannot necessarily finish in one sitting.  In preparation of this, Santa put two bookmarks in each of our children's stockings last Christmas.  Unfortunately, most of those bookmarks have vanished into a black hole somewhere.  (I think it may be the same one that mysteriously makes single socks disappear from the washer and dryer.)  In any case, I came up with a fun and easy way to solve our problem of never having a bookmark around when we need one . . .

This easy DIY bookmark craft uses Duck Tape, Washi Tape, and Tapeffiti along with poly folders.  I chose to use poly folders because they are colorful, more durable than cardstock, easy to cut with scissors, and are fairly inexpensive.  I got mine on sale for $0.69 each and one folder can make up to 10 bookmarks if you remember to use the pockets inside too.  This craft would be a fun rainy day activity!  It would also be perfect for a classroom craft or birthday party activity, especially if you cut out the bookmark shapes and the ribbon pieces in advance.  You could even make these to pass out as end-of-the-year students gifts or as party favors.  What a fun way to promote literacy!

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

patterned and solid tape (both wide and narrow)

poly folders (in colors that work with your tape)

computer printer

scissors

pen or pencil

standard size single hole puncher (needed for 2 of the 3 styles)

1/8" wide ribbon, yarn, or twine (needed for 2 of the 3 styles)

thin permanent markers (optional)

Step 1.  Print out the bookmark templates I have created for you.  (To print, be sure your computer's printer is on and ready to go.  Then click on the image below to enlarge it.  Right click on the image and select "print."  Then use your browser's back button to return to this page.)

Step 2.  Carefully cut out one or more of the bookmark templates.  If applicable, using your single hole puncher, punch a hole through the black circle in the template(s).

Step 3.  Place the template on your poly folder and trace the shape with a pen or pencil.  Be sure to trace the punched out circle too, if your template has one.

TIP #1:  I started by cutting out the pockets from inside the folder.  They can be used to make one bookmark each.

Step 4.  Cut out the shape you've traced.  If applicable, punch out the circle you've traced with a single hole puncher.

Step 5.  After you've selected which tapes you would like to use for your bookmark, cut a piece of tape about 6" long.  Then position the tape on the front of your bookmark as desired and wrap the ends around the back of the bookmark.  (For a neater appearance, make sure the edges match up where the ends meet.)  Repeat this as many times as you need to create a design you like.  Be sure to experiment with other ways to use your tape, such as creating a frame with it.

Tip #2:  One of the perks about using these poly folders is that, with most types of tape I've tried, the tape can be removed and repositioned if it is not exactly as you would like it.

Step 6.  For the bookmarks with a hole at the top, cut a piece of 1/8" ribbon, yarn, or twine approximately 10" to 12" long.  Then fold it in half and thread the loop end through the hole in the back of the bookmark.  Pull the loop out the front of the bookmark, then feed the two ends through the loop.  Pull tightly to complete your knot.  Tie another knot right at the top of the bookmark for added security.

Tip #3:  You can get creative with this by using multiple colors of ribbon, adding beads, or making a tassel at the end.

Step 7.  Personalize your bookmark with a name, initial, or a monogram using tape or permanent marker.

This craft comes with a warning . . . I started out with a just few rolls of tape and now need to think of a way to store the many rolls I've purchased since.  I may be addicted, so look for more patterned tape crafts in the coming months!