Just Because

Sometimes you just have to bust out the (washable) paints, a roll of paper and let 'em go.

 

No plans.  No restrictions.  No purpose. 

 

Just paint and have fun.

 

Then decide what to do with it.

 

Sewing Necessity

I like to sew but its something that doesn't come easily to me.  It all seems so easy and logical but then something somewhere sifts, seams don't line up, the frustration of having to rip out what I've just done to begin again and, of course, the blood stains on the projects from being prick with multiple pins.  Sometimes its just more effort than its worth.

 

But then a miracle happens.

 

I can't tell you when.  I can't tell you where.  But at some point in my life I was introduced to the ultimate life saving, profanity stopping, finish what I start in one day wonderful product that is: 

 

 

 

I used Spray 'N Bond while making the Hopscotch mat for the children's Christmas present and loved, loved, loved it.  I sprayed my pieces of felt, stuck them where the needed to go and sewed the night away.  No pins, nothing was crooked because of not being properly pinned, no tears of frustration for me.  If I accidently sprayed in areas that I shouldn't have, not a problem.  It washes away after one wash.  I definitely will be using this product when Its time to teach Bree how to sew.

 

FYI - To help control the mess, I placed my felt on a piece of newspaper before I used the Spray 'N Bond

Clay Pot Resurrection Garden

Take a clay saucer and pot of desired size.

 

 

Bury the pot in dirt and add some pebbles and a large rock in the front.

 

Top with grass seed, a little more dirt and water, water, water.

 

Send kids on a stick hunt in the yard to make your crosses and what you've created is a beautiful Resurrection Garden.

 

If planted at the right time, grass should be growing by Easter morning.

 

We did not plant ours at the right time. 

 

 

Easter morning our garden still looked a little dead. 

 

However, just given a few extra days, it was full of life and the promise of new life, just as Easter is meant to be.

 

I saw this craft on Pinterest last year but clay saucers or pots were not in stores at that time.  I kept the idea in the back of my head so that when they were all I had to do was pick up my desired sizes and tuck them away in my Easter totes and -voila - everything was ready to go for this Easter.

 

Easter Egg Wreath

QUICK! 

 

Run out to the store and grab all those clearance out plastic Easter eggs and make this cute wreath.

 

 

Its so simple too.

 

1. Cut a wreath shape out of cardboard:

 

If your cardboard is thin, cut too circles and glue them together.

 

2. Cut desired ribbon for hanging and glue into place.

 

3. Start hot gluing your plastic eggs on.

 

 

 

4. Add some Easter grass (also on clearance) for added dimension.

 

How Springy.  How Easter-y. 

How easy is that?

Shaving Cream Painting

Tried another Pinterest craft and it worked!

 

Spray a thin layer of shaving cream on a cookie sheet (piece of foil or saran wrap, whatever you have handy) and strategically or randomly put a few drops of desired food coloring wherever you want.

 

I used Dollar Tree shaving cream.

 

Using a toothpick, bamboo skewer or upside down paintbrush, swirl your food coloring to your hearts content.  However, over mixing does lead to a brownish color.  BUT if you use primary colors that would then blend to secondary colors, over mixing wouldn't be a problem.

 

 

Press a piece of paper onto swirled shaving cream...

 

I used cardstock both times I did this craft.  Regular computer paper should work fine since the shaving cream isn't too wet and its not on the paper for very long.

 

...and pull off.

 

 

Using a squeegee, pancake turner or your Pampered Chef Handy Scraper (sshhhh.. don't tell my sister), scrape off shaving cream.

 

Voila.  What you're left with is a beautiful, one of a kind, never to be reproduced marbleized piece of art.

 

With the leftover shaving cream on the cookie sheet, you can try to get another print from it. 

 

But it comes off more pastel-like.

 

Wondering what to do with these pieces of art?

 

Frame them.

 

Fold them and use as thank you notes.

 

Cut them into egg shapes to use as an Easter decoration.

 

Put them into a binder, give your child all those accidental duplicate pictures and let them create their own scrapbooks.

 

 

Happy Crafting!

Window Greenhouse

I love gardening but as baby girl is expected in late May, I just don't think I'm going to

 

A). have the energy to plant a garden

 or

B) have the time and energy in June to care for those little seedlings. 

 

So when I found this on Pinterest I thought I'd give it a try.

 

Recycled, Self Watering Seed Pots

We planted Parsley in a Dole Orange Juice container but I fear the parsley is doomed from the get go.  When I brought the seed packet home, I read the instructions on the back.  However, two weeks later when we get around to planting them, I forgot that it said to soak the seeds in warm water overnight.  I may do some replanting damage control sometime this week.

 

 

In a 24 ounce Mountain Dew bottle, an olive jar and a mason  jar, we planted sweet basil.  The jars are obviously not self watering.  Their demise will be my fault.

 

And in a 2 liter bottle, we planted green onions. 

 

I will be on the lookout for other recycle plastic containers to put on top to help preserve heat and moisture.  I also need to remember to move the plants from the windows on these below zero nights.

 

If it works and the plants survive, I'll transplant them outside in the Spring. 

 

If not, at least it gave us something to do and maybe we'll try it again next year.

2x4 Merry Christmas

Believe it or not, I did not find this on Pinterest!  I actually found this last year on one of the many craft blogs I follow.

 

Here is the link with the instructions and measurements so you can make one of your own.

 

 

Her blog has many ideas using 2x4s and 2x2s.  So, ladies, make your husband save those wood scraps!!!  You can turn them into gold!!