Grandparents Day is Tomorrow!

Grandma & Grandpa, Mamaw & Papaw, Nana & Pawpaw, Mimi & Pop Pop...no matter what your kids call them, grandparents are special.  Did you know that tomorrow, September 8th, is National Grandparents Day?  There's no need to panic, though, I have already done the searching for you and found some great last-minute ideas for showing your children's grandparents how special they are...even if you did forget about Grandparents Day.  I know that when it comes to last minute gifts, money can be an obstacle, so I've put together a list of DIY gifts you and your children can make together at home.

Before you break out the construction paper and glue, check out this list of activities from Huffington Post that show Grandma & Grandpa how much they mean to you.

About.com recently updated their annual list of handmade gifts for Grandparents Day including this adorable Goofy Grandkids photo book.

If you are looking for gifts the kids can make that their grandparents will actually like, then these 9 ideas from Mom.me are for you.  From pill boxes to ice cream, these moms know what grandparents want.

Sometimes, all grandparents need is a kind word to remind them that they are loved, and a picture is worth a thousand words.  The Babycenter blog lists 9 gift ideas, many of which include pictures of your little ones.

One thing that long distance grandparents miss more than anything else is hugging their grandkids.  Grandparents all around the world will love receiving this paper hug in the mail.

Sea Shell Picture Frame

As I mentioned in this week's Mid-week Morsel, Beach Fun, one of my family's favorite beach activities is shelling.  Any time we are on the beach at least one of us is bent over looking at shells.  In the last year, we have amassed quite a collection.  We also love watching the sunset.  I can't tell you how many pictures of sunsets we have saved on our computer and phones.  There is truly no better way to end the day than standing on the beach, watching a beautiful sunset with the ones you love.  This seashell picture frame DIY is a great way to preserve those treasured moments.

Start with any picture frame.  Repurpose an outdated one in your
 home, or pick up a cheap one from a yard sale.  The uglier the better.

If your frame is dark, like mine was, I recommend
 painting it a lighter color.  I found small can of peachy
 tan in my shed...perfect!

The picture turned out a little dark, but the next step
 is to coat the frame with glue (I used regular school
glue), and cover the frame with sand & a sprinkle of
glitter.  The glitter helps the sand sparkle like it does
in the sunshine.  I used sand from my yard, but you can
buy sand at craft stores or at home improvement stores.

Hot glue your shells around the frame.  I found it helpful
 to lay the shells around the frame to see how they would
fit and look before I started gluing.  Finally, add a picture
from your memorable event.  This sunset was on my
husband's birthday last year.

Decorating frames not only with shells, but any other object is a great way to enhance the memories you've captured on film...or in pixels.  It is also a great way to display collections.  Rocks, bottle caps, or any other small object can be used to decorate a frame.  What will you use?

Karissa

Mid-week Morsel: Using Paste Paper for Crafts

I love paper crafts.  Maybe it's the kid in me, but I have so much fun cutting, folding, gluing, and taping paper to create things.  It might also have something to do with my lack of ability when it comes to painting & drawing, but that's another story.  I didn't fully realize my love for paper crafts until I started making scrapbook baby books about 10 years ago.  It was great! I could create these unique works of art without having to draw or paint anything.  There were so many decorative papers to choose from.  Although, sometimes, even after spending an hour or more searching through all the different papers at the scrapbook supply store, I still couldn't find just the right style of paper to suit the page or craft I had in mind.  Now that I've discovered paste paper that will never be a problem again.  I'll just make the paper I want!

I've taken the papers I made last week and used them to create different types of paper crafts.  There are so many creative ways to use decorative papers.  These are just a few ideas to help spark your creativity.

Origami  Origami can be fun, relaxing, and even educational.  The fact that you can create wonderful creatures and objects with just a few simple folds amazes children.  What they don't know is that while they are busy folding and creasing, they are practicing laws and theories of geometry as well.  Maria Rainer from OnlineDegrees.org guest posted an article on Math Insider detailing some ways origami improves math skills.  I personally have used two fun origami math books from Scholastic's Teacher Express.  In fact, this whale comes from their 2nd-3rd grade book.  We also have the 4th-6th grade book.  They are great for summer learning, but are not free.  (Hint:  watch for them to go on sale during one of Scholastic's Dollar Deals sales.  That's what I did.)

Handmade Cards  In today's world of e-cards and Facebook posts, handwritten notes and cards are becoming more and more scarce...and more and more treasured by those who actually receive them.  Whether you want to send the cards yourself, or give them as a gift to someone you know who still takes the time to send cards, these handmade note cards are sure to be appreciated.  Simply make your paste paper on cardstock, then cut the sheet into cards.  Depending on the size of cards desired you should be able to cut 2-4 cards from each 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of cardstock.  I used rub on transfers to add the words and decoration to my cards, but you can also run the cards through your printer, or hand write a message inside.  Finish them off with either store bought envelopes, or make your own.

 

 

Personalized Notebooks  Even better than handmade notecards, is personalized notebooks.  Both children and adults who enjoy doodling, jotting down ideas, or journaling will absolutely love receiving a handmade personalized notebook.  They are very simple.  In a word processor, set your page to print two pages on one sheet of paper.  This can be done using either columns or in the page set up menu.  Use the underscore key to create blank lines on the page (unless you want a totally blank book for doodling.)  If you wish, add any sort of embellishment.  As you can see, I added a heart to each page.  Print as many pages as you wish.  Be sure to print on both sides of the paper.  I printed 5 sheets, which gives me 20 pages in the notebook.  Finally, crease all of your pages & cover down the middle and staple them together.  If you don't have a large enough stapler to reach the center of your notebook, you can simply sew a straight stitch down the center of your notebook.  If you have your children write over the summer, or homeschool, these notebooks are great for daily writing prompts.  You can even leave some blank space at the top of each page so that children can include a picture with their writing.

You may find that you have scraps of paper left over from your crafts.  Don't throw them away!  You can use them to create something new and wonderful as well.  Use larger pieces to create bookmarks.  Save all of your small pieces and make a mosaic picture from them.  The possibilities are endless when it comes to what you can make from your paste paper.  What will you make?

Karissa

Paste Paper Craft DIY

How many times have you wanted to do a paper craft, but couldn't find just the right paper?  Whether you scrapbook, make personalized cards, or do any other type of paper craft, finding just the right paper pattern can make or break the project.  I've discovered a simple and fun way to make your own patterned paper.  It's called paste paper.  It's a very simple concept.  Use colored paste to create patterns, designs, and pictures on paper.  Don't worry, you don't have to be Michelangelo to create really great paste paper.  I will be the first to tell you that when it comes to painting pictures, I have no artistic ability.  I do consider myself to be very creative, though.  Here's how to do it:

1.  Make your paste.  There are many different recipes online for making your own paste.  We tried a couple different ones. The one that worked best for us combined 3/4 cup of regular white flour with 2 cups cold water.  Stir them together in either a stainless steel pan or glass bowl.  Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then gradually bring it to a boil until the mixture thickens to about the consistency of pudding.  Note that if you plan to use powder paints, you should leave the mixture just a little thinner.  Pour the paste into a jar, and put it in the refrigerator to cool.

2.  Gather your tools.  Think outside the box.  Almost anything can be a tool for creating your design.  The kitchen is a great place to start your search.  We included a silicone basting brush, a lemon zester, a shot glass, a rubber grip jar opener, and forks in our tools.  Also consider objects like combs, sponges, textured fabrics like lace & netting, rubber stamps, and scrapbooking supplies.

3.  Get creative!  As one bookbinder stated, "Paste paper is essentially glorified finger painting."  Color your paste.  We put spoonfuls of paste in an egg carton, then added acrylic paint to it.  Now cover your paper with one or more colors. Experiment with different ways to apply the paste to the paper.  Using a paintbrush, sponge, and a spoon will all give you different looks.  Choose different tools to drag through the paste and reveal the white paper beneath.  You can also paint your paper with plain paint before adding your paste to reveal a color other than white.  Check out the sheet I made that reads, "Sadie's Book".  I painted the paper pink, added glitter to the wet paint & coated that with uncolored paste to seal in the glitter, then let it dry completely.  Next I used some scrapbooking letter stickers I had to add the title.  I covered the whole paper with black paste, and quickly removed the stickers to reveal sparkly pink letters.  Next, I dragged a scrapbooking decorative edge across the paper to create stripes.  Finally, I used the cap to a Sharpie to make circles on the stripes.

As I said before, I am in no way an artist.  However, with a little practice, or if you do have artistic ability, your paste papers can be absolutely stunning.  Here are a few pictures of paste papers created by true artists.  Click on any of the pictures to be taken to that artist's website.  

      

If your family decides to create your own paste papers, please post a picture on either my Facebook or Google+ page.  I'd love to see them!  And save your paper after you're done.  Next week's Mid-week Morsel has some great ideas for using your paste paper in craft projects!

Karissa

Summer Knitting Project: Legwarmers and Shrug

Let me start by saying, yes, I know that it's spring and getting warmer, not colder.  Call me crazy, but I like to start my projects for the year early.  That way, I have plenty of time to procrastinate and still finish on time.  I have already started the blanket I'm knitting for my nephew, who won't be born until September.  With that in mind, I decided it was a good time to give you the pattern for the ballet legwarmers and shrug I made for my daughter.  This should give you plenty of time to choose your yarn and actually have them completed before it's cool enough for the little ballerina in your life to need them.  I made these for my daughter when she was 7.  You may need to adjust the size of the pattern to fit your ballerina.  As usual, I'll include links to how-to's for the techniques used in case there are any you're unfamiliar with.



Materials:

• 2 balls of size 4-medium weight acrylic yarn (I used Red Heart Shimmer in purple, bought at Hobby Lobby.)
• straight knitting needles (I used size 8.)
• elastic or stretch cord (I used Cousin .8mm stretch cord, bought at Wal-Mart.)
• tapestry needle

The shrug is the easier piece, so I'll start there.  Cast on 54 stitches, or how many you need to fit around your ballerina's bicep.   Knit 1, purl 1 for 16 rows, or 2 inches.  Then stockinette stitch however many rows you need to reach across your ballerina's shoulders.  I knit 20 inches of stockinette stitch.  Beginning on a right side row, knit 1 purl 1 for another 16 rows, or 2 inches.  Cast off.  You should have a rectangle with ribbing at each end.  Fold the shrug inside out lengthwise.  Using a length of yarn and your tapestry needle, join each end to form sleeves.  Be sure to leave enough of a gap between the sleeves to span your ballerina's shoulders.  Here is the finished product.

Now for the legwarmers.  They are a little more involved, so I'll list the instructions row by row.  I suggest using a row counter to keep track of where you are in the project.  Also, I'm listing instructions for the right leg.  To make the left leg, simply swap knit and purl in the instructions.  For example, on row 17 when the right leg says to knit 1, bind off 21 stitches, knit to end, you will instead purl 1, bind off 21 stitches, purl to end.  Finally, if you change the size of your legwarmers, you will need to adjust the directions according to how many stitches you added or omitted.  

Cast on 44 rows, or however many you need to fit around the arch of your ballerina's foot.  
Rows 1-16: knit 1 (k1), then purl 1 (p1)
Row 17: k1, cast off 21 stitches, knit to end (If you do not want your legwarmers to have stirrups, simply begin your stockinette stitch with row 17.)
Row 18: p22, cast on 21 stitches, p1
Rows 19-38: stockinette stitch
Row 39: k1, k7, make one stitch (m1), k7, m1, k7, m1, knit to end
Rows 40-44: stockinette stitch
Row 45: k1, k7, m1, k7, m1, k7, m1, knit to end
Rows 46-50: stockinette stitch
Row 51: k1, k7, m1, k7, m1, k7, m1, knit to end
Rows 52-56: stockinette stitch
Row 57: k1, k7, m1, k7, m1, k7, m1, knit to end
Rows 58-62: stockinette stitch
Row 63: k1, k7, m1, k7, m1, k7, m1, knit to end
Rows 64-68: stockinette stitch
Row 69: k1, k7, m1, k7, m1, k7, m1, knit to end
Rows 70-74: stockinette stitch
Row 75: k1, k7, m1, k7, m1, k7, m1, knit to end
Rows 76-110: stockinette stitch
Rows 111-125: k1, p1
Bind off.  Using your tapestry needle and a very long length of yarn, join the sides of the legwarmer.  Using your tapestry needle and the elastic/stretch cord, weave the cord through the k1, p1 ribbing around the knee.  I made 4 rows of cord . These are to help hold the legwarmers in place and prevent them from slipping down while dancing.  Depending on the yarn you use & how well they fit your ballerina, you may or may not need to put the cord in your legwarmers.  Here is the finished product, back and front.

Happy knitting!  By the way, I'll post about the blanket I'm knitting for my nephew once he arrives.  I don't want to spoil the surprise for my sister.

Karissa

School's Out...almost

May is here.  The kids are in the final stretch of the school year.  It's hard to believe another year of school is almost over.  This school year has been quite an adventure; one I'm sure the kids will never forget.  We moved to Florida just about a week before the school year started, so this has been a school year full of firsts.  Regardless of whether or not your school year has been quite as unique as ours, you & your children will want to remember this year and all the great memories it holds.  I've scoured the internet and found several free printable memory books to help put all those memories in one place.  Enchanted Learning has a memory book children can print and color.  Just look on the right side of the page, where non-members can print the individual pages of the book.  Elise Stoddard posted a fill-in-the-section memory book on Teachers Pay Teachers which is suitable for middle to upper elementary students.  Site registration is required to download the book, however both the registration and the download are free.  Fellow blogger and first grade teacher Cara Carroll created a memory book suitable for younger students.  Either visit her Teachers Pay Teachers store or click on the image to download it for free.  Teacher turned assistant principal, Alicia Lochridge made an 18 page, color memory book available for free at her Teachers Pay Teachers store.  It is suitable for younger & older students.  Third grade teacher, Ashleigh put together a 16 page, color memory book.  Visit her blog to download it for free.  It is suitable for older or younger students, however it may not appeal to older boys as much.  

With all of the parties and gifts, the end of the school year can get costly.   Here are some do-it-yourself, inexpensive gifts to make for your children's teachers.  First and foremost, iVillage has put together a list of do's and don'ts.  This is particularly helpful if you are new to giving gifts to teachers.  The Happy Home Fairy put together an extensive list of ideas.  So long, in fact, that she made it a two-part series.  Check out part 1 and part 2 to see them all.  Mique at Thirty Handmade Days has a few cute ideas as well.  Finally, the crew at Tip Junkie has put together a list of 24 ideas to show teacher appreciation.

Now that the teachers are taken care of, what do you send with your child to give to his/her classmates?  Don't worry, I found some affordable handmade ideas for that, as well.  Maura & Sheila, The Two Crafting Sisters, created adorable candy bags to give away.  Erin from Making Memories shared a dollar store goodie bag idea she made last year.  Rebecca, The Crafted Sparrow, has a "kool" gift idea for her son's classmates.  Finally, 24/7 Moms has found a way to help your children's classmates "have a ball".

Now that you have everyone at school taken care of, how can you make the last day of school special for your own child?  I found some very creative ways to show your child how proud you are of his/her accomplishments.  First, help build the excitement with this countdown to summer paper chain from Laurie over at Gallamore West.  When the day finally arrives, make them feel special throughout the whole day with this keepsake t-shirt idea from Awesome Craft Pins.  (S)he can even feel special at lunch with this lunch bag idea from Everything Pink.  However, after school is when the real celebrating begins.  Dixie Delights posted about how she celebrated her son's last day of school last year.  It was quite the extravaganza!  I also found this really fun finish line idea from Canadian blogger Gina Bell at East Coast Mommy.  Top it all off with this hand made keepsake meant to remind your child of all of his/her great qualities.  Confessions of a Teaching Junkie's Mrs. Wilson made them for her entire class, however I think they are great gifts for children at home as well.

Wow.  This is a much bigger post than I expected it to be when I came up with the idea.  Hopefully, there are plenty of ideas to help you celebrate the end of the school year with your children.

Karissa

Shopping Bag DIY

Earth Day is Monday.  It is one of my daughter's favorite holidays.  Her birthday is near Earth Day, and so she feels very in tune with it.  She is my little Earth Girl.  She loves projects that give her the opportunity to recycle, reuse, or reduce.  This year for our Earth Day project we re-purposed two of her favorite shirts into re-usable shopping bags.  She outgrew the shirts a couple of sizes ago, but couldn't bear to let them go, so with a few cuts and about 5 minutes worth of sewing we converted them to shopping bags she can use for years to come.  (Stains and all!)  The whole project only took about half an hour, and is simple enough for an 8-10 year old to do independently. Here is what we did...

Start with any t-shirt.  (Non-fitted shirts will give you more square bags.)
Choose old shirts from your closet or hit up your local thrift store.

Cut off the sleeves as close to the seam as you can without cutting the serged edge.
Not cutting the finished edge of the fabric will help prevent fraying.

Turn the shirt inside out and fold it in half.  Use chalk or pencil to mark where you
want to cut around the neck.  Use straight pins to hold the layers of fabric in place.

Cut along the line you drew.
Here is what it will look like at that point.

Flip the shirt inside out again, and sew a straight stitch across the bottom hem.
Here is the finished product.

What ideas do you have for recycling, reusing, and reducing?

Karissa

Homemade Health & Beauty Products

If you're anything like me, you felt a little creeped out after this week's Mid-week Morsel; especially if you went to Skin Deep and looked up the beauty products you currently use.  I've done a little looking, and found several simple recipes for homemade health and beauty products.  Just like cooking, making your products from scratch gives you such a sense of accomplishment and comfort.  It's feels great to create effective, natural products for your family.  One recipe that I use already is for our dog, Zeus.  As is common in English Bulldog's, he has skin issues, but washing him every 7-10 days with my own recipe helps keep his skin soft and his fur thick & silky smooth.  (On a side note, he is also on a special diet that contributes to his skin and fur health.)  Here is how I do it...

After I lure him into the bathtub (usually with a piece of meat), I rinse him thoroughly with lukewarm water to  get any loose dirt and oil off of him.  I mix 1/2 cup baking soda with 1/2 cup water and pour it over his back, rubbing it into his fur as I go.  I keep an empty shampoo bottle that I fill with apple cider vinegar.  I squirt this over his back, little bits at a time.  The vinegar will make the baking soda foam up (think volcano science project).  Massage the foam into his fur and skin.  I let this sit for a couple of minutes, then rinse him with warm water.  Finally, I pour a cinnamon rinse over him.  This is made by simply steeping cinnamon in hot water.  You can use either cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon.  If you use ground cinnamon, put a tablespoon or so of cinnamon in a coffee filter, fold it up like a tea bag, and staple it shut.  Make sure to let the water cool before you pour it over your pet.  I don't want anyone getting burned.  The cinnamon will help your dog smell better, but more importantly, cinnamon is also an antibacterial and antifungal.  Also, I don't know if there is any science behind it, but I've read that cinnamon can help ward off fleas.  If you want to read more about using cinnamon for health, Dogster.com has an informative article.  

There are so many recipes for homemade health and beauty products out there that it's easy to get lost in the search.  Here is a quick list of some of the recipes I've found...

Confessions of a Homeschooler's Lip Balm

Spell Out Loud's Baby Lotion

Good Housekeeping's Hand Lotion, Facial Mask, and Toner

Spark People's Shampoo & Conditioner Recipes

My Homemade Beauty (They have a whole list of various recipes.)

If you have any recipes for great homemade products, post them below in the comments or on my Facebook or Google+ page.

Karissa

Valentine's Day DIY's

Well, I would love to be writing a DIY how-to post about a really creative Valentine's Day craft that I made all by myself,  but unfortunately my craft supplies are in a storage unit right now. Perhaps next year I will have a Valentine craft to share made with my own two hands.  This year, however, this list of crafts I wish I could do will have to suffice.

Cards

Heart in Hand

Pop-up Garden

Origami Heart

Valentine Scroll

Two Peas in a Pod





Gifts

Matchbox Treats

Handprint Hearts

Valentine's Pencil Toppers

Caped Cute-sader

Tissue Paper Rose

Jolly Lollies




Decorations

Valentine's Pinata

Valentine's Placemat

3D String of Hearts

Heart Cone Trees

Paper Heart Garland





I hope these ideas have inspired you to get out your crafting supplies and make something special for the ones you love.  If you have any ideas you would like to share please leave a comment or post the idea on Simply the Good Life's Facebook page.

Karissa