An Apple and a Tree

MPM: Wine cork boats

2012-01-05T20:39:00.001-06:00

Now that the holidays are over, I glad to be back for another Mini Project Monday!

Wine cork boats are a great way to upcycle wine corks and entertain your tot, indoors or out.

Supplies:
3 wine corks per boat
hot glue
toothpick
craft foam
string
empty thread spool

Assembly is simple. Hot glue three corks together to make a raft. Glue the toothpick standing up straight, and poke it through the foam in two places to make a sail. Glue or tie the string onto the boat, and tie the other end onto the spool. Wind the string onto the spool and you're ready to hit the bathtub!

We had a nice afternoon today, so we took our little boat on adventure in the deep, green sea (aka: the pool)

Happy Sailing!

MPM: Marble art

2011-12-05T06:00:00.001-06:00

Mini Project Mondays are series of activities, experiments, art projects, etc. for you and your tot. The projects are tested on my 3 year old model and muse, Sprite.

I do my best to post every Monday, but no promises :-) I hope you enjoy!

This week's Mini Project Monday is not only easy, the mess is minimal too! I know, not like me, right? :-)

Marble Art!

Made from, well, marbles!

Supplies:
1 canister (such as oatmeal or protein powder)
A handful of marbles
acrylic paint
paper

Cut paper sheets in half, and insert on half into your clean, dry, canister so it is flat around the inside of the container.

Add a few marbles:

Add a few small globs of paint. Jusr 2-3 colors is good. You don't want them all to mix and become brown.

Put the lid on and give it a shake, shake, shake!

After a minute or two, open the canister and take out your paper. Lovely!

You can add a little more paint and do another paper, or wash and dry the container to start fresh.

Enjoy!

Easy DIY jewelry organizer

2011-11-26T21:43:00.000-06:00

"Wow".

That's what I think when I walk into my bathroom now.

I love that feeling. A few months ago, it would have been "Acck! Orange!", but after a little new hardware, a lot of white paint, and my super fantastic, easy-peasy, jewelry organizer, I am loving my still slightly orange, totally Target, bathroom!

Before:

After:

The super fantastic, easy-peasy, jewelry organizer:

The Tutorial:

Supplies:

1x1" square wooden dowel (and something to cut it with)

sandpaper

Threaded metal hooks

paint and spray sealant

double sided tape and 1.5" nails

Cut your wooden dowel to the desired length. I did 13" for each of mine, and 7" for Sprite's. Sand the edges.

Paint the dowels as desired. Mine are brown and Sprite's is rainbow, becase she is 3.

After the paint is dry, use spray sealant to coat the dowels and allow to dry completely.

After they are dry, screw the hooks in. Depending on the hardness of the wood, you can probably screw them in with your fingers, using pliers if they get a little tight. if they are difficult, drill a tiny, shallow hole to help get the hook started. Be sure to measure so your hooks are evenly spaced. I did the hooks about 2 inches apart.

Use the double sided tape (and a level) to position your organizer where you want it. After it's stuck in the right spot, hammer one nail into each end of the organizer.

Hang your jewels and admire!

I purposely put mine in a spot where it is both functional and pretty. Rather than hang a picture on the wall, I'm showing off my (mostly fake) jewels!

MPM: Fun with water beads

2011-11-14T20:31:00.000-06:00

I know, I know, Mini Project Mondays (MPM) have been few and far between lately. If the appliances in my house stop breaking, I hope to have time to post more of them! Here's a fun one now that the weather is getting cooler.

Sprite and I recently discovered water beads. After a few hours of playing, we both concluded that they are

The

Coolest

Thing.

Ever.

Water beads are basically teeny tiny balls made from a polymer. When soaked in water for a few hours, they get a LOT bigger and are a neat squishy texture. We bought the Orbeez brand ($7 at Toys R us).

Sprite could play with them for hours, squishing, pouring, lining up, bouncing...

Getting in up to her elbows:

Since we had so much fun with the small ones, we decided to get some big ones. They start out peas sized, and grow to 1-2 inches in diameter in just a few hours.

After a few minutes, they get bumpy and start to grow a little:

Sprite likes to play with them as they grow.

After 1-2 hours, they were this big! They gorw unevenly, so they are bumpy. They smooth out as they get larger.

I think I was entertained just as much as Sprite was. I want to put my feet in the tray, but knew a certain little person would want to do the same.

We took these over to the kids at my friend's home preschool, and they LOVED them! We played for over and hour and they still wanted to play longer!

For less mess, I would reccommend spreading towels on the table to absorb the water and prevent them from bouncing everywhere. And they do bounce!

Enjoy!

Sidewalk Chalk Paint

2011-10-04T15:06:00.000-05:00

Super bright colors and super easy to make. No introduction needed!

1 Part cornstarch

1 Part Water

food coloring (I used the gel kind)

thick paint brushes and small container for each color

Step 1: Stir

Step 2: Paint

I assumed the paint would stain clothes because of the food coloring, but it came out, even after it had dried! Just a little spray stain remover was all it took. Now I am liking this project even more :-)

Homemade butter

2011-09-25T06:17:00.001-05:00

For some reason, a lot of people think butter is a lot more complicated than it is. I don't know why. Maybe it's images of butter churns, or something about how is comes all packaged up in nice little bricks.

Repeat after me: Butter is SIMPLE! Butter is EASY!

Ingredients:

Heavy cream

salt

That's all, folks!

Put about 1 cup heavy cream in a glass jar. Close it, and give it to your tot.

Roll the jar around on the floor or shake it for about 10 minutes. It will slowly thicken, then quickly separate into butter and buttermilk. It will get quiet as it thickens, but when it separates you'll hear the buttermilk sloshing around.

Dump the whole jar in a strainer. Save the buttermilk for tomorrow's pancakes :-)

Rinse the butter with cool water.

Use the back of a spoon to mash it around a little to release liquid that might be trapped inside.

Place the butter in a bowl, and stir in salt to taste.

That's it! It takes about 15 minutes total, and tastes DELICIOUS! Now you just need some bread!

Talk Like a Pirate Day

2011-09-20T06:39:00.000-05:00

A lesser-known holiday, but fun just the same! Read all about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day

For our pirate day, we had the neighbor-boys (is that actually a word? My mom used to say things like that all the time...neighbor-girl, neighbor-lady...) ANYWAY, we had the boys from across the street (better?) over for some pirate crafts.

First, we painted treasure maps.

I cut up an old sheet (it was decently thick) and serged the edges so they wouldn't fray. I used a Sharpie to draw random land and islands (read: blobs) around the maps.

I taped the maps to the table and the kids painted them with acrylic paint. I gave them lots of shades of green, brown, blue, and yellow for the land and water, and then they used black to make an X to represent the treasure.

While the maps dried, we made newspaper swords. Super easy. Lay about 5 sheets of newspaper open flat, and roll from one corner to the other. Tape the roll shut. Fold one end in and tape down to make a handle. Slide a cardboard disk down to make the guard (I think that's what it's called) and tape into place.

We intended to paint them with a metallic acrylic paint, but that idea quickly became unpopular when the kids realized they would have to wait while the swords dried rather than playing with them. So not much paint. But a lot of fun!

Arrrrgh!

Painting with ice cubes

2011-09-19T07:16:00.001-05:00

Here's a fun little project!

Painting with ice cubes

Materials:

Ice cube tray

food coloring

paper

water

plate or bowl

Fill an ice cube tray 3/4 full with water. The extra space is needed so the ice cubes can expand without the cubes overflowing into each other.

Add a few drops of food coloring to each section. Stir a little. You can experiment by mixing colors.

Time for the freezer! Freeze at least 4 hours.

Pop the ice cubes out into a plate or bowl. It's time to paint!

As the ice cubes melt, they will leave the color behind on the paper. You can scribble, draw, flick the melting drops to create spots, or let them melt on the paper for a minute to make big spots.

We also saw good results by letting the paper dry, and then adding another layer of paint...if your ice cubes haven't melted by then!

Enjoy!

Kelly

Bookshelf to Dollhouse

2011-09-08T20:27:00.002-05:00

I have been the proud owner of this little bookshelf since 2003, when I was a poor college student and rescued it from the dumpster :-)

You can even see the chew marks at the bottom from when my first rabbit, Moonberry, took a few nibbles. Ah, the memories!

Now that our budget allows us to actually buy furniture rather than dumpster-dive for it, the little bookshelf is moving on.

But not too far, because I am making it into a dollhouse for Sprite!

I am in love with this project, not just for the upcycling aspect (which is still awesome), but because it has a lot of potential. Furniture can be added, flooring, roof, pictures on the wall...it will always be a work in progress, and that makes it fun!

Supplies:

small bookshelf

doll house sized windows and stairs

paint

dollhouse accessories

Equipment:

small saw

file

sander or sandpaper

hot glue gun

The windows, stairs, and other dollhouse accessories all came from Hobby Lobby. They have a decent selection, and often 40% off coupons online.

Ok! First, trace the backside of the window on to the inside of the bookself, whever you want them. The windows are designed to pop right a square hole. If the back of the bookshelf is thin, like mine was, be careful to avoid splintering.

Also, trace openings on the shelves where the top of the stairs will be.

Cut the openings carefully (or make your father-in-law do it, ha).

The cut shelves:

Use a file to smooth and shape the opening.

A little sander also worked well for this.

Test the windows and stairs at this point to make sure they fit as you want them too.

Use the sander the lightly sand over the entire surface (except the thin backing). This will allow the paint to stick better. Also, sand down any rough edges caused by curious bunny rabbits.

Dust off the sawdust, and wipe with a damp rag. Allow to dry before adding your first layer of paint or primer. In a few hours, add a second layer.

Meanwhile, paint the stairs and windows. When the paint is dry, pop the windows in the holes and hot glue them in place.

Align the stairs and hot glue them in place as well. Use a lot of glue in a lot of places, because kids play rough and you don't want the stairs to fall down as Dolly is stomping up them.

Sprite started with just some small dolls, peg people, and other little things we had around the house. She also got a set of 2 chairs and couch (on clearance at Hobby Lobby) and some little dollies and toys. She got a little wooden chair and painted it herself. I had the dollhouse waiting for her when she got back from preschool.

We were at Hobby Lobby again yesterday, and got a tiny framed picture of horses for the wall, and a tiny toaster with even tinier toast. Each of those was only $1.99, and there were a TON more little things to choose from for that price. Here's the toaster, with a 3 year old's hand for scale:

They're not in time-out, she tells me, they're just looking at the horse picture on the wall:

The peg people work nicely too.

This bunny was a favor from Sprite's baby shower!

These peg people were from when we visited the Tower of London and the cat is from Grammy Apple.

Gnomeo and Juliet took over the bottom floor.

There is a lot more we want to do with this house. I want to add some flooring, and Sprite wants to make beds because baby Strawberry Shortcake is tired of sleeping on the floor!

You can even buy dollhouse sized mini light fixtures, with mini plugs and mini power strips that actually work! Seriously! A little advanced for a three year old, but if she's still into it in a few years, it might be a fun upgrade to do together.

I set up a corner for Sprite's dollhouse and "backyard" in the living room. She has a little rug to sit on, and a shelf for some "outdoor" activities.

The pilgrim and Indian hang out in the "backyard" mostly, with a giant fire made by Sprite and a canoe and teepee made by Mommy. They were kits from Hobby Lobby, about $3 each and super easy. I think they need a greenish rug instead of that old thing though!

I am so excited to continute to work on this with Sprite. I hope this tutorial helps you to make your own little house. We are looking forward to sharing our dollhouse upgrades as we do them, and would love to hear about yours!

Kelly

Flood clean up

2011-09-01T13:53:00.000-05:00

What a crazy few months we have had. We moved from Minot, ND to Bossier City, LA just 2 months ago. Right before we left, an evacuation order was issued due to flooding. Fortunately, we were going to buy a new house anyway, so we weren't homeless for too long. As we were on our way to LA, the flood hit. After 3 weeks, the water receded so I had to turn around and go back to clean up. Mr. Apple deployed and missed all the "fun" : (

Our house is approximetely 1/2 mile from the Mouse River, although we have a side channel of it in our backyard. The side channel is used to hold rain, so it won't affect the water level of the main river. At the crest, there was nearly 8 feet of water on the main level, making the water outside about 10 feet deep.

Here are a few pictures of the flood at different stages. This is a picture of our neighbor's house, directly across the street, taken by a news crew in a boat. This was at the crest. My jaw literally dropped when I saw it.

This is my neighboorhood, about a block from my house.

Aerials of our neighborhood:

Flooding is different from most disasters. Ours came with plenty of warning, so people had days to get things out of the house. There were also no deaths. But there was plenty of destruction.

This flood was a very slow event, compared to other diasters. It took about a week after the river overflowed the dikes before it crested, and several weeks after that before it got low enough for us to go back. During this time, we had no idea how deep the water was or what the damage was. We only saw a few pictures of the neighborhood here and there.

As the water going down, my friend walked down our soggy street and took this first picture of our house.

You can see the mud going all the way up to the top of the door.

The next few picture ares what I saw when I got back to my neighborhood, before going in the house.

This is another neighbor's house. He found 3 porches at his house, none of which are his. He is not rebuilding.

My greenhouse disappeared completely...

...only to be discovered in my neighbor's backyard, along with someone's play structure and a handful of tricycles!

I saw this in the middle of the road.

This is the view I saw as soon as we entered the flood zone. The side of the road is completely filled with stuff. It's mostly household goods at this point, but a few days later and it would all be covered with moldy sheetrock, large appliances, slimy carpets, and more.

My next door neighbors had their foundation crack, so they got the "structurally unstable" yellow tape. They are not rebuilding either. Later, the house next door to them would get the yellow tape too. He is not sure if he is rebuilding. He is an older man and is staying at the shelter. The only thing he got out was his cat.

On a slightly lighter note, Sprite shows how high the water was. The trees are dead where they were underwater. 10 feet deep! I don't think many of the trees in my yard will make it. The roots must have been damaged from staying under water for so long.

So that's the neightborhood. Pretty ugly, but it was nothing compared to the inside of the house. Here is the absolutely horrific first look I had of the inside of my house. The kitchen.

That picture still makes my stomach flip-flop. The cabinets and microwave fell down, the fridge had floated and landed in the middle of the floor, and EVERYTHING was covered in a layer of muddy MOLD.

The rest of the house was not much better:

Crazy, isn't it? We pretty much had to gut the whole main level, down to the studs. All the appliances, light fixtures, etc. had to go too.

I could get the garage door open because it was off its runners and the man door was swollen shut, so I had to break down a wall (with my bare hands, it was so wet) to get in the garage the first time. This was my view:

It looks (and smells) like a slaughterhouse! Insulation is NASTY when it is moldy. The whole ceiling came down. You can't tell, but it's on the floor in pieces under a layer of mud/mold slime.

We found a couple of windows in an interior wall what used to be an exterior one.

There was smelly water in the light fixture!

My nice, clean garage, with all the insulation and drywall out. Much improved. It took 3 days to get it this way, with help.

The debris after 2 days of gutting! This was less than half, and our house was EMPTY when the flood hit!

My war wounds. They didn't photograph well, but my whole forearm was bruised and the joints in my hands were tight and swollen from gripping the hammer, pulling out drywall with my hands, and carrying buckets. I could barely make a fist in the mornings.

Do you see that??? I thought I was imagining it...

Yes, a giant salamander in my basement! I threw him back in the river. I think he was happy to go!

The clean living room!

Looking from the dining room, through the bathroom, into the kitchen, then the garage. This was very weird to me.

MUCH better! This was after gutting, powerwashing, and fungicide.

We planted a tiny pine tree in out dead lawn. It's nice to have a little green back!

A turtle on a picnic table in the river.

Our neighbor, me, my father in law, and Sprite, posing with one of our eagles. The other one got broken in the flood, probably by the greenhouse floating by (or one of Dave's new porches??)

After 3 weeks, the house was clean and dry enough for Sprite to go in. She thought it was SO big! Some of the walls were 1 layer of plaster and 3 layers of drywall, so without them it was bigger!

Sprite peeks our from our temporary home, a small camper bought just for this purpose.

It's good to be back and (relatively) settled in our new house. Sprite is in preschool, I am back sewing, and Mr. Apple is still deployed so he's still missing all the fun. I am looking forward to getting a lot done this fall, including one-size cloth diapers, which is first on my list!

Thanks for "listening"!

Kelly

Make your own Hula Hoop ~ A tutorial

2011-07-08T13:41:00.000-05:00

We had an early birthday party for Sprite before we moved, so she could celebrate with her friends. We kept it simple, just a big potluck BBQ and hanging out with friends. We made our own hula hoops for the kiddos to decorate, and it was great! The kids ranged from tiny tots to tweens, and they all enjoyed this project. A few moms made hoops for themselves too! The little kids who were too young to hoop made up their own games to play.

Here's how we did it. It was surprisingly easy!

Supplies:
3/4 in. Irrigation tubing (100 psi for kids, 160 psi for adults)
tubing connectors
electrical tape
textured tape (gaff, hockey, or medical tape...any cloth tape)
tubing cutter (not necessary, but helpful)
Hot water

Here's the label from the tubing...

Our hardware store had them in 100 ft rolls, which made about 10 hoops (depending on the size). I used 100 psi for the kids, but 160 should be used for adults because it's heavier. Heavier is actually easier to hoop with, so if you're never been able to keep a hoop up, try a heavier one.

Here's a close-up of a connector:

These are my PVC cutters. I got the cheapest kind, and they were $12. They went through the tubing like butter! You could also use a small saw to cut the tubing.

Cut the tubing to the desired length. A general guideline is when standing on end, the hoop should come slightly above your belly button.

Dip one end of the tubing in hot water for 5-10 seconds.

Slip the connector in.

At this point, you can add a few dried beans or popcorn so the hoop makes a rattling sound if you want. Then dunk the other end of the tubing in the hot water, and connect to form a hoop. Let cool for a minute before passing off to little hands.

I made lots of different sizes so the kids could choose whatever they wanted.

At the party, I provided a massive amount of electrical tape in all colors. You can get it at your local hardware store, or buy online. Online was a lot cheaper, but I had to pay shipping too.

The kids taped the hoops as best they could. Just use the electrical tape and work in a spiral all the way around. Some of the little kiddos had the tape overlapping and thick, which was fine. The bigger kids were perfectionists though.

I made this gal's "Top Gun" dress :-)

Even the moms played! We found wrapping the tape to be very relaxing, and when we finished one hoop, we felt like our hands wanted to keep wrapping.

A tiny hooper.

A bigger one. (I made her skirt too!)

After the kids wound the electrical tape, the moms helped wind the textured tape (I used gaff tape) over it in a very wide spiral. The textured tape makes the hoop grip your body a little, making the hoop easier to keep up.

Check back later for some of Sprite's favorite hoop games!

P.S. This is my favorite picture of Sprite's party. My smart child is flinching when Mr. Apple brings out the lighter :-)

Moving Sale!

2011-06-07T20:43:00.000-05:00

Everything in the shop is now 15% off until Thursday, June 9 at 11:59pm CDT!

Use the coupon code "movingsale" at checkout.

Here are a few of my favorite things currently available in the shop:

Strawberry Cake Shoes- A Tutorial

2011-06-05T19:50:00.000-05:00

Sprite's been really into Strawberry Shortcake lately. She refers to her "Strawberry Cake". We saw a pair of Strawberry Shortcake sneakers at a thrift shop, but they were several sizes too big and horribly beat up, so we decided to make our own instead!

Supplies:

- 1 pair of canvas shoes
- RIT dye, in your color of choice (I thought pink would have looked nice with the strawberries, but Sprite insisted on green)
- puffy paint in red, green, & black
- a glass container and stirrer or spoon
- rubber gloves

First, soak the shoes (and whatever else you want to dye) in warm water for 20 minutes. I added a pillowcase and a super-faded tie-dye shirt rather than let the Rit Dye go to waste.

While they are soaking, mix the dye packet with 1 cup of water. WEAR GLOVES! If your hands are even slightly damp, you'll dye your hands just opening the package. Remember, it's super concentrated at this point. One of my gloves had a hole in it, go I ended up with a green finger anyway. Such is life :-)

Set your washer to a medium load size with HOT water and a 30 min soak. Let the machine fill up.

While the machine is filling, add the dye to the water.

Next, add the shoes and clothes and close the lid so the cycle begins.

Here they are! Sprite was very happy with the color. Don't forget to run your washer again with hot water, soap, and a little bleach to make sure no more dye is hiding in there. Air dry overnight.

Use puffy paint to add the strawberries. A pointy shaped lump for the strawberry, green poky leaves, and black dots for the seeds. Let the paint dry in between colors.

You're done!

Here's a tip for getting kid shoes clean...the Norwex erasers! They are chemical free and only took one swipe to get the grime off the white part of these shoes (they were from the thrift shop too)

Here's a before and after of some of Sprite's shoes:

One swipe it all it took! I wish I discovered them sooner!

My friend Steff sells Norwex products if you don't have a consultant and would like to purchase. Contact her through her facebook page, and tell her I sent you! www.facebook.com/norwexbysteff

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. It can be modified for any color or theme that you kid might currently be obsessed with :-)

Kelly

Tutorial- Hand-carved rubber stamps

2011-05-28T15:49:00.000-05:00

No drawing skills required!

I used this simple (yes, simple) technique to make a rubber stamp of Sprite! It's a good likeness, although if the hair went in her eyes, that would be even better. No matter how I cut it, that kid's hair is always in her eyes.

She loves having a stamp of herself!

Supplies:

Speedball Speedy Carve block (Hobby Lobby, Dharma Trading Co.)

Speedy carve tool set

bone folder or ruler

pencil, paper, eraser

ink pad

A small cutting mat, or other surface to cut on

small, flat wood shapes (I used rectangles and circles)

First, make a small drawing of your stamp in pencil. Make the lines dark, because you are going to transfer them onto the Speedy-Carve block. If you aren't up for drawing, print out a small image, and trace over the lines with pencil.

I'll do an ice cream cone for this example.

Cut a section of the Speedy-carve block just a tad larger than your drawing. Lay the block on top of your drawing, making sure it is centered and completely covering the drawing.

Carefully flip the whole thing over, making sure not to let the paper move.

Use the bone folder to run the paper, so the pencil lines transfer to the block.

Lift the paper to see your design.

Now it's time to carve. Remember, you will be making a negative, so you will be carving the pink areas out and leaving the pencil areas. The area carved out will not stamp!

Start by carving an outline of your image. No need to go too deep.

Continue to carve out the pink areas, and leave the pencil areas. Don't be discouraged. It often stamps better than it looks and you may be pleasantly surprised.

When you think you're done, stamp the image a few times to see if you missed any spots.

Decide if you want to leave the negative area around the stamp or not. I left it with Sprite's stamp because I liked the way it looked, but I am going to remove it for the ice cream cone. Just cut around it with the blade tip.

There we go.

Stamp it a few times to check that you got all the excess off.

Next, stamp it once (perfectly) on a wood piece. Let the ink dry all the way before handling so it doesn't smudge.

Turn the wood piece over and glue the stamp onto it.

There they are, drying nicely while Sprite naps. She'll be excited to find them waiting for her when she wakes up!

I can't wait to make a million more!

Mini Project Monday- Milk carton bird houses

2011-05-23T05:26:00.000-05:00

Here's an easy one: bird feeders from milk cartons!

It seemed that whenever I found a really good project that involved cardboard milk cartons, I never had one on hand. Now I save every one, just waiting for our next project!

For this project, we used pint sized cartons from buttermilk. Quart or half-pint sizes would work too, or even half gallon, and the birds would sure love you for that!

Supplies:

Cardboard milk carton

scissors

scraps of paper

glue stick

Small clamp or chip clip

a nail or awl

string

First, we cut a opening out of one corner. I only did one corner so it would keep the rain out a little better.

We used a chip clip to glue the top shut.

Sprite glued squares of scrapbook paper to the sides of the carton.

We punched a hole in the top with an awl and tied a string.

It was chilly out! We filled the feeders with birdseed and carried them, er, carefully, to the backyard.

We hung them on the "lifeguard stand", as we call it, in our backyard near the river.

So cute. They have been out there a few weeks and have survived surprisingly well.

The 'lifeguard stand" is actually a stand formerly used for train signals.

photo source

The previous owners of our house must have been very into trains, because they cemented it in behind the shed! It's a great conversation starter.

There you have it! A quick and easy project with a little train history for you :-)

Mini-project Monday: Spring brings green!

2011-04-18T05:59:00.000-05:00

Sorry I skipped last week...3 days of craft shows, followed by my turn to present at the home-based business meeting = exhaustion!

Here in North Dakota, we have to wait a long time for spring to come. Less than 2 weeks ago, we got snow, on top of the 3 feet we already had. Boo. Shortly after that it warmed up though, and today is a balmy 54 degrees, sunny, and there are only a few piles of snow left!

To get us into the spring spirit, Sprite and I planted some beans and lentils in hopes of eating them after they sprouted. These were just average grocery store beans, but they were, um, probably 4 years old. Sprite keeps them in a bucket and plays with them with shovels during the winter.

Lentila, lima beans, and kidney beans, soaking up their H2O. (They are only in the window for the picture. Too much sun makes them taste like grass...just fyi).

The jars have a mesh cloth on top so I could easily pour the water out.

They started wrinkling in just a few minutes!

I rinsed them with water twice a day.

Within a few days we had sprouts! yay!

The lentils really took off.

The kidney beans were a little slower. The lima beans started to smell nasty so you won't be seeing anymore pictures of them.

Even when kept away from the window, the lentils greened right up, and therefore tasted like grass.

We tried them, and then downgraded them to rabbit food.

She loved them.

The kidney beans did a little better. I had way too many beans in the jar, so it filled right up and was difficult to rinse them. Note for next time, just enough beans to make a layer or two on the bottom is plenty.

Here are the lentils today, at about 3 weeks old. I hack them off occasionally for the bunny, and they keep growing back. I might grow some in a pot for her.

I also started a few other things...these are clovers, just for fun.

Wheat grass for the bunny as well, but the cat keeps getting into it. Both cats LOVE wheatgrass. It's just amusing to watch carnivores shove the bunny out of the way to get more grass :-)

Happy Spring!

Update: It's April 16th and for the past two days in a row, I woke up to more snow!! I almost choked on my water the first time. Sprite didn't understand why I changed my mind about bike riding that day. :-)

Cute Easter find

2011-04-16T12:46:00.000-05:00

I found these mini plastic eggs at Hobby Lobby yesterday. Aren't they cute?

I refer to them as "travel-size" since we are traveling to Easter. Since one member of our party is 2 years old, that means we are bringing a TON of stuff. I don't know what it is about kids that make them require so much equipment. Well, at least mini-eggs will free up a little bit of luggage space :-)

They fit a small peanut butter cup perfectly.

I found a bunch more at the thrift shop today, 20/$1. I had to get them, or course. Plastic eggs are for giving away anyway, right?

I'll just tell myself that...

...and hand them out to anyone I encounter.

The cashier. The flight attendant. Whoever. Share the mini-egg love. :-)

Easy Fabric Storage Cubes

2011-04-07T15:35:00.000-05:00

With a cross-country move on the way, I'm super obsessed with organization now. I'm an avid follower of The Flylady, I make weekly donations to the thrift shop, and I've invested a small fortune in plastic storage containers. Goodbye, clutter!

Clutter seems to accumulate on flat surfaces. It doesn't matter how many flat surfaces you have, or how big they are. If you're not careful, they will fill up. I call this the Principle of Clutter Accumulation. I once forbade Mr. Apple from putting another table in the computer room because I was afraid the clutter would expand. (I made him clean off the table he already has and he has plenty of room now, thank you.)

To keep important items handy and to fight the principle of clutter accumulation, I sewed these super easy fabric scrap baskets from The Sometimes Crafter. I made 4 for myself, 2 for my mom for her birthday, and one miniature one for Sprite, who thinks that anything miniature is hers, including the toaster oven ("What's this little oven? Mine?")

I have one in the spice cabinet, to keep the little baggies of spices from raining down on me everytime I open the door:

One on the nightstand for little bottles of lotions and potions:

It appears that Mr. Apple needs a basket here too, seeing as his books, glasses, and change are disturbing my tidy area!

He does have one in the kitchen for things like his wallet and glasses, and I have one too for reciepts:

My mom was very happy with hers but hasn't decided what to put in them yet.

She was also pleased to hear the Sprite has a matching little basket. Sprite's an only-grandchild :-)

She loves her mini "bakist", as she calls it).

To make the mini basket, follow the directions from The Sometimes Crafter, but make the outer fabric and interfacing 9x9" and the lining 8 7/8 x 8 7/8". I used fusible interfacing. Cut 2 5/8" squares from each corner.

Happy organizing!

Kelly

Mini-Project Monday: Floam

2011-04-04T05:32:00.000-05:00

I know a lot of parents hate Floam even more than Play-Doh.

I diasgree.

But then again, I don't mind Play-Doh :-)

Floam or playfoam is a squishy substance made from styrofoam beads with a goopy layer over them to hold them altogether. Sound messy? Not so much actually!

I didn't even know they still made the stuff, but I found a barely opened pack at the thrift shop and had to give it a try. I was a little wary, because clearly the previous owner barely had the box open for 5 minutes before they shipped if off to the thrift shop. Never a good sign.

I am glad to say I was pleasantly surprised.

The kind we got came in rectangles wrapped in plastic, without a box, so I'm not sure what brand it is. It looks pretty close to this pack available on Amazon.

While it is extremly sticky, it's the kind of sticky that doesn't leave residue on your hands. Always a plus when working with tots.

It's kind of difficult to sculpt with compared to Play-Doh, but Sprite wasn't too interested in sculpting. She was more interested in mixing colors and squishing it around in her hands.

The best part? Squishing is very entertaining for tots. I bring out the floam whenever I need a few minutes to do something. She works on one end of the table and, much to Mr. Apple's annoyance, my laptop sits on the other end of the table 362 days a year (hey, I move it for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas!). I'm able to get something done without Sprite causing trouble around the house.

Cleanup is a breeze. Put all the floam in a ziplock bag so it stays squishy, wipe the table, and wash hands. A lot easier than scrubbing Play-Doh from under nails and finding little hot pink crumbs everywhere.

"Take a picture of the green one!"

(This is 100% my own opinion. I have no connection to the maker's of any of the products mentioned. I just want to share my good find with you!)

Mini Project Monday: A science experiment

2011-03-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

It's Week 3 of Mini Project Monday, and I hope you're enjoying them so far! Sprite and I are having a lot of fun!

This week's is an easy one, and another one you might remember from childhood.

Vinegar + Baking Soda = WOW!

Supplies:

Cookie sheet with raised edges

Clear bowls, jars, or glasses

food coloring

liquid dish soap

spoons

vinegar

small bowl of baking soda

Set up as shown in the picture, with each bowl containing vinegar, food coloring, and a squirt of dish soap.

Give the child the bowl of baking soda and let them put a spoonful or two into each bowl, then watch them go!

I love her experssion here. She's looking quite pleased with the results.

After the experiment is done, it's fun to play in the foam too!

This one's easy, cheap, and minimally messy if you do it on a tray on a washable table. Give it a try!

There you are, sense of accomplishment!

2011-03-23T18:12:00.000-05:00

Wow. I have been a busy bee the past few days. In addition to getting ready for my two craft shows the weekend of April 8th, I have also managed to squeeze in a few other things (not housework though. hehe).

Beautiful training pants! I know, training pants aren't usually described a beautiful, but look at all the pretty colors...

Sprite always wears whatever I make for her, and enthusiastically at that. She has never turned anything away. Until today. I made these cute leggings for her to wear under her t-shirt dresses.

She. Hates. Them.

She refused to put them on, so I did it.

She screamed the whole time.

I told her to go show Daddy.

She melted into a heap on the floor.

Sorry, no pictures of that!

Are they really that terrible??

I also added another tier to Sprite's March of Dimes dress for the March for Babies on April 2nd.

She's grown a lot since last year! See her miniature pigtail?

Here's our whole team from last year. We are even bigger this year! I have 10 moms and their families signed up!

(I am selling March of Dimes dresses, hoodies, and tees as one of our team's fundraisers. Please visit my facebook page for more info and to see more examples).

That's all for today's productivity! I hope I get just as much done tomorrow...and every day until the craft shows :-)

Mini Project Monday: Grow your own rock candy

2011-03-21T06:47:00.002-05:00

I remember this one from childhood, although I never had nearly as much success as I did this time around! Sprite's a BIG candy lover, so she thought this was the greatest thing ever.

Ingredients and supplies:

2 glass jars or drinking glasses

2 wooden chopsticks or wooden dowels

2 clothes pins

2 muffin liners

2.5 cups sugar

water

Heat up 1 cup of water in a small pot. Add sugar, a little at a time, until it is all dissolved.

Add a few drops of food coloring. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Pour half of the sugar solution into each glass.

Clip a clothespin onto each chopstick and balance the clothespin across the top of the jar to keep the chopstick from falling in. The bottom of the chopstick should be just a tad above the bottom of the glass.

Poke a hole in a muffin liner and put it on the top of the chopstick. This will keep dust out while still allowing the water to evaporate.

Wait patiently.

You should see crystals forming in about 2 days This picture was taken on day 3, and you can see crystals sticking to the sides and bottom of the glass too (I used 3 cups of sugar, and I think it was a little too much). If the chopstick touches the bottom, raise it a little bit.

Yay! Crystals!

This is after about a week:

(between the fluorescent lighting and the yellowish countertops, I have yet to find a camera setting that does cause funny coloring. Advice welcome).

Sprite approves, no surprise there.

Attempting a "CHEESE" without removing the candy from her mouth:

Note: For easy cleaning of the glass, fill it with water and microwave it for about 2 minutes. Let it sit for a few minutes. The hot water will help the leftover sugar dissolve and separate from the sides of the glass.

Tutorial: Bottle Cap Magnets

2011-03-15T13:57:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to make bottle cap magnets forever (is it just me, or do I start every tutorial by saying something like that?). In any case, I have been saving bottle caps for longer than I'd care to admit.

I finally made them, and am completely in love with them! I used pictures of some of our favorite things. A sewing machine for me, a few pictures of Sprite, Charlie and Lola (Sprite favorite TV characters), Firefly for Mr. Apple, and many more.

On to the tutorial!

Supplies:

Bottle caps (either new or used)

Mod Podge

tacky glue

Computer and printer

cardstock

Clear casting epoxy (see photo below)

Start by preparing your images. I inserted images into Word and sized them to about 1 inch, which was the size of the inside of my caps (you can leave them square or rectangle, just make sure the area you want on the magnet is about an inch).

For some really cool ideas, check out the facebook applicaiton Pieces of Flair. That's where I got a couple of the images from. Just copy and paste them into Word, and they are already little round circles. You might need to resize them just a tad.

Print out all your little circles on white cardstock. After the ink is dry, apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the whole sheet of cardstock. After its dry, apply it to the back as well.

Trace one ot your bottle caps to make a circle template. Lay your template over your image, and trace around it so you know where to cut out.

Cut out all the little circles and glue them to the inside of the bottle cap. Use enough glue so that the epoxy can't seep under the picture. Use the tacky glue for this.

There they are, all glued in. Let them dry completely.

Mix your epoxy. All you have to do is measure equal parts of both solutions, and stir for awhile per the instructions. Be sure to measure so you have exactly equal parts or it won't harden.

Carefully pour the epoxy in the bottle caps. Don't worry too much about bubbles. They should clear up within about an hour, while the epoxy is still soft. It will take 24 hours for the epoxy to harden.

Leave them undisturbed while they harden.

Using hot glue, add a magnet to the back of each bottle cap.

Try them out!

I stuck the results of a personality test on the fridge as a reminder to Mr. Apple of why I am the way I am :-)

A newborn Sprite, posing for her passport picture with a magnet of my apple cupcakes.

A poppy magnet with a coupon for the local nursery.

An older Sprite holding up a picture that she colored.

So much fun! What's going on your magnets??

Mini Project Monday #1: Celery gets thirsty too!

2011-03-14T05:54:00.001-05:00

Sprite and I have been doing a lot of projects lately, and we want to share! Starting today, every Monday we will post about a project of science experiment, so you can try it too. Most of our projects require little in terms of supplies, and are simple enough for toddlers to do (with a little help, of course). Our projects will include science experiments, crafts, recycling projects, field trips, outdoor activities, and more! Come back every week to see what we're up to!

This week we have a classic science experiment to share, that you might remember from, oh, 2nd grade :-) The drinking celery!

Supplies:

4 glasses or mason jars

4 stalks of celery with leaves

food coloring

Fill each glass with water, and add about 8-10 drops of food coloring to each glass. Leave the 4th one just plain water. Add a celery stalk to each. Wait. :-)

The celery will drink up the water and the leaves will change color from the food coloring. You'll start noticing faint color changes in just a few hours:

After about 24 hours:

After 3 days:

If you cut the celery in half, you'll be able to see the tubes (xylem) that the plant uses to carry the water up to the leaves via capillary action. We skipped this part since Sprite is only 2 and went with the more simple explanation that celery is a plant, plants need to drink water, and since the plant drank blue water, it turned blue!

This is even more fun using carnations or other white flowers instead of celery. You can slit the stem of a carnation lengthwise, and put each half into a cup to get a flower that is half one color and half another. Find the details here, along with a more detailed explanation for bigger kids.

Come back next week to see Sprite's rock candy experiment!

Homemade Lip Balm

2011-03-10T21:23:00.000-06:00

Sprite loves chapstick. I mean LOVES. She even asked Santa for chapstick this year, after I got tired of her stealing all of mine. I love chapstick too, actually. One day I'll take a photo of my chapstick collection.

Yes, collection.

Anyhoo...

Keeping with our new tradition of doing a small project every weekday, Sprite and I decided to make chapstick. Being newbies at this, we went with This Kit from Bellissima Minerals.

It came with everything we needed, including the lip blam base, flavor oil (we went with raspberry), mica powder for coloring, 8 tubes, a pipette, stirring rod, and instructions. It also included labels and plastic seals.

It was SUPER easy.

A little zap in the microwave for the base and then Sprite stirred in the mica and flavor (which, by the way, smells fantastic).

So pretty...ahhh.

It made enough to not only fill the 8 tubes, but also a little extra to top off some of our store bought lip balms.

I don't know who is more pleased, me or Sprite. It's sooo yummy, lightly tinted, and a nice glossy consistancy. I planned on giving them as gifts, but I think we might keep them for ourselves!

I think we might try lemonade next time...or maybe orange spice...or maybe both :-)

Recycling crafts for tiny tots

2011-03-08T19:31:00.000-06:00

Sprite and I have been crazy for projects lately. We have been trying to do at least one tot-friendly project a day, and have been at it for the past week. We keep them short (20 min or less), and Sprite is loving them. I have been taking pictures so she can scrapbook them later (another project!!). I'll post them all eventually, but here's our project from today.

We made a car out of a cardboard box and a lot of hot glue.

Paper plates for the wheels and steering wheel, milk caps for buttons.

I made a "car seat" for dolly, just by folding a piece of cardboard in half and gluing it in so the top sticks up a little.

Sprite didn't understand that she was supposed to be the driver and wanted to sit all the way back and have a car seat too. No one is driving!!!

She sat in her car and pretended to type. I am not sure of the connection between typing and driving (I don't do it, I swear!), but I made her a little laptop. It's just a piece of cardboard folded in half, a napkin for the screen, and a plastic tray (upside down) from toy packaging. I got the idea from an episode of Charlie & Lola (Sprite's favorite and only TV show), where Lola makes a typewriter from the plastic tray that comes in a box of chocolates :-)

Simple, and very entertaining. We did some science experiments too. Coming soon :-)

"I'm makin' a ROCKET!"

2011-03-05T13:23:00.000-06:00

Meet Nomadic Apples

2011-03-03T13:37:00.000-06:00

My sister-in-law (also known as "Auntie Heather") just started a new business that is so amazing, I MUST share!

She makes custom rubber stamps from ANYTHING, including photographs. Here's a picture of Sprite, modeling a Sugar & Spice dress:

...and here's the stamp and stamped image of the same picture!

How cool is that?!

I want to have a handful made of Sprite at different ages so I can use them in her scrapbook. I'm going to make pages as dividers between the different ages, and on each divider stamp the images of her up until that point, showing how much she's grown. Each divider will have one more stamp than the previous. The stamps are very reasonably priced, so I plan to order plenty more!

It's only $12 for a photograph stamp!

Another one of my favorite products are stamps made from baby footprints. You just scan a picture of your baby's footprints and send it off to her! She'll format and size the picture as necessary, so you don't need to worry about technical stuff like that.

She can also do return address labels, birth announcements, and pretty much anything else you could ever want on a stamp.

If you want a custom image, Heather can draw it for you too. Here are some of our favorite sketches (these are the inverses of the images):

I already bought this heart stamp:

Here's Heather's info so you can check her out!

SHOP: http://www.etsy.com/shop/nomadicapples

BLOG: http://thenomadicapple.blogspot.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nomadic-Apples/184527508247776

Enjoy! ~Kelly

P.S. Heather would be absolutely ecstatic if you "liked" her facebook page :-)

Gnomeo & Juliet ~ Tutorial and giveaway!

2011-02-27T14:49:00.000-06:00

I have been dying to take Sprite to a movie since we went to Toy Story 3 back in August. She LOVED it. This was her first movie (at age 2), and I wasn't sure how she would do. She ended up standing most of the time, and peeking over the seat in front of us. She watched the whole movie, ate a TON of popcorn, and figured out that the mommies were sneaking M&Ms in the dark :-)

Recently, it seems like all the kids movies are either rated PG or are in 3D. Since she's only 2, I don't think either of those characteristics would go over well. We have been waiting for Gnomeo & Juliet for awhile now, and were disappointed to find out it was in 3D. I don't get this 3D craze. It gives me a headache and it makes Mr. Apple grumble about having to pay extra for the 3D glasses. We decided to wait for the 2D version to come to our cheap theater, but in the meantime I did a little project for Sprite to get her excited:

Gnomeo & Juliet peg people!

If you don't know, I love peg people (here's evidence, and here's some more). I made these ones a little shorter so they are more gnome-like.

Here's how to make your own! This is a great project for when you have a few hours at home. You can paint a section and while it dries you can do other things. Now I have a clean house AND peg gnomes :-)

Supplies:

Wooden pegs
Acrylic paint
Spray sealant
scraps of red and blue felt
glue

The pegs come in a pack like this. There are from Hobby Lobby and were $3 for a pack of 8:

There are several different types of spray sealant. Pretty much any kind will do. I went with the one on the left because I like the glossy look:

I use a little saw to take about 1/4 inch off the bottom of the peg people to make them a little shorter than Sprite's other peg people. Don't worry, they were anesthetized first.

Then sand the bottoms to make them smooth.

Here they are compared to the regular peg people. Just a tad shorter.

The first step is painting the heads. If you have a fleshy color, that works great. I did not, so I mixed white with a drop of pink and a drop of peach. While the heads dry, throw in a load of laundry :-)

Next, paint Juliet's body red and the top half of Gnomeo's body blue.

After that dries, add a white apron and collar to Juliet, and a thin black ring around the bottom to represent her shoes. Paint the bottom black too.

For Gnomeo, add a stripe of gray for his pants and a stripe of black for his boots. He also has a stripe of black for his belt, and a square buckle. Paint the bottom black also.

I painted the faces on, but if you don't have a steady hand, you can use a permanent marker instead.

Gnomeo's eyes and nose are bigger to give him a more manly look (as manly as a gnome can look I suppose). He has a thin white beard (just dot the paint on).

Juliet's nose and eyes are smaller, and eyes are slightly closer together. I dotted her hair on also, with a section that swooped down in the middle.

Next, Juliet's apron got some detail and she got thin eyebrows and a small, red mouth.

Gnomeo got a wider tan mouth and bushy eyebrows. He also got some blond-ish hair, which will peak out from under his hat in the center.

After the gnomes are completely dry, give them a layer or two of spray sealant, and allow them to dry completely.

Cut half circles for the hats (about 3 inches in diameter), then cut a small wedge out of the pieces as shown with the red hat below. Using the larger piece, roll it into a cone and glue shut. Try it on the gnome, and trim a little off the bottom if necessary to get a good fit. Glue it into place.

Aren't they cute? I'm going to give Sprite hers right before we go to the movie.

I'm giving away a set of these gnomes on my facebook page, www.facebook.com/anappleandatree !

All you have to do is "like" my page and comment on the giveaway post. The drawing will be Sunday, March 6th @ 11:59pm CST. Good luck!

Felt Sushi

2011-02-22T21:56:00.000-06:00

Sprite and I LOVE felt food. Here she is baking bread in her play kitchen, while Mr. Apple was in the big kitchen baking fresh bread (Mr. Apple is very into kitchen experiments...and also fresh bread).

I starting making it when Sprite was about 6 months old, and every holiday I add a piece or two to her collection. Some of her favorites are cupcakes, ravioli, an apple, cookies, and an eggplant. Here's a bowtie pasta tutorial I made awhile ago.

For Valentine's Day, I made Sprite a strawberry, a heart shaped chocolate, and a set of sushi. The cats stole the first two right away. Felt strawberries are a favorite of cats. I make them for the cats at the animal shelter occasionally.

Anyway, back to felt sushi!

Supplies:

Felt- white, black, and scraps of different colors

needle and thread

Start by cutting your pieces. I don't eat sushi, so please excuse my lack of proper sushi terminology :-)

In this example, I made sushi with the nori (black) on the outside, but you can make any kind you want. You can vary the colors to make different ingredients.

You will need the following:

All measurements are in inches.

Black: 1 x 5

White: 2 x 5

Pink, green, and tan: one each, 1 x 2.5

Fold the white piece in half lengthwise:

Fold the scrap pieces in half widthwise and place in the center of the white. The folded edges should line up:

Roll the white around the scraps. Cut off excess, allowing the ends to overlap a bit:

Stitch up the ends:

Next, wrap the black piece around the roll. Allow the ends to over lap slightly, trim off excess, and stitch shut.

Trim off excess scrap pieces that might be sticking out.

Felt sushi! Now you just need to keep them away from the cats long enough for the kiddos to play with them. :-)

Peg people

2011-02-15T09:30:00.002-06:00

Sprite and I made this recycled castle over the summer, and she loves playing with it.

The problem is that she only has two peg people (named after herself and her little friend) to play with. I decided to make some more. A lot more.

Here are some brief instructions if you want to make your own.

Supplies: blank pegs (sold in small bags at craft stores)

Acrylic paint

Acrylic spray sealant

I found the pegs in two sizes, so I made kids and adult peg people. If you can't find the smaller ones, or want people of all sizes, use a small saw (like a coping saw) to cut a little bit off the bottom to make the people shorter.

It's easiest to paint several at one time, so you can work on one while part of another is drying.

Start by painting the heads in a skin tone and the body in whatever color you want the clothes. Make sure you paint the bottom too.

I found that the people looked the best if I painted the eyes and mouth first, and then did the hair. It was hard to tell where exactly to put the hair without the eyes as a reference.

Add some clothing details, maybe some jewelry or hair accessories, then let the paint dry overnight.

Finish by applying a layer or two of the spray sealant. Make sure you let the sealant dry between coats as directed by the can.

Time to play!

Unpaper Towels

2011-02-08T14:24:00.000-06:00

This is a doubly-upcycled project. It started last summer, when I used old towels to make this picnic blanket:

Wasn't Sprite a chunker? :-)

I saved the scraps from making this blanket even though I had no idea what I was going to do with them (the story of my life). I just knew they'd be useful at some point!

I have been needing some cleaning towels since I became a fan of The Flylady, and starting cleaning, organizing, and decluttering like a crazy person :-) My friend Jenna showed me some "unpaper towels" she made for cleaning her house (and children) and I thought this would be the perfect use for my towel scraps. Old bath towels would also work well, but I used all mine up making toddler bibs.

This is the PERFECT low-stress sewing project. I did not measure anything, I just cut and sewed completely freehand. They're rags, and no one is going to be inspecting them! No two are exactly alike, and that's half the fun.

For the backs, I used green flannel I had lying around for awhile. Since they are already crazy colored, I did all the backs the same color to kind of make them match. At least match somewhat. A tiny bit.

First, start sewing your scraps together. My bigger unpaper towels are about 11 in square, and the smallest are about 6 inches square. I also made a tiny one for Sprite, about 5 inches square:

Once you have the front assembled, cut a piece of flannel for the back. Lay the front and back RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, and sew almost all the way around, leaving a space for turning.

Turn the towel right side out and press.

Lastly, use a zig zag stitch to sew all the way around, about 1/2 from the edge, making sure that you're closing the opening as well.

Ta-da! Unpaper towels!

They're not at all perfect, but I highly doubt that when I am shining my sink I am going to notice my seams anyway! I'm in love with them already.

Happy cleaning!

No-sew Tutu Tutorial

2011-01-26T09:47:00.002-06:00

If you made a Toddler Bed Canopy with us, you might have some extra tulle lying around waiting for a home. We put our to use as a tutu!

Materials:

Tulle, in 2 colors* see note below for how much
Crocheted elastic, the child's waist measurement minus 1-2 inches (buy it by the yard at craft stores)
Hot glue gun
Safety pin

* Here's how to calculate how much tulle to buy:
FOR EACH COLOR you need to double the length you want the tutu to be, and then multiply by 3. Or, if you hate math, a few yards of each should do it :-)

Hot glue the ends of the elastic together, overlapping by 1/2 inch or so. Press them together (carefully) with your fingers to make sure the glue makes a strong bond.

Cut the tulle into lengths that are twice the length you want the tutu to be. Then, cut them the long way, so they are half as wide. You should have 6 pieces of each color.

Fold one piece of tulle in half, with the center over one side of a safety pin. From the inside of the waistband, insert the safety pin through a hole towards the bottom of the waistband.

Use the safety pin to pull it through a few inches.

Remove the safety pin and spread the tulle out so you have a small loop.

Tuck the two ends of the tulle through the loop, and pull it snug.

With the same color, repeat on the opposite end of the waistband. Then repeat with 4 more pieces of tulle, 2 on each side for a total of 6 of that color.

Add the second color in the same manner, one piece of tulle in between each of the first color.

Try it on and dance to your heart's content!

This was actually pretty funny for Sprite. She had not idea what a tutu was, so I told her it was a skirt for dancing. She got the idea and even tried a few ballet-ish moves :-)

Please excuse our potty training apparel of no pants :-)

Bed Canopy

2011-01-20T21:19:00.001-06:00

Sprite is in a toddler bed now, and the binky fairy has come for the binkies. She transitioned pretty well, except for one thing: She does not know how to fall asleep. It's not that she's not tired, or wants the binky or anything. She just doesn't know what to do! During her two hour naptime, she reads (in the dark), sings, talks to the cat, unfolds and folds her clothes, etc. etc. etc., until I finally let her out (she has a gate in the doorway).

In an attempt to make her bed more appealing, my sister-in-law and I designed a canopy to hang over her bed to make it cosy. Sprite calls it her "tent". Here's how you can make your own.

Supplies:

- Tulle
Color #1: 10 yards (cut into 3 pieces, each 3 1/3 yards long)
Color #2: 10 yards (cut into 3 pieces, each 3 1/3 yards long)

- 2 spools ribbon (we used 5/8 in. wide), one must be opaque

- A 10 in. embroidery hoop

- Hot glue gun

Note: This length of tulle makes a ceiling-to-floor-and-then-some canopy. You could go shorter if you want, or you could try it out long and trim if necessary.

Glue one end of the ribbon (the opaque one) to the outside ring of the embroidery hoop. Spiral the ribbon around, covering the entire hoop with ribbon (more pics below). You should have some ribbon left over.

Next, get tangled in the tulle (optional).

If it's not already, cut your tulle as instructed by the supplies list. Take the end of one piece, scrunch it together a bit, and glue it to the inner ring of the embroidery hoop. Let about 4 inches hang over the top, and make sure you press down so the glue dries FLAT. If it's too thick, you'll have a hard time getting the outer ring back on when it's time. Use a small scrap of fabric or cardboard to press on the glue, since it will go through the holes in the tulle and burn you (lesson learned).

Alternating colors, continue to glue the tulle all the way around the ring.

Push the top part of the tulle (the 4 inches sticking up) towards the center of the ring, and place the outer ring around it. Make sure your ring is loosened all the way. It might be tight, just work slowly.

Using the ribbon left over from covering the outer hoop, make a hanger by cutting two lengths of ribbon and folding them in half. Tie a loose knot in the top so the ribbon ends stay aligned as you are working (we used 2 lengths or ribbon...if you want, you could use 3 so it is more symmetrical).

Glue one of the ribbon ends to the hoop, in between 2 different colors of tulle.

Really squish the glue down to make it a strong attachment.

Repeat for the other ribbon ends. Now it hangs up!

Using the 2nd spool of ribbon, cut several lengths of ribbon to use as embellishments. Glue them to the ring, and let them hang down. (If you are making it for a tiny tot, go short so they don't try to pull the whole thing down by the ribbon).

Hang it up! I used a screw hook and just screwed it in the ceiling and hung it! Adjust the length of the hanger at the top to adjust the length. The tulle might still be long, unless you have tall ceilings. Give it a trim, if necessary, but save the scraps! I have a tutu tutorial (say that 5 times fast) coming up soon!

We may be moving soon, so I left ours kind of long just in case the ceilings are higher at the new house.

Here's Sprite, camped out in her new "tent"!

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Apple Cupcakes

2011-01-19T22:16:00.002-06:00

My mother-in-law sent me this great cupcake book for my birthday, and I have been dying to try out some of the designs! It's called What's New Cupcake, by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson. This was the first recipe I tried and I am SO happy with the results!

Supplies:

Cake mix or cake ingredients

A can of frosting or frosting ingredients

mini or medium sized doughnuts

red sugar

tootsie rolls

green soft candy, like tootsie rolls or airheads

red food coloring

First, make your cupcake batter and dye it reddish pink. We used a recipe from the book, but you could use any recipe.

Wait patiently for them to bake (patience optional).

While you are waiting, roll out the green candy into a sheet.

Nice and flat:

Cut it into rectangles, and shape each piece into a leaf.

Cut the tootsie rolls in quarters lengthwise and shape into a stem (not pictured).

There they are, cooling nicely.

Sprite approves.

While they cool, whip up your frosting (or open your can), and add red food coloring.

Slice the top off the cupcakes to make them flat. Cut the doughnuts in half, and bevel the edges if necessary so you get a nice curved apple shape. Use frosting to glue the doughnut piece onto the top of the cupcake. Then frosting the entire thing.

Gently roll the cupcakes in a bowl of red sugar to coat. Add the leaf and stem.

Admire! You have just made a fantastic cupcake!

There are a ton more ideas in the book and it's reasonably priced, so I recommend checking it out. The designs are simple once you see how they are done!

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Apple Cider Doughnuts

2011-01-18T21:10:00.001-06:00

I have been wanting to try homemade doughnuts for a long time now. I found a delicious recipe for Apple Cider Doughnuts on a day when I had apple cider in the fridge and I had my sister-in-law here to help. All the makings of a successful doughnut experiment.

I found the recipe at Amanda's Cookin', but she says the recipe is pretty popular and can be found in a handful of places. You can visit her blog for the full recipe, but here's a few pics and tips of our 1st doughnut success!

We cut them out with a round cookie cutter and the top of a flower cookie cutter for the center. The top was round, for whatever reason, so it worked perfectly.

Into the oil. We used vegetable oil because it's what I had.

Getting brown!

A potato masher proved to be a useful tool for doughnut lifting.

We set them on paper towels for a few to absorb some of the leftover oil. Don't leave them for too long though, or the doughnuts will absorb the oil.

Looking beautiful, dipped in cinnamon and sugar or a glaze.

Sprite approves!

We used some of the doughnuts to make apple cupcakes today. They are absolutely adorable and delicious, too! Here are the instructions!

Quick puzzle fix

2011-01-16T22:17:00.000-06:00

This is just a helpful "mom tip" that I thought might interest some of you.

Sprite was having a hard time with her wooden puzzles the other day because of the safety knobs, and it gave me a good idea. She would hold the pieces by the knobs, but when she tried to turn them to get the pieces in their spots, the knob would turn but the puzzle piece wouldn't.

I put a little dab of wood glue in the center of the back of the safety knob to prevent it from spinning. For some of the pieces, they also needed glue around the outer ring of the back of the knob.

That didn't take long.

It was a world of difference after they dried! Sprite can finish her favorite puzzle in a minute flat, whereas before she would struggle until she got too frustrated to continue.

Such a simple little fix but such great results, I had to share.

Toddler Poncho Tutorial

2011-01-14T13:25:00.015-06:00

I've been wanting to make this one for awhile now. The temperatures here in ND are chilly, and I mean chilly. We hit 10 degrees today and practically broke out the shorts and flip flops! I thought this poncho would add some extra warmth without adding a lot of bulk, which is an important consideration for tots in car seats. With the poncho, you can lift up the back of the poncho so the kid's back is against the car seat, and lift up the front to do the buckles. When you put the front back down, there is no part of the poncho under the seatbelt straps!

I give the directions for a toddler-sized poncho, but you could modify it to make a bigger or smaller one. I think this one could work for a range of ages, maybe 1-5 or so. Seams are 1/4 in.

Materials:
1 1/2 yds. fleece (to make the hood and poncho the same color)
OR
1 1/4 yds. fleece for poncho and 1/3 yd. fleece for hood
sewing machine or serger, pins, scissors, etc.

Let's begin! Lay your fleece out on a flat surface. Shoo all small children and cats off the fleece. You need a perfect square, so fold down one corner so one side matches up to the bottom side to make a triangle. Cut off the extra fleece so you have your square.

Fold the square in half diagonally, then in half again so you have a 4 layered triangle. The "point" of the triangle will always be the point (because it is the center of the fabric). Continue to fold in half in this manner until you have a very long skinny triangle:

Next, you'll make a cruved line along the bottom of the triangle. By cutting off the corners this way, when you open the fabric you will have a circle. You might have to undo a fold to cut through a few layers of fabric at a time:

There's the cut triangle. The point is on the left, and the cut side on the right.

A basic circle. If you will not be serging your edge (there's no need, since fleece doesn't unravel), trim the edge to make it more perfect.

I had Sprite try on this bowl to get a good idea of how big I need to make the center hole. Fleece stretches, you don't need as big a hole as you might think. The bowl is 7 in. in diameter, but I reccomend using soemthing 6 in. in diameter. My hole was a little bigger than I would have liked.

Trace your 6 in. bowl in the center:

Cut out the hole:

Fold your hood fabric in half so you will be cutting through 2 layers of fabric.

Make your hood pattern. The bottom should be about 11 inches across, and the height about 13 in. (I made my hood big, so a hat could fit underneath and the hood would still be loose. If you want a more snug fitting hood, don't make it as tall). This is not an exact science, so freehand something that has the above measurements and looks like this:

You could also choose to not round the top back corner for a pointy, elvish kind of look :-)

Time to sew! With right sides together, sew the hood pieces together from the forehead to the back of the neck.

Now we'll finish the edge that goes around the face. Fold the edge to the inside 1/4 inch, and sew along the fold as shown:

Pin the hood to the poncho, right sides together, starting in the back and working around to the front (I apologize for not getting a picture of the fabric pinned). Depending on how much your fabric stretches, the frond ends of the hood may or may not touch in the center. If they do touch, allow them to overlap. If not, I will explain what to do in a minute.

Sew the hood to the poncho.

Next, topstitch around the hood, sewing the seam down towards the poncho. If edges of your hood did not meet in the front center (as mine did not) fold the edge of the poncho in and continue your topstich right over it.

Because my center hole was a little too big, you can see how there is a big space in front between the sides of the hood:

If you like, serge around the bottom (I did, but only because I love my serger and I like how it looks. It's not necessary).

Voila! A nice, warm poncho!

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three-or-more-tuesday

Top 3

2011-01-04T21:27:00.001-06:00

Looks like I took an extended Christmas break! hehe. Well, I'm back now, and a few new things are in the pipeline. I just read in an article that said for the sake of organization and actually getting things done, you should have no more than 3 priorities on your to-do list. Here's my current top 3:

1. My new sewing pattern, Soccer Balls & Snowballs, will be going out to my pattern testers later this week and should be for sale shortly after that! The pattern includes instructions for sewing a soccer ball in 4 different sizes, including an XL pillow size, and for sewing an indoor snowball fight set, complete with a bag to store the snowballs in. They are soft enough for safety, but solid enough to throw and kick accurately and get some good distance! Hide the breakables! Both projects are easy enough for beginners and are a good way for kids to get out some excess energy on a winter's day.

2. A tot sized fleece poncho tutorial for the blog (free!). I have the fabric, and I have the plan in my head. Now I just need to get it done!

3. Pack away the Christmas stuff. I know, I'm slacking! I like to think that beacause I waited so long before putting the decorations up, that I'm allotted extra time for packing them away. Right???

Check back later to see how I'm doing! :-)

Christmas lessons learned

2010-12-27T14:53:00.000-06:00

Well, Christmas has come and gone, but here are a few ideas that are worth remembering for next year!

Pre-packaged Gingerbread House

I have the cookie cutters for making a gingerbread house from scratch, but this year we were in such as rush that I didn't have time to use them. Rather than skip the whole gingerbread house idea altogether, I cheated and used a pre-packaged kit.

We spent about an hour on it. The frosting was already mixed and in a bag, and it came with a tray that has indentations in it so the house would stand up easily and not fall down while you are waiting for the frosting to set.

One for the house, one for Sprite. The sugar high is kicking in:

Photo Gift Tags

Since Sprite is so little, we opted for photo gift tags instead of written ones. I printed a handful of pictures of each family member and we just taped them on. That way, even the non-readers can tell which gifts are theirs!

This one is for Sprite and I! (It was a big book of kid crafts for us to do together).

One for Daddy too.

The Sprinkle Governor

This is a tip to make cookie decorating a lot less stressful for Mom & Dad. Just use tape to cover most of the holes on the top of the sprinkle container. Then the tiny tots can shake, shake, shake to their heart's content without wasting the whole container on one cookie!

We hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

~ Kelly, Mr. Apple, & Sprite

Easy last-minute homemade gifts

2010-12-17T20:22:00.000-06:00

This is an easy one, trust me! You may remember this post about homemade vanilla extract. It makes a great gift, and if you make it as a kit like I did, it can be mailed.

Supplies:

1 food-safe glass container

a vanilla bean

paper and ribbon to make instructions

(your recipient will need about 1 cup or vodka or rum)

Just put the bean in the container, and add the instructions, attaching with a ribbon. The instructions say:

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Fill bottle with either vodka or rum. Turn bottle a few times at least once a week. In 6 weeks, you will have yummy vanilla extract to use in your favorite recipes.

If you don't need ot mail your gift, you could add the vodka or rum for the person, so all they have to do is wait. Or, if you're better at planning than I am, you could start it at least 6 weeks before you need it, so it's ready to go as soon as they get it.

I have been using homemade vanilla extract for over a year and I absolutely love it!

5 minute wrist warmers

2010-12-15T20:55:00.000-06:00

I have had 2 pairs of cute socks with giant holes in the heels sitting around for longer than I'd care to admit. I was waiting for the perfect way to upcycle them. It seems that I found it! Little wrist warmers for little wrists.

Supplies:

Old socks

Sewing machine

First, cut above and below the heel and above the toe. You want two straight parts, one from the ankle of the sock and one from the middle of the foot. Work around any holes.

Fold the smaller piece in half so the raw edges line up. Then put it around the larger piece so all three raw edges line up. Sew around. (Serger not required).

Cut a small slit for the thumb towards the end that was the top of the sock. For tiny tots, make it close to the end, because their little hands are so small.

Socks are usually knit material, so it won't unravel.

That's it! This was a average pair of ladies socks modeled on a 2 year old. They fit a little loosely over her long sleeve shirt, so they could easily fit a larger child. They might even fit me :-)

Sprite loves them! I took them off for her nap and when I went to get her later she had them on. She climbed out of bed and got them off the changing table, put them on, and then went back to bed! They are nice to wear with mittens so snow doesn't get in at the wrist.

Legwarmers option: If you use knee high socks and omit the thumb hole, you can use them as infant/toddler leg warmers. Target has lots of cool colors and patterns and they rotate them often. They are usually $2 or less, making them a cheap, yet cute and useful, baby gift.

Thanksgiving Peg People

2010-12-14T19:42:00.002-06:00

Sprite and I have recently became obsessed with peg people. Here's a Thanksgiving set I made:

Peg people are very easy and cheap to make.

Supplies:
Wooden pegs (they come in packs are craft stores)
Acrylic paint
spray gloss
felt or other embellishments

For most of the people, it's easiest to start by painting the face in a skin color and then the rest of the body in a clothing color. After that dries, you can add eyes, a mouth, hair, and clothing details. Be sure to paint the bottom too.

After the paint is dry, spray with a layer or two of gloss, and let dry overnight.

I used felt to make a hat for the pilgrim and a headband for the indian, with a tiny feather (which I stole from a cat toy).

Very easy! We have several more in the works too. We use them in our cardboard castle. Pics forthcoming!

For Christmas, a peg people nativity scene might be cute...then the kiddos can actually play with the people, rather than just observing them on an out of reach shelf :-)

Easy Peasy Dryer Balls

2010-12-13T20:47:00.001-06:00

My friend Melanie, who is somewhat of a yarn fanatic, taught me how to make dryer balls from scraps of wool yarn. If you're a knitter, check out her blog: http://theknittingsiren.typepad.com/

Dryer balls can reduce the amount of time it takes your clothes to dry, and they also work as fabric softener. This saves money by running the dryer for shorter lengths of time and not having to buy dryer sheets. They are so simple to make, and are much cheaper and gentler than the store bought kind. They are quieter too.

All you need it wool yarn and a few minutes (yes, it must be wool, or it won't felt). Begin wrapping the yarn into a ball. When you get to the end of your scraps, just tie another piece on. Save your favorite yarn for the outside layer.

After it gets to be about baseball sized, add a layer of your pretty yarn.

You can make a design if you want, or just keep wrapping. I just made some stripes. We used a large yarn needle to thread the end of the yarn through the ball a few times so it won't unwind.

Lastly, taste test the pink balls to find out if they are cherry flavored (optional) :-)

Put each ball in a sock and run it through the wash once, then the dryer. The yarn will felt together. Every time you dry clothes in the dryer, throw a ball or two or more in. They last practically forever! They might make cute yet practical stocking stuffers for the person who has everything. I am excited to make more!

Dyeing shoes

2010-12-08T13:56:00.000-06:00

I have these lovely shoes from my SIL's wedding. I bought them in white from the bridal shop, and they dyed them Marine Blue for me to match my dress. Since I needed new shoes anyway, the plan was to have the shop dye them black for me after the wedding. Well, that was over 6 months ago, and now I need black shoes in 2 days, so I ended up doing it myself! Here's a mini-tutorial so you can too.

Here's the before:

Supplies:

Dyeable shoes (they are kind of satin-y)

Liquid RIT dye

rubbing alcohol

A sponge brush or paint brush

GLOVES!

First, a few notes on why I chose to paint them rather than soak them in dye:

Reason #1. I didn't want to dye the suede on the inside of the heel of the shoes. I'm afraid the dye will rub off onto my feet if they get sweaty. You can see in this pic, when the "professionals" dyed them blue, they got a few drops on the suede:

Reason #2. When experimenting like this (this was my first shoe dyeing attempt) it's best to try the least invasive meathod first. I figured if it didn't work, I could try soaking them in dye next. But it didn't come to that.

On to the dyeing!

Step 1: Mix your dye. I added 1/4 bottle black RIT dye (2 oz.), water (8-10 oz.), and rubbing alcohol (2 oz.) The rubbing alcohol helps it dry faster, so if you are pressed for time, add a little more alcohol and a little less water.

I ended up using the paint brush instead of the little sponge brush, because the sponge brush fell apart :-( I recommend the sponge, but the paint brush was ok too, just a tad messier.

PUT ON YOUR GLOVES! Or, go the rest of the day with dyed hands. Your choice. I made the wrong one :-)

Paint a layer on the shoes. Use a damp paper towel to wipe dye from the non-dyeable parts, like the soles, and on this pair most of the inside.

I let them dry for 30 minutes, then applied a second coat. Here's my assistant, hamming it up between coats.

There they are! As black as the bottle.

I think after they dry overnight, they will be good to go. To speed things up, I might put them near a fan.

Much faster than taking them to the bridal shop, and probably cheaper. The dye was only $4, and I have a lot of it left. This technique would be useful for dyeing shoes from a thrift shop. After all, that's where oddly colored bridesmaid shoes usually end up after they're worn once.

I'll be posting pictures soon of the dress that is going with these shoes after I finish altering it. It was a thrift shop find for $9, with the original price tag still on it ($110!). That surely justifies an afternoon of alterations!

Kid's clothes organizers

2010-11-26T11:49:00.015-06:00

I just organized the diasater that was Sprite's closet, and i have an idea to share with you! She has a lot of clothes to grow into, so I used shower curtain rings to make dividers, so it's obvious which clothes are which size without checking the tags. I wish I knew about this when she was a baby, because we had so many sizes of baby clothes just waiting to be worn!

It's easy- just get a package of clear shower curtain rings ($1 at Target). Cut a thin strip of paper as wide as the ring is and as long as the flat part is. Use a permanent pen or marker to write the size (I wrote horizonatally, but you could also write vertically).

Add a layer of Mod Podge to the ring, top with the paper (good size down) and press it firmly in place. Add a top layer of Mod Podge and let dry.

There you have it!

Rings: $1

Scrap paper: Free

Organization: Priceless

Giveaway!

2010-11-19T14:54:00.000-06:00

My yoga pants pattern has finally been released, and is available HERE, in my Etsy shop! To win a copy, visit my facebook page at www.facebook.com/anappleandatree by Sunday night!

When I hit 200 fans on the FB page, I am going to do a giveaway for a t-shirt dress. Invite your friends!

Kelly

Almond-poppyseed Tea Cookies

2010-11-18T16:29:00.001-06:00

I needed a tea cookie, something different from my usual almond biscotti, and found this recipe from Betty Crocker for Almond Poppyseed Cookies. They are beyond YUMMY. Here's the recipe, along with some insights of my own.

First, a little about poppy seeds.

There are many health benefits to poppy seeds. They are high in fiber, thiamin, magnesium, iron, and omega 3 fatty acids. Research is even being done on poppy seeds to find ways to treat cancer! Let's call it the wonder seed :-) As for testing positive on drug tests? In 1998, opimum drug tests were changed to avoid false positives, so now there is a significantly higher cut off to get positive results. This means you would have to eat a lot of poppy seeds to test positive. Your body processes it out after a couple days anyway, so no worries! On to the recipe:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1/2 cup butter
3 oz cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons almond extract

1 egg

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1 cup powdered sugar

3 to 4 teaspoons water

1.Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, poppy seeds, butter, cream cheese, 1 teaspoon of the almond extract and egg until soft dough forms.

2.Roll dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press balls into a plate of almonds to pick up a few and to slightly flatten the balls.

3.Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

4.Mix powdered sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon almond extract and enough water to give the glaze a nice spreading consistency. Spread glaze over warm cookies. Store tightly covered in a single layer at room temperature.

I found it best to wait at least 10 minutes before glazing, otherwise the glaze melts right off.

Now go make yourself a cup or tea to go with them :-)

Shaped crayons

2010-11-18T15:02:00.000-06:00

Another Christmas idea! These would make a great stocking stuffer!

Shaped crayons are very popular now! I have seen them all over the blogosphere, etsy, and local craft shows. Here's a quick tutorial if you want to make your own.

Supplies:

old crayons

a plastic chocolate mold

a couple soup cans

a small pot

I use Crayola brand crayons, since they are less waxy than some cheap brands. I save them from restaurants so they are free too!

I use an improvised double boiler the consists of soup cans in about an inch of water in a small pot.

Peeling the crayons goes a lot faster if you use a razor blade to cut down the length of the crayon. Don't worry if you cut right into the crayon. Just give them a slice and then hand them off to your little helpers to peel and break. They'll get a kick out of breaking crayons without getting in trouble :-)

Sort the pieces by color and add to the cans. You can swirl them a little as they melt, but the can will get HOT!

When they are melted, pour the wax into a chocolate mold. To do multiple colors in one crayon, let the first color set a little before adding the second, otherwise the colors will mix and make brown.

Let them cool until they pop right out! If your helpers are impatient, you can put them in the fridge or freezer for a couple minutes to speed things up.

We made ladybugs, butterflies, and one green frog. Easy peasy!

How to make a stick horse

2010-11-12T21:09:00.002-06:00

Christmas ideas Part 2! The stick horse!

Who doesn't love a stick horse? They are easy to make and will provide hours of imaginative play!

Time: 1-2 hours, depending on whether your toddler keeps stealing the horse from you while you are still working on it.

Supplies:

1 wooden dowel, approx 3 ft. long and 3/4 inch wide

yarn for hair

2 buttons for eyes

ribbon

A men's size sock

felt or brown fabric for ears

stuffing

Equipment:

A needle & thread

a large yarn needle

hot glue gun

sewing machine (optional)

Step 1: Dump all the buttons on the floor and stir with the dowel (optional, and best done by 2-year-olds).

Step 2: Sew the button eyes on. Reinforce with hot glue for safety and durability.

Step 3: Wrap one end of the dowel with a little stuffing and scrap fabric or felt, making a ball.

Step 4: Tie closed and reineforce with hot glue (this will be inside the head and does not need to be pretty)

Step 5: Cut out four ear pieces, approx. 4.5 inches long and shaped like a leaf. Sew two of the pieces together around the edge, leaving an opening at the bottom to turn right side out.

Step 6: Cut a tiny hole on the sock, and poke an ear through. Stick your hand inside the sock and grab the end of the ear. Hold it while you turn the sock inside out, and sew the ear to the sock. Don't worry if they're too floppy just yet.

Step 7: Stuff the head up until the ears, then insert the padded end of the dowel. Add more stuffing around the dowel as necessary, and secure with a ribbon and hot glue. Lift up the end of the sock and add a little hot glue on the inside (not pictured).

Step 8: Add a bridle by wrapping ribbon in a circle around the horse's face and attach with hot glue. Add reins by making a loop from one side of the face to the other. Hot glue along the length fo the reins, leaving a loop sticking out for a handle. Use a lot of glue, since this ribbon will get pulled on a lot during play.

Step 9: The mane! There are several different ways to do this. I'll show you two.

Option1: Thread a large needle with yarn, and loosely weave it in and out, leaving big loops on either side.

When you're out of yarn, cut the loops and tie one side to the other.

Option 2: Cut a whole bunch of yarn double the length you want the mane. Using a large needle, weave another piece of yarn in and out a few times down the center of the hairs. You don't have to do through every piece.

Carefully pick up this whole seection of hair and hot glue the center of it to on the horses head. To cover up the glue, tie a few strings from one side to the other side, here and there.

Trim the hair if necessay, and use a little hot glue along where the ears connect to the head to help them stand up better if necessary (not pictured).

Giddyup!

Whooooa!

Stick horses make great Christmas gifts, and they are quick, easy, and cheap to make. I cut about 6 inches off the end of the dowels to make them toddler sized. Sprite and her friend Munchkin definitely approve! Sprite's hair is even more shaggy than her horse's!

Handmade Christmas Gifts- Part 1

2010-11-09T19:01:00.000-06:00

I'd like to share some handmade Christmas gift ideas with you over the next 2 months as I make them for my own family and friends. Today's idea is pinecone fire starters.

I made some fire starters (the white ones) and some just fire scents (red & green). The firestarters have wicks, which slowly burn down to help start the fire. The fire scents are just wax covered pinecones with no wick, that are just thrown in an already lit fire for a nice smell. Read on!

Supplies:

Pinecones

Wax (I used paraffin wax, but any kind will do, including old candles)

candle scent (liquid or solid)

candle coloring (liquid or solid)

aluminum can and old pot

an old towel and old potholder

wicks, if making firestarters

twist-ties, if making fire scents

Before beginning, cover your work surface with an old towel. Dried wax is a pain to clean off your stove and countertops, trust me!

Next, make in improvised double boiler (so you don't get your good one all waxy). An aluminum can in an old thrift store pot is the way to go. Add about 2 inches of water. Chop up the wax and add to the can. If you want to work on more than one color or scent at a time, add more cans as needed.

As the wax is melting, add wicks or twisties to your pinecones.

For the firestarters, wrap a wick around the pinecone in a spiral as if you are putting lights on a Christmas tree, bottom to top, and make sure to leave a tail at the top (about 2 inches)

For the fire scents, just wrap a twist tie at the very top.

They should look something like this:

After your wax is melted, add some coloring and scent. There's no exact science to this, but I tend to make them more scented than candles. If you're using a solid color or scent, use a sharp knife or razor blade to cut some flakes off the brick and add them.

I did mullberry with the red, spice with the green, and winter berry with the white.

Stir until your colors and scents are dissolved (a chopstick works great). With a potholder, remove the HOT can from the water and let it set for a few minutes to thicken.

Give your pinceones a dunk, let them drip, and set them on aluminum foil on your towel to cool. As the wax cools, it will thicken significantly. If the wax cools enough to form a film on the top, that's ok. Just skim it off or stir it in and keep going. Cooler wax makes thicker layers, so you don't have to dunk it as many times. If you are not seeing a noticeble difference between dunks, wait a few more minutes and try again.

Sprite helped too. Just make sure your helpers know not to touch the can. It stays hot!

After you're happy with them, go ahead and cut the twist ties off as low as you can. For the firestarters with wicks, trim them to about 1/2 inch.

With the leftover wax, I made a candle by pouring it into an empty candle holder and adding a wick. After it cools completely, you will need to add a little more wax because it will shrink down in the center. (You can see a white firestarter cooling in the background. Somehow the white ones were camera shy).

Now they just need to be wrapped up all pretty!

Chocolate pumpkin cupcakes

2010-11-09T17:09:00.002-06:00

I have been on a pumpkin kick lately. So far this season, I've thrown it in pancakes, muffins, ravioli, and today, cupcakes.

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cupcake mix

1 can pumpkin

milk

Mix the pumpkin into the cake mix, adding milk as necessary to make it the usual cupcake consistancy. Bake at the temperature directed on the box, although for a few less minutes.

They are a nice fudgy texture and you can't even taste the pumpkin. I might try another batch with white cake mix and some cinnamon and pumpkin

Frost if desired, and if you can get them away from your two year old long enough to do so. A slightly healthier version of a yummy treat!

Thanks to my MIL, Karen, for this great idea!

1 big skirt = 2 little skirts

2010-11-08T10:16:00.000-06:00

I've had this skirt from Goodwill for while now. It's a size too small for me, but I love the ribbon and rick-rack on the bottom. I planned on altering it to fit me, but changed my mind and decided to make a couple of little skirts instead.

First, I cut the waistband off. The skirt was pleated, so once the pleats were free, there was a lot of fabric to work with.

Next I cut up the both side seams, on either side of each seam, to remove the zipper and other seam bulk.

Now there's 2 long pieces, one for each skirt. I folded one in half as seen below. The first skirt was going to be the smaller one, so I cut a little off the end so it wouldn't be overly fluffy. You can cut from the top too, to shorten the length. The length should be your desired length plus 1.25 inches for the waistband.

I sewed the side seam together (not pictured) and then began ironing for the waistband. I folded it down 1/4 inch and then 1 inch and ironed all the way around.

I sewed all the way around, leaving a space to insert the elastic. I used a safety pin to thread the elastic through, sewed the ends together, and sewing the opening shut.

Ta-da! That's one! Now you can make a matching one for a sister or friend!

Meet Sprite

2010-11-05T15:04:00.000-05:00

I've decided to jump on the bandwagon and give the little gal a nickname. From now on, she'll go by "Sprite."

This is the definition I like the best:

Sprite: "a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers"

There are several reasons for my doing this. First, it allows her to stay at least somewhat annonymous, so someone passing her on the street wouldn't know her name (I say this as if I have a million followers). Also, I have read on a couple craft blogs how someone used someone else's kid's pictures without permission. That's bad enough, but one blogger had her kid's picture stolen and the thief claimed on her facebook page that the girl was HER daughter! Now that's just creepy. Fortunately, the thief agreed to take the picture down. Well, now you know where this is coming from. Please try to reference her by "Sprite" from now on. I'll be deleted comments that reveal her name, so please don't be offended if that happens. I still would love to hear what you have to say!

Thanks so much!