Supplies:

• 14 oz. Glue
• 1 Cup Hot Water
• Food Coloring
• Glitter
• 3 teaspoons Borax
• 2 Cups Hot Water

Directions:

• Put glue in a tub.
• Add in 1 cup of hot water.
• Add in your food coloring and glitter.
• Stir until smooth.

• In a separate container, dissolve 3 teaspoons of Borax in 2 cups of hot water.
• Slowly add the water into the glue mixture and stir together.
• It will goop together almost immediately.

• You may not need all the water, so pour slowly.
• Once it’s mostly gooped up, begin mixing with your hands. (This is the fun part!)

• We started with red and black food coloring, because that’s all I had, and it turned more into pink and purple, which was pretty perfect for Valentine’s Day.
• As you can see, the slime is a HUGE HIT.

My family loved making this slime recipe and I hope your family will too! Have fun getting messy!

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I decided to put together little back-to-school projects to do with my daughter to give us a chance to talk more about what she can expect in school and to touch up on some of the skills that she has previously learned. This fun pencil craft was one of them! It reviews the basic shapes, allows practice with scissors, includes a bit of handwriting, and requires following simple directions. Plus, it’s very similar to the name tags we saw taped on everyone’s desk. That’s actually what sold my daughter on this project! Let’s gather our supplies and get started!

Supplies:

• Yellow, brown, black, pink, and white construction paper
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Glue Stick
• Small Sheet of Aluminum Foil

Directions:

• Depending on your child’s skill level, either create shape templates to allow your little one to trace and then cut or draw the shapes yourself onto the construction paper and instruct your child to cut them out.

• You need a large rectangle from the yellow paper (the pencil itself), a small rectangle from the pink paper (the eraser), a brown triangle (the wooden pencil tip), an even smaller black triangle (the lead of the pencil), and a thin rectangle from the aluminum foil (the metal that holds the eraser).

• Using the white paper as a base, the shapes should then be glued down into the form of a pencil!
• Then, cut the excess white paper off.
• ***NOTE*** I folded the aluminum foil over into the shape we needed so it wasn’t flimsy.

• Ask your munchkin to write his or her name to finish it off!

You can even take it a step farther and laminate this to preserve a memory or milestone of whatever grade your child is entering. Don’t forget to write the date on the back! Here’s another idea…how about creating a larger version of this to give to the teacher as a back-to-school gift? I think it’d look pretty nifty hanging from the classroom door! What are you waiting for? Grab your supplies and start creating!

Good luck with the new school year and may it be an easy breezy, smooth sailing one for both children and adults alike.

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I used ramekins to hold the bubble solution. Mix a squirt of paint in each one and stir it up. You can always add more solution if you find it’s not “bubbly” enough.

Supplies:

• Tempera Paint
• Bubbles

Directions:

• Mix some paint with bubble solution in a small container.
• Carefully dip the bubble blower into the solution.
• Get close to the paper and blow until the bubble pops on the paper.
• Have fun & get creative with your masterpiece!

Notes:

• We practiced a little bit on the paper to get a feel for them. The bubbles are messy and drippy, but I think it adds to the painting. Why I let my kids talk me into using black, I’ll never know. You’ll see why in the photos.

• Since the paint weighs down the bubble solution, you can’t just blow bubbles and let them float down and pop on the canvas. We had to get pretty close to the surface and gently blow our bubbles.

• The boys really got into it. They made such funky designs!

• Our almost splatter-proof surface. It all comes out in the wash though and the memories are worth it!

• I turned my back on the 5 year old for a minute and he went crazy with the black bubble paint! He LOVES bubbles and the fact that he could paint with them made him really happy. That made me happy! Of course his painting took FOREVER to dry, since there was so much solution on it. He loves it though!

• As you can see, the bubbles pop everywhere! A couple wet wipes later and we were good to go.

Such a fun summer craft! I hope you try it out with your kiddos!

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So many things can go wrong, but once I got over that and accepted that they won’t be “perfect” and will probably come out different than I was envisioning in my head, I was on board to at least try!

Supplies:

• White Shoes
• Glass or Metal Bowl
• Fabric Dye
• Salt
• Hot Water
• Gloves
• Trash Bag (to protect your table)

Directions:

• Unlace your shoes.
• Run the shoes under cool water getting them completely wet, but not soaking wet. (This helps the fabric absorb the dye better.)
• Set the shoes to the side.
• To make your dye follow the directions on the back. Mine asked for only hot water and salt.
• I started with dipping the toe in and holding for a few mins, then slowly lowering it more creating an ombre effect.
• Keep dipping and holding until your satisfied with the color.
• Once done with the dye, run the shoes under cool water rinsing until the water runs clear.
• Hang your shoes up to dry.

Notes:

• This project only costs me $11 for the shoes and dye! Not bad at all!
• If they are brand new shoes and came with a plastic hanger, KEEP IT!
• Make sure your entire work area is covered and that you wear gloves!
• I chose to also do the back of the shoe, but you wouldn’t have to do that!

It was a hot and sunny day, so outside they went! After a few hours, they were completely dry, laced up, and ready to rock! I’m definitely glad I decided to make these. They are one of a kind and personal! They are also a wonderful POP of color in my summer wardrobe!

These were super fun to make and I get compliments for them all the time! The color possibilities are endless, so have fun and get creative if you decide to try this out!

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Supplies:

• Size H crochet hook
• Medium (4) yarn in any color or multiple colors
• Scissors
• Needle
• Button (optional)

Terms:

• Chain = the stitch used to increase the height for new rows or rounds
• HDC = Half Double Crochet
• SC = Single Crochet (most basic crochet stitch for designs)

Directions:

• Chain 30+1 (or however long you would like your pouch to be. I measured based on pens and pencils. The plus 1 is a chain for the upcoming half double crochet (HDC).
• HDC into the second stitch from the hook and all the way across. Chain 1, and continue in this pattern for 20 rows or you can switch colors to make a block type pattern
• After row 20, chain 1 and you are going to start to decrease. Decrease 1 at the beginning of the row, and decrease 1 stitch at the end of the row. So you will be decreasing 2 stitches on each row. I ended up with 14 stitches across on my final row.

• Once you are done with the piece, I folded the bottom (be sure you are on the wrong side of the work) up to meet the last full row of 30 stitches (so right before you started to decrease. You can use a stitch to marker to keep your place, or I just threaded my beginning tail into where I wanted them to join.
• I then took a different color and sewed the sides together using a needle. It is important you are sewing on the wrong side of the work because you are going to flip this inside out.
• Once I was done sewing, I then single crocheted around the top of the pouch in the same color that I sewed the sides with. You can then add a button of you choice to the middle of piece.
• Then, you are done!

This is great pouch that can be customized in so many ways! So, make sure to get your creative juices flowing and start crocheting today!

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Supplies:

• Small Water Guns
• Tempera Paint
• Canvas Panels

Directions:

• Water down the paint in a small bowl and mix well.
• Using a small funnel, slowly pour the paint mixture into your water gun.

• Head outside.
• Prop your canvas up on a tree or other allowed surface or lay them flat on the ground.
• Have the kiddos start shooting at the canvas to make their creations.

• Allow your creations to dry.
• Display them proudly.

Notes:

• I discovered using a frosting tip was the perfect size for a funnel to pour the mixture into each gun, since I did have the right size of funnel available.
• Some of the paint was a little thick so I would recommend adding more water if you run into any misfiring issues.
• You can put them in a frame or hang them without one. Awesome!
• The water guns were so cheap, I did not feel bad for throwing them away. There’s no way I have the patience to clean them all out!

Didn’t they turn out so cool? I was really impressed with their own color choices and styles. They had a blast squirting the canvas to create their own masterpieces, and with it being outside, clean up was a breeze! These bad boys do need to dry overnight before hanging them up. I just love how each of their personalities show through in their work! The kids REALLY got into it. It was so much fun! All in all, this was a complete success! Happy crafting, y’all!

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Keep your kids busy this summer by creating easy crafts using supplies that you probably already have at home. This DIY photo frame is so cute, and it will make the perfect decor for your kids’ playroom or bedroom. What’s even better is that this craft is so quick to make your kids can construct several frames to display their favorite photos.

Supplies:

• Craft Sticks
• Construction Paper 
• Colored pencils or crayons
• Glue
• Scissors

Directions:

• Start by cutting the Construction Paper  to make your design for the front of your photo frame. 
• Glue Craft Sticks together. Note: The number of Craft Sticks needed may vary depending on size.

• Assemble your stand and glue Craft Sticks together.

• Decorate the front of your stand with the construction paper shapes you cut out, and paste the shapes on the stand.
• Allow your photo frame to dry completely. Once dry you can tape a photo in place.

You can customize your photo frame with any design. You can create a bakery stand or a lemonade stand. You can even add stickers or beads for an extra fancy touch.

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This was my first piece – using that German newspaper that listed nearby cities that we often visited, restaurants that we enjoyed, fests that we attended, and other current events that we were a part of… It’s something I’ll cherish forever.

Once we relocated back to the United States, our next duty station was still a world away from “home.” We were living outside of Buffalo, NY and I decided that although it’s not an exotic country, I’d like to document our time spent there as well! So, the tradition has continued…now every state or country that we may be moved to, I will always collect a newspaper and create a canvas to capture these places in time.

I’m going to take you step by step on how this is done if you are interested in creating one of these for yourself! Especially for us military families, I think this is a neat way to show off all of the exciting places we have been!

Supplies:

• Newspaper
• Canvas
• Mod Podge®
• Thick paintbrush (or foam brush)
• Black acrylic paint and/or black permanent marker

Directions:

• I use a mix of pictures and articles.
• I look for different types and sizes of font for variety.
• I search for article titles that are meaningful to me.
• I look for names of cities that I have been to, school events from my children’s school district, and anything else that will ring a bell later as I look back on my artwork.
• You can cut things out from the newspaper but I prefer the look of the uneven edges from tearing it with my hands.

• Tear pieces out of your newspaper that are appealing to you.
• Place them around on your canvas until you are satisfied with the way it looks. Layer them, angle them, play with them!
• Use Mod Podge® just as you would glue to fasten these newspaper clippings to your canvas.
• Once you have glued everything down, flip the canvas over and use a flat edge (credit card, etc.) to push out any air bubbles.

• Cover the entire canvas with another layer of Mod Podge®.
  • It appears milky white as you lay it down but it will dry clear and create a protective layer to make your art work easy to wipe down and it helps preserve these memories for you for years to come!
  • Let this dry completely before the final step.

• For my German newspaper canvas above, I drew birds on a telephone pole. For my French and Czech Republic paper I painted birds flocking together on a huge tree. For this New York newspaper canvas I decided to make two love birds with some branches and leaves just framing them in.
• You can freehand or sketch any animals, plants, flowers, skylines, etc. to create your black silhouettes. Then, use paint or black markers to color in those images.

Notes:

• A bonus with the top coat of Mod Podge® that you applied is that it makes mistakes easy to wipe off – simply use a wet paper towel to smear off paint before it dries and try again.

I hope this inspires you to start collecting papers along your military journey. Then, get creative and see what you can create! Happy Crafting!

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I love doing fun activities with my kiddos and I love them even more when they’re easy and quick! This Walking Rainbow activity was the perfect distraction from being trapped inside on a dreary day! So, grab your favorite markers, and make the most perfect rainbow with us!

Supplies:

• Markers in all the colors of a rainbow!
• 2 Glasses
• Water
• Paper Towel

Directions:

1. Fold your Paper Towel in half. You can also cut it shorter to make the rainbow walk a little faster :).
2. Using the Markers, color red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple rectangles at the edge on both sides of the Paper Towel. Make sure to make them a little darker.
3. Dip each end of the colored Paper Towel in a glass of water.
4. Watch the rainbow walk!

My kids really got a kick out of this activity! It was simple enough that they could each do their own rainbow as well! I hope you have as much fun with this one as we did!

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Supplies:

• 4 Green Pompoms
• Glue Gun and Sticks
• Green Pipe Cleaner  

Directions:

• Glue 4 pompoms together to make a clover.
• Glue a small pipe cleaner stem at the bottom.

Display Options:

• Glue on a magnet for your fridge 
• Glue onto the popsicle stick to make a bookmark or plant marker (pictured above).
• Glue onto a headband or bobby pin.
• Glue onto a safety pin to wear on St. Patrick’s Day in case you forgot your green.
• Make a loop out of another piece of pipe cleaner and loop into your shoelaces.
• Make multiple clovers and glue them onto a plant pot

My crafts are meant to versatile. You can always use the main part of the craft and make the rest your own way. Happy Crafting!

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