For the Kids: Colored pasta!

Pasta Dye
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
Food coloring

1- Mix alcohol and food coloring in bowl.
2- Add small amounts of any type of pasta to liquid and gently stir.
3- Dry on newspapers covered with wax paper.


Colored pasta is a toddler favorite in the K house.

Spoons and bowls- they love it!


*I also dyed some ziti for St. Patrick's Day necklaces we'll be making.



My next set of noodles to color: Wagon wheels!!

Happy Wednesday!

Christmas Inspiration: Antlers?

Seems I'm always being inspired.

Recently, Pottery Barn inspired me with their Frosted Branches.

I knew I had to whip me up some of these!

So, I went and bought some white glitter:


Mil brought me some branches:


and an hour later...

Frosted Branches:
They look so glittery gorgeous up close!



Then I put them in my vase...




... frosted antlers anyone?




I guess you win some and you lose some. lol.

Now, I just have to find some vase replacements. The blossom branches that I had in the vase just don't look right among the Christmas decor. And, the frosty antlers aren't cutting it.

I need to find some more inspiration...

'Cause if you know me, I can't let a vase sit empty.



PS- I'm open for suggestions, bloggy friends. =)

Paper Ornaments

Over here in my neck of the woods, I've been buzzing around like a busy lil' bee.

Tis' the Christmas season and I love it!

We started the first day of the Christmas Advent last night with some chocolate sweets, {Can ya believe it's December already?!}
and I'm still tweaking my Christmas decor.

And since I'm still tweaking, I'm still making stuff. lol.

Over the weekend, I decided to make some paper Christmas ornaments.

I thought the kids {my nephew and Haley} would like it.

Nephew's response when asked was- 'ugh. Crafts? Why do you always like to do crafts, Auntie?!'.

Umm. Okay. guess you're sitting this one out. ;P

Haley decided since Hunter wasn't making any, that she needed to keep him company. {What she really meant was she was too wrapped up in Sims 2}. Yeah, I get it- I'm on my own with this one.


Here's my ornamentals. =)













I <3 paper ornaments!

-Jen

My take on the Christmas Advent Calendar

A Christmas Advent Basket!
We {Haley & I} finished it this weekend and I'm so happy with the way it turned out. =)


Thanks, Martha for the template!


Haley decorated them with trim!


8 days of gifts.
8 days of family activities.
8 days of treats.


All ready for December 1st!


Anyone else gearing up for Christmas? {happy}

Weekend Wrap-up!

Don't you just love fall weekends?

We had an early 'Trick-or Treat' test run up at my in-law's campground. They wrap up their camping season with a Halloween bash that includes a zillion kids trick-or-treating. Haley and her bff walked with us for a few minutes, then I let them off of the hook and they went on their merry way trying to get as much candy as possible in the hour allotted.

On this Trick-or-treat test run, we learned a few things about Nicholas...

a) He's not quite there yet with, 'Trick-or-treat!' He rather seemed bothered a bit with it. {{his mommy was proud that he didn't seem bothered at all to say Thank-you, though}}

b) Acquiring tons of candy is not high on his 2 year-old list of priorities, he was much too busy concentrating on what kind of candy was being put into his bag. {{ see pics below}}

What did that lady put in my bag?

I think I can reach it.

Yep, just as I suspected, a chocolate pumpkin.

He did this after every stop. He just had to see in his bag, so he didn't get much candy, but his big sister has enough to share.

My weekend craftiness:

Recently, I came across a fab DIY art tutorial via Tip Junkie. I knew I had to make it for my home.

It seems this creative blogger and I have the same weird fetish of always having to change things/redecorate our homes. I don't feel so alone, now.

Here's her mega cute idea: DIY Monogrammed Art

My supplies:

After a few minutes putting it all together:


Isn't it adorable?
I LOVE IT!!

Thanks so much for sharing your creativeness, Steph!

Happy Monday!
-Jen

Art day in the K house...

Three days a week I watch my niece, Angelina (27 months).

On those 3 days she's here, I follow (loosely) a two-year old preparatory curriculum (weekly themes w/songs, rhymes, stories and crafts- you know, fun stuff).

Along with our weekly theme, this month we added in the autumn theme, so I'm having the little ones do as many cute fall crafts as we can.

Today, I wanted to try letting the kids stamp with real apples. I've seen it done and it's pretty cute.

This morning, I gather the supplies and take the kids outside to the patio table. It's pretty warm here, as fall temps came for a week and left.

**I'd like to take a split-second to thank hubby for the generous donation of two of his t-shirts, that he's completely unaware of, and without, there would have been no craft with paint today. The kids thank you, hon.**

I take a moment to show them what we'll be doing- they seem excited.



Uh-oh, the fingerpaint isn't working so well.


It's thick and goopy.


We continue on...

Nicholas (Wick-o-was as Angelina calls him) stamping.


Hmmm...
Not so sure this stuff is going to dry...


Let's just fingerpaint!


So much fun!



Angelina (or as Nicholas callers her, Wee-na) going hog wild.


Now this was some Friday fun!

Okay, what's next on the agenda...


TGIF!!
-Jen