Car Trash Cans

Car Trash Can

So my cars always seem to collect trash and then it seems to multiple overnight!

I decided to take action and keep a trash can in the car. That way I didn't put stuff down and forget in the craziness of getting the kids out to pick it back up.

Items Needed: 
- Empty Cleaning Wipes Container
-Scraps of Fabric
-Mod Podge
-Sharp Cutting Tool

First you will need to take the label off your container and clean it inside and out.

Next measure your fabric.
(I like to just lay my container on the fabric and measure from there. Also remember to leave an overlap)

  Use the Mod Podge on the area of the container that had the label stuck to it. From there apply about Mod Podge on about two inches and apply fabric ... Continue till you return to where you started. 
(I like to put extra Mod Podge on the overlapped piece so that it stays a bit better.)

I wanted to make my cans look a bit fancy so I added a strip of a different color fabric to the bottom rim. 
(This can also help hide any unevenness.) 

  With the lid you may (depending on brand and size) need to cut the wipe holding piece out.
(I used a razor tool.)

  Lastly add a grocery bag and tie the handles around the can to keep them out of the way.
(I like to have an extra folded in the bottom of the can just in case) 
 Also here are a few ideas if you want to hang it on a sticky hook so that it doesn't roll away!

Happy Crafting,
Jenna

Valentines Fun!

Valentines Fun!

 If you haven't noticed I love holidays and giving the kiddos a reason to celebrate for a day. I try not to go to o overboard, but a few crafts here and there are fun and give us something to do.

Tip: -Try to plan ahead for the next year by shopping the post holiday clearance.

- Hit up your local dollar store for deals. (I got all the valentines and tissue paper we used there)

- Think of ways to use what you already have around the house.

- Also I cant tell you how much I love the dollar stores for crafting!

 Valentine Place Mats...

Needed: - Valentines

-Tissue Paper

-Glitter  (optional and adult only)

-Contact Paper

-Stickers

1: Cut your contact paper to the size you want (you will need two per place mat)

2: Take backing off one of your contact papers and decorate!

3: Adults this is where it gets tricky ... take the backing partly off the second sheet of contact paper and line it up with the decorated sheet. Then carefully press the two together while trying to minimize bubbles and wrinkles. THIS IS A ONE SHOT DEAL .... I know sorry! But it is a kids craft and does not have to be perfect, plus you can trim the edges after.

4: Place on your table and feel the LOVE!

*When doing it for a highchair try you only need one sheet and will need to decorate it in the reverse!

We also love your little traditions like heart shaped pink pancakes and pink milk. Last year I used extras from our place mats to make a little garland that I would not mind if it got destroyed. We also hang up hearts  on the walls and cupboards and window stickers all around the house.

Inexpensive Party Favors

Inexpensive "Dory Themed" Party Favors

I didn't want our guests to leave empty handed especially when they were all far to sweet and brought E wonderful gifts! I knew that we couldn't spend a lot and so I shopped around at 5 different stores before I hit the Jackpot at the "Dollar Store".

Yes that is right I got this stuff at the "Dollar Store"!!!

I did have some stuff at home like the bags and the ribbon.

After calculating it out  each favor came to about 65 cents... yep that is right!

 

Baby Puff Bowling Set

Baby Puff Bowling Set

I really wanted to get the kiddos a bowling set because Drew and I love going bowling for date nights. After looking at sets to buy and searching Pinterest, I decided that I already had everything that I needed to make my own set and spend no extra money! Which is always good right... I mean who doesn't love saving money but still getting what you want. 

Things Needed:

-10 Puff Containers (doesn't matter the brand, I wanted to match) 

-Some craft paint or even colored tape (make it personal)

- A ball heavy enough to knock down the pins

- Rice        - Hot Glue

- Fun Stickers and decorations (E decided she wanted "real" pins)

 

Pin the Dory in the Coffee Pot

Pin the "Dory" in the Coffee Pot

In the movie with the help of Hank the Septipus Dory finds her way around in a Coffee Pot, a SippyCup and a Barrel of Fish for Destiny. I decided for E's birthday party to put a spin on the classic "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" and make it "Pin the Dory in the Coffee Pot".

I got some "Finding Dory" wrapping paper on sale after Christmas. I used this to cut out the Dory pictures and used them as my Dory to pin. (I didn't have to find a color picture and make a bunch which was awesome) However I used one of E's color pictures of Hank.(I of course used my copier to enlarge him a bit)I also wanted to be able to play this again with E because she loved it so much so I covered all the parts in contact paper.

 

 All the Kiddos love it and the parents thought that it was very cute! I hope y'all love it too!

-Jenna

Grocery/Trash Bag Folding

How to Fold a Grocery/Trash Bag!

I use this all the time, literally! I use old grocery bags for poop diapers (stink reducer), bathroom and bedroom trash cans and even in my Car Trash Cans (will be a later post). After looking at about a dozen or so tutorials I tried them and combined a few and this is what I use now. I hope you like it!

Dry Erase Color Pages

Color Pages for Dry Erase

I made this set for E to color while in church or waiting in doctors offices with M. 

What you need:

- 5-7 print outs of free coloring pages you find online or ones that you have already

 (scan and shrink them)

- Laminater or access to one and laminating sheets

(with the 5-7 prints I did two in one sheet)

- Scissors

- Dry Erase (marker, pencil, or crayons)

- Small piece of felt or flannel (an eraser)

Disclaimer: I did not draw any of these and do not own the rights to the color pages. I either printed them from free online cites or already had them and used my scanner to shrink or enlarge them to the size I wanted.

Building a Gingerbread House & Train Tips

 
Making a gingerbread anything is not the easiest task in the world, but doing it with a three year old is a new experience all its own! Here are some tips and pictures from my first experience building gingerbread structures with little ones. Just a heads up we used sets from the store because I am not a good enough cook!... Maybe next year.

Tips:

- Try to put most of the pieces together before you let the little ones in on it.(ours kept falling down when E tried to help and it wasn't done drying yet) Or get an already constructed one!(yes they make those now!)

- If you really want one that looks good for others to see you probably want to get more than one. 

- I got some extra colored gel which E loved and we used on the train. It helped add color without having to stick more stuff on it. (our kit came with some but we needed extra)

- Powdered Sugar works amazing as a light sugar dusting through a sifter. (I didn't use it this year because I didn't want E to get it all over, but I have used it in the past.)

- I like to put mine on a piece of cardboard covered in tinfoil.(It looks nice!)

- Be prepared to have kiddos on a sugar high!

- If you do not plan on eating the cookies you can also use glue instead of icing. It tends to dry faster and hold stronger.

- Allow the kids to have fun! Even if it looks crazy and all the decorations are on one side of the structure it will still be amazing!

Pictures:

My mom and E decorating the ginger-trees

The Beautiful Trees E and Grandma made!

 

Our ginger-train coming together

Finally a finished Train!

Disclaimer: Tips are not guaranteed as this is just from my personal experience. I did use store bought kits as I am not a good cook.

Colored Beans

Hey Y'all 

Okay so for my first Craft I am going to show you how I made these awesome Colored Beans for my kiddos to use as a sorting and mixing game!

I hope you enjoy this and your kiddos have fun learning colors and sorting!