Crafty?!

my son LOVES THE COMPUTER–crafts—not so much. this is his craft project from school today. He did pretty good for a subject he doesn’t like. boy…it sure is a good thing that he has a mom that loves to be craftsy!!! i love him so much! I think he did great!!!!!

Me and my daughter…

so my son started school this week, which has given me and my daughter time to hang out and do fun stuff. Here we are making faces at each other through daddy’s water glass. It was ton’s of fun.

Beauty Bath Bar

Beauty Bath Bar

1 bar of soap

acrylic paints

paint brushes

2 oz. canning wax

• Paint a design over one side of the bar of soap, using the acrylic paints and paint brushes.
• Meanwhile, in a double poiler over medium high heat, place canning wax.
• When wax is completely melted, use a disposable brush to paint a layer of clear wax over the painted design on the bar of soap.
• Set the bar of soap aside until the wax dries.
• The protective layer of was will allow the soap to be used while the painted desing remains on the bar!

Modeling Clay

Modeling Clay

1 cup baking soda

1/2 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup water

food coloring

• In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine baking soda and cornstarch.
• Mix well and add water.
• Continue to heat for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is the consistency of mashed potatoes.
• CONTINUE TO STIR–as mixture will thicken very quickly.
• Cover a flat surface (counter, kitchen table) with additional cornstarch.
• Spread mixture over cornstarch and knead by hand until mixture turns into a workable clay.
• Divide clay into several sections.
• Make a hole in the cneter of each seciton and add a few drops of food coloring to the hole in each section.
• If desired, use a different color for each section.
• Knead the sections by hand until the color has distributed throughout.
• YOU ARE NOW FREE TO HAVE FUN!
• Place any leftover clay in a ziplock bag and refrigerate.
• Use leftover clay within 3 days.

For a permanent sculpture, let the modeled clay air dry overnight.

Finger Paints #1

Finger Paints #1

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups water (as 1 cup then 3 cups)

food coloring

• Compine flour and 1 cup water into large saucepan. Stir in water until smooth.
• Add the remaining 3 cups water and place over medium heat.
• Bring the mixture to a sustained boil (can’t be stirred down) for 1 minute then remove from heat.
• Let cool.
• Pour into 3 or 4 separate cups (paper cups, plastic bowls, etc.) and add food coloring. These cups are just for mixing paint.
• Store the paint in a air-tight plastic bowl, cup, or large ziploc bag.
• Paint on wet or dry butcher paper or finger paint paper.

Sticker Glue

Sticker Glue

1/4 of a 3 oz. package of unflavored gelatin

1 Tbs. cold water

3 Tbs. boiling water

1/2 tsp. white peppermint extract

2 drops of boric acid solution

• Sprinkle gelatin in cold water to soften.
• Pour into boiling water, stirring until dissolved.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix very well.
• To use glue, brush thinly onto back of sticker design. When applying to paper, gently moisten.
• Store unused glue in a small jar or something with a lid.
• Warm in a pan to turn to a liquid again.

Funny Putty

Funny Putty

1/2 cup liquid starch

1/2 cup school glue

• Mix starch and glue together
• Store in either a Ziploc bag, a plastic Easter egg or an empty film canister.

Why do you blog? Are you still blogging for the same reasons?

Man, who would have thought that blogging was such hard work. Especially if you want to make a profession out of it. And especially especially if you want to try to make a living at it.

In the beginning, I was waking up early, staying up very, very late. It was all I did in my spare time. But now I realize that it is just as hard and time consuming as a real business is, maybe even more so. Not only do I have to network and the like on the internet, but I also have to do it in real life. Sometimes I feel like it has consumed my life. I actually dreamed about one of my blog socal groups I am. I woke up from that dream and it took me awhile to figure out why I was not at the computer. Does anyone else feel like that? Maybe it is the newbie blogger’s curse for it to become addicted because I have read several people who are just addicted and can’t pull themselves away. I did start blogging because due to being a stay at home mom, I don’t get to socialize much. Blogging was a way to get things off my chest and sort of meet people and to feel like I was a part of something bigger than my diapers and dishes. But then my hubby made a comment about getting the internet turned off and my reaction surprised me. I actually got mad at him. He was just kidding but I wasn’t. So I took that as a sign that maybe I need to get on a schedule and sit down and remember exactly why I wanted to make a profession out of blogging and computer work in general…

To Stay At Home With My Kids–even if they drive me nuts.

they are the reason i blog…

• i blog to share my kids with family and friends.
• i blog to meet other moms like me
• i blog to try to make some money for my family
• i blog to share my own life
• i blog to feel like i am part of something larger
• i blog because i want to feel as if i am being heard.

WHY DO YOU BLOG?

Have you checked your recalled toys lately?

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise–there is yet another large and long and big list of recalled toys. We watched the new on NBC and the story was basically–The list is too long to put on TV but check our website. So CLICK HERE to check the latest round of recalls.

p.s. it makes me so mad when i have to throw away my son’s favorite thomas the train stuff. sometimes i could just kick china in the teeth for not only making him cry when i throw his toys way, but more so for SUPPLYING TOYS THAT MAKES MY 4 CHILDREN SICK AND COULD KILL THEM!!!!!!!

anyhooo…check it out.

$4,000 Blog anniversary prize draw!

You thought it was mine, didn’t you. Sorry. But I found this contest and I just had to put my name in the hat, so to speak.

David Airey is celebrating his graphics design blogging anniversary by giving all of us some fantastic prizes. Anything and everything is in this contest.

• logo design
• cash
• hosting and blog set up
• podcasting kit
• blog reviews and design help
• skype consults
• art and literature
• online advertising
• forum memberships

I would love to win any one of those items. I just wish I would have heard about this sooner!