Upcycle: Laundry Detergent Shakers

We have no sink in our laundry room which means I have to hand wash clothes in the bathroom. I'm always dragging the giant laundry detergent container into the bathroom. Anyone else do this? I know there are worse inconveniences but it just seems silly to do this all the time. So, I converted one of my empty spice jars into a laundry detergent shaker. Now when I need to hand wash something, it's right there waiting for me to use. I just sprinkle a little detergent in the water and start washing. Problem solved with a little craftiness.

1. Clean out spice jar. Remove label with soap and water.

2. Choose a coordinating paper that matches lid. Cut paper to fit jar. Glue on. Let dry

3. Add a self-adhesive white mailing label. Done.

Get shaking!

Kid Craft: Quarter Rubbings

All school year my son's class has been learning how to count money. Besides learning the value of the coins, they also need to be familiar with all quarters for STAR test purposes. So, I came up with this idea of quarter rubbings. Many of the kids don't have quarter book collections or even access to money. This project allows kids to see the coins, interact with them, and keep a record of all the different quarters available.

Below you'll find five templates for the quarter rubbings. I also share some tips on how to get the best results.

Click on a template to enlarge image, right click, copy, save, print in landscape. You might need to adjust the scale of the image. All templates are designed to fit a 11" x 8 1/2" paper.

Place quarter under paper. If the child has trouble holding it down, try using a removable glue dot to hold in place. Using a colored pencil (works better than crayon) color over the quarter in a circular motion making sure not to press too hard. Soon the quarter's image will appear like magic!

Craft Book Review: Beasties

Beasties by Diana Schoenbrun

I was recently sent of the book Beasties by Diana Schoenbrun. Diana is a stuffed animal artist and children's book illustrator. You can find more of her work on her site, Diana Schoenbrun.

Beasties is a book compiled with 22 softie monster patterns. But they're not just any monsters, they're legendary mystical monsters from around the world. Some of the creatures include, Adaro from the Solomon Islands, Ccoa from Peru, and Chonchon from Chile. You'll also find a chapter dedicated to sewing basics which includes sewing terminology and illustrations for sewing stitches. All the patterns are rated easy, medium and advanced. However, I would recommend this book to intermediate sewers simply because the directions are in written form opposed to photos/illustrations.

What I like about this book is that the softies can appeal to all ages, boy and girl. When my seven year old son saw the cover his exact word was, "cool!".

Some Beasties you will find in the book.

My personal favorite beastie, Baku, the Japanese monster that consumes your nightmares so you don't remember them.

Upcycle: Valentine Heart Pouches

Want to take a guess at what these heart pouches are made of? Here's a clue, usually someone sends them to you. Still not sure what they are? Here's the answer . . .

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envelopes!

These hearts are very easy and addicting to make. I've got a whole bunch of them lying around the house just waiting to be decorated. All you need is an envelope and a pair of scissors to get started. Directions below.

Cut the corner off the bottom of an envelope.

Cut out heart shape as pictured above.

Done! You now have an heart pouch to fill with love notes, candy, etc.

Decorate them anyway you want. You can even seal the top edges with a little glue to make a packet.

Craft: Origami Heart Valentines

As promised, here's one of the valentine projects I've been working on. It's a really simple craft, just a lollipop covered with an origami heart. I could picture the hearts set up on a dessert table, Amy Atlas style. Or, use them as a unique valentine for kids.

Supplies
Origami paper - I used 6" x 6" washi paper that I stamped with hearts
Lollipops - any kind that are small - I used dum dums
Hole punch
Double stick tape

Fold heart with directions above. Click on image for a larger view.

On the back side of the heart, lift the flap up. Punch a hole in the bottom of the corner pocket. Make sure the hole doesn't show through the front.

Add the lollipop. Close flap back down and tape closed. Done! Both pictures are the back side of the valentine.

Optional - write messages on the back of hearts before adding lollipops.