Jazz up those Canisters!!

Last Christmas I got a Cricut....wahoo. A few days ago I purchased Sure Cuts A Lot software to use with my Cricut....double wahoo. After figuring it out and becoming familiar with it I'm thinking why didn't I buy this program sooner?? No need for more expensive cartridges. This program enables you to cut ANYTHING you want on your cricut using ALL the fonts on your computer and any shape you find on your computer. There are also tonnes of websites and blogs that you can download free shapes from. You must check out scrapping table to purchase your SCAL while it's on sale.  With that sale you get a bunch of free awesome shapes along with it.

Ok onto the project right???

So tonight I used my Cricut and SCAL software to jazz up my baking canisters. I used to have these boring old laminated ones I made years ago...

Pretty dorky right??

Well here are my new vinyl ones....a lot nicer I must say so myself.

Oh and can I just state that I'm not crazy putting the icing sugar wording on the chocolate chip canister. That is actually home to the icing sugar when I buy some more....as for the chocolate chips??? They go in my tummy!!!

Crayon Cozies

As some of you may recall I did a giveaway a few months back for a custom designed crayon cozy. The lady who won had two grandchildren...a boy and a girl. Instead of them having to fight over one crayon cozy I made each of them their own. The little boy chose Lightening McQueen and the little girl chose Hello Kitty.

For those of you who missed my crayon cozy tutorial click HERE.

My Craftin Lull is Over

As much as I love to craft...sometimes I just need a break. All my free time has been spent packing for camping, camping and cleaning up after camping. This week during a brief moment of silence I heard a little voice calling out to me....and lone and behold it was my sewing machine. There it sat in the corner of my room just begging to come out and play.  So I immediately got down to some serious crafting business.

I've been wanting to jump on the felt food frenzy train for a long time and now that Ashtyn is almost two I thought it would be a good time. I sewed up a brown "paper bag" and began filling it with some yummy goodies. Here is what I made so far....

A paper bag lunch complete with a ham and veggie pita, ripple chips and some cookies for dessert

Everything you need for a perfect smore...well except the fire

SUMMER IS HERE..LETS GET MESSY PART III

EASY  PEASY  FINGERPAINT

2 cups cold water

2 cups white flour

food colouring

Pour water into a large bowl. While stirring slowly add the flour. Once flour and water are mixed add into smaller bowls and add food colouring, now....


 .....PAINT

SUMMER IS HERE.....LETS GET MESSY Part II

DIY WATER TABLE

Don't have a fancy outdoor water table for your little one?? No worries. Make one yourself. It's really a no brainer but I thought I would share.

Take a plastic bin with enough play space for one or two children. Fill with water, fill with toys and listen to those shrieks of enjoyment. Clean up is a breeze, empty the water and store the toys inside the bin.

Get cReATiVe.....

* add a drop or two of food colouring to the water....green for swamp water, blue for the ocean. Plastic animals can be added to the "habitat"

* add some dish soap

*add different objects to test for sinking or floating like rocks and corks

*throw in some stuff from the kitchen like a sponge, funnel, turkey baster or strainer.

SUMMER IS HERE....LETS GET MESSY Part I

OoBLeCk ReCIPe

"Oobleck is a non-newtonian fluid. That is, it acts like a liquid when being poured, but like a solid when a force is acting on it. You can grab it and then it will ooze out of your hands. Make enough Oobleck and you can even walk on it"!

"Oobleck gets its name from the Dr. Seuss book Bartholomew and the Oobleck where a gooey green substance, Oobleck, fell from the sky and wreaked havoc in the kingdom".

MATERIALS

2 cups corn starch

1 cup water

a bowl

 food colouring (optional)

MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER IN A BOWL....THEN PLAY

This stuff is great cause it washes off easily with water and is non toxic for curious little tasters!!

WARNING: Adults will have fun playing in this too

GRADUATION CUPCAKES

This past week my husband graduated from University. While working full time and taking care of a family he managed to get his Bachelors degree. So to help celebrate I made him some graduation cupcakes. I thought I would share them with you in case you have a big graduation celebration now or in the future.

Here is what you need

* Licorice laces

* Mini reece or caramel cups

* Square chocolates or cookies. I used crispy crunch bars I found in the bulk section of my grocery store

* Mini M&Ms

1. Ice your cupcakes

2. Place a chocolate cup on top of the icing and then add a square chocolate on top of that securing it with a little dab of icing.

I used my cheese grater to smooth down the surface of the chocolate cup

3. Cut your licorice laces to size to make the tassles on the grad cap. Stick them on using a small amount of icing.

4. Finish them off by adding a mini M & M's on top of the "tassles"

And there you have it some cute graduation cupcakes. Now I won't get into what happened to my poor cupcakes on the way to my husbands graduation get together. Lets just say leave your cupcake pan on the floor or on someones lap and not on the back seat of the vehicle. Oops.

GIVE ME A BREAK

I don't know about you gals, but May is turning out to be one busy month for me and my family. With trips visiting family and friends, camping and 50th wedding anniversarys this mama is busy. I just wanted to say that my TIPS for TOTS posts will be back in June when things start to settle a bit for me. I'll still be popping by to post and to share some crafty stuff!!

Happy sPRing

MY FIRST GIVEAWAY

Hello to my lovely readers. I just wanted to take a minute out of my crazy busy week to tell you that I'm doing my first giveaway. It's exclusively for my FACEBOOK fans so if you want to get in on the action click here.  Im going to be giving away one of my crayon cozys to one lucky lady. It will be custom made in the colours you choose with your childs name on it as well. So if you would like to enter simply leave me a comment under my facebook post on my facebook page. You have until Sunday to do so. I'll pick the winner using a random generator tool online. Thanks girls and good luck!!

Digi Scrapbooking Made Easy

I had to share this gem of a website with you called

How Fast Time Flies 

It's a digital scrapbook site that is so darn easy to use you will be banging off amazing scrapbook pages in no time. They actually call it home of the 7 minute scrapbook page. I don't know about you ladies but it takes me a long time to complete one scrapbook page when doing it with paper. And by the time I develop my pics and start my page, I'm already bored and broke. This is just pick your template, drag and drop your pics and write a small journal entry if you please. Also if you join their facebook page they often have discount codes for up to 25% off your order.

Here are some pics from their gallery

Easy Framed Silhouettes

I've seen sillouettes made all over bloggy world so I decided to make two for myself. One of my little girl and one of my fur baby, Derby. They are super easy to make, they look awesome and would be a wonderful gift for Grandma for Mother's Day next month. Both of Ashtyn's Grandma's received a sillouette for Valentines Day and they loved them.

Here is what you will need

A side profile picture of your subject

A frame...I bought mine at the dollar store

A piece of black cardstock paper

A piece of scrapbook paper of your choice.

Glue or double sided tape

Scissors or scalpal

Here is What you Do

1. Take a side profile picture of you subject(s) and print it in black and white on your computer in the size to fit your frame.

2. Cut out your printed silhouette using scissors or a scapal. I myself preferred using my scissors since they gave me a more accurate cut.

3. Once your silhouette is cut out use it to cut out another one onto black cardstock. This will be your good piece.

4. Now that the hard part is done all you have to do now is adhere your silhouette to a piece of scrapbook paper cut down to your frame insert size.

5. And you're done. Don't forget to put the subjects age somewhere on the frame whether it be the front or the back is up to you. Here's how mine turned out.

TIPS FOR TOTS TUESDAY - Park Scavenger Hunt

Now that Spring is officially here, we're all looking for new and exciting ways to enjoy the outdoors with our children. Every year while teaching preschool I would take my class (accompanied with a parent) to our local park for a Scanvenger Hunt. It was free and fun and taught the children that there is more to a park then just the slides and swings. This activity is best done with children 3 and older, however, I've seen younger siblings on the field trips tag a long just fine.  

Here's What You Do

 Create a list of things to look for or activities to carry out at the park. Don't forget to include play time on the play equipment or else this activity will fail. Think of it like walking into a coffee shop only to smell the aroma but not being able to buy a yummy drink.

 Now your list will depend on the park you visit. The next time you visit the park look around for things you can add to your list.

Here are some examples we used on our fieldtrip. We stapled our list to a brown paper bag and gave a bag to each child. If you would prefer to leave the objects at the park then just scrap the bag and bring a list and crayon to mark your progress.

Find a smooth rock

Find a rough rock

Go down the red slide three times

Find a leaf bigger than your hand

Find 3 pinecones

Count all the swings in the park

Count the baby ducks

Find a twig on the ground, where do twigs come from?

Find a flower, what colour is the flower?

Look for a bug of any kind, what is that bug doing?

Not only does this activity teach a child that a park is a home to many animals and birds, it also promotes language and conversation between you and your child. Be sure to ask them questions and describe as much as they can understand as you go along.

Don't worry if you only get through half your list. This is meant to be fun and non stressful for you and your child. You can always finish your list another day. 

EXTRAS
* Bring along a camera and take pictures as you go. You and your child can then make a nature book together at home using the pictures from the park.

* Provide your child with a magnifying glass to take a closer look at their findings from the park at home.