Just Blenda

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Cork Board Calendar

Here's what you'll need:

A package of square cork boards (Joanne's Fabric)
cute fabric
accent ribbon
glue gun
paper and scissors

Cut out a 1 1/2 inch wide strip of fabric and hot glue it to the edge of the cork. Then glue the ribbon on the edge of the fabric to hide any sign of fraying.

Cut off the excess fabric and ribbon. Next, write or type the days of the week. I hand wrote mine on sketch book paper with a thin sharpie. Glue it on in a corner or the middle of the fabric strip.

I chose to put my fabric strip and day of the week at a different place on the cork for ever square, just to add some interest. Here's the finished product next to my shoe calender!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

It’s cold, rainy lazy day and this edible bracelet activity is great to keep the kids engaged and entertained indoors. Don’t have any twizzlers? You can make bracelets with fruit loops. We’ve even made bracelets out of jelly beans – if it’s edible and sweet it will keep the kiddos engaged.

All you need to make your own twizzler bracelets is some ribbon and a few packages of the candy. We dug into the last of our Halloween candy (gasp! Candy doesn’t have an expiration date does it???), the snack-sized packs are perfect.

I chopped them into segments. The kids got to practice self-control, fine motor skills, and pattern-making as they created their jewelry. Ironically, this post could alternately be titled, “how to get your kid to eat less candy.” I think it’s interesting how interacting with their food makes the kids enjoy it more, even if there is less of it to go around. These twizzlers made a total of 4 bracelets.

Playdough

2 c flour
1 c salt
4 tsp cream of tarter
2 c water
food coloring
1/4 c vegetable oil

Combine dry ingredients. Add food coloring (if desired) to water, Mix wet and dry inredients well

Cook over low heat in a non-stick pot until it becomes rubbery and playdough-like (Yes. You will just know when it is done.)

Cool and knead

*For Glittery Playdough, add glitter in near the end of your cooking step! It is definitely 4 year old approved playdough!*

Valentine Heart Ball

From: alittletipsy.com

I love candy so instead of just eating it, why not include it in my decor as well. I found a pack of these juju hearts for $1 at Smith's (Kroger) and knew they would be perfect for my heart ball. Ready for another super easy project?! Here we go...

Heart Ball

Supplies:
• Juju hearts (I got cherry because if they were cinnamon I would eat them all)
• Styrofoam ball (got it at the thrift store, about 3 inches)
• Pins
• White glue

1. Stick a pin half way in to the back of a heart, then insert the pin in the Styrofoam ball. **I would recommend dipping the pin in glue to make it hold better. I did not do this, but some of my hearts fell out when I was putting my display together. The glue will make them more secure.

2. I started with a clover leaf shape with all the heart points in and then alternated directions on the next row with the points in the spaces between the hearts.

3. Next, do a row with two with points up and one with bumps up. Line them up so the two with points up are on either side of a heart from the row above with the point down. The heart with the bumps up should align with the hearts from the row above with the bumps down.

4. Next row just alternates every other one again.

5. Turn the ball over and start steps 1-4 on the other side of the ball. You will have to get a little creative on that last row and just kind of put the hearts where they fit.

Now style that baby! It would be cute in a bowl with a couple of other balls.

I chose to use these treasures I found at D.I. I think it was a dollar for all of it. Spray it will a couple coats of magic...