Chalkboard Chargers

I found some cheap, plastic chargers at my local discount store for $1 each.


1. This is the most important step. If you are using plastic chargers, spray them first with Primer made for Plastic!! I made the mistake the first time of using regular primer. That does not work with plastic! If you use primer for plastic -- your chalkboard paint will stick.





2. Spray your chargers with Chalkboard Spray Paint. You can find it at your local hardware store - like Home Depot.

3. Another must have -- Chalkboard Pens!!! How did I not know about these before?? They are incredible!!! I big puffy heart them. And they come in all sorts of wonderful colors!! I bought mine at Micheal's -- use a coupon from their website. And they also sell them through Amazon.

Once you get the chargers painted you can use them for all sorts of events during the year.

*Thanksgiving*

*Christmas*

*New Years*

 *Halloween*

Some other ideas:

Birthdays
Valentines
Fourth of July

Another chalkboard paint idea --

Make an Ornament Place Card

Paint a rectangle on an ornament with chalkboard paint.

These can be used over and over!

Valentine Frames

From: http://www.tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/

Items You will Need:

Dollar Store Frames

E6000 Glue

Bag of marble accent marbles

Scrapbook paper

And the great thing is that you can take out the Valentine XOXO and store them, and then use the Dollar Tree frames again for a different project.

I also used a large black frame that I had and made a large heart for my mantle.

I was going to decoupage the frame, but discovered that I only have the shiny Mod Podge, so I will do that later.

I love that it is a very inexpensive project. I used frames I already had, plus one bag of floral marbles ($1.50), scrapbbook paper I already had and E6000.

This is what I did:

Took the pictures out of my Dollar Tree frames and traced the outline on my scrapbook paper.

Found a cup that was the right size for the O's and traced around it on two of the papers. Found the center on the other two papers and used a ruler to make an X.




Then I put a followed the outline on the X's and O's with a line of E6000 craft glue. I then put a line of marbles on the glue. Then I made another line on each of the X's and O's and put another line of marbles. And let them sit overnight to dry.

For the large heart, I cut out the scrapbook paper to fit inside the heart. Then I cut out another sheet of paper the same size using leftover paper (you will not keep this part so you could use plain copy paper). I folded that extra paper in half and then cut out a heart that was a little smaller than the paper. Then I traced that heart on the paper that goes inside the frame -- using pencil. After that I put a bunch of the E6000 inside the heart outline and then filled it in with marbles. And I let it sit overnight to dry.

The next day I put the paper inside of the frames. The glass that comes with the frames I put behind the paper with the marbles on it. This way I won't lose the glass if I want to use it again with the frame for another project.

I like the size of the glass marbles and the way they sparkle in the sun!

Valentine Project: Playing Card Coupon Booklets

From: http://www.tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/

This year I'm giving my little family Valentine Coupon books made out of a deck of playing cards.

I bought the playing cards at the grocery store. They were a double pack of cards for $1.99. Then I made the coupons. If you would like to use them, they are HERE. You can customize them and put whatever you want on your coupons.

I thought of each member of my family and what they would think is fun. Some of the coupons I made up were:

Kids:

• Lunch with Mom
• Movie and Popcorn
• Bowling with a Friend
• 1 Hour Computer Time
• Trip to the Ice Cream Shop
• Manicure
• Pedicure
• Mom will do your Chores for 1 Day
• Dad will do your Chore for 1 Day
• Trip to the Aquarium
• Breakfast in Bed
• Video Game Rental
• Video Night
• 1 Hour TV Time
• Trip to the Mall and a Pair of Earrings
• Shoe Shopping

Some for my Husband were:

• Back Rub
• Dessert of Your Choice
• Candlelit Dinner for Two
• Breakfast in Bed
• Night without Kids
• Foot Massage
• and a few unmentionables :)

First I printed off the coupons, trimmed them and attached them to the cards.

Then I punched a hole in the cards.

Then I took some big jewelry links and threaded the chain through the hole in the card.

Then I cut ten 5-inch lengths of ribbon and tied them on each of the round rings {found in the jewelry section of Micheal's}.



I then attached the round rings to the smaller jewelry links by opening up the links and then closing them when they were attached. If you can't find large round rings, you could use keychain rings (also found in the jewelry section).

The last thing I did was hot glue a vintage button on the top of each coupon book. And then cut the prongs off a fabric scrapbook brad and hot glued it on top of the button!

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!

Twizzler Candy Bracelet

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...

and BAM!! Two little love birds and a little romance for your shelf.