L is for Lighthouse Craft

I got this craft idea from No Time for Flash Cards.

Get a blue piece of construction paper and let your child color some waves on there. On the NTFFC blog she had her son put on some stickers that were fish and ocean sea life creatures, but we don't have any of those, so we just have waves.

Cut out a lowercase "l" from a white sheet of paper. Have your child glue it onto the blue sheet. Cut out a red triangle for the roof, and a yellow light shape. Glue them on in the appropriate places. Voila! You have a fancy "l" lighthouse!

M is for Mountain Craft

 I got this craft from one of my favorite blogs - No Time For Flash Cards. It's really simple.

Get a piece of blue construction paper for the background. Get a green piece of construction paper and let your child scribble all over it. Cut out the letter "M" shape and glue it onto the blue piece of paper. Cut out two white clouds and two white snow caps and glue them on in the appropriate places. Voila!

M is for Mountain!

A is for Alien Craft

Hunter did a cute "A" craft today, making an alien. I got the idea from one of my favorite blogs. Here is the original post.

I let him pick out a piece of construction paper, and he colored all of it. Then I cut out an "A" shape. Then I cut out two big black eyes and glued them on near the top. Next, I let him pick out two pipe cleaners, and then I poked two small holes in the top of the "A" and looped the pipe cleaners through to make two silly antennae.

O is for Octopus Craft

Hunter did this really cute "O" craft today, creating an octopus. I got the idea from one of my favorite blogs, and changed it up just a bit. Here is the original post.

First, I got a piece of blue construction paper. I had Hunter color the entire sheet, and then I cut out the "O" shape. Then I cut out four strips of blue paper and four strips of green paper, and had him glue them on as tentacles. Lastly, he glued on two googly eyes, just for fun. Easy peasy!

Jesus' Baptism/Dove Craft

Today we were learning about Jesus' baptism in Bible, and the kids made this really cute dove craft, which of course is the Holy Spirit coming down from heaven at the baptism. It is really easy so I thought I would share it here.

Get each child a piece of construction paper. The craft suggested blue, but we have tons of black paper so that's what I used. Paint each child's hands with white paint and immediately help him press his hands, one at a time, to the construction paper. After the pictures have dried you can color in some eyes and a beak, or use yellow or orange construction paper to make a triangle beak. You can glue on feathers if you like as well. I also wrote the correlating Bible verse at the top of the page with a white colored pencil.

Relax Bottle/Time Out Timer

I saw this idea on My Crazy Blessed Life and I was excited to try it. The idea behind this is that sometimes our young children become dramatic and worked up (I think it's safe to say most of us have children with this issue!). Sometimes they can get so worked up that you cannot talk reasonably to them. In some of these situations the child needs to be in a "Time Out", not for punishment, but simply to calm down. That's what I liked about this idea. It's not a punishment, but it gives the child something to focus on and it helps their mind slow down.

The blogger suggests a tall, plastic water bottle. I just happened to have a free rebate for two Clear Choice waters which gave me the perfect bottles. She used a Smart water bottle.

She removed the label. I did not, due to the style of label on the bottle.

Next, she filled the bottle with 3/4 hot water, a bottle of glitter glue, and a tube of fine glitter. She then used super glue to glue the bottle lids on.

I got my glitter glue and fine glitter from the Dollar Tree, so this was a really cheap craft. Mine don't look as pretty as hers, but they serve their purpose. My kids love them and actually utilize them at other times than just when they are upset. I will find them by my daughter's bed at night, or they may bring them in the car on a long road trip. Isn't it crazy how much money we spend on toys for our children and then simple things like this entertain them so much?

Easy Handprint Fish

Okay, I'll admit it. You all know I'm a sucker for inexpensive, cute crafts I can do with the kids to keep them from getting bored or getting on each other's nerves!

I saw this craft a long time ago on Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and just now was able to try it out with the kids. It's a winner, and incredibly easy.

What you need:
Any color paints the kids pick out
Paint brushes
White paper
Black marker

To make the fish paint the bottom of the palm nearest the wrist in one color. This will be the face. Then, paint the remainder of the palm in another color. Finally, paint the fingers in alternating colors.

Or basically, do what you want with the paint.

Make the handprint and allow it to dry.

Once it has dried, add the eye and the mouth to make the face.

We also dipped our fingers in blue paint to make air bubbles.

The kids love to do things like this and they turned out so cute!

Homemade Silly Putty

From: Frugal Fun 4 Boys

I've been wanting to try this activity for about two years and my kids are finally at the perfect age for it! I grew up loving Silly Putty, did you? I put that stuff on everything to make cool designs. Well, it turns out you can make it in your kitchen!

What You'll Need:

• 1/2 tsp Borax
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2-3 oz school glue
• Food coloring (optional)

Dissolve the Borax in the warm water.

Mix together the borax/water mixture with the cornstarch and glue, and food coloring if desired. Mix it all together. It starts out pretty gooey but the longer you mix the more it will become putty-like.

I noticed mine was pretty moist and squishing out water so I added a bit extra cornstarch as I was kneading it, just like I would do when making bread. 

Also, the more playing the kids did, the more it became the consistency that I remembered as a kid. The food coloring didn't really add anything to it, so it's definitely optional.

We started out with the obvious choice to run over the putty - a tractor. The pictures aren't great but you get the idea.

 A pony pranced through Brianna's silly putty:

Now this is the consistency I remember growing up. Cool!

And this stuff is strong! Brianna strapped it onto a big truck and pulled the truck around with the putty.

If you want to save it and play with it again later, dip it in water and place it in an airtight container.

Thumbs up to this fun project! We'll be doing this again!

Party Favors

I have to get this post up FAST so that I can blog about Brianna's birthday extravaganza!!  I made these party favors a couple of weeks ago for her party. We really didn't need party favors, but what the heck!? The only kids coming were Brianna, Hunter, and Claire and Evan. (Actually, my nephew Kaleb came too but I am not counting him for this because he's not old enough to have candy!!) So when I saw this craft in one of my craft books I just had to try it.

Go ahead and get out some tissue paper. Go point your finger in your husband's face and tell him he should be glad you bought that Hanukkah tissue paper 75% off after holidays. He had no right to make fun of you for buying that.

Cut out a 12x12 square of tissue paper. Take a toilet paper roll and lay it in the center of the tissue paper.

Roll the toilet paper roll up tightly in the tissue paper, taping it.

Twist one end up and tape it to keep it closed. It the other end, fill the toilet paper roll with candy or small treats. Twist the other end closed and tape it. Wrap some curling ribbon around it to make it look cute and cover up that ugly tape.

Finished product!

It doesn't get any easier than that. Cheap and still so cute! It was very easy for the kids to do (from kids who are 1 1/2 years old to 3 years old) to just pull off one of the taped ends, and the candy fell out. I just put in things like chocolate kisses, gummy snacks, one toy, egg candy, etc. It was something so simple to do but I had a lot of fun watching the kids break open their treats and then have fun chowing down on the candy!!

Brianna's 3rd Birthday

Brianna's 3rd birthday party is only 11 days away, so that means I have been in full-swing party mode for the last couple of days! I need to blog about her party favors I made, which are so cute, and I have some other stuff up my sleeve to make her party a big (and frugal!) success! But tonight I finished something that I am so giddy about - I know she's going to love it!

Stephen and I got her a kitchen set. I am already giddy about that because we have wanted to get her a kitchen for such a long time. Then one day, Leila (Stephen's mom) found a kitchen at a preview event for a consignment where she lives. The price was just $35 but the kitchen looked to be worth way more than that! We okayed the purchase. Later she texted me to tell me she found the same kitchen set at a local secondhand store for $90!! It makes sounds, has a grill, the works. The only stuff it was missing was play food and the "accessories".

So today I went shopping with my grandmother's money to accessorize Brianna's kitchen! After all, what good is a kitchen if you don't have any cooking utensils? I went to Adams Thrift store in Pinebluff to get all these goodies. They know me there and they will treat you right!

Strainer + muffin tin + bread pan + measuring cups and spoons + timer + spatulas/spoons/pasta spoon + big measuring cup = $3.24! (Also I got her colored pencils and I got some Hot Wheels for Hunter, so that is also included in the $3.24 total)

Then I remember I had this pretty ribbon which I have never used and it's been sitting so lonely in my craft bag. So I got on my trusty search engine and within seconds I was here for a bow tutorial. And voila! The kitchen basket for Brianna was born!

It will be presented to her at her birthday party on the 21st by my grandparents. I think she will be thrilled and I think it looks so cute! I also tied together like items (like the measuring cups) with curling ribbon. Thank you local businesses!!

Frugal Valentine's Bash

I volunteered to run the Sweetheart Banquet at church this year, which is always the weekend after Valentine's Day. So you know what that means - I get to decorate at a very cheap price!! I know it's (WAY) after Valentine's Day now but maybe you can use some of these ideas next year.

Please note - I am not a decorator and I have zero craft abilities, so I'm not really sure why I volunteered to run this except the fact that I've never done it before and wanted to give someone else a chance to enjoy the party.

First things first - pink tablecloths are a must. Hello, Dollar Tree. I picked up six tablecloths for $1.00 each, and some rose petals and "table scatter" to decorate the tables with. My friend Lora decorated last year so she gave me the candle centerpieces and candles to borrow. Total spent so far - $8.68.

Off to Michaels, where Valentine's Day stuff is 70% off. I got two  huge felt lips to hang on the wall ($0.59 each), Valentine's candy corn  to scatter on the tables for people to snack on (3 bags at $0.59 each),  and pink card stock (just one piece) to see if I can come up with a  craft using the card stock. Spent $4.14, so total is now $12.82.

Decided  on a craft I can do with the card stock so I return to Michaels to get  16 more pieces (on clearance at $0.29 per sheet). Spent $4.95 so my  total is up to $17.77.

Off to Dollar General to find some candy jars. I'm putting candy in them  and having people guess how many pieces are in each jar. The jars are  $2.00 each so I spent $6.57, putting my total up to $24.34.

I went to Rite Aid to get the candy for the candy jars at 50% off. I got  sweethearts, and a bunch of chocolate. I spent $8.57, which makes my  total spent $32.91.

When I saw the pink card stock I loved at Michaels I started searching  the web for things to do with it. I eventually came across this clip art  at Martha Stewart's website. I printed out the clip art onto the card  stock and then wrote people's names on them. These will be the name  settings for the tables.

Then I searched on the internet for "people in love" images. I printed out my top 15ish that I loved. Then I colored clothes pins to say "kiss me" with a heart. I clipped them onto hemp string and hung them on Command hooks. Price of this was free (I used my own printer and string and clothes pins).

I used the big felt lips from Michaels to put above our couch at church and took a "sweetheart" picture of everyone who attended. I printed them out for each couple.

Stephen hung, my friend Kim straightened, and I modeled. Team work!

Voila!

Some people got a little nuts (i.e. Cindy who publicly attacked her hubby)

and some were silly ("This is how we sit on our couch at home!)

and some just looked good.  :)

Like I said, I know it's way late to be posting this, but hopefully some of these ideas will help you for next year! We did the whole party for less than $40 but it was still really cute and tasteful.