Old toy made new

I got this toy tool box for a dollar at the Salvation army.  It was unpainted with pen marks and falling apart.  So I fell in love with it.  I took it home and broke it apart.  My daughter (3yrs) helped me paint it.  I used a spray seal and better nails and put it back together.

And now they have this beautiful tool box to play with.

Marshmallows in winter!

I was asked to teach a song at a primary activity and the theme was pioneers.  So we sang The Pioneer Children Sang as they Walked.   As a reward I made these Marshmallow treats.  We couldn't make a fire so this was the closest to a roasted marshmallow I could do.

So after they learned the song they had to sing it around my homemade fire that I hid under a table at the other end of the room.  We turned the lights off and I had my husbands headlamp, with a red light, and a Halloween blinking light in it, so that it looked like a flickering flame.

And it worked out so great!  They sang and after they each got to have their treat.

If you want to try this out I found several sites.  Like Chica and Jo http://www.chicaandjo.com/2008/06/19/chocolate-covered-marshmallow-treats/. I took their instructions and found some quick melting chocolate in the walmart cake section instead of the Wilton chocolate and I used small skewers.  I used cups with covers and put it upside down to use as a cover for distribution.  You could also use bags.  The cups for me were cheaper and easier to use. I live in hot Hawaii and the chocolate melts too fast to neatly put in a bag.

Have Fun!

First year party decor

For my sons first year birthday party I had so much fun planning the decor!  I used my cricut to make the favors to the right of the photo and to make the train that went around the card box.  The sign in book was good old fashion computer work and a binding machine I bought for my mother a few years back.

I decorated Infamil cans and decorated them with trains (can you tell the theme was trains?) and stuffed it with lollipops on straws (for height) and toothpicks with tissue for color.  The party was at a beach and very windy, so I added windmills in the center (not too girly, but just cute enough) and it was a hit.

I had so many compliments and my mother in law put me in-charge of my brother in laws wedding decorations (but I first had to meet the wife and talk with her of course).

Of course I had to have a banner and a 12 month picture frame.  So I love my cricut, can you tell?  I made the banner with the cricut and placed it over the dessert table with the frame under.

Babies Bibs and Towel

I love when baby showers come around and first birthdays.  I like to make bibs and most of all hooded towels.

I also added a matching headband.  Here is one I made for a friend.  I like to make my hoods have a border around the inside.  But this pattern for the hood is easier and I got it from Break it Down Designs.

Button

I am working on a button for my blog. I found this really nice picture of rain on a window and added text to it.  I had to also compress the picture to fit a button size.  Let's see how well I can use my Computer Science skills.

More lei's

I love making these.  They are so easy and fun.  It is a simple straw lei.

These are my less expensive ones.

They only require one straw and half a ball of yarn.  I like to mix at least two colors.  The first one is red and yellow.  The second one in pink and silver.

But my most favorite ones are more expensive but beautiful.  They are more full and require the whole ball of yarn.  This one is crocheted.

And this last one is black and red and I had to use three straws I think.  I like them with the kukui nut at the ends.  Not sure if I like the ones that are decorated or just plane.  I tried out both.

They are popular in Hawaii and remind me of how the Hawaiian's made Feather lei's.  Takes me back to my ancestors.  Such intricate work.

Visiting Teaching Message

I love making things for the sisters I visit with my mother.  Here is the past month.  I made a stand up card with the Kona, Hawaii Temple on one side and...

a brief message on the other.  I folded it so that it would stand and our sisters could put it up in their home if they wished.

It was so fast and easy to make.  I glued the top shut and made sure they could each stand.