Tip-sy Tuesday: sparkler and fireworks safety

These tips came from ADT and I'm passing them along:

Fireworks cause over 19,000 fires every year. Take the proper precautions when operating fireworks.

• Never disassemble or try to make your own fireworks.
• Don't point sparklers, or fireworks at yourself or others, especially when lighting them.
• Only light fireworks on the ground and in areas that are dry and fire-resistant.
• Don't attempt to ignite fireworks at the same time.
• Never allow young children to handle fireworks or sparklers to prevent firework-related injuries.
• Always keep a portable fire extinguisher close by. Also, keep a water hose or buckets of water nearby to put out fires.
• If fireworks malfunction, don't relight them! Douse and soak malfunctioning fireworks with water then throw them away.
• Resist the urge to bring your dog to a fireworks display. The safest place for them is at home where it's familiar, quiet and not crowded.

Never allow young children to handle fireworks or sparklers to prevent firework-related injuries. Sparklers are hot enough to cause severe burns if mishandled.

• Instead of sparklers for your children, consider these alternatives:
  • Glow sticks
  • A confetti canon or poppers
  • Colorful streamers
  • Silly string
  • A light-up laser show or digital fireworks projection

• Always keep a portable fire extinguisher nearby close by. Also, keep a water hose or buckets of water nearby to put out fires.
• If fireworks malfunction, don't relight them!
• Douse and soak malfunctioning fireworks with water, then throw them away.

Info found here 

7.1.24: rhubarb banana bread 

7.1.23: words

7.1.22: salt and pepper shrimp 

7.1.21: baked salmon with crab topping

7.1.20: molasses sugar cookies

7.1.19: mosaic stepping stone

7.1.18: caprese salad with blueberries

7.1.17: beaded flag pin

7.1.16: patriotic donut pops

 

Star Plates (re-run)

It's still going to be a crazy busy week so I'll do a few more repeats for Fourth of July ideas. 

Here's one for painting star plates from 2022:

Brooke and I used to go to the 'paint your own pottery' place all the time, one visit we made these fun star shaped plates and since there's a little technique involved I thought I'd share how we made them.

They both use similar techniques to make the pattern so clean (cuz there's no way either one of are free- handing stripes or stars this perfect haha!!). In both of these examples you start with a couple coats of white paint all over the plate, let it dry completely before decorating. 

To make the stripes: simply put tape over the area you want to stay white and paint in between with the color of your choice. Brooke went with yellow stripes, I went with a flag theme and painted my stripes red. If you want the stripes to be more solid add a second coat of paint. Let dry and peel off the tape.

For the stars (or whatever shape you want) cut or punch out the shape from paper in the size you want. B went with large stars and I went for small. Lightly dampen the paper shapes and stick in place. For the pink and yellow plate Brooke left tape over the last white stripe towards the middle and painted one coat of pink over the paper stars (make sure the paper stays stuck down or else the pink will bleed underneath. For my flag plate I put tape over the stripes to keep the blue paint from covering any of the stripes and keeping a nice sharpe line, then fill in that area with blue paint (the navy paint had the texture in it already, I didn't add it). Once the paint has dried very carefully pick the paper stars off using a pin or sharp pointy object. When you remove the paper you'll reveal the crisp white star shape. 

Finish according to the instructions at the pottery place - don't forget to sign your piece! 

6.30.24: 🔥 week 26

6.30.23: msti: oven s'mores

6.30.22: patriotic gnome

6.30.21: hermits

6.30.20: tip-sy tuesday: tension rods

6.30.19: 🔥week 26

6.30.18: strawberry collins
6.30.17: make a flag luminary

6.30.16: make a red white and blue headband

 

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 26)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

6/22: 🔥 week 25

6/23: brownies for the 4th

6/24: button flags

6/25: tomato, mozzarella, blueberry salad

6/26: flag luminary 

6/27: paper fireworks

6/28: words (freedom rings)

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

6.29.24: words  (older woman)

6.29.23: french fries by Macey

6.29.22: quinoa and sweet potato bowl

6.29.21: sewing tip

6.29.20: RV living (privacy curtain)

6.29.19: 3D paper stars

6.29.18: Lisa's button flag art

6.29.17: make a red, white, and blue windsock

6.29.16: patriotic potato salad

   

6/28 ~ Words

 

6.28.24: flag door hanger re-run

6.28.23: balsamic roasted baby peppers

6.28.22: S'mOreos

6.28.21: another mask pattern

6.28.20: 🔥week 26

6.28.19: flag door hanger

6.28.18: painted mason jar with paper pinwheels

6.28.17: healthy berry trifle

6.28.16: travel - Goodwood

Paper Fireworks re-run

This is a repeat from 2017:

I'm working on making things for Ronda's seasonal display table (click here  for Halloween and here for Fall), we're doing a "beachy" summer theme and I'll show you all the fun things I've been making for her in the next few posts. While making some pretty paper flowers I thought how much they looked like fireworks if I used red, white, and blue paper - they'll be perfect for Fourth of July decorations.

Starting with a 3.5"x8.5" strip of cardstock, fringe one long edge with fringing scissors (or just make thin cuts the entire length with sharp scissors). Tightly roll up the strip, run some glue (I used a glue stick) along the last one inch of end so it'll stay coiled up. Pull the fringe down, slightly curving it with your fingers as you go so it pulls apart and looks like a paper pompom. Add a drop of glue to the underside of the coil then insert a wooden skewer. Done. I did the flowers a little differently and will share that later (click here to see the spider mum post). 

6.27.24: rhubarb quick bread 

6.27.23: TT cleaning shower doors

6.27.22: photo keychain gift by Jenny

6.27.21: 🔥 week 26

6.27.20: garden squirrel

6.27.19: MSIH: chicken and wild rice casserole

6.27.18: paper pinwheels

6.27.17: pompom earrings

Flag Luminary (re-run)

 Another easy quick craft for the Fourth - aren't they cute? All you need is a big jar, a small flag, mod podge, rope for around the top, and glitter (glitter is optional I suppose, but it's glitter - why wouldn't you add it if you have it?!).

As you know, I'm an instant gratification kinda crafter and will find things in my house that will "do" when I see or think of a project that I want to make - I saw the idea for these luminaries online but changed it a bit to use the things I already have and put it together a little differently. So I'm using a large clean pickle jar (I have them left over from making the very very best yummiest pickles - click here for that post) with the label removed, a 6x4" cheap little flag that is wrapped around a dowel, matte finish mod podge, and white glitter.

Slide the flag off the dowel and cut off the part that was folded - you want the flag to lay flat. I liked the edges all jaggedy so I cut a thin bit off the other end and unraveled it a little to match. Brush a thin layer of mod podge onto the jar where the flag will go, apply the flag, then brush another thin layer of mod podge over the entire flag. Make sure there is mod podge under the entire flag since it's acting as glue to keep the flag in place. Smooth out all of the bubbles (I use my fingers, then wash my hands before the glue dries), and let it dry 15-20 minutes. Apply a second coat of mod podge and sprinkle with glitter. Let dry. The mod podge dries clear but you can still see it on the glass so I took a wet paper towel and something with a sharpish edge (uh, that'd be my fingernail) and cleaned up around the flag so the mod podge was a little neater looking.

To finish wrap rope around the top using a little dab of hot glue to hold it in place. Once everything is dry I put some sand in cuz I like how it looks, and a votive candle (use a tealight if you made this with a smaller jar).

Note: initially I was going to make this with a Mason jar but realize the flag isn't going to stick as good or be smooth because of the raised imprint on the Mason jars.

I re-use paper or styrofoam plates when I have small painting (or in this case mod podging) projects

the white piece in the middle is what was holding the flag to the dowel that I cut off.

mod podge goes under and on top of the flag

after applying a second coat of mod podge sprinkle with glitter

the glitter looks really pretty with the candle lit - it's all sparkly and having this outside at night is going to be so nice!

Having trouble linking the source for this idea - I found it at A Little Craft In Your Day.

6. 26.24: acotar charcuterie board

6.26.23: drink cozy 

6.26.22: 🔥 week 26

6.26.21: mozzarella stuffed portobellos

6.26.20: chicken noodle soup casserole

6.26.19: cherry pie cookies

6.26.18: patriotic rag wreath

6.26.17: paper fireworks

6.26.16: track day at Goodwood

Tomato, Mozzarella, Blueberry salad

 This is one of my favorite summer salads, and it's the perfect salad to make this first week of July (very patriotic red, white, and blue!) - just add blueberries to some halved cherry tomatoes and small bites of fresh mozzarella (I found some very small bite-sized balls at the grocery store, if you can't find those you can cut up a larger ball), drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper. A traditional Caprese salad has fresh basil but I didn't have any on hand and we didn't miss it. Yum, love this dish!

6.25.24: TT no-cook camping meals

6.25.23: 🔥 week 26

6.25.22: alice springs chicken marinade

6.25.21: Brooke's spaghetti tacos

6.25.20: veggie cobb salad

6.25.19: tip-sy tuesday: gardening tip

6.25.18: spaghetti squash shrimp scampi

6.25.17: week of dinner menus

Button Flags

I'm going to be very busy the next few days so am not going to have time to make or bake anything to share with you - instead of doing the usual 'Thru the Years' posts tho I'm going to do some reruns of things to make leading up to the Fourth of July; today it's this really fun kid (or adult!) craft idea making button flags.

Here's the original post from 2018:

My friend Lisa loves crafting with her nieces (she calls them "the littles" awww), she put this on Facebook and I asked if I could steal it to share with you guys - how cute is this idea? Here's her notes on how they did it:

Had the littles over and we made the American Flag! You can see each one has there own style! As my niece said “there is no right or wrong way in art”! She is 5. Out of the mouths of babes! Oh I treasure them.

I bought the burlap canvas at Hobby Lobby, bought the buttons on Amazon. Used tacky glue and some patriotic ribbon to hang up or not. I just free hand the outline for a guideline for them and the kids where off running with it. 

6.24.24: small crocheted owl basket 

6.24.23: words

6.24.22: tree stump table

6.24.21: red, white, and blueberry salad

6.24.20: bluebarb pie (rhubarb blueberry)

6.24.19: wire basket with ribbons

6.24.18: moving furniture

6.24.17: mojito fruit cocktail

6.24.16: travel blog - 2nd day at Goodwood

4th of July Brownies

I'm going to be very busy the next few days so am not going to have time to make or bake anything to share with you - instead of doing the usual 'Thru the Years' posts tho I'm going to do some reruns of things to make leading up to the Fourth of July; first up is this easy idea for Patriotic brownies.

Here's the original post from 5/2021:

Going to my sister's today for a Memorial Day get-together, I initially said I'd bring deviled eggs but she said if I wanted blog post ideas she had a couple recipes she'd been wanting to try (more like wanted me to make for her hahaha). Sure, I always like to make new things so I can blog about them and share with you! One is for peanut butter cheeseball and the other for a wedge salad dip thing - since neither of those are very patriotic for the holiday I decided I'd also make some easy brownies with lots of red, white, blue, and silver star sprinkles. If you're looking for a quick dessert idea for this weekend check these out!

I cut a standard 8x8" pan of brownies into 16 pieces and then cut some of those in half - you know there's always too much food at a dish-to-pass picnic so I figure some smaller bites of brownies will be a good option for people.

I've been pre-slicing and individually portioning desserts for the past year to help spread the (sugar) love and not germs! 

6.23.24: 🔥 week 25

6.23.23: MSTI caramelized banana v.2

6.23.22: MSIH alice springs chicken

6.23.21: 4th of July cake idea

6.23.20: TT at home gel nails

6.23.19: 🔥 week 25

6.23.18: houseplants

6.23.17: outfit idea - flare jeans

6.23.16: travel - Goodwood

 

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 25)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

6/15: 🔥 week 24

6/16: paper flower arch 

6/17: TT pallet photo holder

6/18: chicken stuffing casserole 

6/19: taco rice

6/20: 2-pasta pasta salad with vegetables 

6/21: words (how to dance)

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

6.22.24: words (rainy day)

6.22.23: animal burgers with secret sauce (copycat recipe) 

6.22.22: stars and stripes cupcakes

6.22.21: TT air fryer hasselback potatoes

6.22.20: watermelon windsock

6.22.19: Karen's layered taco dip

6.22.18: blog business cards 

6.22.17: hair idea - top braid

6.22.16: travel - Goodwood Festival