Halloween Layered Candle

I made this layered candle using colored granulated wax (purple, orange, black, white - good halloween colors obviously) - it's a simple project that is good to do with kids. It can be a little messy but I've found these things help combat that:

• lay down newspaper
• I like to work on top of old cookie sheets - helps catch wax that doesn't make it into the container
• transfer the granulated wax (it almost has the consistency of sticky sand) into plastic containers - I use old cool whip containers
• use a different plastic spoon or scoop for each color so you aren't transferring colors into each other

Find a clear glass container that you can burn wax in, I usually use mason jars (any size, even little small ones work). Stick a wick to the inside bottom of jar, making sure it's at least as tall as the container you are using, in these photos I have wound the wick around a skewer to help keep it straight up the middle of the jar.  Then layer in the different colors making whatever pattern you like - it's a lot like making sand art, did you do that as a kid? You can tilt the jar so the wax stays on one side then tip the other way for another color, or just do straight layers, or take a long skewer and run down the sides when you're done for a v shaped pattern...whatever you want. Trim the wick to just a little above the wax before burning. Oh, and don't tip the candle over - the wax stays loose until you start to burn it. Yeah, I learned that lesson the hard way...;)

BOO painted mug

Super easy quick (love those words!) project that anyone can do...

I found a plain white coffee mug (this one is from Walmart) and put stickers on it spelling "boo"; then made little dots all around the stickers with paint markers (I've read you can use sharpies but I've only done it with these paint markers - they are easy to use and come in lots of colors), I started with black and then added silver and orange on top radiating out from the words so it's thicker in the center of the design and then fades out. Then carefully remove the stickers - I used a pin to lift up an edge and then peeled them off. Up to this point you can wash off the design if you goofed or just changed your mind - if you like your finished project and want to "set" your design so it won't wash off, put the painted mug in a low oven (I did 300') for 30 minutes, turn oven off and let the mug cool down in the oven before taking it out.

You can obviously change your words and colors to whatever you want, or paint on other things (vase, bowl, plate, etc.). Have fun!

Personalized Glass Vase

Craft day with my niece - she wanted to make her mom a birthday present and decided on a glass vase that she could personalize.

First we found 2 clear vases (one slightly smaller than the other) and cut a piece of paper to fit around the smaller vase. We then printed a bunch of pictures of her (contact sheet sized), cut them apart, glued them onto the piece of paper and decorated over top of them with stickers (she is 12 so she spelled out "favorite", her sisters didn't find that funny haha!). She finished by wrapping the decorated paper around the smaller vase, held it in place with a small piece of tape, then  put the smaller vase inside the larger one to protect the pictures and keep them dry if the vase is filled with water. An easy, thoughtful, cute gift!

Soccer Keychains

I was asked to fill in running my 12 year old niece's soccer practice last night - I told the coach (my sister) "sure, if we can also do a craft", she just sighed...I took it as a sign that she thought it was a great idea and why hadn't she thought of it before? Hahaha. I thought making keychains for their soccer bags would be cute and easy...ended up that while they are cute, they were not easy.


To save time I cut the correct lengths of cord before practice, sorted and packaged the beads, and drew out instructions for how to make square knots in between the beads.

After we practiced all the soccer stuff we were supposed to, we all sat in a circle to make the keychains - that's when the problems started. 12 year olds don't seem to have a very long attention span and while I was explaining they were talking, then they wanted to know how they were supposed to start....arrrrghhhhh! So I'd explain again and they'd ask again...then the beads were lost in the grass...hahaha, our 1/2 hour window was up before they had any beads on. This is not the first time I've held craft day for kids though so I did what my husband calls "punting" and told them to gather up their beads and supplies and take them home, maybe their parents can help - sorry to my soccer team parents ;). Yep, it's the last time I will attempt a craft during soccer practice, lesson learned.