BottleRobots

 

Have you see these BottleRobots made of bottle tops and other recyclables? It's interesting to see what people do with their recyclables and turn them into something useful or fun! These bots make me want to save up our bottle caps and create something for the kids. If you're interested in seeing more head over to the BottleRobot blog and check out more great creations! You can also buy postcards of your favorite bots here.

Autum Centerpiece

In lieu of the changing of the seasons, I decided to try something new for a centerpiece. I found one from Pottery Barn that caught my eye.

 Instead of paying for filler, I found mine inside, and in my own backyard. Here's what I used to fill mine:

hurricane lamp/dessert pedestal bowl

a large white candle

thin twigs

medium sized rocks (can use acorns, pine cones, nuts, etc.)

fake/real fall leaves

Place the while candle in the middle of your centerpiece. Round the twigs around the outside of the bowl/lamp. Don't worry if they break, just reposition them to a look you like. Keep the middle open. Layer the rocks on top of the twigs. Finish with the leaves facing the glass.

Toy Storage

When you have kids you tend to have LOADS of toys but no place to put them. Why go out and spend a bunch of money when with a few and simple ways to store them may be right in your home already.

1. Empty Ice Cream Container
 Take your little one's toy cars or Little People and store them in a gallon ice cream container. They're easy to stack and can be labeled with just a permanent marker!

2. Pretzel Bucket
If you happen to buy pretzels by the bucket rather than by bag, use it! Blocks or other small miscellaneous items can be stored in them so they're not all over the house or in bags in the closet.

3. Boxes
 Diapers sometimes come in boxes that can easily be used for storage. These can be used to store toys in the closet, attic, or basement for trading out toys later. You could also decorate the outside of the box for a toy box for your child or children to use daily.

Labeling these storage items can be as easy as a permanent marker or as crafty as personally designed labels! 

Funnel Cake Recipe Present

My family and I are going to visit my parents this weekend and my father's absolute favorite dessert is funnel cake. So since it is officially spring, I made a funnel cake mix jar for him with the recipe attached. 

It was so easy to make, it took me only 20 minutes at the most to make it! And the mix is the dry ingredients only, that way it stores longer and will survive a 3 hour trip when we leave.

Funnel Cake Recipe
3 eggs
1/4 c sugar
2 c milk
3 2/3 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder


Beat eggs and sugar well. Mix in milk slowly. Add dry ingredients and beat well. Fry, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve.

Cookie Container

As you know, it was my father-in-law's birthday this week and my husband and I were wracking our brains trying to figure out what to get him. All I could think of was he can never get enough homemade chocolate chip cookies. So I took a saved ice cream container we had and decorated it for the cookies.

After getting my daughter in her little apron and messing up the kitchen with a round of baking, we had 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies (my hubby wanted a dozen for himself and I can't blame him!). My daughter had a blast baking and manually cooling (blowing on) the cookies for Grandpop. She can't wait to give them to him....and share them. :)

  

The Crafty Moms Blog

 
I was surfing the web today looking for cute ideas for an Easter outfit for my daughter and I came across The Crafty Moms.They are a group of women who make and sell handcrafted accessories such as diaper bags, tutus, hair bows, binky clips, the list goes on! I definitely recommend you go and check them out. Go to http://thecraftymoms.blogspot.com/.

Birthday Card

This week is my father-in-law's birthday, so I made a homemade birthday card for him. Buying or making birthday cards for men can usually be tough, so I thought a simple birthday card would work best.

Thanks to a day out shopping at Michael's, I happen to have a 'happy birthday' embossing plate that I used to create this card. Then cutting out simple balloon patterns on colored paper and attaching string to the end, I came out with this. 

Prior to gluing on the red "Happy Birthday" Paper with the balloons attached, I printed a personalized message on the inside for him. Now I'll just bake some homemade cookies, and his present is complete!