Extra Bug Catcher Necklace Post!

Zoey wanted in on the bug catcher action, so today she made this!

These necklaces could also hold tiny treasures.

See tutorial HERE.

♥

Bug Catcher Necklace Tutorial

**THIS PROJECT WAS FEATURED IN THE 2012 JUNE/JULY ISSUE OF FAMILY FUN MAGAZINE!!**
My 5 year old LOVES bugs. Any living creature gets her sweet heart humming really. Today she found a lady bug at church & had to hold it in her hand all the way home. All of a sudden I thought of those little plastic cases that house the 25cent gumball-style treats. And how cute it would be to have one of those around to hold bugs in. When we got home, I told Pazely my idea & she mentioned she wanted a necklace--so, we got to work right away! What fun we had creating our own bug catcher necklace!

The supplies: beading cord, scissors, beads, a small vending machine plastic capsule, a thumbtack & (eventually) a bug!

*The capsules I used were some that the girls had lying around. But here is a link for some really cute ones at Tiny Things are Cute. They're a bit different than mine, so I'm not sure if they'd "click" together like mine did & hold the bugs securely. The price is right though!

*UPDATE: Caryn, of Tiny Things are Cute, has informed me that, though the capsules in her shop will hold bugs, she does not think they will work for securely "clicking" & being used as a bug catcher pendant on this necklace project. Just an FYI. (I must find another project for those capsules of hers, because they're just so darn cute!)

First you'll want to poke little holes all over the lid of the capsule. And poke a larger hole right in the middle.

Thread one end of your beading cord through the large hole.

Now hold it around your neck & measure how long you'd like your necklace to be. Remember to leave about 1 1/2" at each end for knotting off the necklace.

String beads onto the cord.

When the beads are all strung, push the other end of the cord through the hole. I had to push it through with the tack.

Slide one more bead onto both pieces of cord & knot it a couple times to secure.

Insert bug, & you're done! We put a tiny snack of lettuce inside too.

Remember to not leave your bug in the catcher too long. Eventually let your buggy pet go free!

To see Zoey's necklace, click HERE.

Not so crafty-natured? Let US make YOU some Bug Catcher Necklaces! Click HERE! (And we thank you from the bottom of our buggy-lovin' hearts!)

♥

Campfire Roasted Cinnamon Rolls

We ate these one morning while camping last weekend. And I give credit for the idea to my friend Tia.

To make them, you need a tube of cinnamon rolls, sticks & a campfire.

Just an FYI: When Tia & I made these, she had purchased the Pillsbury brand & found that they did not come in a "spiral" shape like the cheap brand I purchased did. They both still worked, but it's easier if the dough is already in the "spiral" form.

Twist the dough around the top of your stick.

Pinch the ends to prevent the cinnamon treat from falling off the stick during roasting.

Roast over a fire, just like you would a marshmallow. Hot coals are best---not a flaming fire. You'll have to be patient, because they don't cook up as fast as a marshmallow. So, keep watching it until the outside is golden & the inside is cooked.

When it's done & lookin' tasty, slide the cinnamon roll off the stick.

Cover with frosting & munch away!

Or, you can get all savage & eat it right off the stick. haha!

(You can also do the same thing with the tubes of biscuits or dinner rolls.)

♥

Blind Drawing

I love me some super quick fun easy activities---& this is one of them! All you need is some paper & something to draw with.

First, think of something to draw. Then, close your eyes & draw it!

Now, open your eyes & laugh!!

This activity is almost more fun for those watching you draw. It's funny to see the silly drawings come about in their wacky ways.

My 6 year old drew this pair of scissors. She totally added that little black bit in the center AFTER she opened her eyes. (CHEATER!!)

Here, Pazely concentrates so hard to keep her eyes closed.

Can you guess what she was trying to draw?

A sun!

A bird with a worm by Zoey.

Zoey & I drew a cow. It looks like she even put a bucket under the cow for the milkin'. haha!

I forgot my udders.

I've also done this project at parties, but you put a paper plate on your head (more sturdy) & draw. That way you know there are no cheaters. Plus it looks funny & everyone can get a good laugh.

Another variation of this activity is something I did in a basic drawing class I once took: You can open your eyes, but you have to look only at the object you're drawing (NOT at your paper!) & you can't pick your pencil off the paper.

This activity is one that can take just a few minutes, or you can really stretch it out for an hour or two!

♥

Silly Sandwich Toothpicks

Last night I decided to fix some BLT's for din-din. (Ok, they were BLAT's. I added avocado.) While the bacon was sizzling I had a fun idea! I love getting those fancy fringed sandwich toothpicks when I order up a tasty sammie at a restaurant or deli. (It's the simple things that make me giddy.) So, I decided to make up my own version of them.
My old-school Dymo label maker was all I needed! Make 2 labels & stick 'em back-to-back, with the toothpick in-between. If you don't have a label maker in your crafty stash, you can create a similar look by simply stamping letters/words onto circle dot stickers. Again, adhere 2 stickers back-to-back.
Here are a couple other versions I came up with:
Garage sale stickers.


Tiny stars made from a mini punch. A little dab of glue is all you need.
My girls loved these on their sandwiches!
You can totally personalize these for baby showers, weddings, birthdays, etc.

I really could have gone crazy making silly sandwich toothpicks. But I found out that doing this during the prime hours of tummy grumbling is not such a good idea.

♥

Plug Art Tutorial

Here's a fun little project to dress up your wall outlets. A little spot of creativeness in an unexpected place!

Supplies: Wood pieces, scrap papers-stickers-or other ephemera, acrylic paint, mod podge, E6000, paintbrush/foambrush, pencil, plastic safety plug.
After you've mapped out your design, paint the back & sides of your wood piece. Oh, about the wood pieces: I got mine at a craft store (like Michael's) & they come in all sorts of shapes: flowers, butterflies, circles, rectangles, ovals, animals, etc. And, they're only about 25cents each! (I like using the rectangle shape the best because it covers both wall plugs.)


Trace your shape onto paper & cut it out.



Apply your decoupage medium to the front of the wood piece (the unpainted side).

Press your paper firmly, & rub, to get out any air bubbles.

If you have a little bit of paper hanging over, you can snip off the excess.

I glued glitter onto some of the paper.

When the piece is dry, cover the front & back with a coat of decoupage medium.

Embellish with stickers, papers, stamps, buttons, or other decorative bits.

When it's ALL dry, glue on a plastic safety plug with the E6000. I have found my plugs in the baby department of Walmart & Toys R Us, near the bottles & next to the other child safety equipment & baby-proofing accessories.

I do not recommend these be used if you have small children. Attaching the plugs to the wood pieces actually makes it easier for small hands to pull out of the wall outelts.

You can also paint designs onto the wood instead of using the decoupage method.

Have fun!