Reusable Soup Can

Hello All! Sorry I have been MIA...I have been so busy with work and life in general...getting a little thing called gall bladder surgery on Thursday...so lets get some crafting done before I'm in pain for the weekend!!

So this is a simple project-- anyone can do this...even my 3 year old! But I would supervise as scissors are used :)

What you need...

I used soup cans, scissors, Elmers Craft Bond, and craft paper.

This Elmers Craft Bond is AMAZING!!! I want to use it everyday...I just want to think of things to use it on!! I love it. But it gets very sticky, so be sure to spray it over a peice of cardboard.  Pst...it's also a great deal too!

I started by cutting the paper the length of the can. I sprayed the craft bond on the back of the paper after it was cut, and just carefully put it on the empty soup can.

Easy enough right??!!

I just put some forks in it...but you could do straws or whatever. I made 2 of them, but I will eventually make more for the summer time... easy for picnics or birthday partys.

And here it is by my awesome napkin holder (that's what I call it) that I got at the antique store.



Cake Stand

I'm sure everyone has seen the DIY cake stands all over the internet... well here is mine! 

I bought a candle stick from the dollar store and a plate as well. So the total thing cost me $2...I had the gorilla glue and paint on hand already.

I decided to use the blue turquoise paint because...well...I just love the color and it's totally in right now!! 

I wish that I had used spray paint or even a sponge brush...but all I had on hand was a paint brush and you could see the strokes. Oh well...I can't be perfect people!!! I'm on a budget!! 

I did 2 coats of the paint and used some high gloss spray paint because I didn't like the flat look of the paint when it was dry, I wanted gloss!

I took the gorilla glue and put it around the top of the candle holder and applied my plate. 

Because in my experience with Gorilla Glue, it sometimes drips if you have too much. So I take a coffee filter and wrap it around the bottom to catch the glue.

And the finished product -- not the best pictures, but I had some screaming kids that wanted my attention. I'm going to give it as a gift to my friend -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGHAN!!  I also bought her a cake because at 29 you don't get a cake anymore...which isn't really fare! So I bought her one and the hubby and I are going over there tonight!! Yay!!!

Wire Candles

So I bought this super awesome 50's tool box from my town's Friday night auction at the antique store...my second home! I looked inside and there was some chicken looking wire... so I got the idea to wrap it around my candles that were oh so bare looking!

My first step was to wrap some wire around the candle to see how much I needed. I tried to hot glue it, but that wasn't sticking... gorilla glue would take too long to set, so I busted out this beauty -

The oh so trusty staple gun! LOVE HER!!

I made sure to cut the wire so it would just slightly cover the top of the candle, and also overlap when going around the candle...and then I just stapled.

It may not look so fancy, but it sticks with the rustic feel of it...don't ya think? 

I did the same thing with the other two candles...I heart it! 

Pinterest snacks...

I don't know about you ... but I love me some Pinterest!!!  It's a fun website where you can see other peoples imaginations, creations, and just fun things! I love it! 

I saw this parmesan crusted mashed potatoes on there the other day and just knew I had to make it. 

Step 1:

Make mashed potatoes... make them thick though, you don't want them to be all soft and delightful for your family dinner...make em hard --- get your minds out of the gutter people!

Step 2:

Take some crackers in a bag and use your rolling pin to crush them

Step 3:

line up your ingredients

- potatoes

- eggs (I used 2 scrambled)

- crumbs - mix in parm cheese, and any other spices you want

-  wax paper to set them on (a plate would work just as good)

Steps 4-7:

I fried them for about 2 minutes on each side. You will need to change the oil quite frequently, like after 3 of them because it starts to burn from the crumbs.

They turned out yummy!

I had some leftovers so I actually put some of the potatoes and left over crumbs into a tortilla and fried... DELICIOUS!!! Those were my favorite!

Pasta on a Budget

Dinner in my family isn't as conventional during the week as most. My husband works first shift and I work second...so our family dinners happen on the weekends.  

Because I'm an "amazing" wife, I will sometimes make dinner for my husband so he can re-heat it when he gets home. (I really do it so I can have a good lunch at work!!...shhhh, he doesn't need to know this!)

So I used a total of 5 ingredients which cost me only $5... why you ask?!?

Because I got every ingredient at the dollar store for $1 a piece!

Pasta

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Red Pepper Flakes

Parmesan Cheese

Minced Garlic (can you believe they had this!!)

Directions -- 

* Cook Pasta

* Drain

*Add ingredients - as much as you desire

I love a recipe with no measuring!!

Boogers -- a boy's b-day gift for cheap

So I had my nephew's 5th birthday party today and I had no idea what to get him. He's a huge fan of Spider Man and Star Wars... so I went with something Spider Man, but I also wanted to make him something as well.

This is what I did...

I took an spaghetti sauce jar, took off the wrapper -- don't worry about the glue because you will be putting card stock over this.

Pick out the colors you want to go with. I used green and blue card stock and some fun stickers and letters.

I decorated the lid, then I decorated and glued the card stock to the jar. I actually hot glued it so it would stay.

Yes -- my nephew's name is Charlie --- not Chalie!! Haha... we got a good laugh out of this...

Here are the ingredients...very cheap!!  Get the big glue (I think it was like 7.65 ounces). Food coloring and borax. Borax is cheap and can be used for numerous things...mostly added to your laundry.

Follow these directions --

You will need 2 bowls.  In the first bowl put 3/4 cup of warm water, the whole thing of glue (equaling close to 1 cup) and food coloring of your choice. I used green, I did about 6 droplets.  Stir. 

In the second bowl mix together 4 teaspoons of Borax and 1 1/3 cup of water.  

Once you have the water and Borax mixed, pour in your mixture of glue and water...DO NOT STIR!!

Let it sit for a good 5-8 minutes. The glue mixture will start to solidify. Once it's been a while, take the mixture out and toggle it back and forth between your hands so that it dries out a little and it isn't so sticky.

Do not set this on a dish towel, it will immediately stick to the towel...I made that mistake. Just be sure to keep juggling it with your hands, you will know when the mixture is ready for the jar. 

Once it's dry, put it in your jar and see the excitement of boogers on the child's face! My son is begging me to make him some of this...I think they will be party favors for his birthday party this summer!! They all loved it!!

bow-stravaganza!!

I was bored the other night...so I decided to take out my trusty sidekick -- ribbons, buttons, felt, etc.  I just love the smell of hot glue in the evening! 

  

I decided to take some of my cream ribbon I got at the dollar store -- yes they sell ribbon at the dollar store - look around! 

I cut it into pieces - approximately 6 inches long

I cut 9 of these and then glued the ends together 

Cut a circle of felt and start to glue the ribbon onto it

I decided to take my vintage buttons and glue one in the middle, and also take some beading and go around the button 

Flip it over and glue on a strip of felt - glue on both sides so you leave the middle open. Also glue on a pin so it can be worn on a jacket or shirt.

The reason for the felt is so that you can slide in a bobby pin or a headband and wear it 

I made a few different designs. 

Now go make some bows!!