Patriotic Popsicle Sticks American Flag Kids Craft
I just love this craft because it is not only simple, but if you seal it, you can keep them for years to come!
You just need:
- Blue Paint
- White Paint
- Red Paint
- Popsicle Sticks
- Mod Podge (optional, for sealing)
- White Glue
- Cereal box or card board
- White star stickers
Once you have painted your popsicle sticks, you will need to have a small square of cardboard. I used an empty cardboard box for mine. Glue the dried, painted popsicle sticks directly to the cardboard so they have a nice foundation. Then layer on the second layer of painted popsicle sticks and secure with glue. Add the stars by painting them or using stickers.
Once dry, the flags can be glued onto another popsicle stick to “wave” or put into the ground as decorations. Another option is to tie them onto a string and make them into patriotic garland that you can use year after year!
This is a super cute holiday craft!
Check out this cute patriotic table cloth!
Homemade Vanilla Pudding
Vanilla Pudding is rather simple when you make it from scratch & it tastes amazing also. So just because JELLO pudding was on sale and you have a ton of it. Give this recipe a try and save the JELLO for another time.
Homemade Vanilla Pudding Recipe
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cups half and half
2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
Optional: Sliced bananas, 8 Oreo Cookies or Nilla Wafers
Whisk together sugar, cornstarch and nutmeg. Pour in the half and half and egg yolks and place over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the pudding thickens and it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and then whisk in the butter and vanilla. Refrigerate until cold – about 3 hours. Garnish with Cookies (any kind will do) or sliced bananas (or your favorite fruit)
That’s It! Enjoy!
DIY Duct Tape Rose Pen Tutorial
If you aren’t aware, there are dozens of designs in duct tape now. People are using it more than for just fixing pipes – they’re making projects like these really cute flower pens! This is like origami for duct tape. Make these for gifts, fun teacher presents, for decorations, and with tons of different combinations! Thanks to CraftFoxes for the tutorial. There is a visual tutorial if it will help with your craft! What You’ll Need:
- Green duct tape (for stems and leaves)
- Designed or colored duct tape (for petals)
- Plain pen
Directions:
- Take your pen and cover it in green tape lengthwise. This works best if you roll the pen across the tape, sticky-side up.
- To make petals, cut several strips of 2-inch long squares out of the colored or designed tape. Fold one edge over itself sticky side up, leaving some stickiness exposed on the side and bottom. It ends up looking like a sail on a boat because of the sticky edge left out instead of a perfect triangle.
- Take the other edge and fold it over, leaving only stickiness on the bottom of the strip.
- Wrap the petal tightly around the top of the pen stem.
- Repeat steps 2-5 with duct tape, wrapping the petals around the top. Continue until you’ve reached the size of rose you want.
- For the leaves under the base of the rose, repeat steps 2 – 4 with the green duct tape. Wrap these pieces around the stem at the base of the flower to cover up the tape edge.
DIY Jewelry Cleaner
Never buy jewelry cleaner again! You can make it yourself for a fraction of the price with this recipe. The below jewelry cleaner works well for gold-filled, brass, German (nickel) silver, sterling silver, freshwater pearls, shell cameos and mother of pearl.
What You’ll Need:
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon dish detergent
- 1 cup water
- 1 piece aluminum foil
Directions:
- Heat water in the microwave for 1 or 2 minutes.
- Cut a piece of aluminum foil that roughly covers the bottom of a small bowl (like a cereal bowl).
- Pour hot water into bowl. Place salt, soda, and dish-washing liquid into bowl. Place jewelry on top of foil and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. If it has dirt or debris in the little crevices of your jewelry, use a very soft toothbrush to reach in and clean.
- Rinse jewelry in cool water and dry jewelry completely with soft cloth. Discard solution after use and make a new batch next time.
Recipe: Homemade Taco Bell Mexican Pizzas
Skip the drive-thru the next time you have a Taco Bell craving! Make this amazing copycat Homemade Taco Bell Mexican Pizza recipe at home with ingredients you actually know and can pronounce. Thanks to Kate at Stolen Moments Cooking for the recipe!
Ingredients:
- 8 flour tortillas, soft taco sized
- Oil for frying
- 1/2 lb. ground beef
- 2 t. chili powder
- 2 t. cumin
- 1 t. salt
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 1 can or 1 1/2 c. homemade refried beans
- 1/3 c. taco sauce
- 2 c. shredded cheese
- 1/4 c. diced tomato
- 1/4 c. sliced green onions
Directions:
1. In a small skillet, heat 1/2 inch oil over medium heat. Add the tortillas one at a time and cook about 20 – 30 seconds per side, until lightly browned and crispy. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, cook ground beef. Drain. Stir in seasonings. Add 1/4 c. water, bring to a boil and simmer until thickened. Remove meat with a slotted spoon and add refried beans to pan. Cook over low heat until warmed.
3. Take 4 crisped tortillas and spread with the refried beans on each. Add the ground beef and evenly spread over each tortilla. Top each with a second tortilla. Spoon an even amount of taco sauce over the tortillas and top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 – 10 minutes, until cheese is melted. Or place under a broiler just until the cheese melts.
4. Sprinkle each with diced tomatoes and green onions. Cut into quarters before serving, and that’s it!
Recipe: Nutella No Bake Bites
A take on the favorite recipe of peanut butter and chocolate no bake cookies, this recipe adds the addicting and amazing NUTELLA spread, too! These cookies can be made gluten-free if you make sure the oats are certified GF and not cross-contaminated. YUM!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oats
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup nutella
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/2 cup flax
- 1/3 cup coconut
- 1/3 cup cranberries or raisins
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
- In a large bowl, add all ingredients. Mix ingredients together well.
- Once fully mixed, spoon out the mix onto a tray. It’s totally up to you how large you want the bites to be.
- Refrigerate and serve!
Sponge Balls Cheap Summer Fun
I always look for fun, easy and inexpensive things to do with the kids over the summer. These are perfect! You can grab the materials at your local Dollar Store or in the Dollar Bins at Target. I made a whole bucket of them for just a few bucks and they lasted for a while. The kids had a blast and we were able to stay cool during the sumer months.
All you need are sponges, some twine and a knife or scissors to cut the sponges with. Then you just tie the strips together. It’s so easy and best of all the kids can help!
Recipe: Creamy 3-Ingredient Nutella Popsicles
Change up the ice or fruit popsicles and makes these SUPER easy Creamy Nutella Popsicles instead. Just make sure you have popsicle molds (you can even get them at some dollar stores!), a blender, and patience to wait for them to harden in the mold. Thanks to 52 Kitchen Adventures for the recipe!
Ingredients: (Makes 3 Popsicles, so you will probably want to double the ingredients)
- 1 cup of Cool Whip (or other whipped topping)
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 3 Tbsp of Nutella
Directions:
- Place all ingredients in a blender. Process until blended.
- Pour mixture into popsicle molds.
- Freeze for several hours (overnight or from morning until evening are easiest way to know they’re fully frozen), serve and enjoy.
Recipe: French Toast Roll Ups
Change up your weekend breakfast and surprise the family with these yummy French Toast Roll Ups! The Girl Who Ate Everything has step-by-step picture directions of the recipe if you want to check it out.
Ingredients:
- slices of white sandwich bread;
- rolling pin
- some softened cream cheese
- cut up strawberries
- Nutella
- eggs (for making the french toast, so number will vary)
- 3 Tbls milk
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 heaping teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- butter (to grease the pan)
Directions:
- Cut the crust from each slice of bread and flatten it out with a rolling pin.
- Place about 1-2 teaspoons of your chosen filling 1 inch from one end of the bread in a strip. Roll the bread up tightly and repeat with the remaining pieces of bread. I really like cream cheese with diced strawberries as one combination and Nutella with diced strawberries as another combination.
- In a shallow bowl whisk the eggs and milk until well combined.
- In a separate shallow bowl mix the sugar with the cinnamon.
- Heat a skillet set over medium heat and melt a tablespoon of butter.
- Dip each bread roll in the egg mixture coating well and then place them in the pan seam side down. Cook in batches until golden brown, turning them to cook and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add butter to the pan as needed.
- Add cooked rolls immediately from the pan to the cinnamon sugar and roll until completely covered in sugar. You can serve with syrup for dipping but I think they’re perfectly good all by themselves.
DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint
We all love using sidewalk chalk, but have you heard of using sidewalk paint? It’s easy to make, and just like its chalk counterpart, you can jut rinse it off with water once you’re finished. Here’s the recipe from About.com. Thanks to One Perfect Day Blog for the cute pic!
What You’ll Need:
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 1/2 Cup Cornstarch
- Approximately 12 Drops of Food Coloring (Adjusted until you get your desired color)
- Jar With Lid
- Paint brushes, Foam Brushes, and/or sponges
Instructions:
- Measure the water, cornstarch, and food coloring and pour into a jar. Place the lid on the jar tightly, then shake jar until the paint is completely mixed.
- Repeat #1 for every color you want to use and paint with.
- The paint is now ready to use!
- Use paint brushes and foam brushes to make roads, games, and even huge murals on your sidewalk. You can also make fun shapes using sponges.
- If the paint gets a little too dry, simply add a little bit of water.
- When you’re done playing, rinse off with water or wait until it rains again. It will wash off skin and clothes, too!