Cup Weaving Tutorial

I've been meaning to try out weaving for awhile now.  I decided to start out small with this cup weaving project.  It's a super simple craft that can be completed while watching your favorite tv show.  (Yay Agents of Shield!  Does that make me geeky?)  To make your own cup weaving, you'll need some yarn, a pair of scissors, and a plastic cup and then you're ready to go!

Cup Weaving Tutorial 

Pretty right?  The yarn really transforms my plain old disposable plastic cup into something useful and beautiful.  Ok.  Let's get weaving! 

Build a toy car that moves

I love painting things with Chuck, but sometimes I yearn to make things that actually move or do things.  So when a mommy friend suggested that we build cardboard toy cars that actually move, wowzers, I had to say yes.  She found the directions in an old kids' science book (that I don't remember the name of... sorry).  And that's how we spent an awesome play date with five kids- eating pizza and then building and racing some cardboard racing cars. 

Kid Science: Let's Build a Car that Moves!

Today's craft is awesome for 2 reasons:

1.  The cars really move.  Really.  You just twist the tin can and then let go.  Bam.  The rubber bands store the potential energy and then once released, they turn the can... and your car moves by itself!

2.  You don't need any expensive materials.  In fact, you probably have most of the items already at home.  

Have I whet your appetite enough?  Ok.  Let's build! Vroooom!

Cardboard Space Shuttle Craft (template included)

A couple of weeks ago we visited our nearby Science Center and Chuck fell in love with a small space shuttle toy.  Of course, the wheels in my head began whirring and I knew that we could easily transform a  paper towel roll into our very own rocket ship.  So after a couple days of planning, cutting, and painting, we are now the proud owners of two cardboard roll space shuttles:

Cardboard Space Shuttle Craft

Want a ride to the moon on your very own cardboard roll space shuttle?  Then keep reading to see how we made them (template included)!

DIY Cardboard iPod Projector

I've been on a crapty DIY technology kick lately.  A couple of weeks ago, I made this set of  DIY Cardboard roll iPod Speakers.  After making those speakers, I wondered if I could take the idea one step further.  Could I somehow make an iPod projector out of everyday materials?

After searching online, I saw that others had some success with a creating a DIY iPod projector out of a cardboard box and magnifying glass.   So, of course, I had to try it for myself. 

Tada!  Here's today's craft- a DIY Cardboard and Magnifying Glass iPod Projector  

Wanna see how this projector works?  Keep reading for more!

Leprechaun Hat Headband DIY

I'm not Irish. (Surprise!)  But I appreciate St. Patrick's Day because it gives me the opportunity to wear green and cute Leprechaun gear.  So today's craft is a DIY Leprechaun hat headband that was made from... wait for it.... toilet paper rolls and cereal boxes!   

Yup!  Today we're making our very own Leprechaun hat!

Keep reading to see how we made this little Leprechaun hat headband!

Plastic Bottle Sumo Wrestler Bowling Pins

About a year ago I had the great opportunity to be a guest craft poster at Sugar and Dots (Now Hello M{ess}).   My first craft on her blog was this set of cute and quirky sumo wrestler bowling pins.  It's still one of my most popular (and favorite) craft posts, so today I thought I'd re-share my sumo wrestler pins over here.

Plastic Bottle Sumo Wrestler Bowling Pins

Ack!  Too cute....

Keep reading to see how these cute guys were made:

DIY IPod Speakers from cardboard roll and cups

Ever notice that how your iPod or mp3 player just doesn't play music loud enough?  Well, if you have a cardboard roll and two cups lying around, you can fix that problem in a couple of minutes.  Yup.  Just make yourself a set of makeshift cardboard roll speakers!

Keep reading to see how I made these bad boys...

Cereal Box Fireman's Hat (Template included)

Currently Chuck loves pretending to be a fireman.  He tells me that random things are on fire and then sprays them with an imaginary hose to put the fire out.  To help encourage his play, we recently made this fireman's hat out of an old cereal box.

(Of course, we had to make a fireman's hat for his best friend Piggy too!)

Got a pretend firefighter in your family too? Curious to see how a cereal box turned into a fireman's hat? Keep reading to see how we did it!

DIY Magazine Strip Silhouette Heart Art

Hrmm.. magazine strip silhouette art?  Sounds kind of naughty, but I promise you this recycled craft is anything but that.  Take a look!

See?  Totally PG and totally cute.  I'm always on the lookout for easy and affordable DIY artwork.  This silhouette heart looks great and BONUS uses recycled materials. Keep reading to see how I made it!

DIY Inkblot Shirt

We received a bunch of hand-me-downs awhile back and one of the items was a plain black shirt.  I saw it and immediately knew that I wanted to try painting something on it.  But I wasn't sure what...   Now that I've been sick for the past couple of weeks, Chuck and I have pretty much stayed at home.... the whole time.

Now,  I love Chuck, but being locked indoors for long periods of time totally drives both of us CRAZY....   So that's what inspired me to make this DIY Inkblot shirt.

What do you see when you look at the design?

Keep on reading to find out how I made this bad boy!

Two Heart themed Valentine's Crafts- Heart Glasses and Painted Heart Rocks

Note:  This post is sponsored by Plaid, but the opinions are 100% mine.

Did you know that the heart is my favorite shape?  (Is it weird that I have a favorite shape?)  I know that triangles and hexagons are super trendy right now, but I'm an old-fashioned romantic.  Hearts will always have a special place in my... well heart.  (Tee hee hee.)  So when Plaid sent me a box of Apple Barrel Craft Paint to create a Valentine's Day School Craft, I knew that it had to be heart related. 


So I came up with these Cereal box Heart Glasses and Heart Painted Rocks.  Both crafts are super colorful and fun to make.   

Cereal box Heart Glasses

Keep reading to see directions and template!

Two Bird Feeder Crafts: Toilet Paper Roll Feeders and Ice Feeders

Earlier this week my posts focused on sending some lovin' to the special people in your life (Click here, here and here.)  Well, that's all well and good.  But what about sending love to others?  How about the birds?  With the freezing cold weather outside, our feathered friends are bound to need some loving too.  So why not try out these two bird feeder crafts?  Chuck and I made some toilet paper roll bird feeders and some heart shaped ice feeders.  Both were really easy to make and currently dangling on a tree outside our building.

Here's an up-close shot of our Toilet Paper Roll Feeder:

To see how I made the toilet paper roll feeders and ice feeders, keep reading!

DIY Valentine's Day Gift: Hair Tie Lollipop

With Valentine's Day right around the corner,  I thought it would fun to make some easy and cute DIY Valentine's Day Gifts.  Here's one idea that I whipped up last night.  It's a hair tie lollipop! 

Isn't it colorful and cute?  I bet it would be perfect for any little (or big) gal in your life.  Keep reading to see how I made it!

My Scarlet Letter and Taking hazy plastic bag photos

A couple of days ago, Chuck and I went to Target and I was super nervous. (Like armpit sweat nervous.) For the past week and a half, we had a breakthrough in potty training.  He was telling me when he needed to use the bathroom.  (Finally!  Yes!  Insert choir of angels.)  But, I was still putting him in pullups when we went out.  I was afraid that he would have an accident outside.  


But since we're on week 3 of Amy's #RiskRejection challenge (where bloggers embrace risk even if it involves getting rejected), I felt emboldened.  If other ladies could risk big and start businesses and non-profits, apply to become foster parents, write books, and move to other states and countries, then certainly Chuck could wear underwear outside.   

So Chuck and I both put on our big kid pants and went to Target sans pullups.  In the beginning, everything seemed was fine.  I kept reminding him to let me know when he needed to potty and he said that he would. 


But then we entered the toy section... that terrible black hole in the store where logic and reason escape and wails and tears (Mom's silent ones and children's vocal ones) are heard in every aisle.  We got to the Cars section and Chuck hopped out, super excited.

And then he peed.  

Oof.

It was just a tiny accident, but I still felt so bad.  We cleaned up in the bathroom and then I told the workers.  I expected to see a smirk, a roll of the eyes, a shaking of the head, or the accusation of "Bad Mommy!  Now you have to wear the scarlet P!"  But none of this happened.

They were actually... nice about the whole thing.  Within a couple of minutes everything was cleaned up and no one was the wiser.

I was hesitant to share this risk as part of my #RiskRejection Challenge because I wasn't moving mountains.  My risk was small.  But maybe that's ok?  Maybe taking small risks like this one will still mold me to be a better, braver person and mom.

Psst- If you want to see how I took this hazy photo, keep on reading!

Make a Cardboard Bridge for Trains and Cars

We bought an Ikea train set awhile back and Chuck loves it.  The only problem is that our poor Thomas train is too big and doesn't fit under the train set's tunnel.  So I poked through my trusty cardboard stash and made him a cardboard mountain bridge.  

Cardboard Bridge for Trains and Cars

Aha!  Problem solved.

Now all the trains can fit underneath the mountain while his cars drive over the train track.  Yay! 

Wanna make a bridge too?  Well then keep on reading! 

Make milk jug rings

Lookie lookie!  

Me:  Hey friend!  A couple of nights ago, I made these three rings out of milk jugs.

You:  No way!  Come on, now.  I don't believe you.

Me:  Oh yes.  Believe me, friend.  These crapty cool rings were inspired by La Factoria Plastica's cardboard play rings and Lana Red's shrinky dink rings.

You:  Oh yes.  I remember seeing those on your Pinterest Board.  Well dagum!  How did you make them?

Me:  Keep reading to find out!

Make Toilet Roll Airplanes (template included)

Make Toilet Paper Roll Airplanes

Initially, I titled this post "Bad Mamas make toilet roll airplanes" because I wanted to admit something to you.

I'm a baaaad mama.

Yup, you read that right.  I'm a bad mama... a really bad mama...  why?  Well, the other day we were playing around with Chuck and we started humming different songs for him to guess.  At first we hummed his favorite song ("Life is a Highway" from the movie Cars) and he guessed it!  Intrigued, we kept humming other songs from Cars 1, Cars 2, and Planes (his faves.)  He couldn't name the songs specifically, but he could identify the movie that each song came from. 

And then I started humming "ABC" to him, thinking that it would be a breeze for him to guess.   I got through the entire song and then my son... my dear, sweet, transportation-loving child, looked up at me and said "Me no know mama."

What?! "Me no know?"  He knows songs from movie soundtracks... but can't recognize ABC?  We sing ABC to him at least twice a day when we brush his teeth.  Oof.  Double oof.

I guess we're not as entertaining as talking vehicles...

So... this reeeeeeaaaaally long intro was just my way of saying that my son loves cars, planes, trucks, trains... erm... basically anything that moves.  So I thought I'd try to foster his love with a toilet paper airplane craft.  These planes were inspired by the characters Dusty Crophopper and Skipper from the movie "Planes."  

(This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support.)

Keep reading to see how we made these planes ( plane template included!)...

DIY Earmuffs? (A craft flop)

A couple of weeks ago I couldn't sleep.

Did I drink too much coffee?  Nope.  Was I worried about Christmas shopping? Nope.

Don't laugh, ok?  *Big breath* I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about how I could crapt myself a pair of earmuffs using stuff in our apartment. 

Weird right?  I don't even wear earmuffs... but for some reason I kept wondering if I could make them.  So the next day I played around with some materials ... and I ended up with a pair of these:

I have kind of mixed feelings about them.  On the plus side, they look like earmuffs and they also block out some of the cold.  However, they feel a little too light and stiff around my ears. 

So, while I'm proud that I made a pair of semi-working earmuffs, I think this is probably a craft flop.  Now if for some reason you want to see how I crapted these earmuffs (or you wanna see Chuck wearing the earmuffs), keep on reading!

Make your own CB2 inspired Cardboard Penguins

Cardboard penguins?  Who wants to make cardboard penguins?

Me!  I saw these wood penguins from CB2 and thought they looked so cute.  But then I saw the price tag and thought "Ha!  I can crapt them for next to nothing!"  So here they are... my crapted cardboard penguins.

Wanna make your own?  Read on to get the template!

Make Homeamde Felt Milk Jug Cap Ornaments

Each year I try to make a couple of handmade ornaments for our tree.  Last year, Chuck and I made these hand and feet salt dough ornaments.  I would have made him a new set this year... but his feet are so big that the ornaments would end up being the size of small plates.

So instead, this year I turned a bunch of milk jug caps (gifted to me by a craft-loving aunt- thanks!) to make these mini felt ornaments.  Each one has a different design and they came out so colorful and cute.... I just want to eat them up.   But don't worry, I won't because they're made of felt...and glue...and plastic...

Can you guess which one is Chuck's favorite?  Keep on reading to find out...