Make Homemade Sidewalk Chalk

I'd been meaning to try my hand at making homemade sidewalk chalk out of plaster of paris for awhile now.  But I never got up the nerve to try it out until this past weekend.   As I stared at my craft cabinet filled with dozens of empty toilet paper rolls, I felt the crafting itch take over.

Armed with my Michaels coupons, I took the plunge and bought myself some plaster of paris.  Then, a day later, Chuck and I made these:

Like the two colors?  Me too.  Now we get both pink and blue all in one piece of chalk.  Whoa.  Mind blowing.

What's up Chuck?

Hi friends! 

How was your weekend?  Good, I hope.

After our previous week of activities, we mostly stayed around our neighborhood and took things easy.  But on Saturday night the traveling bug bit us full force.  We just had to go out.  So, we hopped aboard a bus and took an impromptu trip into the city. 

It was Chuck's first time seeing Times Square and Toys-R-Us.  I think he was quite dazzled by all the lights and hubbub.

Bright lights... big city...

I kept waiting for this guy to move... but he never did.

Ack! Humongous dinosaur in Toys-R-Us.  Hrmm... I wonder if was lifesize?

Can you believe this Green Hulk is made out of Lego?

Whoa.  They have a ferris wheel inside of the store!

Here we are riding the ferris wheel.  (Tee hee hee. Chuck's eyes are as big as saucers from seeing all the sights.)

Peeking out of car

Happy Monday!

Blowing up balloons with baking soda and vinegar

Did you ever make homemade volcanoes as a kid?  I made one in elementary school and remember being amazed by the chemical reaction.

A week ago Chuck and I played around with that classic baking soda and vinegar combination.  But this time, instead of making a volcano, we blew up some balloons.

(Note:  I can't take credit for this idea at all!  I saw in on Pinterest and then found some really clear directions on Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas.)

Materials:

• Balloon
• Plastic bottle
• Funnel
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Food coloring (optional)
• Chopstick (optional)

Directions:
1.  Fill your plastic bottle a little less than half way with vinegar.  (I added some blue food coloring so we could see the reaction better.)

2.  Using the funnel, fill your balloon half way full with baking soda.  (If your baking soda is full of clumps, like mine, a chopstick will help to break those up so the baking soda falls into the funnel.)


3.  Attach the balloon's mouth to the bottle, but don't let the baking soda pour out just yet.

4.  When the balloon is attached the bottle, empty out the baking soda and watch the reaction unfold. The combination of vinegar and baking soda will bubble up, and the gas released from the reaction will blow up your balloon!

Balloon magic!