The Real Story-Microwaving Ivory Soap

Microwave a bar of Ivory soap they say.  It will be cool they say.  It puffs up and becomes moldable and fluffy they say.

So I did.

"They" exaggerate. 

It does in fact expand.  A lot.  Like on the walls and door of my microwave, a lot.  And it is not easy to clean up, because...

It is neither mold-able nor fluffy so no little hands can enjoy playing with it (Not to mention the fact that it is still soap.  Foul tasting, eye burning soap.  I kind of didn't think of that when I decided this was a great idea.).  It is brittle.  You touch it and it disintegrates into soap dust.  Teeny, tiny soap dust that sticks to your hand or the surface it is on if you try to brush it into a pile so you can clean it up.  Unless...

You try to wipe it up with a damp rag, then it turns into soap paste that again, sticks to everything and is now foaming.

Now, I have a pile of soap dust:

 

 

My only option was to convince my three year old it was "snow soap:.  It was a pretty easy sell because, well, he's three and still believes what I tell him. So, I ever so gently, picked it up and put it in a Ziploc bag to use at bath time.  Worth the effort it took to clean soap expansion overflow off my microwave?  No.  But it could have been a much less painful process if I knew then what I know now (isn't that true of most things?).

 

Learn from my experience and if you want to try to make your own "snow soap"  cut a bar in half, put it on a disposable plate and microwave it for 1.5-2 minutes.  That should solve the overflow problem and you can dump it right off the plate into a baggie keeping the soap dust to a minimum.  If you breed little scientist who want to know why the soap "explodes"  there is a great explanation here .  Happy mess making!



Mommy Moments

Do you remember the first time you saw snow?  Don't feel bad if you don't, I can't either.  I will however, remember the first time my little guy saw snow, and that is a sweeter memory anyway.



Cinnamon Scented Ornaments

I grew up with a Christmas tree that was decorated with homemade ornaments.  Some were paper, some were clay, some were made of yarn, but they were all made by my sister and I.  It may not have been able to grace the cover of Better Homes and Gardens, but it was beautiful to us.

Now that I have my own children, I realize just how special that tree was, especially to my mother.  All those years I thought it was all about my sister and I and showcasing decorations we made.  I thought my mother hung them every year the same way we hang refrigerator art... to let our children know we are proud of them and their accomplishments.  While I am sure that was part of it, I can now say that it is so much more. 

I now have my own "homemade tree".  Every year we hang ornaments my daughter made when she was three.  When I see them, I remember her chubby little hands and her baby tooth filled smile.  We have ornaments she made of beads and ornaments she made of felt.  I have hand prints covered in glitter.  Each one has a memory of my child's life firmly attached to it.  Whether it was made in school as a surprise, or made together, each one is special and irreplaceable.  So, you will never walk into my house and find an immaculate tree, covered in coordinating bulbs and ribbons.  You will find however, the most beautiful Christmas tree in the world.

 

 

Cinnamon Scented Ornaments

 

 

I made these ornaments with my kiddos last year and they had so much fun.  They make your house smell AMAZING and they are so sweet (Not in the eating way, in the cute way.  Don't try to eat them.  They would be terrible.) and simple to make.

 

What you need:

1 c. cinnamon

3/4 applesauce (maybe more if the dough is too dry)

1 Tbsp. glue

rolling pin

cookie cutters

drinking straw

parchment

baking sheet

 

What you do:

Mix together cinnamon, applesauce and glue, adding more applesauce if needed.

Roll dough out to about 1/4" thickness.  Don't roll it too thin or your ornaments will be fragile.

Cut dough into shapes using cookie cutters.

Make a hole at the top of each ornament with the straw.  Don't get to close to the edge or you will not have a sturdy loop for your hook.

Place shapes on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a 200 degree oven for about 2-1/2 hours, flipping every 30 minutes.

You can also allow these to air dry, but it will take a few days.

Once dry, loop a hook through the hole and hang on your tree!



The Most Com-fur-table Blanket

My kids are weirdos.  Maybe quirky is a better description...  Well...  Nope.  Weird.  My older son has what I would call a sensory... well I would consider it a problem.

I discovered it while working on my daughter's reading nook (if you missed that post, check it out here).  I bought a super soft, silky and dead free faux sheepskin at Ikea.  I thought it would be a nice place to rest her bare feet while reading in her big comfy chair.  Problem was, it never stayed in her room more than five minutes.  Her little brother would immediately sneak in, grab it, go to a quiet corner, strip off all his clothes and...

 

Yup...  Weird.  Realizing it was going to be a never ending battle to keep the rug in Emma's room, I decided to make Mr. Man a furry of his own.  Luckily, it is costume season, so the options were plentiful at the fabric store.  I let him choose his fur and a flannel for the back.  I picked a coordinating flannel for the trim and got to work. 

 

I bought a yard of fur and a yard of the flannel for the back, but they were different widths so I laid them out and cut them to the same size, squaring them up a little in the process.  I don't have the time or the inclination to be exact, so I eyeball it.  Mr. Man doesn't care if it's not perfect and neither do I.

 

I bought 1/2 yard of my edging flannel (just to be safe) and cut it into 2" wide strips.  Then I sew them together, end to end, into one long strip.

 

My iron was in the basement and my flat iron was handy, so I used it to press the seams open on my super strip.

 

To make the blanket all I did was sandwich my fabric, wrong sides together and sew on my binding.

 

 

A couple of hours and under $15 to make my little weirdo happy.  Unfortunately we may have a new issue..

 

 

It appears we have another weirdo in the making.

 

 

***Like my fabric?  Got it all at my local JoAnn Fabrics.***

 

***Don't know how to sew binding on?  Check out how I do mine here .***

 

***Want more kiddo blanket ideas?  Check out more of my blankets here , here , here, and here .***

 

 



Emma's Reading Nook

I have been struggling to  help my 10 year old daughter to find the enjoyment in reading.  I thought I had her hooked when we found a series of books she loved.  Then we realized it was a new series and there were only four.  Then we found another, similar series.  Again, new and only a few have been written.  I tried old standbys (Nancy Drew and the Boxcar Children), but she was not into them.  Sigh.

I decided to switch gears and try working not on the content, but the experience.  Emma is the oldest of three, with the younger two being boys.  I wondered if she would enjoy reading more, if it was her escape from testosterone, noise, fighting, and Batman on repeat.  So, I set out to create her own little quiet space.

I decided the perfect place was found in her room.  She has two adjacent corner windows that look out over a horse farm and would provide lots of natural light.  I found an appropriately sized, but still comfy chair and nestled it in said corner.  I placed a basket on one side of the chair to hold books, and slung a rose colored afghan my mother made her over the back to snuggle under on cool days.  Last, I found a faux sheepskin rug at Ikea to put at her feet for some softness and fanciness.



She LOVES it.  It is the perfect place for her to sneak off to when insanity is running high.  So, if you are having motivational issues  with one of your minions, maybe try this trick and see if it helps them look at reading in a different light.

Preserving Precious Works of Art

I am a creative person.  I have bred creative people.  The largest of my smalls loves making me pictures and let me tell ya, some of them are pretty impressive.  I realize that these works of art are priceless and I want to keep them pristine.  Unfortunately, I don't have the wall space to keep them all in frames and protected, so I was on the hunt for an alternative.  I knew Modge Podge would get the job done, but the application method (paint brush) would smear anything done with pastel or pencil.

While hunting for spray paint at Menard's, I came across this:



Eureka!  Inexpensive (under $10), easy to find and apply, this was my answer.  Now, I keep a can of this on hand at all times.  Here is how I use it:

I lay the picture I want to spray face up in a dry, well ventilated area (my driveway).  Shake the can for about 1 minute after you hear the mixing ball rolling.

(Pretty impressive pictures, right?)

 

Spray a light coat 6"-8" away from the paper.  Wait a few minutes and apply at least one more coat (I do a total of 3).

 

 

 

Once dry, turn it over and repeat on the back.  Paper is porous and I want my pictures to remain as close to original condition as possible.

 

 

That is it!  So go round up all your little people's amazing refrigerator art and spray away!

Emma's Origami-The Necktie

 

Just so you know, this tie only lasted a couple of seconds after this picture was taken.  Life expectancy of paper goods in my house is shockingly short...

 

 

 

 

First, fold paper in half, corner to corner.

 

Open it up, flip it over and fold each side in to the center creating a kite.

 

Flip it over, wide end toward you, and fold top corner down, keeping the center lines together.

 

Fold this corner back up about 1/2" under the previous fold.

 

Make small folds on both sides of this flap, pushing them in and under the flap (this is kind of tricky).

 

Flip over and bend the tip back and slightly overlapping the main piece.

 

Fold both sides in so they meet in the middle.  Use the top flap to hook over your shirt and see how long it survives in your house! 



Emma's Origami-The Piano

I have been trying to keep my little people VERY busy this summer.  Idle hands, right?  So far, my 10 year old daughter's favorite activity is origami.  It is a nice project because it is pretty instant gratification.  Since she is having so much fun with it, I decided to share some of her favorites with you!  Happy folding! 

The Piano

You will need:
origami paper
pen or marker to draw on keys

What you do:

 

Fold paper in half.  The color inside will be the color of the keys.

 

 

Fold the paper in half again,

 

then open the last fold, revealing a line down the center of the rectangle.  Fold each side into this center line.

 

Open the sides back up.  Your rectangle should have three crease lines.

 

Gently separate the layers of the side flaps

 

and make triangle folds at the top.

 

Fold the center flap up, to meet the base of the triangles,

 

then fold up again, making a crease along the base of the triangles.  This is the keyboard.

 

 

Fold the sides back in

 

then gently open them back up and allow the keyboard to fall into place.  Draw the keys on the keyboard and you are finished!

 





Make It Monday - Sand Casting

When I was planning my family vacation this year, I remembered a fun project I did as a kid, sand casting.  Basically, you make a mold with sand and pour on Plaster of Paris.  When the plaster hardens, it captures some of the sand, giving you a cool, sand dusted form.
I decided to do this on the beach to avoid hauling copious amounts of sand into a rented beach house (you are welcome homeowner).  I will tell you, depending on the beach you are at, the sand will be different affecting how intricate you can be with your mold.  The sand at the Outer Banks is pretty coarse and we could not letter or do small casts.  Feet and hands worked the best for us.  Try it and you will be able to tell if the sand will cooperate.
If you decide to do this at home, buy sand at any home improvement store.  Be sure to get the finest grain they offer, you will get a much more detailed cast.  While you are there, pick up a box of Plaster of Paris, they sell it there too. 
These casts are pretty easy to break, so if you want to keep it FOREVER don't let your kids play with them.

Sand Casting

What you need:

Sand

tray to hold sand (if you are doing this at home)

Plaster of Paris

water

bowl and spoon (metal) to mix plaster

items to make molds of (keep it simple, shells, hands, feet or simply designed items)

 

What you do:



Mix the sand with enough water to make it damp, but not wet.

 

 

Make impressions in the damp sand with items. (Please note, I am using shells in this picture but they did not turn out well, the sand was too coarse.  We will do this project again at home using finer sand and shells.)

 

Mix up the plaster following directions.  Mine was a 4-1 ratio of water to mix.  Add more water if needed to make it pourable.  Pour mix over molds.  Let dry according to package directions.  Mine were ready after an hour. 

 

 

Gently brush off excess sand with a soft brush to reveal your cast!

 

 

***Want another cool kid friendly project?  Check out how to make salt clay.***

Make It Monday- Salt Clay

School's out!  School's Out!  It is amazing how quickly childhood boredom sets in.  It's also amazing how quickly adult insanity sets in.  I am thinking the two MIGHT be connected...

I have decided to try to keep my kids as entertained this summer as possible with the hopes of keeping my personal crazy level to a minimum.  To spread the sanity, I will share my activities with you (unfortunately that is mostly my family and I can tell you, sanity in that group is a pipe dream).

Today's summer activity idea is salt clay.  My kids had a lot of fun with this.  First, they got to make the clay, then they could play with it and make things and smoosh them and make more.  When they were done smooshing, they made final cutouts and pinch pots to dry.  Once their pieces were dry, they got to paint and decorate.

It was a simple project that does not take a bunch of supplies, making it easy to whip up on a whim.  If your kids are driving you crazy, bust this one out.  Maybe it will give you a couple minutes of peace.  Use it to pee.

Salt Clay

 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup table salt

1 cup flour

1/2 cup water

 

Directions:

Stir together flour and salt.

Add water and stir into a soft dough.

Knead until smooth and no pockets of flour remain.

Use to make pinch pots, sculptures, or roll out and cut with cookie cutters.

Let dry or bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour.  Bigger or thicker items may take longer to dry.

Paint and decorate as desired!

 

 

***Want another cool boredom buster?  Check out sand casting. ***



Treating Baby Eczema

My little guy has eczema.  It sucks.  He is such a sweet handsome little man, but he was so crusty, that was all you noticed.  He would wake up itchy and aggravated and mom guilt would set in (mom guilt definition: everything that ever goes wrong with your child is your fault because clearly you grew them incorrectly).

I tried anything I heard or thought would help.  I switched to "free and clear" laundry soap.  I ran a vaporizer all day and night.  I bought Aveeno for eczema and loaded him up.  Very disappointing.  I spent fifty bucks on Eczoderm wash, cream and lotion which helped, but didn't clear up his spots.  I started noticing he looked great the morning after his bath, but got worse as the day went on, so I started bathing him every 12 hours, following the bath with a healthy dose of Eczoderm cream.  Better still, but some patches still persisted. 

I hit the internet to read up on the condition to see if I could figure out a solution.  I quickly found out that eczema in little ones is thought to be the result of the skin not functioning properly as a barrier, which means the skin cannot properly maintain it's moisture resulting in skin so dry it turns into flaky, rough and sometimes oozy patches.  That explained why he was so much better after a bath and a lube up with the cream, I was mimicking the moisture barrier he was missing.  I kept experimenting and came up with a system that completely controls his breakouts.  If you are having the same struggles, hopefully it will help.  Here it is:

1.  Bathe no less than every 24 hours in warm (not hot) water, using a gentle cleanser like Exoderm.  Until his rough patches completely went away, I bathed my guy every 12 hours.  This replaces the moisture in the skin.
2.  Immediately after bathing, gently pat the skin almost dry.
3.  If needed, apply a small amount of over-the-counter cortisone cream, such as Hydrocortizone 10 for Eczema, to stubborn areas.  This will help clear up any lingering red bumps.  My pediatrician said this is completely safe for babies because the amount of steroids is so low, it does not absorb into the body.
4.  Slather on the Aquaphor, layering over cortisone cream if applied.
5.  Dress only in breathable cotton.
6. Wash clothes and blankets in free and clear detergent.  I use All Free and Clear.  I also use Downy Free and Sensitive to keep his clothes soft.
7. Run a humidifier.  Eczema usually flares up in the winter because of the dry air.

Here is a before and after of my little man.

 

 

I hope this helps another guilt ridden mother feel better!

Butt Wipin'

So apparently I am not with the program.  I have been using store bought baby wipes.  I was clearly not on the list of people who were told how INCREDIBLY easy it is to make your own.  My best friend has been making these "like, forever" but I guess didn't feel like sharing the know how until now.  This is her recipe.  It takes 5 minutes, faster if you have some anger to take out with the knife. 
I will say the best part was not the ease in which they are created, but the look of confusion and fear on my husbands face when he came into the kitchen to find me with a 10" serrated knife and a severed roll of paper towels.  Here is how it went:
"What are you doing?"
"Cutting a roll of paper towels in half."
"Oh." long pause "Why?"

I wish I could think of all those smart ass things I could have said like:
"It looked at me wrong."
"It didn't take out the trash." (he may have considered that one a threat)
"It will make it easier to hide the body."
or
"What do you mean?" (insinuating HE was the stupid one)

But I didn't.  I said I was making baby wipes.  Oh well.  Next time I will be ready.

Baby Wipes

What you need:
1/2 roll paper towels
2 Tbsp. baby oil
1-1/2 Tbsp. baby soap
1-3/4 c. hot water
gallon size Ziploc bag

What you do:

Here is what you need.  Easy right?

Cut the paper towels in half.  If your husband questions your motives, you are prepared.

Add the oil and soap to the hot water and mix well.

Put one of the paper towel halves in a gallon bag and pour the hot water mixture over the top.  Let this sit for a few hours.  Check it to see if it needs flipped over so all the water will be absorbed.

After a few hours the cardboard center will be soft and you can pull it right out of the middle.  Pull the center towel up and throw away the first one (it has glue on it).  Pull the wipes from the center as you use them. 

*Two things I learned.

1. Viva paper towels seem like they would be great, but they pill up.
2. Cutting paper towels in half is surprisingly hard.  Try an electric knife.  I am looking for a yard sale one for this purpose.