Bird house

Make a little bird house in your soul.

Bird house

Valentine box

Crafts

At school this semester, E has made a Popsicle stick gnome,  a rock painted like a lady bug, and a rainbow flower. I think the teachers are ready for spring.

Felt skate ornament

Skates are cut out of craft foam sheets, the blades are painted Popsicle sticks. We glued beads on, then I added some sewing for security.

Thanksgiving

Napkin holder.

Glass sun catchers

Went out of my way to find these. They still exist. Lesson learned, you have to over fill the cavities as the beads shrink.

Can planters

Shrinky dinks

Shrinky Dinks can be made from #6 plastic.  #6 plastic is the classification for Polystyrene (aka Styrofoam). When you think Styrofoam you’re likely thinking of disposable cups or take out containers.  This is NOT what you want to use for this project!  While Polystyrene is used to make the items I just mentioned, the same type of plastic is used to make clear containers that are cheap, lightweight, and easily formed into shapes.  You frequently see them as take out containers for salads or lids for pans made out of aluminum.  These are types of plastic we want to use for this project.  Polystyrene is actually quite difficult to recycle, so reusing it for a project like this is a great way to keep it out of landfills!  

When using recycled #6 plastic, you’re likely to only find smooth surfaces (the kits on Amazon have a rough side and a smooth side) That’s why you’ll need permanent markers for this project.You’ll get a much better result using a permanent marker on the plastic than any other type of medium.  Make sure your plastic is really clean and dry before getting started, especially if you’re using old take out containers. You can simply wash them with dish soap and water.  ou’ll need a good pair of scissors to cut out your shapes and you can also use a hole puncher if you’re planning to make your DIY shrinky dinks into charms. You’ll also need parchment paper so the plastic won’t stick to the sheet pan you’ll bake them on.  

Now for the fun!  You can draw whatever you want.  You can even trace designs since the plastic is clear. Also remember that the plastic will shrink up to about 1/3 the original size of the designs. If you plan to make it into a charm, it’s a good idea to use a hole puncher to put a hole in the plastic before you shrink it.  It will be impossible to do once you’ve baked your DIY Shrinky Dink. Once you’ve colored in your designs, cut them out. 

Now you’ll want to arrange your designs on a sheet pan, with a sheet of parchment paper underneath them.  This will keep your dinks from sticking to your pan and ruining it.  You’ll need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Once the oven reaches temperature, place your sheet pan on the middle rack. It won’t take very long for them to shrink up, only about 2 to 3 minutes, so I DO NOT recommend walking away from your oven.  Don’t freak out if your designs start to curl up.  That’s perfectly normal.  They’ll uncurl again.  Once your designs have uncurled and are flat again, they won’t shrink anymore, so you can take it out of the oven.   Be super careful, since they’ll be hot.  You’ll want to let the cool for a few minutes before trying to handle them.

Drawings

Flower magnets

Water color

Bird seed ornament

3/4 to 1 cup birdseed

1 packet of gelatin (unflavored—I use Knox)

1/4 cup boiling water

Cookie cutters, lightly greased*

Twine and/or ribbon

Parchment or waxed paper

Combine the gelatin and the water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from heat and allow the mixture to cool for one minute. Stir in 3/4 cup birdseed, adding extra as needed until all the liquid is absorbed. (You won't want to add much more than 1 cup, otherwise there won't be enough "glue" to bind the birdseed once dried.)

Place the cookie cutters on a parchment or waxed paper on a baking sheet. (You can make the ornaments right on the counter, but a baking sheet allows for them to be easily moved aside later.) Fill each ornament halfway with the birdseed mixture. Lay a piece of twine down the length of the cookie cutter. Fill the cookie cutter to the top with remaining birdseed mixture, making sure to pack it down firmly. Allow the ornaments to dry for several hours or overnight. Once completely dried, gently press the ornaments out of the cookie cutters. If desired, add a decorative ribbon and hang on a tree branch for the birds to enjoy!

1 cup of water, 4 little packets of gelatin (one whole box) made 10 ornaments.

Big Breakfast

Pancakes, blueberries, banana slices, sausage links.

Owl mittens

Finger-less mittens fits ages 2-4. Free pattern download. I did not use the magic loop method, as I am not comfortable with it. I used four sock knitting needles. Be mindful of keeping the stitches tight so you don't have laddering where you change needles.

Pine Car Derby

I cut these for my co-workers little girls. They are in Girl Scouts, and I wanted to help. The girls painted them and applied stickers. The sedan even won first place!!

Bird Seed Cookies

3/4 C. Flour

1/2 C. Water

1 package Knox gelatin

3 TB. Corn syrup

4 C. Bird seed

Heat water, gelatin and corn syrup together over a low heat. No need to boil. Mix flour and seed together in a mixing bow, then slowly add the gelatin mixture. While cooling, put out parchment paper on our counter, and choose your favorite cookie cutters. Spray those cookie cutters with cooking spray. Next, fill the cutters with the gelatin mixture, pressing in the mixture tightly. Use a straw or toothpick to poke a hole through the ornament (for hanging). Then remove from cookie cutters and let dry for several hours. Once dry, you can attach ribbon or string and hang for the birds!

Bookmark Dolls

DIY craft for young readers.

Bows

Knitting