Cheap and Easy Fake Leaf Projects

A bag or vine full of fake leaves is not expensive but you can certainly do a lot of decorating with one. In the fall season leaf colors are beautiful shades of yellow, red and even brown. People sometimes travel miles just to see the colorful leaves, but why should they, when you can show them that in your own home! Whether youre entertaining, or you just want to bring a little of the outdoors inside, leaves make a cheap yet beautiful way to do so. You dont have to purchase a bunch of craft supplies to create something from the leaves; the leaves are the project itself.

Having a dinner party? Cut the fake leaves from the vine, or grab a handful from a bag, and place them around on the table. Throw a few on the floor for fun. Position them on serving trays, under the edges of dinner plates, and on the table beside cups and glasses. Its easy, fun, and makes for a beautiful array.

If you want, you can set one leaf in front of each plate to create a place card. The persons name can be painted on it with craft paints that dispense directly from the tubes. Its an easy and unique way to create something different and exciting for your guests. You can embellish the leaves in many different ways. Glue a few seed beads onto some of the leaves before settling them on the table. Or, lightly coat the leaves with glue and sprinkle on glitter. Even gather the leaves in the center of the table, lay a few small pine cones on them, and you have a cheap but lovely centerpiece. Dont want leaves on your dinner table? Thats okay. Theres lots of other things you can do with them. Place a button magnet on the back of one or more and stick them to the refrigerator, toaster, oven door and other metal surfaces. Or, just position a handful of the leaves across the mantle above the fireplace. Glue button magnets to the backs of assorted fake leaves and stick them to your mailbox. The mailman will love it and so will your neighbors! The magnets allow you to stick the leaves to other metal surfaces outside, like an old rusty sign or a metal post. A small piece of rolled tape can be placed on the backs of leaves, if needed, to hold them in place. You can also use double-sided tape for the leaf crafts. Use the special tape to stick a leaf on a lampshade, a picture frame, mirror, decorative towel, drawer pulls, cupboard handles, and even candles. Remove the leaf before burning the candle. Purchase a pin back to make a leaf pin. The pin backs are sold in packs of several at stores that sell jewelry-making supplies and are very inexpensive. Simply use hot glue to attach a fake leaf to the pin hardware. Glue on embellishments if you desire. Who knew a simple leaf could change everything? From indoor decor to outside enhancements the fake leaves will keep you crafting for hours while spending pennies! If you have plenty of real leaves, and dont want to purchase fake leaves, use cleaned leaves to do many of the above-mentioned projects. Make sure the leaves you select are still pliable and not dried out. Dry leaves will crumble and will leave you upset, rather than proud, of your new decor. The leaf projects are great for living and dining areas, kitchen, bedrooms and baths.

How to Build a Desk from Plastic Cubes

Not everyone has a big, roomy desk for their computer, papers, books and such. Someone in a small area, or with a room that wont accommodate a desk, can find themselves without a kitchen table because theres nowhere else to put the computer. Saving up for a desk but dont quite have enough money? Live in a small place and theres no room for a desk? Dont worry, you can have a desk in no time - all you have to do is build it! Dont panic; you can build that desk without a bunch of power tools and without a load of cash.

Nearly any type of crate can help you make the desk you need. Milk crates, plastic crates, wooden crates - as long as theyre all the same size and shape they can be used to make the desk. (Note: although youll often see milk crates stacked up outside a convenience store or other business its not okay to take them; theyre returned to the distributor and reused.) If you have no crates at all youll have no problem finding the plastic ones at a discount department store like Walmart. The crates are cheap, come in several sizes, and are available in a number of colors. Purchase as many as you need to build the particular desk you want, after reading the ideas below.

If youre using milk crates or wooden crates its easy to nail them to the wall or to hang them on nails which are hammered into the wall. Milk crates have openings that allow you to simply hang them. With plastic crates you can just stack them and use glue dots - from a home improvement store - to help hold the stacks to the wall and each other. There are any number of design you can do with the stacks. For example, you can stack six in a vertical row, five in the next vertical row, and so on. Or, you can make stacks which all look alike and are butted together. No matter what design you do, stack the vertical rows side-by-side, and position each crate so that it faces you. After youve gotten all the crates attached to each other, and the wall, you can then choose one which will hold your computer. Cut a piece of wood that is almost as wide as the crate. The wood should be able to slide easily in and out of the crate but should be a snug fit. This piece of wood should also be long enough to extend out from the crate and hold your laptop. If you have no way to cut wood you can purchase a piece at a home improvement store and, when you do, theyll cut it to your specifications at no charge. In addition to the wood piece youll also need four dowel rods. Actually, you can purchase one dowel and have it cut, along with your wooden piece, at the home improvement store. Slide the board into the cube and weight it down, for now, with some books or other heavy objects. Wedge the four, large-diameter dowels into the cube, placing one end of each dowel on the board and the opposite end against the top of the crate. These should fit very tightly. Place one at each back corner and one at each front corner of the cube. The protruding board, supported by the wedged dowels, makes an instant desk. The surrounding cubes are perfect for setting up speakers, books, cds, papers and more. Its a useful arrangement that doesnt take up much space and a nice desk that is also decorative.

Giant Hula Hoop Wall Art

If youre no artist, just like me, youve probably seen painters, sculptors and other artists, on TV or elsewhere, who have unbelievable talents. Havent you ever watched them, or seen their work, and wished you could paint or or otherwise create like they do? It seems as though people like that were born geniuses. If, like me, you dont fall into that category, you have to rely on other sources to create artwork for your home. Place a coloring book page inside a clear vase and youll easily be able to trace the image with a paint marker. Or, paint one side of an old basketball and use it to stamp images onto a shirt.

Materials needed: Hula hoop T-shirts Theres a really nice project you can do - whether youre an artist or not - that turns out lovely every time. Youll be proud to display a colorful hula hoop rug that can hang above a fireplace, over a bed or in another area of your home. And as if the beauty of the project isnt enough to convince you to make one, it might help to know that the hula hoop rug is cheap and easy to make and foolproof as well! You simply cant mess it up - even if you try! Old tee shirts are the material you use for the project. They can be all the same color, like white, if you want to make a more demure statement. Or, use various colors of tees to create a colorful design. Another option is to alternate two or more colors.

For a 36" hula hoop, boys large shirts work well, but you can use other sizes depending upon the diameter of the hula hoop you have. Lay the shirt out flat so that the bottom hem is facing you. Go around to the right or the left of the shirt and begin cutting strips from both layers of the shirt at one time. First, remove the hem and discard it, then start cutting 1" wide strips. Each strip will then be a large loop. Sit in a chair and stand the hula hoop up in front of you. Slide the first hoop of material over it and position it in the center. Turn the hoop 90 degrees and slide the next hoop on so that you form a "+" shape. Continue turning the hoop and sliding on the next and the next hoop of tee shirt fabric. You can stop at any point to make the design you want. As you slide the hoops on, they gather together tightly in the middle of the design, but spread further apart as they reach the outsides of the hoop. So, continue putting on more and more so that you can no longer see the hula hoop at all, or stop when you have a small but equal space between each one. Hang the hula hoop rug as it is or even mount an object in the center. For a Native American design, glue on a flat, ceramic or other piece in the center. Or, make something completely different by attaching a wrought iron piece from a home improvement store - they have some lovely ones. Make small versions of the wall hanging by using a metal or plastic hoop from a craft store. Childrens or babies shirts are perfect for the smaller artwork. They work well to decorate walls, mount on closet doors, make into dream catchers, or even to hang from the ceiling as a conversation piece. You can make one in a few minutes, so get started, and youll be able to show off artistic abilities to all your visitors before the day is over!

Tee Shirt Sleeve Disposable Hat for Dirty Jobs

Does your work require you to crawl under houses or do similar dirty jobs? Are you tired of ruining ball cap after ball cap because of dirt and grime? Dont spend all that money on hats! Make disposable ones that can be used several times or thrown away after one use. These dew rag-type hats are easy to make and cost next to nothing.

Old long sleeve tee shirts are just what you need to make your own disposable work caps. The shirts should be large or extra large for the sleeves to be large enough. Although some short sleeve tee shirts could be used to make the hats the long sleeve ones guarantee that the finished hat will hang long enough to cover your hair.

Cut the sleeves off and youll have two hats. As youre cutting the sleeve away from the shirt leave the seam stitches on the side of the shirt. Each sleeve should be completely free of stitching around the arm opening. Cut the length of the sleeve long enough to hang nearly to the neck - or longer if you have long hair. If you are using a short sleeve shirt just cut it away from the shirt and use it at the length it is. Lay the sleeves out flat on a table. Smooth the shirt so there are no wrinkles. Shirt sleeves generally have a peak on the opposite side of the underarm seam. This peak needs to be cut away from the sleeve. Start at the underarm area of the seam and cut straight across to the fold. If youve cut a long sleeve youll need to hem it. The hem can be very narrow if you wish. When youre finished hemming the cut sleeve the hat is nearly finished. Slide the cut area over your head to check for fit. If its a good fit youll move on to hemming it. If the cap is a little large take it in slightly by sewing down the underarm seam. Another choice is to stitch a wide piece of elastic around the head opening. The elastic should be sewn under the new hem. Fold the edge of the arm opening over the elastic and sew down each side of the elastic piece. When youre finished all you have to do is slide the disposable cap over your head. If you have long hair you can pull it through the cap so that the "sleeve" covers it. These caps are comfortable and will prevent you from ruining other hats. Never crawl out from under a house with spider webs and other junk in your hair. Wear your disposable cap until the dirty job is done. They stay on the head nicely and are washable - if you want to launder it. These caps are great for people who dont do dirty jobs but just want to cover the head. If its hot outside, make the caps from white tee shirts, and your head will stay nice and cool. Theyre great for men or women - even kids. You dont necessarily have to use old tee shirts to make the caps. Use new fabric or use other stretchy garments. Whatever type of material or old shirt sleeves you use they need to be stretchy. Loosely woven types arent ideal since they tend to let dirt and debris inside of the hat. Use the hats once, throw them away, then make new ones. Or, launder them over and over again and spare your ball caps. Purchase shirts at yard sales and flea markets to keep from cutting up your own shirts. Make many at a time or make them as you need them. Youll be glad to have em!

Edible Stick Ornaments

Are you one of those people who is slightly envious of the cooking abilities of others? When Christmas rolls around, many people are baking and cooking the most scrumptious things, and there you sit wishing... Well, just because youre not the best cook doesnt mean you cant give out delicious treats on Christmas. You just have to use things you can buy rather than things you have to bake! Gumdrops are a favorite candy of many and you can use them to create ornaments on a stick. Unlike regular ornaments, these are edible, and they are a breeze to make. With gumdrops you can make a delicious Christmas treat for a child - or anyone - in a minute! Craft stores carry sucker sticks that are perfect for making gumdrop ornaments. Purchase the type which features plastic rather than paper sticks. Use one stick to make each Christmas character or other edible. Simply slide gumdrops onto the sticks to fashion the ornament you want.

Youll need a place to stand the finished creations. One way to make a stand is to simply pour some sugar in a large, clear jar. The sugar will help the characters and other ornaments stand. With this method you create a snowy scene inside the jar. Another way is to just use a piece of Styrofoam and push the sucker sticks into it. Stand this on a table or other flat surface to serve.

Make a snowman by using white gumdrops. Turn one gumdrop upside-down and slide it onto the stick. Push it down so that its a little more than halfway down the stick. Push another gumdrop on the stick and slide it on top of the first one. The flat sides of the candies should be facing each other. Slide another gumdrop onto the stick. This one should leave no stick showing above it. Arrange the gumdrops so that they are all touching each other. Use tiny dots of gel frosting, melted chocolate or a similar edible to make eyes, a mouth and buttons. Make a hat by applying a dab of frosting or syrup to the top gumdrop. Place a flat, round candy, like a LifeSaver, on top. Cut the top half off of a colored gumdrop and stick it, with syrup or frosting, to the top of the LifeSaver. Make a Christmas tree candy ornament by using green gumdrops. Slide three of them onto the stick and leave a little bit of the stick showing above the top gumdrop. Take a slice off the bottom of a gumdrop and use it to make a star. Take a paring knife and use it to cut the small disk to resemble a star. Use frosting or syrup to stick the star to the top of the gumdrop tree. Make a Santa by turning two red gumdrops so that their flat sides are touching each other and slide them onto the stick. Slice the bottom off of a white gumdrop and push it onto the stick to make the head. Cut the top off of a red gumdrop and use it to make the Santa hat. Use dots of white frosting to make the buttons. Use dots of gel frosting to make eyes and a mouth. To give the gumdrop ornaments as gifts or treats wrap each one with plastic wrap or cellophane and tie a ribbon around it. Its fun to turn ordinary yet delicious gumdrops into unique Christmas ornaments that are actually edible. All the kids in your life will love the fabulous treats even more when they find out you made them yourself!

Easy Styrofoam Dollhouse Furnishings

Styrofoam shapes can be made into so many different d?cor items in your home but did you know that they can also be used to make miniature furnishings for a dollhouse? You dont have to be a carpenter or artist to make all sorts of things for your dolls from Styrofoam.

Look around at a craft store and youll find all sorts of Styrofoam pieces. Purchase Styrofoam balls in various sizes, disks and even small slabs and you can nearly furnish an entire dollhouse. Since Styrofoam is so cheap youll be able to make furniture and d?cor items for the house at a fraction of the cost others pay for theirs.

Cutting Styrofoam is really easy if you use a serrated knife. Cut an old candle a couple of times with the knife and the transferred paraffin will coat the knife and make for a smooth, clean cut. With this in mind, cut a Styrofoam ball in half to make many different things. Cut balls in half, wrap a piece of sandpaper around a pencil at the eraser, then use it to file a dip in the cut side of the ball. This technique helps you make bowls and planters. Cut the bowl in half, glue it to a wall, then fill it with tiny fake flowers to make a wall arrangement. The tiny Styrofoam pieces can be painted but its important that you check the label on the paint. Some paints will actually melt Styrofoam, so if youre unsure, check with a knowledgeable clerk. Beds for dolls can be made by using blocks of Styrofoam. Simply select or cut the block size you want then wrap it like a gift. Use the tape or glue on one flat side of the block then use that side as the bottom of the bed. Glue four wooden beads, or even dowel pins, to the four corners of the bed to make the legs. Dress the bed with sheets, quilt, pillows and more. Make tables for the dollhouse by choosing various disks or flat rectangles of Styrofoam. Paint them any color then glue dowel pins on for legs. You can even give the table a top when you glue on a piece of laminated scrapbook paper. This technique works for making a kitchen table, coffee table, end tables and even night stands. Make couches and chairs by using two Styrofoam blocks of different sizes. Use the widest block as the seat then glue a more narrow block across the back. Use this method to make couches, love seats and chairs. A footstool can be made by using a single block and gluing on four small beads or dowels. Cut a piece of cloth as a drape to go over the furniture. Fit the fabric to the furniture by gluing it, here and there, and cutting away excess. Use thin, rectangular pieces of Styrofoam to make stacked shelves for the dollhouse. Glue four small beads or dowels to one side of one slab. Turn it over and use those as the legs. Glue four more dowels on to the corners of that one, then stack another Styrofoam slab. Do this several times until the shelves are as tall as you want them to be. After you make a few Styrofoam pieces for the dollhouse youll think of even more. You can easily make pictures, baseboards, fake cabinets, wall "quilts", mirrors and more by using a few cheap craft supplies along with the Styrofoam. Youll have so much fun making the pieces, though, that youll likely end up with a really crowded dollhouse!

Coffee Can Christmas Decorations and More

If you drink a lot of coffee you can go through those tin cans quickly. Do you ever save them in case you think of something you can do with them? If so, gather them all up now. Youll be back to no empty coffee cans in the cupboard once you see how many things you can make for Christmas! Remove the lid from a coffee tin and save it for a future project. Use hot glue to attach a long piece of ribbon or twine to the inside, upper edges to use for a handle. This will hold lightweight items, but if you need a sturdier handle, punch holes in the sides and thread the cord through them. Tie a knot in each end. Place tissue paper inside so that the ends of it stick out and above the can. Fill with candy, gift cards, small toys and similar things. You can make the can so that it contains all things with a particular theme, like all things for a kitchen, or you can just put random gifts inside. Any recipient will love it! Use a coffee can to make a Christmas planter. Wrap the tin with red felt, velvet or fake fur. Cut a rectangle of black felt, fur or even vinyl. Wrap it around the can to make a belt. Glue on a painted piece of cardboard or other buckle. The red Santa pants can is a cute way to display poinsettias or even serve snacks on a stick.

Make pedestals for your dinner table by choosing cans of different sizes or all the same. Wrap each one in identical fabric or cover each coffee tin with a different type of material. Turn these upside-down and place a platter or plate on them. This is a great way to place some foods higher than others on a crowded food table. To help the trays stay in place you can use pieces of double-sided tape to secure them. Give each one an elegant touch by tying a bow around the middle.

Use coffee cans to make stands for Christmas candles. Use large cans for giant pillar candles or smaller coffee tins for votives. Wrap each one with Christmas cloth then turn them upside-down. If you want, paint the bottoms of the cans gold or even glue on a circle of fake fur to cover the actual bottom of the coffee can. Use a drill or a hammer and nail to punch out a pattern on a coffee can. Make something simple, like a star shape or tree outline, then use the drill or nail to punch holes in the outline. First, cover the can with cloth or paper. Make the holes then set a candle - in a candle holder - inside the can. These look beautiful on a deck, steps or porch. Use a coffee can of any size to make a Christmas card holder. Wrap ribbon or yarn, round and round the can, until its completely covered. Start at the top edge, go down, across the bottom, and back up. Continue doing this, scooting over a little after each wrap, until the entire can is covered. Turn it upside-down then slide cards under individual strings or ribbons. Align the ribbon so it goes down the center fold of the card and the coffee tin can hold many cards at one time. Never throw away an empty coffee tin because there are just so many things you can do with them. Decorate them, use stickers to spell out a word or phrase, and set them anywhere in the home. Or, make homemade cookies, put them in a decorated coffee tin, and give them as a gift!

How to Make a Pirate Ship Cake

Just think of the pride youll feel when all the kids who show up for your childs birthday party rave about the fantastic pirate decorations and all the delicious-looking food. Then, when they see the cake! Wow! Those kids will be so excited that theyll want to skip the party and go straight for the cake! Theyll probably suffer through the games, the romping and the laughter, and when they finally get to the cake, theyll be antsy as they wait for it to be served. A pirate ship is definitely an attention-getter at a pirate-theme party; its an extra bonus that it tastes delicious, too.

Dont think for one minute that you cant make a pirate ship cake because its really no different from making any other cake. The candies and things you put on the cake is what ends up making it a convincing ship. But, to start, bake any cake, from box or recipe, in two, 8 or 9 inch pans. Allow them to cool completely.

Cut both cakes in half and set one half on a platter or plate. Spread a layer of chocolate frosting over the top of that cake and stack another half on it. Frost the top of it, stack again, until all cakes are stacked. On the rounded side, slice a thin piece off of the cakes so you can create a flat bottom for the pirate ship. Freeze for a couple of hours, remove from the freezer and turn the stacked cakes over onto the flat bottom. Spread chocolate frosting all over the cake and ice it as smoothly as possible. Now, take a knife and draw lines all the way around the cake - except on the top - to form the illusion of planks. Use three, 10-inch wooden skewers to make the masts for the ship. Cut 6 pieces of paper into squares and poke a hole on two opposite sides of each paper. Slide the papers onto the sticks so that you have three flags on each skewer. If needed, wrap tiny pieces of Scotch tape below each flag to hold it in place. Use assorted candies, cookies or other goodies to create accents on the pirate ship. For example, outline the top of the ship with candy sticks (like candy canes but without the curve) and set root beer barrel candy on top. The candy barrels look perfect sitting on the deck of the pirate ship. Use Rolo candies to make cannons along the sides of the ship. If you want candles on the cake the candies can be used to hold them to the sides of the cake where they cant set the sails on fire. Make a hole in the top of a Rolo candy with a knife and push the candle into it. Push the bottom of the candy into the side of the ship to make a cannon. Make four cannons along each side. If more cannons (candles) are needed place them along the back of the ship. There are other accents you can create depending upon how detailed you want the pirate ship to be. Make a deck cannon by placing a malted milk ball on a Rolo candy. And, youll need a captain and crew so consider setting a couple of pirate characters on top. Its amazing how something so simple can be so spectacular. The pirate ship cake will impress the kids and the adults but it will be a shame to cut it and watch it disappear. Oh well, as they say, "take a picture, itll last longer".See a pirate ship cake here.

Cupcake Owl Cake

Ingredients:Cake mix or recipe for 18 (or more) cupcakes16 oz container of white frosting plus an additional half-cupGreen, blue and purple food coloringShredded coconutChocolate wafer cookies or full-size peppermint pattiesJelly ringsJunior MintsChocolate chips (miniature)A few circus peanuts or cashewsM&MsPretzel rods There really arent any special occasions where an owl cake would be appropriate. The owl cake just doesnt seem to fit in when it comes to Christmas, Easter, Independence Day, the Fourth of July and similar holidays. But, if you know someone who loves owls, collects owls, he or she will adore the owl cake. Its easy to put together and looks cute as can be on a birthday or other occasion for an owl-lover.

Bake 18 cupcakes - or more - to make an owl cake and a few baby owls. Follow the instructions on the boxed mix or recipe to bake the cupcakes, then allow them to cool completely.

Take one cup of the vanilla frosting and use food coloring to tint it green. Place a half-cup of the frosting in a zipper-lock bag and cut a tiny piece of a bottom corner off of it so that you can pipe the frosting. Dye a half-cup of shredded coconut purple and a half-cup blue. Youll also need a cup of white, shredded coconut. Frost 10 of the cupcakes green and 8 of them white. Set the chosen platter in front of you and arrange the cupcakes from the feet of the owl up to the head. So, to start, place two cupcakes at the edge of the platter. Make a row of three green cupcakes above that one. Next, make a row of four greens, then three more green ones. Now place two white ones on top. To decorate the owl start with the two top, white cupcakes. These will be the eyes of the owl. Place a round, chocolate cookie or peppermint patty on each one. Pipe some white frosting on top of the cookies then set a green fruit ring on each eye. Push a junior mint into the center of each fruit ring. Finish by cutting a cookie or peppermint patty in half and placing them vertically above the fruit rings. Align half-cookies, or half-peppermint patties, down the sides of the owl, staying next to the right and left edges, to make the wings. Make a slanted, horizontal row of three halves, then a row of two halves in front of that row. Do this to both sides. Sprinkle white coconut on the "chest" of the owl. Sprinkle it with chocolate chips. Arrange pretzel rods on the two lower, white cupcakes to create the look for the tree branches on which the owl is standing. For effect, lay more pretzel rods on the tray, around the feet of the owl. Place a peanut or cashew between the eye cupcakes, below where the cupcakes meet, then arrange six more as talons. Place them so that they curl over one of the pretzel rods. Make baby owls by using single cupcakes. Use fruit rings and junior mints for their eyes, halved cookies or patties for the wings, colored coconut and mini chocolate chips for the chests, and a nut for the beak. The owl cakes are simply adorable, and although theyre a little time-consuming to prepare, theres nothing hard about it. Someone you know will be thrilled when they see that owl cake - and her babies - on the celebration table!

Subtraction Shortcuts for Kids

Who knows why math is so easy for some people yet so much more difficult for others? For those who are challenged by simple math problems the difficulties can seem unconquerable. But, if you give children a different route to take youll often find that they can finally comprehend and rapidly improve in math. Take subtraction, for example. When first learning to subtract double-digits or larger numbers kids can often get confused about borrowing. When you start explaining to the children that youll be borrowing from the "tens" to subtract the "ones", and that youll be borrowing from the "hundreds" to subtract the "tens", youll often begin to see the glazing come over their eyes.

There is a much easier way to get kids to learn how to subtract large numbers from other large numbers. Write down the number "501" and subtract from it the number "397". As you can see, the "9" and the "7" are larger than the "0" and the "1" so youll have to borrow. Instead of going over to the "5", and crossing it out, replacing it with a "4" and doing all the steps to the normal subtraction process, make it much easier on the child: Instruct the child to look at the "5" minus the "3". He knows, of course, that it will leave "2" remaining. Before writing the "2" down, though, look to the next column. Will you need to borrow? If the answer is "no" go ahead and write down the "2". If you do have to borrow, as in this case, write the next lowest number: "1". When you do this you have borrowed. Make a tiny "1" in front of the "0" so that you can remember that the number is now "10" instead of "0" because you borrowed. It can be helpful, while the child is learning, to circle the tiny "1" and the "0" together so the child remembers that the number is now "10".

Have the child look at the second column now. "10" minus "9" is "1". Before writing down the "1" look at the last column. Will you need to borrow? If not, write down the "1". If you do need to borrow, as in this case, write the next lowest number: "0". Remember to make the tiny "1" next to the "1" in the "501", and to encircle the two "1s", if needed. Now all thats left to do is to subtract "7" from "11". Kids can do even the most complicated subtraction problems when they use the left-to-right technique rather than the right-to-left method often taught in schools. Have them practice the left-to-right technique a few times; youll be surprised at how quickly they learn it! Another subtraction tip involves subtracting 7s, 8s and 9s. Take the "9s", for instance. Many kids will find it much easier to take away "10" and then add "1" when subtracting in their heads. The same goes for the "8s" or "7s". Since kids easily learn how to add and subtract by "10" they often find it simpler to subtract "10" and then add the "1", "2" or "3" needed to make the difference between the "10" and the number theyre actually subtracting. Have your child practice this technique and soon he or she will be able to subtract numbers which arent too large in their heads. Kids will rapidly improve if you spend just a short amount of time teaching them how to do subtraction shortcuts that really help!

Thanksgiving on a Really Tight Budget

When youre struggling financially its often hard to face upcoming holidays. Thats particularly true if there are kids in the house. They so look forward to the holidays and it can be hard for them to understand why this year should be any different. When an entire nation is struggling, many people are in the same boat as yourself, but that doesnt make you feel much better, does it? Well, Ive got news for you; its okay if you cant pull off an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner this year. You can still enjoy your family and have a nice meal at the same time. Just take a few shortcuts to that dinner and everyone will be fed and happy.If you are struggling financially right now your kids probably know it. So, go on with Thanksgiving plans but just tell them youll be making a smaller meal this year. Most of us, when we can afford it, buy foods to make a much larger meal than what we actually need, because we love those leftovers. But when you size the meal down, you still have a great dinner, and no one has to feel sad on Thanksgiving.Cant afford a huge turkey this year? Buy a much smaller one. Or, purchase a turkey breast. When you buy just the breast, its boneless, so you get a lot more meat for the price. If you still cant afford the main course consider a canned ham. When you buy a small one it can cost five bucks or less.A small box of instant mashed potatoes is much cheaper than purchasing a bag of potatoes and making your own. Plus, it takes a lot less time and effort to make the instant potatoes. You can always jazz them up by making garlic potatoes or another type. Just sprinkle in the seasonings you want to make gourmet potatoes on a shoestring budget.If you have bread already you could make your own breadcrumbs, and therefore, your own dressing. Look online to find quick and easy instructions to make the stuffing. If youll be buying the boxed-type of stuffing, check the bagged stuffing first; its usually cheaper.Youll often find condensed soups on sale during the holidays and, with cream of chicken soup, you can make scrumptious turkey gravy. Bake your turkey - or turkey breast - with a bit of water and, when the turkey is done, pour some of the broth into the soup. When you get the right consistency, taste it; youll love it.It seems like, when theres a holiday, rolls go much higher in price. But if youre having a budget dinner, look to ordinary canned biscuits. Some brands can be really delicious and cost little money.One thing many people love about Thanksgiving is the array of delicious desserts. You might not be able to do that this year but you can still have desserts at your dinner. Pudding pies are especially inexpensive. Buy a graham cracker crust, mix up instant pudding, and pour it into the pie shell. Top with whipped topping - or not. If a pie is a little bit over budget consider a cake. The cake, along with frosting, is usually cheaper than any pie you can make or buy.Some Thanksgivings are more abundant than others but, for most of us, were just thankful to have our families, homes, friends, and food. Even if you dont have a weeks worth of leftovers you can still have a delicious Thanksgiving meal.

Crats Projects: How to Make a Unique Clown Centerpiece for Kids Birthday Parties

Kids love clowns, thats a fact. And when you make this cute clown centerpiece, your child and all the visitors, will grin from ear to ear. The fun project is easy to create and will brighten any birthday party table. The great thing about this particular centerpiece is that you can make a large one for the table then smaller matching ones as party favors. Theyre so easy to create and will ensure lots of giggles from the kids.

Start with a large Styrofoam ball for the head of the clown. If you have a large table you can create a huge centerpiece. You choose the size most appropriate for your table. Use a wooden dowel to create the body of the clown. The dowels are found at craft stores or home improvement stores. The dowel will suffice to hold the head up and keep the clown from falling over.

Glue a Styrofoam disc into the bottom of a plant pot. The pot can be terra cotta or just a cheap plastic pot. Push the dowel rod into the disc and use hot glue to secure. Now push the ball - or clown head - onto the opposite end of the dowel rod. Your basic shape is created. Now you can use paint, wiggly eyes, and other craft supplies to create the perfect clown centerpiece. Create the eyes by painting them on or gluing on craft eyes. Use tiny red buttons to make the cheeks or just use red paint to paint glowing cheeks onto the clown face. A single pom-pom works perfectly for the clowns nose. A half-inch pom-pom is just the right size. Cut a piece of red felt into the shape of a smile and glue it in place. Your clown will also need a hat and there are several ways to make one. Youll find miniature plant pots at a craft store. Theyre great for making a clown hat. Or, you can purchase tiny Styrofoam cones to create the hats. Paint the hats and glue them into place on the clowns head. Glue a small pom-pom on top of the cone shaped hat. Hot glue a piece of satin ribbon around the "neck" of the clown head. The gathered ribbon will represent the large collar often seen on clowns. The satin ribbon will also hide the area where the wooden dowel is inserted into the Styrofoam ball. Fill the plant pot with candies so they will hide the Styrofoam disc at the bottom of the plant pot. The candies should be small and individually wrapped. Now position suckers all around. Push the sticks of the suckers into the disc at the bottom of the pot. The suckers will hide the dowel rod and will act as the clown suit. If the sucker sticks arent long enough tape a toothpick or straw piece to each one. Make a miniature version of the clown centerpiece by simply using smaller sizes of plant pot, cones, dowel rods and other supplies. Place the candies and suckers in the plant pot and give each child a clown before leaving. Each pot will have enough candy and suckers for one child. Place the large clown in the center of the table then gather the small ones on a section of the table to please the kids. The little clowns can be made differently to suit other areas of the house, too. Instead of filling the pot with candy fill with tiny rocks. Now you can set the clown in the bathroom, bedroom or other areas of the house, during the party.

How to Play the "Song Titles" Game

Looking for a new game to play at parties? Tired of the drawing games, guessing games and similar entertainment? If you consider yourself knowledgeable about songs, and you have friends who feel the same way about themselves, you can have a lot of fun at a party or get-together. With five or more people you can play a game that will keep you on your toes! The "Song Titles" game functions on a simple concept. As the game proceeds the players can only say song titles. To start the game youll need to select someone to be the "judge". This person must be knowledgeable about songs and must be able to quickly recognize if a player says something thats not an actual song title. The judge will start the game, call players out, and call the game when its over.

Besides the judge you need at least 4 players. The players stand in two separate lines and the first two players start the game. One of the two initial players begins by saying a song title. The other one, in turn, says the name of a song title. The conversation goes back and forth between the two players until one of them says something that isnt a song title. When this happens, the judge will say "out" or can use a bell to notify the person to go to the back of the line.

The object of the game for the actual players is to attempt to carry on a semi-reasonable conversation while speaking only in song titles. Just throwing random songs out isnt exactly playing fair. For example, if a player says to you "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" you cant just say "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". You have to make an attempt to carry the conversation, however ridiculous it becomes. However, it can be very difficult to think of responses that are song titles so the strictness of this stipulation should be decided upon before the game begins. Silly conversations ensue and provide tons of laughter. Some people get confused, with the conversation going rapidly back and forth, and mention a lyric from the song rather than the song title itself. The judge can call "out" and even clarify, if he wants, that the player is out because the spoken words were lyrics rather than titles. He can do this by simply saying "lyric". As one person is called out the next one in his line steps up to the plate. When hes called "out" he goes to the back of the line. Besides having to talk only in song titles each player must also say a song title within a certain amount of time, like 5 seconds. The judge will decide if the player is taking too long and call him "out". Set a timer at the beginning of the game, and when it goes off, the game is over. The last person standing wins. At the judges discretion the game can be called several seconds early. With two people still on stage, there wont be a defined winner, so the judge can call the game when one person is called out and there is less than a minute left in the game. The game, although simplistic, is a lot of fun. Play with just a few people or with a crowd. The unusual game is a fun way to entertain friends at most any party. Play it at the office or at home. Play with adults or let kids play the game together. Its hysterical!

How to Make a Cat Cottage

A cat cottage is just a fancy phrase for a cardboard box. Yet, cats love to play in a house that is strictly their own. Look online or in a catalog for a cat cottage, and if you can find one, youre going to pay big bucks for it! It might just be a cardboard box, but after the manufacturers add a few tiny details, it becomes a fancy cottage thats going to cost you plenty. Cost for a simple cat cottage: $50. Price to make it yourself: $5! Use a large cardboard box to make the cottage you have in mind. The first order of business is to open the flaps, or if the box has a lid, remove the lid for now. Cut a piece of thick cardboard to be the width of the box. This piece should only be half the size of the depth of the box. Cut several thick cardboard strips as well.

Since youll be aiming to make the cardboard box look like a cottage, house or other building, youll need to decorate the box at this time. First, paint the bottom of the box - which will be used as the top of the cat cottage. Next, wrap the box with fabric or even wallpaper. Fabric as well as wallpaper give you zillions of options for the look of the outside of the house. Glue the chosen material to the four sides of the box.

To assemble the cat cottage take the cardboard strips, and if needed, glue several of them together. Turn the box so that the opening faces you. Slide the single cardboard piece into the box so that one flat side of the cardboard panel faces you. Slide it about halfway in the box. This cardboard piece is only a half-floor. The missing half of the floor allows the cat to jump from the first floor up to the second. If you want, glue a piece of carpet, towel or fabric piece to the cardboard before sliding it inside the cottage. Position one of the cardboard strips on the right side of the box and one on the left so that the second floor can rest on them. Its important that these be in exactly the same locations but on opposite sides. If theyre not even the floor of the house will be tilted. Place these so that they are against the bottom of the cardboard half-panel. So, if you were to set the box on its lid, the lid of the box will make one floor of the cottage and the cardboard panel you slid in will make a second story of the house. Place the lid on the box or close the flaps. Set the box so that the lid is on the floor. Cut a circle, square, heart shape or other image from the side of the box so that the cat can be on the first floor and look out. Cut a second shape - the same shape or a different one - so that you create a window from the second floor. Add additional windows if you want. Make sure that at least one window on each floor is large enough for the cat to jump out of. Attach embellishments to the house, like stickers, scrapbook frames, cloth or paper cutouts and similar things to make small windows, climbing vines, shutters around the windows and other accents. If you want, cut a hole in the top of the box, and the cat can jump from the second floor up to the roof. If you do this, attach a piece of carpet or towel to the top of the building rather than painting it. Your cat will have the time of his life!

T-Shirt Pom-Poms

Lots of people make yarn pom-poms; theyre great for sewing onto a childs outfit, a womans sweater, or another garment. But whats more fun than creating yarn pom-poms is making t-shirt pom-poms. Theyre made in basically the same manner but, instead of using yarn, you use strips cut from a t-shirt, or from another type of stretch-knit fabric. The t-shirt pom-poms can be used on clothing, can be hung as decorations over a party food table, or can be displayed in a bowl, as a centerpiece. Its a little time-consuming to make them but theyre pretty, cheap, and washable!For each shirt you cut, lay it on a table so that one side faces you, and cut straight across, just below the underarm areas. Remove the top of the shirt and save it for another project. Use just the bottom of the shirt to make a pom-pom. After cutting the top off, begin cutting half-inch strips, from one side to the other, until you go from the top, to the hem. Do away with the hem itself. If youre cutting a shirt that has side seams, cut them off before cutting the strips. Cut each band once to open it up into one long piece. If youre using fabric, instead of a shirt, just cut long strips.A pom-pom can be made in any size but the form you use to make it is always the same - just larger or smaller. Create a doughnut shape from cardboard by drawing around a large circular object, and then around a much smaller one, to make the circle within a circle. Cut a wedge out of the circle so the doughnut then looks like a "C". Cut two of them from the cardboard and, together, they make the pom-pom form.Lay one of the form pieces on a table, so that the open area of the form is facing you, and lay one of the fabric strips on it. Shape the fabric strip like the form - like a "C" - and leave the ends of the fabric hanging off of the ends of the cardboard. Lay the second cardboard shape on top so that both cardboard shapes align, and so that the fabric strip is trapped between them.Begin wrapping one of the long strips of fabric around the "C" shape until you get to the end of the cloth. Overlay another cloth piece and continue wrapping. Keeping adding another piece on until you get to the very end, and the entire cardboard shape is covered. Then, tie the two loose strips, which are trapped between the cardboard, once; dont tie a knot.Hold your hand down on the fabric to keep the pieces in place as you cut along the edge of the cardboard, so that you follow the entire large curve of the "C" shape. Just slide the scissors between the cardboard and the fabric and cut the strips, all the way around. After that, tie a tight knot in the two loose strips and take the cardboard out.To shape the pom-pom it can be helpful to set it between two plates, two pieces of cardboard, or two similar things. Cut the edges so that they all line up with the edge of the plate and, when you remove them, the pom-pom will be even, all the way around. Its necessary to fluff the pom-pom up to round it, but then, you can hang it, set it somewhere, or even sew it onto something. Its a most adorable accent that you can use in many different ways, to create new things for you and your family.

Jigsaw Puzzle Piece Pins for Little Girls

Little girls jewelry can be much different than a womans. Even though a woman might wear costume jewelry hers is a little more mature. A little girl, though, can wear silly or whimsical jewelry and look fabulous! She will, too, when you make jigsaw puzzle piece pins she can wear with nearly any outfit. Youll just need a pack of metal pin hardware pieces which youll find at any craft store. Youll get a pack of several for about a buck so why not make a few different pins all at the same time? Make a butterfly pin by painting the pieces a bright color or using them as-is. Use a hole punch to make tiny paper circles to glue onto the butterfly or just dip a pencil eraser in paint and touch it to the piece to make dots. Cut a piece of black pipe cleaner and glue it down the center of the puzzle piece. Cut a second piece, bend it into a "v" shape, and glue it on one end of the first pipe cleaner to make the antennae for the butterfly. These are adorable and so easy to make.

Create a little alien pin by painting the puzzle piece green. Glue on wiggly eyes then use a marker to make a weird smile, warts or other features. Or, use tiny pom-poms to make antennae or even ears. Make dots, stripes or other patterns on the alien by using colored markers. Glue the pin hardware to the back using hot glue. Make assorted aliens by choosing different shapes of puzzle pieces, painting the pieces different colors, and using multiple eyes or other embellishments.

Make a simplistic pin thats elegant at the same time by simply mounting a fake jewel to a single puzzle piece then gluing the pin hardware on the back. The jewels are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and colors at any craft store. Or, make a different pin by simply painting the puzzle piece then using a sticker as the design. Create little pin people by using puzzle pieces which have one straight edge. The straight edge will become the chin for the puzzle person. Rather large puzzle pieces are ideal for this project. Also, the best puzzle piece is one that has a nub protruding from each side so that the pin person will have ears. Paint the puzzle piece the color of the skin tone you want the pin to have. Glue on wiggly eyes then continue to finish the little face. Draw a nose, a mouth - even freckles - to make the features. Glue tiny beads on the "ears" to make earrings for a girl pin. Glue yarn on the head to make hair. You can even cut the yarn long then tie tiny bows around it to make pigtails. The shapes of the pieces make all the difference when creating different characters. A nub that points down can be made into a beard - perfect for a Santa pin. A nub that points straight up can be a giant knot on an aliens head or can be used to hold a third eye. A piece that has a nub on each side can be used to make animals - one nub is the head and one is the tail. Others will crack up when they see the cute little pins your girl is wearing and youll love that you made them yourself. Theyre unique, theyre adorable and theyre cheap and easy to make. Since you have still more puzzle pieces leftover why not make pins for her friends as well?

Sweet 16Birthday Party Crafts

Oh, the Sweet 16 party is going to be so great. Your daughter will have all of her friends over and everyone will have so much fun. Its up to you to get it all ready and that is going to be a little bit of work. Youll have to have special foods, decorations, party favors and more. Below are some craft projects you can do to make it all happen.

Instead of worrying about a fancy cake that costs too much just make ordinary cupcakes. Arrange them in a way that they spell out "Sweet 16" or just "16".

With ordinary stickers you can turn many things into Sweet 16 party stuff. Purchase an inexpensive, disposable tablecloth and you can use stickers to write "16" along the borders. Just use small stickers to write "16" over and over, along the edges of the tablecloth. Use small number stickers to make a "16" on one corner of each napkin. Make a large "16" candle set by using beeswax. Cut a "1" using a cookie cutter, knife or other implement. Cut a "6" as well. Then, cut several of each number and make stacks. Stack "1s" to make two equal stacks and do the same to the "6s". Lay a wick across a stack of "1s" then set the other stack on top of it. Press them together. Do the same to the "6s", curling the wick around the left side of the "6". Stand these up in the middle of the table to make a nice candle centerpiece for the Sweet 16 party. Write "Sweet 16" or the girls name on a set of candles to make a different type of centerpiece. Cut tissue paper to fit around votive holders. Print out the numbers and/or letters you want for the candles. Lay one tissue paper on a piece of cardboard, lay the number or letter over it, then use a nail or screw to punch holes along the shape of the number or letter and into the tissue paper. Wrap the tissue paper around one votive holder, then make the others, and align them down the center of the table. The candlelight will glow through the punched letter or number to illuminate it. Make a "Sweet 16" gift bag by using a regular gift bag. Use a printed number set to draw a "16" on the front of the bag. Cut out the numbers. Tape or glue a piece of clear cellophane on the backside of the numbers to finish. Its easy to make a Sweet 16 pinata. Just cut two circles of cardboard and a long, wide band of cardboard. Wrap the band around the first circle, taping it in place, and poke a hole in the middle of the band for a hanger. Fold a piece of twine in half, push the ends through the hole, and tie them in a knot. Fill the pinata with candy, lay the second circle over it, and tape it to the band. Write "Sweet 16" on one of the circles of cardboard. Tear tiny pieces of tissue paper and glue them all over the lettering. Then, tear more pieces, of a different color, and stick them to the rest of the pinata. Make candy party favors by printing "Sweet 16" onto stickers or paper. Wrap candy bars with the decorated papers or use the stickers to adorn other candies. The Sweet 16 birthday is an important one and you want to make sure your daughter, and her friends, have a great time. And they will because you will take care of every little detail. Itll be the best party ever.

Simple and Easy Edible Centerpieces Your Guests Can Eat

Throwing a fancy dinner party? Then youll have your hands full with all the planning. One thing you wont have to worry about, though, is the table centerpiece. You probably already have everything you need to create a beautiful one that costs little. Thats because your lovely centerpiece will be made from things in your refrigerator! There are many colorful foods that look great as a centerpiece. Choose the foods youll use by combining various colors, sizes, and actual foods. Some good choices to create a fabulous edible centerpiece include lemons, artichokes, radishes, julienne carrots, strawberries, pomegranates, and bing cherries.

A nice glass dish, preferably with a pedestal, is all you need to start creating your own edible centerpiece. Stack large foods at the bottom and gradually add smaller foods to the mix. You can even add garnishes like mint sprigs, cilantro or even parsley.

Stacked fruits and vegetables have a tendency to roll out of the dish if not secured. Use wooden skewers or even toothpicks to keep the foods in place. Skewers can be cut into any lengths you need to keep the foods steady. You can make the items in the centerpiece look much more appetizing by creating your own glittery glaze. Beat egg whites then brush them onto the fruits and vegetables. Sprinkle on sugar - or even salt - to create the glitter. This glaze will make the entire centerpiece look so much more elegant. There are many different types of centerpieces you can make by combining foods from the fridge. Even meats, like pepperoni, salami, smokey links, cheese cubes, and similar foods can be skewered and placed amongst the fruits and vegetables. You dont necessarily have to use only fruits, vegetables and meats to make the centerpiece. When youre almost finished creating it attach small candies, wrapped mints, or even curled ribbon pieces. The final creation is all your own. Attach small trinkets or novelties to toothpicks or skewers and stick them, here and there, around the centerpiece. You have many choices when it comes to the dish on which you create the centerpiece. If you dont have a pedestal bowl consider creating your own pedestal. An upside-down glass, with a tray or plate on top, works great. Use some double-sided tape to hold the tray in place until the dinner is over. You can create a different type of centerpiece by turning four cups upside-down and positioning a tray or bowl on them. Other things you can use for a pedestal include a fabric-covered paint or coffee can, a stack of identical plates or even a large, upside-down bowl. Create a completely different look by adding fake or real flowers to your centerpiece. Fake or real flowers can be secured by sliding the stems between fruits and vegetables or you can even secure them with toothpicks or skewers. Most centerpieces are beautiful but yours is beautiful and edible! Your guests will ooh and ah at the creation youve made and theyll each want to copy you at their next party. Thats okay. Each one is uniquely different than any other so your masterpiece will be totally different than the future masterpieces of your friends!

How to Make Mud Cupcakes

I grew up in the days of black and white tv and toys that made you use your imagination. In my day all the fun was happening outside, not indoors in front of a TV or other screen. We had to create our own excitement by running, jumping, playing outdoor games and such. In fact, we would have our breakfast, go outside and stay until lunchtime, eat quickly, then head back outside. If we stayed indoors too much my mom would imagine things for us to do and we definitely wouldnt be having any fun! So, outside it was, and there wasnt a whole lot to do. I cant tell you how many mud pies I made in those days. My sisters and I would take old pans that we were given to play with (supposedly indoors in our cardboard box kitchen) and we would make mud pies. We didnt eat them, of course, but they sure were fun to make.

Back when I made mud pies the first order of business, if it hadnt rained recently, was to find an area somewhere in the yard where grass didnt grow well, and begin making the mud hole. I would scrape with a stick until I got a nice pile of loose dirt then pour water on it and stir. After I plopped the mud in the pan, and smoothed it all out nicely, the really fun part began. I would make designs on top of the pie that no other pie in the world had ever had. It was fun to use sticks, rocks and found implements to make flower shapes, geometrical shapes and more. Sometimes I would find a flower, a leaf or even a cooperative lady bug to adorn them. My mud pies werent delicious but they sure were pretty! But, sadly, every mud pie has to go back from where it came, so, at the end of the day, Id have to dump all the mud back in the hole, pat it down well and hope Dad didnt notice, and wash out the pans with the water hose. Of course, there would always be another mud pie day.

Most parents dont let their kids play in the mud today but that doesnt mean the child wouldnt like to. And, if youre a parent you should reconsider your no-mud policy. Kids can really get creative when they have a mud slate on which to decorate. Thats, in fact, is the case when you let your kids make mud cupcakes. They actually turn out quite lovely and you really dont have to dump the mud back where you got it; you can display the miniature works of art! Make your own mud hole and use old utensils to scoop it up. Set up an old muffin tin, place a cupcake wrapper in each one, then place the mud inside. Now let the kids have fun using toothpicks, sticks or other implements to draw on them. Or, allow them to gather things from the yard or the woods, like berries, rocks, tree bark and flowers, and use these things to make a different type of artwork. Other things from around the house can also be incorporated into the mud cupcakes. Marbles, soda lids, fake flowers and leaves, foil and assorted other things can help your child create his or her first masterpiece. The mud cupcakes can be set on a windowsill, shelf or other area and displayed for quite awhile. After some time the mud will dry out, and begin to crack, and you might want to dispose of them after that. And that day can become another mud pie day!

How to Make a Robot Cake

Is your kid crazy about robots? Many boys - and some girls - are fascinated with them. Thats why, if your child has a birthday fast approaching, you should make a robot cake. Actually, its a bunch of cupcakes arranged to look like a large, single robot. Your child will go wild with excitement! Bake 18 cupcakes (or more if needed) to make the robot. Use a boxed mix or your favorite recipe and bake the cupcakes in metallic cupcake liners to help achieve the look of the robot. The cake mix can be any flavor/color you want. Bake then allow to cool completely.

You can use any color combination you want for the robot, but for clarity, well use orange, blue and white. Frost 11 of the cupcakes orange, five cupcakes blue, and two cupcakes white. You can start with white frosting, divide it up, then tint the orange and blue frosting with food coloring.

Start arranging the cupcakes on a large platter or right on the table. Start by placing the two white cupcakes close to the edge of the platter. These will be the eyes of the robot; set them side-by-side. Center an orange cupcake below the two white ones; this will be the robots lower face and neck. Set two blue cupcakes, side-by-side, and center them below the neck of the robot. If you want, leave a space between the white and blue ones, then fill in the space later to make the "neck". Under the two blue cupcakes, set two more, then center a single, blue cupcake under them. These blue cupcakes will represent the body of the robot. Use the remaining orange cupcakes to create arms and legs. Go up to the first set of blue cupcakes which are below the orange neck cupcake, and build the arms from that point. Align three orange cupcakes on one side, and three on the other. Dont make the "arms" go straight out. Arrange them so that they curve out and back towards the body. For the legs, start beside the single, bottom, blue cupcake and begin arranging the cupcakes for the legs. Put three on one side, and three on the other, and position them so that the legs go out, then down. Break graham crackers into single sections and use them as the metallic features on the robot. Frost the graham crackers orange and align them on the arms and legs. Frost some of them blue and align them on the chest. Frost one more and place it between the eyes and the orange cupcake below the eyes. Use small candies, like M&Ms to create a button panel on the chest of the robot. If you want, slide candy fruit rings onto sucker sticks and use these to make antennae. Position two, mini, chocolate donuts on the white cupcakes to make the eyes. Fill the hole of each donut with white frosting then push a junior mint into each one. Cut another donut in half and stick one half to each "hand" cupcake so that the cut areas face the body of the robot. Place another donut on each foot. Further embellish the robot with frosting "bolts" on the cookies or other frosting attributes. The robot cupcake cake is slightly time-consuming to make and assemble but it sure is a sight to behold! If you have a child that loves robots hell certainly love this one - in more ways than one!

Birthday Party Penny Toss

Some games arent necessarily birthday party games alone. They can be played on other occasions. But, its hard to find a game that goes along with the theme of any party or special occasion, is perfect for kids or adults, and will be loved by all. There is such a game, though. A penny toss game can have any theme, accommodate any amount or age of people, and cost little to make it.

Use a long board, foam board or piece of thick cardboard to make the game. Make it once and you can use it many times over the years. And, each time, the game can look differently. For now, lay out the board you want to use then lay a plastic tablecloth, shower curtain, sheet or piece of fabric over it. If you use a dollar-store cloth you can easily change the game anytime you want - cheap. Tape or glue the excess to the backside. Or, if youve cut the material to the exact size of the board, make a colorful tape border to hold down the edges.

Decide on a theme for the penny toss or use geometric or other common shapes to create the areas for the pennies. So, use sticker dots or other stickers, magic marker, rubber stamps or other supplies to make images on the cloth. Using your choice of materials to make images of birthday cakes, palm trees, squares or circles, clowns, logos, cartoon characters or others. No matter what images you use, feature several different colors of each or several different images, across the board. Each image should be somewhere between the size of a quarter and a half-dollar. At the celebration, there will need to be one person in charge of the game. He or she will rake the pennies off the table and call the next person "up". Set the board - inside or out - on buckets or other low objects. Its fun to set up a short pole near each corner of the board, and string crepe paper streamers between them, to make a line behind which the guests will stand to toss their pennies. Decide how many pennies to give each guest - 5, 10 or another amount. As each guest is "up" he or she will throw each of their pennies and try to land them on the images across the board. The penny must be at least halfway onto the image to be a winner. The person in charge of the board uses a whiskbroom and dustpan to brush the pennies off the board. He or she can hold the pennies in a pouch, tied around the waist, or can deposit them in a nearby bucket. For a small crowd the prize can be chosen on the spot. For a larger gathering the person in charge can hand out tickets which show what table or bucket theyll choose from. Make a sign or piece of paper that states what the prizes are. For example, all orange circles are worth something out of bucket number 1. All green circles get you something from bucket 2, and so forth. Or, if youre giving away larger prizes, the guests can pick their prizes from tables youve set up. The penny toss game can be played at a birthday party, wedding reception, holiday celebration and other special occasions. Use it over and over again and change the look of it each time. Its a cheap creation that will give you and others fun for many years. See the Penny Toss Game

Handkerchief Mantle Runner

The stack of hankies you inherited from Grandma and Grandpa probably isnt your most cherished possession of all the things that used to belong to them. No matter how unique and beautiful the handkerchiefs are, no one really uses them anymore, so theyre pretty much useless, right? Actually, those hankies could become a cherished d?cor piece that you really cant find anywhere else. If you sew, even a little, you can easily turn those handkerchiefs into something beautiful for your mantle.

Table runners are very popular but it can be difficult to find runners for mantles. Mantle runners must be fairly narrow, and since mantles vary in sizes, runners you do happen to find are often too long, not long enough or way too wide. Handkerchiefs make it a simple process to sew a nice runner especially for your particular mantle. And that runner wont be just an ordinary one. With the hankies you create a diamond design thats unusual and elegant.

Since hankies were often sold in packs of several its not unlikely that a person might own a few that are identical. To make a mantle scarf you dont necessarily have to have handkerchiefs that are all alike. Create patterns with what you have. For example, if you have a few white ones, and a couple of blue ones, make a pattern that features two white, a blue, then two white, and so on. Or, if you have just one blue one, and the rest white, create a white runner that has just the one blue handkerchief in the center. There are only a couple of stipulations for the hanky choices you make. They all must be square, all the same size, and ideally theyll have no monograms. (Read further to see if your monogram hankies will work). To start the mantle runner simply place two hankies on top of each other and sew across one set of corners. Open the two hankies up and lay them so that one diamond shape is on your left and one on your right. Position the third handkerchief so that it lies upon the hanky to the right. Sew the two corners together on the right, open it up, position the next hanky on the one farthest to the right, and do it again. Do this until you have several diamond shapes, stitched together, in a single row. Trim the small amount of excess fabric off the back of each set of corners. When the scarf is as long as you want it to be, cut it in half, then hem down the cut side, from one end to the other. You might not cut the scarf exactly in half; that depends on how wide you want the runner to be. Measure the mantle to see exactly how much to cut away. Remember that the points of the diamonds should hang over the side of the mantle for the perfect look. Since youll be cutting away half of the mantle runner, if you have monogrammed hankies, the monogram can be cut off during this process. The same goes for embroidery or other designs that are often featured on a single corner of a hanky. With these types of designs, though, the embroidery can be left intact and featured across the front of the finished mantle piece. Youll love this simple project that turns those old hankies from years gone by into an antique-look mantle runner.

Beach-Theme "Inchies"

What youll need:20x20 cm canvas or fabric-covered cardboardAt least two different colors of cardstock3-D tapeBeach-theme miniatures like a tiny shell, piece of rope or star-shaped earringsPaper cutouts like pictures from magazinesHave you heard about the latest crafting craze? Make "inchies" and youll seriously have so much fun! An inchie is just a piece of paper or cardboard, cut to the size of one inch by one inch, and decorated with a particular theme. For example, if you made button inchies, you would simply cut out the squares of cardstock and glue a button - or button arrangement - on each one. These are then grouped together on a canvas to display. Inchies are adorable and they make a nice wall hanging no matter what the theme.If you love the beach you might be interested in making a set of beach-theme inchies. Youll need a 20x20 cm canvas to display the finished artwork - or just cover a piece of cardboard with beach-theme fabric.Purchase cardstock in various colors to create the overall look of the inchie board. For a sea theme you might go with blue, white and silver. However, you might prefer blue white and red. Its up to you how you make your inchies.Cut 25 squares, in the assorted colors of cardstock, to begin the project. Now youll decide what to put on each tiny card. You can make each inchie different or you can make a row of inchies which all look the same, then a row below that of inchies that look different than the first row.Some ideas for things to glue onto the cards are tiny pictures of things with a beach theme, like a picture of sunglasses, one of a beach umbrella, and one of waves. Besides pictures you can also glue on pieces of scrapbook paper which have waves, sand and similar images. Other items include a piece of small-diameter roping, a novelty anchor, a nautical button, a shell or a tiny starfish. You can also use paper punches to create seahorses or other designs on the inchies.When youre satisfied with the way the tiny cards look you can then mount them to your canvas or fabric-covered cardboard. Use 3-D tape and youll have them mounted in no time. Cut tiny tape pieces, stick one to the back of each card, then stick them to the canvas or cardboard. The 3-D tape makes the tiny cards stick out from the canvas and creates an interesting look. Make sure you measure and mark the canvas before adding the cards so that theyll all be spaced evenly. Make 5 rows of cards, with 5 cards in each row.You dont necessarily have to make 25 cards each time you do this project. And, the cards dont absolutely have to be one inch by one inch in measurement. You can make a canvas thats long and narrow, with 4 cards that are each 3"x3". Or, make a canvas thats round and features one large card with several images on it. There are no limits to the things you can do with this craft. Do other wall hangings that arent nautical - like pets, sports, babies or other themes. The inchies look great in nearly any room, make fabulous gifts, and, just to warn, you, they become extremely addictive!See some inchies here: http://www.craftideas.info/html/inchies_canvas_maritime_b.html

Thread Spool Santa

Everyone you know will absolutely have to have a Santa ornament just like yours! Once they see the cute Christmas Santa theyll want you to tell them where you got it. But, watch what you say! If you tell them you made it theyll all want you to make them one, too! You wont mind, though. The cute little Santa is really easy to create when you start with a spool of thread! Use a large spool of red thread, and ideally, a spool made of white Styrofoam. The color of the spool lends itself to create a white trim on the red Santa. The Santa Claus will have a regular red suit if you use cotton thread but a shiny, sparkly suit if you use red metallic thread. If you have a spool, but no thread, simply paint the spool or color it with a red marker.

Cut a strip of black felt, foam, fabric or even paper and glue it around the middle of the spool to make Santas belt. The seam of the belt will become the front of the Santa ornament. Dont worry about creating a belt buckle; the front of the belt will be covered. Cut a piece of black felt into a heart shape that is no wider than the spool. This will be used to make Santas boots. Cut the heart in half and get rid of the pointed half. Glue the remaining half of the heart onto the bottom of the spool, leaving the uncut area sticking out beyond the spool, in the front.

Choose a Styrofoam or wooden bead or ball suitable to make the head of your Santa ornament. Choose one thats proportionate to the spool body. You can paint the ball or use it as-is. Glue the ball to the top of the spool. Glue wiggly eyes on the ball or draw eyes on with a marker. Glue on a small, red pom-pom to make a nose for Santa. Place the nose just underneath the eyes because Santa will have a really large beard! Cut a piece of red pipe cleaner long enough to reach from the buckle area, around the back of the neck, and back down to the buckle area. Apply a little glue to the back of the "neck" and push the pipe cleaner as far as possible between the bead and the spool. Glue a small, white pom-pom to each end of the pipe cleaner to finish the arms. Bring the arms around to the front and glue the pom-pom hands to the buckle area. Use cotton balls, polyester fiberfill or something similar to make a large beard. Cover the ball from one "ear" area, to the opposite side, taking it straight under the nose. Allow it to hang long so that it covers the neckline in the front and hangs down past that. Glue more cotton or fiberfill around the forehead and around to the back of the head, then back to the forehead again. This will create the fur trim on Santas hat. Cut a piece of red felt and glue it into a cone shape. If you will be hanging the Santa, fold a piece of twine, and glue the ends to the inside of the cone so that it comes out through the point of the hat. Attach the hat to the head then glue a small, white pom-pom onto the end. The cute Santa ornament is adorable, and really easy to make, and thats why youll find yourself creating more than one. With so many different things you can use to make him you probably have everything you need already at your house!

Felt Saltine and Cheese Crackers

Materials needed for saltine crackers:Butter cream-colored feltWool battingNeedle and thread and/or sewing machine For Cheez Nips: Yellowish-orange felt Needle and thread Sewing machine Okay, on to the next fun, felt food project! Youve already made assorted felt foods for your daughters play kitchen, or maybe this will be your first, so lets get started on making some saltine and other crackers. Youll find it exciting to see the finished products, made from felt, that look so realistic! Use an off-white or butter cream color of felt to get started on saltine crackers. The color of the felt is one of the most important things to making convincing fake foods. For example, most people would call saltine crackers "white", but in reality, theyre not stark white. Choosing the right felt color is essential.

Stack two pieces of felt together and cut them to be 2 ?" x 2 ?". It will take two squares to make each cracker. If you have a cracker and no tape measure, just draw around it. A real cracker can also help you make dots on the felt in the pattern of the dots on a cracker. If you have no cracker, make a row of three dots then a row of two, then another row of three, a row of two and a row of three. Space them evenly apart and evenly from the ends. Mark both felt crackers with the dot pattern. Cut a piece of wool batting to be 2" x 2". Place it between the two cracker shapes. Sew around all four sides using thread that matches the felt well.

You will need to hand-sew to make the indentations on the crackers. Thread a needle, double the thread, then bring the two ends together and tie a knot. Push the needle down through one set of dots on the cracker shapes. Come back up, but instead of bringing the needle out through the same area, work it between the felt shapes, then bring it up through a different hole. Go back down through that hole, to the opposite side, push the needle back into the same area, but bring it out through a different hole. Continue doing this until youve added a thread to each hole marked on the dot pattern. Its important that you pull the threads a little tight or youll have a thread at each dot but no indentations. Tie a tiny knot at the last dot to end it. The crackers are finished! Make tiny Cheez Nips by using a yellowish-orange felt. Each cracker will be an inch and a half square. Stack two pieces of the felt then draw the squares all over and sew around them. Its much easier to sew many at a time than to cut each set of squares and sew them together. To do this, draw rows which are long, but which are only an inch and a half square, and leave a thin strip of felt between each row. Now you can sew up and down the long rows to make many crackers at a time. Do this to the vertical as well as the horizontal rows, stitch all the rows, then cut out the individual crackers. Use a needle and thread to sew a tiny indentation into the middle of each Cheez Nip. After that, youre done. Its fun to save a discarded box and use it to store the crackers. Or, just place some on a plate or in a bowl and set them out. Theyre very realistic!

Cardboard Box Doll Bed and Canopy

Its nice when you can stand back and admire a craft youve created. Looking over the project you can take pride in your handiwork. There are several reasons why you might want to make something yourself: you cant afford to purchase it, you dont want something that looks like everyone elses, or you have an adventurous and creative side waiting to be exposed. Whatever your reasoning youll have lots of fun creating a Barbie doll bed that comes with a matching canopy. The simple bed set is actually appropriate for any doll depending upon the sizes of craft supplies you use. Use the same technique to make really huge doll beds or very tiny ones.

A box with a lid is just what you need to make the doll bed. The box should be able to hold the weight of the doll and it should have a separate lid. The lid needs to be one thats the same size as the box but more shallow. A really deep box will make a bed that stands tall off the floor; a shallow box makes a bed that sits close to the floor. With the box and lid together you can easily make a beautiful canopy bed for a Barbie or another doll.

Wrap the box, if desired, in decorative paper. This step is not absolutely necessary since the finished bed will have a quilt to cover the box. However, anyone who is playing with the doll bed can lift the covers and see the box, and if that idea is not attractive to you, wrap the box before starting the project. Tuck the excess paper into the opening of the box while creating a smooth look on the bottom as well as all four sides. Turn the box upside-down so that the bottom becomes the area where the doll will lie. To create the canopy decide on the fabric you want. First, wrap the lid with the fabric then add ruffled material around the perimeter of the lid. Or, just apply glue to the flat area of the lid and lay the fabric over it. This draped look is even easier to create. If youre making a short canopy you can simply glue the fabric around the decorated box lid. If youre making a canopy that will go to the floor, its necessary to cut the fabric on all four corners. Cut it from the edge that will be touching the floor up to the canopy itself. Use straws, dowel rods or other straight, stiff objects to make the poles for the canopy. These pieces can be decorated by using things like colored tape, spray paint or even ribbon. After the objects are covered no one will be able to tell what they once were. Glue one of the poles to each of the four corners of the box lid, on the underside. The flat area of the box lid will become the top of the canopy. After the glue has set simply turn the canopy over and set it above the bed. Position one pole to be at each corner of the bed. If youve made a long canopy use small pieces of ribbon to tie each corner piece to one of the poles. You can make a blanket by simply cutting a piece of felt or fabric. Make a pillow by stuffing a small pouch with cotton balls. Fabric glue can help you create ruffles and ribbon trim for the blankets as well as assisting you in making throw pillows and more. The Barbie doll bedroom is going to look fabulous!

Doctors Withholding Pain Medications?

I dont claim to know all about the world of street drugs in America. I do know, from what I hear or read, that its become quite an epidemic. People are literally purchasing drugs on the street - have been for many years - and that one fact leads to all sorts of other crimes and tragedy. Thats why, of late, doctors have gotten to where they dont prescribe some medications - like pain meds. First of all, those addicted to drugs often have a habit of making appointments to convince doctors that they need more drugs. But others, they get the medications for the intent purpose of selling them on the streets.Before it affected me, personally, I was just aware of the drug problem in America. But, recently, two different circumstances presented themselves, and when I heard about them, I was very upset - and still am. Thats why Im making this plea to the doctors of our country. It is the duty of any doctor to help those who need it; it isnt their duty to clean up the underworld.Let me present the two cases. Both involved a close friend; Ive known one friend for nearly 40 years and the other for 25 years. Neither one of them do "drugs". The first friend had to have 12 teeth pulled to prepare for dentures. She assumed she would be in a lot of pain later - which she was - and asked if the doctor would be giving her something for the pain. She was promptly told that no narcotics were given out by their office! She was in horrible agony after the numbness wore off. She endured many hours of pain, over three or four days, and was unable to eat, sleep or get relief.The second situation Im aware of was even worse. This friend has had 5 hip surgeries because, as is widely known now, many of these replacement hips were - and are - faulty. Now having trouble with one of them again, he went to the doctor, and was told that the hip is broken in two places. He explained to the doctor that hes been in anguish and asked for something for pain. Yes, he was told that no narcotics are given by their office. Are you kidding? This is ridiculous! Sure, the drug problem in America is out of control, and, yes, doctors should do their part to keep people from obtaining narcotics without a legitimate reason. But, when it comes to conditions and procedures known to cause excruciating pain, and medication is withheld for fear that someone, somewhere on the street, might be selling or using drugs, it becomes a means of torture.My friend who had 12 teeth pulled is now well. My friend with the broken hip - and no insurance - is still in agony. He awaits financial help for yet another hip replacement while he lies in bed, dreading any movement at all.My plea is to the doctors of America: when you know for a fact that someone is suffering from a condition thats extremely painful, please write that prescription! A possible solution to those getting medications under false pretenses is to have drug stores keep track of people who fill many prescriptions for addictive narcotics. Weve gone from one extreme to the other - doctors writing too many prescriptions and, now, none at all - and its time we find a happy medium.

Styrofoam Disk Headboard

Something as simple and ordinary as a headboard can come with many issues. If you somehow ended up with a bed that has no headboard it can be really hard to find one. Well, you can find them all day long but they come with that bed you dont need. And, if you do manage to find just a headboard it can be expensive. There are lots of headboards you can make yourself but most of them can be complicated to build. Theres one type of headboard that you can build, which wont require any tools except a hot glue gun, yet turns out a geometric-theme headboard that can be done in various ways. Youll love it.

Buy Styrofoam disks to make the easy, striking headboard. The white disks are inexpensive and available in different sizes. Disks which are 6" in diameter and 1" thick are perfect but you can actually use most any size disks.

One way to make the headboard is to use dowels to connect them. Purchase dowel rods which are a quarter-inch in diameter and have them cut to 6" in length. Although you can easily cut small-diameter dowels with a sharp kitchen knife most large home improvement stores will cut them free of charge if you purchase them from that store. Or, buy them in small lengths at a craft store. Its quick and easy to paint the Styrofoam disks. Make a metallic headboard, solid black one, or another design, depending upon the paint color you choose. When the paint is dry you can begin assembling the headboard. Push a dowel into the side of one disk, remove it, fill the hole with hot glue, then push the dowel back into the hole. Push the next Styrofoam disk onto the opposite end of that dowel, and steady it with hot glue in the hole. Continue adding as many dowels and disks as you need to equal the width of the bed - or a little wider. Leave 2" gaps between the disks, with only the dowels showing in those areas, until the row is complete. Make another and another row until the headboard is as tall as you want. Connect the rows with additional dowels, leaving the 2" gap between the disks themselves, then between the rows. Rather than use dowels to build the headboard you can also use long, narrow strips of wood. Just glue the disks onto the wooden strips, leaving gaps between the disks, and making as many rows as you want to complete it. Its easy to hang the lightweight disks on the wall with glue dots or even double-sided tape. If youre using wooden strips you can nail or screw them to the wall. Now you can further decorate the disks to make the headboard you want. For example, you can glue a round, frame-less mirror onto each one or attach a round piece of decorative, adhesive paper to each circle - or fabric. Another choice is to glue a thin circle of wood to each circle; these are found at any craft store and are not expensive. The circular designs arent only suitable for making a headboard. You can also make interesting wall art in the same manner. Since you wont need any tools, and the materials are not costly, you can easily make the headboard and a matching wall art piece for less than the cost of a regular headboard. See one disk design here

Fortune Cookie Fortune Crafts

Its hard to say whats the best part of a delicious Chinese meal but many people would say its the fortune cookies at the end of the meal. After all, they taste delicious and they give you a little glimpse at something pertinent to your life. After breaking open the cookie, and removing that little strip of paper, you can read about meeting a tall, dark stranger, having a long-lost relative return to your life, or about a boost in your finances, coming your way. Some people take the fortunes seriously; others read them and toss them aside. Whether you believe or not, when you save those fortune slips, you can make all sorts of cool things for yourself or your home.Chinese fortune coasters can be a fun element in your home and theyre not at all difficult to make. One type is made from a block of wood. Find the square of wood at a craft store and purchase a piece of cork to go with it. You can paint or stain the wood, or you can use it as-is. Cut a circle of cork to be about the diameter of a drinking glass and glue it to the top of the wood. Glue a Chinese fortune on each of the four sides of the wood.A more simple type of coaster you can make is done by cutting a 4x4" piece of scrapbook paper, printer paper, or even a piece from a brown paper bag. Tape the chosen fortunes to the paper in any manner you want. For example, you could just make a border around the paper piece, using the fortune strips, or you could align them in a horizontal fashion, going from the top of the paper, to the bottom. When youre finished with the arrangement simply cover the front and back with clear shelf liner.Some types of picture frames look really great with the Chinese fortunes attached. Just use some watered-down, white glue to affix the fortunes around the perimeter of the frame. Some of the fortunes have a "learn Chinese" place on the backside. Its up to you if you attach the paper strips so that the fortune shows, or the language lesson shows.A little girl might like a cute bracelet she can make from a Chinese fortune paper. Just cut a piece of peel-n-stick, clear shelf liner to be long enough to wrap around the wrist, with a half-inch to spare. Cut the shelf liner to be twice as wide as you want. Lay the fortune right down the center of the liner piece. Bring each of the long edges of the liner up and stick them to the backside of the fortune, so that the edges meet in the middle on the back of the paper. Use a piece of Velcro as a closure for the bracelet.Turn a tin can into a cute pencil holder, kitchen utensil holder, or another useful accent. As you collect the Chinese fortunes, glue them to the can. Wrap one as far as it will go around the can, and with the next one, place it beside the first. Continue to add another, and another, until the can is covered. Something similar can be done with a cardboard box, too.Using the papers out of Chinese fortune cookies, a person can make a unique lampshade or lamp, candy dish, jewelry box, mirror, or your choice of many other home accents. If you love Chinese food, and you love owning things that no one else has, start saving those fortune papers.

Tips for Making Easy Quilts

It takes many hours to make a quilt but the finished product is just so gorgeous. The eye-pleasing aspect is the way that a quilter takes assorted colors, solids, and patterns, and combines them into an interesting arrangement, like squares, triangles, and more. For most any quilter, theres a lot involved. Measuring, cutting, arranging, pinning - its a whole lot of work, for sure. But the easy part is the quilt pattern; you can make it yourself without any trouble. Its just a matter of geometry; dont worry, you wont have to re-study the subject.

The first order of business is deciding how large you want the quilt to be. Then, you have to cut square blocks of fabric to equal the length and width of the desired quilt size. Its important that every square be perfectly square. There are many cutters and other implements to help a quilter get exact measurements but, if you have none of those things, cut a square of cardboard. Make sure that one square is perfect and use it as a pattern. Lay it down, draw around it, and cut out the square. Always use the square of cardboard; dont use each cut fabric piece to cut the next one. When you buy something called a "charm pack", the squares are already cut for you. Youll find those, in a huge variety of colors and patterns, online or at a nearby craft store.

The design on a quilt is done by starting with quilt squares. Once you have those, there are no limits to what you can do with them, in order to add interest to the quilt. For instance, cut each square in half - so that you end up with two triangles - and then swap one of them for a triangle off of another quilt block. Or, take each triangle, cut it in two, and trade for two different types of fabric, from the other patterns. It isnt hard to cut squares and triangles in half but, when you do, you can create all kind of interest on the quilt. It can be helpful to draw a grid on paper. Draw or color the design you want in each square of the grid. You can later look at the grid to follow patterns for creating images, color combinations, and more. Besides triangles, you can cut quilt squares into slender rectangles, or you could even cut a circle out of the middle of a square, and trade it for a different color of circle. Cut the circle in half, and trade each half for a different pattern or color. Or, cut a doughnut shape, and then cut the doughnut into sections, and swap sections for other designs of those same sections. There are no limits as long as you make each quilt block to be the same shapes as the others. Or, make one mixed-shape quilt block, and sew it to a plain quilt block, for a different look. You can also create various quilt patterns by using a counting technique. For instance, every fourth block will be blue, or every center block - of each row - will match. There are literally millions of different designs you can create simply by starting with squares, and cutting them into triangles or other shapes, and mixing them up to create new looks for the blocks. Try different designs yourself and youll be stunned at your own handiwork!

Four Valentines Day Gifts a Man Can Make for a Young Girl

Need a present for your daughter for Valentines Day? Your niece? No matter who that special little girl in your life is shell love a Valentines Day gift that you make especially for her. Think you cant do crafts and produce something really nice? Go ahead and take a chance; youll create a gift that will impress that little girl! Make that special someone a solid wood pet or other object for her bedroom when you visit a craft store. There, youll find lots of different wooden shapes which are really thin. If she likes kittens, purchase several of the kitten shapes, then glue them together. Paint. Since the shapes are so cheap - a couple of them for a buck - it wont cost a lot to make her a nice, solid wood kitten to set on a dresser, night stand or shelf. Available shapes include puppies, lighthouses, stars, wild animals, and even hearts.

At the same craft store youll find a variety of paper mache boxes which are nearly gifts in themselves. That is, it will take very little effort to turn the box into a nice Valentines Days gift. Purchase a heart-shaped box and spray paint it a traditional color, like white, pink or red, or paint it her favorite color. Thats it! She can use it to hold cards and letters, photos, jewelry or other belongings. If you want to take the craft a step further you can glue on fake jewels from a craft store, buttons, sequin or similar things. Or, cut a picture of her and you together, in a heart shape, and glue it to the top of the box. With a small paper mache box costing only about a buck youre sure to impress her with little money! Make a gift box that looks nice and holds a cool surprise. Purchase a decorated cardboard box (sold at a craft store). The box should be the type which has a lid that can be completely removed. Take the lid off, cut down the four corner seams, and the box opens up all the way, flat. Glue a piece of elastic across each of the four side panels, on the inside, and use these to hold the gifts. You can make this little box into a sewing kit, a gift card holder, a makeup storage box or something else. Simply place the items underneath the elastic pieces. Fold the four sides of the box back up, place the lid on it, and the gift is finished. If you want, put an additional gift in the box itself. When she removes the lid the box the sides will fall and show her everything inside.

Take a towel and turn it into a bed organizer for your little girl. Fold one short end of the towel up a ways and glue the sides with fabric glue. If you can sew a little, even better. This creates a large pocket. Glue or sew down the pocket, twice or more, to give that pocket separate sections. Slide the end without the pocket between a box springs and mattress and allow the pocket to hang over the side. This makes a nice little storage area for a remote, cell phone, magazine and other things. You dont have to have a lot of money, or know much about crafting, to make a cute gift for a little girl this Valentines Day. All you have to do is purchase a couple of craft items and get started. Youll see just how easy it is!

Three Great Places to Meet Guys of All Ages

Can you, as a single woman, imagine being surrounded by manly-men? Wouldnt that be heaven; all those guys from which to choose? Okay, wake up. That was just a dream. Or was it? Have you been shopping lately? Not at the mall, silly; guys who go there are usually with their wives or girlfriends. I accidentally ran into a place that had guys swarming everywhere and many of them were alone - and possibly single. It was fabulous, and if youre trying to meet new guys, you can go there, too. You dont have to show up in my town; you have manly-men stores in your own hometown.Zip to your nearest home improvement store where guys flock to buy supplies for their businesses or for their homes. Many of the men at a home improvement store are skilled in construction or home repair. Lots of them own their own business or work for a large company. And some of them are guys purchasing supplies to fix up a home they own - thats always a plus when trying to meet guys. And then there are those, bless their hearts, who are there to purchase materials to work on their parents homes. Sounds like a good guy. Some of the guys are really young; others are more mature. Youll be surprised at just how many guys youll see coming and going.Make conversation with a guy in a particular department by talking about things of interest to him. For example, if theres a man in the paint department you can ask his recommendations about which paint will be ideal for a "project" youre doing. Or, if theres a guy in the ladder department ask him about differences between the assorted ladders. There are no limits to the conversations you can begin when talking about home improvement projects.Didnt meet anyone today at the home improvement store? Head on over to the automotive supply store. Places which sell parts for cars also sell things that women might buy, such as floor mats, car potpourri, or oil. Be prepared, though, to see lots of guys who arent exactly dressed up. Many guys who will be at an automotive store are working on cars which have issues, are wearing old clothes because theyll be carrying batteries, and so on. Overlook the grease and grime for now, and later, you might have the man of your dreams! And, not all the guys will be dirty; many of them are in street clothes, and swarm in by the dozens, to purchase parts for their cars and other vehicle-related purchases. That means the guy probably owns a car - always a good thing!Lots of guys plant gardens every year to save money over purchasing vegetables and such from the store. Shop at a local garden supply store and youre sure to meet a guy or two. Okay, most of these guys wont be dressed up either since theyll be shopping for fertilizer and other things for their gardens. But, a guy who plants and tends to his own garden is resourceful and hard-working. Those are positive attributes that can be relevant to a serious relationship.Put on your old blue jeans - you dont want to be all dressed up when he isnt - and go to a garden store, home improvement place or car part retailer. Hes there waiting on you; you just have to go meet him!