How to--Fruit popsicles

This summer my girls are really into popsicles. Who can blame them? They are delicious. Only problem is all the sugar. My oldest always wants to eat more than one as if they were her meal. Right now we are loving the float kind with ice cream in the middle. Rootbeer, cream soda, orange...delicious.

So my solution to all the sugar...homemade fruit pops. Growing up we would always freeze juice in an ice cube trays with toothpicks as the stick, but now there are some really fun molds available. Ikea probably has the cheapest but if you want some other fun shapes check out these:
Seriously...This shape is so cool. I want to eat one right now. Made by Orka.
A more traditional shape, but still has a little funk with the grooves. Made by Tovolo

Every kids favorite, the rocket pop by Tovolo.

Now for the recipe. I came across this Strawberry recipe on Bakerella and figured it would be a great place to start. If the Cake Pop Queen likes it, then I am sure to as well. I am drawn to the recipe because the sugar is minimal and strawberries are so delicious. Plus, the kids will be eating fruit while getting their popsicle fix.

2 cups strawberries

1 Tb sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

pinch of salt

Hull the strawberries and toss all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pour into molds and freeze.

Good luck making your own popsicles and don't forget to share any recipes or pictures you have.

How To . . . make torn paper flowers

Simple Torn Flower Tutorial

What you'll need:

*Paper or card stock

*Brad or button

*Hole punch
*Ink for distressing

1. Start by ripping four circles out of your paper. The should get progressively bigger. I actually drew loose circles on my card stock so I could make sure they were not all the same size.

2. The fun part: crumple them up into little balls!

3. Flatten them out again and arrange on top of each other from biggest to smallest. If you want the distressed look (like my red flower above), ink the edges with an ink pad first.

4. If you want to use a brad for the center, punch a hole with a hold punch and put the brad in. You could also sew a button on or create another center.

5. Attach to your card, page, or project! This really must be the easiest project we've EVER posted.

To find a link to the original post click here.

Oh, the projects you could use these simple flowers on! I can think of so many. What could you do with these flowers? Better yet, take pictures of any projects you create with these flowers and send us a link.

Tissue Paper Pom Pom's--how to

Everywhere I go lately I see tissue paper pom poms. Not a new concept by any means but definitely a new fun trend. I love how they can add so much color without a lot of effort. Depending on your color choices they can make a party bright and energetic, fancy or whimsical. Even Martha Stewart is in on the trend and has made a great tutorial for all of us!

Hanging Pom-Poms
1. Stack eight 20-by-30-inch sheets of tissue. Make 1 1/2-inch wide accordion folds, creasing with each fold.

2. Fold an 18-inch piece of floral wire in half, and slip over center of folded tissue; twist. With scissors, trim ends of tissue into rounded or pointy shapes.

3. Separate layers, pulling away from center one at a time.

4. Tie a length of monofilament to floral wire for hanging.

Leave it to Martha to come up with a napkin ring holder!

Napkin Rings
With just a few changes, these follow the same steps as the hanging pom-poms.


1. Stack four sheets of tissue. Cut a 10-by-5-inch rectangle, going through all layers. Make 3/8-inch-wide accordion folds.

2. Fold an 18-inch piece of floral wire in half, slip over center of tissue, and twist to secure. Trim ends of tissue.

3. Separate layers, pulling away from center one at a time.

4. Bend wire into a loop to fit around napkin, and twist end around loop to secure.
The pom poms look so easy I can't wait to have an excuse to make them. I suggested to my sister in law to make them into a mobile for her nursery. Wouldn't that be so cute!

What will you do with the pom poms?

Strap Happy--Tutorial

When I was in the 7th grade I took a photography class and fell in love. I carried around my Dad's SLR (film) camera with an awesome orange and brown strap. I took the camera everywhere and have some really good blackmail pictures of my friends and I "modeling". Ever since then I have wanted my own SLR camera.

Fast forward 18 years and I still am dreaming of owning my own SLR. Right now I am sporting a camera that looks like a mini SLR but doesn't have the speed or all the options. One thing my camera does have in common though is a neck strap, and it is uncomfortable. When the weather is hot my neck gets all sticky and I don't enjoy having to wear my camera. I have been wanting to make a fabric camera strap and since it seems like everyone else has an SLR, sniff, sniff... I thought you might want to know how to also!

How to get Strap Happy:

Start by measuring the webbing of your strap, length and width.

Don't include the leather in your measurement because it will not be covered. My strap is not as wide as an SLR so the measurements will be different.

Double the width of you measurement and add 1 inch. This will allow for seams and the thickness of the strap. Also add 1 inch to the length for seams.

Now cut your fabric. I used scraps that I had so I pieced them together but you can use one piece or even one print on the front and another on the back. That would make it reversible too. If you do use scraps make sure to allow for seam allowances so your final product is the correct length.

On each end fold over 1/4 inch and press with your iron. Fold over another 1/4 inch and sew across. This will give you a nice finished end.

once...

twice...

Optional: Iron on some interfacing. This material will make the fabric more sturdy and add some thickness. If you don't have interfacing, no big deal. Another idea is to sew fleece on the inside to make it soft.

Fold the fabric in half length-wise with the right sides together. Pin and sew: 1/4 inch seam.

Using a safety pin turn the fabric right side out. Press the strap with the seam in the back.


Now you are ready to thread your strap through and start wearing your camera with style. If you need help getting the camera strap through the fabric, use the safety pin again.

This was so easy to make that I think I might need another one in summer colors! A little side note, if you are making a strap for an SLR camera it would be great to add a little pocket on one of the ends to hold your lens cap.

How To . . . make a plastic bottle birdfeeder

Instead of sending more plastic to the landfill, turn a plastic bottle into a and functional birdfeeder crafted like a birdhouse. This is a great green craft from Heidi Borchers for using the occasional plastic bottle.

Materials:
Aleene’s® Super Thick Tacky Glue™
9” x 16” piece of lightweight cardboard
2-liter plastic soda bottle with cap, washed and dried
Spray paint: black, brown
Acrylic paint, burnt umber, black, beige
Small sponge piece
Craft knife
3/16” diameter hole punch
3” square white shrink plastic
Paintbrushes: fine-tip ½” flat shader
Drill with 18” and 1/16” bits
16” length of braided cord (for hanger)
2-1/2” length 1/16” diameter wood dowel
Clothespins
Aleene’s® OK to Wash it Glue®
Pine bark pieces
Wooden craft stick
Fine-tip permanent black marker
26-gauge florist wire
Bamboo skewer
Window Pattern
Roof Pattern

Instructions: Transfer roof pattern to cardboard and cut out roof. Spray-paint both sides of roof and bottle cap black. Let dry. Spray paint bottle brown. Let dry. Working with 1 paint color at a time, dip dampened sponge into burnt umber and black and sponge-paint the bottle. Let dry. With craft knife, cut 1 (1-3/4” diameter) circle about 3” up from bottom of bottle for door. Punch 1 hole about ¼” below door.
Measure approximately 1-1/4” to left and right of door and transfer window pattern onto bottle. Paint design beige. Paint outline details in black paint using liner brush on each window. Paint beige wavy line around door. Let dry. Push dowel halfway into hole below door and glue to secure. Let dry.
Center and drill 1 (1/8” diameter) hole in bottle cap. Fold cord in half to form loop. Working from outside of bottle cap, thread cord ends through hole in cap. Knot cord ends. Pull knot up to cap and glue knot to cap. Let dry. Screw cap onto bottle.
Curve roof into cone shape, overlapping straight edges and glue. Hold edges in place with clothespins until glue is dry. Snip off tip of roof to leave hole for hanger. To help weatherproof the roof, brush with coat of OK to Wash-It glue on each side of roof. Let dry. Glue pine bark pieces to cover outside of roof (with Tacky glue). Let dry. For sign, cut 1 (2-1/2”) length and 1 (1-3/4”) length from craft stick. With shorter piece centered along longer piece, glue craft stick lengths side by side. Drill 1 (1/6” diameter) hole in each end of longer piece of sign at top edge.
Write “Welcome Home” on sign with marker. Cut 1 (5”) length of wire. Wrap center of wire around bamboo skewer to coil. Remove skewer. Insert 1 end of wire through each hole at top of sign, working from back to front. Bend up ends. Cut 1 (1-1/2”) length of wire. Bend wire in half to form hanger. Slip bent wire hanger onto coiled wire on sign. Working from outside, poke hanger wire ends through bottle about 1-3/4” above door. Bend wire ends to inside of bottle to secure hanger. Thread braided cord hanger through hole in roof, working from inside roof.
Click here for a link to the original post.