Mix together. Sprinkle mxiture over any area you want to decorate
after it has been spread with liquid starch or a mixture of 1/2 glue
and 1/2 water. Let dry. HINT: the more sugar the more sparkle.
Bookbinding or Leather Glue
1 packet (1/4 ounce) unflavoured gelatin
3 tbls. boiling water
1 tbls. vinegar
1 tsp. glycerine
1. In a pan, add gelatin to boiling water. Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.
2. Add vinegar and glycerine. Stir until well mixed.
Makes about 1/3 cup. For larger projects, double the recipe.
How to use it: While the glue is still warm, apply a thin layer with a brush. This waterproof glue is excellent for binding leather to leather.
It also makes a good flexible glue for use on paper, or for gluing cloth to cardboard for making notebook binders or scrapbooks.
Stored in a tightly capped plastic or glass jar, this glue will keep for several months. It will gel in the bottle after a few days. Warm bottle in hot water to reuse glue.
Bread Dough Baskets
Fill with homemade muffins, biscuits, or use as you would any other
basket!
2 pounds flour
1 pound salt
1 and a half cups of warm water
clear gloss varnish
ovenproof dish, round or oblong
Mix the warm water with the salt in a bowl.
Let it cool down and then slowly add the flour until you have formed
a firm dough.
Knead the dough until it feels elastic.
Cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes
before using.
Measure the diameter of the ovenproof dish.
Roll out the dough to the desired thickness and cut it into strips of
about an inch longer than the diameter of the dish.
Lay the strips in one direction:
Lay the strips across the dish - from the top of one side, downwards
across the base of the dish and then upwards on the other side, to
the top of that side. Continue laying the strips, leaving an even gap
(of about 1 inch width) between the strips.
Weave the strips in the opposite direction:
Lift up every alternate strip that has already been laid and move the
one end to the other, so that both ends are next to each other.
Place another strip of dough across the dish in the opposite
direction. Gently pull back the strips that were previously lifted.
Use this method to "weave" the other strips across the dish
as well.
Trim any uneven edges with a knife.
Make the rim by rolling out thin strips of dough of about 5 inches
long. Place the strips of dough around the edge of the dish. Lay the
next piece of dough carefully next to the last piece of dough -
continue this until the rim is covered. Take a tiny piece of an old,
damp and clean pair of pantihose, cover your index finger with it and
gently wipe over the edges of the dough covering the rim - this is to
ensure a smooth finish to the rim. Take a sharp knife and deftly,
make slight incisions into the top part of the rim - to give a ribbed
effect.
Bake in at a low heat (about 250 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 1 and
a half to 2 hours, or until the dough is a light golden brown in
colour. The dough must be hard to the touch.
Remove from the oven and let it cool down completely before removing
the basket from the dish.
Paint the basket with clear varnish. Let it dry and then add an
additional layer of varnish.
Keep the basket in the kitchen, or in the diningroom, and place fruit
or bread rolls in it.
Chocolate Dipped Coffee Spoons
Chocolate
good quality plastic spoons
liqueurs, optional
extracts, optional
These are good in coffee or teas or just by themselves. Use different
liqueurs and extracts to make different flavors. There is no end to the
flavors you can make. Melt chocolate until it is liquid, making sure
that it doesn't scorch, you can do this in the microwave. Add extract
or liqueur of choice. Then dip the spoon into the chocolate and lay the
spoons with their handles over the edge of a wax paper lined cookie
sheet until set. Don't just dip lightly you want a nice puddle in the
spoon part and part way up the handle. You can drizzle white chocolate
in a design over dark or milk chocolate or dip 1/2 of spoon in dark and
1/2 in white chocolate. For an elegant look wrap each in celophane with
a glittery ribbon or if country is more your style tie the wrap with
raffia or twine.
CLAY POTS - Craft Projects
Clay pots are a great foundation for all sorts of fun crafty projects. Read on to find out how some KCnM readers
get crafty with these common items!
Beverly's Suggestions
"To fix up clay pots, I have painted them with acrylic craft paints and them coated them with several coats of acrylic
verethane.
I scoured them clean with hot soapy water and an SOS pad. I let them dry overnight and them after checking
that there were no cracks in them, I painted them in bright colors and any design and color that took my fancy
and then after they had dried for at least 8 hours, I painted them with the verethane. I used foam brushes that are
easy to clean and are inexpensive. I have also cut out pictures (flowers, kitties, etc) from wrapping paper and
using modpodge to put them on the painted pots (before the verethane). I then covered them with 5 coats of verethane.
They are so pretty. I have given them for gifts with a little plant in them. I also gave a little girl a flower pot
painted pink, covered with pictures of teddies. Inside I put a small block of foam, stuck multicolor lollipops
into the foam and then I covered the foam with pink and white silk flowers that I cut from their stems and stuck
into the foam. She loved it. Her Mom says she won't eat the lollies because "it's too pretty!" Right now I am working
on some pots for a sale. I have sprinkled one of them with gold sparkles after the first coat of verethane,
let it dry and painted it again and it is very pretty! Hope this will help."
Crayon Cookies for Kids
Take scraps of similarly colored crayons and place them in an old muffin tin, according to color.
Turn oven on low, and let the 'cookies' stay in the oven until completely melted together.
Remove from oven, let cool and harden completely.
Recycled crayons!
Crystal Garden
6 tablespoons Salt
6 tablespoons Bluing -- liquid
6 tablespoons Water
1 tablespoon Ammonia
Food coloring
Combine salt, bluing, water and ammonia. Pour over small pieces of rock
or coal in a shallow GLASS OR CHINA bowl. Drip food coloring on top, if
desired. Crystals will begin to grow soon. Add water occasionally to keep
crystals growing. You'll probably want to place dish on a tray or wooden
board as crystals grow over the sides of the bowl.
Decorative Wallpaper Boxes
What a great way to use any old box you have hanging around - you'll
need one with a lid, though, like an old shoe box.
1. Remove lids from boxes and set aside for later use.
2. Glue wallpaper to sides and, if desired, bottoms of boxes.
3. Fold wallpaper over top edges of boxes and glue to inside, making
sure to have a neat and even edge along inside.
4. Replace lids on boxes.
5. Wrap ribbon around stacked boxes and tie a shoestring bow at top
Elmer's Glue
1 qt. skim milk
3/4 Tbsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
10 oz. water
Place milk and vinegar in a double boiler. Cook on low heat and stir as curds form. Drain off liquid. Wash remaining mass with water until the vinegar smell is gone. Put into a clean bowl. Dissolve baking soda in water. Pour over curds
and stir until a white paste forms. Seal in containers.
Kool Aid Tye Died T-Shirts
T-shirt
Unsweetened Kool-AidŽ
Vinegar
Small plastic bowls
Plastic gloves
Rubber bands
NOTE: Use different flavors/colors of Kool-AidŽ.
For every color you wish to use, put 1 package Kool-AidŽ and
1 ounce of vinegar in individual plastic bowls. Mix until
Kool-AidŽ is dissolved. Using rubber bands, pull and twist
T-shirt into different shapes. Dip rubber-banded ends in bowls
(make sure you wear gloves or your hands will stain). To set
colors, iron on medium-high using an ironing cloth between
shirt and iron. Let set for 24 hours before washing. To be safe,
wash separately the first time. Launder T-shirt as usual and it's
ready to wear.
NOTE: Don't put softener on the T-shirt if you pre-wash it as the
dye will not take.
Leaf Transparencies
MATERIALS:
2 sheets white paper
colored leaf or two
block of plain paraffin, kind used in making jelly.
DIRECTIONS:
Select a colorful leaf with an unusual shape. Place it between the 2
sheets of white paper. Sprinkle slivers of paraffin generously on the
paper and press with a hot iron. The melting paraffin will seal the
leaf between the pages.
From construction paper or cardboard, cut 2 identical frames and glue
the waxed picture between them. Hang picture in a sunny window.
Sunlight showing through the waxed picture gives the effect of a
stained glass picture.
Ferns leaves done like this make a pretty lampshade.
Make Your Own Pinata!
To make a good sized pinata, you will need:
A LARGE round balloon or beach ball
A good pile of old newspapers
White glue or flour and water to make a paste
Scissors
Tape (regular or masking)
Thin cardboard
Crayons, markers, poster paint
Tissue paper or construction paper
String or yarn
A craft knife
Goodies to fill the Pinata - this should include candy of course, but
also could include holy cards, medals, and other small items like
balls, pencils, toy cars, stamps and stamp pads, and anything else
that catches your imagination.
Step One
Spread newspapers or plastic sheeting over your work surface. Blow up
the balloon or beach ball and tie a knot at the end. Tear newspapers
into strips about 1 inch wide and about 6 inches long. Tearing rather
than cutting is important, it helps the strips lie flat on top of
each other. Pour some of the glue into a disposable bowl or a bowl
you don't mind soaking in water for a long while, or mix flour and
cold water to make a paste the consistency of thick glue. Dip the
newspaper strips into the glue and spread them onto the balloon.
Thoroughly cover the balloon, leaving a small hole at the top to
remove the balloon and fill the pinata. Let the first layer dry.
Step Two
Repeat Step One two more times, until the papier mache is built up to
a good thickness. Next day if the paper feels dry when you touch it,
then wrap the balloon with the yarn to give it strength to hold when
swinging it.Add another two layers of glue and newspapers. Let it dry
for another day. Remove the balloon.
Decorating the Pinata:
Traditional shapes for the pinata include donkeys, fish and birds,
but you can use any shape at all! . Roll the cardboard to make legs
and a head for the donkey, then build up the shape with more papier
mache. Shape a cone for the head and tail of a fish, then add fins
and eyes. Use additional layers of papier mache to make it more 'fish
like'. A similar technique will create a bird body, onto which can
then be added wings, legs and a tail. When the shape is finished and
dry, fill the pinata with candy and goodies, and cover the hole with
a few layers of paper.
A simpler pinata can be made as a ball with decorated papier mache
cones sticking out all over it. Paper streamers hang from the cones.
Then paint the pinata. Pinatas should be bright and colourful. Crepe
paper streamers cut up with a fringe can be curled up with the help
of the pencil, and glued onto the pinata. Start from the bottom and
layer them overlapping. Decorate the cones with the crepe paper,
adding strings to the tips.
Playing the Pinata Game.
Hang the pinata up from the ceiling. Each child gets a turn trying to
break the pinata. Blindfold the child and give them a stick (a broom
handle works well). Turn the child around in a circle 2 or 3 times
and point him or her in the direction of the pinata. The child gets
to swing the stick 2 or 3 times. Make sure everyone else stands clear
of the swinging stick, including the grown-ups!!! Then another child
gets a turn. When someone breaks the pinata, all the children get to
gather the goodies. You might want to have little paper bags with
each child's name on them so the kids have a place to store their
goodies for the remainder of the party and a way to carry everything
home.
Marbled Paper Craft
Turn a regular old brown paper grocery sack into something special!
Great idea for kids and parents to try together. :)
What You will Need:
* 5 Pints ( 10 cups) Cold Water
* Shallow Baking Pan
* Oil Paints
* Turpentine
* Brown Wrapping Paper or paper bags
Place water into shallow pan and mix oil paints with a bit of
turpentine to the consistency of thick cream. Drop a few drops of
color into the pan.
If the color sinks ( it is too thick) thin with a little more
turpentine. If the color spreads (it is too thin) add a little more
paint.
When the right thickness is achieved drop large spots of color one at
a time onto the solution. With a spoon or a stick or other utensil
(even combs) swirl into patterns .
Cut a piece of paper slightly smaller than the size of the pan.
Holding opposite corners of the paper for ease, lower it on to the
solution. Lift the paper carefully and place right side up on a stack
of newspaper to dry or hang on clothes line.
You can use this paper to decorate notebooks, cover canisters and
much more Great for making Gift cards and matching gift wrap.
Orange Pomanders
1 unblemished, thin skinned orange
2 cups whole, large cloves
1 thin knitting needle
brown paper lunch bag
spicy curing mixture (see recipe)
Pierce the skin of the orange with the knitting needle before you insert each clove to save wear and tear on your fingers.
Insert cloves into the fruit in an orderly pattern. Cloves should be close together (approx. 5 mm) but not crowded. Too close and the fruit will split.
Finish your pomander on the day you start it. Unfinished portions of fruit may begin to rot if left overnight.
When you have finished, the fruit should be completely covered with nearly touching cloves. Roll the fruit in spicy curative mix then place it in a brown paper lunch bag.
Hang the lunch bag containing the pomander in a well ventilated area until it has dried and hardened. This will take from two to five weeks depending on the size of the fruit. (I clothespin the paper bag to a wire hanger and hang it from a towel rack near a heat duct to speed up the drying process).
Once cured, your pomander can be decorated with velvet or satin ribbon to suit particular festive occasions.
Spicy Curing Mix
250 ml (1 cup) powdered cinnamon
125 ml (1/2 cup) powdered cloves
75 ml (1/4 cup) powdered allspice
75 ml (1/4 cup) powdered nutmeg
60 ml (4 tbsp.) powdered orris root
This recipe makes enough mix to do three pomanders. Orris root is available at most health food stores.
Rock Candy Coffee Stir Sticks
5 cup sugar
2 cup water
Food coloring
Glass jar
Plastic coffee can with lid
Wooden coffee stirs, or bamboo skewers, or popsicle sticks
Candy thermometer
Wooden spoon
Beautiful and yummy! The sugar sticks are a great way to stir in
sugar to coffee and tea and make a
great gift idea. After bringing water to a boil, add sugar. Continue
to boil until the temperature
reaches above 260°F. Let the sugar mixture cool for five minutes and
then poor into glass jar. Add
food coloring. Punch the bamboo skewer through the plastic coffee can
lid and place on top of jar.
The skewer should not touch the bottom of the jar. Wait seven days to
left the lid.
Salt and Flour Finger Paints
2 c Flour
2 ts Salt
3 c Cold water
2 c Hot water
Food colouring
Add the salt to the flour in a saucepan. Pour in cold water gradually
and beat the mixture with an egg beater until smooth. Add the hot
water and boil the mixture until it becomes glossy. Beat it until it
is smooth. Mix in food colouring.
Scented 'Rocks' Recipe
These funky little creations look like real rocks, but are made with
a simple flour mixture and smell wonderful! Try making a batch and
then keeping them in open containers around your house.
Mix 1/2 cup of flour (wholemeal flour gives great texture.)
1/2 cup of salt
1/4 teaspoon of essential oil (your favorite scent)
2/3 cup of boiling water
and food coloring if wanted
Mix all the dry ingredients together then add the oil and lastly the
hot water. Add the color drop by drop.
Once cool enough to handle roll into small balls around 2-3 inch in
size or be creative and make assorted shapes.
This mixture dries hard after several days in a warm but dry area.
Scratch and Sniff Painting
watercolor paints
craft glue
fruit flavor jello
paper
paintbrush
What You Do :
Draw a picture . You could use trace a picture
from a coloring book. paint it with watercolors. Let it dry.
After your picture is dry spread craft glue a little at a time over
the colored parts of your picture. Sprinkle fruit flavored jello over
the wet glue.
Let your picture dry. The craft glue dries clear and you will be left
with a sweet smelling picture.
1/2 C Dried apple slices, chopped
1/2 C Whole cranberries, dried
4 Cinnamon sticks
1 Whole nutmeg, broken into pieces
2 Tbsp Whole cloves
2 Tbsp Whole allspice
Allow apples and cranberries to air dry for several days. Mix all
ingredients together. To simmer potpourri; place 1/2 cup mixture and 2
cups water in a small saucepan. Place pan over low heat and simmer
several hours. Add more water as needed. ENJOY!!
'Smelly Socks' Drawer Sachets
Decorative socks
Coordinating ribbon
Potpourri or dried lavender
Take one Printed sock and using a spoon , spoon in the potpourri
working it down into the toe of the sock. Keep spooning in the pot
pourri until the sock is tightly filled allowing a small amount to
tie off with, then using a rubber band secure off the top and tie
some ribbon around. Do this for both socks so you have a pair
of "smelly socks".
These are great for those smelly sock draws or for slipping into
childrens smelly shoes afterschool .
Spray Chalk Recipe
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup warm water
4 to 6 drops food coloring
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into a small plant
mister.
Shake before using to avoid clogs. You can use this to create
designs on sidewalks, in the snow, or at the beach for colorful
sand sculptures.
Stress Pillows
Submitted by Susan
"I have several stress pillows and they do not have rice in them. I
do know that they can be made with rice but when I asked a craftsman
who sold them he said that the best thing to use is flax seed. It is
sold by the 2 pound bag at natural health food stores and isn't
expensive, but there are places on the web that you can buy wholesale
and I am sure if they know it is for a school project they may even
give a discount. Also if this person happens to live in our farm belt
she may be able to buy it direct and probably wouldn't cost too much
at all.
I was told that the rice can be used but will permeate an odor after
a while even if used with herbs etc., where the flax seed doesn't.
From what I was told is that the rice will pick up the moisture and
that is what will make the odor after a while. I have had mine now
for approx. two years and it is still fine. Of course the scent isn't
as strong but it does not have an odor. I bought some flax seed to
make my own but have not gotten around to it yet. It can be put in
the freezer as a cold pack or in the microwave as a heating pack. If
put in the freezer please make sure that it is put in a zip lock bag
or something similar so that it will not pick up the odors from the
freezer.
If you just blend the flax with the herbs of choice and you can even
add some oil of essense and let sit for a while like you would a
potpourri it should turn out nice."
Submitted by Vanessa
"I have successfully used lavender in bed-bean bags (using whole
grain wheat instead of rice) and stress pillows. I used both dried
flower heads and a few drops of the oil. As long as you don't go
overboard on the oil, you should have no problem in the microwave.
They smell so nice and are wonderful to sleep with!"
Make the pillow the size you choose. I did about 6 inches X16 inches.
The ingredients on the package showed all the above but for the Rice.
I used mostly rice and added some flax seeds. This makes the BULK of
your stuffing.
Sew 3 sides and almost all of the 4th side. Use a funnel to put your
ingredients in. I added alot of the Peppermint and Spearmint. Maybe 1/2 cup. Then
added alittle less of the Chamomile about 1/3 cup. I then added
Cinnamon. My mistake was using the ground Cinnamon. This made for a
powdery mess. I had to beat the pillow outside when done so the fine
Cinnamon powder could go through the pores of the material. Next time
I will use Cinnamon sticks and break them up. I added
a moderate amount of Lemon Grass and Rosemary about 1-2 tablespoons
each. Valerian Root, Saw Palmetto Berries, White Willow Bark, Yellow
Dock Root, Yarrow each add about 1 teaspoon and decrease to make the
Yarrow the least amount used.
Look up what each is used for and add or subtract as your need is.
Fill the pillow with a funnel and sew up by hand or machine the
opening.
These make lovely gifts and are very quick to make if you use a
sewing machine. I love to make them out of flannel instead of cotton.
Heat them for 3 minutes and they will stay hot up to 45 minutes. One
can also place the herbal pack in a freezer bag and put in the
freezer. They remain cold about 20 minutes.
These are nice also on a trip as you can heat them up in the gas
station convience stores. They are great foot warmers in the winter.
They help sprains, menstral cramps, etc., during the year and when
made with all the herbs are wonderful sinus packs. I place them over
my face and they are heavenly.
Waterproof Glue Recipe
2 Packets unflavoured gelatin -- (1/2 ounce)
2 tablespoons cold water
3 tablespoons skim milk
several drops oil of cloves (optional)
1. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Set aside to
soften.
2. Heat milk to boiling point and pour into softened gelatin. Stir
until gelatin is dissolved.
3. Add oil of cloves as preservative if glue is to be kept for more
than a day.
Makes about 1/3 cup
Store glue in a screw-capped jar. It will gel as it cools, but this
will not affect its adhesiveness. Set jar in a pan of hot water to
soften glue for reuse.
Weekly Reusable Calendar
This calendar will come in handy to keep track of weekly events.
Print off a new calendar for each week, or make it into a magnetic
wipe off to use over and over!
Open your favorite graphics program and print out a blank calendar.
It may be weekly or monthly, it's your choice. Laminate the calendar
page. You may do this using your personal laminator. I purchase one
rather cheaply. You may also use clear contact paper or take to your
favorite copy place to have it laminated.
Cut magnetic strips to fit to back of paper in two places, either
horizontally or vertically.
Use a dry erase marker on the calendar.
This would make a great personalized gift item.
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Artificial Snow
