No-Sew Eyeball Costume

When I saw the title "How To Make a No-Sew Eyeball Costume" on eHow I immediately thought of the character Mike Wazowski from Monsters Inc.  (I mean seriously, who wouldn't think of that lovable character?)

Although my costume idea looks JUST like a huge eyeball-- constructed from cardboard-- you could easily alter the construction a bit to make your own Mike Wazowski-esque costume for a party or just for fun.

( photo taken from http://pixarplanet.com/blog/monsters-inc-blu-ray-delayed )

How to Wrap Potted Plants

Just in time for Christmas.... I wrote an article titled "How to Make Pottery Wraps" you know the things that wrap around store-bough potted plants. Instead of using the foil-like wrapper than comes from the grocery store, you can make your own rather simply.

You can use almost any type of material- such as stiff fabric or wrapping paper. Just make sure to wrap it with the most important thing- LOVE!

Bulletin Board Ideas for December and January

Winter themed bulletin boards, especially for December and January frequently have a short lifespan, since much of that time is spent on Christmas break. But that doesn't mean that the boards are any less important than other bulletin boards of the year.

Click THIS link for an article for sum unusual themed ideas such as National Cookie Day, White Christmas, National Soup Month, and Winnie the Pooh's birthday.

Photo from: criminalatt

Alien Anyone?- Costume Ideas

While my family doesn't technically celebrate Halloween, I do find it fun to discuss costumes, and even write about how to make costumes appropriate for Halloween. But frankly, why should one day of the year get all the fun? Let's make every day appropriate for dressing up silly.... okay, maybe appropriate for KIDS to dress up silly.

With that being said, I recently wrote an eHow article giving tips on how to make an alien costume. The ideas are slightly generic- giving tips for how to make a scary, funny, or beautiful alien, but my thought was this- it's YOUR costume, who am I to tell you exactly how to construct it? The beauty of homemade costumes is that every one is unique to the wearer.  So, check out my article for some ultra-cute helps to make your costume one-of-a-kind! OR check out HERE, HERE, or HERE for some ways to change an old pair of sweat pants from drab to fab!

How To Make a Robot Costume

Robot costumes are fun no matter what the intention (party OR just dress-up play) or season of year.  Make this robot costume with a few simple household supplies... okay, so you'll probably have to go out and buy silver spray paint and ducting from the home center, but the extra time and money will be well-worth it. This costume will ROCK!

How to Make a Can Crusher

If you've been reading this blog for any period time you know about my fascination with simple machines. I recently wrote an article for eHow about how to make a soda can crusher, and I used some simple machines in the process- screws and inclined planes.

Unless you like crushing your cans with your feet OR on your forehead (WARNING.... my little brother tried that once and had a circular mark for a few days) you need a can crushing devise to help keep those recyclables corralled.

Science Experiment on Insect Repellents

Science experiments with human subjects and that test actual projects tend to be more fun than just recording results of inanimate objects. If you're as prone to bug-bites as I am, an experiment on which insect repellents work best might just be up your alley.  Check out THIS article for the steps on how to complete an experiment with bugs and repellent. If this project is for an official science fair, be sure to follow the scientific method steps, found HERE. For more ideas on science project click HERE .

Making Felt Coasters

Looking for a cute and inexpensive craft for your children? Why not try making felt coasters? They're super adorable, easy to make, and don't take a lot of supplies. The personalization options are endless too. So check out THIS link, for some great housewarming, birthday, or mother's day gift ideas.

And be sure to check out THIS book for more project on how to turn felt into wearable project.

Making a Three-Stick Stool

For YEARS I've seen three-stick stools at sporting events and in people's yards, and always wondered two things- 1) how they worked (they look like they would be so wobbly) but also also 2) if I could make one. While flipping through The Kids Multicultural Craft Book: 35 Crafts from Around the World  the other day I found the instructions, and it looked SO SIMPLE!

This project would be perfect for scouts, kids, parents and anyone who needs to sit down from time to time. The thing I love about this craft is that the stool can easily fold up when not in use, and can be moved from place to place without much effort. Place the folded stool in a back back, or fashion a sort of carrying strap and you're good-to-go!

Follow this link to the step-by-step instructions on how to fashion your own Three-Stick Stool!

Painting Area Rugs

If you want to add a little personality to a room, why not paint an area rug.  That's right- PAINT an area rug. Okay, so you won't paint the entire rug, just some decorative elements, such as a shape or name, but the result is still the same- a unique, one-of-a-kind, personalized rug, (drum roll please......) MADE BY YOU.

One of the great things about this project, is that it is simple, doesn't take a lot of supplies, and is relatively inexpensive. Remnant carpets, and small area rugs placed in front of doors make the perfect size, and aren't too large that you feel you need to fill the entire space. Check out THIS article, to learn how to personalize an area rug for yourself.

For this project you'll need acrylic paint, cookie cutters, area rug, and a fabric paint brush.