Saturday, December 17, 2011

Studio 5 & instructions for kid fun!

Boy has this week been busy! I went on Studio 5 on Wed, and then I was in charge of my ward's Christmas party. The theme was "Christmas in Zarahemla." It was a ton of work, but now it is over, and it went very well! I had a little meltdown, but took a deep breath, and got over it. I had a great committee, and hope to post pics soon.

I did want to post the clip from Studio 5, and also the instructions for the projects I shared.



Can I just say... it is hard to watch myself, and I feel like I look like I am 20 lbs heavier. Maybe I was slouching! I don't know, but here is a picture from about one minute before I went on. See... I actually do have a waist ;)

By the way... people always ask me after I go on the show, how I like the hosts, and how I like doing it. I have to say... I LOVE IT, and they are SO NICE and GREAT to work with. Everyone from the producer that I usually work with, to Darin, Brooke and Amy... They are all fabulous! They have been so good to me and my blog. I am lucky to know them. And no, I don't get nervous. I don't know why. Maybe because they are great at making you feel comfortable.

THANK YOU STUDIO 5!!!

Alright now... Back to business.

Here are the instructions:

HOMEMADE LAVA LAMP

Lava lamps are so fun, and mesmerizing! They are easy to make at home with a few ingredients you probably already have on hand.

You will need:

· Clear plastic bottle. A glass would work as well.

· Vegetable oil

· Water

· Food coloring

· Pie pan

· Effervescent antacid tablets such as Alka-Seltzer

Instructions:

1. Fill the bottle just over halfway with the oil, and then add water to an inch from the top. Add 10 drops of food coloring.

2. Place the bottle on the pie pan to catch potential spills. Cut or break an antacid tablet in quarters and drop one quarter into the bottle. When the bubbling slows, add another quarter-tablet to get it started again. (Adding too many tablets at once will cloud the oil with bubbles.)

3. To store the lamp, let the bottle sit until all the bubbles have completely dispersed. This prevents the buildup of gas in the bottle. Cap it and put it in a safe place to prevent spills.

MAGNETIC PUTTY

You kids will be entertained for hours finding new uses for magnetic putty. It is super easy to make, and stores indefinitely.

You will need:

· Putty – I prefer the kind you buy from the dollar store. It seems to have a little more moisture.

· Finely ground metal. I got mine at Utah Idaho supply for $1.75. The finer the better. They had a jar of shavings there as well, and the shavings were too thick, and fell out of the putty.

· Paper Plate

· Magnets

Instructions:

  1. Heat up the putty with your hands, so it is pliable.
  2. Flatten and stretch the putty out, then lay it on the paper plate.
  3. Dump metal onto putty.
  4. Knead the metal into the putty, until it is well mixed.
  5. Have fun seeing what the magnets will do!

BOUNCY BALL

Your kids will love the fact that they get to be a part of the whole process of creating a bouncy ball. They will love getting their hands dirty too!

You will need:

  • borax (found in the laundry section of the store)
  • cornstarch (found in the baking section of the store)
  • white glue (e.g., Elmer's glue - makes an opaque ball) or blue or clear school glue (makes a translucent ball)
  • warm water
  • food coloring (optional)
  • measuring spoons
  • spoon or craft stick to stir the mixture
  • 2 small plastic cups or other containers for mixing
  • marking pen
  • zip-lock plastic baggie

Instructions:

  1. Label one cup 'Borax Solution' and the other cup 'Ball Mixture'.
  2. Pour 2 tablespoons warm water and 1/2 teaspoon borax powder into the cup labeled 'Borax Solution'. Stir the mixture to dissolve the borax. Add food coloring, if desired.
  3. Pour 1 tablespoon of glue into the cup labeled 'Ball Mixture'. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the borax solution you just made and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Do not stir. Allow the ingredients to interact on their own for 10-15 seconds and then stir them together to fully mix. Once the mixture becomes impossible to stir, take it out of the cup and start molding the ball with your hands.
  4. The ball will start out sticky and messy, but will solidify as you knead it.
  5. Once the ball is less sticky, go ahead and bounce it!
  6. You can store your plastic ball in a sealed Ziploc bag when you are finished playing with it.
  7. Don't eat the materials used to make the ball or the ball itself. Wash your work area, utensils, and hands when you have completed this activity.
Give them a try. You will be amazed at how easy and entertaining each one of them are. Please let me know what you think after you do.

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

BORAX SNOWFLAKES

I was on Studio 5 today, and didn't get time to share this lovely borax snowflake,
so I thought I would share it now. I will share my Studio 5 clip here on my blog tomorrow.

Have you seen these borax snowflakes?
They are all over pinterest.
I think I am in love.
They are SO pretty, and SO easy to make!

I really wish my photography skills were up to par,
as far as catching the beauty of the crystals.

They are beautiful, and really sparkly!

Your kids will be amazed as these snowflakes crystallize over night!

You will need:

  • Pint sized glass bottle
  • Pipe cleaner
  • Borax
  • Yarn or string
  • Water


Instructions:

    1. Boil your water
    2. Shape your pipe cleaners into whatever shape you want.
    3. Tie a string to your pipe cleaner, and loop around your pencil
    4. Dump 1/3 cup borax into your bottle
    5. Pour boiling water in, and fill to within one inch of the top.
    6. Put your snowflake in hanging from the pencil
    7. Wait about 4 hours or overnight and you will have beautiful sparkly snow flakes!



You could do this with your kids in the morning, and by the afternoon, have a beautiful snowflake!


These would be pretty for more than just Christmas too. You could hang them up all winter.


Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Thanks for stopping by!

Risa

Sunday, November 13, 2011

WIZARD OF OZ party, Part 6 - The Decor (Dinner Table)

The tables where we ate were SO fun! First things first... I have to give a BIG shout out to Kristen, Candy, and Christine, who helped set these tables up. They were so awesome! Christine even picked up some of the plates and utensils at the dollar store for me. They were so nice, and even patiently folded the napkins exactly perfect for me. Thank you my patient friends!!! I am so lucky to have you!

Paper place mats are always my choice for a large group. I got these scrapbook papers at Hobby Lobby, 5 for $1. I wanted them to look like Dorothy's basket, and I think they came close.


I also got the poppies at Hobby Lobby. I bought 2 bunches when they were 1/2 off, and ended up making 4 arrangements.


We had a meal the night before that required opening some cans of minestrone soup. The cans were the perfect size for the flowers and the tables. I didn't want the poppies to be too tall, so that people couldn't see each other. I did end up using some floral foam I had on hand, to help the poppies stand up.

I got loads of gingham at Wal-mart for $1.50 a yard. I was able to make 32 napkins and 4 runners, and still have leftover fabric.


Remember the gingham napkins I made? You can see the post HERE. Look how cute it was when they were folded so the lace showed, and the utensils poked out :)


The paper straws were from Gygi, in Salt Lake City, UT. I got a whole box of 100 about 6 months ago. I am really surprised at how often I use them.


I wanted the runners to be really simple, and I think they are. I just used lace I already had.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

WIZARD OF OZ party, part 5 - The Decor and Party Favors (Emerald City)

This table was really fun to create. It was the one I struggled with the most, but I think it turned out so fun and unexpected! It was in my formal dining room, and the second table you saw when you walked in. You could see it from the front door.

I had to have a centerpiece, and my kids were a great help with this!



This is part of a guest post I did over at Sunscholars. I love Rachel's blog. You will have to check it out. You can see my post HERE.

We were all just sitting around one Sunday morning, and I decided to enlist the kids help for making an Emerald City art piece. They were THRILLED! They have been very excited for my party, and like to see what I have planned.

SUPPLIES:

1 piece foam board ($.99 at the dollar store)
Elmer's glue Scissors Paint and brush Paper
{I used 3 different colors each
for the yellow brick road (3 sheets),
the poppies (5 sheets),
and The Emerald City (3 sheets)}

First, turn on Wizard of Oz music in the background, and sing along.

My favorite song lyrics from The Wizard of Oz:
It really was no miracle,
What happened was just this.
"The wind began to switch.
The house to pitch.
And suddenly the hinges started to unhitch.
Just then, the witch
To satisfy an itch
Went flying on her broom stick
Thumbing for a hitch."


Tear the edges off all the papers, and tear them into strips.

Pester your sister, and try to take the paper away before she is finished tearing it.
Then tear the papers into smaller pieces.

Cut out the shapes you want to for The Emerald City. I stapled them together on the bottom (where it would be covered by paper) before gluing them to the foam board, so it would be easier to attach.

Paint the foam board.

Draw the yellow brick road, and get started!

I put the glue down, and let the kids stick the papers on. They LOVED it!


This project was super easy, and inexpensive. It took less than an hour, and the kids were so proud of themselves that they got to make a decoration for my party! Thanks kids!

My daughter told me she wants to have a Wizard of Oz party for her next birthday. I might just keep everything from this party, make life easy on myself, and use it for her party!

I made little mini cakes for each person to take as a favor. I made the cakestands using the same technique I used for the birdcages for my daughter's reading/back to school party. You can see the instructions HERE. The only thing I did different, was this time, Hobby Lobby had round wooden disks in stock. They were 2 for $1, and a 30% off, so not bad.

Again, Candy and Christine helped me set up the table.


See the scrapbook paper? I really LOVE this line! I know the hot air balloon is cheesy! I got it at DI, and had plans of somehow cutting the animals off, but I ran out of time.

I made the mini cakes the Saturday before, and froze them. I was going to frost them, but thought they looked fine without frosting. I got my cake pan at Home Goods. It makes 6 mini cakes at a time. I just used a white cake mix, and added a TON of green food coloring.

The printable was my favorite part! I punched it out with my circle punch, and punched out scrapbook paper that was the same as the invitation with my scalloped punch. I made this in picnik. I thought it was sweet.

Candy and Christine helped me tie the tulle around each base, and attach the labels. They turned out SO CUTE!


Next up? The tables where we ate... full of gingham and poppies!

WIZARD OF OZ party, part 4 - The Decor (Good Witch Bad Witch)

This table was really fun, and cost next to nothing!!! I used my everyday dining table. The pink satin table cloth is a twin sheet from DI. I already had the black. I like how the lacy part of the black overlaps the pink.

Starting with the, "Good Witch," side...

My friend Candy made the crown. Isn't she just the best!?! She made it out of poster board from the dollar store, metallic puff paints (I knew they would come in handy one day), and glitter. It turned out SO CUTE! I just set in on a plate from DI, and that pink pail was also from DI. I used it before for my daughter's baptism luncheon to hold the gigantic marshmallows on a stick. You can see it HERE.


I made this printable in picnik, and framed it in a frame I already had.

The frame is sitting on pile of books, covered in fabric from DI. I love their fabric! You can get a whole bag for $2! I used the picture of the good witch from the scrapbook paper I mentioned before, and put her in a frame.

The bad witch side of the table was fun also! I used the hat from my daughter's Halloween costume and sat it on a wreath stand. I then stapled tulle to more scrapbook paper from the set, and hung it on another wreath stand.

I framed a flying monkey that came in the scrapbook paper set. I had found a silhouette of a flying monkey online, and I thought about puting it on a canvas, but ran out of time. I think this looks fine though, and ties in with the rest of the decor.


I knew I needed a crystal ball, but figured I would have to make one, and I did.

I was at DI with my mom, looking for things for the party. I found this ugly candle stand for $1, and told my mom I needed a glass light fixture to top it off. Two minutes later, there she came with the glass. It was $.50. Thanks Mom! So, I spray painted the bottom, cut the characters from the scrapbook paper, taped them to a dowel, and stuck the dowel in the hole that was already in the candle stand. It worked out so perfectly! I am keeping the crystal ball to use in my Halloween decor in future years. I LOVE it.

It turned out really cute!


Check back, for the next table - The Emerald City!

You might also like:

Wizard of Oz party, Part 1 - The Invitation
Wizard of Oz party, Part 2 - Decor - 4 characters table
Wizard of Oz party, Part 3 - Decor - Munchkin land

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa





Thursday, November 10, 2011

WIZARD OF OZ party, part 3 - The Decor (Munchkin land)

Next stop on our Wizard of Oz tour - MUNCHKIN LAND!

The pictures don't do this justice. It was really cute in person.

I have to give a big shout out to my friend Candy for helping set this area up. My brain was mush by this time, and she pulled me through! I tied napkins from a Halloween party from a few years ago around the pendants, and hung a Munchkin land sign, as you can see. I already had the red shiny fabric. I got the yellow fabric at DI for $2, and thought it would make a perfect, "yellow brick road!"

Here is the sign:



See the blue mirror? It didn't always look like that! I got it at DI for $5, and painted it blue. Candy suggested running the ribbon across the top, and I loved that touch! Look how ugly it was before! Sorry about the photo quality.


I found the little house at DI for $1. It was a bird house. I covered the hole with a piece of paper that came in the set, and we put it over the cute little witch doll. She is sitting on napkins, tulle, and a CUTE serving dish I got at DI for $1. All of that is on a blue platter.


I saw a cute sign HERE. I wanted to reproduce some form of it, so this is what I came up with.


When my daughter was a baby, and the Wizard of Oz characters were McDonald's toys, my mom and I made it our mission to collect them all. We ate a lot of fries. It's all worth it now! ;)

Scarecrow, sitting on straw, on a bowl from DI.


Munchkin in a super cute cup from DI. I am saving those for St. Patric's day, for my kids to use!


Glinda the good witch, arriving in her bubble.


Tin man sitting on a tin lid.


Lion, sitting on a DI plate - he is my favorite!


Wicked witch, melting in another DI dish.


My mom found me the lollipops at Walgreen's. They are HARD TO FIND! We just stuck them in artificial plants I already had.


Another view.

Please come back next time, for the good and bat witches!

You might also like:

Wizard of Oz party, Part 1 - The Invitation
Wizard of Oz party, Part 2 - Decor - 4 characters table

Have a Happy and Creative Day!

Risa





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