This is something we did this week for Earth Week and since today is Earth Day, I wanted to share it with everyone. It is super easy to do and lets everyone in the family let out their creativity. We are using these for lanterns for our parties outside this year but they can be used for all sorts of things.

Materials Needed:

• 2 pop bottles
• Scissors
• Glass paint
• Sponge brush
• Tea lights

Instructions:

1. Leaving the base of the pop bottle intact, cut out a fun wavy design that measures about 1/3 of the way up the bottle. The bottom 1/3 is now separated from the rest of the bottle.
2. Put bottom aside for now. Or have kiddos start painting it.
3. Using the top portion of the bottle, cut off the neck part and discard. This rounded top portion of the bottle will now be the BOTTOM of this piece. Make sure the hole you have just created is big enough to handle heat and flame from the tea light.
4. Now cut wavy pattern on the new “top” portion of bottle.
5. Repeat step #1 with 2nd bottle, but this wavy design should reach over 3/4 the way up the bottle.
6. Paint your 3 pieces in any way you like. I first dabbed on the glass paint and then found it fun to use our fingers to spread it and make designs. We also just let some of the paint drip on it Jackson Pollock style.
7. When dry just nestle to 2 bases into each other, put in your light and nestle the 3rd piece on top of that.

Before

It has been a long time since I posted and I have been scrapbooking and crafting but just not a lot of time left to post, but I really enjoyed doing this project so I thought I would share. I have been looking for a large, 24″ wood wall clock that I could finish and Provo Craft used to sell them but I guess they had problems with the hands and clock works so they quit making them,  I finally found another store that makes them, http://www.thewallclock.com and it was exactly what I wanted. So here is the before and after pictures. We ended up using these clocks for one of our churches super saturdays, they were really easy and the best part was, we finished them all on the same night. (sometimes we start projects and never get them done). This was easy, we just spray painted the numbers, then sanded off the excess paint, then used a small paint roller and painted over the numbers, the paint didn’t go into the recessed numbers, ( did have to touch up the numbers just a little, too much paint on the roller) then we used a spray stain to finish it off and accent it. I love my new Families are Forever clock.  PS some of the clocks had peoples names, for example, Smith established 1973, they were very cute.

SO here is the after photo:

After

I am a big fan of any crafts that can be done and recycle things at the same time. This one is such a great craft for both and it is something that the kids can do easily. These great flowers can be made at anytime and will keep the kids busy during Spring Break.

Materials Needed:

• Empty 2 liter plastic bottle
• White glue
• Scissors
• Markers
• Acrylic paints
• Paint brushes
• Sandpaper
• Stickers
• Skewers

Instructions:

1. Cut the plastic bottle one-third of the way down from the top
2. Sand the bottle using sandpaper
3. Mark at least 5 “petals” using a waterproof marker
4. Cut out the petals
5. Coat with a layer of white glue and let dry
6. Paint and decorate the petals using acrylic paints, waterproof markers and other stickers and glitter
7. Poke a small hole through the bottle cap
8. Place a skewer through the hole and screw back onto the bottle
9. There you have it! A colorful spring flower.

Since Spring officially starts tomorrow, I thought I would take time to look at some crafts that are Spring themes. This cute little bluebird is just the thing that we start to see during the Spring time.

Materials Needed:

• Two small polystyrene balls
• Wooden skewer
• Kid’s PVC glue
• Acrylic paint and brush
• Match sticks
• Scissors
• Googly eyes
• Four feathers

Instructions:

1. Paint the polystyrene balls. I have found that this is easiest if you skewer the balls first
2. Attach head and body using half a matchstick and a spot of glue. Then stick matchstick legs into the body.
3. Use a skewer to make holes for two wings, a tail and a feather on the top of the head. Then stick in the feathers.
4. Glue on googly eyes and use half a match stick as a beak.

With Halloween upon us, people are starting to plan for Halloween parties. These are great and unique invitations that can make a statement about your party before guest even arrive. These are great for both adult and children parties. And since they are lollipops, they are even edible and more fun. They are easy to make and you will have fun doing it.

Materials Needed:

• jumbo-size flat lollipops (ours are about 5-1/2″ round with a 10″ wooden stick)
• white felt
• white card stock
• double-stick tape
• white pipe cleaners
• red ribbon
• scissors
• black felt
• craft glue

Instructions:

1. Trace around lollipop onto white card stock and cut out. Do this twice to create two white card stock circles for each ghost invite. Print or write by hand the party invitation details onto one, leaving the other blank. Use double-stick tape to adhere the circles to the front and back of the lollipop. The blank side is the ghost’s face, and the side with the party info is the back.

2. Cut white felt into squares large enough to cover candy and leave enough drape to create the ghost’s body (I used 20-inch squares).