Crocheted Ribbon Beaded Necklace

Happy Together recently had a tutorial for a ribbon and pearl crocheted necklace that was inspired by a Lanvin necklace. I had these huge wooden beads hanging around and some ribbon (I only had black and red), so I tried my hand at crocheting a similar necklace. Instead of attaching the beads after the necklace was crocheted, I strung my five beads onto the ribbon before I started crocheting, and then incorporated them into the crocheting at specific intervals.

This necklace is big and bold (probably a little too big and bold for me), but I like the technique and I definitely want to play around with the idea a little more.

Make a Hobbit Hole in Your Garden

We went to the Oregon Garden a few days ago, and I was happy to see this “hobbit hole” in the children’s garden! I would love to have one of these in my yard!! It was made with a big drainage tube, and had round plywood doors on each end of the tube. The earth had been mounded over the tube and then covered with grass and plants. They built a nice T-shaped door frame over the hobbit door, and there you go! It’s so cute!

I want one of these!!

Fun with Bulk Cereal

Here’s a really early Halloween costume idea (for you last-minute parents who like to plan ahead!) or just a fun toddler diversion: use a bulk cereal box as a quick costume.

How to:

1. Remove or staple flaps inside box. (I removed the bottom flaps and stapled the top ones to add reinforcement for the straps. I stapled smooth-side in so the nubs of the staples couldn’t catch on the kiddo)
2. Staple straps on. I used a skinny scarf from the dollar store (left over from my son’s birthday party), but you can use fabric, ribbon, etc.
3. Put it on the kid and go!

If it was really a halloween costume, I would dress the kid in a black shirt and pants (or yellow, or white, etc. to coordinate with cereal box).

You can’t tell by the photo but this is super-adorable and funny in real life.

Alternate Idea:

1. Use same construction concept, but paint box and add assorted recycled materials to make it into a robot (or any other creature desired). Hmm, that sounds like fun, I might have to do that today.

Crafty Mama: Go Paint Rocks

Here’s a fun idea for a summer activity: Bring your art supplies outside and paint rocks!

This project is versatile. Art can be temporary or permanent,
depending on your desire. If you use washable paint to decorate rocks
(or sticks, planters, bricks, etc.), the art can be washed off of
things that you might not want permanently decorated (for me, most
notably, my children!). You can just allow painted rocks to sit out in
the elements and take their chances, or if you want to preserve the
art, you can seal it with an acrylic clearcoat spray.

For my children, who are under 3, the fun was all in just applying
paintbrush to rocks, but older kids will enjoy painting specific
pictures on rocks, or entirely covering rocks with colorful designs. If
you get a good collection of rocks going, painted rocks are great for
stacking and playing with.
This is even an activity you can join in on. I know it’s simple, but
rock painting is something I can imagine whiling a whole afternoon away
on!

Paint Palettes: I used to-go coffee lids for our palettes (if
you go this route, put a small piece of tape over the hole BEFORE you
pour paint!). Yogurt lids, plastic or paper plates, or even cardboard
squares will also make great palettes.

Paint: Use washable acrylic paint (or if you don’t have
washable, mix a bit of dish soap in with each color of paint to make it
washable!) or if you have older kids, regular acrylic paint is fine,
too.

Choosing Rocks: Really, anything you can find will work. If
you want to keep these rocks around as works of art, it’s a good idea
to wash them with dish soap and water first to remove dirt. Washing
rocks can be its own activity for little kids! Do it the day before, or
in the morning. Be sure to let your kids know if any rocks are off
limits (flagstones, big rock features in your yard, etc.).

If desired, when the paint is dry, seal it with a clear acrylic spray.

If kids want more instruction than “Hey, go paint rocks!” you can give them a jumping off point like:

• Paint your favorite animal
• Paint the first letter of your name
• Paint Daddy’s face on this rock
• Paint this whole rock pink, and don’t leave any spots uncovered!
• Paint three rocks blue and two rocks yellow*
• Any other silly/fun/serious/learning cue you can think of

*You can use this activity as an opportunity for learning (in the
starred example, numbers and colors), but I think there is also value
in just letting your child paint the rocks for fun with no other
agenda. You decide for yourself!

Other Ideas:

• Use sidewalk chalk to completely cover rocks (instead of paint) - this is really pretty!
• Paint pieces of wood or terra cotta pots, other assorted stuff from your yard
• At the beach? Paint driftwood or shells
• Go on a nature walk first and pick fun stuff up, then come home and paint it

Snyder’s Pretzel Coaster

So Snyder’s is sponsoring a Pretzel Coaster Build Off in which you can win a trip to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, PA. I’m not eligible for the contest because I live on the West Coast, but I thought it would be super fun to build a pretzel coaster.

It took me a few hours, a glue gun, and a few episodes of Veronica Mars Season 1 to build my coaster. I think my hours of Roller Coaster Tycoon came in handy a little as I worked on my coaster. I started with the loop because I thought it could be the most challenging part.

Here’s a little more progress. I mostly stuck to using the pretzel twists for curves and the Snaps for straight track.

And, the end result.

Since I’m not submitting it to the contest, I added cereal wheels to the little coaster cars.

I made a little place for pretzel people to get on the coaster, with a little covering and steps.

Here’s a better view of the loading area.

And the little coaster car going into the covered area.

Another view of the whole thing.

Some other super-crafters are making pretzel coasters too!

• Skip to My Lou
• Little Birdie Secrets