4th of July Party

I LOVE THE 4TH OF JULY!

Here are some ideas for the best day of year! 

Easy Plates - Many of can relate to the shuffle we do trying to gather silverware, plates, and don't forget the napkin! So this is any easy solution to the plated cauose. Take your paper plates, hole punch one hole in the center. Gather all your silverware around your napkin and attach it to the plate with your favorite ribbon, jute, etc. Then you can eliminate the headache of forgetting or dropping something and focus on getting your yummy BBQ food.

Sparkler safety - Kids love fireworks, however it's can be a little scary for them. This is a easy way to make sure your kids can have fun yet stay safe. Take your sparklers and poke a hole in the top of your paper cup. Insert the sparkler with the handle coming through the cup. It creates an easy grip for kids to hold their sparklers yet helps calm their fears from getting to close.

Pots with Socks - If you have beautiful flowers but they just don't match your 4th of July party decor. You can quickly change that for as low as $1.00. Gather some holiday socks, cut the toes off and simply roll over your Terra cotta pots or jars for easy table center pieces that match your other party decorations. 

I scream you scream we all scream for ice cream - Homemade Ice cream that is!!! Kids want to be a part of the festivities and this is the perfect way to do so. Have little hands shake and shake and shake the mixture to create your homemade ice cream. 

Ice Cream

2 1/2 quarts half/half

2 1/2 tbs vanilla

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

Mix all together and divide into small zip lock baggies. (About 1 cup per bag)

Then you take 2 cups of ice and 2 cups of ice cream salt. If you are using a mason jar to mix the ice cream then you will only put about 1 cup of each in the jar to give enough room for the bag to shake around. Enjoy!

Fruit Baskets - Do you have a stack of paper plates that will take years to use? Try this simple table craft to display your fruit for your party. Get one paper plate, ruler, pen, and scissors. Measure about 2 1/2' from the bottom to the center of your plate, Do this 4 times to create a almost square in the center of your plate. Cut along the 4 lines. Fold in each of the 4 sides. Then start with one flap and fold in, creating a box. Taking the next fold, with the flap inserting into the next section. Once all 4 sides have been folded in you should have a box. I hot glued a small dot to secure the basket in place. I added some decorating ribbon and added fruit for a quick and adorable display!

You can also see my tutorial here.

Cut off your brown paper sacks and serve individual servings of potatoe chips. 

Not a healthy portion as shown. I am aware of that!!!  It's a holiday go all out!

Corn on the cob grows in the grass right? 

So what a better way to serve it than in some!

Amercian pies are a great serving option for desserts. 

Walmart has these individual serving sizes for .88 a piece!

Star's in the yard - We can't forget the yard when decorating for the party. By gathering a poster board and your favorite star shape. Trace the star shape with a white crayon, Cut out the star. Gather some flour and head out to your sidewalk entryway. Place the poster board on the grass and lay a heavy layer of flour in the cutout of the star. The flour will make a decorative star shape in your grass. Don't worry with a quick swipe your flour with spread not hurting your lawn!!

Firework Topper!

Get your scissors and scewers ready for the easy DIY. 

Fold a 2inch piece of paper in half, creating a 1 inch piece. 

Fold a 2inch piece of paper in half, creating a 1 inch piece.  

Cut lines in tiny lines. I like to go as small as you can, approx 1/8 inch.

Cut along the fold line.

Glue a small dot of hot glue on the corner of your paper

Place your scewer and fold. 

You will fold about 2 inches to have a good amount of flair.

There you go!!!  

Fruit Baskets

Take a few of those thousands paper plates that you have that will take you 12 years to use and do something with them this 4th of July!

Let's do this!

Measure 2 1/2" on each plate. On the right had side.

While doing this imagine creating a box in the center of your plate. 

This "box" will become the bottom of your basket.

Do this same thing 4 times.

Cut your 4 lines. 

Each section fold over. Creating 4 flaps.

Then you will "tuck and fold" each section.

Forming your basket as you go along.

I used a small dab of hot glue to hold the corners in place. 

I added some bling to the basket aka ribbon!

And there ya have it a fruit basket to put at the center of your table. 

Entry Table

I have a thing for loving front doors and their entries. 

I want something that screams "Come on in, lil lady"

So I decided to recreate a table that I had seen on pinterest.

The pin didn't have a link so I had to recreate

 the entire thing, which was fun as buttons I tell ya.

Supplies needed

1 12x2x96 piece of wood

1 1x6x8

Wood Glue

Paint

If you would like to make on here is how you do it.

Grab your keys and $20 bucks and head to Home Depot.

In the lumber section get a 12x2x96 piece of lumber.

I went with the cheap stuff but you can go all out if you want.

The table height is going to be  approx 32"

With you 12x2x96 piece have them cut 3 30' pieces.  

The X in the middle of the table is a different size of lumber.

For that you will need 1  1x6x8" 

Have the lumber store cut it in half, leaving you with 2 4' pieces.

And set this aside for the next step.

When you have your 3 pieces use Wood Glue to

attach the sides to the top. I did one side at a time,

giving it enough time to dry before standing it upright. 

Once you have attached your sides and have a freestanding table

lay your table on the floor with one of your 4" pieces underneath it.

Hightech here folks!!

See how I did below. 

Making sure that your X piece matches up at the top

corner and opposite bottom corner. 

Draw a line with the pen on the inside.

This is where you will cut your next piece to insert into the table.

Put some pretty flowers on the tip and there you have it a beautiful entry! 

Tee pee Tutorial!

Tee - Pee

Who doesn't want something to entertain your child for hours? 

I love being a mom and playing, however I love to watch.

Watch is the key word here, not do a dang thing.

So if you want a easy afternoon DIY this is your lucky day!

Head to your local home improvement store and get the following

2 - 1" x 2" x 96" moldings

1" - 3/4" x 48" dowel

You will need to cut your two 8' boards in half. Making them 4' long.

So you will have 4, 4' long pieces

Line up your boards and make a center mark 6" down.

Using a  3/4 spade bit (shown on the right hand picture below)

Drill a hole in each one. 

After your done lay them on top of each other to make sure your holes lines up.

After you have drilled your holes.

I chose to paint my posts and dowel a fun coral color.

Materials needed for the tent cover:

Sheet  or fabric 44" x 84"

Scissors

Elastic

Thread

Now for your tent, rummage through your old sheets and grab one.

My sheet needed to be trimmed down.  

Hem the perimeter of the rectangular fabric using a straight stitch with a 1/2'' hem.

Desired size of the cover is 44'' x 84''.

Cut 4 strips of elastic 5" long

I used 1" elastic

Fold your elastic and either hand stitch or sew on your elastic to the corners of your fabric/sheet.

There you go champ!  You did it. 

If you are not able to do this, or would rather have me make it for you, email me at twitamy@gmail.com and I will make it for you! 

Grass Baskets

Well it's time to start them in time for Easter or Spring time. 

 I love this cheap but fun idea. Plus is gives something for the little ones to look forward to.

Ok I'm not going to lie, I even find myself peeking in the room to see it grow. 

Here's what you do....

find a favorite pot, bowl, whatever you think you would like. Big or small any size works!

get potting soil, and seeds. I found my grass seeds at Wally World for 6.24 but it is enough seed to last me 72 years. 

fill your pot full of soil

leave about enough space for 1 inch to 1/2 inch from the top

place the seed cover the entire area so you don't see any soil

put a tiny bit of soil to cover up the seed

water a little bit and

sit and wait

and wait

and

wait

Olivia has already walked in the room 4 times today and said "Mommy it's not working"

patience little one, patience

Side note...I like to use a spray bottle to water these in the beginning, then the seeds don't seem to spread as bad.

And Wala! You should see little green grass within about a week. 

Heart Garland Tutorial

I posted this tutorital last Valentines Day but I thought I would post it again for kicks and giggles!!
FIRST AND FOREMOST THIS IS EASY PEASY! 

And trust me it is. I don't do difficult things. 

So let's get this party started!!

First pick out a old book, or go to your local thrift store and pick one out. Keep in mind what kind of pages you want to display. White. Antique. Big letters. Look for something that is out of the ordinary. Mine had big blue letters that I thought were adorable. 

I'm sure it's illegal in some states to do this to books, so please be cautious!  I almost felt bad when I was checking this out a lady next to me said "Oh good job on that find, I'm sure you will enjoy it. I did"

I just couldn't break her heart to tell her that I was going to tear it to shreds as soon as I got home.  I'm sure it is a great book. Let's just say I am a super speed reader. 

2. Tear out your pages.  My book was itty bitty and not a regular 8.5x11. But I'm guessing you could get a least one heart out of each page. So see we aren't ripping the entire book out! 

Cut your strips into 1 inch thick strips. 

See how cute those letters are?  I made sure to have those be on my tops of my hearts, since you can't see the letters really in the center of the hearts.  

3. After you have all your strips break them out into 4 groups.  

1. 1 strip for your center

2. 2 strips for top piece

3. 2 strips for your middle piece

3. 2 strips for your bottom piece. 

So depending on your size of paper you will leave numbers 1 & 2 above (so three strips total) alone!  Don't cut them. So let's just say your strips are all 7 inches long.  You will take your middle and bottom pieces and cut them. So your middle piece will be cut 1 inch down to 6 inches. And your bottom piece will be cut down 2 inches. Make sense?  So you know have three different sizes of strips all one inch difference.  

Grab your smallest strip (or the bottom strip and fold the end together. And hold it.

Grab your middle piece and to the same thing wrapping it over the top of your bottom piece. Hold it.

Finally grabbing your top piece and placing it around the other two. So you know have three strips with the ends all together.

Don't mind my nasty baby hands!! 

Then staple it together. So you know have 1/2 of the heart done. Stay with me now!!

So it should look like this. I stapled both my sides of the hearts closer to the top of middle strip. Then cut the bottom so it was a straight line.  Then at the top I cut it so it was "Even Stephen" (sorry had to throw in a little Amyism) with the sides of the heart. This picture doesn't show that but you can see it on the ones below.

Then grab whatever string, thread, you want to hang it by and a big needle. No worries we aren't playing nurse today you will just be using the needle for the hearts. Then simply thread it threw all your hearts. Leaving enough string/thread at the end to hang it by.

And Fancy that!! You did it!!!! Pat yourself on the back, go get a fresh diet coke and watch Nate Berkus!!  Let me know if you have any questions or comments.

See wasn't so bad was it???

$60 bucks on Etsy my booty!! We can do this for nothing or $3 from DI.