Crafty Sisters: Marshmallow Shooter

Do you remember my Crafty Sisters series?  The one where I share the crafty things my sisters and sister-in-laws make?  Well, I have another very important installment.  For Christmas, my sister-in-law made and gave Sam a marshmallow shooter.

We're Mennonites and don't condone violence, but firing off a mini marshmallow with your breath and getting pegged with one with the chance to eat it quick before the shooter collects it...well...that's just fun.

I asked my sister-in-law to share a bit here on how she made hers... just in case you need a project to liven things up this winter.

How to Make a Marshmallow Shooter

Cost Breakdown:

Cost of pvc pipes and connectors, $2.00
Cost of a bag of mini marshmallows, $1.00
Fun your kids can have with a marshmallow shooter….PRICELESS!

Supplies Needed:

29 inches of 1/2" PVC pipe

A pipe-cutting device (see below)

Bag of mini marshmallows

Two lumps of play dough

Spray paint or colored duct tape (purely optional)

**You need a total of 27" length of pipe, add an extra inch or two to allow for cutting    

Directions:

1) Cut the pvc pipes to desired lengths (listed below) with a chop saw and it worked great (but wear goggles).  You could also use a hack saw or a pipe cutter.  

2 -- "L" connectors for 1/2" pvc pipe

2-- "T" connectors for 1/2" pvc pipe

2-- endcaps for 1/2" pvc pipe

5--4" long 1/2" pvc pipe

1--7" long 1/2" pvc pipe

2) Sand the edges if needed before putting pieces together.

3) Use two lumps of playdoh to block the pipes not in the natural passageway for the marshmallow to travel, making the air pressure greater

4) If your PVC pieces have a lot of writing on them, you can paint the pieces with spray paint.  You could also decorate them with colored duct tape or electrical tape.  

5) Fit the pieces together according to the diagram found here on pages 3 and 4. Important: Do not glue or paint closed the shooter pieces.  If the marshmallows or pipes get wet, it can become sticky inside and you want to be able to take it apart to clean it out.

And of course, marshmallows will become sticky on your carpets and if left to get stale, they become hard and can hurt when you're struck by them.  So, use YOUR best judgement- you are the parent!

6) Insert marshmallows into the mouthpiece and BLOW!  Let the fun begin:-)!

(She used plans from Family Capers.)

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Crafty Sisters: Darling Diaper Cakes

It was a year ago that I started this series.  Do you remember the others?  The first one was about my (currently pregnant with twins) sister's knotted blankets.  The second was about Jamey's sister's wooden name signs and the third was my older-of-the-two-yet-still-younger-than-me sister's sweet bulletin boards.  See?  I have crafty sisters.

At my sister's shower this past weekend, my sister-in-law proved (above and beyond) that she should be counted among these crafty sisters.  She's the one who made the two fabulous diaper cakes.  Remember these?

Well, she agreed to share her secrets and below you will find step-by-step instructions on how to assemble one (or two) for your loved one who may be expecting.  Not only are they wonderful gifts, but they help decorate the room at a baby shower.

How to Make a Diaper Cake

Ingredients:

• 100-125 diapers - size of your choice
• rubber bands in assorted sizes
• empty paper towel holder OR large baby wash or lotion, large baby bottles
• circular cake base OR piece of cardboard
• ribbon
• baby items to go with theme of your choice
• extra large cellophane bag for wrapping

1. Pick your diaper size.

I like to use size 1 diapers so the cake can be used as a decoration for a little while before the diapers are needed. One three tiered diaper cake will use about 100-125 diapers. (Two cakes for TWINS will use 250
diapers!)

2. Gather materials for the structure of the cake.

3. Bottom tier

Keep diaper folded the way it comes in the package. If one end has a decoration or design, begin with that end and roll diaper so that design is hidden in the center. Secure roll with a rubber band. Repeat until you have about 6-8 diapers rolled. Then, using your empty paper towel holder, baby wash, lotion or baby bottle, place diapers in ring around the object and secure with a rubber band. Usually this takes 6-8 diapers. Form a
second ring of rolled diapers (about 12 diapers) around the first ring, secure with another rubber band. Form a third ring around the second ring, using about 18-20 diapers, and secure with another large rubber band. This is your bottom tier that you can place on cake round. If you do not have large enough rubber bands to secure the rings, use a ribbon. Numbers of diapers are estimated, you can use more or less to make your ring the size that you want. If you are looking for a four tiered cake, make and extra ring at this step, and each step below.

4. Middle tier

The bottom ring will have a portion of your center object sticking out. Use that object as the center of your middle tier and form two rings around it as described above.

5. Top tier

For the top tier, you can use either a small baby bottle or other object for the center, or just use more diapers. Form a tier as described above, with only one ring.

6. Decorations

Now the fun begins! Use a thick ribbon around each tier of the cake to hide the rubber bands. Find something fun to use as a cake topper - a stuffed animal or piggy bank will work nicely. Tie small items around each
tier for decoration. I like to purchase small items from the registry, such as teethers, pacifiers, rattles, car seat toys, etc. You can use onesies or bibs and wrap them around the diapers like you would with fondant or you can roll them up and replace a few diapers with them.

7. Wrapping

I find an extra large clear cellophane bag is a good way to wrap the cake to keep it clean while still letting people admire the finished product.

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Crafty Sisters: A Place for Treasures in Rooms of Life and Love

We decided early on that we weren't going to do themed rooms for our kids.  I did put art on the walls- mostly Norman Rockwell (we have a gorgeous series of prints showing children in all four seasons).  In addition to the art, there are several prints given to our kids as gifts and shelves filled with books and a few toys.

 

Their beds are covered with handmade quilts and these blankets.  On their shelves, we have displayed their names and now, on the walls are these beautiful bulletin boards that my other {crafty} sister made for Sam and Sadie's birthdays.

This is exactly how I pictured their rooms long ago before there were three, before there were two, before the first one was born.  Rooms decorated by life and love.

Photographs, cards and notes can be placed behind the ribbons with no need for tacks.  No tacks are a good thing when your kids have a baby sister on the verge of crawling.  I can't wait to see how Sam and Sadie will fill them.  Thank you, Auntie!

In the spirit of spreading craftiness love, my sister agreed to provide instructions as to how these gorgeous bulletin boards came together.

Fabric-Covered Bulletin Board

Supplies:
Iron
16X20" Stretched canvas (I got mine at a craft store, they came in a pack of 2)
20X24" piece of fabric
20X24" piece of batting (approx. 1/2" thick)
Scissors
Ribbon:
2 pieces at 30" length
4 pieces at 18" length
Staple gun
Decorative buttons/accents
Hot glue gun
Picture-hanging kit

Method:
1. Iron fabric.
2. Lay fabric (nice side facing down), batting, and canvas (front facing down) in that order on table or floor.
3. Starting at long side of canvas, pull fabric and batting tightly over canvas edge, and staple. Start in the center, then staple on either side of center.
4. Pulling tightly staple the other long side.
5. Repeat for short sides, pulling tightly before each staple, checking nice side for smoothness.
6. Staple corners: fold neatly (you may have to trim fabric/batting a little) and staple
7. Trim any excess fabric and batting.
8. Apply ribbons: Starting at a corner, stretch one long ribbon diagonally and staple at each corner, pulling tight. Repeat with other long ribbon, making a large "X" on the canvas.
9. Using a short ribbon, start at the center of a short side and stretch diagonally to the center of the long side, being sure the ribbon is parallel with the center diagonal ribbon. Pull tight and staple both ends. Repeat with other short ribbons. (You may wish to "weave" ribbons as you apply them)
10. Apply decorative buttons at ribbon intersections if desired using a hot glue gun.
11. Attach picture-hanging hardware per instructions.

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Crafty Sisters: More Than Just A Name

Jamey's sister made these incredible wooden names for the kids' birthdays.  They are really cool and something I know the kids will hold onto for a long, long time.

 

Do you need a gift idea for a child in your life?  These are personal, meaningful and will grow with the child.  Okay, well, they don't literally grow.  I just mean kids won't outgrow them.  Silly you- wooden letters that grow.  That's funny.

I asked her to share how she put these together and she graciously did.  Below are the instructions. 

******************************

Supplies:

~  pre-cut wooden letters from a craft store

~  a piece of wood cut for a base (or hang your letters on the wall, and forget the base)

~  sandpaper

~  paint (for letters)

~  craft or wood glue

~  scissors

~  a variety of coordinating scrapbook papers

~  sticker accents--3D or raised look best

~  small scraps of coordinating ribbons

~  Mod Podge

~  small flat paintbrush

Method:

Step 1:  Cut a narrow base for the letters to be glued to.

Step 2:  Sand the wooden base and letters and paint them all the same color.

Step 3:  Trace each letter onto colorful, patterned scrapbook paper.  I used a different but coordinating paper for each letter.  Cut out the paper letters, just slightly smaller than the wooden letters.

Step 4:  Using a paintbrush, paint the Mod Podge in a THIN layer over the face of the letter and place the paper letter on top.  Smooth it out and brush away the extra Mod Podge.  When it's dry, brush another thin layer on top of the paper to protect it.

Step 5:  Accent each letter with small ribbons and raised/3D stickers.  Sadie got flowers, Sam got an outer space theme.

Step 6:  Using craft or wood glue, glue each letter to the painted base, evenly spaced.

Crafty Sisters: Knot Your Ordinary Blanket

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Crafty Sisters: Knot Your Ordinary Blankets

My sister is a crafty girl. I should not have been surprised when my kids opened their Christmas gifts from her, her husband and daughter.  These blankets are beautiful and so very, very soft.  These blankets follow the kids everywhere in the house it seems.  When the kids are downstairs, the blankets are downstairs.  When the kids are upstairs, the blankets are upstairs.  They've all but forgotten the quilts their mother made for them, but these blankets are always atop them at bedtime.  I should also mention that they've become an integral part in fort-building, too.  

So, I just had to share pictures with you.  When my sister told me how simple they are to make I asked her a favor and she kindly agreed to include instructions- just in case you're feeling crafty, too.

Sadie, Sam and Miriam's blankets

Supplies:

Two pieces of fleece, each in a different color/pattern measuring 2.25 yards each.

Fabric Scissors

Method:

1. Lay the two pieces of fleece on top of each other, nice sides facing out. Most fleece is nice on both sides, but pick the best. Trim the edges if needed to make them exactly the same size.

2. Cut a 5" by 5" piece out of each corner of the blanket.

3. Cut 5-inch strips all the way around the blanket

4. Once all four corners are cut, and your strips are cut all the way around the blanket, knot each set of strips (top & bottom layer). When you get to the corners, the top layer of “1” should be knotted with the bottom layer of “2,” and the top layer of “2” should be knotted with the bottom layer of “1.”

The strips should be knotted by holding them both in your hand at the same time, wrapping them around each other. They should not be knotted like tying a knot in a shoelace, where you would hold one lace in each hand.

Thanks, sister dear.

Stay tuned.  I'm starting a little mini-series here.  I have more than one crafty sister.

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