A Rainy Day Spent with Gelarti Could Be a Great Valentine’s Day Gift too!

Moose Toys’ popular arts and crafts lines Gelarti and Blingles allow girls to add a unique touch to their classroom Valentines. With Gelarti, children can create shimmering re-usable 3-D gel stickers, while Blingles allows girls to create sparkling gem stickers, quickly and easily at home. Both Gelarti and Blingles retail starting at $9.99. We received a package of Gelarti to decorate some stickers, I mean they are the Gelarti stickers that you decorate with the gel that it comes with. It’s a set and it’s Zoe’s kind of thing. She loves to sit and make great fun creations. Plus it’s a great way to spend a rainy day like today. We decorated, let dry, and hung!

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The Gelarti Scene Pack – Funky Fun/Rock is all you need to start your Gelarti collection! Gelarti is so simple to use! Place your Gelarti sticker sheet onto a flat surface and gently squeeze the Gelarti paint pen to add color to your sticker. Gelarti the stickers with a unique twist! Decorate your world with Gelarti! Create, decorate and accessorize your own stickers, then peel and place the reusable stickers anywhere you like. Use them to decorate your bedroom, notebooks, cards, laptop and more!

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We received samples and used them.



A Rainy Day Solution: The Happy Trunk

We need tons of ideas for rainy days. Things that don’t involve the television and involve the kids minds. At least, I prefer to have educational things to fill their time with, mixed in with some tv of course. I’m not crazy. We received a Happy Trunk box and I was greatly impressed with the contents. Everything in the box was higher quality than I expected and I never expected the response I had out of Miles. HE was SO INTO IT. And it’s the perfect rainy day activity solution.

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Happy Trunk is the solution harried parents who want to do more than plunk their kids in front of the TV or video game need. Happy Trunk is a box filled with craft and science projects that will keep your kids entertained for hours.  My children needed help with the activities, but mostly he was able to do it after I told him what to do. He has such a good time. We received the Under the Sea box.

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The first project we pulled out was to make an ocean and fill it with shells and under the sea creatures. Included in the box were cards that I could read to Miles about the under the sea creatures. He absorbed all of the information.

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When he was done he proudly hung them on the door so he could watch his fish and show them off to his dad when he came home from work. The kits are delivered to your door each month and include all the supplies and directions for  three or four craft projects and a science experiment. IMG_3470

Each month has a different theme to the activities and the gender neutral trunks are available for ages 3-7 or 8-11.  Kids love getting their own mail and Mom loves the educational entertainment the kits bring.  The projects chosen for the kits are developed by a team that includes a child psychologist, teachers and a designer, and all are tested by a panel of kids before being deemed Happy Trunk worthy.  The Happy Trunk can be ordered as a monthly subscription or a one-time gift. 

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The next project was for making a jelly fish. Miles again, got very creative and made an adorable jelly fish.

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I’m really pleased with Happy Trunk and strongly considering a monthly subscription.

 

We received a sample.



Easiest DIY Fall Centerpiece Craft EVER!

Easiest DIY Fall Centerpiece (table decoration) EVER!

By: Ashley

Decorating with pumpkins and gourds is the easiest and most inexpensive way to transform your home into a fall harvest festival. You might think you need to be super crafty or at least have a large decorating budget to get the job done, but nothing could be further from the truth. A trip to Wal-Mart for the gourds and the Dollar Tree for the basket and leaves, and you are set. This particular centerpiece has been my go to for a couple years now, so I figured I could share it with you guys!

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You will need:

SUPPLIES

- Assorted decorative gourds

- Artificial colored leaves

- Basket or bowl

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Create a bed with the artificial leaves. Add the gourds and arrange them until your satisfied. Ta-dah! The easiest thing EVER, right? It may seem silly to bother writing out these directions, but I’ve actually had a couple of people ask about my centerpiece. I think adding the leaves really makes it look like more than some pumpkins in a basket. What do you think?

About Ashley (Managing Editor at MomStart): Ashley is a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and

former teacher working to navigate through the mysterious world of Mommyia. Read more about her adventures at Momicles and follow her @Momicles2010



Counting Craft: How To Make a Count Down Chain

I’m working with Miles every day or at least trying to work with him every day. Some days we play school all day and others we just don’t do anything. One day, I decided we should make a countdown chain for our vacation, and the kids weren’t too thrilled. So I started making it myself and when Miles saw how easy it was he decided he wanted to finish and make two more chains to count down to other things.

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You can use an opportunity like this to teach, counting, sorting, addition, subtraction, hand eye coordination, and glue skills. We used tape.

How To Make a Count Down Chain

Supplies needed:

Paper cutter
Construction paper
Tape

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Directions:

Cut the construction paper into about 1 inch strips

 

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Loop them through each other until you run out of strips

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Gold Medal Cookie Craft Recipe Quick Easy & Olympic Worthy

By: Ashley

The Olympics have always been a big deal for me and my family. There’s just something so amazing about people from around the world coming together, competing, and showing true sportsmanship. I love how for those 17 days, American pride runs strong and “Team USA” is the team we can all cheer for. I’m even dorky enough to love the roots of the ancient Olympic Games in Greece. It’s just all VERY cool. That’s why I absolutely LOVED the great cookie craft idea that my sister in law had.

Gold Medal Cookie Craft Recipe

When she pulled out a roll of cookie dough and a bag of MSIL) made Olympic cookies! This is super quick, easy, and inexpensive.

Here’s What You Need:

- 1 roll of sugar cookie dough

- 1 bag of M&M’s (regular or mini) separated by color

That’s it! I told you this was easy. =)

1. Separate the M&Ms by color.

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2. Slice off cookies from the cookie dough.

3. Use the M&Ms to make Olympic themed designs on each cookie. We went with three basic options:

The Olympic Rings

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The Gold Medal

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Team USA

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4. Place the cookies in the oven and bake according to the package directions.

5. Let the cookies cool, then enjoy!

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This was SO simple an SO much fun… for everyone! If you’re a fan of the Olympics like I am, you should definitely give this a go. =)

USA! USA! USA! =)

About Ashley (Managing Editor at MomStart): Ashley is a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and former teacher working to navigate through the mysterious world of Mommyia. Read more about her adventures at Momicles and follow her @Momicles2010 .



Jewelry Craft: Ring Around the Kisses for Valentine’s Day!

By: Ashley

I have to say that one of my favorite things to do when I was a kindergarten teacher was allow students to decorate bags to hold their little Valentine cards. To be honest, I’m not that big on the store-bought chocolates, comic book character overpriced pieces of cheap cardstock, or the dozen roses that seem to be SUPER expensive during the month of February. What I DO like though, is celebrating love, friendship, and how much you value relationships. A day to tell someone “I love you” just because? YES! I’m in. You don’t need to buy a $5 greeting card or $50 bouquet of roses. In fact, all you need is 2 pipe cleaners and a chocolate kiss! Here is a super easy craft idea that you and your kids can have fun with. I saw this in Family Fun and had to give it a try!

You will need:

- Regular craft pipe cleaners (color of your choice)

- Chocolate drop candies (I used Hershey Kisses)

Instructions:

1. Cross the pipe cleaners and twist them in the center.

2. Bring the pipe cleaners around the tip of the candy and twist to secure them around the Hershey Kiss.

3. Mold the pipe cleaners into a ring. Wrap the excess around the base of the Hershey Kiss or snip off the ends.

4. If you want, you can add a little note to your ring and use them in a class Valentine exchange.

Let us know if you try this out. Feel free to leave a picture of your own “Ring Around the Kisses” experiments in the comments.

About Ashley:

Ashley has a background in teaching Kindergarten and working with children K through 8th grade. She is now a SAHM and active with our local MOMS Club chapter. She writes her own blog at Momicles.



How To Make Funny or Scary Face Lanterns

We found this craft in the Disney Family Fun Magazine and the kids needed a rainy day craft. It was perfect for our Halloween décor but I could see fun in this for any party you might have to decorate your porch for coming visitors. It’s sure to make your porch stand out against the crowd.

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How to make a scary face lantern

 

Supplies:

Glass Jars
Paint
Paint Brush
Painters Tape
Candles

Directions:

 

Collect the supplies

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Tape off the jar

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Paint the jar

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Let the jars dry and then pull off the tape. Then put a candle in them and light it and enjoy.

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Disney Family Fun Halloween Edition: How To Make Salt Dough Ghosts

My newest favorite magazine is the Disney Family Fun magazine. It retails for 9.99 for 10 issues a year and it’s well worth 1.00 an issue because it is jam packed with fun valuable information you can use to have loads of fun with your family. Disney Publishing sent me a copy of the Halloween issue of Disney Family Fun and I’m in love with all the creative ideas, from fun recipes to crafts, to at home costume ideas to decorating the house. Your Halloween is sure to be “spooktacular.”  Geared for ages 8-9 but quite easy for parents to use as a resource for any age.

Check Out this fun porch decoration, it’s a milk jug/plastic pipe skeleton

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For full details on making this skeleton you’ll need to check out Disney Family Fun Halloween Crafts. Also in the Halloween issue was this fun indoor decoration, Salt Dough Ghosts. You and your whole family will soon be  in the Halloween spirit with this craft. For an even spookier effect, add these easy-to-make Paper Bag Trees.

How to make Salt Dough Ghosts

Materials:

1 cup flour
1 cup salt
1/2 cup water
Marker
Bowl
Markers

salt-dough-ghosts-halloween-craft-step-photoDirections:

Mix together the flour salt and water in the bowl.
Divide the dough into 6 even pieces and shape them into ghosts
Microwave the ghosts on a plate, one to two at a time for 20 – 30 second intervals until the dough is firm.
Let the ghosts cool before you allow children to play with them
Use a marker to make eyes and a mouth and any other decorations your kids might want to make.

 

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For this and many more creative ideas, check out Disney Family Fun.

We received a complimentary copy of Disney Family Fun.



How to Make an African Drum #LionKing3D Inspired By Zoe

A few weeks ago I posted a whole bunch of tips on how to Have a Lion King 3D viewing party. Miles Zoe and I got out all of our arts and crafts and the first thing we made together was the African Drum, the Nala’s Log Drum.

How to make an African Drum

 

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The Supplies:

3 empty food cans washed and dried
Clear tape
Construction paper
Markers or Crayons or Stickers
A Can opener

Directions:

Remove the lids on both ends of the cans

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Tape the cans together

Decorate the construction paper

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Wrap the cans with the construction paper and tape it on securely

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Then Beat your drum with sticks and enjoy more Lion King Inspired crafts.

 

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The Lion King 3D  comes to theaters September 16th and October 4th will be released on Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray Hi-Def