#Crafts That All Children Enjoy

Summer is here and now the kids are here with us parents full time. Well, unless they are going to camp. Now it is time to pull out the arts and crafts to keep them entertained and out of trouble yet what is there to do? This article explains five of the crafts that your children will not only enjoy but you will find yourself enjoying as well. The best part is they work well with children of almost any age.

Gods Eye
Gods Eye is one of the crafts that seems like it has been around for forever yet it is still something that children of all ages love to do and many parents find it to be a pretty fun and unique craft as well. Then, of course there is the fact that it is very budget friendly and it is not messy either. If you are looking for something that requires very little adult guidance this is the perfect craft for you to consider introducing to your children.

Pillow
Pillows are another craft that can be fun for children of all ages. However, if you have younger children you will have to do the sewing to insure that they do not get hurt but they can assist with all of the other steps such as cutting the fabric and stuffing the pillow. Older children enjoy doing this as well. Not to mention this is a frugal way to replace the pillows in your home as well.

Coloring
Yes, we all have that artist that lies beneath us all. No matter what age your child is you would be surprised to know that they are still interested in coloring. Coloring is something that relaxes the mind and with all of the different coloring print outs that can be printed offline it is the perfect craft to occupy your child’s time while you try and get some of the things that you need to do done without interruptions.

Painting
Since it is summer why not save some money and gather the kids together and allow them to paint their rooms instead of calling in a professional. It is something that you will have to guide them on but it is a fun thing to do as a family. They can feel as though they have helped you do something great while also being able to express their personalities in their rooms as well. Many ideas can be found online as far as design wise or you can even let them do something creative such as leave their hand prints on their walls. When it comes to teenagers they may feel as though doing this is an extra chore at first but you can be sure that they will get in the mood and start enjoying themselves as well.

Book Blanket
We all know that after summer school season will be back into full effect. So, why not save money on having to buy book covers and have your child make them themselves. This is another craft that is going to require your assistance when it comes to younger children because of the sewing put they can help out with the cutting and designing process. Older children will even enjoy this because it will help them make sure that they are unique and do not have the same thing as their friends when returning to school.

Overall, these five crafts are just starting points as to the thousands of crafts that are out there for you to introduce to your children. Just make sure to have fun as a family because one day these simple, budget friendly crafts will be what you have in your memory box.

This guest post comes from freelance writer Victoria. Victoria writes on a bunch of different children’s topics ranging from crafts to party bag ideas. 

DIY Projects Using Construction Pallets

Not everyone is cut out to handle a do-it-yourself project.  While many homes are equipped with table saws and sanders, it is not a staple in all homes.  DIY projects are great because they are inexpensive and create unique looking furniture.  There is a simpler solution to make your own decorations without having to go out and buy heavy machinery or learn how to use equipment without injuring yourself.  Pallets that are used to haul food, materials, and other products can be taken apart and can serve a completely different service.

Tables
A very easy way to make an end table out of pallets is to stack them together and place a top on it.  Plywood or Plexiglas will work well for a study top.  Another way to is lay them out side by side to elongate the table.  Legs can be nailed to the table top buy taking apart other pallets.  It is probably a good idea to sand down the pallets to keep people from getting splinters.

Wallpaper
A lot of rooms will have an accent wall that is a little more colorful.  Rather than coming up with an elaborate paint job, pallets planks can be taken apart and nailed to the wall.  They can be stained to any color to match the surrounding painted walls.  Instead of staining it, paint can be applied over the wood and sanded down.  This will make it look like the outside of an old warn out house. 

Shelves
Pallets can be cut to form a shelf.  Since pallets already form a container it is easy to go from pallet to a set of shelves.  The first step is to cut it to the size you want it.  The back should be the side that has less space between planks.  More space in the front will give the selves a rustic look.  After they are nailed to the wall, they can be filled with books, pictures, and other forms of art.

Pallet Projects
Do-it-yourself projects using pallets are relatively simple.  Construction mats have a unique look to them and create a fun and different center piece in any home no matter if it is rustic or modern.  Even people that are not good at DIY projects will be able to handle using pallets.  Plus the great thing about this material is that it is relatively cheap and can be recycled.  That way if you screw up, you will not be out very much money. 

Garnett Wood Products is the leading provider in mat construction and manufactures a variety of crane mats, pipeline skids, and other specialty wood products.  Garnett Wood can deliver its poducts all over the US.

PRODUCT REVIEW ~ My Friendship Bracelet Maker

It all started when David Corey, an inventor from Michigan, decided to revolutionize a fashion trend that young people had been doing awkwardly and less efficiently for many years.

David, a retired auto executive from Detroit, had spent over 30 years creating and developing efficient ways in which to use robotics with cars.  He used this know~how to develop the Friendship Bracelet Maker to remove the hassle of the old cardboard and/or foot method.

My Friendship Bracelet Maker is the easiest and coolest way to make all your favourite friendship bracelet patterns.

Each kit includes:
One Friendship Bracelet Maker
56 ~ 60" threads (4 each of 14 colours)
Easy~to~follow instructions
Ages 6 & up

The My Friendship Bracelet is truly a simple apparatus to figure out and enjoy.  Remember in the days when you were using all your body parts, pieces of cardboard and pins in order to keep the threads in place so that you could weave them??  Well, this little beauty removes all the excess and gets you right to creating~!!

You take however many threads you wish to work with and knot the ends together, loop it under the butterfly clip, which holds the threads in place, then string each colour up in the holders at the other end.  From there it is simply remembering which colour you left off at and which pattern direction you were heading in...lol

My first attempts were disastrous and looked like an infant made them...hehe...however, half way through my third try, I was spinning bracelets like a masterful arachnid~!!  My daughter took a bit more practice to catch the idea behind the weaving, but she had never made one before and so the concept was a totally new one.  Within a few days, she was producing a bracelet that she was proud of and she promptly gave it to her favourite cousin.  All the bracelets made between us were given to someone we knew and smiles were spread all around.

I think this is a really great gadget and I would suggest getting your children one to have around for rainy days, travelling, vacations or maybe they want to raise some money for an event at school or in their neighbourhood.  The possibilities are quite endless on how you can utilize My Friendship Bracelet Maker and there are many groovy designs and how~to instructions AND videos to be found on their website~!!

My daughter and I give this a two thumbs up...and she had a huge grin on her face too~!!

**  Reviewed by me...as I see it~!!  **

DIY ~ How to Make Your Own No~Heat Lava Lamp

Want something groovy to do with the kids??  How about making your very own lava lamps??  Very simple and easy to make and your kids will be amazed at their trippy creations~!!

Your going to need a few things, most you will already have lying around your house...and typically it takes about an hour to an hour and a half to make a lava lamp~!!

Materials Needed:

Container for your lava lamp ~ pop or water bottles work great
Vegetable Oil
Water
Food Colouring
Alka~Seltzer
Funnel ~ In case your opening is small, this makes it easier to add the oil to the bottle
Paper Towel ~ just in case you make a mess...;)

Instructions:

1.  Fill 1/4 of your container with water.  Add your food colouring and mix.  Usually 4 ~ 8 drops is enough.
2.  Fill the remaining bottle to nearly full with vegetable oil.
3.  Add a Alka~Seltzer ~ watch what happens.  (The alka~seltzer will not begin to break down until it has reached the water level.)
4. That's it...enjoy your results~!!

Added Note:  Do NOT put the lid on your bottle until the reaction is complete or you may be making yourselves a lava lamp bomb as the pressure inside the bottle begins to build...that wouldn't be groovy at all...lol

You can add sparkles to your lava lamp if you wish to spice it up some and try putting it under a lamp for another trippy groovy effect...but do NOT leave it there...you wouldn't want it to melt all over the place~!!

Awesome Things You Can Make Out Of Paper

Paper is an amazingly flexible medium to work with.

Able to be bent into shape at a moment's notice, or rolled into remarkably rigid and strong constructions, it can look attractive with or without designs patterned onto it.

Here are just some of the awesome things you can make with paper...

Tessellating Origami

Image by Joel Cooper.

As you may have noticed from the above image, origami based on tessellation, also known as ‘paper mosaics’, tends to be a tad bit more complex than your typical frog or crane design.

The difference is entirely due to method.

Rather than starting with a design for a fixed pattern that will produce a fixed result, people who work with tessellating origami tend to start from a grid then make symmetrical folds until they end up with something that looks really cool.

Due to its intuitive nature, you can get some truly mind-blowing results...like this dude!


Image by Joel Cooper.

There is no trickery involved here.

This is just paper, folded into the shape of a bearded pharaoh of old.

This is what can be done with tessellating origami - why not give it a go yourself?

Paper Weapons
Paper can be fairly inflexible at times, especially when rolled up on itself into a cube.

People use this attribute to make some impressive weapons, even if they would be (thankfully!) ineffective in a real life situation.

If you're in need of a laugh, check out this video by Professor Ronald Duncan, it involves martial arts with a rolled-up newspaper...

Highlights from the video include Prof Duncan rolling up his newspaper in eager anticipation of delivering a painful-looking shot to a pseudo mugger’s groin as soon as he asks for the time.

This video by Youtube user "Nighthawkinlight" is even more impressive He teaches viewers how to make their very own paper crossbow! But unlike most so-called paper crossbows, which use elastic bands to power the projectile, this design functions like a true crossbow.  The power comes from the arms!

Whole Worlds
You might be interested to know that you can find entire worlds built of beautifully illustrated paper, right here on the internet.

Sure, you have to print, cut and stick them together, but the end results are pretty amazing.
Some of the premium ones, like World Works Games, require you to pay to access their designs, but you should be able to find some free designs on the internet somewhere.

My personal favourite theme is the Deadfall range, set in a Western/Victorian age, but there are all kinds of designs that can get your imagination fired up, if nothing else.

Despite all the bizarre weapons and weird worlds you can make out of paper, I think I’m still most impressed by the tessellating origami art of Joel Cooper. I've genuinely never seen anything made of paper on the same level as this.

What about you?

Have you seen paper designs even more awesome than the ones shown here?

Blensfarnt Spundunkler writes blog posts for Cartridge Shop and constructs elaborate mazes made from bendy straws for ants to fight in. He concentrates mostly on the blog posts though.

Creative Uses for Wallpaper

If you have ever used wallpaper within your house, or even someone else's house, then you know there is almost always too much of it. It doesn't matter how well you measured it, how careful you were to try and get the right amount, or how sure you were that you got the right measurements; there will be leftovers. Ordinarily this extra wallpaper just gets thrown out. Perhaps people think that it is a waste but that there is nothing that can be done with this extra wallpaper. Fortunately, this is not true. In fact, there are many creative uses for the leftover wallpaper. Below are 10 uses for extra wallpaper that are both simple and elegant.

1) Cover your light switch plates in wallpaper. This is very simple, but also adds a nice touch to the room. It can be done with either the same wallpaper that is in the room, or with complimentary wallpaper.

2) Use wallpaper to decorate the outside of trash bins. By matching the trash basket to the room it looks like less of an eye sore, but at the same time allows it to maintain its functionality. There are lots of expensive trash cans for sale, but by using wallpaper you can accomplish the same task while saving a good deal of money.

3) Decorate your cabinets with leftover wallpaper. Again, this is one where using the same wallpaper or different wallpaper would both work. The insides of cabinets are one of the most overlooked areas of a house for decoration, which does not make sense. It's an area that is frequently looked at by guests when they want to get a drink or some food. By pasting some leftover wallpaper into the insides of the cabinet it adds a subtle style to the house without being overly showy.

4) Use extra wallpaper as gift wrap. Gift wrap is one of those household items that is always in needed, and never seems to be there when you need it. The next time you are frantically looking for some wrapping paper to mail that gift you somewhat forgot about, don't rush out to the store and buy wrapping paper. Instead, grab some of the old wallpaper sitting idly in the closet and use that.

5) Turn leftover wallpaper into artwork. This is one of the more popular trends among designers working on a budget today. Cut out pieces of the wallpaper that you like and then add it to a simple frame. This can be done with multiple different wallpapers as well. Once all the wallpaper is framed, simply hang it on a wall that you believe will be complimented by the selected wallpapers.

6) Create book covers with extra wallpaper. This is especially relevant for those with younger children. Teachers often require that they add book covers to their textbooks. Instead of going out and buying these covers, they can be created with leftover wallpaper. Both saving money, and looking better than most of the ones that can be purchased.

7) Use wallpaper to cover the inside of a bookcase or display case. By pasting some wallpaper to the inside of the display or book case it allows a subtle background that can emphasize and compliment the contents of the case. The only tricky part is ensuring that whatever wallpaper you decide to use for the backdrop of the case matches and compliments what will be displayed. To ensure that this happens make sure to hold it up inside the case before doing anything permanent.

8) Put extra wallpaper under the glass of a coffee table. This allows for a more interesting looking coffee table and it can be changed out. Simply lift the class, insert the properly cut piece of wallpaper, and put the glass back down.

9) Cover the outside of storage boxes around the house with wallpaper. Instead of having plain looking storage boxes sitting around the house, decorate them with interesting wallpaper.

10) Cut out place-mat sized pieces of wall paper and laminate them. Once they are laminated they make for excellent place-mats. They can be both formal and informal depending on what wallpaper is used. It saves money, and allows for more variety.

Pete Wise works with Discount Decorating as a Content Marketer. DDO has one of the largest selections of Wallpaper anywhere on the web, and their matching Wallpaper Borders are some of the most affordable around. If you liked the article, check out Pete's Twitter: @MySEOHeadache

Craftsy Crafting ~ Daily Deals~!!

Craftsy is the fastest growing online community for Crafters - with over 500,000 monthly unique visitors, having just launched in May 2011. This rapid growth results from two primary offerings which Craftsy users love: 

1) Terrific online classes from amazing instructors for beginning, intermediate and advanced quilters, knitters, crocheters, sewists, jewelry makers, and other crafters. 

2) Astonishingly good deals on crafting supplies: organic yarn, lovely fabrics and fat quarters from top designers, high quality needles, etc... 

Sign up today~!!

**  I am in no way associated with any of these opportunities...I just share them with you in case you are~!!  **

BOOK REVIEW: So You Thought You Couldn't Cut It by Jim Calder

So You Thought You Couldn't Cut It:  A Beginner's Guide to Wood Carving

Author:  Jim Calder and Jen Coate
Paperback:  101 pages
Publisher:  Community Voice Media LLC (September 1, 2011)

Master Carver, Jim Calder brings wood carving to life for kids and adults with step-by-step instructions and detailed photographs showing how to turn a simple sweet potato into a whimsical wizard in seven easy steps.  Parents and kids are fascinated by the easy to learn process that is fun for the whole family.

Beautifully documented photos by D.W. Maiden,  accompany this easy to read and understand guide to wood carving.

Jim Calder instructs children through the pages on the art of wood carving by having them practice their skills on sweet potatoes, a much easier medium to work with for beginners.

Each step is precisely illustrated with each step given underneath each photo as well as inspirational quotes and tips from Calder himself.

I thought this was a gorgeously depicted book with a wealth of information on how to learn the basics on wood carving.  I didn't practice the instructions, for I lack the necessary equipment, but my mind could easily comprehend the steps needed in order to create a work of art.

The photos are gorgeous, beautiful in colour and clarity and help enhance the overall quality of the book.  There are works of Jim's art shared, some of the loveliest wood carvings you can imagine, this man is definitely gifted.

I would give So You Thought You Couldn't Cut It a four out of five stars.  While I thought it was wonderful, a little bit more detail could've been given to more trusted sources of information for those who pick up this book and wish to continue beyond it.

**  Reviewed by me...as I see it~!!  **

Cash for Crafts

Who hasn't seen it? A cursory look at the job market reveals listings for entry-level jobs that require the responsibilities of 3 people in one, and a minimum of a Bachelors Degree. Plus don't forget mandatory overtime and a paycheck that's skimpy enough to make you look like an intern. And do you get medical benefits for the privilege of the job? No, probably not. But this bleak job trend is producing an interesting response, where people are coming up with creative ways to supplement their incomes. Here are just a few...

Arts and Crafts.
Do you have a flair for sewing clothes or making jewelry? How about a chemistry degree that lay fallow until you started making your own soaps and perfumes? More and more creatives are turning their hobbies into supplemental income by taking their products to sell at farmer's markets and independent businesses. And don't forget to get an online shop going like with Etsy and Ebay. True, it may take a while to make enough income to offset the cost of production but with an attention drawing website and quality products you may soon find your “hobby” turning into a new career.

Pet care.
Many animal lovers have started supplementing their incomes by becoming the neighborhood pet sitters and walkers. Not only will you get extra exercise you'll also be helping lonely pets get the attention they need while their adult parents are at work. This line of work often depends on word-of-mouth referrals so if you work with a client who loves you ask them to help spread the word as thanks.

Cooking.
If you've got a gift in the kitchen you might want to look into finding your niche as an exclusive caterer or baker. Time is money, and many wealthy clients would gladly pay for homecooked meals and impressive fare for parties instead of trying to tackle it themselves. Again if the product is high quality then it's only a matter of introducing the right clients to your work, keeping them happy and then making sure they tout your skills. Have business cards made and give them to all of your clients so that they can help spread the word.

No matter what your skills and passions, if you notice friends asking you to assist them on a regular basis on anything ranging from closet organizing to gift wrapping, chances are there are strangers out there who will gladly pay you for it. Follow your bliss and find ways to monetize it, then do good work and get your clients to become your own personal cheerleading team. And soon you'll not only be making extra coin you'll also become an inspiration to others.

Written by Evelyn Rand. Looking for inspiration for your handmade soaps and aromatherapy oils? Then take a Spa Break.  

OPPORUTNITY: Craftsy Crafting Daily deals

Craftsy is the fastest growing online community for Crafters~!!

- with over 500,000 monthly unique visitors, having just launched in May 2011. This rapid growth results from two primary offerings which Craftsy users love:

1) Terrific online classes from amazing instructors for beginning, intermediate and advanced quilters, knitters, crocheters, sewists, jewelry makers, and other crafters.

2) Astonishingly good deals on crafting supplies: organic yarn, lovely fabrics and fat quarters from top designers, high quality needles, etc... 

To Signup for Craftsy Crafting Daily Deals click on one of the deals, after signing up you get the full information about the deals offered.

10 Inexpensive Gift Ideas that Encourage Creativity in Children

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to find a gift for the child in your life that will make a big impact. Gifts that encourage creativity and pretend play are not only fun, they help children learn to immerse themselves in an activity that they enjoy and see the fruits of their hard work. Here are some gift ideas that encourage creativity and are easy on the wallet.

1. Stamp Kits. Look for stamp kits that allow the child to customize his or her work with colored pencils or markers. One fun stamping activity is to have the child make a story book using the stamps and their own hand-drawn illustrations.

2. Magnetic picture maker. These toys can be a lot of fun during long car and plane journeys during the holiday season. Some kits come with design cards that allow your child to practice making realistic looking pictures so that they get a better idea of how to structure their own designs later on.

3. Small musical instruments. You can find “band in a box” kits that give your child a choice of easy to play instruments for one low price. Maracas, tambourines, castanets and harmonicas aren’t just fun to play; they also help children develop fine motor skill and their motor planning abilities.

4. Modeling clay. Poking, pounding, rolling and shaping dough is a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. You can buy clay and other modeling compounds that can be air-dried or baked in the oven so that your child can save his or her creations. Or, you can buy or make soft doughs that can be stored and used over and over again.

5. Bead kits. Many preschool teachers swear by beading kits to help small children develop fine motor skills and to teach pattern recognition. Children enjoy making their own creations. Be sure to choose a bead kit that is appropriate for the age of your child, both for safety and to avoid needless frustration.

6. Paint by number kits. Some parents frown on these as not being creative enough, however many children enjoy having a template to help them make an attractive, realistic piece of art. Painting in the lines and following instructions are very useful skills that will allow children to move on to more complicated projects down the road.

7. Small crafts kits. There are a wide variety of “make your own” kits available these days. Children can construct anything from puppets to treasure boxes to jewelry and more making these kits.

8. Stencil sets. Tracing a stencil or template helps children improve their drawing skills while at the same time creating attractive illustrations. You can buy stencil kits or create your own with thick plastic sheeting and a razor-blade.

9. Chalkboards or dry erase boards. Just like magentic drawing sets, these are handy to have for times when paper and crayons are impractical. They can also serve as a very useful prop for playing school or office.

10. Good old paper and art supplies. Create your own gift box by pairing a pad of drawing paper with crayons, kid-friendly paints, markers, stickers or other age-appropriate art supplies. This is an always popular, always appreciated gift that will get good use for months to come.

Jacob and Carol Maslow have built a reputation for themselves on two guiding principles, learned through a combination of training, education and life experience as the parents of five pre-teen children: Kids need to play in order to develop into happy, healthy adults, and the best toys don't need any double A's. Specializing in developmentally delayed children, Carol works as a therapist, helping preschoolers better adapt and integrate with their classmates, while Jacob works for Today's Concept, where parents will find the classic Melissa and Doug toys.

Home Made Christmas Decorations: 5 Ornaments You Can Make Yourself

Having the same ornaments on your Christmas tree year after year can get boring. Buying new ornaments can be very expensive. Making your own ornaments, though, allows you to add new decorations for a price even Ebenezer Scrooge would approve of. Well, maybe he would.

Baked Paper Stars
With paper, glitter, and a few kitchen utensils, you can “kiln” your own stars for the Christmas tree. Read the full instructions at http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-ornaments/homemade-paper-stars-954207/ Since there is an oven involved, children doing this should have parental supervision.

Popcorn Ball Ornaments
What's better than an attractive ornament? An attractive and tasty ornament! Make popcorn balls in your favorite flavors, then enjoy eating the leftovers. Adding extra goodies to the creations is not only tasty, but adds extra color. There are all kinds of tasty and colorful possibilities – M and Ms, dried fruit, candied fruit, etc. Popcorn balls are also a good project for a school class project.

Need a recipe? Go to http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-ornaments/popcorn-ball-ornaments-689284/ The directions are simple and children can do this by themselves or with family since there are no dangerous materials involved.

Recycled Ornaments
In some cases, the best Christmas ornaments are not ornaments at all – they are other objects that have good memories associated with them. For example, you might take one of your child's wooden blocks and convert it into a Christmas ornament. Each time you see it on the tree, you'll remember your child playing with it. One day, your grandchildren might even get to see it.

Angel Garland
Make a garland with angels to hang on your tree or across a doorway. These are simple to make - children can do it by themselves or with family since there are no dangerous materials involved.

For directions, go to http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-ornaments/angel-garland-661033/ 

Glitter Cones
If you have pine trees in your yard or neighborhood, these ornaments can be made for free! Collect a variety of attractive, undamaged pine cones and allow them to dry (if they are damp). There are two ways to apply the glitter.

Option 1: Brush the tips of the scales with a mixture of glue and water. Immediately sprinkle the pine cone liberally with glitter, then allow to dry.

Option 2: Use glitter glue pens to add glitter to each cone.
The glitter cones can be added to your Christmas tree, piled in a basket, or added to greenery.

By making your own Christmas ornaments, not only will you be saving money this Christmas, you’ll also be able to have fun doing it!

Article by Gabriel Adams. Looking for more Christmas gift ideas? Head over to www.smartgiftshopper.com for funny white elephant gifts and other great gift ideas.

Knitting – Dos and Don’ts

Knitting can be fun and relaxing. Some people do knitting as a hobby while others knit to be practical by making their own clothing and others knit as a form of income; selling the items they knit. Like anything else there are many dos and don’ts to the art of knitting, so start out on the right foot.

First you need to take a form of inventory of your knitting project. Look at the yarn you are using, is it the right yarn? Not all yarns are created equal. You will also need a proper needle; there are many different sizes and threads of needles which are required for various projects. Also the most important thing, do you have the instructions? Yes there are instructions for most articles of clothing or items you are about to knit. Most people forget this and simply assume they can knit anything by simply looking at it. While some people are indeed that good, it is a good idea to keep your knitting pattern nearby for reference.

Now that you have that entire list of points ready find a spot that is secure, stable and most of all quiet. Knitting can take some serious mental concentration. Patten details can be tricky and they can change up on you at the last minute so pay attention to that. Remember your size ratio, sometimes people follow instructions but do not adjust the amount of yarn they need and knit their pattern a bit too small or sometimes a bit over sized. Also leave a bit of slack at the end and beginning of your knitted item. This way you can tie off the yarn or secure it so it will not unravel.

Do not knit multiple items at once. This is a common mistake which people take on themselves. If you have multiple knitting projects going on at once you can confuse your patterns and mix yarns and materials. We’re just beginning to knit here so hang on before you want to try and mass produce patterns. So finish a project and move on to the next one. Also when you are working on multiple patterns sometimes you may run through all your material by underestimating how much you had to begin with. Keep in mind not to get frustrated, sometimes you won’t have the outcome you desire. If this is the case, relax and try again. Practice does indeed make perfect.

Mark Gregory is writing on behalf of Cocoon Knit; who sell Yarn for knitting and Knitting Yarn.

Halloween is Coming! - What to Wear

Yesterday I went to a costume store in the local mall to look around and maybe even buy something. I have never really bought a lot of costumes from the store so I figured I would go take a look. When I got there, I found a Snow White dress that was really cute. When I looked at the price tag, I was shocked! $80 for a costume to wear once. There is no way people actually buy those, right? I don't even spend that much money on jeans or boots. Being in college limits a lot of our spending habits. Halloween is right around the corner and I need a costume fast. If any of you procrastinate like I do, you are probably scrambling to find one too! Here are some good ideas of last-minute and cheap costumes to throw together. 

Glasses:
Waldo
As in, Where's Waldo? All you need is a red and white striped shirt, a pair of fake glasses and some sort of beanie. You probably already have at least one or two of those things.

Old Person
Buy some really ugly clothes at your local thrift store. Girls- put your hair up in a bun, guys- slick your hair into a comb over. Buy some glasses and hunch over as you walk. Extra accessory: a cane.

A Nerd
Wear some high pants and tucked-in shirt with suspenders. Also, slick your hair back and girls-put it in braids or pigtails. The nerdier, the better.

Colored Tights:
Turtle
Green or brown tights would be best for this costume. Make a shell out of cardboard and paint it green and brown. Pin it on your back with safety pins and you become a turtle!

Bat
Wear black tights and get a black umbrella that you don't mind destroying. Rip or cut the umbrella in half and then pin them to your back. These wings are great but watch out that so they don't cut up anyone.

Dog or Cat
Black, brown or white tights all work well for this. Just make sure your top matches the tights. Then cut out cat ears or dog ears and bobby pin them into your hair. Make a tail out of anything you have and then paint your nose black. Voila! You are now an animal.

Boxes:
Dice
Take the box and make holes for your body. Paint the whole box with white paint or glue black construction paper to the box just like a dice. You could even add cards to it or just hold cards in your hand and you could be a casino dice.

God's gift to women
Wear a box that is wrapped up like a present. Make sure it has bows and ribbons all over it to make it look good. Put a tag on it that says, To: Women, From: God.

Words with Friends
This costume is a team effort so find four other friends who are willing to do it with you. Each person should be wearing a box one of the following letters on it : W O R D S. Get it. Words with friends?

So don't be discouraged this holiday season when you see the prices of those expensive costumes. Make something simple and really cheap!

About the Author

Meagan Hollman writes for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers is a great too to help students find out what kind of training and education they need to start one of today's top jobs.

Home Make+Print Stickers from StickerYou

You can now Make+Print your own stickers! By going to StickerYou.com you can easily use the 'Sticker Maker' (no software required) to make your stickers. Make your own name stickers, labels, or create with your favorite licensed character, or upload any photo or image. 

The Sticker Maker provides text, colors and special effects to make incredible personalized stickers for any use.You can then insert and print the blank removable sticker pages from this package on any inkjet printer. Each package comes with glossy sticker page templates (8.5" x 11" in size) for printing. 

Sticker Maker is the application that allows you to make new stickers, customize individual stickers, and/or customize an entire page of stickers.  Sticker Maker will allow you to drag and drop images from the left panel onto your page.

Using their new “Make+Print” blank sticker paper, you can now Make+Print YOUR OWN STICKERS at home with their award winning online Sticker Maker. The Make+Print line offers people their choice of packs of stickers and iron-ons in an assortment of shaped templates. Use their clip art, licensed art, or upload your logo, photo, or any image. The Sticker Maker enables you to determine the size, quantities, and shape of your stickers. For the more creative it also provides text, colors, and special effects to make your personalized stickers.

My Thoughts~!!

I love the quality of the sticker paper that the folks at StickerYou use in their Make+Print your own sticker sheets!!  I found them to be extremely sticky and the ink from the printer sinks into them nicely.  I had no problems being able to read or see any of the images.

The 3 3/4" x 2 1/4" glossy rectangle stickers were very easy to print upon.  The stickers were in alignment with my computers settings and there was no excessive colour or image run off.

I found it very easy and fun to go to the Sticker Maker page and create!!  I just followed the easily understood directions, put in my sticker size and I was creating and personalizing in no time at all~!!  The hardest part was trying to decide what to print!!  I did find the load time for the clip art graphics to be a bit of a nuisance, it didn't always want to load the pictures for me and would often have to wait or go to another page and then go to the one I wanted.  

I really love the set up at StickerYou.com and the convenience of being able to create and print your stickers is really groovy~!!  I would REALLY love to try their iron-on transfers, I have yet to find a company that I like~!!

You can find stores near you that sell the StickerYou sticker and/or Iron-On Transfer sheets at their store locator~!!

StickerYou main URL: www.stickeryou.com
StickerYou on Twitter: @stickeryou

StickerYou on Facebook page: www.facebook.com/stickeryou

Currently available in Hobby Lobby in the USA; Mastermind and Scholar's Choice in Canada!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

 ** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **