Hidden Compartment Beach Pillow

We all know about the problem of where to hide your money, keys and other things at the beach. It can be uncomfortable and risky to wear it on your person if youre in a bathing suit. And, thieves know of all the places you can hide things - in the sand, under your towel. There are very few places to hide things while at the beach. In addition, no one wants to walk all the way to their car every time they want a cold drink or other refreshment. The only other choice is to assign someone the unfair task of staying out of the water and guarding the belongings. You wont have to worry anymore about your money and keys when you make a simple beach pillow that has a secret compartment. Then all you have to do is worry about someone swiping the pillow!Purchase a cylindrical piece of foam at a craft store or upholstery supply place. The length of the foam can vary but a nice size is 15". The diameter of the foam, too, can vary. Select something that is at least 7" in diameter. Choose foam that has a medium density.Youll make it easy on yourself when cutting the foam by using a serrated knife. Cut an old candle with the knife to transfer the wax. That makes cutting the foam a breeze. Cut a slit in the foam, from one end to the other, down one side. Cut the slit so that it goes all the way to the center.Cut a towel or other piece of fabric to be four inches wider than the pillow is long. Wrap the towel or material around the foam. When you get back around to the end where you started, continue wrapping a few inches more. Cut the fabric off there.Remove the foam from inside the material. At each end, turn the fabric over a quarter-inch, then an inch, and sew around it, so that you create a long pocket that you can use for threading a tie string. Thread the chosen cord or tie through the pocket; do the same to both sides. Tie two knots in each cord so that the ends cannot slide into the pockets. Leave several inches of cord hanging from each end so youll have plenty of room to tie them shut.To use the secret compartment pillow simply spread the foam apart at the slit and slide in keys, money, jewelry and similar things. Its easy to reach in through the slit in the towel to find the slit in the pillow.Now you can swim and not worry about someone swiping your money. You do, however, still have the problem, referred to above, of making sure no one steals the pillow itself. Not only is it great for hiding things but its also very comfortable to actually use!

Cold Drink Bug Covers

There are certain things you know youll be enjoying this summer: walks on the beach, backyard games with the kids - cold drinks while relaxing on the deck. Nothing can keep you from enjoying one of your favorite seasons - summer. Except bugs. It can get pretty frustrating when a bee is buzzing around your head while youre sunbathing or when a gnat or fly takes a dip in your drink. Now youve got that covered! You already own lots of glasses with lids - you just dont know it yet. You likely already have what you need to make covers for glasses of any size. Whether youre enjoying a soda or a mixed drink, milk or water, if youre having it outdoors, youll have it covered. After making the drink lids youll never have to worry about buggy beverages again! One quick way to create a lid for a drink is to use a baking cup - a cupcake wrapper. Since theyre available in many different colors and designs you can choose a type that helps you create a theme for a party or just select a color you like. You can even purchase metallic ones which can give mixed drinks, like at a wedding, an elegant look.

Lay the cupcake wrappers (you can do a stack at a time) on a flat surface and use a knife to cut an "x" shape, right in the center. Thats it! Now all you have to do is slide a straw through the "x" and place it in your drink. These glass covers are disposable.

You can make a different type of drink cover by using a butter bowl lid, circle of thin cardboard, or something similar. With the lid or cardboard piece simply use it as it is or change the look. Glue a piece of paper or cloth onto one side of the object and youll have a decorative drink cover for any occasion. Use a sharp knife, as stated above, to create an "x" for the straw. These dont necessarily have to be thrown away. Use a damp cloth to wipe off the undecorated side of the glass cover. Other things around your home can be turned into drink covers, too. Plastic lids from peanut butter, coffee jars or mayonnaise jars can be converted so you avoid bugs in your drinks. Just hold a pair of pliers with a pot holder and hold a nail with the pliers. Heat the nail and push it through the center of the plastic lid to make a hole for the straw. Yes, summer is a lovely time of year, featuring parties, weddings, picnics or just a relaxing drink alone. Its a carefree time, and with your new drink covers, even the bugs wont bug you! See cupcake wrapper drink covers here.

Dip-Dyed Wooden Spoons

A set of ordinary wooden spoons is not an expensive investment. You can purchase two or three spoons in a set, at a dollar-theme store, for a buck. And, to go along with the wooden spoons, you can find a wooden salad set, complete with wooden spoon and wooden fork. The wood items for your kitchen arent costly but they arent all that attractive, either. But if youre interested in the designer version of the implements prepare to pay several times what the plain spoons would cost. Save your money, invest in a bit of paint, and create your own designer wooden spoons. You can make them match your kitchen, create a set for a friend - featuring his or her favorite hue, or otherwise give ordinary wooden spoons a punch of color.

Buy one or more colors of paint and itll be really easy to add the colorful accents to the wooden spoon set. Its fun to watch the plain, brown or tan spoons be transformed into spoons that look as though they came from a high-end store. The best paint is indoor house paint in a glossy finish. Although a gallon of paint offers enough depth for dipping a wooden spoon, you can use a smaller amount, pour it into a vase, and use it for dipping. Just make sure that, whatever container you use, its tall enough so that you can dip the entire handle - or a portion of the handle.

A potato chip clip, or similar clip, works great to hold the wooden spoon as it dries. Clamp the chosen clip onto a string or cord and hang it over newspaper. Dip the spoon handle in the paint, allow the excess to drip back into the can, and then clamp the bowl end of the spoon onto the chip clip. Allow it to drip-dry overnight. It might be necessary to dip the spoon once again to get the shade and coverage that you want. Many wooden utensils have holes where you can hang them and, as you dip the spoons in paint, it could clog up the holes. Just wait until the paint has dried and push in a toothpick, ice pick, or similar implement, to open the hole on each spoon. Youll quickly turn a ten dollar wooden spoon set into a hundred dollar designer deal when you dip-dye them with paint. Its so easy to have vivid colors, like blue, green, yellow, red, white, or orange, to match the colors in your kitchen. Even though many people store their wooden spoons in a container where they go in handles-first, youll want to store your so that the handles show. Theyre so colorful and pretty that youll want any kitchen visitor to see them.

Pot Lid Organizer

When and how did we end up with so many lids? Now it seems like we have a lid for every pot and pan, one for every plastic container, and a few more left over. Where did they all come from? Dont you hate it when you have to dig and search through mountains of lids that slide and wont stay stacked? Theres simply no way to organize them in a cabinet. You can put them in a large drawer but, there again, youll have to dig through them to find the one you need. Eliminate all that clutter and frustration by making a useful lid organizer. While youre at it, make another. If you have an organizer for pot lids, and another for plastic lids, life will be even easier!You dont really need any tools besides a hot glue gun to make a pot lid organizer. Purchase a flat piece of wood to get started. The wood neednt be extra thick or heavy. It will be used as the base for the pot lid organizer.Purchase wooden dowels from a craft store or home improvement store to finish the organizer. The dowels should be small in diameter - a quarter to a half-inch. They can be anywhere from five to seven inches long, each. At a craft store you can purchase the dowels in small bags with a few in each bag. But, if you purchase longer ones at a home improvement store theyll cut them to the size you specify without charge.Use a ruler to make rows of dots on the wood. Make a dot, leave a space of a couple of inches, then make another dot. Do this to create evenly spaced rows on the wood. Be sure to leave room between the rows so that you can place a pan lid between each set of rows.Use hot glue at each dot to attach a dowel. Thats it. Just set the organizer inside any cabinet and slide a single, large lid between each two rows, or group several flat, plastic lids together and slide them between two rows.Instead of dowels you can also use long nails. Just hammer one into each dot so that its steady. If you have no wood base, nails or dowels you can still make a suitable organizer.Cut a thick piece of cardboard to use as the base. Tightly roll thin pieces of cardboard into rod shapes and tape around the ends, and the middle, to secure. Glue these to the areas indicated by the dots.After making the pot lid organizers your kitchen cupboards will stay neat and tidy. And, with all the stress of digging through lids out of your life, youll be in the kitchen, singing a happy tune!See a pan lid organizer here: http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/25-kitchen-organizers#slide_8

Fake Birch Logs

I just go crazy when I see a television show or internet site featuring a craft that someone has put together from something ordinary. When people get creative, and make fabulous creations from next to nothing, it just triggers something inside my crafters mind. I simply have to make it! Youll feel the same way when you see fake birch logs. Theyre perfect for setting inside the fireplace during summer months and ideal for making Christmas crafts, centerpieces and more.

Before the internet crafters were limited to what they could do. Sure, craft stores sell thousands of different items for crafting anything you can imagine, but there were always things that your local craft store didnt carry. Now, we can just sit down, do a quick search, then order whatever we need. Do that, order corrugated wrap, and you can easily make fake birch logs for any project you have in mind.

Birch logs are so pretty because of their white bark. When you use cardboard and plaster youll make lightweight logs that look like the real thing. Cardboard wrap is corrugated on one side and flat on the other. You can order it in various widths to make the size of logs you wants. Roll the cardboard so that the corrugated side is on the inside, and roll it until the log is as large around as you want. Apply hot glue to the edge of the cardboard to secure it. Make tiny versions of the logs, cut them small and roll them to be small in diameter, then hot glue them to the log. Just use a craft knife to cut one end of the limb at an angle, then use lots of hot glue to attach the angled side to the log. Attach one or more of these cut limbs to create the look of a real birch log. Use a disposable container and mix two parts plaster with one part water. Using disposable gloves, mix the plaster well. Smooth out any lumps then use the mix to coat the cardboard log. Scoop a little bit of the plaster up in one hand, and, working over newspaper, wipe the plaster from one end to the other on the log. Apply it thinly so that you can still see some of the brown color, here and there, around the log. Do the same to the attached branch pieces. Stand each log on one end to dry. The fake birch logs look so real you wont believe it. Stack them in or beside a fireplace, or set them on a covered porch. Use them to make centerpieces for holidays or other occasions. Make gifts for friends or use them for your own home d?cor. Theyre spectacular. Fake Log Video Tutorial

Thanksgiving Bingo

Love bingo? Cant go to the bingo hall because youre getting everything ready for Thanksgiving? Dont stop playing just because its a holiday. Make a Thanksgiving bingo set and you, your friends, or just the kids, can play for fun or prizes. You can make a simplistic version of the game, or spend a bit more time, and create a bingo set thats much more detailed.Use card stock or even thin cardboard to make the bingo cards. Write "TURKEY", "GOBBLE", or another word across the top of the card. Although "BINGO" has five letters, you can choose a word with five to six letters, ideally. Just write the word across the top of each card stock piece - one card for each player - and spread the letters apart.Draw squares on the card stock under each letter of the chosen word. If the word has five letters, make five squares under each letter. If the word has six letters, make six squares under each letter. The squares should be about two inches each.The card stock can quickly have a Thanksgiving theme when you attach paper or card stock details to it. Glue on small pumpkins, turkeys, leaves, or other accents, at the top corners, or across the top, above the chosen word.On each square, write something thats related to Thanksgiving and/or the fall season. You can write single words or short phases. Some suggestions include "Thanksgiving", "turkey", "dressing", "pie", "family", "friends", "leaves", "acorns" or "pumpkins". For each word you write on a card, write it again on a square of paper.Make each card different by adding some words to some cards, eliminating some words from other cards, and shuffling the order in which you write the words on the cards.When Thanksgiving rolls around, craft stores are full of small trinkets, which work well for making bingo markers. Buy tiny pumpkins, turkeys, or other shapes, and use them to cover words as they are called. Or, just purchase tiny card stock shapes as the markers. The shapes are sold by the bag and are not expensive.Put all of the word or phrase cards in a hat, bowl, or other such thing, and have someone pull and call the words. As each word is called, that card is set to the side to later verify a winner. Players cover the called words on their cards to try to get a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row covered. The first person to do so calls "bingo" and is the winner. You wont want to stop there, though; play another round of Thanksgiving bingo - its a lot of fun for kids or adults.Thanksgiving Bingo

Edible Fishbowl for Kids

Dont you absolutely love making fun foods for your kids? Its so enjoyable to watch them giggle and have a blast while eating pancakes with a face of fruit and whipped cream or cookies shaped like Santa. Many people create these special types of foods when the holidays roll around but kids love silly foods any time. If your kids have been especially good today why not surprise them with a special food treat? Theyll love a dessert that looks exactly like a fishbowl - complete with fish! The dish you choose is important if you want to create a convincing fishbowl. The bowl should be clear, of course. It can be a regular bowl or one thats on a pedestal. Although you can use a bowl that has etching or other designs the ideal bowl has none. These designs can distract and take away from the overall appearance of the edible fishbowl.

Its really easy to make the fishbowl dessert when you mix up Jell-O as the water in the bowl. Jell-O comes in many flavors and colors and youll select the Jell-O that is blue to make the fishbowl. Follow the directions on the package and boil the specified amount of water. Stir in the Jell-O and stir until its completely dissolved. Add the specified amount of cold water and stir well. Pour the Jell-O into the individual bowls and place them in the refrigerator. Allow the Jell-O to stay there until it has set completely.

Another option for making blue gelatin is to mix up regular gelatin, according to the instructions on the package, and put in a few drops of blue food coloring. No matter if you buy blue Jell-O, or make it yourself pour the Jell-O into the individual bowls and place them in the refrigerator. Allow the Jell-O to stay there until it has set completely. When the Jell-O is set remove it from the fridge. Use Gummi fish candies to finish the fishbowl. To do this, insert a knife an inch from the edge. Cut a short slit and use the knife to hold the gelatin back. Slide in a Gummi fish candy then remove the knife. Go around the bowl, making the slits and adding the fish, until you have as many as you want. You can also add a few to the center area of the bowl by using the same method. Kids will giggle and have a great time eating the fishbowl dessert thats really easy to make. Although its usually easy to find Gummi bears or worms locally it can be difficult to find the Gummi fish. However, there are several places online that sell them. Order the Gummi fish and the rest is a breeze!

Used CD Baby Book

You baby is going to love the new books you make for him or her from used CDs! You might have already done many crafts which recycle CDs, but until you make a baby book, you cant appreciate just how useful those old CDs are. You can easily make a book for your baby, a notepad or even a photo album by using up those old CDs.

To make a baby book start with two CDs. Cover the front and back of each CD with paper or cloth. Lay the CD on the fabric, draw around it, then cut out the circles. Glue one circle to each side of each disk. Youll be able to instantly give the baby book a suitable theme when you choose scrapbook paper or fabric that features images of baby animals, toys, or other such things.

After the CDs are covered begin cutting circles from cardstock. Cut circles to be just a tad smaller around than the CDs. That way, the pages of the book wont stick out from the book cover. Stack as many of the cardstock circles as you want to make the book. Use a hole punch to make holes in the paper but a hot nail to create holes in the CDs. Use a marker or pencil to make two dots on one of the covered cds. Make each dot a half-inch from the edge and leave a space thats an inch and a half between the two dots. Do the same to both CDs. The cardstock pieces you cut should have holes which align with the holes youve made on the CD book covers. Purchase two binder rings from an office supply store and you can put the book together in a minute. Simply slide one ring through both CDs as well as the paper. Use the second ring to do the same to the opposite side. Now write on the cardstock pages, glue on pictures, or even attach felt cutouts to create the book you want. Use a similar method to make a cute notepad. Cover the CDs on their fronts and backs then cut circular pieces of note paper. Stack the paper on top of one CD and cover the stack with the other CD. Insert the binder rings to hold it all together. Kids can make a little photo album by using the same method for creating the baby book or notepad. This time, use cardstock or note paper. Tape or glue a photo to each page. Give the pictures a more finished look by attaching a scrapbook frame around each one. With all the different books, notepads, photo albums and similar things you can make youll quickly use up all those old CDs that had scratches or that no one ever used anymore. Its a great way to recycle old CDs while creating new and useful things!

Cupcake Liner Valentine Treats, Gifts and Cards

Want to give out a really special candy treat to kids this Valentines Day? One that theyll always remember; one theyve probably never seen? Go to the store and get some cupcake liners and youll be all set. No, youre not going to have to make a zillion cupcakes for the kids at school; use the cupcake liners in an unusual way to make Valentines Day treats, cards and gifts! Use paper cupcake liners and youll make some interesting cards or treats for the kids. Flatten two cupcake liners as much as possible. White or pink liners are nice but you can actually use any color. Put two of the liners together so that there right sides are facing each other. Lift the edge of one so that you can brush on a little white glue. Press the two liners together then move along to the next section. Do a section at a time until you are left with a small opening.

Choose one side to be the front of the Valentines Day treat. Decorate this side by creating a theme for a boy or girl. Gift wrap, scrapbook paper or even pictures cut from magazines work perfectly to decorate the cupcake liners. Cut the paper to any shape you want and glue it to the liner.

If you want, you can cut a piece of lace, then glue it to the liner. The lace should be somewhat smaller than the cupcake liner. Glue the picture or theme paper to the lace. Somewhere on the front - or the back - write the childs name. Use the cupcake liner as lace around another piece you cut for the front. Cut a heart, glue it to the front, then glue on dried flowers, a name tag, a sticker or other embellishment. A different way to accent the liners is to use decorative hole punches. Punch hearts or other shapes around the edges of the liners. Later, thread satin ribbon or even yarn through the holes - but this is optional. Fill the cupcake liners with candy, gift cards, a folded card or something else. Dont overfill or youll have trouble gluing the treat bag shut. Some candies are more suitable than others. For example, a Hersheys Kiss isnt ideal but a flat, miniature candy bar - or more than one - fits right in the liners. If youll be filling the liners with loose candies, such as Red Hots, put them in a small cellophane first. The cupcake liners craft can be used to make valentines, party favors, gifts for friends and more. They dont absolutely have to be for kids. Depending upon what you fill them with, and how you decorate them, the liner Valentines are appropriate for anyone!

Four Seat, Childs Pallet Art Desk

When you think about building a substantial furniture piece - like a desk - for your home, you already know youre going to have to be some sort of a woodworker. Youll need heavy wood, power tools, assorted measuring devices, and a friend or two to help. Of course, its all worth it, since youll end up with an impressive piece of furniture, which you can use for years. People who do crafts - mostly women - are often turned off by the thought of all of that physical labor. Although they love to save money, and do most projects themselves, theyll just go out and purchase those big items. But you wont think that way when you find out how easy it is to make a new art desk for a childs room, or even a desk for yourself. When you make a pallet desk, you create an art desk, which can seat up to four kids, or a work desk, which can accommodate yourself and your mate at the same time.

An old wooden pallet makes a large desk, with storage openings, but a pallet is often rough and scarred. Thats okay, though. Sand the pallet nicely and then decide how you want it to look. You can leave it as it is, in an unfinished wood state, or you can paint it for a fresh, colorful look. Paint the whole pallet one color or paint each board of the pallet with a different color.

When you shop at a large home improvement store you have many choices for the legs on the desk. You can purchase legs at the store and theyre made for everything from coffee tables to kitchen tables. Or, you can have a piece of wood cut to the length you need for each leg. The legs dont have to be fancy, they just need to hold the desk up and be sturdy. When you buy the legs, which are already finished, they also come with the hardware needed to attach them. Its easy enough to attach the legs to the bottom of the pallet. Turn the pallet so that the underside is facing upwards. Screw the leg hardware piece to a corner of the pallet, and do that to all four corners, to mount the legs. When theyre in place, the pallet desk is finished. Scoot a chair up to just one long side or set a chair at each of the four sides. With the openings, which are all the way around the pallet, there is plenty of space for storing writing implements, art supplies, and other things. However, there is no solid bottom to the pallet. If you want, slide cut pieces of wood, or even stiff cardboard, in through the sides of the pallet, to make larger shelves for paper, folders, and more.

Lightweight Shelves You Build for a Childs Room

Many kids get hurt every year when they decide to climb on bookcases or shelves. Unable to bear the weight of the child the shelf often tips over and lands on the kid. Still, if your child owns lots of stuffed animals, toys, games and similar things you simply cant get by without shelves. There is an easy solution: build lightweight shelves for your kids room and he or she will never get hurt on them! You dont have to be any sort of carpenter to do so; if you can use a hot glue gun youre good to go! Foam board is just what the doctor ordered when it comes to building lightweight yet sturdy shelves. The foam board is sold at most any craft store and comes in a variety of sizes. Its not expensive and is easy to cut and assemble. There are so many different things you can use to assemble it that no two shelf sets ever have to be identical.

Pringles cans, paint cans, coffee cans and similar objects can be used along with the foam board to make the shelves. Decide how long you want the shelves to be and how tall you want the stack of shelves. The objects you choose to use along with the foam board will decide how much space will be between each set of shelves.

Cut the foam board to the sizes you want the shelves to be or use entire sheets of foam board to make each shelf. The latter keeps you from having to do any cutting at all and makes the whole project much simpler. If you are cutting the board down to other sizes, though, use a sharp knife but not a serrated one. Now mount the boards to the chosen base. If youre using paint cans, for example, paint them or cover them in something like cloth, wallpaper or even contact paper. Arrange the four cans on the floor so that they will meet the foam board at each of the four corners. Before gluing, set the foam board on the cans, just to check the position of them. Use hot glue around the can tops to secure. Other adhesives can be used in place of the hot glue. After positioning the foam board on the paint cans glue four more paint cans to the top four corners and add another sheet of foam board to make the next shelf. Continue until you have stacked the shelves as high as you want. Although foam board cant hold a bunch of extremely heavy objects it can hold everything from shoes to toys to electronics. Its an easy way to build no-hassle shelves that can never tip over and hurt a child. Although the shelves can tip over they are too lightweight to cause any real injury.

Easy Sewing Project: Doily Barbie Doll Dresses

For most people recycling means separating paper from glass, plastics from cardboard. For people who love to craft it can mean something completely different. Recycling can repesent a method in which you take something that used to serve a particular purpose and make it into something else. If you do a little crafting and sewing youll enjoy recycling old doilies into new outfits for a Barbie or other doll. Theyre quick, easy and beautiful! Doilies vary greatly. Some are large, some small. Some are all tatting and others feature a cloth piece surrounded by tatting. Still others have a lace trim and no tatting at all. The type of doilies you choose for making Barbie doll clothes will determine the kinds of outfits you can create. Ones that are all tatting arent appropriate unless you first sew a thin piece of fabric to the back of the doily.

It literally takes only a couple of minutes to turn a doily into a Barbie doll skirt. Stand the doll on a table, fold the doily in half, and hold it up to the dolls waistline. This will help you determine the length the finished skirt will be. If the doily hangs on the table below the doll you should choose a smaller doily.

To make the skirt simply cut a hole for the waistline. For a fitted skirt cut the hole so that the waist is a little larger than the dolls. If you intend to add elastic cut the hole to be somewhat larger. For an elasticized waist simply sew a piece of narrow elastic around the waist, folding the edge of the doily over it. Stretch the elastic a little as you sew and it will help to gather the skirt around the waist. To make a fitted skirt, hem around the cut area of the doily then cut a slit down the back. Attach a small piece of Velcro as a fastener for the skirt. Make a dress in a similar manner. Cut a hole in the doily so that it can be slipped over the doll. When the dress is worn the hole goes around the chest and back area of the Barbie doll. Hem around this area, make the slit in the back, then attach the Velcro as you did with the above skirt. Or, sew a piece of elastic around the cut area. There are many ways to change the look of the dress. Tie a belt around the waist, add a single strap, or add two straps. Straps can be made from strips of cloth, lace or ribbon. With the skirts or the dresses narrow ribbon can be threaded through tatting on the doily to create yet another design. You - and your dolls - will adore the new outfits you make in minutes!

Infinite Marble Maze Game

Kids get a new game, play it a few times, it gets boring, and thats the end of that. The game gets tossed in a closet or drawer somewhere and left for eternity. That wont happen when you make an infinite marble maze game that can be changed to something new each and every time they play. Making the marble maze game is as simple as driving a few nails into a piece of wood.

Purchase a board at a craft store and use it make the marble maze game. The board should be at least 12"x12". The board, however, shouldnt be much larger than that. Use a ruler and a pencil to draw a grid on the board to mark different squares. Make each square an inch and a half wide by an inch and a half long. Make 6 of the squares, side-by-side, across the top of the board. Make a row of 6 more below that row, and another row below that one, until you have six rows with 6 squares in each row. Create the grid so that theres a border of wood around it.

At each intersection of the grid, hammer a nail in just a bit, then take it back out. This will create tiny holes which will guide you, later, as you paint the grid. To make it easy to paint the maze, cut cardboard squares which are an inch and a half squared. Dip each cardboard piece into acrylic paint and stamp it onto one of the squares. If possible, paint at least two or three different colors onto the squares. Make just one square black - or another color; it will be the goal. Paint any one corner a single color as well; it will be the starting square. When all the squares are painted hammer tiny nails into each intersection. Now use small rubber bands to put up barriers throughout the marble maze. Start by stretching rubber bands across more than one nail to create a perimeter around the game. Then, add additional rubber bands, inside the perimeter, to create walls and barriers. Start with one to three marbles on the starting square and tilt the board, this way and that, to get them all into the goal square. The goal square should have three barrier walls around it to contain the marbles as they arrive. Kids will never tire of the marble maze because the various boards you can create, moving some of the rubber bands around each time, are truly infinite. Before each game simply unhook a rubber band from one nail, wrap it around another, and do this to several of the rubber bands. It will be a whole new game each and every time you play! See the marble maze game here.

Double T-Shirt Dress

Summer is a time of wearing cool, comfortable clothing. Tank tops, t-shirts, shorts - theyre staples of the summer wardrobe. Short dresses fit right in with the summer theme, too. If you have more t-shirts than you do summer dresses, use just two t-shirts, and youll have a new summer dress. You barely need to know how to sew at all to make the two shirts into one dress, which youll love to wear.

The two t-shirts you use dont have to match; you can make the top of the dress one color, and the bottom of the dress another shade. The best t-shirts to use are ones without plackets and buttons. Both of the t-shirts can be the same size or you can use two different sizes. For instance, if youd like the top to be fitted, but the bottom to be flared, use a much larger t-shirt for the bottom.

When you put the top t-shirt on, and tie a belt or cord tightly around your waist, you can get an idea of where to cut it off. Lay the shirt on a table, measure from the hem, up to the wrinkles youve created with the belt, to mark a straight area, all the way around the waist. Cut the shirt off in that area. Turn the shirt inside-out. Mark the front middle, the back middle, and each side. For the second t-shirt, lay it out on a table, and place it so that one side is facing you. Cut straight across the shirt, just below the underarm area, so that you cut a straight line across the shirt. If you need to shorten the skirt, cut a little more off of the just-cut area. The second shirt will now be called the skirt. Mark the front middle, the back middle, and each side. Slide the skirt inside the shirt and align their cut edges. The right side of the skirt should be facing the right side of the shirt. Pin the shirt to the skirt at the front and back middles, and the sides. Then, pin the two pieces fully together, making little pleats where needed, to fit the skirt to the shirt. Sew all the way around, staying a half-inch away from the edge, to connect the two pieces. Then, lay a piece of quarter-inch elastic over the seam, and sew it to the seamed area. Gently pull the elastic as you sew it so the waist of the dress will gather. Instead of the elastic you can just wear the dress with a belt. The double-shirt dress is made in a matter of minutes, since the top is completely finished, and the bottom already has a hem. Drag out a bunch of those old t-shirts and get busy sewing. Its going to be a t-shirt dress, kinda summer!

Body Pillow Headboard

What Youll Need: Two or more body pillows and their pillowcases or Two cylinder-shaped foam pieces and pillowcases or Several pool noodles Peel-n-stick Velcro strips A headboard is one of those furniture pieces that almost always looks the same. Its possible to paint a wooden headboard, of course, but its still a wooden headboard. Opt for something much softer, and so much easier to make, by creating a body pillow headboard. It has a much different look than any other headboard and gives a homey look to the entire room.

You dont absolutely have to use body pillows for the headboard. Cylinder shapes of foam can also become a headboard. If youre using body pillows, pick two or more, and slide them into pillowcases. You can often find the long, cylindrical pillowcases at the same place where you buy the pillows. Or, make the pillowcases yourself; theyre quick and easy to do.

Use a peel-n-stick piece of Velcro, vertically, on the wall. Leave a space and add another strip, and so on, to put several strips on the wall, across the width of the bed. The strips should be as tall as you intend for the headboard. Sew or use fabric glue to attach the opposing Velcro strips on the backs of the pillows. Stick one pillow, horizontally, across the strips, and continue putting the others on the wall, to build the headboard to the height you want. When you purchase cylinder shapes of foam you can choose from soft foam or dense foam. For the cylinders, you dont really need full pillowcases. Just sew a tube shape - long and wide enough to accommodate one of the foam pieces - and slide in the foam. The pillow cover should be a snug fit. If the pillowcases will be dark in color its helpful to paint the end of each cylinder, in case someone - like a guest - takes a piece inside the pillowcase. Apply the Velcro to the wall and the pillows to mount the new headboard. Theres another version of the cylinder-type headboard that you can do, and its especially fun for a child. Cut pool noodles into sections - if needed - and stick them to the wall over a headboard. The noodles make a striped headboard thats colorful and exciting for a young child. Theres no need to slide the noodles into pillowcases but it is an option. No matter what kind of cylinders pillows you make, when you mount them to a wall, they look comfy and beautiful. Make a set for your own bed and forget painting that old wooden one.

Unusual Styrofoam Jewelry Tree

Styrofoam is not expensive and can be made into all sorts of things for your home. You can make decorative pieces; you can make useful items. But, whats even better is when you can make decorative pieces that are also very useful. Thats the case when you create a simple but handy jewelry tree for girls. In fact, if the girl is old enough to use a hot glue gun shes old enough to make the jewelry tree herself! Choose a couple pieces of Styrofoam from a craft store to make the easy jewelry tree. Youll need one cone and one ball. Although you can choose how large you want the cone to be, and how large you want the ball to be, you wont want it to look awkward. So, dont choose a really tall cone with a tiny little ball or a giant ball with a really short cone. The two simple pieces are all you need to make the unique jewelry tree.

Its not absolutely necessary to paint the Styrofoam pieces but the finished jewelry holder will look much more impressive if you do. Take care in selecting the paint; some paints will melt Styrofoam. Check the label or check with a clerk before deciding on the paint you want to use. You can paint the cone brown, and the ball green, to create the tree look or you can use other colors. Paint both the cone and the ball the same color or paint each one a different color to make the jewelry tree you want. It may take more than one coat of paint to get the coverage and depth of color you want.

Cut a small section off the very tip of the Styrofoam cone. Youll find it really easy to cut Styrofoam if you use a serrated knife. If possible, cut an old candle a couple of times; the paraffin on the knife blade helps cut neatly and smoothly through the Styrofoam. Its important that you make a straight cut. If needed, use a piece of sandpaper or even an emory board to smooth the surface of the cut. Now all you have to do is glue the ball to the cone. After the glue is set you can then use push pins to create the holders for the jewelry. Youll find push pins in a variety of styles and colors at an office supply store or even online. Or, make your own decorative pins. Glue sequin or even fake jewels to ordinary pins to create a glamorous look for the jewelry tree. Create a nice arrangement by placing the pins all over the ball, leaving spaces between them. Now all you have to do is hang the hoops, chains, hair ties or other things on the pins. Its a unique way for a girl to keep her jewelry all in order!

Ive Got Your Back Water Game for Kids

Summertime presents all sorts of hot scenarios. Your own kids are bored and theres nothing to do outside. Or, the neighborhood kids are all playing outdoors but they sure look hot and sweaty. Maybe youve invited kids over for a birthday party at your house? When its summer, and kids are outside, there doesnt necessarily have to be a party going on to invite them to play in the water. You might not own a pool but that doesnt mean the backyard fun at your house wont be wet and wonderful! When you play "Ive Got Your Back", you enlist the kids in a water game that keeps them exercising while keeping them cool. This twist on the old squirt gun fun uses a much larger "gun". Use squirt bottles which allow a choice of "spray" or "stream" to amp up the squirt. Kids will shoot at each other on the "stream" setting to try to put the other kids "out".

Kids must start with dry clothing on to begin the game. Have an idea in mind of how long you want the game to last then make decisions with that in mind. So, decide if each child should have three "tails" (short game) or even seven tails (much longer game).

Some people play the game where you attach the tails to each childs back but that only gets his backside wet. Play the game this way or let each child decide where he wants each tail. This could be on his back, rear, chest, side of leg or other area - but not the head or face. Make sure streamers attached to the legs do not hang on the ground. If you attach the streamers to the arms put them on the back of the upper arm. Also, attach the streamers only to clothing - not to bare skin. Cut crepe paper streamers to be about six inches long and use a single piece of tape to hold each one to their clothing. With the blow of a whistle, or the command "Go", kids begin running, squirting and cracking up. Each child will try to squirt the tails off the others while protecting their own. As each child loses his last tail he is out of the game. The last person still sporting a tail will be declared the winner. Another version, one thats really fast so you can play again and again, is to name the winner the person who manages to shoot the first tail off of any of the other players. Its hot outside but kids at your house can have lots of wet, cool fun even if you dont own a pool. Play the squirting game at birthday parties or just to cool off the kids at your house. Once you have the water bottles you can play any time you want.

Chalkboard Headboard

Are you exhausted from going out and trying to find a cool headboard for your childs bed? A headboard with a childs theme can be quite expensive but a headboard made for an adults bed can be boring in a childs room. It can actually be somewhat difficult to find a headboard sold without the rest of the bed. Spare yourself the browsing, loading and unloading a heavy headboard in a truck or van, and the rest of the stress that goes along with it. When you make a chalkboard headboard you create a fun element for a childs room, you dont have to lift anything heavy, and theres no assembly required.Im not talking about going out and purchasing a chalkboard and using it as a headboard. Its much simpler than that. Although some people have done just that, you still struggle with a bulky blackboard and you then have to secure it to the wall behind the bed. Cut the hassles down to zilch when you use chalkboard paint instead.You can find chalkboard paint at any large home improvement store. Although its a little more costly than ordinary paint its exactly what you need to make the unusual headboard. One gallon is plenty enough to complete the task.Prepare the wall by first washing it and making sure its completely dry. Outline the area by using painters tape. Inside the rectangle of tape, lightly sand the wall. Follow the instructions on the paint can label to apply the paint. It will take more than one coat to get full coverage.You dont absolutely have to make the headboard with a rectangular design. You can paint a round headboard, or another shape, just by using the chalkboard paint. Simply paint the area so that it reaches at least both sides of the bed, and below the edge of the mattress. If you want, further accentuate the unique headboard by framing it with molding.If you prefer a more substantial chalkboard headboard you can always buy a piece of wood and use it as the headboard. Just mount the wood, paint or frame around the edges, and paint the front of the wood with chalkboard paint.Any young child will thoroughly enjoy the chalkboard headboard for writing or drawing. It doesnt have to be bedtime for your child to be creative. If you want, buy a chalk holder at an office supply store, tie it to a string, and use a push pin to attach the string to the wall, beside the headboard. That way, your childs chalk will always be at hand, and ready to use. To hold an eraser, mount a small cardboard box on the wall with double-sided tape.