One Simple Thing - Marbled Paper

Making marbled paper is a fun and educational activity that builds vocabulary and small motor skills!

To create the marbled effect, pour liquid laundry starch into a shallow baking sheet. The liquid should cover the sheet about 1/4 inch deep.
Next, mix a tablespoon of acrylic paint with two teaspoons of water, and stir well. Repeat for additional colors you would like to use. Drop as many colors as you like on the laundry starch surface. Next, use a chop stick or the wrong end of a pencil to create swirls and other paint designs. Cover the design with an 8 1/2 by 11 piece of paper and lift it up by the edges a few seconds later. Briefly dip the paper into a pan filled with cold water to wash off the starch. Let the paper dry on newspapers or on a thick old towel. Throughout the whole process, talk to your child about the colors and patterns she is creating. Discuss the names of the colors and point out the color names on the paint containers. After the paper dries you may have to carefully iron it, using the delicate setting, to smooth out any wrinkles. Voila - beautiful paper that you can turn in to stationary, birthday cards, and other fun projects!

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Tile Coaster Tutorial

Tile coasters are easy and fun to put together and make wonderful gifts! Best of all, they are inexpensive and functional ! Here's what you'll need: Modge Podge (available at craft stores) 12x12 scrapbooking paper (scrap paper is fine too, you'll need 4x4 squares) 4x4 tiles (13 cents and up at home improvement stores) foam brush felt pads (any size, four per tile, found at Home Depot, Lowes etc.) clear acrylic spray Cut as many 4x4 pieces of scrapbooking paper as tiles. Using the foam brush, cover each tile with a thin layer of Modge Podge. Quickly press the paper unto the tile. Let the Modge Podge/paper dry for 15 minutes. Next, apply a thin layer of Modge Podge over the entire surface of the tile and paper. Let dry, then repeat. Finally, spray each tile with a thin layer of clear acrylic to seal. Add the felt pad to four corners of each tile and...Voila -water-resistant coasters that can be customized to match any season or decor!

Roasted Garlic So easy to make, roasted garlic lends wonderful, rustic flavor to any dish. Just cut the top off a bulb of garlic. Then, add two tablespoons of butter and wrap the bulb in aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. When cool, gently squeeze the softened cloves out of the bulb and use them in any recipe as you desire. I smashed the softened cloves to season a cream sauce - delicious!

DIY Facial Powder and Blush Making your own cosmetics is inexpensive, fun, and chemical-free! Here are a couple of my favorite "recipes" for DIY make-up: Facial Powder Gently mix 1/2 cup of organic cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of organic cacao powder, adding more as needed to match your skin tone. Add 2-3 drops of Melaleuca essential oil (this helps reduce any bacteria growth). Store in air-tight container (recycled glass jars, like canning jars, work well). Blush Gently mix 1/4 cup of organic cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of beet root powder, adding more as needed to achieve the desired intensity of color. Stir in 2-3 drops of Melaleuca essential oil and store in air tight container. Depending on frequency of use, the powder and blush last about two weeks. I would recommend your local health food store to purchase the ingredients for DIY cosmetics. Internet prices may be a little cheaper, but buying local, fresh ingredients is worth it in the long run.

Chocolate Isn't a Vegetable?

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