Rose Balls and Wreaths

Let's face it, sometimes we need to have one of those mind-numbing crafts that don't really take a lot of effort, but do have a super-cute result. Well I found one! When I am watching TV (woohoo for Glee! and The Office) I really like having something to do with my hands. So I found these rose balls that are really easy to make. And they're super cheap too! They are great for spicing up your living room, bedroom, or front door!

Supplies Needed:
* Streamers (I bought packs of 2 at the dollar store)
* Styrofoam balls or wreaths (you can get the wreaths at the dollar store also!)
* Glue gun
* Measuring tape


1. Start off by measuring off 24" pieces of streamer. To be honest, I cut up an entire roll of streamers before moving onto the next step. That way I didn't have to keep going back and cutting more pieces.



2. Crumple up the piece of streamer. This makes it softer and easier to twist.


3. Ok, now you're ready to start rolling. At one end, start rolling up the end about 5 times. Put a dab of hot glue to keep it in place. Next, continue twisting around, but as you roll, twist the streamer at the same time. This is where the creative part comes in. Depending on how you want your rose to look you can twist looser or tighter. Every few turns put a dab of hot glue. This prevents it from unrolling and having to start all over. I liked making a whole bunch of roses before moving onto the next step. The first few didn't turn out exactly as I wanted but I eventually got the hang of it. Now I don't even have to look at what I'm doing!




4. Before assembly your wreath or ball, you will need to cut the stems off the roses so they glue nice and flush to the Styrofoam.


5. Begin glueing your roses on. Make sure to push them together so you don't see the Styrofoam underneath, but be careful not to smush them together so you can't tell they're roses anymore.


6. Continue the steps until you've completed! Now, if you made a wreath you could use it for a centerpiece on your table with a nice tall candle in the middle, or hang them on your front door (yay Christmas!). I made these pretty pink rose balls and placed them in these candle holders I had that I thought went well with them. Another option is to attach satin ribbon to them and hang them from the ceiling. This is especially great if you have balls of varying sizes. They look dainty and pretty and yet they cost less than $5 to make!

Salt Lake Area Family Fun

So I love finding great new deals and new places to take my family. I found some great free family activities to enjoy in the Salt Lake/Utah County area. I'll be adding cost activities for this area, as well as finding great places in other areas. If you want to see your city featured, leave me a note! Also, if you know of some other great activities not listed, please feel free to mention them!


Juggling at Trolley Square
The Wasatch Front Jugglers hold a weekly practice session at the Trolley Square amphitheater (at the 600 South entrance, near the catwalk). The public is welcome to observe, and those who wish to learn to juggle can join in on the fun.
When: Sundays, 2:30pm-6:00pm

Hidden Falls Trail
Big Cottonwood Canyon
With an elevation gain of 40 feet and a total distance of .3 miles, the Hidden Falls Trail (located in the Wasatch National Forest) is an easy hike for younger children and even nimble elderly folks (some boulder hopping is involved).

After crossing the highway from the parking lot, take the lower left trail into the shade of the trees, avoiding the second set of stairs on the right, (these lead to the Mill B North Fork Overlook trail). From here, a short gentle climb is all that is required to reach the mist of the falls, where the tranquil sound of the falling water and the hidden location gives one the sense of being in another world, far from the road.

This trail is unpaved, and although it only takes a few minutes to cover, it provides terrain interesting enough to make it challenging for youngsters. Please take caution when approaching the falls; the rocks may be slippery from spray.

An old mine (which is gated for everyone's safety) is located near the falls area. You might find it interesting to watch the rock climbers, who also enjoy the area, scale the surrounding walls. Restroom facilities are located beyond the additional parking area located at the bottom of the "S-turn", which is also the trailhead for the Mill B Interpretive Trail.

Monte L. Bean Life Museum
The Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum at BYU maintains a collection of plants and animals and hosts a variety of educational programs for children and families
Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10:00am-9:00pm
Sat: 10:00am-5:00pm

Governor's Mansion
Kids with political interests (class presidents?) might appreciate a tour of the Utah Governor's Mansion. Free tours are offered from 2pm to 4pm on Tuesday and Thursdays in June, July, and August, plus on Tuesdays and Thursdays from December 1-11. The exception: the mansion is closed to the public on state holidays. Parking is available behind the Utah Arts Council building, east of the mansion.
Ages: 8 & up

Alpine Loop Scenic Byway
This 20-mile drive winds through rugged alpine canyons of the Wasatch Range offering stupendous views of Mount Timpanogos and other glacier-carved peaks. The route follows Utah Hwy. 92 up American Fork Canyon and then continues through Uinta National Forest into Provo Canyon on U.S. 189. Timpanogos Cave National Monument and Robert Redford's Sundance are located along the route. Along the route, take a short detour to Cascade Springs. This mountain spring is criss-crossed by a 1/4-mile boardwalk, leading out over clear natural pools and cascading terraces filled with fish and aquatic plants.

Entirely paved, the Alpine Loop is open from approximately late May to late October. Snow closes part of the road the rest of the year. Not recommended for vehicles more than 30 feet long.

Visitors must purchase a recreation pass to use facilities in this area. A $6 is available and good for 3 days; a $12 pass is good for 7 days; there is also a $45 annual pass available. The passes are good for recreation along both the Alpine Scenic Loop and the Mirror Lake Hwy.

If you are just driving through you do not need to pay for a pass. It is free for just the drive. You pay for a pass only if you plan on stopping at any of the facilities along the loop

Provo Library
Monday Night Programs: Each Monday night the Provo Library hosts a different family night activity. Check the website for upcoming events.
Mother Goose: Every Friday 11:00-11:20 and 11:30-11:50 a.m.
Age appropriate songs and finger plays for babies and parents/caregivers.
ReaderGuys and ReaderGirls: Every third Thursday from 4:15-5:00 p.m.
A book club for children old enough to read chapter books. Separate sessions will be held for boys and girls.
Mother Daughter Book Club: Fourth Tuesday of every month from 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Mothers and daughters discuss a chapter book they have read together. Crafts and light refreshments. Pre-register at the Children’s Desk or by calling 801-852-6682. Free.

Snack Canisters

My daughter likes to eat lots of different snacks and cereals. I get annoyed with having tons of malt-o-meal cereal bags piled on top of my fridge. I wanted to put them higher out of the way but I knew I needed to have them readily accessible. So I decided to make some cute canisters to store her snacks that would match my kitchen decor. They're so easy to make and can be used for so much!

So here's what you need:
* canister (I bought mine at Roberts Crafts, but you could use an old oatmeal canister)
* cute paper
* mod podge
* sponge brush
* embellishments (I used ribbon and chipboard flowers)
* ruler, pencil, scissors
* hot glue gun (for attaching embellishments)



1. Measure the canister and figure out how you'll need to cut the paper. For my canister, I needed a little extra strip of paper because it was just a little longer than 12" around.



2. Mod Podge the paper onto the canister. Go little by little since the glue dries fairly quickly. Start with just attaching the paper to the canister. After that, go over all the paper with the mod podge to seal it. If your lid has space for paper, repeat for the lid. Let the mod podge dry completely before adding embellishments.




3. Now to add the embellishments. I wrapped two different ribbons (layered) around the canister. I hot glued in increments to make sure the ribbon didn't fall down. I tied the ribbon into a bow and added a flower for extra effect. On the other one (not pictured) I just glued a strip of ribbon with no bow. I then glued 2 flowers layered so that they lay flat against the canister.



These are really great. You could make one for each of your kids for their snacks for the day. I only use dry snacks in mine which makes it much easier to clean. Let's face it: kids love to snack so you can always make sure to have healthy snacks on hand!

I'm linking this project on:

Satin Flowers

This project is super easy but with such cute results! I had leftover satin from a dress I had to make for a show I was directing. I decided I wanted to make some hair pretties..some to keep so sell. So here are the super easy instructions:

Supplies needed:
Satin or Silk
Scissors
3 different sized circles to trace
buttons, beads, etc for middle
hot glue or sewing needle and thread
lighter



1. Trace the circles with a marker on the underside of the satin and cut out the three circles (you can add more circles if you want- I just chose three).



2. In order to keep the edges from fraying and to curl the edges of the petals, lightly singe to edges of the circles. I like this part because it makes every flower unique. It's ok if it catches on fire slightly. Just blow it out and you've just added a little more curl.



3. Layer the three circles how you want them. Now, if you plan on hot glueing a button or other embellishment (as opposed to sewing), this is the point that you will glue the three layers together.



4.If you want to use beads (as seen in the picture below) then put a knot at the bottom of your thread. I threaded the needed through the three layers and then added 2 beads. I then went back under and then up and added 3 beads. I repeated with 4 beads and tied it off. I did this on 2 of the flowers and hot glued another with a button.



5. To finish off, attach the flowers to a booby pin, hair clip, headband, pin, or whatever you want! I chose bobby pins cause that's what I had.



And now you're done! Yay!

Hooded Bath Towels

So my daughter's infant towels are just getting way too small. They never really dried her off completely to begin with. So I decided I wanted to make one myself. I searched online and found this site.
So here are the instructions, complete with pictures of my progress.

Supplies needed:
1 hand towel
1 bath towel
matching thread
needles
sewing machine
double sided bias tape (optional)



1. Cut the hand towel in half. See picture below. You will only be using one half, so potentially you could make two of these towels!



2. Find the midpoint of the bath towel. Lay the hand towel cut side up above the bath towel. Line up the midpoints. I overlapped the two to sew them together, but you can sew them together how you want.






3. After sewing the two pieces together, fold the towels in half, hamburger style :). Pin the top of the hand towel together (the cut side should have folded in half). Sew this together.



4. Unfold the towel. You now have a hood!






5. I decided I wanted more than just pink. So I bought green (a common theme for my daughter) double sided bias tape and sewed it to the edge of the hood. This was probably the hardest part simply because I had never worked with bias tape before.



And that's it! I found the project to be super easy. You can also add extra embellishments if you want. It would be super cute to have a little patch that adds personality or have your child's name.
Have fun making it! If while you're making it you find little tips to help other readers, feel free to comment!