In our family, we have been blessed with nothing but boys and they love wrestling, running around, riding their bikes, and pretending to be superheroes. Now that my boys are older, they enjoy being superheroes on their favorite video games. Recently, I was asked by a friend to come up with some fun party gift ideas for her nephew's birthday party. Since I've made DIY soaps before, I thought it would be fun to make superhero soaps for all the kids. Superhero Soaps Materials: 1-2 lb. clear glycerin soap block (I purchased mine at a local arts and crafts store but they are readily available on Amazon) 4-5 drops of essential oil in your favorite scent (optional) Superhero erasers Square soap molds Directions: Cut the glycerin into small chunks using a sharp knife and place in a 2 cup microwave safe glass measuring cup. Microwave the glycerin in 1 minute increments, stirring until completely melted. If using essential oil, add 4-5 drops and stir. … [Read more...]
Cactus Bottle Craft
Last Fall, we remodeled our kitchen and purchased new appliances. Now that we have a refrigerator that allows us to dispense filtered water, we are not buying bottled water that much anymore. As a result, it has allowed us to see not only how much money we were spending on bottled water, but also how many empty plastic water bottles we were contributing to the environment. This inspired us to figure out creative ways to recycle these plastic bottles. You'd be surprised how many uses there are for making sure that we don't just throw these bottles away in the trash. Since the weather during the summer is perfect for enjoying the great outdoors, what better way to reuse these bottles than by using them to do crafts that will beautify your front yard. The thought inspired the following Cactus Bottle Craft which I'm sure many of you will love too! Cactus Bottle Craft Plastic water bottles Green spray paint Yellow tissue paper Toothpicks Hot glue/hot glue … [Read more...]
DIY Purple Craft Stick Unicorn
Lately I have been fascinated by anything having to do with unicorns. Did you know that they even have hair dyes to simulate unicorn colors? Since my niece loves unicorns and my Sister In Law is planning a unicorn-themed party for her this year, I have been trying to experiment with inexpensive ideas for party favors and party decorations. We all fell in in love with this idea for making unicorns using craft sticks so I wanted to share this DIY Purple Craft Stick Unicorn concept here on Tough Cookie Mommy! Purple Craft Stick Unicorn Supplies needed: 6 large wood craft sticks Paint in choice of color Paint brush Black marker White craft felt, assorted colors of craft felt Scissors Hot glue, glue gun Directions: 1. Begin by applying two coats of paint to one side of your craft sticks. You only need to paint 5 and can leave one plain. 2. Line your craft sticks up so you have 5 of them side to side. 3. Add a line of glue, and … [Read more...]
Turkey Treat Bags
I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is this week already! Since we are going to my sister's house on Thanksgiving Day, I am excited that I got out of cooking this year. I do, however, want to bring some treats for all the kids so I made these Turkey Treat Bags for all of them. They were really easy and inexpensive to make and I hope you enjoy making them for your family as much as I enjoyed making them for mine! Turkey Treat Bags Materials: Tulle (Use rectangle tulle from a roll or tulle pre-cut circles) Pipe cleaners (red, tan, orange and yellow) Peanut butter candy with a crunchy shell (or your favorite mix of candies in fall colors!) Googly eyes Glue (hot glue or another strong glue) Scissors Small clear hair elastics Optional: clear treat bags or sandwich bags Directions: Place candies in the middle of your tulle. {Tulle from a roll may be used (cut to 16”) or precut tulle circles.} Secure the tulle closed with a … [Read more...]
Moss And Butterfly Pomander Craft
Now that the cold weather months are here, I'm working hard to decorate our home and make it more beautiful for the holidays. I love doing my own crafts here at home because I can save money and be creative at the same time. You can find all the items we used here to make this Moss And Butterfly Pomander Craft at your local Dollar Tree store. Moss and Butterfly Pomander Craft Supplies needed: Styrofoam craft ball Green ribbon Scissors Hot glue, glue gun Silk butterflies Crafting moss Green yarn Silk flowers Directions: 1. Begin by wrapping the entire foam ball with green yarn. Continue to wrap the yarn until all of the foam is covered and no white is showing through. When finished, add a dab of glue to the end of the yarn and press it to the ball to secure it. 2. Take some crafting moss and gently pull it apart to make it easier to work with. Add dabs of hot glue to the ball. Press some of the crafting moss to … [Read more...]
DIY Hand Stamped Flower Towel
Lately I have been doing a lot of research into home decor for less and tried my hand at creating a DIY Hand Stamped Flower Towel. One of the things that I have learned is that there are many cost-effective ways to reproduce decorating ideas. This is a great way to update the decor in your home without breaking the bank. You would not believe how many projects can be done right at home with just a few materials. My latest project is updating our bathroom this summer so I have also been looking at ways to add decorative towels and make it more beautiful without spending a lot. Below you will learn how to create hand stamped flower towels just like the ones that you can purchase in retail stores: DIY Hand Stamped Flower Towel Supplies needed: - White cotton hand towel (.49 cents at IKEA) - Fabric paint in choice of colors, non puffy and non dimensional - Wood flower cut out (found at Dollar Tree or most craft stores) - Plate - Scrap paper - Paint … [Read more...]
DIY Cardinal Craft
Lately I have been up to my ears in projects for my sons' classes. It seems like every week there is some new assignment to complete that requires some creativity or forces us to purchase expensive art supplies. This has gotten me to thinking that there is a real need out there for DIY activities that don't cost a lot of money to make and that you can use inexpensive materials to create. As you guys all know, red is my favorite color so it stands to reason that I would come up with a project that includes it. So what better way to get imaginative and experiment with the color red than by making a DIY Cardinal Craft? Not only are these a ton of fun to make, but they also don't cost a lot of money in terms of supplies. I hope you will love making them as much as we did and that you will share photos of the finished products on our social media channels. DIY Cardinal Craft Materials: Red cupcake liners … [Read more...]
DIY Easy Spring Snow Globe
I'm pretty sure that I am trying to will Spring to arrive sooner, especially since we had snow today here in New York City. Mother Nature has really been temperamental lately and it really makes you wonder how some people can say that global warming does not exist with all the fluctuating temperatures. Since I'm starting to get cabin here on the weekends, I have been keeping myself busy with some arts and crafts. I've always been a huge fan of snow globes so I fell in love with the idea of making one at home using some household items and art supplies. It turned out adorable and I plan on making more to give as gifts for Easter! DIY Easy Spring Snow Globe Supplies needed: Mason jar Mini white pebbles or fairy garden filler Mini chenille chicks Spring themed bottle brush trees (sold at Michael’s Craft Store) Ribbon of choice Directions: 1. Begin by filling the mason jar with about 1 inch of filler. You … [Read more...]
Hashtag Soaps
I've been blogging since 2009 and my children have always been a part of my blog and have listened to me talking about blogging over the years. One day, my mother was explaining to my younger son what the pound symbol is on the telephone keypad when he quickly corrected her and told her she was wrong because that was a "hashtag." That pretty much opened my eyes to the fact that my kids were paying a lot of attention to my blogging than I gave them credit for. Not only did my mother and I have a good laugh about it, but my son thought it was incredibly funny too when I explained to him that both he and grandma were right! This funny encounter was the inspiration for these hashtag soaps. Hashtag Soaps 1 Cup white melt and pour soap block Yellow and blue soap colorant 1/2 teaspoon soap scent 1/2 teaspoon sweet almond oil Clear glass measuring cup Craft stick Small spray bottle of rubbing … [Read more...]
Dollar Store DIY: Heart Plate Wall Hanging
Valentine's Day is right around the corner and couples are getting ready to celebrate their love for one another. Now that I am a mom, I like to include my sons in all of our holiday celebrations. Some of the ways that I express how much I love them is by making little sweetheart packages for them every year that contain some of their favorite chocolates and sweets. I also like to create personalized gifts for them without spending a lot of money. This year, I spent some time in our local Dollar Store and shopped around for some affordable arts and crafts. Since we just bought them a new bedroom set and are redecorating their bedroom, I thought making a heart plate wall hanging would be the perfect gift for this Valentine's Day. Not only can they hang it up in their room, but every time they look at it they will be reminded of how much I love both of them. Dollar Store DIY: Heart Plate Wall … [Read more...]
