Waterwall

My little buddy is definitely a water baby.
I thought I might as well encourage some good old scientific inquiry-I mean fun playing in the water.

Water walls are a frame that holds a variety of containers and tubes that can be rearranged to explore how water moves-and is a great way to cool off on a hot day. It always seems to be the simple things that provide the most fun!



To make your own waterwall, first construct a frame. I took two 1 1/2" x 3/4" boards, and cut them so the short length would be as wide as a roll of plastic hardware cloth I had. I put two screws in each corner to keep it square and spray-painted it.
You can skip building a frame and use some pegboard, hang everything on a chain-link fence, or just duct tape everything to a wall. I found one person that used suction cups with hooks on her shower wall.

For the inside of the frame I stapled some plastic hardware cloth to the frame.
It turned out the roll wasn't quite as wide as advertized on the package so I had to run three strips across the frame instead of running it the length of the frame. I figured that when the cloth wore out I could easily replace it with something more durable.

Next you need some containers and something to fasten them to the frame with. I'd saved some plastic containers, and really lucked out at the dollar store where I found some accordion tubes that hook together and hold their shape when bent. (Pop-toobs can be bought here). I cut the containers up, taped the tubes to the bottles and poked holes in various places to create drips. I also found a few tubs at the dollar store to catch (most) of the water. I looked at a lot of options for attaching the containers and tubes to the frame, from wire to Velcro, and finally decided to use pipe cleaners. They added color, were kid friendly, and are easily removable so I can re-arrange things when this configuration gets old.

My one year old loved it, so mission accomplished.
I think next time I'll tweak a few things: I didn't think to raise one of the short lengths of board to make a gap for the tubs to go directly under all the dripping. I also think I'll use chicken wire or some metal hardware cloth when I need to replace this though.




(Safety note: Be sure to secure the frame so it can't tip over on kids, and don't leave kids unattended-I'm sure you are aware toddlers can drown in a few inches of water in a tub like these. You might want to tape over some of the cut plastic edges if they turn out a little sharp.)

Here are a few blogs that inspired this waterwall:
Share and Remember Blog
Let The Children Play
Pre-School Play

How to Hack your Swiffer (Because You are Thrifty, or because You are Trying to be Environmentally Responsible)

I was given a Swiffer Jet mop. It is a lot more convenient than mopping, but I have a hard time paying for the disposable pads and solution. I usually use three pads each time I mop, and it adds up. I'm not terribly fond of their cleaning solution either, it always seems to leave a film on the floor.

After a little research I found it is easy to make this device more economical and cut down on waste.

You need a Swiffer Jet or similar wet mop, microfiber cloths, pliers, and a sewing machine or serger.



When I first got the mop I tried to figure out how to refill the bottle but had given up. It turns out you just need some pliers to give you enough grip to twist the lid off. The first time I tried it the lid came right off, but the second time I refilled it the lid didn't come off as easily, but I got it off eventually. I'm not sure why. Once the lid is off, you can refill it with your favorite floor cleaner, or just use a vinegar-water solution. (If you have hardwood floors, make sure your solution is safe to use on them).

I bought the thickest microfiber cloths I could find at the dollar store and used an original pad for a guide as to how to fold it. It doesn't matter much if it's a little bigger than the original pad.

I folded it so the edges were inside, and I surged the sides to hold it together.
My Swiffer has some Velcro that holds the pad on, if your mop doesn't have this, you could sew some elastic to the pad to hold it to the mop. Microfiber sticks well to the Velcro, but you could use elastic to hold a pad made out of other fabrics, like old towels to the mop.

The homemade pads are machine washable, and you can flip them over once one side gets dirty. After testing the new pads, I decided to sew across the pad a few times to keep all the layers together. The microfiber worked so much better than the disposable pads ever did, and I only ended up using one (flipping it over once) instead of the three disposable pads I usually use.

I'm feeling so thrifty and eco-friendly right now! Now I just need a steamer mop...

Quick Quiet Books

I'm working on an overly ambitious quiet book but in the meantime I wanted a few quiet books for my little buddy. I just used what I had around the house, and this is what I came up with.

Changeable Albums
I have two little accordion style photo albums I'd picked up on clearance ages ago but hadn't done anything with, so in one book I put pictures of grandparents and our family, with the idea I could teach him names, especially of those who don't live close. I had an extra spot so I put in a picture of the cats too. :) The other book I cropped some pictures of him so I had a closeup of his eyes, nose, mouth, hands, and ears, and one picture of his face. Once he learns these words, we can change the pictures to teach him colors, numbers, etc. He likes looking at these, and likes playing with the snap. I thought I'd also pick up a few mini photo albums and put cut out pictures from magazines, or put postcards in them. They will hold his interest longer if some of the pictures change occasionally.

Magazine Saver

Little Buddy likes reading his magazine but insists on turning pages himself. He does pretty well for a one-year-old, but in the meantime I've been putting his magazine into sheet protectors to help it last until the next month's issue. I simply cut the magazine along the fold line, and insert one page into each protector. I used heavy weight sheets and this has worked well. I keep a few favorite pages from each issue and just leave those at the back, and I've been saving some of the coloring and activity pages for when he's older. I also save a few pictures for clip art and projects before recycling the rest. This magazine is available online so I can always go back and get copies of stories, so I don't feel bad cutting it up. Judging by how often the stacks of magazines get touched in our library, I feel I'm getting more out of it this way.

Temporary Sandbox

Problem: Our backyard isn't so toddler friendly at the moment, so I thought a little sandbox would give my little buddy something to do while I worked back there. We aren't ready to put something in permanently and I wanted something cheap but functional until then.

Oh, did I mention we have a cat problem?

We have a cat Problem. There is a feral colony that gets fed at the vacant trailer behind us. I have yet to convince the cats my square-foot garden isn't just a glorified litter box, and the last thing I wanted was buried treasure in this sand, so the number one priority of a sandbox was that it has a lid.

This is what I came up with:
Smallest kiddie pool at K-mart: $8.00
Sand: free from the side of the road. We have a lot of fine grain sand here!
Cover: $2.00 for the doohickie that holds the string tight. The waterproof fabric was from Freecycle (yeah Freecycle!)
Little Buddie's smile: Priceless!













If you were wondering how I made the cover, I laid out the fabric and traced around the upside-down pool about five inches out from the edge.
I sewed a fold around the edge and threaded the string through using a safety pin. I decided the string was too light so I tied some heavier string to the light string and pulled it through, and threaded the ends through one of those thingamabobs that hold string tight. I'm sure they have a real name but I can't think of it right now. I found them with the buttons at W mart.


There cat problem solved. Did I mention we have a cat problem?

Organizing Fabric: the Mini Bolt

I admit it. I am a fabric hoarder.

I used to see fun fabric and buy it, thinking "that would make a nice dress", or "I'll think of something to use this for, it's such a great price!". (Darn you Wally Mart $1.00 fabrics!!) I kept my stash in plastic bins, and when I needed fabric for a project...I'd go out and buy it because it was too hard to get to the right bin without emptying the entire closet.
I came across a way to organize my fabric so I can see what I have, and I can pull it out without having to move a lot of other fabric. Mini bolts are so easy that I almost feel a little stupid for not thinking of it myself. I don't know who to give credit to for this idea, but I'd like to bake you a pie!

You'll need: 1/2 yard or more of fabric (any smaller pieces, like leftovers and fat quarters are too small). I guess you could use smaller cards and make mini-mini bolts if you wanted. For now, all my scraps are in a bin, waiting for me to make a quilt. Of course I'll get around to it! I hope.

You'll also need some stiff paper, such as cardboard, chipboard or very thick cardstock. Cut the paper to about 6"x11". This works well for fabric 45" or 60" wide. I tried the heaviest weight of cardstock I could find between nearby megamarts, craft stores, and office supply places. This (110 lb) cardstock only worked for very lightweight fabric-cotton print was too heavy. My sister found some paper about twice the weight of cardstock at a specialty paper store that worked well. After I'd finished rolling my fabric I realized the cardboard from a cereal box would be perfect. Just have your friends save their boxes for you for a while...
If you don't want to bother cutting down paper, you can purchase mini bolt cards.

Fold your fabric selvage to selvage (that's the uncut length of your fabric).
For 45" wide fabric, fold it in half again, as shown in the picture. If you have a piece 60" wide, fold it selvage to selvage, then fold that in thirds.

All you do is roll it around the card.













You can store them on shelves, but I found some boxes that were the perfect size to put the bolts into. Now I need to get sewing and reduce the number of boxes. The idea is that I won't need to buy fabric for a while unless I need something very specific. I can also quickly thin the stash of odd fabric that if I am honest with myself, I know I'll never use.

It also feels really good to be so organized and not feel like I'll be buried if I open the closet door a little too far.

Warm Fuzzy

For my sister's birthday, I wanted to make her a corn heating bag. I had some green fleece, and as I cut it out I decided to embellish a little.

These are simple to make, just pick up some feed corn (DON'T use popcorn!) from your local farmer's store, or rice will work as well. Fill a cotton bag with the seed, leaving enough room that it can wrap partly around feet, your neck, etc. Sew the bag shut, and create a case out of fleece, flannel, or something else snugly.

To heat the seed, place the cotton bag in your microwave for a few minutes (don't overcook) and insert it in the case. It will stay warm for at least a half hour, sometimes longer, and is a nice alternative to a plug-in heating pad. A sachet of herbs, like lavender can be included in with the seed, or you can sew a pocket on the outside of the cotton case for a little aroma-therapy.

Cakes for Grace

These are some cakes I've made for my friend's little girl, Grace. My friend likes to pick out the napkins and party plates first, then has me design a cake to match. I like the creative challenge, the hardest part for me is matching colors.
I hesitate to charge for making cakes because I'd feel obligated to make it perfect, so for now I do it for the practice.

1st Birthday:
It is easy to see why I stick with fondant, my piping skills need a lot more practice. At least I spelled her name right-that's the most important part right? I used the Wilton flower cutting set to make the flowers and free-handed the butterflies. I pressed them a little so they wouldn't lie flat and let them dry.





2nd Birthday:


I found a Pooh coloring page and used it as a template to cut out the red and yellow fondant. It needed a little something more, so I etched the lines in with a small knife and painted them in with some food coloring. For the sides I rolled long snakes of each color and cut them to roughly equal lengths. I lined them up and rolled them flat. Maybe there is an easier way to do this, they weren't as straight as I'd hoped, but it worked out well enough and I loved how the colors turned out.

3rd Birthday:
This one was fairly simple, I used the flower cutouts and butterflies again. Note to self: some of the Wilton's purple gel food coloring turns BLUE if transported in a warmish car.









4th Birthday:

I love how curly Grace's hair is and had the idea of making a little princess topper when I saw the princess tiara napkins. I copied the tiara onto the front of the cake and made a mini one to go on her hair. The girl is all fondant except the hair, which is colored royal icing I piped into ringlets. I used white fondant for the skin and star, then colored it in with non-toxic chalk. It made the rosy cheeks easy.



















Haha, ignore the dishcloth in the background, I just noticed it was there!