I mentioned some time ago that we make our own homemade microwave popcorn. Many of you requested the “recipe” and I’ve finally had a chance to write it up for you. Enjoy!
What’s your favorite healthy popcorn seasoning?
diy
Easy No-Sew Pencil Holder and Notebook Cover
The first day of school is right around the corner for us, so we did this little craft project the other day to get the kids excited about going back! Putting these cute pencil holders and notebook covers was simple enough for my older kids to do by themselves and requires no sewing skills.
We picked up all of the necessary supplies at Walmart for about $15, including a couple of notebooks and a box of pencils. You should be able to get at least six notebook covers and nine pencil holders out of one package of felt, so these would make great, inexpensive gifts as well.
Here’s what you need:
- package of multi-colored felt, $3.97
- Aleene’s Fabric Fusion Adhesive, $4.97
- buttons or other embellishments, $1.97
- pencils, $0.94
- 4×6 notebooks, $0.94 ea.
The glue was the biggest expense in this project, but this little bottle will go a long way. Plus I can see it coming in very handy for so many other things, especially since it’s washable after 48 hours!
To make the pencil holders:
- Cut one piece of felt that is 3″ x 12″ and another that is 3″ x 6″. I used two different colors for contrast.
- Apply fabric glue to both long sides and the bottom short side of the smaller piece of felt.
- Just line up the edges and press together.
- Embellish with buttons or other items and fill with pencils once the glue dries.
To make the notebook covers:
- Cut a piece of felt that is 6 1/2″ x 12″.
- Center your notebook on the felt and fold the edges over — it should be about 1 1/2″ folded on each side to allow it to close once glued.
- Glue the top and bottom in place to hold the notebook. At this point you may want to remove the notebook and use a heavy book or pan to hold the felt flat while the glue is drying.
- Embellish with buttons or other items and reinsert the notebook once the glue dries.
I really wanted to use my pinking shears to fancy up the edges, but of course, I can’t find them at the moment. I’m sure they’ll turn up — just a little afraid to see where.
Wouldn’t the notebooks make a fun meet-the-teacher gift?
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for the time and effort spent creating this post. However, my participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own — always have been, always will be.
Red, White and Berry Kebabs to Celebrate The 4th of July
Perfect for a 4th of July celebration — there are so many things I love about this quick and easy dessert, not the least of which is its simplicity. My kids had a blast helping thread the fresh berries and angel food cake onto the skewers, and an even better time eating them afterwards while dipping them in fresh homemade whipped cream.
To make these easy treats, you simply need some skewers, fresh blueberries, strawberries, and an angel food cake loaf. I usually prefer to make my cakes from scratch, but angel food cake isn’t something I’ve attempted yet, so I just picked up a couple of inexpensive angel food cakes from the bakery at Walmart, along with the other necessary items!
If you want to make homemade whipped cream for on the side, you’ll also want to pick up a carton of heavy cream, assuming you already have sugar and pure vanilla extract on hand.
Cut the angel food cake into cubes, and thread the berries and cake onto your skewers in your desired pattern. I made the first one as an example, and then let my kids get to work recreating it. They had so much fun that they didn’t even realize that all the while it was helping them reinforce some of their skills learned at skill over summer break!
Even my nine-going-on-fifteen-year-old loved them, and he’s notoriously hard to please these days. He went back for several skewers, so I think I’ve found the key to getting him to eat more fresh fruits!
What’s your favorite red, white and blue dessert to celebrate the 4th of July?
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for the time and effort spent creating this post. However, my participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own — always have been, always will be.
Reuse Disposable Swim Diapers to Stretch Your Budget
Have you ever wondered if you can reuse disposable swim diapers and how to best wash them? Marybeth from Baby Goodbuys shares her tips for reusing disposable swim diapers here.
Do you reuse disposable swim diapers? Have you ever tried cloth swim diapers?
Do-It-Yourself Dryer Sheets
The cost of laundry products can really add up over time, especially if you have a large family like we do. Did you know you can actually make your own reusable dryer sheets to stretch a bottle of fabric softener across many more loads?
Have you ever tried this?
