Solar System push lights

This  fun project can find you literally the center of the universe! Using Dollar store push lights (and batteries), and alcohol inks (mine are Tim Holtz for Ranger products) we created a Mars affect in under an hour. The planets you simulate will be based on the ink you use. 

For this project lay down a craft mat, and have some make-up wedges ready (You guessed it, from the dollar store). Drip the alcohol inks directly on the light, and quickly begin to dab them. Add random color splashed and dab, dab, dab! A really fun idea would be to use the moon or star shaped push lights in pastel colors for a new babies room. 

Here I have added red and dabbed it around.

These will dry fast, but are extremely reactive to each other. It is very fun to splatter and change until you find the right combo for your planet. Leave for about fifteen minutes after you have your desired affect. Spray with a clear coat and leave alone for a few hours, over night if possible. 

Here she is all done!

I can't wait to make seven or eight more. I'm gonna' have to check with NASA on that number!

Lit up!

Easy ornaments that aren't too ugly to put on your tree

So this is late, but I was super busy over the holiday, sometimes I only have time to make the memories and not actually get around to sharing them. This lovely red spiral is the highlight today, but you may see several handmade ornaments looming in the background. perhaps i will find time to post how those are made before next Christmas.
This is a pretty easy ornament that is fun for the kids, and not too time consuming, which mean you can make one or thirty if you're really feeling it. My kids did about four each. Why is that not a solid four? Well, they started to lose interest right about there.
All you need is tube netting and pipe cleaners. Choose a complimentary pipe cleaner color to the net tubing you choose. This could easily be silver on silver, get creative for Halloween with orange on black, use school colors to hang from your car mirror or whatever.
Cut the tubing to be and inch or two longer than your pipe cleaner. I need two full inches, because these knots are hard for me, but then I waste a lot at the end. Tie one knot then  feed the pipe cleaner into the tube. Tied the other end into a knot. Make sure your knots are nice and tight and then trim. When feeding in the pipe cleaner you may feel it get 'caught', this simply means you will have to inch it on, but it will be lovely at the end, I promise.

After the knots are good you can shape your noodle any way you want. We had some hearts, but my favorite were these spiral shapes, reminiscent of a set my husband and I bought in Denver years ago. Here's one of the girlies, proud of her ornament!