We all love them.  They are easy and convenient.  They make cleaning up slick, but they are so expensive and full of harsh chemicals.  So what can you do?  Make them yourself!

Homemade cleaning wipes are just as easy and convenient, but cost significantly less and contain only the cleaning compounds you select. These wipes are easy to make, and you can make them for a variety of cleaning causes.

You will need:

• cylindrical or tall square plastic food storage container, 10-cup capacity (Large Coffee Can)
• extra-large roll of paper towels
• cleaning compounds of your choice (recipes follow)
• electric drill with 1/2-inch drill bit
• electric knife
• liquid measuring cups

OR if you have an empty container from a commercial cleaning wipe or baby wipe box you may be able to use that.

How to put the container together:

Place the lid of the storage container onto a piece of wood.  Use the drill to make a ½ inch diameter hole in the center.

Higher quality paper towels will not shred when pulled through the hole, so look for thicker quilted towels in order to have a better cleaning wipe experience.  Using the electric knife and keeping the paper towels wrapped in their wrapper, cut the paper roll in half; making two shorter rolls.  This will take a few minutes, as you need to cut through all the paper towels and the cardboard tube inside.  Set one half aside for a later use or a different cleaning solution.

Now remove the wrapper and place one half inside the storage container.  Slowly pour one type of cleaning solution over the top of the paper towel roll.  You will use between two and four coups of the solution depending upon the size and absorbency of the towels you selected.  Once saturated, place the lid on and allow the towels to soak for at least four hours, overnight is better.

Once well saturated, gently remove the cardboard tube from the roll and discard it.  Carefully pull the end of the paper towels from the INSIDE of the roll up and thread it through the hole in the lid.  Replace the lid.

Pull gently on the exposed end to separate the cleaning wipe.

As these sit around, they may begin to dry out.  You can always add a little water or cleaning solution when needed to soften them up.  If you add cleaning solution, do let them stand overnight before using.

Vary the strength of the cleaning solution by adding more water for a milder solution or more cleaning compounds for a stronger solution.

Happy Cleaning!

General Recipes:

General Surface Cleaning Recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water

Disinfectant Cleaning:

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup pine cleaning solution such as Pine-Sol brand
• 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cup water

Window and Glass Cleaning:

• 1/2 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Baby Wipes:

• 1/2 cup baby oil
• 1/2 cup baby wash
• 2 cups water

Anti-Fungal Baby Wipes

Omit vinegar if baby has a raw rash.

• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon calendula oil
• A few drops lavender oil
• A few drops tea tree oil
• 1/4 cup 100% aloe vera gel
• 1 cup water

Eight is Great Baby Wipes

• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 1/8 cup baby wash
• 8 drops lavender oil
• 4 drops tea tree oil
• 2 cups water

Don’t let the remaining pieces end up in a landfill, instead use them to make the craft projects below.

Heart Puzzle Frame

Materials:

• Various Puzzle Pieces (use those from a puzzle with a missing piece)
• Glue
• Paint
• Small Cut-able Plastic Lid or Sheet of plastic
• Cardboard piece

This is a great craft to have your child make for their grandparents, mom, dad, aunts and uncles.

Step 1: Cut a big hole through the lid that is big enough to put your picture in (cut the ridge off the lid) or cut the sheet of plastic into a circle the size you would like your frame to be.

Step 2: Get as many puzzle pieces as you can and paint them red, pink, white and other Valentine’s Day Colors. Let Dry.

Step 3: Carefully glue the puzzle pieces to the plastic lid. Make one row a heart shape of pieces and then let dry. Next, glue the rest of the puzzle pieces layering the first layer.

Step 4: Carefully cut the picture to fit the BACK of the lid and when dried, glue the cardboard piece to the back.

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Puzzle Piece Craft Necklace

Materials:

• Puzzle Pieces
• Yarn or String
• Scissors
• Paint (optional)

Step 1: Cut the yarn or string into 4 to 6 inch lengths.

Step 2: Tie one end of the string to a puzzle piece making a knot.  Tie the other end to another puzzle piece and make a knot.  Repeat until you have a necklace the length you want.

You could paint the puzzle pieces to give them a different look.

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Puzzle Container Craft

Materials:

• Empty Container or Pot
• Puzzle Pieces
• Paint (Optional)
• Craft Glue or Decoupage Medium
• Paint Brush

Step 1: Make sure your container is clean.  Paint the container the color of your choice.

Step 2: Once the paint is dry, you can glue your puzzle pieces to the container, covering the space. Use multiple levels to make it even more interesting.

Step 3: Once all are dry, finish the container off with a coating of decoupage medium to preserve it.

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A few days ago I wrote about cold weather birthday parties and mentioned that a great party favor could be a scarf for each child in attendance.   I wanted to share two easy fleece scarf patterns with you.  These can be made with your child’s favorite character, animals, or in their favorite colors.  Any fleece print you find at the fabric store can be made into these wonderful scarves.  Take a moment and make one for yourself, too.  Every pattern I have read says to make them as wide as you like, and as long as you prefer.  These are very customizable for you and to fit any size person.

Of course, if you know how to knit or crochet there is a wide variety of patterns out on the internet today.  Some are free and some you do need to pay for, but there really is something for everyone.  If you don’t know how to knit or crochet, your mother or grandmother may be able to teach you.  Or take a course at your local school or library to learn how.

Happy Crafting!

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Simple No Sew Fleece Scarf

Materials for one scarf:

• Fleece in your child’s favorite print (or yours) (best is non-pill)
• Sharp Scissors (or rotary cut & board)

How To:

1. Cut the fleece in a strip 8” wide by about 60” long (42” for a smaller child).
2. For the fringe at the bottom, cut strips about 1/2 – 1” wide  and up about 4 – 5” into the scarf.   This can vary depending on the look you want.

See a video here:

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Fringed Fleece Scarf

Materials for one scarf:

• ¼ yard – Fleece in your child’s favorite print (or yours) (best is non-pill)  (multiple colors work well for this scarf)
• Sharp Scissors (or rotary cut & board)
• Sewing Machine or Needle and Thread

How To:

1. Cut the fleece in strips 5” wide by about 60” long (42” for a smaller child) – you need 2 to 3 strips for each scarf.
2. Layer the strips on top of each other and sew down the middle (easiest with a sewing machine, but you can hand sew this as well).
3. Cut down the sides in 1” wide slits, close to the center, but don’t go through it.
4. Enjoy!

My children just received many great gifts for the holidays.  Now it is time to thank all the gift givers.  I could go out and purchase a box of thank you note cards, but that just seems so impersonal.  My children love to design cards and write notes to each other, so we have decided to make our own thank you cards this year.   My children and I gather together our card making supplies and set out to design thank you cards.

What you need:

12 x 12 card stock scrapbook paper in the color(s) of your choice
Scissors or large paper cutter
Envelopes (4×6 card size)
Stickers
Markers
Misc. papers, ribbons, buttons or other creative items of your choice
Paper punches if you own any (no need to purchase)
Glue

What to do:

Step 1. Cut the cardstock into strips that are 4” wide by 12” long (you need one of these for each card you are making)

Step 2. Fold the cardstock strips in half – this is your basic card

Step 3. Allow your children to decorate the outside top of the cards with the papers, stickers, buttons, and ribbons

Step 4. Have each child write a thank you note inside the card, personalized for the recipient about the gift they received.  Multiple children may write notes in one card addressed to the same recipient.

Step 5. Address the envelopes and send off in the mail.

Optional Step

6. If you have a holiday picture to include, this would make the thank you even more special.

Plush Pear Pillow

ladybug ladybug…

The Ladybug is sewn with a retractable tape measure inside. To extend the tape, just give her antennae a little tug. Be gentle! The Leaf Scissor Case is sized just right to hold your 4″ embroidery scissors. Both can be made with any kind of felt (shown here in recycled sweater felt and wool felt) and can be sewn by hand. Great to make as a gift or to keep for yourself.

Pocket guide

You can pick up a copy of Marceline’s guide at her web shop.
coming together at the seams

Fourth of July Felt and Button Star Napkin Rings

This all are great sources for crafts that i like sooo much. i hope you check it out and enjoy it

The main difference between liquid soap and bar soap is the lye. Bar soap uses Sodium Hydroxide and liquid soap uses Potassium Hydroxide. Otherwise, the warming-blending-sitting process is identical to bar soap. But after the night of rest in the “mould,” instead of cutting the bars, we add water and stir.

Liquid Soap

3.375 oz Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)
8 oz water
5 oz coconut oil
1 oz castor oil
11 oz vegetable shortening

1. Warm your oils until liquefied and sprinkle the lye into your water.

2. When they’re cool enough to touch, slowly pour lye water into fats.

3. Blend.

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Add some fun to your Valentine party games this year with this easy to make, no-mess piñata. Bright and cheery pinks and reds dress up a plain paper grocery sack with no gooey paper mache to clean up!

What you’ll need:

* 1 brown paper grocery bag
* Tissue paper in red and pink
* 24″ string or yarn
* Hole punch
* Stapler
* Newspaper or other lightweight filler
* Small trinkets and candies
* Scissors
* White craft glue

How to make it:

1. Open the grocery bag and put treats and trinkets inside. Fill about ¼ full.
2. Fill remaining space with crumpled up newspaper. Leave a small amount of space at the top of the bag so it can be folded over and closed.

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Sometimes it’s not the actual gift but the message that it brings that is most cherished. This gift is great for showing how much your friends mean to you.

Be sure to visit all of our Valentine’s Day crafts and main Valentine’s Day index.

What you’ll need:

* 1 empty box, any size
* Valentine themed wrapping paper or pink/red construction paper
* Pink construction paper
* White paper for poem
* White craft glue
* White ribbon
* Scissors

How to make it:

1. Wrap the empty box in wrapping paper or construction paper.
2. Tie white ribbon around the box and tie into a bow on the top.
3. Print out the poem below.
4. Trim the poem and glue the trimmed poem to pink construction paper.
5. Trim the pink construction paper to give it an even border all the way around.
6. Glue the poem to the box.

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Make this fun and colorful keepsake with your children’s hands! A little paint, construction paper and crepe paper streamers, and you have a festive wall hanging for the holiday of love.

Be sure to visit all of our Valentine’s Day crafts, our Valentine’s Day cards and printable activities and our main Valentine’s Day ideas page.

What you’ll need:

* 1 sheet pink construction paper
* 9″ x 12″ piece of white poster board or cardstock
* Crepe paper streamers in festive colors cut into 14″ lengths
* 18″ piece of yarn
* Crayons
* Acrylic paints (we used light blue, red and pink)
* Scissors
* Tape
* Paintbrush

How to make it:

1. Have child make a fist with both hands.

2. Start with the left hand. Use paintbrush to paint the side of their pinky finger and the side of the hand below it. Press onto the poster board to form the left side of the heart. Repeat these steps with the right hand, creating the right side of the heart. (See image.)

3. Repeat step 2 for each child, use different colors if you like.

4. While the paint is drying on the poster board, wash off children’s hands and cut the crepe paper streamers into 14″ lengths. You will 7 all together. (See image.)

5. When the painted hearts are dry, trim the poster board edge(s) to fit evenly onto the pink construction paper, this will be your framed border. Be sure to leave room above and below the hearts to write names and a greeting.

6. Glue poster board to the construction paper, and then trim construction paper if needed.

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