Sarchix Finds

Holiday Gift giving can be a challenge especially for the big dilemma of what to get the teachers.  For the most part, it hasn’t been too difficult for me because most of my children’s teachers have been women.  This year, my daughter has a guy teacher (who is awesome) so I find it difficult to find something for him without it being too frilly or girly.  And I can’t repeat anything since my older son has already had him too.

I love this idea of repurposing soda bottles and their holder into a cute gift.  This would work for either male or female teachers, it just depends on the paper and ribbon used.  I found this at Nap Time Journal and it really seems easy to complete.

She uses cream soda bottles since they are clear and you can see the goodies inside them and it is very important to clean the bottles very well.  Nap Time Journal also reuses the bottle caps to cap it.  I may not do that because 1) I always mangle the bottle caps when I open them and 2) I happen to have a bottle capper just “lying around” and hundreds of unused bottle caps.

Such a fun idea!

Nap Time Journal - Soda Bottle Treats

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With Earth Day coming up, the recent topics have been geared towards just that.  Yesterday was the knitted tote and today is the reusable produce bag!

I try not to use the plastic bags that you can get at the grocery store when I pick up produce but sometimes its impossible.  I don’t want the kiwis or the limes rolling around in the cart or loose in the bag so I am stuck using these thin and quite annoying bags.  I don’t know how many times I’ve had one sliced open by a sweet potato and had them roll around inside the bag or try to wrangle them in the kitchen.

I’ve seen adorable bags for sale and thought about either purchasing them or trying to make my own but then my Mom made a comment.  “How much to they weigh?” was all she said.  I don’t want to pay a few more cents for the bag that I’ve brought from home, that’s for sure.  Then I found Linda Permann’s post over at CraftStylish on how to make your own bags from mesh fabric.  She can make 3-4 out of half a yard of mesh fabric that ran her $.75 ($1.50 a yard before coupon).

This is such a simple but fantastic idea that I kick myself for not thinking of it first.

CraftStylish – Produce Bags

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This was just too funny to not post.

Here’s another use for leftover Easter candy.

The Candy Turducken!

Enjoy

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Why does it seem like like if one friend is pregnant, there are three more as well?  One of my best friends, my cousin and two other friends are all pregnant and due around the same time (this fall).  I’m happy with my three kiddos but enjoy it when others have kids because it lets me get my baby fix without the late nights and diper changes.

The best thing about friends having babies, is getting to give them gifts!  Even the older babies are still so much fun to either buy for or craft for.

With Earth Day coming up next week, I found this post for a “crinkely” baby toy that reuses the plastic wrapper from wipes.  I would have never thought to use this for a toy but it is BRILLIANT!  My kids, plus the dog as well, always loved the noisy, crinkley toys when they were little.

Susan Beal over at Craft Stylish has given us guidance on how to create this toy for your favorite kiddo*.

The best thing is, you don’t have to make an owl if you don’t want to.  I see me sneaking noisy wrappers into all kinds of shapes of stuffed toys for kiddies over the years.  I could even ask my youngest kid’s pre-school teacher to keep the wrappers for me since she goes through so much with the young ones who go there and the many uses for them.

With recycled, or reused, fabric this could be a fun and green craft to do.

Craft Stylish – Baby Toy

*Let the record state, that me giving a child a gift of this sort does not desinate them as my favorite nor do I love one of my own children more then the others.

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I love flowers!  It doesn’t matter if they are real or not but I still love them.  I also love parties and party favors.  Martha Stewart’s folks have come up with the perfect mix.  This favor would work for a shower, either baby or bridal, Easter, Christening or a girlly girl flower party of any occasion.  Heck this is a great way to wrap candy period!

A little tissue paper, scissors and a few seconds and you have yourself an adorable little favor with the best little gift in my eyes, candy!

Martha says to use a strip of acetate to make a cylinder but why not re-use a paper towel (or TP) roll?  Plus you can get more candy in it.  More candy is always a “Good Thing” in my book!

Martha Stewart – Flower Wrapped Favor

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Shrinky dinks are one of the coolest crafts I did as a kid.  I remember getting the sheets with the small colored pencils and trying to trace some pattern or cartoon and then cutting them out and then the magic happened when they entered the oven.   I would use up the whole pack right away.  The next day, my Mom would be freaking out because the little slivers of Shrinky Dink that got cut away looked just like little shards of glass on the floor.

Cindy over at Skip to My Lou turned #6 plastic containers into home made Shrinky Dinks!  (Brilliant job Cindy.) 

Sure you can go out and buy (usually online) the sheets of Shrinky Dinks but when you need your fix of shrinking art, this is perfect.  The best part is, my town does not take #6 plastics for recycling and I feel bad throwing it away.  Now I have something much better to do with it!

Skip to My Lou – Home Made Shrinky Dinks

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What do you do with all those left over tubes of wrapping paper? I save mine for the family to use (usually as swords). With that said, Marie at Make and Takes came up with a great take on that idea.

She decorates them to be light sabers and other cool uses as well.  If my kids were into firefighters, then her third idea would be perfect.  If the tubes last long enough to get decorated, we’ll be trying it out!

Make and Takes – Empty Wrapping Paper Rolls

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