iPad mini stand ( or any tablet )

I was wanting to find a better way to view my recipes on the iPad mini without getting my cover full of flour and food stuff.

Here is what I came up with

unfinished wooden plaque ( any shape you want ) $2.99 Hobby Lobby
stain ( your choice of color ) already had on hand
wooden dowel (3/4 inch) $.59
small hand saw
wood glue
drill and  3/4 inch bit
sandpaper
antique white spray paint or color of your choice
wood decoration ( if you want ) pkg of 2, $.99 Hobby Lobby

Let's do this thing!

Take your plaque and glue the embelishment onto the top with wood glue
measure across your bottom of the plaque and cut the dowel to fit across for the tablet holder at the bottom and glue
wait for the glue to dry.....la...la...la...

Once the glue is dry, apply the stain to the entire piece with a paper towel and let it dry.

hum...hum... hum.... ( yeah right, like I have nothing better to do then sit and let the stain dry) I have 3 kiddos!

After the stain is dry,  measure the remaining dowel for the back to use as a stand.
I just propped mine up on the table and marked the back of the plaque where I was going to need to drill the hole for the dowel so it stood upright.

Then let's take this baby outside for a couple coats of spay paint. I did two thin coats, letting them dry in between.  I forgot to take my stand part of the dowel out to paint, but I can touch it up later.

Let the entire piece dry and then take your drill and bit at an angle and drill the hole for the dowel stand for the back.  I just went really slow, you don't want to go through the entire piece!  I then put some wood glue into the hole and propped up the stand with something and let it dry overnight. 

Morning!!  Okay, so the stand is almost complete, I just wanted to distress it a little since I can't ever leave anything alone :)  Take your sand paper and go at it!  I then wiped it with a clean damp cloth and took some more stain to the areas I sanded. 

Ta...da!! 

Done!!!   Enjoy your new tablet stand, I know I will ( and I won't be getting food all over my cover) :) 

Lovin' Command hooks by 3M

So I was going to bake a cake and I was ferociously digging through our utensil drawer for our measuring spoons and cups.
 After looking through the bottomless drawer I was frustrated and still 1 tbsp short.  I finally scrounged it up and got to measuring away and thought to myself, I am tired of looking for these little spoons!  I want them easily accessible when I want these little dudes. 
A light bulb in my brain went off!  3M hooks!  I had some coupons around Christmas for them and I bought up a ton for little odds and ends and had a lot left.

I went to work in the inside of my cupboard!  What I love about these little babies is that they leave no damage behind. 
 I took a piece of painters tape and a level to make a straight line of tape.
I made sure not to hang the hooks where the shelf was on the opposite side.
  Then I eyeballed the hooks apart from each other and ended up with this!

DIY Fabric Softener

I must say I was a bit skeptical when I saw a blog post on DIY fabric softener. I thought to myself (is this really worth the trouble?)
My answer is YES!!!
This sweet little concoction has produced the softest fluffiest clothes I have ever had!  And the kiddos and superman with sensitive skin are doing great with it.

Here is what you will need to whip this stuff up!

6 cups of HOT water
3 cups white vinegar
2 cups of Suave Conditioner ( I used a green one with a fresh scent)

Mixing

Mix conditioner and hot water well until the conditioner is dissolved completely.  I used a screw on lid container from the Dollar Tree just like my detergent one.  I combined them and shook it up

Add the vinegar and mix well (or shake)

Store in a large container.  I just mixed mine and stored it in the same container it was mixed in.
I eyeball 3 tablespoons into my fabric softener compartment and wash!

The fabic softener (green)  and the detergent (white)

So easy, SO CHEAP, and so worth it!! SOFT clothes RoCk!

Home Made Laundry Detergent {H.E Safe}

I have been a tad bit busy in my day to day Mama duties so I have slacked a little with my blog.  I have been also working on my etsy site!  It is mcvaysnest@etsy.com if you want to check it out!

Here is what you will need for your ingredients { all found in the Wal-mart} detergent isle

Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda- half a box
Borax Detergent Booster- half a box
Bar of Fels-Naptha heavy duty laundry soap or I used pink Zote Soap, I liked the scent and color - half a bar grated or cut up in chunks and added to a food processor
Purex Crystals - entire bottle in your chosen scent
Arm and Hammer Baking Soda- half a box

The initial products to make this cost about $15 but this will far outlast any pre-made Tide, All, Gain etc .

You can do the entire batch instead of 1/2 boxes but the recipe I used made a ton so I just saved my remaining ingredients for a second batch later.

I used my food processor and cubed up the soap before I processed it vs using the grater.  I thought this sped the process up quite a bit ( I have no patience). 

I dumped all of the ingredients into a plastic tote so I could incorporate them well and then poured them into a screw top container I got from the Dollar Tree. 

Isn't it pretty??

Use 2tbsp per regular load or 4 tbsp for a heavy duty.  Don't be alarmed when you see it does not produce suds.  It is supposed to react that way.  That's because it's not filled with chemical junk! 

Enjoy! I know I really like it.  I even gifted some for my sister's and Mom at Easter with the recipe attached in case they feel a little DIY.

Chapstick Cozy

I saw this adorable chapstick cozy on http://www.littlebitfunky.com and I had to make my own version to put my lipgloss in :)  I am a lipgloss girl, forget the chapstick!

Here is what you will need-

home decor fabric (duck fabric some people call it) or a heavy cotton
D ring's ( find at JoAnn's or Hancock in the notions section)
iron
sewing machine
thread
1/4 inch sewing foot ( or use your footplate for measurements)
chapstick or lipgloss

The full instructions are listed on the above website but I changed mine up a little!

You will first need to cut 2, 9 inch long by 2 1/2 inch wide pieces of fabric

put right sides together and sew along with 1/4 inch seam foot along 3 sides of the 4. You will leave a bottom open to turn right sides out.  I used 2 different patterned fabrics but you can just do one if you want. 

Turn fabric right sides out leaving the unfinished seam open.  Go ahead and press flat, tucking in the unfinished seam as you press.  Then you will take the bottom (finished end) and bring it 2 inches from the top of the cozy and press flat.

Then you will sew around the 3 corners with an 1/8 inch seam.  Then pause to listen for your sleeping baby to make sure he's not up to disturb your project.

Now that your 3 seams are done, insert your D ring at the top where the unfinished seam is.

After inserting your D ring press flat and sew 1/8 seam at the very end of the fabric to make sure you finish off the seam and attach the D ring.

And there ya have it folks!  Chap stick cozy! "Lippy Lipgloss holders" as I call them! Enjoy, and make some for friends! They will love um!

Now get them on your car keys for no more purse diggin'!

 

 

Pony bead ornaments

Sloan and I were trying to figure out what we could do with all the beads we had in our craft drawer.  Instead of stringing a necklace all the way to China, we decided to try making ornaments or suncatchers. I think we will try our heart cookie cutters with pink, clear and red beads for Valentine's Day!


  For the project you will need:
Pony bead ( clear and colored )
regular muffin tin
drill and bit
ribbon
oven
crack a few windows :) Or not, I didn't think it gave off fumes at all but use your best judgement


Step 1 - Preheat your oven to 400 degrees,  take the beads and sprinkle them into the muffin tin to cover the bottom of each compartment.  You can make patterns or sprinkle them random, have fun with it.

 

Step 2- Place in the 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.  Check on the beads once and awhile to ensure they are melting and when to take them out of the oven.

 

 

See the melted beads? Pretty!

 

Step 3- Let these babies cool off. I cheated and set mine outside to harden faster.  Once hardened just turn the pan upside down and tap them out.  You will have perfect little circles! I took my drill and put a hole at the top to string ribbon through :)

I tied some onto Christmas gifts and put some with tiny suction cups to have as suncatchers

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Mini Cupcake pan Advent Calendar

I wanted an advent calendar that wasn't chocolate with Avary's Galactosemia it just isn't an option. The chocolate ones are cute but lacked the meaning I was trying to get across too (Jesus is the reason for the season, not presents)
 I wanted to be able to create my own and personalize it to our family.  I looked at my mini muffin tin and realized it was 24 compartments.  I have seen people on Pinterest try to use 2 regular muffin pans but who wants huge pans hanging on your wall? And trying to join them together?  Not this gal :) No thanks!

 Supplies you will need

24 count mini muffin pan
ribbon ( to tie on top to hang)
Drill ( to add another hole on the top to hang ribbon from)
Drill bit
Adhesive magnet roll ( got mine at HL for $3.50 with half off coupon)
Computer and printer ( to make the 1-24 numbers and print them out)
Card stock ( to print numbers on)
circle punch ( mine is 2 inches)
Word on computer ( to create tags that go inside of tins and the numbers)
Command hooks ( optional )

A lot of supplies I already had on hand so this project cost me little to nothing to create.  If you do need to buy these things they are all something you would definitely use again :)

Take your Word program and make your 1-24 numbers.  If you don't have Word go online and search for numbers pictures and you will come up with a TON of free printables I am sure.

 Print out the numbers on card stock

Take the self adhesive magnet paper and peel off the backing.  Stick the numbers card stock on top of the adhesive side so the magnet will be on the back of the number once it is done

Take your circle punch and punch out all of your numbers

Take the Word program again and make 24 things to do for every compartment.  I made a lot of biblical ones to show the true meaning of Christmas.  Feel free to experiment and add candy, small treats etc in the compartments.  Use your imagination :)

Print out the list of the 24 things to do and cut them out

Fold all of the ideas and place each one inside the tin and cover with the 1-24 magnets

Drill your second hole at the top of the pan and loop the ribbon and tie a knot at each end to hang the advent calendar

Viola!  You have a calendar to use every year!  You can save your ideas for each compartment or do new ones each year

I organized my print outs in the order I wanted to do them.  ( I didn't want to camp out under the Christmas tree on a school night) LOL

Have fun!  Merry CHRISTMAS!

 Some examples of the print outs for the compartments,  I had read Luke 2 along with various christian related activities also.  Feel free to do one that suits your family :)

 The calendar with the paper's inside.  Sorry for the glare, the pan is of course shiny!

The calendar hanging on the wall. I use the 3m hooks that are removeable.  They ROCK!  I also let the girls take turns pulling off the magnet every day.