Our Beautifully Messy House

Candy Corn Candles

October 15, 2015November 3, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

I was so excited when I saw some “candy corn candles” online the other day, I couldn’t wait to make them! The candles were so cute, but when I read the tutorial, I discovered that they were just white candles painted to look like candy corn! What a disappointment! I figured, “How hard could it be to actually make CANDY CORN CANDLES?” And so I did just that! I’ve made all types of candles before and each time is an experiment. They are a lot of fun to play around with! Give yourself some time and patience when you’re making candles…they are definitely worth it! These candy corn candles may be my favorite yet! They’re seasonal and adorable! My suggestion is to make a few at a time…one for you to keep and a couple to give away as gifts!

Materials needed:

large pot with 1-2 in. water inside
metal pouring-pot or large metal can
paraffin wax
crayons (yellow, orange and white)
mason jars
primed wicks
pencils
paper towels
wax paper (to protect your counter top)
wooden skewer or stick
candle thermometer

First, place your metal pouring pot (or large can) into the large pot of water. Place 2-3 blocks of paraffin wax into the pouring pot. Turn the stove on high, bringing the water to a boil, then turn it down a bit so the water doesn’t boil over.

As your wax melts, peel the paper off of two orange crayons. The easiest way to do this is to carefully slice the paper down the side with a sharp knife.

If you have a candle thermometer, continue to heat the wax until it reaches 180 degrees. Usually once all the wax is melted it is at or near 180 degrees. Now, add the two orange crayons. Using a wooden skewer or a stick, mix the color and wax together.

Carefully pour the orange wax into your three mason jars. If you have any excess wax, you can pour it into a disposable bread pan and save the wax for later. (I poured mine into a cheap coffee mug and made an additional candle in a mug!)

The next step is a little tricky, but take your time…wax doesn’t harden immediately, so relax and stay calm! Place your candle wick into the middle of the candle and wrap the extended portion around a pencil. Lay the pencil across the jar to keep the wick in place. You may have to move the pencil around a bit to get the wick right where you want it. Sometimes the wick likes to move within the first few minutes, so keep an eye on it!

Let the wax set for at least 30 min to an hour, but not much more. While you’re waiting, reheat the few drops of wax that remain in the pouring pot and, careful not to burn yourself, wipe the pot out with a paper towel.

After the wax has set, it’s time to do the exact same thing, but this time making yellow candle wax! Heat the paraffin wax in the pouring pot or large can. After it melts, throw in two yellow crayons. Mix the wax with the other end of your wooden skewer. Carefully pour the wax into your three jars. Let it set 30 min to an hour and wipe out your pouring pot.

And last, but not least…time to do the same with the white wax. If your paraffin is semi-translucent before it melts, I’d add a white crayon or two. Some paraffin wax that is designed specifically for candle-making is very white to begin with…you don’t have to add any crayons to this type.

Now, let your candles set for a few hours! Sometimes when making candles a little well develops around the wick as it sets. If this happens, melt some more white wax and carefully pour it into the well to top it off. For the first time in making candles myself, this didn’t happen with my candy corn candles! Once set, the tops were just as flat as when I poured the wax in. Trim the wicks down to about half an inch. Enjoy!!!

Some tips I learned the hard way:

You definitely need at least 2 crayons to color the wax. When the wax sets, the color will appear much lighter than it looks when poured. If the orange color appears too light for your taste, you can carefully place the jar into hot or boiling water to re-melt the wax and stir in another crayon piece. Best to avoid this step altogether though, and put enough color in at the start!
When making these layered, candy corn candles, let the wax set for an hour in-between pouring layers, but not much more! When I made these, I poured the orange and yellow wax at night and then I waited til morning to add the final, white layer. I totally forgot that the wax can shrink a bit when it completely sets, causing it to separate from the jar a little. When I went to pour the white wax onto the top, in two of my candles the white wax seeped down the edges, covering up the yellow a little bit. Oops! So let the wax set, but not for over an hour before adding the next layer!

Enjoy this adorable craft! They are just too cute!

Homemade Sugar Skulls

October 12, 2015October 12, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

Sugar Skulls aren’t a typical Halloween craft and that’s because they’re not one! Calaveras de azúcar, as they are pronounced in Spanish, are a sweet decoration originating from the Latino celebration los días de los muertos or “The Days of the Dead.” Celebrated from October 31 until November 2, many Latinos remember their loved ones who have passed by setting up altars, having late-night parades through the streets and picnics in the cemetery. It is an extremely colorful and lively time of the year, sharing memories of their antepasados. A Day of the Dead altar is not complete without sugar skulls, and what better way to show your love than making your own!

I first made SUGAR SKULLS years ago when I taught Spanish at a local elementary and middle school. My students couldn’t wait until they were in 6th grade and got to make them with me! The hardest thing to find for this craft will be the skull molds, but I have seen them at craft stores this time of year…both at Hobby Lobby and at Michael’s. Meringue powder is easy to find at craft stores as well!

Materials needed:

plastic skull molds
mixing bowl and spoon
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons meringue powder
2 teaspoons water
paper plates, silicone mats, cutting board
gel food coloring/icing
toothpicks
sequins

First, mix the dry ingredients together in the bowl. Sprinkle in the water and continue to mix until the sugar is completely moistened and becomes the consistency of wet sand.

Scoop some of the mixture into the mold and pack it evenly and firmly. Scrape off any excess.

Next, place a small silicon mat or paper plate over the mold. Carefully flip the mold over.

If you want to keep it on a paper plate, just carefully lift the mold. Otherwise, gently remove the silicon mat and lift the mold, leaving the skulls on a cutting board until they set up! Let the skulls dry and harden for 24 hours.

After the skulls have hardened completely, it’s time for the fun part…decorating! I used a plastic lid as a palate for L, and squirted a bit of every color out for her to use. Then she used toothpicks to decorate her skulls. The more colorful, the more beautiful!

Flowers play a big part in the Days of the Dead celebrations, so I was sure to add some to our skulls as well!

Now for the question you are all wondering: Can you eat the sugar skulls? Technically, yes. But even with my 6th graders, they realized that it’s basically a rock of sugar and nobody tried eating them. If you keep your skulls in a safe place, the same ones will last for years! My dad has some that I made at least 7 or 8 years ago…he pulls them out as decorations every Halloween! Check out your local library for some beautifully illustrated books on The Days of Dead!

Pumpkin Suncatchers

October 7, 2015December 3, 2015 Porter 2 Comments

How sweet are these PUMPKIN SUNCATCHERS? They brighten up our kitchen windows and, hung beside some glue ghosts, they’ve quickly become my favorite Halloween decoration in the house!

This project evolved while L and I were making it. (I love when that happens!) Originally we were just going to paint some mason jar lids, tie a ribbon on and call them “pumpkins.” Once I realized they’d be hanging in the kitchen window, I had a eureka moment…I knew that turning our pumpkins into suncatchers would be too easy and too perfect! I just love the bright and sunny colors!

Materials needed:

mason jar lids
orange acrylic paint
plastic container (berry containers work great!)
Sharpie markers
green ribbon
green pipe cleaners
scissors
hot glue gun

*Notice the plastic container, hot glue gun, and markers are not pictured here…they surprised us in becoming “needed materials” half-way through the project!

First, have your little ones paint the mason jar lids orange.

After the lids have dried, tie a ribbon in a double-knot around the lid.

Next, cut a pipe cleaner in half. Wrap it around a thin marker or pen to make a curlicue.

Gently wrap the pipe cleaner curlicue around the knot at the base of the ribbon.

Now for the suncatcher part! Cut the lid off your plastic container and remove the label if there is one.

Have your little one color the plastic lid with Sharpie markers. L did some in solely “pumpkin colors” while the others she colored freely, using every color of the rainbow. (It’s important to use permanent markers, washable will rub right off and won’t work!)

Use the center part of a jar lid to trace rounds on the colored-plastic. Cut the rounds out and make sure they fit into the pumpkin lids. You may have to trim the sides a bit and cut a piece out where the ribbon will lie.

Next, with just a few dabs of hot glue, glue the colored-plastic in place. All done!

Hang your PUMPKIN SUNCATCHERS up in a bright and sunny window where everyone can enjoy them! Adorable!!!

Pumpkin Jar Craft

October 2, 2015October 2, 2015 Porter 6 Comments

I am so excited that October is finally here and we can start doing some Halloween crafts around our house! This PUMPKIN JAR CRAFT was inspired by the Jam Jar Fairy Houses we made last Spring. It’s a very similar concept! While many people think hot glue guns are just for gluing things together, we like to use them to add texture to our crafts as well. The hot glue gives our pumpkin jars a true, warty pumpkin appearance! I love the way they look with and without jack-o-lantern faces, in the day and at night! Too cute!!!

Materials needed:

jars, various sizes
hot glue gun and glue
acrylic paint
green, glitter spray paint
battery-operated tea lights

First, decide whether or not you’d like jack-o-lantern faces on your jars. I really liked our mixed…two with, one without. If you’re putting a face on your jar, carefully do that first with the hot glue gun. One great thing about hot glue gun glue: if you make a mistake, simply let the glue cool completely, then peel it off and start again!

Next, fill in the spaces and go around the jar with long, vertical stripes of hot glue. It certainly doesn’t need to be perfect…no two pumpkins are ever alike!

After the glue has cooled completely, paint the inside of the jar yellow, where the face shines through.

Now, paint the exterior of the jar orange. We painted ours with a mix of yellow and orange to give the pumpkins varying hues. Be careful around the face!

The pumpkins without jack-o-lantern faces are perfect for your littles to paint!

As the jars dry, spray your lids with glittery, green spray paint. Do this outside or in a well-ventilated area. If you don’t have spray paint, green acrylics would work fine too!

After the lids have dried, screw them on top your jars and your pumpkin jars are complete! Now for the fun part…find a place to display your pumpkins for everyone to enjoy! At nighttime, place a battery-operated tea light inside each jar to bring your pumpkins to life!

Are they cute or what? Enjoy!!!

DIY Jacob’s Ladder Toy

September 29, 2015October 2, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

I really wanted to make L a Jacob’s Ladder Toy, but didn’t want to make a trip to the local hardware or craft store for supplies. So, we made this Jacob’s Ladder out of an old board book! (If you don’t have a board book they are easy to find at the dollar store.) I just love the outcome! This one is super-colorful compared to the wooden one I had as a kid and is just as much fun!

I loved playing with my Jacob’s Ladder when I was young…it’s such a unique toy! Flip-flopping it back and forth is very calming, but it also makes you think creatively and problem solve. I enjoyed watching L play with the one we made today…not only was she ecstatic when she finally figured out how to work a Jacob’s Ladder, but she was also folding it into shapes, pretending it was a snake, a bracelet and a funky hat.

Materials needed:

board book
3 pieces of ribbon (35 inches long each)
glue
box cutter
paper cutter (optional)
scissors

First, using a box cutter, disassemble your board book.

Next, measure the dimensions of one page and decide how best to cut it. The book I used was 7 in x 7 in. I chose to cut the pages down the middle in one direction and into thirds going the other direction. Each piece ended up being 3.5 in x 2.25 in. If you have a paper cutter on hand, it makes this step super quick and easy! I cut up 4 pages, leaving me with 24 pieces.

Once you have 24 pieces cut, sort them into “nice” and “ugly” piles, 12 cards in each pile. The “ugly” cards won’t be seen.

Next, glue each “nice” card to an “ugly” card with a thin layer of wood glue. Put some canned food on top of the cards to keep them flat and clamped down for the first few minutes, while the glue is setting. Once they are all glued, let them dry for an hour or two. You should now have 12, double-stacked cards.

Now, time to make that Jacob’s Ladder! Lay one card-stack in front of you, “nice” side down. Spread a thin layer of glue on top of the card-stack. Place the ends of all three strips of ribbon onto the card-stack. As you can see in the photos, two of the ribbons spread out into one direction and the other ribbon to the opposite direction.

Spread a dab of glue on each ribbon end and press another card-stack carefully on top, “nice” side up.

Fold all the ribbons over the top of the cards and to the opposite direction. Pulling them taut, place another card-stack on top of the ribbons, “nice” side down.

Spread a thin layer of glue on the card-stack and fold the ribbons over, keeping them pulled taut much as possible. You can press the ribbons down into the glue to hold them in place.

Spread a dab of glue on top of the ribbons, and press another card-stack on top, “nice” side up.

Folding the ribbons over again, repeat the last three steps, until you reach the last card-stack and the end of your ribbon.

Trim the ribbon, pull it taut, and glue it in between the last two card-stacks.

Place a can of food on top of the entire Jacob’s Ladder Toy and allow the glue to dry completely for an hour or two.

Now, time to play!!! If you’ve never used a Jacob’s Ladder before, you flip the top card to one side and let gravity do the rest of the work. The card’s flip-flop down, one after another, like magic in your own hands!

Enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Pancakes (GF)

September 29, 2015September 29, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

I came up with this PUMPKIN PANCAKE recipe years ago and it remains a favorite in our house! Every Fall I wait for that first cold and rainy day and we have pumpkin pancakes for dinner! Paired with some bacon and homemade, baked apples, the meal couldn’t be more cozy, more filling and it couldn’t be easier to make! L likes to eat hers with her hands…with a couple apple slices folded inside of a pancake it’s like a little taco! At times, I’ve made three or four huge pancakes, layered baked apples in-between, and served this up as a Pumpkin-Apple Cake! Such a yummy side to a fall soup or stew!

You’d never know that the pancakes are low-fat. If you want to make them completely fat-free, replace the eggs with 3 egg whites. You can’t even tell the difference! We make our pancakes with an all-purpose, Gluten-Free flour and they come out just fine. Go ahead and use whatever flour you fancy though…they’d be good with a whole wheat variety or your regular, unbleached white flour.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of ginger and/or nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup plain, fat-free yogurt
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 box raisins (2 oz.) optional
3/4 cup milk or water

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly in a large mixing-bowl w/ hands or spatula.
In a separate bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and liquid ingredients. Beat well.
Make a small well in center of dry ingredients and slowly beat in the liquid ingredients. Beat until contents are thoroughly mixed, but not too long. Add additional water to desired consistency. Stir in raisins with a spatula (optional).

Spray a large skillet lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Put over medium heat. Pan is ready when water droplets quickly sizzle and evaporate.

Serves 2-3. Yummm!!! Enjoy!!!

DIY Toy Sail Boat

September 3, 2015October 22, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

One evening this summer, while we were getting ready for bath time, L pulled a wine cork out of her pocket. She had been saving it all day to float it around and play with in the bath tub. That got me thinking…I knew with a few toothpicks and some leaves we could turn her wine cork into a little sail boat! Leaves work great for this project, because they’re naturally water-proof and easily replaceable!

Materials needed:

2 wine corks
4 toothpicks
2 leaves
old pencil
scissors

Take one of the wine corks and stick three toothpicks into it, all pointing in the same direction in a line.

Next, push the second wine cork into the opposite ends of the toothpicks.

Stick one more toothpick vertically into the middle of one of the corks.

Find a medium-sized leaf and weave it through the bottom toothpicks. We used a balloon flower leaf. This step isn’t necessary, but it makes a nice lil bed for anything you may want to sail on top…a bug, a rock, a fairy friend.

Next, find a slightly larger leaf and thread it onto the vertical toothpick, making a sail. We found the hosta leaves to work best for this, though any thick and sturdy leaf will do!

To make the sail boat safer for little hands, twist an eraser off the top of an old pencil. Cut it in half with scissors and push it onto the top of the sail.

Now, time to play! L had hours of fun blowing her boats around our rain barrel!

The boats may not seem like much, but ours withstood some submarine plunges under the water and lasted through two nights of bath time play! Tomorrow, we’ll replace the leaves and keep sailing!

Enjoy!!!

Coffee Can Stilts

August 27, 2015October 22, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

A few weeks ago a family friend called me up to ask if I had a use for a bunch of old coffee cans. While I was a little afraid to tell my husband that I had said “yes” to accepting such a large bag of junk, taking up more room in our house, I was over-the-moon excited to be acquiring these cans! I knew just what we’d use them for…COFFEE CAN STILTS!!! These are so quick and easy to make and are so much fun for the kids! Walking on stilts is all L wants to do these days!!! “I can almost touch the sky from up here, Mom!”

Materials needed:

2 coffee cans
church key can opener
rope
scissors
paint (optional)
acrylic sealant (optional)

First, if you want your stilts to be colorful, have your little ones paint the cans with acrylic paints. After the paint has dried, spray on a coat of acrylic sealant to give the cans a glossy finish.

Next, using a church key can opener, make two holes on the bottoms of the cans. The holes should be opposite each other. Try to bend the metal all the way back inside the can, so no sharp points protrude out. (Your kids shouldn’t have their hands inside the cans at anytime, but you never know when the curious ones may take off the lid while playing and reach inside…so, better safe than sorry!)

Cut two pieces of rope. To find the correct length, have your kid stand on the rope, holding both ends in his or her hands pulled up to chest-level. This is a good place to cut it. After the stilts are assembled, the rope handles should reach your child’s waist.

Thread the rope into the holes of the can from the outside. Once both ends are pulled through, tie a knot in each end. Repeat on the second can.

Place the lids back onto the cans and flip them over. Having the lids isn’t a necessity, but it may save your floors from being scratched up while your children walk around inside. Now, time to play!!!

As your little ones practice, they’ll get better and better at walking on their stilts and they’ll be oh-so-proud!!! Future circus performers, anyone?

Talk about good hand-eye-FOOT coordination! Enjoy!!!

White Picket Fairy Fence

August 18, 2015September 24, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

Well, I couldn’t show you how to make a Craft Stick Fairy Door without telling you how to make a WHITE PICKET FAIRY FENCE to go with it! The fence is simple to make and looks adorable out in the fairy garden!

Materials needed:

small craft sticks
regular-sized craft sticks
wood glue
Q-tips
white acrylic paint
acrylic sealant

First, lay out your sticks…4 small craft sticks in the middle with 2 regular-sized ones on the ends. If you don’t have small craft sticks, just cut some regular-sized one’s in half. The two craft sticks on the ends are left long, so that you can easily stick them into the ground, keeping the fence upright!

Next, think about where two craft sticks that will lie across the other ones will be and use a Q-tip to put wood glue in those spots across each stick. Lay the craft sticks on top of the glue and press to secure.

After the glue has dried, paint the picket fairy fence white.

Finish up with a coat of acrylic sealant spray.

Now for the fun part…while sneaking a fairy door into your neighbor’s garden, add a little white picket fairy fence as well! Gently push the ends of the fence into the soil. Enjoy!!!

Craft Stick Fairy Doors

August 16, 2015September 28, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

It’s no secret that we LOVE making fairy/gnome things at Our Beautifully Messy House…fairy houses, fairy furniture, fairy doors, gnome doors, flower fairies, fairy folk…need I go on? We just can’t help it! What I love the most about making fairy doors and gnome doors is surprising people with them! L and I made an abundance of CRAFT STICK FAIRY DOORS this week as we prepare to spread them around the neighborhood. Of course we enjoy surprising our friends and close neighbors, but what I really love is putting them on strangers’ front porches and sneaking them into their gardens! We rarely get to see people discover the fairy and gnome doors, but the surprise, the magic in it all makes L and I giggle for days! We’ve had a great time making these craft stick fairy doors…aren’t they the cutest!?!

Materials needed:

crafts sticks (big, small, colored, any or all)
wood glue
Q-tips
buttons

Optional materials:

acrylic paint
sealant spray
wire & nails

First, lay out your craft sticks in a door shape. If you have colored sticks, your kids will enjoy playing with patterns!

Using a Q-tip, put wood glue onto a small craft stick and carefully lay it across your door. If you don’t have small craft sticks, you can always cut a normal-sized one in half! It’s best to put at least 2 sticks across, but you can play with the angles and directions that you put them. Remember, fairy doors don’t have to be perfect!

If you don’t plan to paint your door, you can glue a button-handle on now too!

After the glue has dried a good bit, flip your doors over and smear wood glue all across the back for extra support. Let them dry for a few hours or overnight.

Next, if your craft sticks are plain and you want to, paint the doors. We especially like to add glitter paint to ours…helps the fairies and gnomes find the doors of course.

After the paint has dried, glue on button-handles if you have not done so yet. We like to spray our doors with some acrylic sealant as well…makes the wood a little more durable outdoors and gives them a more finished look.