Thrifty Summer Crafts & Easy Recipes

Summer time crafts offer some much needed creative outlet time for both the kids and us mums! Here are a few thrifty crafts we will be tackling this weekend; pictures of our success (or attempts)to follow Sunday!

Easy & inexpensive Garden Stepping Stones:

Items Needed:
Quick setting concrete
Plastic molds (we use plastic plant dishes)
protective wear
Newspaper or tarp
5 gallon bucket or other mixing container
Old Serving spoon
Old Measuring Cup
Old Screen or hardware cloth (reinforces stone)
Concrete dye (if you desire)
Any decorations you would like to embellish the stone with; small mosaic tiles, pebbles, stones, popsicle stick to write words on stone, cookie cutters or other items to make impressions, etc.
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Step 1: Protect your work surface by laying out newspaper or putting a tarp down, mixing concrete is messy no matter the amount, I recommend doing it outside if weather permits!

Step 2: Mix the concrete; I purchased a bag of Quikrete Concrete because it is cheap and easy to work with.  You can purchase mixes from hobby stores but they cost $5 - $10 and only allow enough mix for 1-2 stones.  Mix according to the manufacturer's instructions found on the bag.

Step 3: After you have completed the mix, begin spooning it in to the plastic mold, filling it only half way. Smooth out surface and place the cut out screen/hardware cloth, and continue filling mold until full. A minimum 2" thickness will ensure a strong stone.

Step 4: Gently tap sides to release any air bubbles, leaving it to set for 30-60 minutes before adding embellishments.

Step 5: Decorate away! Handprints are always a fun way to leave your mark, but think outside the box. Also, this is the time to paint if you have chosen to do so, make sure to use an acrylic sealant to protect your creation! Below is an example of free templates you can find online to help give you a guide for nifty designs. And get creative with your molds- just remember concrete can be a little tricky to expel from certain types of molds and always look for discounted molds whenever you venture into the craft store.

Who Made the Bubbles?!
The Best Homemade Bubble Recipe:

Items needed:
1 cup of water
2 tablespoons light karyo syrup or glycerin
4 tablespoons dish liquid

Mix items and PRESTO! You just bubbles :)

Now you need something creative to blow them bubbles right? Try these bubble wand ideas:

1. Wire hangers - they can easily be bent into all sorts of shapes and last forever.
2. Pipe cleaners - again, bendable and the kids won't need your help making their own shapes.
3. Old kitchen utensils like whisk, slotted spoons, strainers.
4. Fly swatters! My favorite home made bubble wand!
5. Ask the kiddos to create some of their own ideas for wands, give them a box with items you ok, like drinking straws, paper cups they can poke holes in, old tennis rackets, strings, and see what they come up with! My son once used an old set of keys to blow bubbles through!

Cool Summer Recipes - Quick, Easy, & Refreshing

Rainbow Salad:
Ingredients:
4 cups romaine lettuce
2 medium yellow peppers, sliced & cut into strips
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large cucumber, peeled & diced
1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Layer all ingredients in a clear glass bowl, serve with favorite dressing. 

Fruitty Bowl of Goodness:
Ingredients:
2 cups watermelon chunks
2 cups cantaloupe chunks
2 kiwi, peeled & sliced thinly
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1/2 blueberries
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 granola

Toss fruit together and cool for 30 minutes. Mix yogurt and granola together for topping.

Turkey Bacon Wraps:
Ingredients:
2 slices lean turkey bacon
1/2 cup lettuce
1/3 cup diced tomatoes
1 whole grain tortilla

Cook bacon, warm tortilla in oven @ 250 degrees for five minutes, place lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon strips in tortilla and roll.

Deals of the Day:

Freebies:
check out www.8coupons.com/stlouis great deals on freebies in St. Louis and coupons

http://www.stlouis.zip2save.com/  another awesome site to find local deals and freebies

Sales:

$4 tanks and tees @ Old Navy

Zhu Zhu pets 5 for $10 @ CVS

Local Events:

Shakespeare Family Festival June 25th
location: Millennium Park in Creve Coeur
time: 9am - 1pm & 4pm - 8pm
description: Children's craft area, dancers, music, character meet and greet, Shakespearean Performances
http://www.dayspringarts.org/

Fiesta in Florrisant June 25th
time: 10am-10pm
location: Knights of Columbus Park
description: children's pavilion, dance contest, latin foods, motorcycle bike showing
cost: FREE admission
website: http://www.hispanicfestivalstl.com/

Family Program: Bravo!Bravo! June 26th
St Louis Art Museum
time: 1pm-4pm
cost: FREE
description: Every Sunday afternoon, hands on art activities and lively guided 30 minute gallery tours
website: http://www.slam.org/

Sweepstakes & contest:

"40 Prizes for 40 Years"
Six Flags St Louis
website: http://www.sixflags.com/stlouis/footernav/40Years.aspx

Also check the St. Louis Writers Guild for upcoming poetry contest (We just missed a recent deadline)
website: http://www.stlwritersguild.org/