Category Archives: Crafts

Make These Captain Underpants Sock Puppets

Do you have kids in your house that love the Epic Tales of Captain Underpants books? I sure do! That is why I am so excited to let you know that tomorrow, July 13th, DreamWorks The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants premiers on Netflix!

DreamWorks generously sent us a package filled with goodies to celebrate this great premier. In our package we had some craft supplies to create 2 sock puppets of the best friends Harold Hutchins and George Beard from Captain Underpants.

If you would like to make these sock puppets you will need:

  • 1 Tan Sock
  • 1 Brown Sock
  • 1 Green/Blue Stripe Leg/Arm Warmer
  • 1 White Leg/Arm Warmer
  • 4″ by 6″ Piece of Red Craft Felt
  • 4″ by 6″ Piece of Black Craft Felt
  • 4 Black Buttons
  • 4′ of Yellow Blanket Yarn
  • 4′ of Black Blanket Yarn
  • Glue Gun
  • Glue Sticks
  • Scissors

Check out our step-by-step video tutorial below:

You can adapt the above tutorial to make all kinds of sock puppets using whatever kind of socks and yarn you have in your house. It is a great way to entertain the kids on a rainy day. If you don’t have leg warmers, you can make some by cutting off the foot of a sock.

In our goodie bag my boys were thrilled to find theĀ The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants Wedgie Power Handbook.

Let me know what you think and remember this new series is a great way to get your kids reading the Captain Underpants Books. Are you planning on watching The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants when it premieres on Netflix July 13th?

This post is sponsored by DreamWorks Animation.


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Filed under Books, Crafts, Creative Activities, Entertainment, kids

Easy DIY Birthday Shirt – Video Tutorial

I know that I have shared a DIY Birthday Shirt with you before in a blog post. This time, I decided to do a video tutorial. I hope you see how easy this is, even if you are brand new to sewing. This shirt is great for kid’s birthdays or as a photo prop. You can even make them as gag gifts for adults. You can make the shirt for under $5!

Beyond the birthday theme, you can applique them with letters, symbols, animals objects and more. Watch the video below to get all the details.

Let me know what you think, and if you try this, I would love to hear about your results.


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The Smart Way To Cart Your Stuff Around #Giveaway

If you are a parent, crafter, teacher, in direct sales or more, you will love the Smart Cart by DBest Products. It is the easier and less awkward way to transport your stuff. Easily haul and store your craft supplies, instructional books, presentation items and so much more.

The Smart Cart is an easy to operate, convenient, collapsible rolling cart with telescoping handle. The smooth gliding wheels lets you maneuver the cart easily, even in tight spaces. The cart is lightweight and can carry up to 110 lbs. It folds compactly for easy storage. The patented, ergonomically designed handle has a non-slip rubber grip.

Made of durable, flexible waterproof material, the smart cart is ideal to haul important files or electronics. Available in 3 colors (red,black and blue) the smart cart is perfect to bring with you to the grocery store and to use to cart bags from your car to the house. The handy front pocket lets you store items you want to have easy access to.Ā 

I am loving these carts, they are ideal for so many things. Love to store my craft supplies in them because I can just roll the cart out to where I am working. When I am finished I just put everything inside and roll the cart right into the closet.

The carts are very handy when traveling, because I can load quite a few items inside, like my kids tablets, stuffed animals, books and toys and they can roll it in and out of the hotel or anywhere else we are staying. It also gives them a place to keep all their stuff while we are away from home, so less chance of them leaving somethingĀ  behind when we leave.

Cart Dimensions:

L 11″ x W 13″ x H 17″

Handle extends to 41″

The smart cart makes a perfect gift and that is why we have added the Smart Cart to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.Ā 

Giveaway: 2 Winners!!!

DB Products Smart Cart Giveaway (2 Winners) on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Crafts, Gift, Giveaway, hobby, Holiday Gift Guide, Review, Shopping, Travel

Try Upcycling Instead of Buying New

Upcycling is really trending now, having gained momentum over the last few years with no signs of slowing down. Upcycling is when you reuse materials to create something new. It can be as simple as giving an old piece of furniture a fresh coat of paint and a new purpose, or as crafty as creating something from what some think is junk. Upcycling is a great way to add new pieces and elements to your home for much less than buying new.

1| Jars

Old pickle and jelly jars can be reused as storage pots for makeup brushes, craft materials, and so many other things. Clean them out, and use glass paint to give it a new chic look, paint the lid to compliment them and place them around the house.

2| Cans

By drilling holes around a tin can and painting it, you can create a candle holder that shines dots of lights all over the place. Alternatively, you can attach cord through two holes and create rustic planters.

3| Bed Frame

Normally itā€™s the slats that give out on the bed before the rest of the frame. Use it again by cutting the end in half and fixing them to the headboard as armrests, and using the sides as the seat of your new bench. You can paint it with bright colors to really lighten up your garden.

4| Pallets

Pallets are the miracle material; they are made and discarded everywhere. You can often get this discarded wood for free of minimal money from a local delivery yard. You can make shelving, benches, a garden sofa, or even tables from these things. If youā€™re making a big piece of furniture, then use something like a guide to choosing a functional dining table set to help with dimensions and styles.

5| Tires

People often replace their tires twice a year – for winter and summer. But what do you do with your old tires? Why not take them home and turn them into garden furniture. Create a lid/seat and base out of plywood. Attach the base but use seating foam and fabric to cover the loose lid. If you like the look of the tire then just paint it, or you can use rope to disguise it.

6| End Table

An old or extra end table can easily be made into an ottoman. Use a thick piece of furniture foam and upholstery fabric on the top of the table. If you need to, cut down the legs to the right height and paint it.

7| Doorknobs

Interesting and fun doorknobs donā€™t have to be thrown out when the door is. Use them on other upcycled furniture, on the top of boxes and even as coat hooks.

8| Tiles

Chipped or odd tiles are usually thrown out by hardware stores and decorators. There are three great ways to upcycleĀ tiles; the first is to polish them up and use them as drink coasters. The second is to tile the top of a table with them, and the third, is to useĀ them to create aĀ  garden path.

This is a sponsored guest post that may or may not reflect the ideals or views of Mommy Ramblings.

 


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Filed under Crafts, DIY, Home & Garden, sponsored guest post

Candy Corn Painted Rocks-DIY Craft Tutorial

It seems that rock paintingĀ is all the rage now. I certainly was ahead of my time and ahead of this craze. I love painting rocks, river rocks are my favorite. Gathering them is a fun family adventure we all look forward to.

Sometimes I know exactly what size and shape rocks I want. This is due to the fact, that I have a specific project in mind. Other times, I try to find rocks that inspire me.Ā  You might not think rocks can inspire people, but they can!Ā  I see them as a blank canvas and they speak to me…well, some of them do.

A few rocks I made for my daughter.

I canĀ  clearly visualize the masterpiece they can become. Sometimes it is a fish, ladybug or owl, and other times it is a heart. One of my favorite projects was making rock candy corn.

The one that started it.

It was so much fun to find the shapes I needed. Since I wanted to make a candy corn family that represented ours, when I found the especially tall and thin triangular river rock, I literally squealed with delight. That rock clearly represented my son Michael, it was so easy to see. I asked my youngest sons, who were gathering rocks with me, and they wholeheartedly agreed. It was definitely Michael, no doubt about it.

A Trip to find triangular rocks.

All you need is some acrylic craft paint, paint brushes, paint markers for detail painting and ModPodge sealer. If you want you can paint your rocks white on both sides first. It will take at least 2 coats of paint to get nice coverage.

When the tri color rocks are dry, you can then add personality with the paint markers.

He reminds me of Bozo!

Use ModPodge to seal and protect your creations.

This guy makes me laugh!

Please let me know if you try this project, I would love to hear about your results.

Ā They needed personality, so I gave them some!!!

 


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Filed under Crafts, DIY, Halloween, Tutorial

Encourage Creativity in Your Kids with Colortime Crafts & Markers

Encouraging creativity in your kids is a wonderful thing. Giving kids the freedom to express themselves by creating one-of-a kind masterpieces, is the perfect way to start.

Colortime Crafts and Markers has a wide selection of coloring pillowcases, t-shirts, backpacks, permanent fabric markers and more. They even have brand new glow-in-the-dark products too! Their products are perfect for birthday parties and sleepovers. Not only are they a fun craft activity for your next party, they double asĀ a unique keepsake, party favor.

Special Discount CodeĀ 

Mommy Ramblings’ readers get a 15% discount on any order at Colortime Crafts and Markers when they use Promo Code FGH15 at checkout.

 

Click HERE for the latest online special offers and promo codes for Colortime Crafts and Markers. Let me know if this is something you would like to do with your kids or use at their next party. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

 


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Filed under Crafts, Discount Code, Parties, Review, USFG

Discover Bic Gel-ocity Gel Pens- Dry 3X Faster -#BicGelocity

If you have been bitten by the adult coloring book bug or love making colorful creations, chances are you will love the Bic Gel-ocity gel pens.

 

Bic Gel-ocity Pens come in vibrant colors and dry 3 times faster than other gel pens which means less chance of smudges. Perfect for kids and adults these gel pens write smoothly and produce stunning results.Ā I tried them out recently and was very impressed. My kids loved them too. I cannot wait to use them with my adult coloring books while on vacation. See my video review of the pens below.

Bic Gel-ocity Gel Pens come in an array of colors and pack sizes. Have you tried them?

 

IĀ receivedĀ this product for free from Smiley360 in order to facilitate my post. As always my words and views are 100% my own.Ā 


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Filed under Crafts, Review, Smiley360

Get The Perfect Gifts For Your Little Princess This Easter

Easter is coming soon! You might not believe it, if you were slammed with the Blizzard like we were in the northeast but, it really is! If you are looking for quality, affordable gifts for girls ages 2 to 12, SmitCo LLC has a nice selection ofĀ diaries with lock and keys in Emoji and Diva themes, as well as several different nail art sets to provide hours of fun.

One of their new products, a Mermaid themed scrapbook kit is making a big splash! They also have 3 unique princess dress up sets that are very popular.

SmitCo products also include rose gold, gold or rhodium plated jewelry and sets, as well as very popular stretch sets for little girls – all packed in cute gift boxes.

Browse all their great products HERE! I am sure you will find some great gifts to put in your little girl’sĀ Easter basket to make her feel like a princess.

Mommy Ramblings’ readers can takeĀ 20% Off Their Entire Cart Of Gifts when they use coupon code N3CQD6AE atĀ checkout. Check them out and let me know what you think.

 


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Filed under Crafts, Gifts, kids, USFG

Send Joy With These Free Printable Holiday Cards!

When you’ve been around for more than 40 years, Cricket Media has some best-loved annual traditions.  And a long-time favorite of Cricket fans has been FREE printable cards for the holidays!
For the 2016 holiday season, Cricket Media has selected 10 of their favorite holiday illustrations and created beautiful cards for you to share and send to loved ones.
 
To print them out, visit FREE HOLIDAY CARDS and 
follow the instructions.  
And, by all means, please share them with your friends and family!
It’s not too late to give the gift of reading this holiday season with a subscription to one of Cricket Media’s award-winning parenting magazines.  To truly embody the spirit of the season, you may want to explore Cricket’s “Double the Giving” Campaign.

Any gift-giver purchasing an annual print subscription to one of four different Cricket publications will also deliver the gift of reading to a child in an underserved community through two award-winning, charitable partners: Libraries Without Borders and Parent-Child Home Program, both 2016 Library of Congress Literacy Award Winners.  Each subscription bundle to BABYBUG (ages 6 mos.-3), LADYBUG (ages 3-6), SPIDER (ages 6-9) or CRICKET (ages 9-14) is priced at $29.95 (regularly $33.95), and is guaranteed to spark a life-long love of reading!
Best wishes for a warm, wonderful holiday season!

 


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Filed under Crafts, Creative Activities, Holiday

Stinky & Dirty Can Help Teach Kids Problem Solving Skills! #StinkyAndDirty

This post has been sponsored by Amazon Studios.

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I don’t know if you have any little boys in your house but my little guys love trucks, playing outside and best of all getting dirty. Playing with their trucks in the sand, dirt or best of all mud is just the greatest thing. What’s a mom to do besides directing them to the shower and remembering that someone said dirt is good for them? Did someone say dirt is good for them? I hope so because I could swear I heard that and that is what I am going to continue thinking.

You can imagine their delight when they watched the new Amazon Original Series, The Stinky & Dirty Show. Stinky is a garbage truck and well, the name certainly fits. Dirty is a backhoe loader that is constantly working with dirt and so his name fits equally well. The two are the best of friends and this strange duo are even what you might call heroes. They are quite creative and love challenges. They constantly ask themselves “What If” when trying to tackle issues or when obstacles are in their way. The series is based on the books byĀ Jim and Kate McMullan and was written and developed by Guy Toube. You can stream the episodes free on Amazon if you have Prime. If you don’t you can still watch 1 episode for free.

stinky & Dirty Show

My kids loved the series from the get go and I enjoyed it as well because it teaches kids good problem solving skills. Problem solving skills areĀ something everyone needs because things rarely go as planned and obstacles, challenges and road blocks are something we all face. In order to achieve our goals we must find ways to tackle those obstacles, overcome the challenges and remove the road blocks. Stinky & Dirty show kids that when things get tough the tough find solutions.

Kids can get frustrated when something does not go as they hoped. This series can help them see they need to think and talk about other ways to figure out the solution. They will learn the importance of negotiation and brainstorming with others. In the end they will see that when they keep going instead of giving up, they can reach their goals. Ā As a mom, I feelĀ this is such an important life lesson. I come across many adults who do not have problem solving skills. If a hurdle comes across their path, they fall instead of learning what they need to do to jump that hurdle. The earlier kids are introduced and learn problem solving skills, the better off they will be.

In the Jump at the DumpĀ episode Stinky & DirtyĀ face many challenges creating a stunt course for Jumpy the stunt cycle who needs a new venue to perform her show. They have to figure out how to make mud that has just the right amount of “sploosh” for Jumpy. Their first challenge is to find a way to direct the water from a spigotĀ to the dirt. When their first idea does not work, they come up with another and when that does not work, they brainstorm another way until they find the perfect solution. The way Jumpy and Stinky talk to each other and ask each other “What If” helps them find the solutions they need to complete their tasks.

stinky and dirty collage resize

In an episode titled Ā The Art of Trash, Stinky & Dirty clean up a vacant lot full of trash to make a park, but when they can’t remove some large items, they turn the items into a trash sculpture instead! This is similar to turning trash into treasure or finding ways to recycle and re-purpose things that might normally end up in a landfill. My kids and I just made some Frankenstein Monsters for Halloween decorating using some old scrap cut off boards that were in our basement.

With some green craft paint, we painted the boards and then added some foam embellishments to create hair, eyebrows andĀ a tooth. We used a permanent black marker to draw the mouth and a paint marker for the nose. Then to really make it authentic we screwed two bolts into either side.

dirty and stinky

You can have a lot of fun with this and there are other monsters and Halloween critters you can create in this fashion. You can create a mummy if you wrap the board in gauze and add two googly eyes. Make a Jack O’ Lantern by painting the wood orange and using black paint or foam to create eyes andĀ aĀ mouth, add a green bow or greenĀ block to the top to serve as the stem.

Whatever you make, your kids will have a great time and learn all about re-purposing and recycling,Ā another great life skill that will improve their world. Let me know if you have watched The Stinky & Dirty Show and what you think. I would love to see your thoughts in the comments.

 


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Filed under Crafts, Creative Activities, Entertainment, kids, Review, Tutorial