Friday, September 21, 2012

Homemade Halloween Costumes for Kids

When my kids were younger, there were time we had to make their costumes.  Now, we all know about turning a sheet into a "ghost".  How boring and original. Whether you're aiming to be scary, funny or ironic, these creative  Halloween costumes will give you inspiration.



                     Meatballs and Spaghetti
  1. Cut a hole for the head in the center of a red-checkered tablecloth (or 1.25 yards of 45-inch-wide red-checkered fabric) so that it can be worn like a poncho.
  2. Cut 1/2 skein off-white yarn into spaghetti-length pieces. With a hot-glue gun, glue them in swirls and bunches to a large, sturdy paper plate.
  3. Paint 8 small Styrofoam balls with brown acrylic paint to resemble meatballs. Let dry, then glue 4 or 5 balls to top of spaghetti. Mix brown and red acrylic paint to make a tomato-sauce color; drip that over meatballs and spaghetti. Smear a little on the side of a small pot.
  4. Glue the plate to the front of the tablecloth.
  5. Glue remaining meatballs to tablecloth where you like.
  6. Glue some strands of yarn to pot "hat." Tie under chin if needed to keep pot on head. 

.Homemade Halloween Costumes for Kids - Easy Homemade Halloween Costumes - Parenting.com





Outhouse Costume

Materials Needed

Cardboard
Cotton twine
Box tape
Bungee straps/cords
Pantyhose
House shoes
Long johns

Instructions

Cut box to size, add roof by lacing cotton twine through it. Add a box to hide your legs, attach the same way as the roof. Fill pantyhose with whatever you like (make sure it's light colored). Pin shoes on, then add bungee straps to secure box on your back.

Tips and Tricks

  • Make handles out of cotton twine and putting a sponge on them. Add a touch light and a tree air freshener for laughs
 
 
 
 
Popcorn Box Costume
 
Materials:
  • Cardboard box
  • Paint, red and white
  • Balloons, yellow and white
  • White tee shirt
  • White sweatpants
  • Scissors
  • Glue






Instructions:
Take the cardboard box and cut off the top were you want your head to be; on the bottom, cut holes for your legs but not to big because we are goin to put the balloons in the box. Cut holes for you arms too ( on the side). After you have got the box ready for you to get in, paint the box red and white stripes. Then make a sign that says popcorn, and glue the sign to the box. Blow up the balloons and set them aside.
Put on your white tee shirt, and your white sweatpants, and step into your popcorn box, have someone fill the box with the balloons so they look like popcorn, and go trick-or-treating. This is a great idea that can be from the ages 10-12.
Suggestions by Michelle Scott: Make stripes on the box using red and white duck tape. Use a piece of blue poster board to make a Popcorn sign. Glue piece of popcorn to a white hat and also around the top of the box.
 
 
 
Lego Costume
 
STEP 1: Cut off the bottom flaps of a box (ours measured 16"W × 29"H × 11"D) with a utility knife. Tape down the top flaps.



STEP 2: To create head and arm holes, trace a dinner plate on the top of the box and saucers on each of the box's sides, and cut out with the utility knife.



STEP 3: Lay the box flat on its back. Using wood glue, affix eight round 2"H x 4"diam. craft boxes ($1.19 each; bjcraftsupplies.com) — without their lids — in two vertical rows along the front, as shown. Make sure the bottoms of the craft boxes face out.



STEP 4: Once the glue has dried, spray-paint the entire piece glossy red. If necessary, coat multiple times for a brighter color, then let dry.
 
 
 

Easy Homemade Flyswatter Costume

 
 

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Use Baking Soda For Health

 
 
 
 
In Medical Terms
baking soda bak·ing soda (bā'kĭng) n.
A white crystalline compound, used as a gastric and systemic antacid, to alkalize urine, and for washes of body cavities. Also called sodium bicarbonate
.
 
 
 
1.  Use it as an antacid.
2.  Add a cup to bathwater to soften your skin.
3.  Remove strong odors from your hands by rubbing them with baking soda and water.
4. Apply it on rashes, insect bites, and  poison ivy irritations: use  3 parts baking soda and 1 part water. Do not use on broken skin.
5. For Heartburn, take a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with one-half glass of water.
6.   For sunburns, saturate a washcloth with a solution of 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart water. Apply to affected area.
7.  Clean fingernails and toenails by scrubbing them with a nailbrush dipped in baking soda. This also softens cuticles.
 
Watch for more baking soda tips in upcoming posts.
 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Sedum


Photo by ALew Photography. Used with permission. 
 
 
Sedum
The succulent foliage of many types of sedum is topped by starry flowers in late summer and fall. Low-growing types are perfect for rock gardens, while taller varieties thrive in perennial borders.
Another common name is stonecrop.

About This Plant

There are numerous types of sedum, all of which have fleshy, succulent leaves. Low-growing varieties hug the ground and may reach just 2 inches in height, while tall varieties top out at 2 feet or more. Use the low-growing types as ground covers and in rock gardens; tall varieties command attention in the perennial border with their dense foliage and large flower heads. Flower colors include red, pink, gold, yellow, and white, and plants bloom in summer to fall, depending on the species. Well-drained soil is essential to ward off fungal diseases, especially during wet summers.

Special Features

Easy care/low maintenance
Good for cut flowers
Attracts butterflies
Unusual foliage
Tolerates dry soil

Site Selection

Select a site with full sun to light shade and very well-drained soil.

Planting Instructions

Plant in spring, spacing plants 6 inches to 2 feet apart, depending on the variety. Prepare the garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot the plant is in. Carefully remove the plant from its container and place it in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Carefully fill in around the root ball and firm the soil gently. Water thoroughly.

Care

Apply a thin layer of compost each spring, followed by a 2-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture and control weeds. Water plants during the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week. After the first killing frost, cut stems back to an inch or two above soil line. Divide plants every 3 to 4 years as new growth begins in the spring, lifting plants and dividing them into clumps.