St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt

I hope you all enjoyed being Irish this past weekend. I did a little something special for my cousin to celebrate - a Shamrock Scavenger Hunt. With simple craft store items, and a little creativity you can do this same scavenger hunt next year. Here's the collage she made, and how you can make your own hunt:

Materials:

(5) Glittered foam shamrocks

(1) Ceramic flower pot

     Gold ribbon

     Card stock

     Double sided tape

     Chalkboard paint

     Gold wrapped candy

     Green tissue paper

Tools:

     Hole Punch

     Printer

Step 1

Print out the clues on card stock, you create your own or use my clues below.

Fold a piece of card stock into an envelope.

Step 2

Cut out the clues in strips, and hole punch the ones that will be paired with a "Shamrock". 

Then, with double sided tape, stick the "Envelope" riddle to the front of your envelope.

Step 3

Tie the clues to the shamrocks with your gold ribbon. Then, place "Shamrock 1" into your envelope.

Step 4 (optional)

If you choose to make a pot of gold, it's a fun and functional to paint a ceramic pot with chalkboard paint. Once it's dry, line to pot with green tissue paper and fill with golden goodies.

Step 5
Now, with double sided tape, stick shamrock clues 2-4 in their hiding places while the hunter sleeps. I've noted recommended hiding place next to each clue below. Then, tie the final shamrock clue to your pot of gold.

Enjoy!

Clues

Envelope (Door Way)

In the night while you did sleep, leprechauns crept not a peep, and hid a hunt made just for you. 

With glittering shamrocks to show thine clue to blarney treasure - just for you.

Shamrock 1

Leprechauns are little sprites, sneaky blighters with a bite.

You'll find your next clue on something white.

Shamrock 2 (Refrigerator)

Do not mistake them with elfish elves, who hide on cookied pantry shelves,

But take a look inside your shoe and it will tell you your next clue.

Shamrock 3 (Boot)

Leprechauns are captured only by sight, they're sly and swift - in this they take delight.

Hiding behind a picture of you will find a shamrock clue.

Shamrock 4  (Behind a Hanging Picture)

This shamrock race is nearly nigh. You'll glimpse the treasure with your eye.

Just take a peek inside a vase whose flowers are now out of place.

Shamrock 5

The leprechauns like to see you play, they are delighted you found your way.

Through this gaming way they say have a Happy St.Patrick's Day!

DIY Easter Tea Light Candle Holder

Trolling My Pintrest has done wonders for my crafting. I mostly use it for inspiration and to kick start my inner crafter when she's feeling sluggish. And, this Easter Tea Light Holder is no different. It was inspired by this image I saw posted via the Spirello Blog. I reinvented the craft to be made with plain sewing string, tacky glue, and a small balloon. Here's how...

Click for Larger Image

ONE After you've gathered your materials, tie the spool of string to the end of the balloon.

TWO Then put some tacky glue on the end of your pointer finger, and run the string between your pointer finger and thumb in order to coat it with glue as you wrap the string around the balloon. (I find there is less clean up, when I do it this way)

THREE Let the string dry for a few hours, or over night, then pop the balloon. (The string will probably collapse in on the balloon, but don't be alarmed - it is normal.)

FOUR The holder is very durable, so don't worry about ruffing it up a bit as you peel away the balloon. Just be sure to detach the string that you tied to it in the beginning.

FIVE At this point, the holder is flexible and the bottom can be pressed down as the base and any excess strand of string should be trimmed off.

As you can see in the top picture, I put tea light candles in the holders, but depending on the size of your holder a verity of candles can be use.

I also tested out the flammability of the holders. As with all candles, I do not recommend leaving them unattended, but the candle itself should not effect the holder even when it has burned for hours at a time. If the holder does catch fire it wont have a chemical reaction with the glue, which was something I was concerned about. Click here for more candle safety tips.

St. Patricks Day Flower Pens

Almost everyone has artificial flowers around their house that have gone astray. This St. Patrick's Day, put them to use by making these fun flower pens. Here's what you'll need to make your own:

 - Artificial Flowers
 - Floral Tape
 - Wire Cutters
 - Any Color Pens

Extend the flower across the length of the pen. Make sure the bottom of the pen is touching the lower petals of the flower. Then trim it to be about 1cm shorter than the length of the pen.

Secure the flower onto the pen by wrapping them together with floral tape. Be sure that the sticky side of the floral tape is face down. Wrap it tightly around 2 to 3 times, be sure that they will not come apart.

Then, starting about 1 cm above the tip of the pen, wrap the floral tape around at a slight angle. At this angle, you will be able to continue up the pen until you reach the top. At this point, you can cut the floral tape and wrap any excess around the pen.

Now, you can write with your new creation, or put your flower pens into a vase to place on your desk for a pop of festive color.

New Item: Amethyst Lariat

The word lariat is a derivation of the word lasso; in this style of necklace one beads a long strand, with a large bead and loop at either end of the strand. It can be worn looped through the front, clasped from the back, or wrapped around the wrist. The diversity of this piece is what makes it one of my favorites.
Click here to see it at my shop

Homemade Honey Mustard Dip

I've started to notice, how the pleasantries of my grandfather's generation have transformed since his time: writing letters to far away friends, welcoming new neighbors in with a plate of cookies, even sitting around sharing printed photographs - technology has certainly changed the way we live. With each new discovery there is opportunity to make the next generation grow. In this way, it's so important to remember those traditions and reconnect with the nostalgia of their time. My 87 year old neighbor shared this tasty honey mustard recipe with me, after she sent some over as a holiday gift. And since it's so quick and easy to make, I think I'll pass it along to you. No matter how times change, we'll always find ways to come together to exchange and share our lives. I hope you can enjoy this little bit I've here to share with you!

Ingredients

1 Tsp. Cold Water

1 1/2 Tbsp. Sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. Vinegar

4 Tbsp. Ground (Dry) Mustard

1 Cup Mayonnaise

1 1/2 Tbsp. Honey

Mix the first four ingredients. 

Then, blend with mayonnaise. 

Then add honey (more can be added to taste).

Last Minute Valentine's Day Ideas

#1 Decorated with Paper Lanterns

This craft comes straight from Make Me Grow a blog all about handmade crafts. This is my attempt at her decorated paper lantern, originally a summer craft; I transformed it for Valentine's Day. It took me about an hour and a 1/4 a glue stick to finish one lantern. If you're looking to get decorative on a budget this is the way to go; I bought the lantern at the dollar store and used tissue paper left over from the holidays. 

Here are my results:

 

#2 Last Minute Valentines

Some of you may be rushing out to buy a last minute Valentine, so here's a quick idea. Print a sheet of quotes, sayings, or messages of love and make these "lucky stars" (see video below). Then, throw them in a box with some miscellaneous candies. There you have it! A quick, but personalized gift for the people you're thinking about this special day. I made some miniatures for my coworkers. See them here:

#3 Valentine's Day Comes But Once a Year

So you're at the point of no return... you know you're not going to get a gift today, but that doesn't mean you can't give a gift that counts. Browse around for something personal, even something handmade. You can use this extra time to make sure your gift is extra special. And while you're shopping, check out Mind Ruffle's shop; you may find just the gift you're looking for.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Recycled Chalkboard Business Card

I was recently in need of business cards for my Mind Ruffle shop on Etsy, so I recycled some old cards in a new way. Using spare chalkboard paint from my basement, I was able to give these old cards a new face, and repurpose them for my shop. See how I did it here:

1) I gathered my materials: business cards, chalkboard paint, sponge applicator, chalk, chalkboard eraser, and a permanent marker.

2) After stirring the chalkboard paint thoroughly, I collected a little paint on the tip of my sponge.

3) Then in three even strokes, I covered the card with the chalkboard paint,...

4) ...waited til the paint was dry to the touch (you can add another coat if needed)...

5)... , and wiped them down with a used chalkboard eraser to provide a chalky surface for the writing to stick to.

6) Now, I can write and erase on these cards, or even add my shop's website on the back with permanent marker.

There are lots of ways to get creative with this concept, so try it out and see where your creativity takes you!