Project #7 - Cheerios Treats

Project Name: Cheerios Treats

Original Website: http://kathiecooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/cheerio-treats.html

Original Pinned Picture:

My Pictures:

Description:

Ingredients:
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. corn syrup
• 1 c. creamy peanut butter
• 1 t. vanilla
• 5 c. Cheerios

Directions:

In a large sauce pan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil over medium heat.

Allow mixture to boil for one minute and remove from heat.

Add peanut butter and vanilla to mixture and mix until smooth.

Add Cheerios and mix until all coated.

Drop mixture by spoonful onto waxed paper and allow to cool.

Makes approximately 2 dozen.

How did it go?   This was a HUGE hit at my house!  Just like the original blogger (Kathie) I used Honey Nut Cheerios, but you can probably use any kind.  These are quick, easy and very yummy!  If you need a snack to have around the house this week while the kids are out of school, I highly recommend this one. 

Project #6 - Christmas Wreath

Project Name: Christmas Wreath

Original Website: No link/just picture

Original Pinned Picture:

My Pictures:

Description: There were no instructions with this pin so I got some ideas from other pins and then just went with it.  But, if you want to make this yourself here is what I did....

Materials: styrofoam wreath, ornaments, glue gun, wooden initial, paint & paint brush  (and maybe a Christmas movie to watch while working) 

Step #1:  Paint your initial first so that it is dry when you're ready to glue it onto your wreath.

Step #2:  I started with a mixture of colors and put them sporadically around the outside edge and inside edge. 

Step #3:  Then just pick a spot and start filling in.  You will want to make sure you have at least 2 or 3 different sizes of ornaments so you can fill in holes. 

Step #4:  Decide where you want the top to be, and be sure to thread a ribbon around the styrofoam wreath at that point.  This will be used to hang the wreath by.  After you thread it around then you can hot glue more ornaments on top of it to secure it in place. 

Step #5:  Keep adding ornaments till you are satisfied.  Then, hot glue your wooden initial in the center. 

Step #6:  Finally, tie your ribbon in a bow and hang it on the door for all to see!!!

How did it go?  I put my wreath together in just a couple of hours while watching "It's a Wonderful Life".  I had a lot of fun.  The only problem that I've had is that the day after I hung my wreath on the front door we had a lot of precipitation and the wooden letter fell off.  Between the cold temperature and the wet weather the hot glue didn't stay stuck to the letter.  All of the ornaments were fine, it was just the wooden letter that fell off.  So, if you have the same problem it might be best to hang yours inside or super glue the wooden letter to the ornaments.  Hope you have fun crafting!!  Merry Christmas friends!

Project #5 - Footprint Ghosts

Project Name: Footprint Ghosts

Original Website: bedifferentactnormal.com

Original Pinned Picture:

My Picture:

Description:  Cute little ghosts made out of your little one's footprints.  The original blogger was correct, this is definitely a dual purpose project... a fun Halloween decoration to hang on the fridge and a sweet reminder of just how little they once were a couple of years from now!  The original pinned site offered a great idea, but there are no instructions or details given. 

How did it go?  Let me try to assist you with some step by step instructions and details.  One would think, or I did, that this project looks simple and fun.  It was definitely fun, but not so simple since I called Jaxon into the living room to get started without really thinking the whole thing through.  I originally tried to have him stand on the paper after I painted his feet white (all while standing in a big box so he didn't get white paint on the carpet).  This didn't work out very well.  I reassessed the situation and did the following:

1.) Laid down 2 white trash bags to cover our "working space"

2.) Had him sit down on his bottom and painted his feet white. 

3.) He held his feet in the air for just a second while I grabbed the clipboard with the black construction paper clipped to it. 

4.) He pressed his feet onto the paper while I held the clipboard.  This allowed me to somewhat position his feet on the paper before his pushed down. 

5.) We repeated this process 3 times so that we would have a copy and so that we could mail two to family members. 

6.)  To clean-up I just picked him up and sat him on the kitchen counter with his feet in the sink.  The white acrylic paint came off pretty easy with just soap and water. 

7.) I dismissed Jaxon to go play at this point while I painted on the yellow moons.   The next day, I drew on the ghost eyes and mouths with black permanent marker.    

This was a great dual-purpose Halloween project!!  Message me and let me know if you have a better way of applying paint to feet and getting them neatly on the paper.  I'd love to hear your ideas. 

Project #4 - Bat O' Lanterns

Project Name: Bat O' Lanterns

Original Website: familyfun.go.com

Original Pinned Picture:

My Pictures:

Description: Stage a spooky scene by assembling a colony of these winged creatures made from miniature pumpkins and craft foam.  There is a great materials list and step by step instructions on the original website.  There is also an awesome video that shows you how to make the bat-o-lanterns as well.  The website is sponsored by Disney so probably why it is so very well put together and kid friendly.

How did it go?  This project was so much fun!  Jaxon and I painted the 3 mini pumpkins black on Friday night and let them dry over night.  On Saturday we (meaning I) cut out the eyes, ears and wings from the felt, glued the eyes on and taped the ears and wings to the skewers and toothpicks.  Everything went as planned except that the lady on the video makes it look really easy to just slide the toothpicks and skewers into the pumpkins.  I don't know if ours were extra hard or what, but I had to use an ice pick to first make the holes and then insert the wooden sticks.  I broke a couple of tooth picks before I figured this out.  Besides that little hiccup everything went as planned.  Lots of fun and now we have a trio of bats sitting on top of our tv!!

Project #3 - Jacked Up Jack-O-Lantern

Project name: Painted Pumpkin with Initial aka Jacked Up Jack-O-Lantern

Original website: ramblingssg.blogspot.com

Original pinned picture:

My Pictures: 

How did it go?  This project was fun.  To be completely honest I started with a pumpkin that I had drawn a face on last weekend and the smile was all messed up and crooked.   I wanted to paint over it to basically have a "do-over".  I took the original idea from this pin and just added my own touches.  I of course painted the whole pumpkin black to cover the originally drawn face. 

Second, I used a wooden letter "P" as a stencil.  I just traced it onto the pumpkin with a pencil.  Then I painted the P and the dots with acrylic paint.   The original blog poster/pinner used stickers for her letters so her zebra stripes, polka dots and the lines of her initial were much cleaner than mine.  I was trying to save money so I just painted mine on. 

You can also see in the original picture that her ribbons were much bigger and fuller than mine.  She was making a bunch of pumpkins to give as gifts.  Since I was only making one I didn't want to spend a lot of money on pricey ribbon that I would have a lot leftover. Plus, Hobby Lobby didn't have a great selection of patterned, thick ribbon.  I just got 4 kinds of ribbon (total of $12) and made do with what I had.  Overall, they look a lot a like. Don't you think?  I must say this finished project looks MUCH BETTER than my crooked, drawn on smiley-face.   Happy Fall from the Pleasants!!!!!!

Project #2 - Weight Watchers Pumpkin Muffins

Project name: WW Pumpkin Muffins

Original website: laaloosh.com

Original pinned picture:

Description:

Ingredients:
- 1 18oz box of spice cake mix
- 1 15oz can of pure pumpkin
- ½ cup applesauce
- ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Spoon into muffin tins, either lightly sprayed or lined with muffin cups. You’ll use about 1/4 cup of batter per cup. Bake as directed on cake box.
Entire recipe makes 24 muffins
Serving size is 1 muffin
Each serving = 3 Point Total

My Pictures:

How did it go?  If you are looking for a low calorie pumpkin muffin this is it!  I love everything pumpkin.  Seriously... I wait all year for Starbucks to bring back their Pumpkin Spice Latte!!!  Anyway... I made mine a little different than the pinned recipe because I did WW years ago and had a different version.  I'm sure it works both ways.  I used the box of spice cake mix, the can of pumpkin, 2/3 cup of water and 1 egg.  And, I'm not sure what the box said.  I baked mine at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. They are wonderful!  (I know cause I just ate two.)  I might try it next time with the applesauce.  Comment and let me know how you make it and give me your opinion on which version is best. 

Project #1 - Bath Tub Paints

Project name: Bath Tub Paints
Original website: 3.bp.blogspot.com

Original pinned picture:

Description: white shaving foam + food coloring = bathtub painting

My pictures:

How did it go?  My first Pinterest Project was a success!!!  Jaxon loved it!  I was kind of worried that the food coloring might not come off the bathtub, but it washed right off.  And he loved the fact that after we washed it off the wall his bath water was green.  He asked if he could paint again tomorrow in the bathtub, so I would say Project #1 went well.  =)

My inspiration!

Hi!  My name is Laura Beth.  If you are reading this then you are probably addicted to the website Pinterest.  My friend, Kelly, introduced me to "pinning" a few weeks ago and since then I have started 17 boards and pinned almost 400 pins.  There are probably some of you who have even more staggering numbers than I, but needless to say I will admit that I am ADDICTED! 

This past week our community lost an amazing man to a motorcycle accident.  He was a phenomenal Christian man who inspired and changed the lives of many people during his short 59 years.  At his funeral I was truly changed!  I began to think.... if I died tomorrow, have I done a quarter of the things this man had done in his lifetime?!?  Now DIY projects may seem menial, and are only one aspect of this inventory I did on my life.  I want to volunteer more time to others, tell more people about how the love of Jesus has changed my life, inspire my son more, encourage and help my husband more, etc.  I will update you on how those changes are going as well, but this blog is mainly to document DIY projects and ideas that I have gotten from Pinterest. 

I am EXCITED to get off my rear end and actually start doing and trying some of the things that I have pinned.  This blog will document my journey as I Stop Pinning (so much) and Start Doing!!!!!!