A friend of mine has started a new blog and asked me for some recipes for crafts and projects for her kids and the blog. I ran across some really great recipes from my years of babysitting and taking care of my neices and godchildren & thought I would share them with all of you! You can also find them on Michelle’s blog, Mommy Magic. It’s awesome and she’s amazing and I highly recommend that you check it out!!!
Victorian Salt Clay (can be used to make beads/small objects)
2 c. salt
2/3 c. water + 1/2 c. cold water
1 c. cornstarch
Food coloring (optional)
1. Mix salt & 2/3 c. water in large saucepan.
2. Stirring constantly, heat over low heat 4 minutes. Do Not Boil (In my craft notes, I wrote this instruction like this: DO NOT BOIL!!! Lol).
3. Remove from heat and stir in cornstarch and cold water. *You can add the food coloring at this point for a large batch of the same color, or keep reading for my little tricks :)*
4. If the mixture is not a thick paste (think bread dough consistency), place back over low heat for approx. 1 minute. Again, Do Not Boil.
5. Remove from pan; place on working surface dusted with cornstarch. Knead as you would dough until pliable & smooth.
*Heather’s Tip* I like to take small portions of the dough and add a different color to each one. You can then knead them individually and mix them together when making your beads or objects for awesome patterns and textures.
This dough can take up to 3 days to completely dry at room temp. or you can do a Quick Dry: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Turn oven off & place model on pan in oven. Wait until oven has cooled. Remove and paint if desired.
Ice Cream in a Bag
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 c. half and half or milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
6 Tbs. rock salt
ice cubes
1 pt. & 1 gal. ziptop bags or 1 sm. and 1 lg. metal coffee can
1. Fill lg. bag or can 1/2 full with ice cubes. Add rock salt.
2. Place milk, sugar, & vanilla in sm. bag or can. Seal well (if using a can, put duct tape around the lid to prevent leaking).
3. Place sm. bag or can into large and seal securely (again using duct tape if necessary).
4. Shake about 5 minutes or play Kick the Can with the kiddos!!
*Heather’s Tip #1* Try replacing the milk with fruit juice and the vanilla with a fruit extract. I like using pineapple juice and coconut extract. Smells and tastes like summer, even in the throes of winter.
*Heather’s Tip #2* Invent your own flavors! This is an endlessly customizable recipe and I would encourage you to come up with your own flavors. Or you can try one of my inventions:
Mocha Chip Freeze: Add up to 1 tsp. instant coffee or espresso powder and 1/4 c. mini chocolate chips. This one is great if you replace the vanilla with peppermint extract!
Salted Caramel Freeze: Add up to 2 tsp. of caramel ice cream topping to the original mixture and shake an extra minute to incorporate. Transfer to your serving dishes (or just straight in the bag if you want it all for yourself!) and top each serving with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. You’d never know this trendy dessert was made in a coffee can!
Flubber
(Make sure your little ones are past the “I have to stick everything in my mouth” stage or surpervise them with this activity)
Mixture 1:
3/4 c. warm water
1 c. Elmer’s glue
Food coloring
Mixture 2:
2 tsp. Borax
1/2 c. warm water
Mix each mixture in separate bowls. Combine Mixture 1 into 2 & work about three minutes.
Instant Fun!
This has been safe for kids with sensitive skin in my experience, however, with Borax you may want to have some extra moisturizing lotion on hand for after clean-up.

@–v– DIY Solid Perfume –v–@
1 unscented tealight, broken into small pieces
8 Tbs. petroleum jelly
1 tsp. fragrance oil or about 3 drops of essential oil (perfume grade only- available at most co-ops and health food stores)
Heat petroleum jelly over low heat in double boiler. Stir in tea light until all has been incorporated and melted.
3. Remove from heat. Allow to sit 1-2 minutes then stir in fragrance.
4. Pour or spoon into small containers.
*Heather’s Tip #1* I always save my empty tealights after I have burned them. I wash them with warm soapy water and then reuse them for crafts like this one! Pour your mixture back into the clean tealight, let cool, cover in saran wrap and package in sheer colored fabric to give away as gifts!
*Heather’s Tip #2* Use a floral fragrance like lavendar, rose or lilac and wrap in pastel colored sheer fabric for Easter basket stuffers… or peppermint oil and green fabric for St. Patrick’s Day…
This is a great project to let the little ones exercise their creativity. Johnny wants to make licorice-scented tins? Sure, why not? Little Susie wants to make pineapple jelly bean? If you can find the scents, they can smell like anything! (If you can stand it, that is. Lol.)
~*~*~*~*Body Glitter *~*~*~*~
1/2 c. clear aloe vera gel
1 tsp. glycerin (the liquid kind, not the suppository kind. :P)
2 tsp. fine glitter
Metallic or shaped glitter (optional)
1. Mix gel and glycerin together.
2. Sprinkle in glitter(s) and blend.
3. Store in empty baby food containers or other small containers.
**Make sure the children have no allergies to any of the above ingredients, as with any product that will stay on their skin**
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