/> Pearls Before Swine: kids
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

DIY Gooey Slime in just 9 easy steps!



slime, homemade slime, diy, kids, crafts, borax



Making slime has become one of the most popular kid's crafts. The ingredients are easy to get and to the best of my knowledge, it is kid safe and no toxic. I still would suggest not letting your kids eat it or put their fingers in their mouth after handling it. 

However, my daughter Kaitlyn is constantly creating new slime at home, if I can keep her shocked with enough glue. Someone at our grocery store is buying it by the carton I think because they never have any white or clear Elmer's glue. 

We found that getting in from Amazon is cheaper and you get more than what you can find in the stores. White glue can be used for making solid colored slime, whereas the clear glue works best for the slime that you want a little more translucent. 

Ingredients:

1 T Borax
1 cup Water
white or clear glue
food coloring
Medium to Large bowl
spoon

Optional:
glitter

1. In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of Borax with one cup of water. Stir to make sure the borax is fully dissolved. 

In a large or medium sized bowl, add as much white or clear glue as you like. Leave enough room in the bowl for the borax water solution. 

Add water to the mixing bowl with the white or clear glue. Keep in mind that you'll use the same amount of glue as you do water. 

For colored slime, this is where you can add the food coloring. Just a few drop, a little goes a long way. Note when they or you first make this slime, it WILL stain their hands, clothes, anything it touches. Once it has a chance to set up it doesn't bleed as much onto the hands. 

Mix using clean hands until the color is evenly distributed throughout the slime. 


So you’re probably thinking, “This is way too sticky to be slime.” It is because you haven’t added the final ingredient yet.

Add just a little bit of the borax solution at a time and keep mixing as you do. Adding the borax gradually gives you the consistency of slime you want in the end. It may take several additions to get it, too.

The only way to make a thicker or a runnier slime using white glue is to add more or less borax solution as you mix it together. You can’t just add water to make it runnier. This means you can make a variety of test consistencies of slime in several cups and figure out proportions of ingredients for the one(s) you need or like best. Then all you do is scale-up the formula to the quantity you want to have/need.

Keep kneading and working the goo until it has a smooth consistency throughout. It should start sticking together a little like bread dough.

 When you get the slime you want, take it out of the bowl and play with it – uh, that is, 
When you’re done learning as much as you want with your slime, just bag it up and throw it away in the trash. 

Luckily, you’ve got lots of Borax left to make it again and again, too!

Hint: If you used a full 8 oz bottle of glue, just fill it with water, swirl it to mix any extra glue, and pour it in. That’s the perfect amount of additional water.

Wash your hands! (You don’t want dirt and germs in your new slime before you’ve even made it.) It’s time to get messy in the name of science. Use your hands to mix the water and the glue solution in the bowl.



Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Easy Fall DIY with Pinecones!

Today I have a super easy and cheap DIY for Fall! So go gather all your pinecones, a big bucket, a heavy rock, and some bleach.

 This is how they looked before I got started. 

 Once added to a big Home Depot or Lowe's bucket. Add 
one part bleach to two parts water. Use a rock to weight down the pinecones so 
they don't rise up. 

 After the first 24hrs in the bleach mixer. 
 Your pinecones will close when they are full of water. 

 Some of them I noticed even the sap was pushed out. 

 After about a week they begin to open back up and dry out. 

 This pinecone came out really white and has been drying for about 3 or 4 days! 

 Bun Bun always curious and wanting to help! :)

 Once they are completely dry, you can then use them as a decoration such as
wreaths, trees, or placed in bowls. They can also be scented! 

 This pinecone kind of looks like a flower to me! 

I don't have enough yet for a wreath or a smaller Christmas tree, so I'm using them to keep my Tinny company! :) 

Super easy to do and only took about two weeks from start to finish! Perfect for Fall!! Enjoy and have fun bleaching your pinecones! 

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Friday, July 8, 2016

Kaitlyn does my makeup! EEKKK!! :)



As promised yesterday here is the video of my daughter Kaitlyn doing my makeup. She had been bugging me for days and tonight was her lucky night! So yesterday I posted on my facebook wall that I'd be doing a video letting her do my makeup the way she sees me doing it. 

Who knew she was paying such good attention, she really did a good job considering that she is only nine! Very proud of her! She will be a great Makeup Misfit one day, that and a baker. I swear she watches more baking and cake videos it's crazy. I wish I could design her her own kitchen that she could just create whatever she wanted in. 

The nice thing is that one day with this business I will be able to! And you can too! 

I posted the video below, let me know how you think she did?!! 



Thank you for watching! Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss out on future posts! 

Monday, April 18, 2016

Want a fun summer activity for the kids? Keep Reading!





Everyone, big or small loves bubbles! My pitbull Diamond loves them, every kid I've ever seen loves them. They are cheap, easy to make or buy and a great way to entertain them for a few hours or minutes...depending on the child! 

My most lit one, Kaitlyn, loves to play outside and when she has bubbles it is a true must. Last year after installing our new wood floors, her and her sister spilled some bubbles in their bedroom. Floors were ruined and started to pull up, it was a big mess. So word of advice...use OUTDOORS only!! Plus be careful on slippery surfaces like concrete porches and tile. I would hate for someone to get hurt trying to have fun.  

For this Giant Bubble Recipe, you will need the following:

Water
Liquid Dish Soap
Cornstarch
Baking Soda
Bucket
Giant Bubble Wand (dollar store)
or
 A piece of tee shirt fabric, cotton. Cut into one-inch strips about 18 inches long. Tie ends together. Our wand from the dollar store broke right away and I ending up tieing the ends together and it worked just fine, even better if you ask me!  

The Giant Bubble Recipe
12 Cups Water
1 Cup Liquid Dish Soap
1 Cup Cornstarch
2 Tbsp. Baking Powder

Make sure to stir the bubble mix really well, to add all the cornstarch and baking powder. Once stirred, take outside and enjoy! We had a ton of fun playing with the Giant Bubbles and so did our dog. She is crazy about them too! 

Here are some of the results Kaitlyn got using the Giant Bubble wand, that I tied together the ends of. I had a giant wand stick that the fabric was on but broke right away. :(





Thanks for reading and I hope you have some good outdoor fun with your kiddos! 








Saturday, April 2, 2016

How can we keep our kids safer?

My little angels! 

As you are reading this, I truly pray you never need this information. I am a mother of two amazing, precious little girls and I can't ever imagine anything happening to them but this world is an evil place and unfortunately, we have to take these steps to protect them. 


Growing up my Mom was, I'd say hyper vigilant. She was a big True Crime reader and having such a rough pregnancy, I think she was always in fear of losing me. So, we went through the drills. No water, no strangers, no going anywhere she didn't know where I was, no this and no that! Porch lights come on, you better get your but home! LOL She was and is an excellent Mother! 

Even with all her rules, and though out precautions I still got into some really dangerous situations. The scariest time, well one of them, I'd say was when I was around 6 or 7 years old. I don't remember all the details of course because I was a kid and to me nothing was wrong but for my Mother, she was left devastated. 

Apparently, there was some confusion. I normally would stay with my neighbor and babysitter after school until my parents got home. This day, when my mom called to check on me. She was told I was not with the babysitter and that's when all hell broke loose. She is immediately frantic, calls the bus driver, who states she dropped me off but there was a weird guy walking down the street when she dropped me. Panic sets in, cops are called. She always, always called the cops as soon as she thought something was wrong. This would not be the first time for her, as I got older, she had to do that again. 

Long story short. The cops came, did the big search in our woods with the canines. She's calling everyone know one has seen me. She makes the call to my Dad, to "Come home, Jenny's missing". As a parent, it makes me tear up even writing those words. I can't imagine what they were going through. The pain, terror, and heartache not knowing where their child was. There only one. 

Around eight or so that night, my babysitter and I pull up in the driveway. My mom coming dashing out the house, crying. Beating on the window (because the door was locked) grabbed me and ran inside. I remember seeing her face. I felt so scared and upset for her. She was so terrified. She swooped me up and held me forever. I never did go back to that babysitter after that. We never did really find out what happened or why no one knew where I was but after that, life was different. Not in a  bad way, just more caution and aware. 

Later that night the cops came to the house to verify I was home, ok, and safe. They did an amazing job! My point to all of this is , you can never be too cautious. At least, that is my belief. We are given the children we have and we need to make darn sure that we are protecting them from danger. 

Now, having been brought up the way I was, and having gone through some of my own experiences...I defiantly think there are steps we should take in teaching our children. 

One of the best rules I had was having a code word. It was a word that I was to use or ask for if someone tried to take me home or to a stranger. Back in my day, the big thing was for the bad guy to say "hey, you mom or dad is hurt and I need to take you to them". In that case, I was to say "What is my code word?" If they didn't know it, I didn't go. Regardless of who it was. Grandma, a friend of my parents, family.....it didn't matter. 

Now, some of you are thinking "what?..that's crazy??" but for me and my parents, it worked really well. I never had to use the word and as a parent now. Have passed on that word to my children. It's a no one can guess kinda words. It's so perfect! I've explained it to them just as it was explained to me. My family does know the word and my child know the word but friends of mine or anyone else does not. That keeps them safe. 

So, what are some things you can do to keep your children safe and what do you do if your child is ever missing? 

First, and always first...CALL THE POLICE!!!! I can't stress that enough. The minute you think there is a problem. CALL!! Don't wait. Most children that are taken are dead within the first two hours of being taken. 

Second, and maybe this is just my beliefs but I'd tell you to pray. Pray for God to protect them, to guide you and the police, to send his angels to watch over them. Even if all you can say is "help me!" I've used that a number of times and it works!! 

Thirdly, if they truly are lost contact The National Center for Missing or Exploited Children. They are great and they will get you hooked up to all the resources to help you find your child. You can also call 

Fourth, if you have a teenager there is a site called Teen Safe. It does have a trial membership and can be canceled anytime. It was built by parents for parents and is basically a way to track your child's text messages. Nowadays so many of our kids are using social media or texting. This site is a great way to keep tabs on who they are talking to, and where they are. Now, again...some of you are like "that is an invasion of privacy!" To you, I'd say this, I am the parent. It is not my job to be liked, to be their friend, or to enable them to become yucky people. I was raised fairly strict and have found my parenting skills are much the same and you know what? I'm a good kid. I had a few bits of trouble but all in all. I was good.

Fifth, know who their friends are. Talk to them. We blow it too as parents. I can't tell you the number of times I've had to go back to my child and ask for forgiveness or explain to them how my actions in that certain situation were not the correct one. They are so receptive to that. Children are smart and whether you tell them or not, they know and it affects them. 

The last thing is, to be honest with yourself. If you notice they lets say have respect issues? Look at yourself first. Ask...have they learned this behavior from me? Have I shown them the incorrect way in handling an area? Go back to them. Apologize to them, ask them to forgive you. Talk to them about your mistakes. Your regrets and share your story with them. I know for me growing up it helped me so much to hear how my parents were raised, the mistakes and abuse that took place. The pain that was left and the difficulty of getting out. They shared their story with me. I gained so much understanding and it gave me a heart for them. For when they blew it and asked for forgiveness. It also made it easier for me to come to them when I blew it and needed forgiveness myself. 

We can all have better families if we truly care about the people in our lives. If we take the time to learn about them, hear their side, and learn from all of our mistakes. It has been a real bonding thing for me and my girls. I tell them everything, within their ability to understand. I know from my experience it made my family closer and that doesn't mean we haven't been through hell and back but we made it out. If you are dealing with issues at home. My advice always looks to yourself first. Where or what are you doing? or What could you do differently? Now, that does not mean I advocate staying in abuse. I most certainly do not. Nor do we let our children go through it. It damages lives and leaves you broken. 

Love the people God gives us, honor them the way you want to be honored. Stop before you speak, words hurt and last. Be honest with them and yourself, and always..always love them in any way you can. This world hurts and is full of hard times. Be a safe place for them to fall and come to when they blow it. We are all sinners, we make sometimes, really big mistakes too. 

Teach them to Be Alert, Be Safe and Be Aware! 

P.S. Not sure how this morphed into a preach session and I apologize. I feel I have tremendous experience with this issue and it is something that means a lot to me. I'm sure I got off track and hope it all makes sense. :) 

Thank you again for reading! Take Care! 


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Tuesday, December 15, 2015

19 Ultimate Gift Guides, to help you find that perfect gift!



I had have done the ultimate gift round up for you. Everything can be found on Amazon and that is because I hate it when people share a cool product and then you click the link and nothing! I mean, who doesn't love Amazon? Free shipping with Amazon Prime memberships and most of the time it's super fast shipping as well.  

So, I trolled through the site and have found the mega load of gift guides. If you are struggling to find a gift for someone in your life. You may find it here! I'll continue adding new gift ideas and guides, right up until Christmas. 

Every year I wrestle with what to get the special people in my life and every year it's like pulling hair. I wanted to make it easier for you and myself and so I found these guides below. 

The Fashionista


The Trendsetter


The New Home Owner


The Holiday Host


The Seasonal Hobbyist


The Winter Decorator


The Grill Master


The Gifted Gardener


The Organized Cleaner


Holiday Toy List Kiddos


The Family Chef


Holiday Home & Garden 


The Seasonal Celebrator



Hopefully, these guides will at least get you started and help you find the perfect gifts. 

I'll continue adding more as I find them! 

Merry Christmas from my family to yours! 




Updated 12/15/15