Big Little Lies Lollipop

"It had never crossed her mind that sending your child to school would be like going back to school yourself." -Liane Moriarty, Big Little Lies

Big Little lies follows the lives of Kindergarten mothers and their struggles with their relationships and self discovery.  The cover art was an exploding lollipop, which I think sums up the story, and inspired me to try my own hand at candy making.  These turned out lovely and delicious!

Thanks A. for helping make delicious lollipops!

Materials:

-Sugar

-Corn Syrup

-Flavoring (designed for candy making)

-Sprinkles

-Lollipop Sticks

-Parchment Paper

-Candy Thermometer

-Sauce Pan

Directions:

1. Cover counter with parchment paper.
2. Combine 1 cup sugar with 1/3 cup corn syrup and 1/8 cup water in the sauce pan.  Attach candy thermometer to the inside of the saucepan.
3. Boil the mixture until it reaches 310 degrees F. (Hard crack point).  Transfer the pan to a bowl of ice water immediately and swirl for 10-15 seconds.  Add 1 teaspoon of flavoring at this time.
4. Spoon circles of the mixture onto the parchment paper.  Immediately add lollipop sticks and sprinkles!  Let cool completely before removing from the parchment paper.  Store in air tight bag.
5. Enjoy!

Also, if you want try the recipe for Not a School Night cocktails.

Mix in a big pitcher (or bowl) 2 bottles of pink moscato, 1 can frozen pink raspberry lemonade, 1 bottle of lemon-lime soda, 1 container of raspberries.  

Not exactly the recipe from the book, but it will do in a pinch.

"Grape" Decorated Wine Bottle

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food." -Stella Newman, Pear Shaped

Pear Shaped, by Stella Newman was a fun summer read.  It touches on love, finding oneself, and good food and wine! In sticking with the theme, I created a wine bottle craft to fit the book.

Materials:

• Wine Bottle
• Purple or Green Gems
• Ivy Leafs
• Raffia
• E6000

Directions:

1. Clean and remove label from wine bottle. Let dry.
2. Glue gems onto the bottle to create a shape that looks like a bunch of grapes.  Over lap gems as needed.
3. Glue three leafs at the top of the grape bunch.
4. Glue the end of a piece of raffia at the top of the bottle neck. wrap down towards the bottom of the bottle neck and glue off.  
5. Using a few pieces of raffia tie a bow.  Cut off excess and glue onto the wrapped bottle neck.

This craft is simple and sure to please!

Recycled Monster Holder

"I may not be sure if monsters exist, but I'd rather live my life in doubt than be persuaded by a real experience of one." -Gregory Maguire, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

I am horrible at throwing away shampoo bottles from my shower.  Which is why I wanted to make a craft out of them.  These little monsters are adorable, and have multiple uses.  I use mine as a pencil holder, but attach a magnet and use it to hold things on your fridge!  Or attach it to a suction cup and use it to hold razors or other items in your shower.  The cutting should be done by an adult, but it would be a fun for a kid to decorate the monster in the way they would want. 

Materials:

• Shampoo bottle
• Scissors
• Sharpie
• Shipping labels
• Hot glue gun

Directions:

1. Remove label from shampoo bottle.
2. Cut bottle into the monster shape.
3. Cut arms and hands for the monster.
4. Attach them to the base.
5. Cut eye(s) for the monster out of shipping labels and add pupil dots.
6. Cut the mouth out for the monster out of shipping labels. Draw in teeth and color the mouth part in.  
7. Add labels to the monster.

If he wasn't made out of plastic, I think I would hug him!  

Onomatopoeia Comic Book Wall Decoration

"This. This is what I am.  This is who I am. Come hell or high water if I deny it, I deny everything I've ever done. Everything I've ever fought for." -Green Arrow, Green Arrow Vol. 2 # 51

Shout out to free comic book day this year! My little cousin experienced free comic book day for the first time this year, and I think he enjoyed it.  We have a standing invite for next years event.  Using some of those books I made a fun wall decoration of comic book inspiration. (And who doesn't love a word that is associated with how it sounds?)

Materials:

• Cardboard
• Comic books
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Paint brush
• Paint

Directions:

1. Cut strips of comic books and glue to a cardboard base.
2. Paint on a jagged boarder around the outside of the picture.
3. Paint the comic book onomatopoeia of your choice in the center of the painting. Let dry.
4. Frame and hang!

Make a set of three and you have a perfect decoration for a children's room or library!

I even like it before the paint was added.

Cactus Ring Holder

"Cinco De Mayo is an important day. The Mexicans had to defend themselves from the French.  It is historically significant, but it is not Mexican Independence Day." -Kuno Becker

I tend to forget that Cinco De Mayo comes after Star Wars day, which is why I haven't crafted for it before.  However I have wanted to make this ring holder for awhile, so I thought it was a perfect day to do it.  It does take some sculpting patience, but I think it is worth it.

Materials:

• Brown, pink, yellow, and green polymer clay
• Premade tiny pot (or make your own)

Directions:

1. If you don't have one, make a tiny planter out of clay.
2. Create a cactus using green clay.  Put into pot.
3. Craft a tiny pink flower and attach to the cactus.  Add a tiny yellow piece of clay to the center of the flower.
4. Make tiny spikes for the cactus and attach them.
5. Bake according to the directions for your clay.

Rings can go on any of the cactus's arms.  

May the 4 planters (R2D2 and Darth Vader)

"Only at the end do you realize the power of the dark side." -Star Wars

These are not the planters you are looking for, well, actually they might be.  I love my garden, and this droid and Vader helmet defiantly are going to add some flair.  Enjoy making these planters on the most famed of days in the Star Wars universe, and May the 4th be with you.

Materials:

• Ceramic Planters
• Paint Brushes
• Black, gray, white, blue, and red paint

Directions:

1. Paint the pot the base color (black for Vader and white for R2D2). Let dry.
2. Add gray to rim of R2D2 and create lines for R2D2.  Add gray to form Vader face. Let dry.
3. Add blue, red, and black details to R2D2.  Let dry.
4. Plant in them what you want and see what grows better the Empire or the Rebels.

(More) Comic Book Flowers

"Life was so much easier when I just smashed tanks and beat up abominations for a living." -Hulk, The Incredible Hulk #9

I love paper flowers because they last forever and are bright and glossy.  I found a post over at Lia Griffith that gave directions on how to make paper gardenias.  I replaced the frosty paper with a page from a comic book (Hatter M in this case).  I have not yet perfected my centers to make them as beautiful as Lia's but the at least look like something.  I think they make perfect card/gift toppers.  I would wear that on my head after opening the gift.

If these seem too hard to make, I suggest trying a simple bloom like the comic book flowers from my 2013 Earth Day post. Any of the flowers are great to make with comic books, and/or to give to Mom for upcoming Mothers day.