Threading The Needle

I found some dental floss threaders at my mom's house. They are perfect to aid in threading the very tiny eye of a bead needle. The eye of the plastic floss threader is large and flexible, so it's easy to feed thread through. It collapses as it runs through the needle eye. It's the perfect solution for tired eyes.

Maps - The Navigator

This past summer, we went to a couple of local aquariums. My son was the designated trip navigator. Not only did he get to hold the TomTom in the car (repeating all the phrases as we drove), but also mastered the maps on site.

After we got home, I fastened the maps to foam core and stuck them to his wall with adhesive putty.

Photo Wall Collage

I love a house with hallways full of family photos; seeing where they've been, what they've done, how they've changed. I've been inspired to create my own photo collage and now finally going to get to the box of cheap wooden frames that we stored in the attic when we moved, nearly four years ago.

I sanded the frames and my husband strung them on a wire for a couple of coats of spray paint. Brilliant, right?

After drying, we hot glued a few together and hung them on the wall.

I love walking by this wall and remembering where we went, what we did and how we've changed.

Wall Hanging

When covering the wall in our living room, I was looking for a solution that wasn't too permanent. I found window shade hardware at Ikea and used it to hang a Japanese dish drying cloth.

In the winter, I made hangings out of drape fabric and snowflakes that I found at the dollar store.

Bread Bag

I love the idea of reusable gift bags. I made some for Christmas last year and love to see how people reuse them.

I recently baked up yummy banana bread for a friend. I made a simple bread bag using an old sheet and ribbon.

The best thing is, it's washable.

Safety Clip - Towel

This summer my son took a lot of swimming lessons. Drying off after getting out of the pool was a problem. He'd have trouble keeping his towel on while we walked to a sunny area.

I used a safety clip to keep the towel secure.

Now, if I could figure out a way to keep his flipflops from coming off...

Pancakes!

My son and I love to eat pancakes. "Pancakes for dinner" is our special meal when dad works late.

I use an old coffee pot to mix all the ingredients together.

The handle and the spout make it easy to pour without getting drops all over the stove and glass makes clean up a breeze.

Hot Corn On The Cob

I love corn on the cob hot off the grill, but it's usually TOO hot to handle. Heavy duty kitchen gloves protect hands when husking the piping hot cobs.

Safety First

Whenever we go to an crowded event, I have my son wear bright clothes to make him easier to spot and I have his name and my cell phone number fastened inside his clothes. Most importantly, I take a photo of him on my digital camera or phone

In case we ever get separated, I have a picture of the clothes he's wearing (and fancy hair) and a memento of the occasion.

Fabric Storage

I came across this AWESOME method for storing fabric on bolts made from foam core board found at the $ store. I turned an old bookshelf on its side and cut the boards into two different sizes to maximize space. I cannot tell you how much space this mini bolt storage system saves!

Small Storage

I'd been searching for an inexpensive way to store small items in my craft room; shelving is too bulky and expensive. An unused coat rack and hanging canvas shoe holders turned into the perfect solution. I am able to sort all my items and still see where I put them.

Hanging Frames Without Using Nails

Lifting the little metal tabs on the backs of picture frames was always difficult to do without breaking a fingernail. Now I use an old gift card to slip under and lift tabs with ease; use the same card to flatten the tabs back down. Our pictures are all hung, and I didn't use a nail (fingernail that is)!

Maki Sushi Cupcakes

This summer, I wanted to make something special for a potluck lunch. I found a blog about making sushi cupcakes. I love how she packaged them in take out bento boxes and ohashi - awesome!

Ingredients:

Cake Mix

White Sprinkles (I couldn't find the kind in the original blog)

Swedish Fish

Oreo Cookies

Cream Cheese Frosting

I made a sheet cake and cut out small cylinders. I spread cream cheese frosting on the side of the cylinder then rolled it in crushed Oreo Cookies (to simulate nori). I spread cream cheese on the top then dipped it into a bowl of the sprinkles. I added sliced Swedish Fish for garnish and put them in a Bento Stack Box. They were a big hit.

Organize Scrap Paper

My auntie uses a lot of washi paper for beautiful handmade cards. I am the happy beneficiary of her scrap pieces. She wraps the scraps around an old wrapping paper tube with low tack tape to keep them neat and tidy, brilliant and beautiful.

Skein Holder

Sometimes knitting with a large skein of yarn can be challenging; it rolls all over the floor picking up dust or lint and gets tangled. This Costco-sized wipey container works perfectly to help contain the skein (and if you don't wash it thoroughly it will make your final project lemony fresh).