We Got Crafty

I absolutely fell in love with this idea when I found it on Pinterest.  My whole family, including my husband, has loved doing it, and every time we have a rainy day, we pull out the supplies and get started.  We plan on giving them as Christmas gifts as wall hangings and coasters. 

The supplies are simple: Inexpensive white glazed tiles from your favorite home improvement store, Adirondack Inks from a craft store which are a little pricey but go a long way, and some type of clear water based finish are all you need. 

I will link you to a website with all the info you need because I don't want to take credit for someone else's idea. However, before you leave me let me tell you how hard it has been to clear coat and protect these precious pieces of artwork. Once you have read her post make sure you skim through all the comments about finishing. Because the inks are alcohol based you must finish these art tiles with a water based clear coat. Well, silly me thought brushing on water based polypropylene would be the best approach (this was before I read all the comments).  The inks are so delicate that the brush scratched and/or moved the ink in the direction of the brush. I tried pouring it on, and though this worked best, it still "pocked" some of the most vibrant colors or made them run in the direction I tilted the tile to get the best coverage. My boys are still mad at me for messing up some of their pieces and my husband won't let me near his work at all. There are spray alternatives out there, but I haven't found one in a local store yet.  If you read the comments in the site I was working from, there were issues there. Once I find a spray to use I imagine it will take many very thin coats sprayed from very far away.

One other comments is to remind you to stay light with the ink.  My young boys just loved these inks and used way to much which is apparent by the over abundance of brown and black on these tiles.  However, My favorite one ended up being my son's blackish tile near the top right of the picture above.  Go figure.

So here is the link to the website that inspired me and has led to some terrific family time.

Artsyville by Aimee

Peanut Butter and Gelly

This project was so easy, but my kids decided it was too sticky to do more that their obligatory "one." Did you get my play on words with "Gelly" standing for the Knox gelatin?  So far we haven't seen any birds on them even when the bird feeder in this area is ravaged every time I fill it.  I'm thinking only "clinging" birds will be able to get at them.  Nut hatches and woodpeckers maybe?

This project is a variation of an idea I found through Pinterest (eighteen25.) I have added peanut butter because my birdies respond well to peanut butter suet, and I doubled the recipe. This batch made all the bird feeders shown in their molds on the table (four larger feeders and four smaller ones).

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup birdseed
1/2 cup water
2 small envelopes of knox gelatin
twine or string
cookie cutters or molds
wax paper

Instructions
Mix together the envelopes of gelatin with the water and bring to a simmer while stirring.  Continue stirring until the gelatin is dissolved.  Remove from heat and let cool for a minute.  Stir in the birdseed and peanut butter adding a little more if there is liquid still in the bottom of the pan.  Lay cookie cutters out on wax paper and fill half way with birdseed mixture.  Cut twine, knot the end and push the knot down into the birdseed.  Finish filling with birdseed, making sure to cover the end of the twine and knot. Push the birdseed evenly into the cookie cutter until it's full.  Allow them to dry overnight.  I didn't turn them as called for in the original recipe and they dried just fine.  Remove from the cookie cutters and hang them in your trees for the birds to enjoy.