DIY BATH PAINTS KIDS GIFT

A few weeks ago I picked up a couple tubes of bath paint in the dollar section at Target and Ellis loved it! Being two, Ellis has a super short attention span, so the fact that she actually sat and painted in the bathtub for an extended period of time made me happy!

I am one of those people who looks at things and almost always thinks to myself  - I can totally make that! It is a blessing and a curse all at the same time. One 'I can totally make that' idea leads to several hours of mass producing bath paints in my kitchen. 

It is simple, cheap, super easy and fast.... unless you decide to make 24 bottles of it as presents for all your nieces and nephews. :)

When I made these, I didn't really use specific measurements. I dumped a box of corn starch in a mixing bowl, squeezed in what I thought looked like an equal amount of hand soap and mixed it with a whisk. I then added some water (one tablespoon at a time) until it was the consistency I wanted. I then added some gel food coloring. I always use gel vs. liquid b/c it gives whatever you are trying to color a more vibrant color. 

I got the soap at Costco - TWO (80 fl oz.) containers of hand soap for $8!!! I only ended up using one of the containers of soap and three boxes of corn starch (about $1 a box) to make 24 (4 oz) bottles. That's about 29 cents a bottle! You DO have to buy the bottles though. I got my 4 oz bottles off ebay for about 70 cents a bottle (after S&H) but I wouldn't recommend them. If you screw the tops on too tight, the tops bust. :( Hobby Lobby has some much better ones or you could just buy travel shampoo and conditioner bottles at Target! 

I got these fun brushes from brushes from Consumer Crafts ($5.97) 

and the Magic Grow Bath Capsules from Amazon (12 packs for $13.93). 

Gift tags (free printable) HERE.

TIPS & TRICKS:

And just b/c they are too cute not to share, I am giving my littlest niece and nephew these adorable 'career' olliblocks from Caravan Shoppe. 

Also, do not forget to enter to win $100 to Consumer Crafts. Enter HERE.

2014 KIDS HOLIDAY GIFT BUYING GUIDE: ROUND TWO + A GIVEAWAY

Just in case you need a few more gift ideas for the little people in your life...

PLUS a fun giveaway from Educational Insights!

TWO lucky winners will a Magic Moves Electronic Wand! Enter below to win!

#1. JILLEE BEAN AND THE ONE GOOD THING CHILDREN'S BOOK: $13.00
An endearing story of a Dad that teaches his daughter all about serving others by doing one “good thing” at a time. A great message with beautiful pictures illustrated by a third generation Disney artist, this book would be a great addition to your child's library. Watch the book trailer HERE.  

#2. MAGIC MOVES ELECTRONIC WAND: $21.99
Living in Wisconsin, winters can be long... and hard... and boring... and filled with inside 'fun' for our kids, which can translate to a lot of screen time. Ugg. I love this toy bc it promotes active play indoors! It is one of Educational Insights best selling toys with fantastic reviews! Any toy that gets my kid up and moving is a win in my book! (WIN ONE OF TWO of these great toys - enter to win below!)

#3. MAGNA-TILES: $50-$120
These things are awesome. Even Logan and I can play with them for hours. We belong to the Children's Museum here in Madison and that is where we first saw them. They have a few sets in the arts and crafts area and Ellis will sit and build with them for a the majority of the time we are there. They are not exactly cheap, but they are worth the splurge!

#4. TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IN WISCONSIN CHILDREN'S BOOK: $9.36
I learned about this book from my co-worker. She is pretty much the ultimate gift-giver, so I get a lot of ideas from her. This is her go-to children's book for the holidays. I bought it for Ellis and we have read it several times in the past few weeks. It sums up winter in Wisconsin perfectly!

#5. MR. (AND MRS.) FOOD FACE PLATES: $12
These ceramic plates, inspired by the famous Wooly Willy Toy, are such a fun gift! I got them for my niece and nephew a few years ago and they love them! They do encourage kids to play with their food, but I am ok with that! Half the time toddlers don't eat anyways, so they might have fun while you make them sit there. ;)

#6. FAMILY CHARADES GAME: $26
Living in a digital age, I sometimes feel like we forget how nice it is to play a good old fashioned game of charades. I loved charades when I was growing up. This game has separate decks that cater to all different age groups.

#7. BUGNOCULARS: $9.99
I loved catching bugs as a kid. Fireflies were my specialty. I love these bugnoculars b/c not only can you catch the bugs in it, but you can view them through the two magnifying glasses in the top! Ellis had something similar to this last summer, but it was from the dollar section at Target and lasted a whole two days. In those two days, I drew a bunch of bugs on cardstock, cut them out to make pretend bugs, and hid them around the house. She would search for them and put them in her 'bug house.' She loved it and would do it over and over. It was a great way to keep her entertained!

#8. DISCOVERY KIDS FORT: $19.99
What kid doesn't love a fort? We don't have a huge house, so it is nice that the fort can be put up, but easily taken down for storage. Plus, the kids can put it together several different ways!

#9. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BLOCK SET: $100
I am in love with these blocks! First off they are wooden, which I love and second they are great for toddles when they just want to build and then serve as a learning toy as they get older. Each block features information such as the state capital, motto, flower, bird, and tree. They are handcrafted in Michigan and made of Basswood grown in the Great Lakes area!

#10. JULIA, CHILD CHILDREN'S BOOK: $12.30
This story is about two girls, Julia and Simca. They are two young friends who agree that you can never use too much butter -- and that it is best to be a child forever. Sharing a love of cooking and having no wish to turn into big, busy people who worry too much and dawdle too little, they decide to create a feast for growing and staying young. A playful, scrumptious celebration of the joy of eating, the importance of never completely growing up, and mastering the art of having a good time, Julia, Child is a fictional tale loosely inspired by the life and spirit of the very real Julia Child -- a story that should be taken with a grain of salt and a generous pat of butter.

#11. ROWDY HORSE: $49.95
This thing is so darn fun! It has nearly 700 reviews on Amazon with 4.5 star rating. Our friends have one for their two boys and every time we go over to their house, Ellis loves hoping on it. She falls over half the time and it is hilarious! It is just a funny looking thing and I love it!

Enter to win one of TWO Magic Moves Electronic Wands from Educational Insights.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2014 KIDS HOLIDAY GIFT BUYING GUIDE: ROUND ONE

I really love gift-giving. If money grew on trees, I would buy everyone I know a Christmas present. Now if 'free time' grew on trees, that would be a dream come true because then I would totally MAKE everyone Christmas presents. A girl can dream, right?! There is something about the holidays that makes me want to sit at home all day in my sweatpants, drink tea, and make DIY christmas ornaments and felt advent calendars. If I ever get to any of those things, trust me, you will all hear about it. Don't hold your breath.

Anyways, turns out we don't have a 'free time' tree growing in our backyard, so that means everyone is getting store bought presents. Here are a few I have on my shopping list for my nieces and nephews.

1. ORANGE MINI TOP $54.50
Don't you just want to hop in?! My friend bought one of these for her niece and I guess she just LOVED it. And really, what could be funnier than a dizzy toddler?!

2. OLLIBLOCKS $12 digital download
You purchase and download the file, print it out, cut and modpodge the faces, bodies and legs onto little wooden blocks and you have one seriously adorable gift - or gifts depending on how many sets you chose to make. This is a great one for people like me who like crafting. You have to check out the Caravan Shoppe. They specialize in digital downloads for home, family, and fun and have the most adorable designs. My olliblocks are at the print shop right now. I can't wait to get started!

3. WUBBLE BUBBLE BALL $19.99
This thing is AWESOME! It inflates up to 3 ft, has won several awards AND it has a lifetime guarantee!!! As the tagline says, "It looks like a bubble, plays like a ball!" Check out their website for videos that show it in action.

4. BEKA BLOCKS $50-$300
Do you remember these as a kid?! I do! They are good old fashioned wooden building blocks. Ellis has them at daycare she can play with them for hours. BEKA is a St Paul, Minnesota company that makes all natural wood products that are made right here in the USA.

5. BEADING KIT (CREATE YOUR OWN) AROUND $20
When I was little, my Aunt put together a beading kit for me and gave it to me for Christmas. It had all different kinds of beads, string, clasps, wire, and even pliers. I spent hours making necklaces and bracelets and I will always remember it as one of my favorite gifts. Even when I was little, I was crafty. All I ever wanted to do was create things. My Niece (almost 4) is a crafty little one, so buying for her is my favorite. I put together a little beading kit for her this year with things from Consumer Crafts. I have bought a lot of crafts in my day and trust me, this site has great prices and they carry pretty much anything and everything you could ever want. Here is what I put in her kit: storage box ($4.97) / various plastic beads ($1-$3) / string ($3.57) / key chain clips ($0.97) / ball chain necklaces ($2.37)

6. FACE PAINTING STICKS $2.97
What kid doesn't love having their face painted? The size and price is perfect for a stocking stuffer!

7. LOST MY NAME PERSONALIZED CHILDREN'S BOOK - $29.99
I am a sucker for personalized gifts, so naturally, I am drawn to products like this one. I have seen so many companies try and do the 'put your kids name in a book' thing and to be honest, I have not been overly impressed. That was until I saw these books. They do not just pop your kids name into the story, the story is actually about your child going on an adventure to find each letter of their name. Ummmm... why didn't I come up with this genius idea?! Oh and the illustrations are adorable. I got one for my nephew and one for Ellis for when she is a bit older. This is the kind of book a kid keeps for a lifetime.

8. SCULPEY CLAY VARIETY PACK WITH TOOLS $21.94
Yes, this is another favorite from my childhood. I would make beads and clay creatures for hours and my mom would bake them in the oven. This is a must for any crafty kid. Ohhh the memories!

9. DohVinci DELUX STYLER $5.99
It's a cross between a cake decorating set and a caulk gun! Fit a tube of the soft compound (from the makers of Play-Doh) into the styler, then squeeze to make 3-D dots, swirls, and lines on paper, cardboard, even wood. Leave the creation to dry overnight for a permanent design.