A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍
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Food and Life

Beating Summer Boredom: Marbled Paper

July 15, 2009 · Craft Ideas

Single Sheet

Otherwise known as How to Entertain Your Kids for Under $3.  Before summer arrived, I had amassed a very full folder of craft ideas, activities and the like to keep Nick busy throughout the summer.  Anything to beat the cries of boredom.  Most are very inexpensive activities, often times using items you likely already have on hand.  Some are more creative-based.  Some require the thinking side of his brain.  All are just plain fun.  Today it was all about making pretty marbled paper.

I ripped this idea out of a recent issue of Family Fun magazine.  All you need is a baking sheet, food coloring, shaving cream and some card stock.  I purchased two cans of shaving cream at the dollar store (and after doing about six sheets, we still have a can and a half leftover), and got a stack of card stock sheets from Michael’s scrapbooking section.  They were 39 cents a sheet, and this week, they’re all 30% off.  Even better.

What kid doesn’t like to play with shaving cream?  Especially when it’s with permission.  This afternoon, once the lunch plates were cleared, the kids (yes, even Madeline) got busy on creating the pretty marbled paper with their babysitter.  It could not be easier to make and they had a blast doing it.  With all the swirly shapes and colors, no two pieces of paper are the same, and you can go crazy with unique color combinations. They don’t know it yet, but tomorrow, they’re going to make some pink pieces for me to hang in my office.   I know this doesn’t surprise you.

Now, what to do with the paper once you’re done?  Although, surprisingly, the magazine didn’t make any suggestions, there are tons of possibilities.  We’re going to cut the paper to fit in some black frames I bought to make one-of-a-kind artwork.  How about a bookmark or two?  A colorful mat for a framed picture?  Laminate it and make placemats for everyone in the family?  Gift tags?  Book covers? The possibilities are endless, only limited by your imagination.  Have fun!

P.S.  Miss our first entry for Beating Summer Boredom?  You can find it right here.

Pile of Marbled Paper

What you need:

  • baking sheet with rim
  • shaving cream
  • squeegee
  • liquid food coloring
  • craft stick or toothpick
  • card stock

Cover the baking sheet with a half-inch layer of shaving cream.  Smooth it with the squeegee (we just used a spatula).  Dot the cream with drops of food coloring, then use a craft stick or toothpick to swirl it in the cream.  Lay a sheet of card stock on top of the cream and press lightly.  Peel off the paper and use the squeegee to remove the excess shaving cream.  Set the paper aside to dry.  Try making a second, lighter print, or start over with a fresh layer of cream on the baking sheet.

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Posted In: Craft Ideas · Tagged: beating summer boredom, Craft Ideas, making marbled paper

Comments

  1. Sarah Caron says

    July 15, 2009 at 9:34 pm

    What an awesome idea! And so easy. Did it make a mess on them?

    Reply
  2. Cate says

    July 15, 2009 at 9:40 pm

    Um, well, there might have been a little instance of someone eating food coloring. Just sayin’. But no mess!

    Reply
  3. Kris #40 says

    July 16, 2009 at 8:58 am

    These look awesome! Blue & green – my favorite colors together!

    Will have to try this with my girlie!

    I’ll say it again – those cookies are amazing!

    Reply
  4. Cate says

    July 16, 2009 at 8:59 am

    Kris – which cookies? meant to ask you, did you get the bag we dropped off the other night? Hoping the chocolate wasn’t all soft and melty by the time you got to them. :)

    Reply
  5. Ramona says

    July 16, 2009 at 9:45 am

    Looks like a lot of fun for the kids.

    Reply
  6. Jess says

    July 16, 2009 at 1:36 pm

    Very neat idea. I like that they can get totally creative with this one.

    Reply

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A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻

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A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍

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