Friday: DIY Turtle Pinata

For my baby's first birthday party, we ended up having a turtle themed party. Why? Because..... I'm not entirely sure. Probably for my husband, actually, who has a turtle. Anyhow, I ended up having to make all sorts of turtle themed decor and food, including an amazing turtle shaped cake (and when I say amazing, I do mean edible and kinda-looks-like-a-turtle). But my pièce de résistance? This turtle pinata. It is...

*functional
*cheap
*simple to make
*kinda-looks-like a turtle

If you feel the urge to follow me in my footsteps, here is what I did.

Materials
*flour
*water
*balloon
*one newspaper's worth of newspaper
*green craft paint/ paintbrush
*green construction paper
*scissors
*duct tape

Step 1
Mix flour and water together in a bowl until it is about the consistency of thin pancake batter. Cut strips of newspaper about one inch wide. Blow up a balloon (not too full, or you'll end up with it popping before the pinata is done).

Step 2
Dip the strips of newspaper into your flour/water mix (glue) and pull the strip through your fingers to remove excess glue, so there is just a thin layer on both sides of the newspaper. Layer this onto the balloon, one strip at a time, until the balloon is mostly covered. As this is a turtle, the bottom third of the balloon doesn't need to be covered.

Step 3
Allow the covered balloon to dry completely (best when by a fan for 1-2 hours), then repeat the layering process. Continue this until you have 4-5 layers on your pinata.

Step 4
Now, you get to pop your balloon! Using a serrated blade, cut off any extra paper-mache that compromises your turtle-shape. (It's pretty difficult to get a perfect shape without needing to cut off extra, so don't be afraid to brandish that blade.)

Step 5
Paint your shell green. Next, cut out a basic head, tail, and foot shape from green construction paper. Bend the shapes at the edge at a 90 degree angle, then stick to the pinata using duct tape.

Step 6
Fill your pinata with candy, then use strips of duct tape to secure all that sweet candy inside of your pinata. Naturally, some tape will show on the bottom sides after you're done. Brush some green paint over the duct tape and no-one needs to know.

Step 7
Here's your final step. Poke two small holes right next to each other on the top of the pinata with a knife. Use the hook of the hanger to go in and then out of these two holes and voila! You have something to hang the pinata with.

Is it the most life-like turtle pinata you will ever see? Probably not. But, I thought I'd share the idea and hopefully give you a hand up when you are making your own pinatas. They do, after all, make a party a PARTY!



What a cute little buddy.... too bad he had to die

Wednesday: Fishin' in Alaska

On behalf of my grandpa's favorite joke today.... he thought it was hilarious and I have to admit I did, too.

Tuesday: How to Make DIY Dishwasher Cleaner

Funk. Funky. Funkier. Great words to describe some awesome music from the '70's- but when you are talking about a cleaning appliance, these are not words you want associated with them. Namely, your dishwasher. Responsible for destroying all food particles and bacteria from our dishes- but sometimes, they get rather pungent. Also gross.

Don't shell out hundreds of bucks for a fresh new one- make your dishwasher fresh all over again with a very simple DIY dishwasher cleaner.

*Empty your dishwasher

*Put in 3x your normal amount of dishwasher soap (granules or gel)
*Pour 1-2 cups of bleach into the bottom
*Dump a box of baking soda in
*Turn your dishwasher on its hottest, longest setting, and let the machine clean itself for you! You'll be pleasantly surprised at how clean it gets- and love getting that funky smell out!

(PS- Want something to get rid of water drop stains? Re-run your dishwasher on HOT with 4 cups of vinegar. Good luck!)

Wendesday: Who is Who in Disney Movies: Who Knew?

I was watching Pocahontas with my hubby and baby the other night when my husband said, "Wait- is that Mel Gibson's voice? Doing John Smith?" I told him no way and that he was crazy, but, as luck would have it, he was right- which got me to wondering. What famous people ARE in animated Disney movies? This is by no means an exhaustive list- but it is, I think, rather surprising. Who knew?

Tuesday: How to Have Perma-Fresh Breath

We've all had it. And we ALL hate it. Bad breath. Halitosis. Morning breath. Coffee breath. Old man breath. There are endless names for it and they are ALL awful. The main causes for bad breath are

*dehydration

*bacteria

*recently eaten food

 So, for ALL of us, here are 5 tips for perma-fresh breath.

1. Hydrate. Like Crazy. You should be drinking water all day long. If your body ever lacks water, one of the first places it is manifests it is in your mouth by lowering the amount of saliva in your mouth. More saliva means less bad breath. Avoid this and drink water all day long.

2. Munch on Veggies. More saliva=less bad breath. Stimulate saliva production by munching on crisp raw vegetables like carrot sticks or celery. The vegetables leave very little scent in your mouth and stimulate your saliva, giving you fresher breath.

3. Leave Mints Be. Mints and small candies will freshen your breath momentarily, but leave a residue that leaves your mouth smelling worse off than before. Want a breath freshener? Try a sugar-free mint gum that won't leave the same residue.

4. Tongue Scraper. Don't have one? Buy one. Your tongue is often the top culprit for any breath issues you have and, no matter how great you brush your tongue, a tongue scraper is more effective for cleaning. Use a tongue scraper when brushing your teeth and even carry one around in your purse during the day for touch ups.

5. Gargle Mouthwash with Your Head Back. One of the toughest places to remove bad breath-causing is in the back of your mouth and into your throat. One of the most effective ways to remove this bacteria is using mouthwash, tilting your head back. It may seem like a small change, but makes all the difference.