AFTER:

It’s amazing what a little mod-podge and scrap-booking paper will do!  The HOW-TO for this project is incredibly easy:  Apply a layer of mod-podge with a sponge brush in sections to the quaker oats canister.  Wrap scrapbook paper that’s been cut to size around the canister as you mod-podge (I used two sheets of 12″x12″ paper cut to fit the height of the can).  Then, apply another layer of mod-podge on top just to help keep it water-resistant and protected.

We love our head-band holder… and, a major bonus — Store the clips and ponytail holders on the inside!

With 4th of July fast approaching, I thought the girls were due some more patriotic-wear.  Of course, with daddy serving, we can’t get enough of our red-white-and-blue!  I needed something fast, easy, and cheap.  This project turned out FREE…which was even better!

Rora sporting stars…

Lalas shirt says:  My Daddy, My Hero

I’ve searched and searched for some great shirts for the girls (and me!), but after shipping it’d cost around $30 or more to outfit us all.  –And, we have more important things vying for our money these days.

I’m going to be honest, I am new to freezer paper stenciling.  Quite frankly, I even whipped out the wax paper because I thought it was one and the same.  Turns out, it’s not.  (Freezer paper has a waxy coating on one side and paper on the other.  Wax paper is wax on both sides.)  Is the difference important?  Pretty much.  Both can be bought at your local grocery store (or walmart) and both have wax, but for some reason, ironing down wax paper doesn’t get the same effect as when you do it with freezer paper (one sticks, the other…not so much).

Anyhow, without further ado, here is the tutorial… how I did it and then, how you might want to do it differently!

Freezer or Wax Paper Stencil Tutorial:

You will need:

Freezer paper (unless you are stubborn like me…then use wax paper)
An xacto knife.  If your pattern is huge, you can use scissors.
Iron
Tshirt or something else to stencil on (pillows, purses, curtains, walls, etc.  Get the idea?)
Paint – I used acrylic because it’s what I had.  But, Speedball paints have been given rave reviews.
Paint brushes/sponges

Instructions:

1.  First things first, you are going to want to either print out or free-hand your design.

2.  Put your freezer paper over it and trace it (wax side facing down as the wax side will be what will lay against your shirt/fabric).

3.  After you finish tracing, you’ll start cutting (xacto knife)

4.  Lay your new stencil onto your fabric, waxy side down.

5.  Heat up your iron and iron it down.  It may take 30 secs to a minute for it to stick, but keep the iron moving so it doesn’t scorch.  Test a small section to make sure it’s good and stuck.

6.  Now, the fun part!  Paint!  If you used wax paper (which I warned you that you might not want to!), you are now realizing that it doesn’t stick very well or consistently (which is weird because wax is wax and should stick, right?)  I held down my stencil carefully and would brush carefully to avoid paint going where it wasn’t supposed to.  Freezer paper equals cleaner lines, though.

7.  When you’re finished (and paint has dried), just peel the paper off and VOILA!

These are really only meant to be used once, but the beauty of wax paper not sticking is that you could possibly use it again…if you really wanted to.  (I re-used the stars for mine.)

Go HERE for the free template.

We’re studying about Christopher Columbus this month, and I wanted to share with you some of the great links I’ve found so far!  (I’m hoping to share pictures of our other studies and activities in a future post – we’ve been busy!)

• Activities Calendar For Toddlers (November)
• TeePee Cupcakes
• National Geographic Kids Christopher Columbus Video – good for all ages
• Mini Sailboat Directions
• Wampanoag Toss And Catch Game
• Talk Like A Pilgrim
• Banana Gobble Pancakes
• How To Draw A Turkey
• Succotash Recipe
• Thanksgiving Preschool Pack

ENJOY!

Making pretty things.  Like…

A Bubble Dress
Paper Fortune Cookies
Felt Board
Paintings
Christmas Gifts

The journal/spy notebook has a special birthday wish, as well as what each and every one of the contents is for.

Evidence bags – to collect evidence

Candy – You know, for when you’re on an extra long mission and you need to keep your sugar up.  It’s a necessity.

Sticky Notes – To leave people impromptu notes or to remind oneself of something very important.

Super Secret Pen – The pen doesn’t work (which I tell him in his journal).  Therefore, nobody will steal it.  It’s a chubby pen, so when he takes it apart, he can hide money or secret letters inside.  Inside this particular pen is a dollar bill waiting for him to find.

Mini and Large Brush – For dusting the fingerprinting dusting powder onto fingerprints for collecting

Fingerprinting Dusting Powder – (see above)

String – To “rope” off areas or to create booby traps or to tie up offenders.  Really, the uses are endless.

T-Shirt – To be worn all incognito-like so he can blend in AND roll in the dirt ALL. DAY. LONG.

Silly String – To stun the “bad guys”