Crafts Archives - Simply Me DIY

August 13, 2019August 13, 2019

Making Bead Sun Catchers

So, these Bead Sun Catchers turned out way better than I expected.

Pony beads used for project. — I got these beads from Hobby Lobby. They had glitter in them that looked great when they melted.

I these sun catchers on Pinterest several times and thought it looked like something Zoey would enjoy. She loves bright pretty colors and being crafty.

So I got the beads some time ago, thinking we would get to this pretty quickly. That was probably 2 months ago.

This weekend I had both grandkids and one of the cousins over to spend the weekend. It seemed like the perfect time.

I told the girls about the bead sun catchers and pulled out the bag of beads. Showed them the muffin tin I planned to use and told them to create whatever design they liked. They were thrilled.

Then I remembered some aluminum pans I had in the cabinet. You know the kind you buy 3 or 4 in a pack that can be thrown away after you use them? I had 8 inch square pans. But they have several different shapes and sizes to choose from.

Girls designing their bead sun catchers. — Working hard at their designs.

The girls had a ton of fun creating and re-creating. They mixed the beads and then separated them and then mixed them again.

They made designs and then dumped them then made new designs, until they finally came up with something they liked.

Once they had the first batch done, they had a better idea of what they would look like. Then it became easier for them to come up with new designs.

Heating the sun catchers outside instead of in the oven was a better idea.

When I got ready to melt the beads for the sun catchers I used the gas grill. I’d read in a few articles of people using the oven inside and it turning out bad. I decided I didn’t want to try that.

Completed sun catchers. — As you can see, we don’t even have to make a hole to hang them with in a few of them.

I tried to find what temp they needed to “cook” at looking at different websites to find a temp. I couldn’t find anything.

So I faked it and started at 450F. One article I read said it took about 10 minutes. At 450F it took about 30 min. I figured I was doing it wrong so for the second batch I let the grill get to 550F.

That worked much better. It still took longer than 10 minutes, but was still much faster.

Once they’re melted, just set them to the side to cool. I was worried about getting them out of the pan, but didn’t need to be. They popped out real easy.

There are a few things to remember next time.

I did discover, however, that while all the scalloped edges of the pan were a cool part of the design, the writing on the bottom of the pan also transferred. Not the cool design I was hoping for. I’ll have to figure a way to make that not show up.

Square pan sun catcher. — Here’s the square sun catcher. Can you see the writing in the center?

If you can think of a way to get rid of the raised writing in the bottom of those pans, please let me know in the comments. I haven’t been able to figure that out yet.

Some of them melted smooth and a few didn’t. The ones that still had a little texture from the lump of the bead looked really cool I thought.

But those all came out of the same batch, so I’m not sure what the difference was so we can recreate the effect. Next time I’ll try and pay more attention to that to figure it out.

Give this one a try when you get a chance. I guarantee your kids or grandkids will enjoy it. Share your creations here and post your pictures in the comments. I’d love to see them.

Until next time-

Health, Wealth & Blessings ~ Tracey

July 23, 2019July 22, 2019

The Many Ways of Making Herbal Tea

So a week or so ago I told you about mixing your own herbal tea blends. You can find that here. Now, here’s something a little different.

When I first started making herbal tea, it felt very foreign to me. That seemed like an exotic kind of thing for this small town country girl. I never considered there was anything beyond the store bought tea bags.

These days I’ve discovered so many ways to prepare and steep your herbal tea, I have to actually decide on which one I’ll use each time.

The Different Methods I Use to Prepare My Herbal Tea

There are several different ways to hold your loose leaf herbal tea. Let’s go over a few.

Tea Bags

There’s a couple of different tea bags you can use. I use both of these and like them both for different reasons.

This one I get from Mountain Rose Herbs. I like this one because you can quickly make a bag of tea, just fold over the edge and pour your water over it.

I use this one at home a lot. It’s good for trying a new herbal tea blend and don’t want to make up a lot.

This is another one I like to use. I get them at Mountain Rose Herbs too. You can find them in different sizes all over Amazon, but I’m never really sure of the quality from places I don’t know.

herbal tea in tea bags — Iron close tea bags.

I like this one because they’re easy to prepare and have several bags pre-made and ready to take with you when you want. They’re just like regular tea bags, and easily portable because they seal.

Both of these tea bag types are compostable too, which is a plus for me since we compost everything possible.

Tea Balls

Tea balls are another way to steep your herbal teas. They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. I have a few different styles and I use them both. I don’t have a specific purpose for either, just depends on my mood at the time.

Some tea balls have smaller screen sizes or holes which means some will leave small bits of leaf in the bottom of your cup and others won’t.

Handle spoon type tea ball. — This style is more like a spoon

I don’t mind little bits of tea leaf in the bottom of my cup, but that may be something you’ll want to consider when you decide on one.

Then there are a few other styles that I like.

A Couple Other Styles

A friend bought me this next style a long time ago. I love it. This one is a basket type thing you put your herbs in and set it in your cup and then pour your water directly over your herbs.

herbal tea straining basket — Herbal tea straining basket and holder.

This one works very well. It even comes with a little thing to set the tea basket in when you get ready to drink your tea.

Making herbal tea with a tea basket — A basket full of lavender and lemon balm tea.

This one is really good for using enough herbs to make several cups of tea.

And lastly, I have a steeping pot. I found it on sale at my local grocery store several years back and have been very happy with it.

Glass steeping pot — I found this at a local grocery store during a clearance sale. I love it.

It’s a thin clear glass pot, so after I pour my water over the herbs, I usually wrap it in a tea towel to keep it hot. I use this a lot more in the winter, cause I can drink a whole pot on a Sunday afternoon.

Brewing Your Tea

Teas or herbs with a high volitile oil content, or those that smell really good, need to be covered when you steep them. This will keep the properties of the herb from evaporating while the tea steeps.

A covered steeping tea blend. — Steeping herbal tea.

So if you’re making a tea using, say lavender, you’ll want to cover it while it steeps.

I’m sure there are several more ways to prepare your herbal tea. But these are the ones I use regularly.

I hope you see one you would like to try. Or maybe you saw a few that interest you. Even better.

Thanks for stopping by and reading about making herbal tea. Let me know what method you use or let me know which method you want to try. I’m curious.

Be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already. See you next week.

Until then –

Health, Wealth & Blessing ~ Tracey

May 14, 2019May 13, 2019

Why Do I DIY

I know people ask why should I DIY? It’s so much easier to just go to the store. There are more and more organic choices all the time and there’s so many more farms these days where you can buy fresh garden vegetables and even meats, milk and eggs.

So, why do I DIY?

In my opinion, there are a ton of reasons to DIY, but here are my top 10 reasons to DIY.

1. Taste!! Nothing taste better than homemade. You can use fresher ingredients and it’s not set on a truck for days or weeks on end going from factory to the store shelf.

2. Knowing what’s in my food, lotions and cleaners makes me feel better about eating or using them. Have you ever read some of those labels? You can’t even pronounce most of it. When I make these things myself, I know every ingredient that’s in it and I never have to wonder what those unpronounceables are.

3. I can adjust a DIY recipe to suit me and my family perfectly. Sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error, but I can adjust foods, body products and cleaners to suit my own tastes, smells and needs. I can personalize anything.

4. There’s no unnecessary chemicals, preservatives, or coloring in your DIY stuff. I hate all the extra stuff they put in the stuff you buy.

5. When I attempt a new DIY, I’m learning something new. I love learning new things, it just feels good.

6. Some DIY skills I’m learning are becoming lost or forgotten skills in our new modern world. I like the idea of keeping these skills alive to teach to my grandkids. You never know, someday some of these may come in handy again.

Dandelions from my yard for dandelion jelly.

7. You get to choose where your ingredients come from. While they don’t always have to be organic, you still want to know where they come from. You can research the companies you buy from or maybe you can source them locally, near where you live.

In any case, whatever you are making, you have the choice from where you would like to purchase the ingredients to make whatever it is you are making.

8. When I make a new food item like butter or sauerkraut or breads, I always have such a sense of accomplishment. I figured it out, I was able to do it and it tasted good. I like that feeling.

9. When I make something, whatever that might be, I tend to appreciate it a bit more. I know the work and thought that’s gone into it.

Likewise, if I know someone else has put that same kind of work and thought into a product that I buy locally, I will appreciate that product just a little more than something I would pick off the shelf at a grocery store.

10. Last but not least, every time I make something new, I build a bit more confidence in what I can do. Even if a project doesn’t work exactly as I wanted it to, I learned from it and will try again. The next time I’m one step closer to where I want to be.

It was Thomas Edison that said something like, “I didn’t fail, I just found 10,000 ways it didn’t work.” I don’t know if I have that kind of patience, but I agree with his sentiment. You got to try or you’ll not get anywhere.

My granddaughter’s beautiful corn dolly.

When I DIY, Making Mistakes Means Learning Lessons

I told my grand daughter when she was very young and just learning to color and draw pictures, that I didn’t like perfect. The imperfections of what we do is what makes them unique to us. That’s what makes them special. She remembers that, and to this day will remind me of that if a project we make doesn’t come out just right. Because her imperfections are perfect for some, especially me.

I know sometimes it’s easier to go to the store and just buy the things I like to make and post about here. And sometimes I do that, but when I have the chance and the supplies to make what I need, I will try every time to make it. But if I can’t then that’s okay too.

In my opinion, if you can do it yourself, know what’s in it or how it’s built and potentially make it to your particular liking, then why not?

Why do you DIY? I’d love to hear what makes you want to make it yourself instead of buying at the store. Let me know in the comments below, what you’re working on.

Thanks for dropping by.

Until next time – Health, Wealth & Blessings ~ Tracey

February 26, 2019February 25, 2019

Making A Corn Dolly

What is a corn dolly? It’s been several years since I first heard of a corn dolly.

After I started seeing them I looking into them because I thought they were cute. I also thought it might be a good teaching moment for my grandkids and a fun afternoon making one.

A Quick History of the Corn Dolly

In olden days, and I mean very olden days, like the 4th century, give or take a few centuries, when the farmers harvested their grain, they thought the spirit of the grain had no where to go.

Therefore, Corn dollies were made to give that spirit a place to reside after the harvest. The following spring when the farmer would again sew his grain, the spirits could then go back out into the fields where they would stay during the growing season.

In those days corn was more of a catch all term for grain and the word for “dollie” loosely meant spirit. Therefore, a corn dolly was equated to a Spirit of the Grain.

Since the farmers wanted the grain spirit to be happy, to ensure a successful crop for the next year, the corn dolly was well tended during the cold and dark months of the year.

In some clans or tribes the oldest woman of the clan would make the corn dolly. In others it was the youngest woman of the clan. Either way the dolly was always well cared for and placed in a safe and honored place until the following planting season.

Not all dollies looked like dolls. They were made in all shapes and sizes and configurations. They were, as a general rule, made from corn husks, wheat stalks or combinations thereof.

Today, corn dollies are made mostly for fun. Some still make them as a tribute to a specific season. Some make them for spring and others for the end of fall.

Whatever your reason, they are fun and easy to make with the kiddos and even funner to decorate. The creativity that can go into making these dollies is endless.

Here’s what you need

The supplies you need to make your corn dolly are simple.

4-6 dried corn husks. How many you use depends on how full of a skirt you would like. I bought my husks in the ethnic section as the grocery store. I originally bought these for making corn tamales, but never used them all.
Spray bottle with water. Some people soak them in water, but that seemed like it would be really messy to me. It would probably be okay if you’re working outside. But for inside, I prefer a spray bottle.
String or twine of some sort.
Scissors
Ribbons and other embellishments of your choice.

First, spray the corn husks with water and massage it in a bit to make them pliable so they don’t tear or rip while your working with them.

Spray your husks so they don’t tear or rip while you work with them.

Next, you’ll want to stack them so the small edges are together at the top and tie them with string.

Begin by tying the top of your bundle with string or twine.

After you tie the bundle a the top, find somewhere close to the middle and fold them over the knot. Then you’ll tie a string around that to make the head.

Fold them over the knot you just made at the top of your bundle.

Then tie around that bundle to make a head.

There are several ways to make the arms. I’ve seen some people who tear the husks into smaller strips, then braid the strips to make the arms.

I like the puffy sleeve look, because I think it goes well with the full skirt. So, I sprayed down a few more corn husks and set them opposite on top of each other and rolled them together. Then I tied strings at each end creating a ruffled effect where the hands would be.

Sitting the husks on top of each other in opposite directions for a full puffy sleeve look.

Then you’ll want to find the middle of your husks again and put your arms in the middle and up towards the head.

Now you can tie a string around what is her waist. Now your skirt starts just below the arms.

At this point you can decorate her any way you want. You can make an apron around her waist or a tunic that slides over he head and ties at the waist, or tie a favorite colored ribbon around her waist, like I did.

The green ribbon seemed appropriate to me.

I also made the knots at her wrists into bows to look a bit more finished. You can do this with all kinds of different twines or ribbons, adding all kinds of color and textures.

I’ve seen people use wheat heads added to the head to make a head dress of sorts. I think these look really cool, but I didn’t have any when I made mine.

My granddaughter used dry erase markers to make her’s beautiful.

Be creative, embellish her and make her your own. Post her picture in the comments for all of us to see. I’d love to see what you came up with.

Thanks for joining me today. I hope you enjoyed your stay.

Next week I’ll be making homemade shampoo. it’s way more inexpensive and great for your hair. I look forward to seeing you next week.

Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

Until next time – Health, Wealth & Blessing ~ Tracey

January 15, 2019January 11, 2019

The Best Homemade Chapstick

So, have you ever thought of making your own homemade chapstick? Well, you should, cause it’s easy. And because 1 recipe makes a ton of chapstick.

The basic recipe includes 2 ingredients, almond oil and bees wax. That’s it, really.

Almond oil is used because it’s not as greasy feeling as coconut and some of the other carrier oils. You could always make it that much better and infuse your almond oil with calendula flowers and make it that much more nourishing for your lips.

Yep, it really is that simple.

Do you know What’s in Chapstick

Have you ever read the ingredients in chapstick? I just looked them up and it’s crazy!

Here is the list of inactive ingredients from the Pfizer website.

With the active ingredients listed as Avobenzone, Octinoxate and White petrolatum.

How many of those ingredients do you know?

Well, now you’ll always know what’s in your chapstick and it’s so inexpensive to make. I wanted to say it’s cheap to make but that really sounds bad, but anyway.

How To Make The Best Homemade Chapstick

Before you start, you’ll want to get your tubes and/or tins set up and ready. This is a cup of oil and 2 oz of wax and it made 25 1-oz tubes and 7 2-oz tins. Never hurts to have a couple of extra, just in case. I link below where I get mine.

Start with 1 Cup Almond oil

Mix with 2 oz Bees wax.

A side note about bees wax. You can see from the picture that I’m cutting from a block. The first bees wax I bought, I thought I was doing good by buying more for less. While this wax is just as good, it’s SO hard to cut up or shave off. This is where I buy my bees wax. It’s awesome wax and they have several different ways you can buy it. I highly recommend buying the pastilles or 1 oz bars unless you are making candles. Just my opinion, but I’ve used both and it’s SO worth it, trust me.

Melt wax and oil over a double boiler or very low heat. I’ve made my own double boiler. That’s a medium sauce pan with the glass measuring cup sitting on a canning ring. It’s easy to make something similar.

If you want to use essential oils, add them after you’ve removed the oils from the heat. It’ll take about 1 tsp, give or take. Start small and work up. You can always add more, but you can’t remove it.

Then pour into chapstick tubes or small tins. Sometimes this can be a challenge, but it’s doable. There are tube holders I’ve seen, but I haven’t found a need to buy one yet.

I’m sure there are a lot of places to buy these (or you could re-use tubes if you are keeping them for yourself), but here is where I’ve bought the tubes and here is where I bought the tins.

So there you have it. Simple homemade chapstick, that’s easy and inexpensive to make. Not often you find that combination. I hope you like this one and, if you need to, can adjust it to make it perfect it for you.

If you have a different recipe let me know. If you have an essential oil combination you love to use, let me know that too. Leave those ideas and recipes in the comments below to share with anyone else who may want to give it a try.

And if you know of someone who might want to give this a try, share it with them.

I hope you enjoy it. I make it and give it away during the holiday season to family and friends. It’s makes so much it would take me forever to use it up.

Until next week–

Health, Wealth & Blessings~Tracey