How to make a $7 tutu in just 30 minutes

Halloween is coming up and your little princess says she needs a costume - tomorrow.  What!?  Don't panic and run out to the store..... yet.  A store bought costume just doesn't last.  The kids tear them up in a day, then outgrow them in a week.  

Here is a quick and easy project suitable for any, any size, any season.

This is my 13 year old - how cute is this tutu?!

Supplies: 3 yards of tulle, thick elastic

First you need tulle.  Lots of tulle. You see three colors here, we bought five (two separate tutus).  You will need 1-2 yards of each color.  3 yards total.  The only other supply you need is a thick elastic to go around your child's waist.

Step 1: Cut the tulle to be about 4" thick and 2 feet long.

Yes that seems long, but it will only end up being a foot long.  

If you want the skirt really long, double the length.

You can see we cheated and used the "paper cutter"

All of our cut tulle

Step 2: Fit the elastic around your child's waist.  Tack it with a few quick stitches and you're done with this part!  I think we actually just used safety pins on one of the skirts.

Step 3: Grab one of your 2 foot strips of tulle.  Fold the tulle in half lengthwise.  Take the 'loop' end up through the top of the elastic closes to your child's body.  Then take the loose end and put it through the loop (photo below).  Tighten and repeat.

If it is late and your princess is getting her beauty sleep while you work on this, wrap your elastic around a chair to work on  it :)

This is not the finished product, but almost.  Up to this part took about 20 minutes.  You can see she did a simple black/blue pattern.

My 13 year old did all of this herself - while wearing it.  So it's not a terribly complex project.  It did take a bit longer for the 11 year old.

To finish it off, we sprayed each of the tutus with a touch of glitter.  What girl doesn't want a little more sparkle?!

Lunch box treats

In my never ending effort to get my children to eat healthy, I have been scouring the web ro find fun, tasty, appealing treats for their lunch. Now mind you, the girls only take lunch on Monday to co op, and my son only packs one on Tuesday and Thursday (this semester) for college. 

I know I have it easier than a mom who packs lunches 5 days a week, or a mom with picky kids.  It is tough to pack a healthy lunch that is also appealing. I have seen the "bento" lunches. I cannot, and will not buy another lunch box. Also, who has time to make each sandwich look like a bear?  Yes, it's cute. No, I dont have time. 

So, I have tried this this week.....

Veggie ring

It was pretty easy to make, and only took a few minutes.  

First: Slice a cucumber, then 'core' it.  I used my apple corer to make it a pretty circle.  

Second: Then julienne (cut into long thin strips) your carrots and zucchini.  

Finally: take a small bundle of your carrots, zucchini, add a green bean or two and stick them through the center of the cucumber.

Note: You could sub many diff veggies in here.

Cucumber Cups

First: Cut your cucumber about an inch thick (this is way way too thin)

Next: core out SOME of the center - I learned the hard way, leave some of the cucumber on the bottom of the "bowl"

Third: Scoop in your egg salad (you can also use tuna or chicken salad)

Finally: Place on a bed of lettuce

My kids all decided they didn't like cucumber - the day I made these!  So they did not go over well.  Good thing it didn't take long to make them.....

National Bring Your Bible to School Day

Disclaimer:  This is not my original post.  This is re-posted from http://jimdaly.focusonthefamily.com/watch-exclusive-debut-of-newsboys-video-kicks-off-bring-your-bible-to-school-day/  in hopes to bring awareness to this fantastic event

National Bring Your Bible to School Day

Last year’s inaugural “Bring Your Bible to School Day” was huge, and this year’s event on Oct. 8 promises to be even bigger.

Just like last year, all 50 states will be represented. But where last year we had about 8,000 students participating, we’re expecting that number to be exponentially higher for the 2015 event.

Think about what God can do through multiple thousands of students, from kindergarten to college, bringing their Bibles to school as a visual way to celebrate religious freedom and share God’s hope with friends!

Christian students face real challenges at school

While students have a right to bring their Bibles to school, some feel pressured to hide their faith. It’s a “cultural censorship” imposed by some public school teachers and administrators.

Other educators may not be aware that students have a constitutionally protected right to bring their Bibles to school. For example, 14-year-old Brytney participated in last year’s inaugural event after reading Focus’ materials explaining students’ rights. When a teacher told her she wasn’t allowed to have her Bible at school, Brytney shared some of Focus’ information with him and was allowed to keep her Bible out. (WatchBrytney tell her story.)

It’s because of Brytney, and so many other students like her, that Focus on the Family sponsors “Bring Your Bible to School Day.” These are kids who love Jesus and who have a real desire to live their faith publicly. They wantto use their free time to read their Bibles and to talk honestly with their friends. All we’re doing is giving them the knowledge they need so they’re empowered to do so.

Influential support for “Bring Your Bible to School Day”

We’re excited that award-winning Christian band Newsboys is joining forces with Focus to help raise awareness of “Bring Your Bible to School Day” and religious-freedom issues this year. You’ll remember the band was featured in last year’s hit movie “God’s Not Dead.” The sequel is coming out next year and will deal directly with living out the Christian faith in public schools.

“Religious freedom is an issue that’s really close to our hearts,” says Newsboys lead singer Michael Tait. “That’s why we’re supporting the thousands of students participating in ‘Bring Your Bible to School Day.’”

Go to the website to see the Newsboys video: http://jimdaly.focusonthefamily.com/watch-exclusive-debut-of-newsboys-video-kicks-off-bring-your-bible-to-school-day/

Parents, pastors and church youth leaders: I hope you’ll let the students in your life know about “Bring Your Bible to School Day” and encourage them to pray through this opportunity. It’s an important event not only because it gives Christian public school students a voice, but because it’s a chance for them to share their faith with their friends.

Students: it doesn’t matter if you’re in kindergarten or in college. If your heart is to live boldly for Christ, we’re here to help you and support you. Our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal group and longtime advocate of religious freedom in public schools, are also part of this important event. They’ll give you free legal representation if your religious freedom is challenged.

Sign up today!

Students can register to participate in “Bring Your Bible to School Day” online. Free, downloadable guides for students and pastors/parents are also available online at www.focusonthefamily.com/bringyourbible.

Follow “Bring Your Bible to School Day” on Facebook and Twitter and find more information at www.bringyourbible.org. Please help us spread the word using our official hashtag, #BringYourBible.

Finally – please pray for all the students who will be taking a loving and courageous stand for Christ on Thursday, Oct. 8. Pray God will open the doors for them to have grace-filled conversations with their friends, and that they will feel God’s peace as they live out their faith.

Disclaimer:  This is not my original post.  This is re-posted from http://jimdaly.focusonthefamily.com/watch-exclusive-debut-of-newsboys-video-kicks-off-bring-your-bible-to-school-day/  in hopes to bring awareness to this fantastic event

Brown Sugar Body Scrub

In my ongoing quest to make my family healthier, I have found 'recipes' for homemade shampoo, conditioner, facial scrubs, body scrubs, and of course, cleaning products.

I have tried a few recipes, I have bought a lot of products.  A lot.  My Nikki has eczema and very sensitive skin.  Every bar of $15 soap made me go online and find another solution.

This is the one that I like the best.  I make it in small batches.  What I love about it is the ease of making it. There are only 4 ingredients.  There is no ruining the entire batch because you put a little too much of one ingredient.  If you are out of an ingredient, there are substitutions.

I originally found the recipe somewhere on Pinterest, but have altered it several times.  I have made changes because I found better smells, I didn't have an ingredient, or just because I didn't like the way it felt on my skin.  So I now consider this mine.

The great thing about this is that I NEVER measure.  I just scoop and add and adjust as I 'feel' each time :)




First you need 4 simple ingredients:

Epsom Salt
Brown Sugar (any kind)
Olive Oil
Vanilla  (mine is homemade - in the mason jar)

That't it.  Just 4 ingredients.  I use an old deli meat container to store all of this in (reuse and recycle!)












Step 1

Add about a cup of brown sugar, and about a cup of Epsom salt to your container.












Step 2:

Add in about a Tablespoon of vanilla














Step 3: Add your oil.  You want to add just enough to make the mixture wet.  I added way too much here - no worries, just add more of the brown sugar and/or Epsom salt















Finally: store in a sealed container in the bathtub/shower.  I love the way this smells!  My Nikki comes out of the bathroom "Mama, I smell like cookies!"  I love it!  This is great to exfoliate before shaving, on your face (don't worry about the oil, my skin is oily, but this feels great and doesn't clog my pores).

I still have a little too much oil here, but that's ok, Add more dry ingredients now, or after it has been used.





This is so quick and easy to make, my 11 year old can do it - and we all love the way it feels.  Best of all I know exactly what they are putting on their skin!