Tootsie Pop Spiders

Supplies: 20 small googly eyes, 10 small neon-colored pom-poms, craft glue, 20 black pipe cleaners, neon-colored pony beads, 10 bright-colored Tootsie Pops.
How-To: Glue two eyes onto each pom-pom. Cut pipe cleaners in half, and group together by fours. Wrap each group of four pipe cleaners around a Tootsie Pop just below the candy to create eight legs. Press a pony bead into the end of each pipe cleaner to make feet. Glue a pom-pom spider face onto the pipe cleaners at the base of the pop.

Picasa

So we all know that Google is awesome! Great e-mail, blogs, web browser, etc. Did you know they also have a great photo editing program? It's called Picasa, it's free and it's pretty cool! I don't take great pictures but I can make them look pretty good using their editing. You can crop, striaghten, sharpen, change to sepia or black and white, highlight, lighten, etc. You can also create a web album to share with your friends, e-mail pics., or upload them directly to your blog! It's user-friendly and fun to play around with. Check it out.

Create sepia photos and decide the shade

Brighten pics.

Crop and make black and white

Tint pics. to create a different color

Sharpen images

Personalized Frame Gift

I feel guilty I've been a lousy blogger, so here's a craft for ya! This is a frame we made my mom for Mother's Day. There's supposed to be a heart in the middle so it says "We [heart] Nana" but the heart fell off during it's trip and wasn't glued back on in time for the pic. We have pictures, handprints and name stickers for each of the grandkids (the "Happy Mother's Day" slot was filled with my nephew's pic that had to be mailed seperately). This would make a fun Christmas or Birthday present for a mom or a grandma! If you only have a couple kids you could do full-sized pics. in some slots and foot/handprints in others.

New Baby Set-up

When my son was born I came up with a newborn bed system that worked great so I thought I'd share. I had a playpen that I set up by my bed when he first came home from the hospital. I put the newborn netting and mattress insert on and used the space underneath for extra diaper bags and clothes he was too small for. On one half of the bed I stored extra blankets, diapers, wipes, Desitin, "nose-plungers", gas drops, spit rags, breast pads, extra pjs (whatever you need during the night or for diaper changes, etc.). I put the changing table insert over the supplies (my playpen had one but you can use your bed if the playpen's right by it). I put my Boppy (nursing pillow) on top of the changing table. I'd usually open up some diapers and lined them up along the edge of the playpen too for extra quick changes. The other half of the playpen mattress was left empty for the baby to sleep on (width of bed instead of length). Then when the baby woke at night I could grab my boppy for quick feedings and/or if he needed diaper changes I could quickly change him right there by his bed with little interruption so he didn't fully awake and I could get him to sleep faster. Then neither of us was awake long and we both slept better!

Girly Styles

I love cute little girly hairstyles but I'm lacking ideas and time most days so a lot of days we're just lucky to get a comb through it, which lucky enough my daughter's hair's so thin and straight that it doesn't matter. But days we try something cute, it's just fun to see my girl all prettied up! So here's one thing I made up one morning. I'll call it the "Double Twist." Pull a small amount of hair back and tie it. Loosen the tie a little and poke a hole through the middle of the ponytail (above the tie). Take the ponytail and pull it throught the hole (from the top of the hole to the bottom). Tighten the tie. Pull back a little more hair to tie and do the same with that ponytail.

Share your styles!!! E-mail me (realmomsrule@gmail.com) your pictures and directions and I'll post them on the blog to share with everyone. Step-by-step pictures would be a good thing if possible.

Car Pockets

I got tired of all the stuff on the floor in the car and was feeling a need for a more organized and clean car. So I made these pockets to go on the back of the seats. I made four and each one has different size pockets. They are great for cartrips too. I stash toys and books and movies in them. They are easy to make (I am no seamstress). You just need to make loops at the top for the headrest (measure everything first) and a "loop" across the bottom to add a drawstring. Then tie the drawstring around the seat and pin up the top corners.

This one holds an umbrella, diapers, and wipes (now I can stop carrying diapers in my purse everywhere).

Better When it's Free

If you are a Bank of America cardholder you can get into museums free the first weekend of every month. Go here to find participating museums. If your state's not there at least keep it in mind for traveling (plan your vacation the first week of the month). If you visit the websites for attractions you can often find free and discounted days. That's how I got into the puppet museum and kids' museums free.
Know of any other freebies or hot deals? Share!